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Zachary Taylor: The American Presidents Series: The 12th President, 1849-1850 Hardcover – Illustrated, May 27, 2008

by John S. D. Eisenhower (Author), Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. (Editor), Sean Wilentz (Editor)

426 ratings

Part of: The American Presidents (42 books)

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The rough-hewn general who rose to the nation's highest office, and whose presidency witnessed the first political skirmishes that would lead to the Civil War

Zachary Taylor was a soldier's soldier, a man who lived up to his nickname, "Old Rough and Ready." Having risen through the ranks of the U.S. Army, he achieved his greatest success in the Mexican War, propelling him to the nation's highest office in the election of 1848. He was the first man to have been elected president without having held a lower political office.

John S. D. Eisenhower, the son of another soldier-president, shows how Taylor rose to the presidency, where he confronted the most contentious political issue of his age: slavery. The political storm reached a crescendo in 1849, when California, newly populated after the Gold Rush, applied for statehood with an anti- slavery constitution, an event that upset the delicate balance of slave and free states and pushed both sides to the brink. As the acrimonious debate intensified, Taylor stood his ground in favor of California's admission―despite being a slaveholder himself―but in July 1850 he unexpectedly took ill, and within a week he was dead. His truncated presidency had exposed the fateful rift that would soon tear the country apart.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Eisenhower (So Far from God: The U.S. War with Mexico), a military historian and retired army general, has a secure mastery of his subject and his era in this addition to the American Presidents series of nutshell biographies. Taylor's career, in Eisenhower's retelling, had two principal foci. First, he was a general in the American incursion into Mexico in 1846, and his campaign, crisply recounted here, was perceived as a success by the American populace, catapulting Taylor (1784–1850) to national prominence. Second, Eisenhower spotlights Taylor's equivocal relationship to slavery. A lifelong slave owner himself, he opposed abolishing slavery where it existed to preserve the Union. Yet Taylor claimed to oppose slavery on principle as well as its spread to California, New Mexico and other new states. Taylor lived only 16 uneventful months after his inauguration in March 1849, so Eisenhower's treatment of his presidency necessarily deals more with congressional debates on slavery than with Taylor himself. Eisenhower takes a nuanced view of the 12th president, finding Taylor gentle in civilian life, something of a disappointment as a soldier, but most fundamentally a man who aimed to preserve the Union. 1 map. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Eisenhower puts his subject’s best foot forward by recalling a remark to the effect that Taylor (1784–1850), a slaveholder who opposed extending slavery into new states, might have prevented the Civil War. A career army officer until mere weeks before his inauguration, Taylor also owned extensive plantations. He was wealthy but not haughty. Willingness to share his soldiers’ discomforts and, while maintaining military discipline, dressing informally endeared him to the troops. He served without great distinction until the Mexican War, which President Polk gave him discretion to start. By winning the war’s first great battle at the right time to attract the attention of Whig Party kingmakers looking for a winner in 1848, he wound up in the White House, intending to be a president for all the people—vainly, Eisenhower thinks. He died rather suddenly, in the wake of the Compromise of 1850, one constituent of which, the Fugitive Slave Act, he despised. Eisenhower doesn’t venture a guess, but would Taylor have vetoed it? The piquancy of such a question makes Taylor’s biography curiously ponderable. --Ray Olson

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Times Books
Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 27, 2008
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 192 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0805082379
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0805082371
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.5 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.56 x 8.5 inches
Part of series ‏ : ‎ The American Presidents

Best Sellers Rank: #130,195 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #10 in War of 1812 History
- #274 in US Presidents
- #1,040 in U.S. State & Local History

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Customers find the biography well-written and easy to read, with one noting it reads like a novel. Moreover, the book is authoritative enough for scholars and provides a good summary of Taylor's military aspects. Additionally, they appreciate its concise format and consider it a good short read.

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Readability Writing quality Information quality Biography Shortness of read

28 customers mention "Readability"25 positive3 negative

Customers find the book readable and well done, with one customer describing it as a good solid read on Zachary Taylor.

