Worth. A short while
before the battles of the eighth and ninth of May, some question of
precedence arose between Worth (then a Colonel) and some other officer,
which question it seems it was General Taylor's duty to decide. He
decided against Worth. Worth was greatly offended, left the Army, came
to the United States, and tendered his resignation to the authorities at
Washington. It is said, that in his passionate feeling, he hesitated not
to speak harshly and disparagingly of General Taylor. He was an officer
of the highest character; and his word, on military subjects, and about
military men, could not, with the country, pass for nothing. In this
absence from the Army of Colonel Worth, the unexpected turn of things
brought in the battles of the eighth and ninth. He was deeply
mortified--in almost absolute desperation--at having lost the
opportunity of being present, and taking part in those battles. The
laurels won by his previous service, in his own eyes, seemed withering
away. The Government, both wisely and generously, I think, declined
accepting his resignation; and he returned to General Taylor. Then came
General Taylor's opportunity for revenge. The Battle of Monterey was
approaching and even at hand. Taylor could, if he would, so place Worth
in that battle, that his name would scarcely be noticed in the report.
But no. He felt it was due to the service to assign the real post of
honor to some one of the best officers; he knew Worth was one of the
best, and he felt that it was generous to allow him, then and there, to
retrieve his secret loss. Accordingly, he assigned to Colonel Worth in
that assault, what was _par excellence_ the post of honor; and the
duties of which he executed so well and so brilliantly as to eclipse, in
that battle, even General Taylor, himself.

As to General Taylor's relations with his soldiers, details would be
endless. It is perhaps enough to say--and it is far from the least of
his honors that we can truly say--that of the many who served with him,
through the long course of forty years, all testify to the uniform
kindness, and his constant care for, and hearty sympathy with, their
every want and every suffering; while none can be found to declare that
he was ever a tyrant anywhere, in anything.

Going back a little in point of time, it is proper to say that so soon
as the news of the battles of the eighth and ninth of May, 1846, had
fairly reached the United States, General Taylor