On March 4, 1849, Zachary Taylor assumed the presidency, becoming the twelfth president in the history of the United States. Thanks to his military accomplishments in previous decades, Taylor gained considerable popularity, which facilitated his election campaign in 1848. However, his presidency was short-lived; after just 16 months in office, he died while still in the position due to a digestive illness.
Throughout his career, Taylor participated in the War of 1812, during which he achieved the rank of captain in the U.S. Army. In the following decades, he contributed to the construction of several military forts near the Mississippi River and distinguished himself in the Second Seminole War. As a result, he received numerous promotions within the U.S. Army and eventually attained the rank of general. In the 1840s, he was assigned by President James K. Polk to bring Texas under American control and participated in the war against Mexico, achieving various victories that made him a central figure in the U.S. Army.
In the 1848 election, the Whig Party persuaded Taylor to run for president. He won a simple victory in the party’s primaries against opponents, including Senator Henry Clay, thus securing the Whig nomination for the presidential election in 1848. During the election, he defeated Democratic candidate Lewis Cass, garnering over 1.3 million votes and 163 electoral votes, becoming the twelfth president of the United States.
Zachary Taylor’s end was peculiar, occurring just 16 months after he took office. During a celebration on July 4, 1850, he consumed a large amount of iced milk and cherries. In the following days, he suffered from an unusual stomach illness, with symptoms resembling those of gastroenteritis. Initially, everyone believed he had a mild digestive ailment and anticipated a swift recovery. In fact, his condition seemed to improve at first. However, gradually, his health deteriorated, and he soon became bedridden. After examining him, army doctor Alexander S. Wotherspoon suggested that Taylor had contracted cholera, a term that at the time referred to a disease with symptoms resembling dysentery and diarrhea.
Importantly, Taylor’s illness had no connection to the cholera outbreak spreading from Asia to the rest of the world. In Washington, the symptoms he experienced were reported by numerous other individuals. According to some historians, these symptoms spread due to contaminated milk.
On July 8, 1850, doctors reported the seriousness of Taylor's condition, asserting that his chances of survival were slim. The following day, Zachary Taylor passed away at approximately 10:35 PM at the age of 65, and he was succeeded in the presidency by his vice president, Millard Fillmore.
