Kentucky Educator Resources

41 members of the Legislature, & it was distinctly understood that the district was formed for the benefit of Mr. Montgomery. It was expected he would be elected without opposition. Mr. Quarles having made a remark to that effect & that he could beat any man in the district in the presence of my friend Colo. Newelle, he implied that he did not think so - he believed (he said) that Majr. Taul of Wayne, could beat him. Quarles treated the suggestion as perfectly ridiculous - said Montgomery could beat me in my own county. Colo. N. told me of the conversation without however any serious expectation of my offering. My pride was offended, & my ambition somewhat excited & in a very short time, after consulting with a few friends, I determined to be a candidate and immediately set out, on a canvass over the district. I prepared & circulated a short, pithy circular letter, that took well. I regret that I cannot find a copy of it. The first places I met Mr. Montgomery was at Rockcastle County & I at once saw what I had to depend on - an unpleasant electioneering campaign. Mr. Montgomery was my senior, by as I suppose about ten years. He was probably born in Lincoln County, the oldest, I think in the state; at any rate he was raised there, & was allied by blood & marriage to several of the most wealthy & influential families in the country, amongst them the Logans. He was a lawyer of good standing but not a good speaker - & of unimpeachable character & had a good practice in every county in the district - but he was a cold hearted, unsecure[?] & rather a repulsive man. Not expecting opposition, when I met him at Rockcastle Court, where he was well acquainted, & I an entire stranger & saluted him respectfully after shaking hands he turned from me, disdainfully without speaking to me. We had never been intimate, altho' he had practiced law in Wayne from its organization in 1801 and we had attended

46 [Tight binding - right side hard to read] "His figure such, as might his soul proclaim "One eye was blinkie, & one leg was lame" (My friends shouted & roared at the top of their [?] The crowd were taken by surprise & laughed [hea?] Mr. M. & his aides around him was completely crossfallen. One of the lame gentlemen spoke up (they were both present & said, his eyes was not blinkie, to whom I replied, that Thersites, was a much handsomer man than he was - the cheering [?] renewed & lasted for some time). I proceeded, & told the people that my opponent was not only a good common law lawyer, but had the reputation of being an able Chancery Lawyer. It is (said I) one of the first principles in a Court of Equity that a complainant must recover upon the strength of his own case & not upon the weakness of his adversary's - that Mr. M. certainly must have considered that he had not very strong claims upon the people [people], for the office he is seeking for, or he would not have attempted to prove to them, that his opponent was so morally degraded that he was unfit for it. I expected the proud, high minded substantial man of old Lincoln will do me justice. You are not, to be sure, a jury of my county, but I am willing to be tried by you. (I here commented upon the particular charges against me & read various certificates in relation to it). Having disposed of these personal matters, I addressed them on the state & condition of the country etc. the great absorbing question then was the war with G. Britain, that was about this time declared. I am satisfied that I was fortunate in my peroration. My friends were delighted. Mr. M. replied very ill naturedly. I rejoined good humoredly - but during my rejoinder my opponent left the courthouse. I concluded by saying, the battle "was

49 being enough for each of my men to get a little You are from Kentucky, Gentlemen, said she I suppose. Yes Madam was the answer. May God bless ye & prosper ye, said she, & give ye health & strength to defend the country. Brave Kentuckians said she, we know, you are real men of stout hearts, who will not run, & leave the frontier unprotected, like our own cowardly men have done. Repeating our thanks to the ladies, we marched on - our strength & spirits greatly increased by the old womans buttermilk and compliment. We found at St. Mary's [?] a block house & a considerable depot of provisions. Poague & Jennings Regiments were moved on the direction of old fort Defiance - Allens & Lewis's Regiments were in the neighborhood of Fort Wayne. Jennings Regiment was halted about 35 miles from St. Mary's, on the [?] Glaise. Poague's moved further on. On our Regiment devolved the hard & disagreeable duty of escorting convoys of provisions to the troops & posts in advance. One of our companies (Petersons) was detailed to fort Wayne distant 60 miles to remain during the winter. McNair's company was ordered to an Indian village called Waugh-paugh-ko-natti distant 12 miles, leaving only 6 companies at St. Mary's. On one occasion, having a large convoy of provisions - cattle &c. to send on, Col. Barbee detailed two companies, to be commanded by Captains Jordan & Burnett to escort it. They did not return as soon as they were expected nor had a word of intelligence been rec d from them until another large convoy was ready for the same destination, & an escort of one company to be commanded by me, was detailed. It was considered hazardous, as Jordan & Burnett had not returned - the conclusion was that they had been captured by the Indians. Just at the moment when I was ready to march, a man came in, who had been one of the escort [?]

