The Zachary Taylor National Cemetery can surely bring ones own mortality to the forefront of thought. This was the case for me when coming down the long driveway toward the tomb of Zachary Taylor, our 12th President. To see all the headstones for the military men who have died and then get to

the generals tomb. Well it is a sobering and reflective experience. This National Cemetery honors our veterans, many of them fallen. The long driveway leads to the memorial statue and mausoleum. Although Zachary Taylor was initially buried in the Congressional Cemetery in Washington DC.  Now, if you note the sort of lump in the grass behind the current tomb,  it was the second resting place for Zachery, later updated to the stone above ground memorial, his third and hopefully final resting place. Well it seems that people could not leave well enough alone. Letting the dead rest came in second to new forensic cause of death investigation. So here is the story as I understand it. Zachary Taylor died in office of what was called undetermined stomach problems. There  was immediate speculation that he had been poisoned  by the pro-slavery factions. Tests were run to see if he was assassinated. Continue reading Zachary Taylor National Cemetery →