Old Rough and Ready
Zachary Taylor is one of a handful of Presidents who came to the Presidency without ever being elected to any previous office or appointed to the cabinet. (These men were all generals who rose to prominence because of their military success: George Washington, Ulysses Grant, and Dwight Eisenhower.) Taylor was unique because he had never revealed what his politics were and supposedly had never even voted, not even in the election that made him President.
Taylor fought in the War of 1812 and in the Indian Wars (the Black Hawk War and the Second Seminole War), but it was in the Mexican War that he rose to prominence. On this day of May 24, 1846 (165 years ago today), Taylor's forces captured Monterrey. It was one in a string of victories that brought Taylor to his nation's attention. In 1845, Texas became a U.S. state, and President James K. Polk directed Taylor to lead an army into disputed territory on the Texas-Mexico border. His orders were to defend the state against any attempts by Mexico to take it back after it. Taylor was given command of American troops on the Rio Grande on April 23, 1845. When some of Taylor's men were attacked by Mexican forces near the river, Polk told Congress in May 1846 that a war between Mexico and the United States had started by an act of aggression on the part of the Mexicans, who attacked American troops on American soil. Technically this wasn't true, since the territory where the attack occirred was actually disputed territory. Taylor commanded American forces at the Battle of Palo Alto, where he made superior use of his artillery to defeat the significantly larger Mexican opposition. Later, Taylor was able to inflict heavy casualties upon the Mexican defenders at the Battle of Monterrey. The city of Monterrey was considered impenetrable, but Taylor proved those who said so wrong.
Taylor allowed the Mexicans reasonable terms of surrender and he was criticized for it. While Taylor's terms were reasonable under the circumstances, he was also fighting a political war. President Polk was worried about Taylor's popularity. He wanted a Democratic general to lead his troops but there were none. General Winfield Scott also had political ambitions and he too felt threatened by Taylor's popularity. So Scott siphoned off half of Taylor's army as they attacked Veracruz. Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna discovered, through a letter written by Scott to Taylor that had been intercepted by the Mexicans, that Taylor had only 6,000 men, many of whom were not regular army soldiers. Santa Anna attacked Taylor with 20,000 men at the Battle of Buena Vista in February 1847, inflicting 672 American casualties at a cost of 1,800 Mexican. Santa Anna retreated.
Buena Vista turned Taylor into a hero, and he was compared to George Washington and Andrew Jackson in the American popular press. But unlike other generals, Taylor did not stand on pomp or pageantry. His nickname was "Old Rough and Ready." According to news stories and reports from his troops, he dressed informally, wore a the tattered straw hat on his head, and the casually sat on top of his beloved horse, "Old Whitey," while shots buzzed around his head. According to one story, a messenger rode into Taylor's camp and mistook the General for just another old bum. Taylor played along with the messenger's error before letting on his true identity.
Taylor was selected at the Whig candidate in the next election, defeating challengers Henry Clay and his commanding General Winfield Scott for the nomination. On November 7, 1848. Taylor was elected President, defeating Democrat Lewis Cass, capturing 163 of the 290 electoral votes cast. As President he continued his independence streak. His untimely death on July 9, 1850 prevented him from being better remembered and from having a larger place in history.
Taylor fought in the War of 1812 and in the Indian Wars (the Black Hawk War and the Second Seminole War), but it was in the Mexican War that he rose to prominence. On this day of May 24, 1846 (165 years ago today), Taylor's forces captured Monterrey. It was one in a string of victories that brought Taylor to his nation's attention. In 1845, Texas became a U.S. state, and President James K. Polk directed Taylor to lead an army into disputed territory on the Texas-Mexico border. His orders were to defend the state against any attempts by Mexico to take it back after it. Taylor was given command of American troops on the Rio Grande on April 23, 1845. When some of Taylor's men were attacked by Mexican forces near the river, Polk told Congress in May 1846 that a war between Mexico and the United States had started by an act of aggression on the part of the Mexicans, who attacked American troops on American soil. Technically this wasn't true, since the territory where the attack occirred was actually disputed territory. Taylor commanded American forces at the Battle of Palo Alto, where he made superior use of his artillery to defeat the significantly larger Mexican opposition. Later, Taylor was able to inflict heavy casualties upon the Mexican defenders at the Battle of Monterrey. The city of Monterrey was considered impenetrable, but Taylor proved those who said so wrong.
Taylor allowed the Mexicans reasonable terms of surrender and he was criticized for it. While Taylor's terms were reasonable under the circumstances, he was also fighting a political war. President Polk was worried about Taylor's popularity. He wanted a Democratic general to lead his troops but there were none. General Winfield Scott also had political ambitions and he too felt threatened by Taylor's popularity. So Scott siphoned off half of Taylor's army as they attacked Veracruz. Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna discovered, through a letter written by Scott to Taylor that had been intercepted by the Mexicans, that Taylor had only 6,000 men, many of whom were not regular army soldiers. Santa Anna attacked Taylor with 20,000 men at the Battle of Buena Vista in February 1847, inflicting 672 American casualties at a cost of 1,800 Mexican. Santa Anna retreated.
Buena Vista turned Taylor into a hero, and he was compared to George Washington and Andrew Jackson in the American popular press. But unlike other generals, Taylor did not stand on pomp or pageantry. His nickname was "Old Rough and Ready." According to news stories and reports from his troops, he dressed informally, wore a the tattered straw hat on his head, and the casually sat on top of his beloved horse, "Old Whitey," while shots buzzed around his head. According to one story, a messenger rode into Taylor's camp and mistook the General for just another old bum. Taylor played along with the messenger's error before letting on his true identity.
Taylor was selected at the Whig candidate in the next election, defeating challengers Henry Clay and his commanding General Winfield Scott for the nomination. On November 7, 1848. Taylor was elected President, defeating Democrat Lewis Cass, capturing 163 of the 290 electoral votes cast. As President he continued his independence streak. His untimely death on July 9, 1850 prevented him from being better remembered and from having a larger place in history.