“Winding down a hill near Mont Morales, the column is halted to let a troop of horse pass. Do you see at their head a plain looking gentleman, mounted upon a brown horse, having upon his head a Mexican sombrero, dressed in a brown olive-coloured loose frock coat, grey pantaloons, wool socks, and shoes? From under the frock appears the scabbard of a sword; he has the eye of a hawk, and every lineament of his countenance is expressive of honesty, and a calm determined mind. The plain looking gentleman is General Zachary Taylor, who, with his military family, and a squadron of dragoons as an escort, is on his way to the front.” A few more anecdotes will serve to show the peculiarities of the now deceased general. “After the capitulation of Monterey, the officers of the army used their exertions to get General Taylor to move from his camp at St. Domingo to the Plaza, and there establish his head quarters. Several public buildings were examined and decided upon as suitable. After considerable persuasion General Taylor consented to move, at the same time giving the following instructions:—‘Choose a pleasant location—a house that is surrounded by a garden filled with large trees; put up a tent under the trees for my residence, and you [the staff and other officers] may have the house in front.’ It is needless to add, that no more was said about the head quarters being removed into the city of Monterey. “In the early part of a severe action, when the enemy had succeeded in turning the left wing of his little army, and secured a seeming advantageous position in rear of their line, at the base of the mountain; when a portion of the troops, overpowered by the superiority of numbers, were forced to retire in “hot haste;” when, indeed, the fortunes of the day seemed extremely problematical, an officer of high rank rode up to General Taylor, and announced the temporary success of the enemy, and expressed his fears for the success of the army. Taylor’s reply was characteristic of the man. ‘Sir,’ said he, ‘so long as we have thirty muskets, we can never be conquered! If those troops who have abandoned their position can be rallied and brought into action again, I will take three thousand of the enemy prisoners. Had I the disposition of the enemy’s forces, I would myself place them just where they are.’ The officer resumed his duties with a light heart, considering that the battle, in spite of appearance, was already won.” The volunteers who flocked to his standard soon learned to regard the old general as a friend as well as a commander. “As proof of his humanity, it is recorded that Taylor, before leaving the battle-ground of Buena Vista, ordered upwards of forty mule loads of provisions to be sent from his camp to Incarnacion, for the use of the wounded Mexicans who were in the hospital there, and starving from hunger.