Background
He was born in Louisville, Kentucky to Richard Taylor and Sarah Dabney Strother. He married Evelyn A. McLean (1809-1887) from Ohio, daughter of John McLean, a justice of the Ohio Supreme Court and the United States. Supreme Court.
He was born in Louisville, Kentucky to Richard Taylor and Sarah Dabney Strother. He married Evelyn A. McLean (1809-1887) from Ohio, daughter of John McLean, a justice of the Ohio Supreme Court and the United States. Supreme Court.
He was the younger brother of Zachary Taylor, the 12th President of the United States. He joined the army during the War of 1812, and was commissioned a third lieutenant, Mary 20, 1813, second lieutenant, August 1, 1813, and first lieutenant July 15, 1814. After discharge June 15, 1815 and reinstatement as second lieutenant, May 17, 1816, Taylor again was promoted to first lieutenant on November 24, 1817.
Taylor was promoted to captain July 25, 1825.
He was appointed Assistant Commissary General of Subsistence with the rank of captain on March 10, 1829 and promoted to major with essentially the same assignment (commissary, subsistence) on July 7, 1838 and again promoted to lieutenant colonel and Assistant Commissary General of Subsistence on November 30, 1841. He was appointed to the brevet grade of Colonel, United States of America, with the same assignment on May 30, 1848.
Taylor assisted Commander John Gardner when he requested provisions for his men at Fort Moultrie, a fort that was being set up to fall into the hands of the Confederates. Taylor was promoted to full colonel, United States of America, and appointed Commissary General of Subsistence, September 29, 1861.
On February 9, 1863 Taylor was promoted to brigadier general, United States of America (regular army).
Taylor died of diarrhea and partial paralysis at Washington, District of Columbia on June 29, 1864 and was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Georgetown, Washington, District of Columbia He was succeeded as Commissary General by Amos Beebe Eaton. His two oldest surviving sons, John McLean Taylor and Joseph Hancock Taylor, also served in the United States Army during the Civil War, rising to the ranks of lieutenant colonel & brevet colonel respectively.