Evening star., 1950-07-02
By John Clcoett Proctor

President Zachary Taylor may
not be considered as one of our
great Presidents. but the fact that
he held this high Office should in
itself make his name one never to
be forgotten. AS the Chief Execu-
tive he performed his duties faith
fully and died while fulfilling the
trust,
He was a Virginian and was
born on November "a, 1884, near
Orange Court House. in Orange
County. OF early American stock,
he was descended from the Taylors
who settled In Virginia in 1892,
and he was related to such fam
lilies as the Madisons, Lees, Bar
bours, Pendletons. Conways. Talia-
ferros, Hunts, Gainses and others.
His father. Richard Taylor, held
commission in the Revolutionary
War as a colonel, and is said to
have served with great valor,
much of the time with Washing
ton himself, and at the battle Of
Trenton rendered distinguished
and valuable aid to the command
er in chief.
Col. Taylor emigrated to Ken
tucky, helped to settle that State,
and died there on his plantation
near Louisville. leaving three sons,
Hancock. Zachary (who became
President) and Joseph. and three
daughters, Elizabeth, Sarah and
Emily. Two sons. George and
William, predeceased the father.
Long Military Service
Through the influence of his
family connections Zachary Taylor
was appointed first lieutenant.
7th Infantry. May 8, 1908, became
a captain in 1910, and major in
1914. He left the service in 1915
and was reinstated the following
year as lieutenant colonel. From
this time on. until within a few
months Of his Inauguration as
President. he filled all intervening
Offices, and was made a major
general June 90, I846.
For gallant conduct in the de-
fenSe of Fort Harrison, during
the war Of 1925. he was bre-
vetted major and given the title
OF major general by Congress for
distinguished service in the battle
OF Okeechobee, when he defeated
the Seminole Indians. The Flor
ida war, in which this engagement
was fought. began in 1885, and
grew out Of an attempt to remove
the Seminoles to lands west of
the Mississippi. in accordance with
a treaty previously made with
them.
Osceola. the Black Drink, ia
nous Seminole leader, opposed
the whites. and decisively defeated
Maj. Dade and his detachment,
the first to attack him, only two
or three wounded men escaping.
Additional honor and fame
came to Gen. Taylor during the
war with Mexico, 1846-I847, and
for his gallant conduct and dis
tinguished service" at Palo Alto
and Resaca de la Palma, May 8
and 8, 1916. when he was given
the brevet title Of major general,
followed several months later by
the thanks of Congress "for the
fortitude, skill. enterprise and
courage which have distinguished
the recent operation on the Rio
Grande. with the presentation Of
a gold medal with appropriate de-
vices and Inscriptions thereon, in
the name of the Republic, as al
tribute to his good conduct, valor
and generosity to the vanquished. y
For his brilliant operations at
Monterey, Congress had struck
another gold medal.
ToyIor Wos . Wing sa
Congress also. on May 8, 1886,
passed a resolution commencing
Gen. Taylor and the troops under
his command "for their yalor, skill
and gallant conduct conspicuously
displayed in the battle of
Buena Vista, In defeating a Mexi-
can army of more than four times
their number, consisting of chosen
troops under their favorite COM
mander, Gen. Santa Ana" and a
gold medal accompanied the res
olution.
In the presidential campaign Of
1848, Gen. Taylor. who then
claimed Louisiana as his State.
headed the Whig party. though he
knew so little about politics that
he hardly knew upon which plat
form he stood. Millard Fillmore
Of New York was his running
mate and had resided at 226
Third street NV. while serving in
Congress prior to 1843. Lewis
Cass Of Michigan. Democrat, and
William o. Butler of Kentucky OPP
posed Taylor and Fillmore, but
were defeated by the latter ticket,
which received 1853 electoral votes.
On January 81, 1849, Gen. Taylor
!.