Zachary Taylor: The Man Who Might Have Prevented the Civil War

Zachary Taylor, the 12th president of the United States, was so indifferent to politics that he never voted until his own election in 1848.

A career military man, “Old Rough and Ready,” as he was affectionately known, was weathered, stocky, and bow-legged in appearance. He was obstinate, easily insulted, and quick-tempered in character. These are not traits that usually make for a successful politician. But then again, he never wanted to be a politician. Until he did.

The son of a Revolutionary War veteran, Zachary Taylor was born in Orange County, Virginia on November 24, 1784. Inspired by his father’s military exploits, Taylor joined the army in 1808. He spent the bulk of the next forty years protecting the frontier against hostile Indians. Steadily rising from the rank of lieutenant to brigadier general, he fought in the War of 1812, the Black Hawk War of 1832, and the Second Seminole War in 1837.

The Mexican-American War in 1846 was a turning point in Taylor’s life. In a matter of months, he went from a respected but obscure soldier to a national hero.

Here’s how it happened.

In January of 1846, President James Polk sent Taylor into the disputed border territory of Texas and Mexico. The idea was that the presence of American troops would pressure the Mexican government into accepting Polk’s offer to buy California. But Mexico wasn’t interested.

So, Polk was stuck.

Things became unstuck when Mexican forces fired on Taylor’s men near the town of Palo Alto, killing 11. That’s all Polk needed to ask Congress to declare war, which it did on May 12.

At that moment, the war rested on Taylor’s shoulders. Despite being vastly outnumbered, he won the battle of Palo