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Compiled by P.
Davidson-Peters ©1998-2004 |
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| 1789 |
On April 30th, George
Washington, standing on the balcony of Federal Hall on
Wall Street in New York, takes his oath of office as the
first President of the United States. |
| 1790 |
Knox County, Indiana is
formed from the Northwest Territory and was at this time,
larger than the present state of Indiana, including the
portion which later became Clark County. |
| 1792 |
Washington is re-elected
president with John Adams as vice president. |
| 1794 |
American General Anthony
Wayne leads a major defeat of Indian tribes at the Battle
of Fallen Timbers on the 20th of August, temporarily
ending the hostilities with the Indians. |
| 1796 |
Philip Daily, along with
his widowed mother Nellie, his younger brothers, and
other Pennsylvania families move to Indiana. |
| 1796 |
John Adams is elected
president, Thomas Jefferson is vice president. |
| 1797 |
John Adams, the takes
office on the 4th of March. His great-great-grandparents
were John and Priscilla (Alden), Pilgrims who had landed
at Plymouth Rock in 1620. |
| 1798 |
William Henry Harrison is
appointed secretary of Northwest Territory, and in two
years later is appointed Governor of Indiana Territory. |
| 1798 |
David Wise Daily, son of
Philip and Mary (Wise), is born on the 16th of August in
Charlestown. (His parents had married in about 1784 in
Bullitt County, KY). |
| 1799 |
Washington enjoyed less
than three years of retirement at Mount Vernon, dying of
a throat infection on the 14th of December. The Nation
will mourn him for months. |
| 1800 |
Congress splits Northwest
Territory into two territories: the Indiana Territory and
the Northwest Territory (now Ohio, the tip of southeast
Indiana, and part of Michigan). The Land Act of 1800 now
makes purchasing land in Indiana easier. |
| 1800 |
President and First Lady
Abigail are the first residents of the White House. They
move in during the month of November while the paint is
still wet. |
| 1801 |
Clark County is created
from Knox County. |
| 1801 |
Thomas Jefferson, the
first president to be inaugurated in Washington,
D.C.takes his oath as the third president. He will be
re-elected in 1804 and approximately 6,000 books from his
private library will be purchased to help start the
Library of Congress. |
| 1801 |
In the April Term of the
Grand Jury regarding the closures to the fort, Philip
Daily is assigned to view the fences in the township of
Clarksville. He was born in 1762 and was a Revolutionary
Soldier from MD who had lived in Louisville, KY between
1780-1794. |
| 1801 |
George Huckleberry and
Philip Daily are listed in the July term of the Grand
Jury. |
| 1802 |
Harrison meets with the
Wabash tribes at Vincennes regarding the disputed amount
of land to be ceded. The Indians eventually sign
preliminary treaty on the 17th of September. |
| 1803 |
Unsuccessful with the
Wabash Indians accepting the Vincennes Treaty, Harrison
invites chiefs to Fort Wayne in June threatening to
withhold annuities, and thereby obtains 1,152,000 acres
of land. The treaty is signed on June 7th. |
| 1803 |
In mid- August, Harrison
meets with Kaskaskia Indians and also obtains almost
eight million acres of land. |
| 1803 |
For three cents an acre,
amounting to $15 million, the United States purchases
from France, the vast region between the Mississippi and
the Rockies, known as the Louisiana Purchase. |
| 1804 |
Aaron Burr fights a duel
with Alexander Hamilton at Weehawken, New Jersey on July
11th in which Hamilton is killed. Burr flees to
Philadelphia and contacts his friend General James
Wilkinson, a U.S. army secretly in the pay of
Spain. The two begin planning an invasion of Mexico
in order to establish an Independent government. |
| 1804 |
In November, Harrison
meets with Sauk and Fox Indians and obtains over fifty
million acres of land. |
| 1804 |
John Work settles on
fourteen mile creek and finds a mill already in operation
on the 100 acres he purchases from John and James Bate.
He operates the mill for ten years. |
| 1805 |
At the end of December,
Harrison treats with Piankashaw Indians who give up
2,600,000 acres of land in the southwestern Indiana
Territory, now Illinois. |
| 1806 |
Andrew Jackson duels
Charles Dickinson on May 30th over some unflattering
remarks made about Jackson's wife. Jackson was wounded,
and afterwards took aim and fired at Dickinson. Jackson's
gun misfired. As Dickinson was forced to stand his
ground, Jackson took aim once again and killed Dickinson.
