Marion
Cartright
Taylor

October 30, 1822 - January 5, 1871

Ohio County, Kentucky

Adventurer, Soldier. Attended St. Mary's College before moving to Shelby Co., Kentucky, where he taught school briefly before starting a law practice. In 1850 he enlisted in the Kentucky Regiment commanded by Colonel Theodore O'Hara which participated in Narcisco Lopez's first Cuban filibustering effort known as the "Cardenas Expedition". The intention, which was unsuccessful, was to upset Spanish rule in Cuba. Surviving the expedtion, Taylor returned to Shelbyville, Ky. and resumed his law practice and in 1851 was elected county attorney and from 1853-55 was a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives. At the outbreak of the Civil War Taylor raised and became captain of Company A, 15th Kentucky Infantry, USA. On January 3, 1863 he was promoted to the colonecy of the regiment following the death of its previous commander James B. Forman at Stone's River. Taylor continued to command the regiment for the remainder of the war except for a brief period in a staff position. Taylor's diary of the "Cardenas Expediton" has been published