"...'s son writing a biography on another president is in itself worth checking out, and makes this a stand out in the American Presidents Series...." Read more

"...some good insights into the nature of that unique role, wrote a great little book...." Read more

"...This is better, more balanced, and the best of the three...." Read more

"...I enjoyed the book. It was too short. Taylor is an interesting historical character, without doubt...." Read more

25 customers mention "Writing quality"25 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, finding it well written and easy to read, with one customer noting it reads like a novel.

"...Presidents series lacks weight, the books always tend to be well written, fairly balanced, and suffient to gain an understanding of the presidential..." Read more

"...Writing was ok. Seems like he was actually a decent man and a decent leader, he just died to early to make a real impact as a president...." Read more

"...a concise overview of Taylor's military career, he also talked in depth about his cabinet and contributions to the nation as President...." Read more

"...But anyone who reads this short and well-written book will know that his lesser stature doesn't arise from abject failure, but mostly from the..." Read more

20 customers mention "Information quality"20 positive0 negative

Customers find the book informative and authoritative enough for scholars, with one customer noting its deep research and another highlighting its coverage of military aspects.

"...Eisenhower writes well, and deliberate, crafting an informative and entertaining biography of someone I have to admit, I hadn't previously had much..." Read more

"...Writing was ok. Seems like he was actually a decent man and a decent leader, he just died to early to make a real impact as a president...." Read more

"...career, he also talked in depth about his cabinet and contributions to the nation as President...." Read more

"...For a brief history, his is quite authoritative. It is more high leve, but his evaluation is very good" Read more

13 customers mention "Biography"10 positive3 negative

Customers find this biography outstanding, with one customer noting it includes several interesting tidbits about Taylor's life and record, while another mentions it offers selections from other Taylor biographers.

"...writes well, and deliberate, crafting an informative and entertaining biography of someone I have to admit, I hadn't previously had much interest in...." Read more

"...I thought the author's epilogue was interesting in stating that Zack Taylor could have avoided the Civil War...." Read more

"...Zachary Taylor may be the least known of the five, but his life is very interesting...." Read more

"This is a short, servicable biography of the 12th president. Common biographical details are strangely absent...." Read more

7 customers mention "Shortness of read"5 positive2 negative

Customers appreciate that the book is a good short read.

"...But anyone who reads this short and well-written book will know that his lesser stature doesn't arise from abject failure, but mostly from the..." Read more

"...Didn't get enough of early or late personal bio. Great short read on a short tenured Presidency!" Read more

"...This book was very short. In fact, I finished it one day. However, I did enjoy it, despite only 3 stars...." Read more

"Good short read..." Read more

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Mike
A stand out in the American Presidents Series.
Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2020
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

In reading presidential biographies, I tend to like the large volumes, deeply researched, academic, and filled with more information than I'll ever need. I don't know why, but that's my preference. Still, the American Presidents series is a great way to get a concise overview on different commander-in-chiefs. In some cases, like that of Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore, or Benjamin Harrison, it's hard to find a larger volume anyway. While the American Presidents series lacks weight, the books always tend to be well written, fairly balanced, and suffient to gain an understanding of the presidential topic.

In Zachary Taylor's case, we have something a little different, and a bit more special. John Eisenhower, son of former General/President Dwight D. Eisenhower, takes the helm on authoring this overview of Zachary Taylor, a former soldier in the Mexican War, and twelfth president on the United States. A president's son writing a biography on another president is in itself worth checking out, and makes this a stand out in the American Presidents Series. But that alone isn't reason to read the book. Eisenhower writes well, and deliberate, crafting an informative and entertaining biography of someone I have to admit, I hadn't previously had much interest in. I'm glad I picked this biography to read more about Taylor, and I think you will, too.

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Mike

A stand out in the American Presidents Series.

Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2020
In reading presidential biographies, I tend to like the large volumes, deeply researched, academic, and filled with more information than I'll ever need. I don't know why, but that's my preference. Still, the American Presidents series is a great way to get a concise overview on different commander-in-chiefs. In some cases, like that of Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore, or Benjamin Harrison, it's hard to find a larger volume anyway. While the American Presidents series lacks weight, the books always tend to be well written, fairly balanced, and suffient to gain an understanding of the presidential topic.

In Zachary Taylor's case, we have something a little different, and a bit more special. John Eisenhower, son of former General/President Dwight D. Eisenhower, takes the helm on authoring this overview of Zachary Taylor, a former soldier in the Mexican War, and twelfth president on the United States. A president's son writing a biography on another president is in itself worth checking out, and makes this a stand out in the American Presidents Series. But that alone isn't reason to read the book. Eisenhower writes well, and deliberate, crafting an informative and entertaining biography of someone I have to admit, I hadn't previously had much interest in. I'm glad I picked this biography to read more about Taylor, and I think you will, too.

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John Winthrop
good read
Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2016
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Taylor was a gentleman farmer who owned several plantations tilled by slaves. He was born in Virginia and was a distant cousin of President Madison. When he was just 8 months old his family moved to Kentucky. He lived on Beargrass Creek on a 400 acre farm called Springfield. He earned his nickname for his bravery in battle. Old Rough and Ready was given to him for advancing through the Okeechobee swamp in Florida with his men. He was also promoted to general. Taylor dressed informally.
Congress approved measures to support the war against Mexico not because they were in favor of it, most were not, but because Taylor's army was in danger. Taylor ran with Millard Fillmore of New York against Lewis Cass of Michigan. The 1848 election also had a third party, the Free-Soil Party. Their motto was Free Soil, Free Speech, Free Labor, and Free Men. They held to the Wilmot Proviso that any territory gained by the Mexican war must not be allowed to be slave. Van Buren was nominated for President and Charles Francis Adams for Vice. The spectacle of the former President running on a third party ticket was dramatic.
At Mrs. Madison's funeral Taylor coined the new term, First Lady. It came to apply to all wives of presidents.
Taylor supported protectionist tariffs. He also opposed extending slavery into new territories, but would not abolish it where it already existed. 2 issues were prominent in Taylor's presidency. Would the new territories acquired from Britain and Mexico be territories or enter the Union immediately as states? And would they be free or slave? Other issues included the Fugitive Slave Act which had been in existence since 1793 requiring northerners to return runaway slaves and expeditions to extend slavery in the Caribbean and Central America favored by some southerners.
California was sparsely populated by whites and Indians. But then word got out that gold had been found and an influx of prospectors inundated the state, where there was no formal government established by the US. The people took the matter into their own hands by establishing a government and drafting a constitution. There was a problem. The constitution prohibited slavery. This made it impossible for Congress to immediately allow it entrance as a state. Calhoun pressed that it be allowed in only under the condition as a slave state. Deseret, which was Mormon territory, was given status as a territory. There was a land dispute between New Mexico and Texas with grave consequences. Texas was slave and New Mexico free. These issues would not be solved during Taylor's presidency and it is obvious to see that the overriding result of Polk's unjust war was to begin to rend the Union.
Lopez sought to colonize Cuba as a slave state supported by southerners who saw the admission of California as a free state as inevitable. Slavery in Cuba had never been abolished under Spanish rule.
Clay, Calhoun and Webster were at the end of their careers in 1850 and played big roles in the congressional debates. William Seward of New York and Henry Foote of Mississippi also were prominent. On March 4 Calhoun gave one of last and greatest speeches. He said that he had believed from the beginning that an agitation of slavery would result in disunion. He said California was the test issue. It would destroy the equilibrium between the free and slave states. Calhoun was too weak to give the speech himself so James Mason of Virginia read it. Calhoun died 4 weeks later. Webster gave his famous Seventh of March speech in which he warned the northerners not to antagonize the southerners. He stated that the Wilmot Proviso was unnecessary as slavery was not feasible in California. He also supported the Fugitive Slave Law which was a huge change from his position in the Nullification Crisis of 1832-33. This shows that these great men knew the dire consequences that Polk's war engendered. Some considered Webster a traitor to the abolitionist cause. But does his position not indicate that he preferred Union over abolition or revolution? Taylor saw no reason that California could not be admitted as a state immediately. Clay on the other hand was battling daily in the Senate and saw that the southerners must get something and so he offered the compromise of the Fugitive Slave Law. Taylor did not like Fillmore. William Seward, protégé of Thurlow Weed, took credit for Taylor's position of allowing California to enter as a free state. At this time Taylor instructed his son to purchase a plantation safe from flooding which came with 85 to 90 slaves. Obviously Taylor did not deem slavery in danger in the lands where it already existed. Taylor then died after just 16 months in office.
It is possible history would have been different had God allowed Taylor to live. One historian conjectured that war would have been avoided altogether. But Taylor is remembered more for his military career than for his presidential wisdom. He was one of 5 military presidents, Washington, Jackson, Taylor, Grant and Eisenhower.
In 1850 5 laws were passed separately that Clay had introduced as one omnibus bill that could not be passed as a whole. Fillmore signed each of the bills. One, the admission of California as a free state. Two, the abolition of the slave trade in the District of Columbia. Three, The admission of New Mexico and Utah as territories with popular sovereignty as to slavery. Four, the stringent Fugitive Slave Act. Five, the payment of 19 million to Texas for giving up its claims to western lands. It is thought that Taylor would have vetoed the Fugitive Slave Act. This would no doubt have caused a revolution among the slave states.