The bullet that wounds Jackson is lodged near his heart
and can not be safely removed. He carries the bullet in
his chest for the rest of his days. |
| 1806 |
Harrison becomes
increasingly aware of the influential Shawnee brothers,
Tecumseh and The Prophet, whose hostility against whites
continues to increase. |
| 1807 |
Congress outlaws
importing slaves from Africa on the 2nd of March, but
another quarter of a million will be brought in by 1860. |
| 1807 |
Responding to the
British's attack of the U.S. frigate Chesapeake, prompted
by Thomas Jefferson, congress passes the Embargo Act in
December prohibiting all U.S. ships from sailing
overseas. |
| 1808 |
Harrison demands
Tecumseh, The Prophet, and their followers to remove.
They settle Prophetstown near Battle Ground, Indiana. |
| 1808 |
A new town is laid off a
short distance from north of Springfield. The original
proprietors are Barzillai Baker and James McCampbell,
John Hay and Charles Beggs are surveyors. The town,
Charlestown, is named after the surveyor, and is laid off
in the wood situated on grant 117. The original plat
consists of 159 lots and 95 acres and the founders donate
the proceeds of the sale of 30 lots for public buildings
in the central part. |
| 1808 |
James Madison is elected
president. |
| 1809 |
Charlotte Daily, daughter
of Philip and Mary (Wise), is born on the 10th of April.
She later marries James Boyer who was born in KY in 1808
or 1809. |
| 1809 |
Mary Catherine
"Kittie" Daily, daughter of Philip and Mary
(Wise), marries Joseph Mallot on the 14th of June. |
| 1809 |
The Non-Intercourse Act
replaces the Embargo Act which had seriously damaged the
United States' economy. The Act forbids trade only
with France and Britain. |
| 1809 |
James Madison, known a
lawyer known as the "Father of the
Constitution" takes oath as the fourth president of
the U.S. |
| 1809 |
Harrison treats with
Delaware, Miami, Potawatomi, and Eel River tribes in
September and obtains about 2.5 million acres of land. |
| 1810 |
Tecumseh and Harrison
meet in Vincennes in August. Tecumseh, angry over Treaty
of 1809, warns he will not tolerate any more land
cessions without consent of all tribes. |
| 1810 |
Mexico begins its fight
for independence from Spain. |
| 1811 |
John Russell, a
revolutionary soldier, and Jesse Henly were living in
Washington Township this year. |
| 1811 |
Promoted to captain the
previous year, Zachary Taylor is placed under the command
of General William Henry Harrison, governor of the
Indiana Territory, who assigns him command of Fort Knox. |
| 1811 |
Early in September a
comet passes over Utica and in October, the first
steamboat brings folks out of their beds, rushing to look
outside, thinking the noise was the comet crashing; and
on December 16th the first earthquake to affect the
Mississippi river valley occurred, and others continued
until the first of March the following year. |
| 1811 |
In September, Harrison
and 1,000 men leave Vincennes to march on Prophetstown.
They begin to erect Fort Harrison near Terre Haute, and
march to Prophetstown. With Tecumseh away, Harrison
defeats The Prophet at the Battle of Tippecanoe and
returns to Vincennes. |
| 1812 |
A fort was erected on
William Bullock's farm in Owen Township, but was soon
abandoned. |
| 1812 |
Samuel Daily, son of
Charles and Eleanor (Kuykendall), marries Eleanor Daily
on the 9th of May. |
| 1812 |
The War of 1812 begins in
June with Americans fighting the British for control of
American lands and shipping. |
| 1812 |
Captain Zachary Taylor's
company of fifty men are transferred to Fort Harrison
which he successfully defends against four hundred
Indians on September 4th. |
| 1812 |
James Madison is
re-elected president and Harrison resigns as Governor of
Indiana. Thomas Posey becomes new governor. |
| 1813 |
Zachary Taylor recruits,
musters and inspects troops in the Indiana and Illinois
Territories, and assists in the defense of the frontier
from Indiana to Missouri. |
| 1813 |
Mary Ann Shirley,
daughter of Charles and Rebecca (Collier) moves with her
family to Charlestown and later marries David Wise Daily. |
| 1814 |
On August 4th British
troops set fire to The White House. |
| 1814 |
In August, Zachary Taylor
sets out to destroy Indian villages at the mouth of Rock
River and, after failing to do so, returns to Des Moines
where he builds Fort Johnson. |
| 1814 |
Washington, D.C. is
captured by British on the 24th of August. |
| 1814 |
From December until his
unit is disbanded on June 15th the following year,
Zachary Taylor commands Fort Knox. |
| 1815 |
On January 8th, a British
army which has been sent to capture New Orleans marches
bravely up to the entrenchments of General Andrew
Jackson, in the Mississippi River swamps. In less
than 30 minutes 2000 British troops were killed or
wounded. Exactly 13 Americans were
killed. Weeks later, both sides hear of the
Treaty of Ghent. |
| 1815 |
By this year, there are
ten ferry operations in the county of Clark. The first
was established near Utica and was the first crossing
point above Louisville. It had been established by James
Noble Wood and his wife when he settled there in 1794. |
| 1815 |
Elizabeth Daily, daughter
of Philip and Mary (Wise), marries Daniel Field. |
| 1816 |
Indiana is admitted into
the Union as the 19th state. |
| 1817 |
Jeffersonville is
established on February 10th. |
| 1817 |
James Monroe, a lawyer
and graduate of William & Mary, becomes the 5th U.S.
