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Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Brevet, (search)
Brevet, A French word implying a royal act, conferring some privilege or distinction; in England it is applied to a commission giving nominal rank higher than that for which pay is received. Thus, a brevet major serves and draws pay as captain. The first time it was used in the United States army was in 1812, when Capt. Zachary Taylor was promoted to major by brevet for his defence of Fort Harrison. It was sometimes used in the Continental army after the arrival of the French troops in 1780. The word came, into very general use during the Civil War, and, as an intermediate distinction between an actual low and a possible higher rank, is still frequently conferred by the President. Officers receiving it are privileged to include it in their official titles, as Colonel and brevet brigadier-general, U. S. A.. or U. S. V.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Brown, Fort, (search)
fortified post on the Rio Grande, erected in 1846. and named in honor of Maj. Jacob Brown. U. S. A. It was built by General Taylor immediately after his arrival at the river opposite Matamoras with a part of the army of occupation (March 29, 1846), and was designed to accommodate 2,000 men. It was placed in command of Major Brown. Taylor was ordered by General Ampudia, commander of the Mexican forces at Matamoras, to withdraw within twenty-four hours, as he claimed the territory around Fort Brown belonged to the Department of Tamaulipas. a part of Mexico. Taylor refused to do so: and when he had gone hack to Point Isabel with a part of his forces, leaving Major Brown in command. Arista crossed the river with some troops to attack the ta demanded a surrender of the fort. It was refused, and towards evening (April 6) a heavy tempest of shot and shell fell upon the fort. The fort withstood the attack until relieved by approaching troops under General Taylor. See Mexico, War with.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Buena Vista, battle of. (search)
of Coahuila, and was followed the next day by Taylor, who left Gen. W. O. Butler. with some troopsring an army of 20,000 men at San Luis Potosi, Taylor resolved to form a junction with General Wool ng of the approach of Santa Ana with his host, Taylor and Wool fell back to Angostura, a narrow defianta Ana and his army were within two miles of Taylor's camp on the morning of Feb. 22, when the Mexican chief sent a note to Taylor telling him he was surrounded by 20,000 men, and could not, in all he might surrender at discretion. He granted Taylor an hour to make a decision. It was soon made;a cordon of soldiers around the little army of Taylor and Wool, then less than 5.000 in number. Thel trick of displaying a flag of truce to throw Taylor off his guard, made a desperate assault on the before long the Mexican line began to waver. Taylor, standing near one of the batteries, seeing thGeneral Minon and 800 Mexicans from Saltillo. Taylor returned to Walnut Springs, where he remained [2 more...]
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Canby, Edward Richard Sprigg 1819- (search)
ky in 1819; graduated at West Point in 1839; served in the Seminole War (q. v.) and the war with Mexico. He was twice brevetted for eminent services in the latter Edward R. S. Canby war. He was promoted to major in 1855, and colonel in 1861. In 1861 he was in command in New Mexico until late in 1862, and in March of that year was made brigadier-general of volunteers. He was promoted to major-general of volunteers in May, 1864, and took command of the Department of West Mississippi. He captured Mobile, April 12, 1865, and afterwards received the surrender of the Confederate armies of Generals Taylor and E. Kirby Smith. On July 28, 1866, he was commissioned a brigadier-general in the regular army, and in 1869 took command of the Department of the Columbia, on the Pacific coast. He devoted himself to the settlement of difficulties with the Modoc Indians (q. v.), and, while so doing, was treacherously murdered by Captain Jack, their leader, in northern California, April 11, 1873.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Harrison, Fort, Ind. (search)
Harrison, Fort, Ind. A defensive post on the Wabash River, near Terre Haute, Ind. At the very hour when the Pigeon Roost massacre occurred (see Wayne, Fort), two young haymakers were killed and scalped near Fort Harrison. The Prophet (see Elkswatawa) at Tippecanoe was still busy stirring up the Indians against the white people. The garrison of Fort Harrison was commanded by Capt. Zachary Taylor (afterwards President of the United States), who was just recovering from a severe illness. He had been warned by friendly Indians to be on his guard. His garrison was weak, for of the fifty men who composed it not more than a dozen were exempt from the prevailing fever. Only two non-commissioned officers and six privates could mount guard at the same time. In the presence of impending danger some of the convalescents went upon duty freely. At midnight on Sept. 4, 1812, the Indians stealthily approached the fort and set fire to one of the block-houses, which contained the stores of
