Sparks Commentary: Why is Zachary Taylor now considered a “forgettable” president?

By 1849, General Zachary Taylor had spent more than four decades in the United States Army. He had become one of the heroes of the Mexican-American War. But, when Zachary Taylor first ran for president, he had never held a political office in his life. Taylor’s political beliefs were vague and largely unknown, making one wonder why the Whig political party decided to choose him as their candidate. But, in 1840, the war with Mexico had just added some massive territories to the American Union, and our national debate over slavery was now increasing in intensity. That is, would these new states be admitted to the Union as “free states” or slave states? And how would this question be decided? When Zachary Taylor first entered the White House in 1849, the seeds of a future civil war were being sown. The prelude to the Civil War arguably began in this year that Zachary Taylor was inaugurated: 1849. The fateful cannon shots at Fort Sumter were then still twelve years in the future, but the nation was now on a fateful collision course … with itself.

Zachary Taylor

Early life and distinguished military career, through the presidential elections of 1848

But perhaps some background about Zachary Taylor would be helpful here. That is, Zachary Taylor was born on a Virginia plantation in 1784. That is, Mr. Taylor was born in the United States, but he was the last president to be born before its Constitution had been adopted. Zachary Taylor was the third of nine children. He had multiple Pilgrim ancestors from the Mayflower, and his own father had fought in the American Revolution. His mother taught Zachary Taylor how to read and write, but he had minimal formal schooling. His early letters showed a tenuous grasp of spelling and grammar. This grasp improved over time, but his handwriting remained difficult to read throughout his life. Eventually, the Taylor family moved to Kentucky, where he resided for most of his civilian life. Zachary Taylor joined the United States Army in 1808, and married his only wife Margaret Smith in 1810. Around that time, he acquired his own plantation. Eventually, Zachary Taylor would own more than 200 slaves. Zachary Taylor fought in the War of 1812 as a captain, which would enable him to rise even further. Zachary Taylor also fought in the Black Hawk War and the Second Seminole War. His success in the latter conflict brought him national attention, earning him the favorable nickname of “Old Rough and Ready.” The Republic of Texas was later annexed under President James K. Polk. Mr. Polk sent Zachary Taylor to the Texas-Mexico border, in anticipation of a future conflict with Mexico. Later on, the war did indeed break out, and Zachary Taylor thus drove Mexican forces out of Texas. He then led his troops even further into Mexico, and defeated a force led by Santa Anna himself. Zachary Taylor’s troops were later transferred to the command of General Winfield Scott, but Taylor still retained his popularity. Taylor reached the rank of major general during the war. He was still an Army general, when he first ran for president in 1848.

General Zachary Taylor rides his horse at the Battle of Palo Alto – Texas, 1846

Taylor becomes president in 1848, despite having no prior political experience

The incumbent president was James K. Polk, who was a Democrat. But, in the previous election, Polk had promised not to run for a second term. Thus, in 1848, he honored his promise, leaving the field open on the Democratic side. The former president Martin Van Buren initially ran for the Democratic nomination. But Van Buren eventually withdrew over a platform dispute. Martin Van Buren then ran as a third-party candidate, as part of the “Free Soil Party.” The Democrats then nominated Lewis Cass in 1848. And, on the Whig side, there were several contenders for the nomination. These included Henry Clay and Daniel Webster. Most of the Whigs were against the war with Mexico. But the Whigs knew that they had little chance of winning, if they did not nominate a popular general from this war as their candidate. Thus, Zachary Taylor was nominated, despite having no known political affiliations or beliefs. This explains why he was nominated, despite any professed commitments to Whig principles – and despite having no political experience. Thus, the Whigs nominated Zachary Taylor … almost as an act of desperation. The Democrats initially had the upper hand, and this probably seemed necessary to beat their momentum. Taylor seems to have been reluctant even to accept the nomination. Crucially, Zachary Taylor chose Millard Fillmore as his running mate. This would become important later on. In the general election, the former president Martin Van Buren, running as a “Free Soil Party” candidate, won 10.1% of the popular vote. This was a good showing for a third-party candidate, but Van Buren did not then win any electoral votes. The Democratic candidate Lewis Cass won 42.5% of the popular vote, and 43.8% of the electoral vote. And Zachary Taylor won 47.3% of the popular vote, and 56.2% of the electoral vote. Thus, Zachary Taylor had just been elected the 12th President of the United States. And Millard Fillmore had just been elected as his vice president. Again, Zachary Taylor was the first president ever to be elected without ever having held prior political office.