President and will be re-elected in 1820. His Secretary
of War is John Calhoun. |
| 1818 |
On August 29th David Wise
Daily marries Mary A. Shirley, the daughter of Charles
and Rebecca (Collier) at the Old Stone House. The
ceremony is performed by Squire Huckleberry. It is said
that the couple were seldom parted except when necessary. |
| 1818 |
George Daily, son of
Charles Daily (1730) and Eleanor (Kuykendall), marries
Mary Ann Hahn on August 13th. |
| 1818 |
Census records indicate
that an Isaac Daily is born about this time - he is
likely a nephew of Philip and cousin of David Wise Daily. |
| 1819 |
Mexican-U.S. boundaries
are established by Spain and the United States in the
Adam-Onís Treaty. |
| 1819 |
On April 29th Major
Zachary Taylor is promoted to Lieutenant- Colonel, 4th
Infantry, and ordered to report at New Orleans. |
| 1819 |
Harrison Daily, son of
David Wise Daily and Mary (Shirley), is born
in Charlestown on the 19th of July. He later marries
Sarah Elizabeth Morrison. |
| 1819 |
Philip Daily marries
Delila Athon/Athen on 08 October. |
| 1820 |
The Missouri Compromise
forbids slavery above 36 degrees 30 minutes latitude. |
| 1820 |
Charles Daily, Jr., son
of Charles and Eleanor (Kuykendall), marries Catherine
Stoner on July 17th. |
| 1820 |
Samuel Ramsey marries
Eleanor Kime on August 20th. |
| 1820 |
Rebecca Daily, daughter
of David Wise Daily and Mary (Shirley), is born in
Charlestown on the 23rd of November. She later marries
Felix Coombs. |
| 1821 |
Mexico wins independence
from Spain but permits Stephen Austin to continue to
colonize Texas. The Santa Fe Trail is opened to U.S.
Commerce. |
| 1822 |
Indiana Clark Daily,
daughter of David Wise Daily and Mary (Shirley), is born
in Charlestown on the 14th of October. She later marries
Dillard C. Ricketts. |
| 1823 |
The majority of the Sac
and Fox Indians settle west of the Mississippi. |
| 1823 |
Census records indicate
that a John Daily is born about this time - he is son of
Jacob Daily and Isabelle (Barker); nephew of David Wise
Daily. |
| 1823 |
The Monroe Doctrine is
delivered to Congress on the 2nd of December. |
| 1824 |
Mexico becomes a
republic. |
| 1825 |
Unitarian and Harvard
Graduate, John Quincy Adams, known as "Old Man
Eloquent" becomes president. He was the first to be
elected president without receiving either the most
popular votes or the most votes of the electoral college. |
| 1825 |
Mary Daily, daughter of
David Wise Daily and Mary (Shirley), is born in
Charlestown on April 25th. She later marries James Howard
Ramsey. |
| 1826 |
On July 4th, Thomas
Jefferson dies peacefully at his home in Moticello at
12:50 p.m.; and John Adams, whose health has been failing
for many months, passes away just a few months shy of his
91st birthday at around 10 pm. He wrote his own
epitaph, never mentioning that he served as president of
the United States. |
| 1827 |
Through 1826 and 1827,
Henry Clay attempts to acquire Texas. |
| 1827 |
David Wise Daily, son of
David Wise Daily and Mary (Shirley), is born in
Charlestown on the 21st of January. He later marries Mary
Ann Parker. |
| 1828 |
William James, son of
Beverly W. James and Matilda (Day) who was born on 04 Oct
1822 in Mason Co., Kentucky moves with his family to the
Charlestown/Jeffersonville area in Indiana. |
| 1828 |
Andrew Jackson is elected
President, John Calhoun, Vice President, on December 3rd.
