U.S. Presidents & First Ladies

Zachary Taylor

Zachary Taylor, born in 1784 in Virginia, rose to national prominence through his exploits in the War of 1812, the Black Hawk War — where he earned the nickname “Old Rough and Ready” — and leading the Mexican-American War. In this 1833 letter, Col. Zachary Taylor updated troop movements at Fort Crawford in Wisconsin, a fort he helped construct. With his popularity and moderate views on slavery, Taylor was drafted by the Whig Party to run for president in 1848. He won and became the 12th president, but died only 16 months into his term, leaving unresolved sectional tensions.