- William J. Worth
William Jenkins Worth (
March 1 ,1794 –May 7 ,1849 ) was aUnited States general during theMexican-American War .Early life
Worth was born in 1794 in
Hudson, New York , to Thomas Worth and Abigail Jenkins. Both of his parents were Quakers, but he rejected thepacifism of theirfaith . He received common schooling as a child and moved to Albany where he was working as a merchant when theWar of 1812 began.Early military career
During the war he served as an aide to (then brigadier general)
Winfield Scott , and developed a friendship with him. Worth later named his son "Winfield Scott Worth". He distinguished himself at the battles of Chippewa and Lundy's Lane during theNiagara campaign . In the latter battle, he was seriously wounded by grapeshot in the thigh. He was not expected to survive, but after a year's confinement he emerged with the breveted rank of Major--though he would remain lame for the rest of his life.After the war he was Commandant of Cadets at West Point and would rise to the rank of
Colonel in 1838 when he was put in command of the newly-created Eighth Infantry Regiment. Using his own tactics he successfully prosecuted theSecond Seminole War inFlorida and was made a brevetbrigadier general in 1842. Eventually, he convinced Secretary of WarJohn C. Spencer to allow the remaining Indians in the territory to confine themselves to the region south ofPeace Creek , and declared an official end to the war in August of that year.Mexican-American War
When the
Mexican-American War began Worth was serving underZachary Taylor inTexas and negotiated the surrender of the Mexican city ofMatamoros . He next commanded the 2nd Regular Division, Army of Occupation at theBattle of Monterrey . In 1847, Worth was transferred to his old friend Winfield Scott's army and placed in command of the 1st Division. During the amphibious landings at Veracruz he jumped from thelanding craft into shoulder deep water and waded ashore to become the first American to make an amphibious military landing.He took part in the
siege of Veracruz and engaged in the following battles of Cerro Gordo, Contreras and Churubusco. InMexico City Scott ordered Worth to seize the Mexican works at theMolino del Rey . Worth and Scott's friendship came to a head when Scott refused to allow Worth to modify the attack and the battle caused the 1st Division severe casualties, much to Worth's dismay. Worth later renamed his son Winfield Scott to William. He next led his division against the San Cosme Gate at Mexico City. When U.S. forces entered Mexico City, Worth personally climbed to the roof of the National Palace and took down the Mexican flag replacing it with the Stars and Stripes.Postwar service
For his service at the
Battle of Chapultepec , theUnited States Congress awarded him with a sword of honor. He was in command of the Department of Texas when he died ofcholera in 1849 in San Antonio. His remains were reinterred in a monument onWorth Square on an island of land between Fifth Avenue and Broadway at 25th Street inNew York City 's borough ofManhattan . Each spike of the fence surrounding the memorial is topped with a plumed helmet, reflective of the plumed helmet Worth is shown wearing in the memorial.The cities of
Fort Worth, Texas andLake Worth, Texas , the village ofWorth, Illinois ,Worth County, Georgia and theLake Worth Lagoon inFlorida , and consequently, the city ofLake Worth, Florida on its shores, are named in his honor. Worth was married to a woman named Rebecca C. Goodman.ee also
*
Seminole Wars
*Battle of Molino del Rey
*Battle for Mexico City ources
* http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/WW/fwo28.html
* http://www.aztecclub.com/bios/worth.htm
* John K. Mahon, "History of the Second Seminole War, 1835-1842", Revised Edition, University Press of Florida, Gainesville, 1985.
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