He was the only president who had served in both the
Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, and the only
president to have been a prisoner of war. At age thirteen
he joined the South Carolina militia to fight in the
Revolutionary War and after his capture, was ordered to
clean the boots of a British officer. Refusing, the
officer drew his sword and slashed Jackson across the
forehead, leaving a scar. |
| 1829 |
Charlotte Daily marries
James Boyer on May 21st. |
| 1829 |
Louisa Jane Daily,
daughter of David Wise Daily and Mary (Shirley), is born
in Charlestown on the 23rd of November. |
| 1830 |
Owen Township was
established about this year and was bounded on the north
by Oregon, Washington, and Bethlehem townships, and north
of the Ohio River by Charlestown. |
1830
|
Last Will and testament
of Philip Daily recorded in open court on the 3rd of May
states in part that "it is my will that the tract of
land which I have in number seventy three (#73) in the
Illinois grant be equally divided between my two
daughters Mary Huckelberry & Charlotte T. Boyer, that
my beloved wife Mary (Wise) shall have an income annualy
the sum of one hundred dollars to be paid by my sons
David W., Philip & Eli for her support during her
life, that the home place which includes all my land be
divided equally between my three sons ... the small tract
of land on the Ohio river to be equally divided and paid
over to the children of my daughter Catherine Carr (who
is now deceased) and Elinor Appelgate when they shall
respectively come to lawful age or marry; and pay one
dollar to my son Jacob and one dollar to my daughter
Elizabeth Fields - for their portion in full and one
dollar in full to my daughter Elinor. Sons David W.,
Philip, Eli executors. |
| 1830 |
Willis & Sarah Cook
of Bartholomew County, Indiana sell land to David W.
Daily, Clark Co., Indiana on June 13th. (Sec. 12, T8N,
R6E in Bartholomew Co.) |
| 1830 |
Thomas Hardin Daily, son
of Charles Daily and Eleanor (Kuykendall), marries Eliza
Henthorne on July 19th. |
| 1832 |
Mary Ann Parker, the
daughter of John C. and Nancy, is born in Kentucky on the
9th of February. She later marries David Wise Daily. |
| 1832 |
Minerva Daily, daughter
of David Wise Daily and Mary (Shirley), is born in
Charlestown on the 8th of March. She later marries Dr.
Samuel M. Work. |
| 1832 |
Black Hawk War takes
place when the 1831 treaty has moved the Sac and Fox
Indians West of the Mississippi, but under Chief Black
Hawk, they returned to Illinois where most of the Indians
in the engagement were killed on the Bad Axe River. |
| 1832 |
Letter dated 17th July of
Indiana Governor Noah Noble, to Sheriff D.W. Daily of
Clark County, Indiana. "You are commanded to hold an
election for the purpose of electing associate justice of
the Peace of Clark Circuit Court to take place of Beverly
W. James, resigned. [signed by Governor Noble and
Secretary of State James Morrison]. |
| 1832 |
On August 24th, Mary
Daily, daughter of Charles and Eleanor (Kuykendall),
marries Mathias Bovee. |
| 1833 |
Cholera epidemic sweeps
Lexington, Kentucky. |
| 1833 |
On Tuesday, November
12th, It is ordered by the court that David W. Daily be
appointed guardian of Mahala Daily, Mary Ann Daily, and
Philip Daily, heirs of Jacob Daily, dec'd. to answer to a
bill exhibited by John Hawn for division of land.
[Probate Order Book B, p.210] |
| 1833 |
John Hawn, Plantiff
requests division of land owned by Jacob Daily, dec'd to
be divided between Jacob, Mahala, Philip, and Mary Ann
Daily, heirs to Jacob through their court appointed
guardian, David W. Daily - petition for division of real
estate [Probate Order Book B, p. 211] |
| 1833 |
Jackson is re-elected as
President - his Vice President is Martin Van Buren. |
| 1834 |
Secretary of U.S.
Treasury Department, Roger B. Taney, writes to Senator
William Hendricks on the 14th of February. "Your
letter recommending Mr. Daily to appointment in the land
office received." Envelope addressed to D.W. Daily,
Esq., Charlestown, Indiana. [Transcript
of letter] |
| 1834 |
Jacob Daily marries Jane
Becket on April 10th. |
| 1834 |
On Tuesday, May 27th, it
is reported that the estateof Jacob Daily, dec'd has
divided the 80 acres among four of his heirs - reported
by commissioners John Coombs, Joel C. Bowen, and Samuel
Prather. [Probate Order Book B, p. 243] |
| 1834 |
Philip M. Daily, son of
David and Mary (Shirley), is born in June of this year.
He later marries Melissa C. Morton. |
| 1834 |
James M. Parker, son of
John C. and Nancy, is born in IN this year. |
| 1835 |
The first attempted
assassination against a U.S. President fails - a gun
misfires, and leaves President Jackson unharmed. |
| 1835 |
In the autumn of this
year, after President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna throws
aside Mexico's democratic constitution, a revolution
breaks out in Texas. |
| 1836 |
On the 21st of April, the
Texan forces defeat the Mexican army at the Battle of San
Jacinto, capture Santa Anna, and end the revolution in
victory. |
| 1836 |
Jaminia Daily, daughter
of Charles Daily and Eleanor (Kuykendall), marries Daniel
Vest on the 27th of May. |
| 1837 |
While Martin Van Buren
has become President with Richard Johnson as his Vice, an
economic panic and depression settles in on the U.S. |
| 1837 |
Elizabeth
"Lizzie" Daily, daughter of David Wise Daily
and Mary (Shirley), is born in Charlestown on June 17th.