54 [Right side margin hidden by tight binding] There was then at St. Mary's, Barbee's & Poague's Regiments [Regiments] of Infants, & a large number of [?] [?] troops, by whom commanded, I don't now [remember?]. We were ordered to be ready to march immediately and after drawing two or 3 days rations of [meal?] & flour, we took up the line of march, & went [?] evening nine miles - the next day we reached fort Jennings on the Au-Glaise - 26 miles. It rained incessantly all day - the road was miry - the [whole?] distance being entirely level - soil rich - the road was new, and the greater part of the mounted men rode in it in front of the dismounted Infants. The next morning Genl Harrison [?] [?] in, with the mounted troops - directed our Regiment to return to St. Mary's & Poague's to move on four miles in advance of Jennings on the Au Glaise, where I believe it remained all the winter. Our Regiment returned to St. Mary's. That forced march was the cause of much sickness and several deaths. Nothing very material occurred at [underlined: our post] during the winter. We had the same unpleasant, uninteresting round of escorting convoys of provisions etc. to the troops in advance of us. [?] particularly Fort Wayne, Fort Jennings, Fort Defiance [Defiance], etc. We had a few desertions from our Regiment, as well as I [underlined: now] (Aug 1st 1848) recollect entirely from Capt Burnett's company from Washington [Washington]. Burnett & his officers, appeared to be worthy & respectable men, but a great proportion of the rank & file of his company were unworthy of being associated with the highly respectable men from all parts of the state serving in the ranks. The privates generally were as respectable as the officers. I had a noble set of men in my company. I was detailed to serve on all the Regimental court martial at our post & on all occasions was opposed to severe or disgraceful punishment. Two or three men were tried & convicted of mutiny in resisting Lieut. Woolfolk of my company when in the discharge of his duty as officer of the guard. Capt. B [?]

[55?] [Top of page torn; page number hard to read] of the members of the court, a gentleman of fine talents, proposed that they should be drummed out of the fort & discharged. I opposed it in a short speed & proposed the infliction of light corporal punishment, without discharging them. My proposition prevailed. The Regiment was paraded to witness the punishment & Col. Barbee requested me to read the Rules & Articles of War, in the hearing of & to address the officers & privates in relation to their duties generally, which I did accordingly, in a manner very satisfactory to all, of which I had undoubted evidence. After this we had no more desertions or other bad conduct requiring the ordering of a Court of Martial. Rodes Garth Esq. a private in my company was the Judge Advocate of the Regiment. He was a member of the Monticello bar & afterwards frequently elected to the Legislature, and is still a resident citizen of Wayne County. He is an honest patriotic man, but of moderate abilities. Our term of service (6 months) expired. I think the 1st [?] and we were marched to Cincinatti, distant about 100 miles, paid off in part and discharged. Our friends in Wayne County, met us at Cincinatti with horses. I arrived at home on the 3rd Sunday in March - the day was unusually fine for the season. We had stayed the night before at Somerset in Pulaski County. From whence it was 9 miles to the Cumberland River, then the line between the counties [counties] of Wayne & Pulaski. A large number [number] of persons had collected on the Wayne side of the River to receive & welcome us home; amongst others, was my venerable father in law, Anthony Gholson, then near 80 years of age, who had rode from his residence that morning, 10 or 12 miles to greet us, on our return. The reception was a most cordial one. The people of the county generally were apprized of our being on the road home, & they had assembled in large numbers at the different houses on the road to see us.

58 [Tight binding; right margin sometimes can't be read] ten years old, accompanied me to Cincinatti became a great favorite with the men. From Cincinatti, we marched by the way of Dayton, to Urbana where the detachment was organized. Genl. John Adair, John J. Crittenden [Crittenden] & Wm. T. Barry, were appointed [aides?] to the Governor. The detachment was formed into two divisions & [space] Brigades, & 11 Regiments. Maj. Genl. Joseph Desha, & Maj. Genl. [?] were appointed to command the Divisions. The names of the Brigadiers, I don't now remember [remember] except Brig. Genl. Marquis [Cal?] & Brig. Genl. John Eking. I was appointed the command of the 7th Regiment, which was considered at the time by myself & friends as a very high compliment. I was then only 28 years of age, & was the youngest [?] in commission in the state, having been appointed [appointed] only a few months before. Col. [?] Laughlin of Knox County, an old officer who had resigned, was appointed Second Major. Col. Samuel Wilson of Cumberland, several years my senior, as an officer, was appointed 1st [?] He had the magnamity not to complain [?] my being placed over him. Gov. Shelby sent for him when he was engaged in organizing the volunteers & informed him that he intended [intended] to give the command of a Regiment to him, Loughlin & myself - that he desired altho' I was the youngest Col. in [commission?] in the state, to give me the command of the Regiment, as I had already been in service, having served a tour of six months the winter before, & had acquired a good deal of character as an officer, to which Col. Wilson, cheerfully [acquiesed?]. This excellent officer, & worthy [man?] was some years afterwards murdered in Tennessee, in cold blood, by a worthless fellow of the name of Mitchell, who was perhaps hung for it. His case was 2 or 3 times before the Supreme Court, and I don't remember to have heard, what was the final disposition.

