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Taylor, Zachary

Zachary Taylor

b. 24 Nov 1784, Montebello (near Barboursville), Orange County, Virginia
d. 9 Jul 1850, Washington, D.C.
Title: President of the United States
Term: 4 Mar 1849 - 9 Jul 1850
Chronology: 14 Feb 1849, election to the office of President of the United States is declared upon counting electoral votes (cast 6 Dec 1848), joint session of the Congress, House Chamber, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. [1]
4 Mar 1849, commencement of term
5 Mar 1849, took an oath of office as President of the United States, inaugural ceremony as part of the special session of the Senate, East Portico, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. [2][3]
9 Jul 1850, died [4]
Biography:
Moved with parents to Kentucky from Virginia; received only a rudimentary education; enlisted in the army (1806); commissioned first lieutenant in the infantry (1808); promoted to captain (1810); commanded Fort Knox, Vincennes, Indian Territory (1811); promoted to major (1812); resigned commission (1815); re-commissioned (1816); promoted to lieutenant colonel (1819); commanded Fort Snelling, Northwest Territory (1828-1829); promoted to colonel and assigned command of Fort Crawford, Michigan Territory (1829); served Black Hawk War (1832); won victory against Seminole Indians near Lake Okeechobee, Florida, in Second Seminole War 1837; promoted to brigadier general (1838); commander of all Florida forces (1838-1840); commander, 2nd Department Western Division of US Army (1841); commander, 1st Department Western Division US Army (1844); won victory over Mexicans at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma (8-9 May 1846); promoted to major general (1846); won victory in the Battle of Buena Vista (22-23 Feb 1847); commander of U.S. Forces in Northern Mexico (1847); nominated presidential candidate at the Whig convention in June 1848; elected President of the United States in 1848; advocated statehood for California and New Mexico, but faced bitter opposition of Southerners in Congress, who feared a permanent majority of free states in the US Senate; financial improprieties on the part of three Cabinet members revealed in 1850; died suddenly.
Biographical sources: "Zachary Taylor: Soldier, Planter, Statesman of the Old Southwest", by Jack K. Bauer (Louisiana State University Press, 1993).
Elections:

Candidate (party) Electoral vote (6 Dec 1848)
Zachary Taylor (Whig) 163
Lewis Cass (Democratic) 127
total number of electors appointed 290
number of votes for a majority 146
Source of electoral results: Congressional Globe, 30th Congress, 2nd Session, 534-535.

[1] Congressional Globe, 30th Congress, 2nd Session, 534-535.
[2] Congressional Globe, 30th Congress, 2nd Session, Appendix, 326-327; Senate Executive Journal, vol. VIII, 65-67.
[3] Inauguration was postponed as 4 Mar 1849 fell on a Sunday.
[4] Congressional Globe, 31st Congress, 1st Session, 1363-1365.
Image: portrait of Zachary Taylor (photographed 1849; reproduction of a daguerreotype by Mathew Brady).

This page was last updated on: 17 Jul 2009 01:43:36


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