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Illinois. (search)
d brought back canoes with dead Indians in them. Probably fifty had perished. The expedition returned, after an absence of eighteen days, with eighty horses and the dried scalps of several persons who had been killed by the savages, as trophies. General Hopkins discharged the mutineers and organized another expedition of 1,250 men, composed chiefly of foot-soldiers. Its object was the destruction of Prophetstown. The troops were composed of Kentucky militia, some regulars under Capt. Zachary Taylor, a company of rangers, and a company of scouts and spies. They rendezvoused at Vincennes, and marched up the Wabash Valley to Fort Harrison, Nov. 5, 1812. They did not reach the vicinity of Prophetstown until the 19th. Then a detachment fell upon and burned a Winnebago town of forty houses, 4 miles below Prophetstown. The latter and a large Kickapoo village near it were also laid in ashes. The village contained 160 huts, with all the winter provisions of corn and beans, which wer
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Medals. (search)
4, 1818Gov. Isaac Shelby.Victory of the ThamesGold. Feb. 13, 1835Col. George Groghan (22 years after)Defence of Fort Stevenson, 1813Gold. July 16, 1846Maj.-Gen. Zachary TaylorVictory on Rio GrandeGold. March 2, 1847Maj.-Gen. Zachary TaylorCapture of MontereyGold. March 3, 1847British, French, and Spanish officers and crewsResMaj.-Gen. Zachary TaylorCapture of MontereyGold. March 3, 1847British, French, and Spanish officers and crewsRescuing crew of U. S. brig-of-war Somers before Vera Cruz, Dec. 7, 1846Gold & silver. March 9, 1848Maj.-Gen. Winfield ScottMexican campaignGold May 9, 1848Maj.-Gen. Zachary TaylorVictory of Buena VistaGold. Aug. 4, 1854Capt. Duncan N. IngrahamRelease of Martin KosztaGold. May 11, 1858Dr. Frederick H. Rose, of the British navyForMaj.-Gen. Zachary TaylorVictory of Buena VistaGold. Aug. 4, 1854Capt. Duncan N. IngrahamRelease of Martin KosztaGold. May 11, 1858Dr. Frederick H. Rose, of the British navyFor humanity—care of yellow-fever patients from Jamaica to New York on the U. S. S. SusquehannaGold. Dec. 21, 1861 July 16, 1862Naval, to be bestowed upon petty officers, seamen, and marines distinguished for gallantry in action, etc.; 200 issued July 12, 1861Army, to non-commissioned officers and privates for gallantry in action,
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Mexico, War with (search)
ns, President Polk ordered (July, 1845) Gen. Zachary Taylor, then in command of the United States trotect American interests there. In September Taylor formed a camp at Corpus Christi, and there remd Point Isabel the same day. This departure of Taylor from the Rio Grande emboldened the Mexicans, wy crossed the river to attack it in the rear. Taylor had left orders that in case of an attack, if mortally wounded, the signals were given, and Taylor marched for the Rio Grande on the evening of Arista saved himself by solitary flight General Taylor's attack on Monterey. across the Rio Grandrvice. Of these, 9,000 were sent to reinforce Taylor. Wool went up the Rio Grande with about 3,000ere he obtained ample supplies for his own and Taylor's troops. General Taylor had agreed to an armon the defensive. This was a severe trial for Taylor, but he cheerfully obeyed. He and Wool were lgathering at San Luis Potosi, under Santa Ana. Taylor and Wool united their forces, Feb. 4, 1847, on[10 more...]
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Miner, James G. 1819- (search)
Miner, James G. 1819- military officer; born in New England in 1819; graduated at the University of Edinburgh; later removed to Texas. During the Mexican War he served under General Taylor. Prior to the Civil War he was a partner in the famous Tredegar Iron Works in Richmond, Va., and during that war was assistant Secretary of the Confederate Navy. Later he invented a high-pressure engine, but it did not prove a financial success. He died in Milford, O., May 28, 1901.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Poore, Benjamin Perley -1887 (search)
Poore, Benjamin Perley -1887 Journalist; born near Newburyport, Mass., Nov. 2, 1820; learned the printer's trade; was attache of the American legation in Brussels in 1841-48; became a Washington newspaper correspondent in 1854, and continued as such during the remainder of his life. His publications include Campaign life of Gen. Zachary Taylor; Agricultural history of Essex county, Mass.; The conspiracy trial for the murder of Abraham Lincoln; Federal and State charters; The political register and congressional Directory; Life of Burnside: Perley's reminiscences of sixty years in the National metropolis, etc. He died in Washington, D. C., May 30, 1887.
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