l, commissioner of
Indian Affairs, and dated Philadelphia, June 15, 1846. "The Indian
medals, with the head of President Polk, being nearly finished by our
chief coiner, Mr. Peale, etc."

JAMES KNOX POLK was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina,
November 2, 1795. He was graduated at the University of North
Carolina, 1818; was admitted to the bar in Nashville, Tennessee, 1820;
member of the State Legislature, 1823-1825; member of Congress,
1825-1839; speaker of the House of Representatives of the United
States, 1835-1839; governor of Tennessee, 1839-1841; President of the
United States, 1845-1849. He died in Nashville, June 15, 1849.

No. 59. (p. 281)
PLATE LX.

_May 8 and 9, 1846._

Major General Zachary Taylor. [Rx]. Resolution of Congress, July
16th, 1846, etc.

MAJOR-GENERAL ZACHARY TAYLOR.

[_Victories on the Rio Grande._]

MAJOR GENERAL ZACHARY TAYLOR. Bust of General Taylor, in uniform,
facing the right.

Within a wreath of laurel and palm inclosing a serpent biting its
tail--emblem of immortality through glory and victory: RESOLUTION OF
CONGRESS JULY 16{TH} 1846. PALO ALTO MAY 8{TH} 1846 RESACA DE LA PALMA
MAY 9{TH} 1846.[114]

[Footnote 114: See INTRODUCTION, pages xxiv and
xxv.]

ZACHARY TAYLOR was born in Orange County, Virginia, September 24,
1784. His father soon after removed to a plantation near Louisville,
Kentucky, where young Taylor passed the early years of his life. He
entered the army as first lieutenant of infantry, 1808; was captain,
1810; distinguished himself by his defence of Fort Harrison, on the
Wabash river, against the Indians led by Tecumseh, September 5, 1812,
for which he was breveted major; full major, 1814; lieutenant-colonel,
1819; colonel, 1832. He served during all this period against the
Indians on the north-west frontier; he was ordered to Florida in 1836,
and won the battle of Okechobee against the Seminoles, December 25,
1837, for which he was made brigadier-general by brevet and
commander-in-chief in Florida, 1838; commander of the first division
in the south-west in 1840, in which year he removed from Kentucky to
Louisiana, where he bought a plantation near Baton Rouge. Appointed
commander of the army of occupation in Texas, July, 1845, he defeated
the Mexican armies in battle at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma, May
8 and 9, 1846; at Montere