She later marries William James. |
| 1837 |
Philip M. Daily, son of
David Wise Daily and Mary (Shirley), is born in
Charlestown on the 17th of June. He later marries Miss
James. |
| 1837 |
Emma Parker, daughter of
John C. and Nancy, is born in IN this year. |
| 1838 |
An Isaac Daily, probably
nephew of Philip and Mary (Wise) marries Mary Henthorn on
April 20th. |
| 1839 |
Mannon Daily, not
identified as yet, marries Ruth Shelton on April 10th. |
| 1839 |
Seth Daily, son of David
Wise Daily and Mary (Shirley), is born in Charlestown on
the 09th of March. He later marries Barbara Stierheim. |
| 1839 |
D.W. Daily becomes
gaurdian of his brother Philip's son Hezekiah Daily. |
| 1839 |
Ada Parker, daughter of
John C. and Nancy is born in IN this year. |
| 1840 |
Census
of Clark County, IN (FHL Film #007722). |
| 1840 |
William Parker,
apparently his spouse, and two others - one male and one
female between age 15-20 are listed on page 461 of the
census in Charlestown. |
| 1840 |
The household of Andrew
C. Hay (born between 1790-1800) is listed on page 461 in
Charlestown three houses down from the Daily home and
includes his wife and six children ranging in ages from
under age five to between 15 and 20 years of age. |
| 1840 |
The household of David W.
Daily, his wife Mary A. (Shirley) and their ten children
are listed on page 461 of the census in Charlestown. |
| 1840 |
The household of Charles
Daily (born about 1800), including what appears to be his
wife Catherine (Stoner) and ten children, who in the next
census is living next door to the John Daily (born 1823)
household is listed on page 479. |
| 1840 |
The household of Isaac
Daily (1818), which includes his wife Mary (1812) and
their two young sons identified in later census records
as Elias born 1838, and Robert born 1839, are listed on
page 479. |
| 1840 |
The two last households
of page 481 are both Daily's: Thomas Daily born 1808 in
Kentucky and son of Charles Daily and Eleanor
(Kuykendall). He married Eliza Henthorn in 1830 and their
children at this time would have been Martha, Stausbury,
Mary, Hardin, Casa and one older daughter not located in
other census records. The last household on this page is
Samuel Daily (1801) who is listed with his wife and four
daughters. |
| 1840 |
The household of Jacob
Daily (born in KY between 1810-1820), his wife (probably
Jane Becket whom he married in 1834) and two young sons
is listed on page 559. |
| 1840 |
Five doors down from
Jacob, is the home of his son Philip Daily. Philip is the
son of Jacob's first wife Thei (Praim) and was born in
Indiana in 1816. |
| 1840 |
Not far from the Philip
Daily home, listed on this same page, is the home of
Bartlett James (born in 1811 in NC), his wife Margaret,
and three young children. This family may be of relation
to William James who married David's daughter Lizzie. |
| 1840 |
Judgment of Jacob Daily
against William Alstott by Alexander Mars, J.P. to
Constable. Dated the 11th of February. |
| 1840 |
On the 15th of April,
Rebecca Daily, daughter of David W. and Mary (Shirley),
marries Felix Coombs. They become the parents of: Arabel,
Mary A., Rebecca, Dallas, Felix, Loretta and possibly
India K. Coombs. |
| 1841 |
Santa Ana returns to
presidency of Mexico. |
| 1841 |
William Henry Harrison
who served as aide-de-camp to General "Mad
Anthony" Wayne at the Battle of Fallen Timbers
(which opened most of the Ohio area to settlement), later
became Secretary of the Northwest Territory and Governor
of Indiana. He was elected president and during his
inauguration speech caught pneumonia and died a month
later on the 4th of April. |
| 1841 |
Thomas Hart Daily, son of
David Wise Daily and Mary (Shirley), is born in
Charlestown on the 4th of December. He later marries
Margaret Walsh. |
| 1842 |
Cordelia Parker, daughter
of John C. and Nancy, is born in IN this year. |
| 1842 |
Arabel Coombs, daughter
of Felix and Rebecca (Daily) is born this year. |
| 1843 |
Mary A. Coombs, daughter
of Felix and Rebecca (Daily) is born this year. |
| 1843 |
Barbara Stierheim,
daughter of Francis J. and Sarah (Neely), is born in
Indiana about this time. She later marries Seth Daily,
son of David and Mary (Shirley) Daily. |
| 1844 |
Now Brigadier General,
