Description
No backmark. ID'd in period ink on reverse.
Joseph Hancock Taylor graduated at the United States Military Academy in 1856, and was commissioned Second Lieutenant of Cavalry on 16 January, 1857. He served in Kansas, in the Utah expedition, and in a campaign in 1860 against the Kiowa and Comanche Indians of Colorado. He was promoted First Lieutenant on 22 April, 1861, and Captain on 14 May, and was appointed acting Adjutant General of General Edwin V. Sumner's division on 27 November, 1861.
During the peninsula campaign, and subsequently in the Maryland campaign, he served as acting assistant Adjutant General of the Second corps, winning the brevet of Major at Fair Oaks, and that of Lieutenant Colonel at the Antietam. He was assistant Adjutant General at Fredericksburg, and assistant Inspector General of Cavalry in Stoneman's raid.
On 1 June, 1863, he was assigned to duty as assistant Adjutant General of the Department at Washington. He was appointed a Major on the staff on 30 March, 1866, and on 13 August was breveted Colonel for faithful services during the war. He was on duty in different military departments till his death, which was due to disease that he had contracted in the line of duty.
