least, with estimates of men and things that were both true and false-true in that they were founded on the great primal instincts of man, which are always healthful, and false in that they were restricted by that rigidity and prejudice of mind which always result when virile qualities pass into excess through that lack of softening and restraining influence which comes from a liberal culture. But he had all the qualities which go to make up the warrior, and toward this end his heart ever yearned. In 1807, the capture of the United States frigate Chesapeake by the British frigate Leopard filled the whole country with fresh animosity toward the old enemy across the sea. Zachary Taylor took advantage of the prevalent excitement to push his ambition to fulfillment. He applied to Mr. Jefferson for a commission in the army, and on the third of May, in the year 1808, he received the commission of first lieutenant in the Seventh regiment of United States infantry. This appointment enabled him to gratify at once both his ambition and his love, for while the ink was yet damp on his commission he married Miss Margaret Smith, a Maryland lady of good family. He soon joined the troops at New Orleans, under General Wilkinson. Even then the hostilities were thickening which should soon culminate in the war declaration of 1812. To detail the steps by which this was induced would be irrelevant to the purpose of this sketch, and a repetition of what has gone before. It meets all requirements to say that previous to the breaking out of hostilities, as a furtherance to its ulterior purpose, the British government had been actively engaged in inciting outbreaks against the United States by tribes of western Indians. To the work of anticipating and putting down these rebellions the young officer was assigned, under the command of William Henry Harrison, then governor of the Northwest territory. When, on June 19, 1812, war was formally declared against Great Britain by the United States congress and President Madison, Taylor, then a captain, was in command of Fort Harrison, a rude and ineffectual stockade on the Wabash river, fifty miles above Vincennes, Indiana, and garrisoned only by fifty men. Here, in the very heart of the enemy's country, with men so worn by service and disabled by sickness as to be nearly incapacitated, and kept constantly on the alert against a savage and sleepless foe, they were attacked on the night of September 4, 1812, by a band of four hundred and fifty Indians, whose first work was to set fire to a portion of the fort. Here was a situation grave enough to test the mettle of one much more learned in military matters. It called out all the reserve power in the young warrior of twentytwo. "Amid the raging of the fire, the yelling and howling of several hundred Indians, and the cries of women and children who had taken shelter there, and the unceasing fire of guns, the young stripling captain boldly met them all, and gave his orders for suppressing the fire and See life of James Madison.

repelling the attack of the savage foes, with as much coolness as the oldest veteran." The Indians were repulsed after a seven hour conflict, with but the loss to captain Taylor of two men killed and two wounded. This first actual trial of the military stuff that was in the young man, and his ample response to the demands of the situation, gave him no little fame, not on the frontier alone, but in the older states, whose first attention was sure to be given to any indications of rising military talent, from the pressing necessities of the times. For this piece of gallant work the brevet rank of major was conferred upon him, the first brevet commission ever bestowed in this country. During the remainder of the war the work assigned to Major Taylor partook of a like character, and may be called defensive rather than offensive, giving exercise to the resisting forces in his character, rather than development to his knowledge of military service. In the Black Hawk War he was assigned to the command of the regular troops, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. This closed with the capture of Black Hawk, in a complete victory for the young commander, though wrung out of the most adverse circumstances. Nothing better illustrates the fast developing strength of the man, his decision, his tenacity of purpose, and his grim resolution, than an incident of this campaign. While pursuing Black Hawk's band, with a large body of volunteers and a handful of regulars, he drew near to Rock river, then regarded as the northwestern boundary of the state of Illinois. During the entire march there had been indications of a mutiny among the impressed troops, but at the state line it flared out into open rebellion. The men declared it unconstitutional for Taylor to push them beyond the boundaries of the state, and into the Indian frontier. Compelled thus to decide between allegiance to the constitution and military expediency, he halted his command, and unknown to his men sent word to General Scott of the situation, and declared himself waiting further orders. They came, urging him to follow Black Hawk to the last, if he found it possible. During this interval the quietness with which Taylor seemed to accept the situation. misled his mutinous militia. There was a sort of impromptu town meeting held on the prairie, and the colonel was invited to be present. The men were unanimous in their determination to go no further. After some time it became Taylor's turn to address the chair. His orders had just been received. Advancing to the front "old Rough and Ready" as he was so often called, said quietly that he had heard with much pleasure the views which several of the speakers had expressed of the independence and dignity of each private American citizen. He had felt that all the gentlemen there were his equals in reality, and was persuaded that many of them in a few years would be his superiors, and perhaps in the capacity of members of congress, arbiters of the fortune and reputation of humble servants of the republic like himself. He expected to obey them then,