Zachary Taylor is ordered to Fort Jesup and, in
anticipation of the annexation of Texas, is directed a
few months later to have his command ready to take the
field on the slightest notice. |
| 1845 |
James K. Polk is
inaugurated as the President of the United States on
March 4th. |
| 1845 |
Texans vote for
annexation to the United States on the 4th of July, but
Mexico still does not recognize Texas as independent. |
| 1845 |
In July, President Polk
sends orders to General Zachary Taylor to organize an
army at Corpus Christi and to Commodore David Conner to
prepare a squadron in the Gulf of Mexico. |
| 1845 |
Taylor sends his
topographers to reconnoiter the region southward toward
the Rio Grande, and on 14 September he reports to
Washington that he has directed his army to examine the
nearby country in the direction of the contested river
border. The general adds that the reconnaissance would
soon include surveys "of the Nueces and the Laguna
Madra [sic] . . . in the event of a forward movement to
the Rio Grande. |
| 1845 |
Indiana Clark Daily,
daughter of David W. Daily and Mary (Shirley), marries
Dillard C. Ricketts on the 13th of November. They later
remove to Indianapolis. |
| 1845 |
President Polk sends John
Slidell as commissioner to Mexico with instructions to
try to purchase New Mexico and California. |
| 1845 |
December 29th, Texas is
admitted into the Union as the 28th state. |
| 1845 |
Thile John C. Frémont's
exploring expedition arrives in Alta, California, the
year closes with conflicts as the country faces war with
Mexico, and war with England over the Oregon territory. |
| 1846 |
As the year begins Old
Rough and Ready's Army of Occupation of regulars and
volunteers has grown to nearly 4,000, almost half the
strength of the entire U.S. Army. Units arriving over the
course of the six-month encampment at Corpus Christi
settle down to a training routine, but the arrival of
winter and its wet, miserable, and unhealthful weather,
adversely affects training. The cold and often ill
soldiers are forced to huddle in their tents, awaiting
developments. |
| 1846 |
Polk sends orders to
General Zachary Taylor to advance to Río Grande and
orders Commodore David Conners to Vera Cruz. |
| 1846 |
Letter of Harrison Daily
(1819-1895) from Camp Butler, New Saltillo, Mexico, to
his father David Wise Daily dated the 10th of January.
"Movement expected, possibly an expedition for Vera
Cruz ... Clark Guards are well." |
| 1846 |
John Daily marries Mary
Overman on February 12th. |
| 1846 |
During February the U.S.
rejects proposed arbitration of dispute with Britain over
Oregon Territory. |
| 1846 |
About one month after
receiving notification to move his army, and after
carefully examining the various engineer reconnaissance
reports, Taylor selects the mainland route over some 200
miles of sun-baked prairie. In retrospect, his decision
appeas to be the right one. They depart on 8 March to the
Río Grande and establish a base at Point Isabel and
entrenchments opposite Metamoras. |
| 1846 |
In April, General Mariano
Arista arrives in Matamoros taking command of the Mexican
Army. He sends a cavalry across the Río Grande
surrounding a U.S. scout party. Several are killed during
the skirmish. |
| 1846 |
Thomas Daily, son of
Charles and Eleanor (Kuykendall), marries Rachel Overman
on 26 April. His first wife was Eliza Henthorn. |
| 1846 |
Leaving behind enough men
to defend the earthen fortification, Taylor sets off on 1
May with the bulk of his army to secure Point Isabel. He
returns on the eighth to find his garrison besieged and a
Mexican army three times the size of his own force at a
watering hole called Palo Alto, but is able to defeat
them. |
| 1846 |
On the afternoon of May
9th, Taylor sets out with 2,000 men and meets the Mexican
army a few miles to the south at Resaca de la Palma. This
time they fight in a dry river bed on the road to the
American encampment opposite Matamoros and is able to
defeat them. |
| 1846 |
U.S. Congress declares
war on Mexico on the 13th of May. Taylor, who occupies
Metamoras on May 18th, is breveted by Polk to
Major-General as soon as word of the victories have been
received. |
| 1846 |
On May 16th, Governor
Whitcomb of Indiana received an order from the U.S.
