The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-12-14
Gen. Zachary Taylor's Daughter
Wooed by Jefferson Davis
at Wisconsin Post.

at Wisconsin Post.
Prairie du Chen. Wls.-Did Jeffer
sDn Davis and the daughter Of Zach
Ary Taylor elope In the long ago from
Fort Crawford. whose ruins have jus
been bought by the Daughters Of tbs
American Revolution and viii be pre-
served?
Probably no true or untrue romance
of frontier days In the upper Missis
Eppl valley has SO often been told 80
often been denled--so steadtastty BE-
neved by some. and 50 laughed 20
scorn or bitterly denounced as fake
BY others
Out OF the mass ot evidence which
has been produced by both side 70
gubstantiGts their contentious. The real
truth ot the matter gradually has come
10 light n the October number ~ The
PaIinpsest. a magazine published oy
Iowa Historical society. the history IL
authentic form Is revealed. perhaps
more completely and definitely than II
has been heretofore In anything said
or written.
While IN actual elopement from Fort
Crawford IS dispruved- romance and
adventure, love and great sorrow In
ne lise story OF Jefferson Davis are
shown 20 % rizhtfully a part II the
romantic interest clinEng 20 the ruins
OF the famous fort The true story.
, Indeed. tnrrigues the Imagination far
more than the meaeer tale Of the
elopement as Il Is generally told
The writer u the article IN the
Palimpsest. Dorothy MacBride sketches
in The military adventures % Lieut..
Jefferson Davis IN the upper Missis-
Eppl region. along With the story 0s
his love.
The young West Point graduate vas
hardly OF age wh he was assigned
to dury at Fort Crawford IN ls2s. The
fort nc that time shared with Fort
Smelling the task Of guarding the
northwestern frontier. Some addi-
tons 20 the fortifradOns were needed.
and Lieutenant Davis. shortly after
bis arrival was sent up into the Red
Cedar river area OF northern wIscon-
sin 70 super,ntend cutting timber for
the new buildings. II was a severe
Initiation for the southerner. logging
IN the bitter winter cold in The viii
derness. rafting the timbers down
through the rapids Of the Chippewa
Hver 70 the Mississippi. and warCiing
or nc times hostile Indians But he
acquitted himself well and returned to
the fort having won favor with COM
rades and superior officers.
Taylor Comes to Fort
Doubtless a good report VI him was
given 70 the new cummandant. Lieut..
Col Zachary Taylor. who the follow
Ing summer was transferred from Fort
Smelling TO the command OF Fort
Crawford. Taylor brought his family
with him-hIs wife. his son and his
three beautiful daughters. The pres
ence Of the pretty young women seems
to have sTkead commotion in the
hearts OF the homeslck young officers,
and the lieutenant proved to be no
exception.
The romance that was to become
the great love and the great sorrow
Of Jefferson Davis life hardly had
time to bud. however, before he -as
transferred to Fort winnebago at
Portage
In 1881 Lieutenant Davis was or.
iered back 20 Fort Crawford. but must
have had only fieeting moments to en-
Joy the society OF Miss Sarah Taylor
for he was away first. experimenting
the erection OF sawmill On Yellow
river In Wisconsin. and after that nj
the lead mines near Dubuque. wher.
be successfully fulfilled the commits
yfun given him by Colonel Taylor Il
effect the removal of persons who wer,
unlawfuIiy working the mines.
The next year the chief. Blaci
Hawk. smarting under bis ALLEGED
wrongs. crossed over from Iowa int,
Illinois and led the revolt " the SauI
and Fox Indians. spreading terrol
among the settlers OF northern niInoi,
and southwestern Wisconsin.
Lieutenant Davis conducted himself
with credit in the war. and on the cap
ture Of Black Hawk was selected BY
Colonel Taylor TO escort the defeat.
ID chief and his braves to Jefferson
bsrrackA
sw,fh Black Hawk n c.,Anemenf.