as interpreters of the will of the people; and the best proof he could give that he would obey them was now to observe the orders of those whom the people had already put in places of authority. “In plain English, gentlemen " he concluded "the word has passed on to me from Washington to follow Black Hawk, and to take you with me as soldiers. I mean to do both. There are the flat boats drawn up on the shore, and here are Uncle Sam's men drawn up behind you on the prairie." One glance was enough. The regulars were in position, prepared to carry out the orders of their commander. The militiamen ignored the constitutional points, and meekly marched on board. The pursuit of the savage foe was relentless, and finally a complete victory was won and Black Hawk taken prisoner. The battle of Bad-Axe ended this campaign, and proved Zachary Taylor to be one of the best Indian fighters the country had yet produced. The next field in which he gained distinction was in the Florida war, a campaign that furnished more hard work than glory. His orders in relation to this line of duty were received in 1836, and in December of the year following he led a thousand men from Fort Gardiner toward Lake Okechobee, where some seven hundred of the foe were waiting to receive him. In front of the enemy was a swamp nearly a mile in breadth, totally impassable for cavalry and nearly so for infantry. Yet it had to be crossed in some way, and the plan adopted by the commander was as follows: The volunteers were sent forward with orders to fall back, if necessary, while the regulars would sustain them. They advanced, and received the fire of the foe, who sheltered themselves after the Indian mode of warfare, behind trees. They wavered and fell back, whereupon the regulars advanced through the heavy grass as best they could, suffering great losses, but still pushing ahead. The action lasted for three hours, at the end of which time the Indians retreated in confusion. The loss to Colonel Taylor was very heavy both in officers and in men; and in speaking of the sufferings of the wounded in that far away wilderness he said: "I trust I may be permitted to say that I experienced one of the most trying scenes of my life, and he who could have looked on with indifference, his nerves must have been differently organized from my own." His conduct of this campaign was such that the brevet rank of brigadier-general was conferred upon him, and he was for a time given the chief command of the state. He remained in Florida two years, and in 1840 was assigned to the command of the southwestern division of the army, having his headquarters at Fort Jesup, Louisiana. The Texan question, with the complications that grew out of it, attracted a large share of public attention at that time, and being stationed on the far western border, General Taylor's movements and duties were more or less influenced thereby. In June, 1845, he was ordered to the Texan district, and established his headquarters at Corpus Christi, on the west

bank of the Nueces. Threats of Mexican invasion were heard, and the war cloud that soon after spread over that portion of the land was even then threatening. The position of General Taylor was one of danger and responsibility. The greatest confidence was reposed in him by those in power at Washington, and in October we find the secretary of war writing to him that in carrying out the instructions of the government he would be left very much to his own judgment, because of his superior knowledge of the country, and his means of learning the purposes and movements of the Mexicans. Soon afterward he received orders to march to the Rio Grande, the Texan boundary, and take such position there as he might deem advisable.

Matters had so far advanced toward hostilities, that on March 11, 1846, General Taylor with such troops as had not already preceded him, took up his line of march from Corpus Christi, and on the twenty-eighth of the same month arrived at the mouth of the Rio Grande. Upon his arrival at Point Isabel he had defenses thrown up, with the view of making it a depot for provisions and military stores. He was called upon at this point by a large delegation of Mexicans, who entered a protest against his occupation of the country, but all the answer he gave them was that he "should not have time to consider their request until he had reached Matamoras." He kept on, and took up his position opposite the city last named, which was full of Mexican troops, and gave every evidence of the most intense excitement. On April 12, he received a peremptory summons from General Ampudia, the commander-in-chief of the Mexican forces, demanding that he should evacuate his position. In his address the Mexican said:

Your government, in an incredible manner-you will even permit me to say an extravagant one, if the usage or general rules established and received among all civilized nations are regarded-has not only insulted but has exasperated the Mexican nation, bearing its conquering banner to the left bank of the Rio Bravo del Norte; and in this case by explicit and definite orders of my government, which neither can, will or should receive new outrages, I require you in all form, and at the latest in the peremptory term of twenty-four hours, to break up your camp and retire to the other bank of the Nueces river, while our governments are regulating the pending question in relation to Texas. If you insist upon remaining upon the soil of the department of Tamaulipas, it will clearly result that arms and arms alone must decide the question; and in that case I advise you that we accept the war to which, with so much injustice on your part, you provoke us, and that on our part this war shall be conducted conformably to the principles established by the most civilized nations; that is to say that the law of nations and of war shall be the guide of my operations, trusting that on your part the same will be observed."

General Taylor's response was given on the same day, and was decisive and full of courage. After acknowledging the receipt of Ampudia's order and a reference to its purport, he said:

"I need hardly advise you that, charged as I am in only a military capacity, with the performance of specific duties, I cannot enter into a discussion of the international question involved in the advance of the American army. You will, however, permit me to say that the government of the United States has constantly sought a settlement by negotiations, of the questions of boundary; that an envoy was dispatched to Mexico for that purpose, and that up to the most recent date said envoy had not been received by the actual Mexican government, if indeed he has not received his passports and left the republic. In the meantime I have been ordered to occupy the country up to the left bank of the Ric Grande, until the boundary shall be definitely settled. In carrying out these instructions I have carefully abstained from all acts of hostility, obeying, in this regard, not only the letter of my instructions, but the plain dictates of justice and humanity. The instructions under which I am acting will not permit me to retrograde from the position I now occupy. In view of the relations between our respective governments, and the individual suffering which may result, I regret the alternative which you offer; but at the same time wish it understood that I shall by no means avoid such alternative, leaving the responsibility with those who rashly commence. hostilities. In conclusion, you will permit me to give the assurance that on my part the laws and customs of war among civilized nations shall be carefully observed."

This decided answer was followed by active preparations of defense, and such disposition of the American forces as would be of the greatest advantage in case of an attack. The river was blockaded. A collision soon occurred between ten Americans and a small body of Mexican troops, and one of the former was killed. The situation was critical. Ampudia addressed a strong remonstrance to General Taylor against the blockade. The reply was characteristic. The American commander expressed himself surprised that the Mexican general should complain after all that had passed since the arrival of the American army on the Rio Grande, as the measure complained of was "no other than a natural result of the state of war so much insisted on by the Mexican authorities as actually existing." In the condition of affairs an appeal to arms could not long be avoided. On April 24, word was brought to General Taylor that twenty five hundred Mexicans had crossed the Rio Grande, part above his camp and part below, for the purpose of cutting him off from his base of supplies at Point Isabel. Not a moment was lost. Two small detachments were sent out, but met an overwhelming force of the enemy, and were defeated