Secretary of War requesting three regiments of
volunteers. Camp Clark, near New Albany, was chosen as
the rendezvous site for the little army. A total of 2,811
recruits enlist throughout the state, and a great wave of
military enthusiasm washes over the area. |
| 1846 |
Harrison Daily is
mustered into the 3rd Regiment of the Indiana Volunteers
on the 22nd of June at New Albany by Colonel Samuel
Churchill and is transferred to staff. |
| 1846 |
Colonel Stephen W. Kearny
leads Army of the West toward New Mexico and California. |
| 1846 |
July 3rd, Harrison Daily
writes from Camp Whitcomb, New Albany, Indiana to his
father. "...will leave for Rio Grande Next
week." He mentions brother David who is with him and
that a lieutenant of the Montgomery guards was killed in
an accident. |
| 1846 |
Letter written from Camp
Whitcomb, New Albany, Indiana from Harrison Daily to his
father on the 6th of July asking him to please send $100
in gold and the banks there will not accommodate the
officers. |
| 1846 |
Harrison Daily writes his
father from Camp Whitcomb on the 8th of July. Writes that
"David returned last evening and handed over the
$100 dollars you had the kindness to send." Also
mentions a tailor, John W. Long, and that he wishes to
have the name of one of his father's hired hands to pay
him in his name so that he can certify and draw pay for
him as a servant. Directs letters to be sent to 3rd
Regiment, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. |
| 1846 |
During July, Zachary
Taylor establishes a base at Camargo at the mouth of the
San Juan River. |
| 1846 |
Letter written July 29th
from Point Isabel, Texas from Harrison Daily to his
father saying he arrived after ten days on the brig
Prairie. Five vessels had traveled together. Also
mentions Dr. Athon. (James S. Athon). |
| 1846 |
Sallie Parker, daughter
of John C. and Nancy, is born in IN this year. |
| 1846 |
Rebecca Coombs, daughter
of Felix and Rebecca (Daily) is born this year. |
| 1846 |
In August, at about the
same time Taylor is making preparations to depart Camargo
and march on Monterrey, Brig. Gen. John E. Wool assembls
another army in Texas to march into Mexico and join
forces with Old Rough and Ready. |
| 1846 |
On August 28th, David
Daily, who was been ill as a result of a scouting trip
under Captain Gibson, writes from Camp Bellknap, Texas,
that "the boys" have taken good care of him and
that he expects to be discharged in october. He hopes to
go home by land and look for land for his Uncle Silas and
Felix (Coombs). Says to address correspondence to Point
Isabelle. |
| 1846 |
With Saltillo as his
objective, Zachary Taylor departs in September with 6,000
men divided equally between regulars and volunteers. On
the 21st he attacked Monterey. After three days of
skirmishing in mostly with bayonet assaults, the larger
Mexican army surrenders and an eight week armistice is
arranged. Taylor is severely criticized by the
administration for the liberal terms of surrender he
accepts, and five days before the end of the armistice he
is ordered to terminate it. But for his popularity,
Taylor undoubtedly would have been replaced as field
commander. |
| 1846 |
On the 24th of September,
Harrison Daily writes his father from Camp Lane on the
Rio Grande. "We are thirty miles below
Matamorous" and happy to be on high, dry, land.
Mentions appointment as adjutant of the regiment with pay
of about $92.00 a month. |
| 1846 |
Harrison Daily writes his
father from Camp Lane on the Rio Grande on the 7th of
October. He mentions Doc Athon and the Battle of Monterey
being fought without the assistance of the Hoosiers. He
offers opinions and comments about the battle and
mentions Colonel Lane, Generals Lane and Taylor and
Captain Gibson. |
| 1846 |
By October 12th, the army
begins crossing the Rio Grande into Mexico. The Corps of
Engineers contingent supervises the assembly of a
"flying bridge," prefabricated in San Antonio
for the crossing. Wool, unlike Taylor, has the foresight
not to wait for pontoon bridging to arrive from the East. |
| 1846 |
Between November 3rd-7th,
Harrison Daily writes his father from Metamoras, Mexico.
Gives news of Captain Carter, Captain Gibson, Colonel
Curtis, William Forsythe, Captain Curtis, and Colonel
Clarke. Mentions May Morrison being there and that the
1st regiment was reduced to four hundred men by deaths
and discharges. That his regiment has 700 men. |
| 1846 |
In what appears to be a
continuation of the previous letter, Harrison writes that
Colonel Clarke has issued order to suppress gambling and
that thirty-eight enforced it. |
| 1846 |
On November 10th,
President Polk selects Winfield Scott to command an
expedition to land at Vera Cruz and march to Mexico City.
Scott promptly submits a list to the War Department of
the men and materiel he requires to execute his plan. |
| 1846 |
Scott issues orders to
Taylor on November 23rd to send the core of his army to
staging points at the mouth of the Rio Grande and Tampico
for transport to Scott's invasion staging area.
Meanwhile, Taylor decides on his own to alter his
strategy and begins to concentrate on occupying strong
points. His first order is to reorganize and abolish the
bulky Volunteer Division which is composed of the Ohio
and Kentucky Infantry regiments in one brigade (Butler)
and the Georgia, Mississippi, and 1st Tennessee regiments
in another (Quitman). He takes Twiggs' division, with
Quitman's brigade and the Baltimore Battalion, along with
him to Victoria, leaving Worth at Saltillo, Wool at
Parras, and Butler at Monterrey. Butler, the senior
officer, would be in overall command of the troops left
behind. Patterson, currently at Matamoros, would join
Taylor at Victoria. At Monte Morelos on the way to
Victoria, the 2nd Infantry and 2d Tennessee Regiment
joins Taylor for the march to Victoria |
| 1846 |
Letter of Harrison to his
father David Daily on the 6th of December states that the
regiments 1-3 are moving to Camargo, that they will go on
to Monterey to join the main Army. Mentions Captain
Gibson, Colonel Clarke, General Patterson, and describes
the battle ground. |
| 1846 |
Situated at Camp Taylor,
three miles from Monterey on Christmas Eve, Harrison
Daily writes his father that they arrived there after
eight days of hard marching. Speaks of meeting Taylor and
describes him, Monterey, and news of his brother David.