Zachary Taylor

Taylor’s presidency, and the controversies surrounding his sudden death while in office

When Zachary Taylor took office, the prelude to the Civil War was now beginning. But, as Wikipedia puts it, Zachary Taylor initially “kept his distance from Congress and his Cabinet, even though partisan tensions threatened to divide the Union. Debate over the status of slavery in the Mexican Cession dominated the national political agenda and led to threats of secession from Southerners. Despite being a Southerner and a slaveholder himself, Taylor did not push for the expansion of slavery, and sought sectional harmony above all other concerns. To avoid the issue of slavery, he urged settlers in New Mexico and California to bypass the territorial stage and draft constitutions for statehood, setting the stage for the Compromise of 1850.” (Source: Their page on “Zachary Taylor”) In 1850, there was an epidemic in Washington, D.C. Several of Taylor’s Cabinet members were thus coming down with a stomach disease. And, soon, President Taylor himself came down with the same illness. Over the course of several days, he became severely ill with a stomach disease that also affected his intestines. Zachary Taylor commented: “I should not be surprised if this were to terminate in my death. I did not expect to encounter what has beset me since my elevation to the Presidency. God knows I have endeavored to fulfill what I conceived to be an honest duty. But I have been mistaken. My motives have been misconstrued, and my feelings most grossly outraged.” (see source) On the day after he wrote this, Zachary Taylor died in office on July 9th, 1850. He had been in office for only 16 months. He was just 65 years old. Thus, his vice president Millard Fillmore then assumed the office of president. A few months later, President Millard Fillmore signed the Compromise of 1850, for which his predecessor Mr. Taylor had laid the groundwork. There continue to be popular theories about Zachary Taylor being assassinated by poisoning. These even led to an exhumation of Zachary Taylor’s body in 1991. But the medical examiner failed to find any evidence of arsenic poisoning. Some have since criticized the forensic analysis on grounds of methodology. But most seem to believe that the open sewers in Washington, D.C. led to his food or drink being contaminated in some way. Incidentally, it was in Washington, D.C. that Mr. Taylor died. In certain historical circles, the debate over his death continues in full force.

Zachary Taylor

Conclusion: Zachary Taylor was more a forgettable president than a failed one

As Wikipedia puts it, Zachary Taylor “accomplished little aside from the ratification of the Clayton–Bulwer Treaty and … made no progress on the most divisive issue in Congress and the nation: slavery.” (Source: Their page on “Zachary Taylor”) They further note that “Historians and scholars have ranked Taylor in the bottom quartile of U.S. presidents, owing in part to his short term of office (16 months), though he has been described as ‘more a forgettable president than a failed one’.” (Source: Their page on “Zachary Taylor”) I tend to agree. He may not have been a great president, but nor does he seem to have been a bad one. Again, his vice president Millard Fillmore took over for Zachary Taylor upon his death in 1850, serving the remainder of Taylor’s presidential term.

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James K. Polk: President during the Mexican-American War

Franklin Pierce: One of our most pro-slavery presidents

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Part of a series about

The Presidents

1. George Washington
2. John Adams
3. Thomas Jefferson
4. James Madison
6. John Quincy Adams
7. Andrew Jackson

11. James K. Polk

12. Zachary Taylor

14. Franklin Pierce

16. Abraham Lincoln
18. Ulysses S. Grant