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Chad Stuart
On to the next
Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2022
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Coolest thing I learned in this book is that Zachary Taylor coined the title, First Lady, in reference to Dolly Madison upon her death. Writing was ok. Seems like he was actually a decent man and a decent leader, he just died to early to make a real impact as a president. My three rating is that I did not love the writing.

Reading the presidential biographies update:

1. George Washington: "Washington: A Life" by Ron Chernow
2. John Adams: "John Adams" by David McCullough
3. Thomas Jefferson: "American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson" by Joseph Ellis
4. James Madison: "James Madison: A Life Reconsidered" by Lynne Cheney
5. James Monroe: "The Last Founding Father: James Monroe" by Harlow Unger
6. John Quincy Adams: "John Quincy Adams: A Public Life, A Private Life" by Paul Nagel
7. Andrew Jackson: "Andrew Jackson: His Life and Times" by H.W. Brands
8: Martin Van Buren: "Martin Van Buren" by Ted Widmer
9. William Henry Harrison: “William Henry Harrison” by Gail Collins
10. John Tyler: "John Tyler" by Gary May
11. James K. Polk: "A Country of Vast Designs" by Robert W. Merry
12. Zachary Taylor: “Zachary Taylor” by John S.D. Eisenhower

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Robert B. Lloyd
A great overview of a little known president
Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2016
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Zachary Taylor is very rarely talked about, which is understandable as he had a rather short presidency before his untimely death. The author, who as the son of a former general president has some good insights into the nature of that unique role, wrote a great little book. Along with giving a concise overview of Taylor's military career, he also talked in depth about his cabinet and contributions to the nation as President. If nothing else, I learned to see Taylor as an intriguing "what if" of history, in that if he had continued as president would our subsequent history have been drastically different? I enjoyed this book and suggest it to anyone interested in American history.

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Zachary Taylor: The American Presidents Series: The 12th President, 1849-1850 Hardcover – Illustrated, May 27, 2008

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5.0 out of 5 stars A stand out in the American Presidents Series.

A stand out in the American Presidents Series.

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5.0 out of 5 stars A great overview of a little known president

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4.0 out of 5 stars Zachary Taylor

A stand out in the American Presidents Series.

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A great overview of a little known president

Zachary Taylor