64 The Major soon set out a fresh bottle of whiskey and invited him to drink, which he did with the air of a gentleman, who felt himself perfectly at home. The Maj. soon had him cornered, and engaged in a tete a tete conversation - presently Dinner was announced, & the Maj. took him by the arm, & seated him by his side - was particularly polite & attentive. The dinner was a good one and my soldier did ample justice to it. I was at the same table, but did not catch his eye during the repast. He told me afterwards, he was afraid to look at me; if he had done so, he would have been certain to laugh outright. Dinner over, the Major armed him to the courthouse, up to the place to the voting. His name being announced, he was asked who he voted for Congress - "Who are the candidates, gentlemen" said he. The officers of the election particularly the Sheriff was opposed to me & they had a noisy set of strikers surrounding the polls, ready to call out in a loud tone, the name of Montgomery - a dozen voices said Montgomery. My friends were present & equally ready. A dozen other voices said "Taul". He seemed to be amazed - and asked if that was his "Old Colonel" that he served under on the campaign to Canada last year. The same said two dozen voices. He turned to Maj. Fox, who still had him by the arm and said to him "Major you must excuse me this time. I can't vote against my old Colonel." At the very top of his voice, he bawled out, "I vote for Col. Taul". The Maj. dropped his arm & [?]

68 [tight binding - right side of page hard to read] to him by Chief Justice Marshall, & he read his inaugural address in rather bad style. Col. Monroe was an awkward [awkward] man, of ordinary address & a very indifferent [?] [?]. The day was pleasant & a very large crowd attended the inauguration; thousands were in attendance who could not either see or hear him; tho' from all accounts [accounts] the number was small compared with the number assembled, on subsequent similar occasions. Mr. Monroe had been a member of Mr. Madison's cabinet. He was elected to carry out his measures; consequently the men in office were to be [continued?]: [underlined: His election was not a revolution] as has since frequently happened more especially in this good year of our Lord 1848 in the election of Genl. Taylor, as I confidently hope & believe. I left Washington the next day on horseback, on my return home, in company with Col. John Williams, Senator from Ten.: one of [?] noblemen, & Bennette [Bennette] Henderson, one of the Representatives from that state. Mr. Henderson stopped at Abingdon, Va. with his relations residing there & Col. Williams & myself parted company about 20 miles from Knoxville. It was the last time I saw that worthy man. He was afterwards, during the administration of Mr. Adams, Minister to Guatemala. He has been dead several years; his death was supposed to have been occasioned by the bite of some poisonous reptile. I found my family well, on my return home, and immediately resumed the practice of the law. In a few weeks after my return home, I [took?] my two little boys to Jessamine County, 8 or 10 miles from Lexington & placed them under the [?] of [Saml?] Wilson, a celebrated teacher. We had but one other child, a daughter at present, the wife of Gen. Bradford. In the course of the summer, I became dissatisfied

who were on Bail, were tried at the next Court and acquitted without difficulty. In the conver sation [conversation] before alluded to with the judge, he [Coles?] me, that he had become satisfied, that they were not Guilty of the offense charged, not withstand ing [withstanding] the strong prima facie evidence of their guilt. I purposely avoid giving these men, as it would do me good. One of them, is a respect able [respectable] man with a large family, residing at pre sant [present] in Texas -One was hung a few years ago, in Arkansas for murder. He was the young est [youngest] son of a highly respectable man, who had been a member of the Virginia & Kentucky le gislatures [legislatures] - the other one, I have not heard of in many years. They got themselves involved in the great [difficulty?] by dissipation, they have been the preceding day at a [Deer Hound?], fish fry [?] where they had indulged freely in drink ing [drinking], as well as eating - they were 15 or 20 miles from home, & started to go home after night but stopped at a "Doggery" by the way sides where they became [smashed?] as above - Not being satisfied with my residence in Winchester, Ky I in 1820, made a tour of exploration to [M?] where I had many friends with a view to exchange of residences. I arrived in St. Lous on Saturday morn ing [morning] before the 3rd Monday in September, on which day the Legislature was to convene. It did conveneaccord ingly [accordingly] on that day, & was organized in the usual form. There was scarcely a man of business as member of either House. Lient. Gov. Ashly, who was ex officio speaker of the Senate, informed me, that

79 populous county. I understand that what was then the site of the town, is now the bed of the river not a vestige of the old town remaining. I re mained [remained] at Franklin & the neighborhood two or three days - got home sick, & returned to Kenty staying one night only at [St. Louis?]. When it came to the test, I could not get my consent to leave Ken ty, which was very unfortunate. I ought by all means to have removed to Missou ri [Missouri], where I could have succeeded in any thing I might have undertaken. I could have got any office I might have desired or I might at once have been at the head of the bar. The next year 1821, I in like manner visited Alabama, going as far south as Tuscaloosa. The lots in this place had been sold a few days before my arrival - there were a great many cul ins [culins] & a considerable population - all squatted in the town, most of whom had the "fever and ague" & looked badly. I returned home as soon as possible - not satisfied to remain & not wil ling [willing] to remove. It was a very unhappy state of mind to be in, but I concluded to remain. In 1818, I purchased two tracts of land near Winches ter [Winchester], one of 40 acres from Dan Winn, at the price of $35 per acre and one of about 110 acres from James Winn at $40 per acre. The two tracts adjoin ed [adjoined] & made me a convenient farm. I had sold my land in Wayne & my house & lot in Monticello at low prices & agreed to receive "current bank notes" in payment. I bound myself to pay [spe..?] for the land I bought. The Legislature of Kenty in 1817