Three days out on the march, Taylor received information
that General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna had regained the
presidency of Mexico and raised a view army. The wily
Mexican leader appeared to be leading this army on a long
march toward Monterrey. Taylor rushed back leaving
Quitman to proceed to Victoria. The threat to Monterrey
turned out to be a false alarm, and Old Rough and Ready
resumed his march to Victoria. |
| 1846 |
On December 25th,
Jefferson Davis meets Zachary Taylor near Montemorelos* and proceeds with him to Victoria.
|
| 1847 |
Dallas Coombs, son of
Felix and Rebecca (Daily) is born about this year. |
| 1847 |
Encamped twenty-one miles
south of Saltillo at Camp Aqua Nueva, Harrison Daily
writes his father on February 13th. "About 5000 men
are here; will be 8000 soon." Gives an account of
the battle which took place a few days earlier and how
the Illinois regiment had interfered with the Arkansas
regiment. |
| 1847 |
At Buena Vista, on
February 22nd-23rd, Taylor is out-numbered four to one,
but the American army defeats the Mexicans and
effectively ends the war in the north. The battle is
fought mostly by the volunteers, but it is the smaller
regular artillery to whom Taylor ascribes in large
measure his success. |
| 1847 |
Charles Daily marries
Ruth Williams on March 7th. |
| 1847 |
Winfield Scott's forces
stage an amphibious landing at Vera Cruz that captures
the port on the 9th of March. The Mexican commander
chooses not to oppose the landing, so over 8,600 men are
landed without a single loss in just over four hours. |
| 1847 |
On the 11th of March,
Mary Ann Daily marries John Howard Ramsey. |
| 1847 |
Taylor continues to
command all forces in northern Mexico from March to
November. |
| 1847 |
Following a brief siege,
Vera Cruz surrenders on the 29th of March. |
| 1847 |
Writing from Buena Vista
on the 15th of April, Harrison Daily tells his father
that Conway is recovering, that Jack has tendered his
resignation, and that small pox is reported among troops
at Matamoras. |
| 1847 |
On the 24th of June,
Harrison Daily is mustered out of the Indiana regiment at
New Orleans, Louisiana by Colonel Samuel Churchill. |
| 1847 |
Taylor leaves Monterey on
November 8th and arrives at New Orleans on the 30th.
Hailed as a national hero, Taylor retires to Baton Rouge
on December 5th. |
| 1848 |
The year begins with the
discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill in Eldorado County
California. It brings the Treaty of Guadalupe, with
the ceding of Texas, New Mexico, and California to the
United States, and the Oregon Bill, which establishes a
territorial government in the Pacific Northwest. |
| 1848 |
Dr. James S. Athon writes
to D.W. Daily from the City of Mexico. "Captain
Simonson will carry this letter. Expenses are great here.
Enclosed is money owed by Phil Roe." Writes that
every movement now is towards peace; armistice is entered
into. General Butler is more considerate of the soldiers
than General Taylor and General Scott. Mentions news of
Hezekiah Daily, Joseph Gibson, Jonas Stansbury, and
others. Adds that "Whigs of Indiana determined to
run Taylor for Presidency in spite of all he had done to
the state." Mentions that the 2nd regiment are
rampant on the subject and that he does not favor a
military man for president. |
| 1848 |
Taylor is nominated by
the Whig party in Philadelphia on June 7th, on the fourth
ballot, over Clay, Scott and Webster. |
| 1848 |
James M. Daily marries
Rachel Daily on August 16th. |
| 1848 |
Felix Coombs, son of
Felix and Rebecca (Daily) Coombs is born this year. |
| 1848 |
Dated November 18th from
the Columbus Insurance Co. to D.W. Daily. Insurance on
pork and hams to be shipped from Louisville to New
Orleans. Signed by Wray Thomas, pres.; Sam Gwathmey,
Agent and A.S. Chew, Sec'y. |
| 1848 |
Mexico cedes New Mexico
and California in return for $15,000,000 and American
assumption of the damage claims. President Polk has added
a vast area to the United States, but its acquisition
precipitate a bitter quarrel between the North and the
South over the expansion of slavery. |
| 1849 |
Cholera epidemic sweeps
through Lexington, Kentucky and St. Louis, Missouri. |
| 1849 |
President Polk dies on
June 15th in Nashville, Tennessee. |
|
