JOSEPH LANE

diana, Ohio, Illinois, and Texas under the command of General Winfield Scott. In the major action of this second campaign, Lane again faced Santa Anna, this time at the battle of Huamantla in October 1847. Next his troops lifted the monthlong Mexican siege of Puebla. Following these actions, Lane received a brevet promotion to major general. His fame grew, too, as a result of this second campaign. Lane’s two military achievements gave rise to his nicknames “Old Rough and Ready No. 2” and “Marion of the Mexican War”—the first after Taylor in the Mexican War and the latter after Francis Marion, the Swamp Fox, of the Revolutionary War. Recent scholars have criticized Lane, however, for not controlling his troops when the men sacked Huamantla to avenge the death of a popular officer. By August 1848 Lane had returned to his Hoosier homestead, where the farm had suffered from his absence and floods. “I left my plow to take the sword, with a thrill of pleasure for my country called me. I now go home to resume the plow with as sincere joy,” Lane is supposed to have said. But soon he received an offer that changed his life. Since Polk wanted the newly cre­ ated Oregon Territory organized before he Above: A campaign banner touting the election o f Republican presidential candidate Lincoln and left office on March 4, 1849, the president his vice president, Hannibal Hamlin o f Maine. Opposite: Lane's service to the State o f Oregon signed a commission on August 17, 1848, has been honored with a middle school in Roseburg named after him, as well as a county. appointing Lane as the new territory’s governor. In typical Lane fashion, he left of about fifty men, including soldiers, Whitman, his wife, Narcissa, and eleven his Indiana home on August 29, just two teamsters, and Lane’s son, Nathaniel, left others on November 29, 1847. Lane days after learning of the appointment. He on the southern route through New Mexi­ accomplished this task, and the Cayuses never again lived in Indiana. co and Arizona and ultimately reached San were tried and executed. On the way to Oregon Lane first Francisco, then in the midst of the gold Lane understood that the governor stopped at Jefferson Barracks in Saint rush. From San Francisco, Lane boarded a served at the pleasure of the president and Louis, where he asked for a military escort steamer and reached Oregon on March 2, expected removal after Zachary Taylor, a to the West Coast. In an 1878 interview 1849. Whig, took over the White House. The Lane remembered that when General The new governor began forming the change did not occur quickly because Tay­ Philip Kearny told him it was impossible territorial government immediately. Lane’s lor had to find someone to replace Lane. to travel there during winter, he respond­ military experience proved useful, as the Ironically, in September 1849 Lincoln ed, “General, I did not come to consult territory’s citizens urgently wanted to declined the offer to take over for Lane, you about the trip but about an escort; convince the Cayuse Indians to surrender and a new governor arrived only in August will you give me an escort?” Soon a party those accused of killing Doctor Marcus 1850, despite Lane’s resigning the position

10 | TRACES | Winter 2011