US Military History, Essay Example

During the Mexican war [1846 to 1848] Zachary Taylor was the commander of the second division of the U.S. Army.  Early in the war Taylor was sent to the disputed Texas border quickly with victories at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma.  In 1846, the war was officially declared by U.S. Congress and Taylor swiftly took his army and invaded Mexico.  Within a short time he won decisive battles at Matamarras and Monterrey.  Taylor received only criticism on its handling of the war.  This maybe was attributed to his caution in securing supply lines.  Instead of pressing home the advantages of his initial victories.  History later recognized the prudence of Taylor’s decision.

President Polk was frustrated with Taylor and the progress he was making.  He delivered a portion of the Army, to Gen. Winfield Scott, who pressed home an  amphibious landing at Vera Cruz and after a series of battles, achieved his mission of taking Mexico City.  Scott and Taylor openly disliked one another, and there was continued arguments over the division in command.  Take the later got his week nomination and became a presidential candidate.  Having succeeded he had only a short time in office and died in July 1850.  (Online Highways, 2010)

The life of Taylor was considered to be a mixture of contradictions and ironies.  He was widely regarded as a great military leader and hero of the Mexican war.  Equally he was a slave owner and was a strong supporter of annexing California and New Mexico as free states.  He firmly supported the Union Army, and his daughter married to Jefferson Davis and his son became a Confederate officer. ” Zachary Taylor was not known for his education and he had no political background. He was elected solely on his reputation as a war hero. As such, his short time in office was not one full of major accomplishments. However, if Taylor had lived and in fact vetoed the Compromise of 1850, the events of the mid-19th century would have been very different indeed.”  (Kelly, 2010)

Zachary Taylor at the time of the Mexican war, held the rank of brigadier.  His early victories in the Mexican campaign quickly saw him  promoted to Major General.  Many thought that the success of Taylor was owing to the brilliant strategic campaign conducted by General Winfield Scott, and it was this that carried him to the White House where he became a US president.  Nevertheless, Taylor was decisive at the battle of Buena Vista and instrumental in beating the bulk of the mexican army..” he was ordered to act on the defensive only. While so doing, with about 5,000 men, he was confronted by Santa Ana with 20,000. Taylor defeated and dispersed the Mexicans in a severe battle at Buena Vista, Feb. 23, 1847. During the remainder of the war the valley of the Rio Grande remained in the quiet possession of the Americans. In his campaign in Mexico he acquired the nickname of “Old Rough and Ready,” in allusion to the plainness of his personal appearance and deportment.”  (Anon, 2010)

Taylor  became a controversial character as he supported slavery into the newly acquired territories captured from Mexico.  Taylor earned himself the nickname of old rough and ready and as a presidential candidate he appealed to the northern voters, whereas his slavery convictions appeal to Southern voters.  In February 1850  Taylor had a major confrontation with Southern leaders who threatened secession.  The American Civil War came just 11 years later, with his son Richard, becoming a general in the Confederate Army. (The White House, 2010)

Works Cited

Anon. (2010). Zachary Taylor. Retrieved 3 31, 2010, from sonofthesouth: http://www.sonofthesouth.net/mexican-war/zachary-taylor.htm

Kelly, M. (2010). Zachary Taylor – Twelfth President of the United States. Retrieved 3 30, 2010, from about.com: http://americanhistory.about.com/od/zacharytaylor/p/ptaylor.htm

Online Highways. (2010). Zachary Taylor. Retrieved 3 30, 2010, from Presidents, 1784-1850: http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h132.html

The White House. (2010). Zachary Taylor . Retrieved 3 30, 2010, from The White House: http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/zacharytaylor