Worth was breveted a lieutenant
colonel, and when in 1832 the ordnance corps was established, he
became one of its majors. In July, 1832, on the organization of the
8th infantry, Lieut. Col. Worth was appointed to its colonelcy.

Hitherto we have seen Worth in a subordinate position, where he was
unable to exhibit the highest qualification of a soldier, that of
command. Since his entry into the service he had been either an
officer of the staff, or separated from troops. He was now called on
to participate in far more stirring scenes. The war against the
Seminoles in Florida had long been a subject of great anxiety to both
the government and the people, and thither Worth was ordered, after a
brief but effective tour of service on the northern frontier, then
infested by the Canadian insurgents. At first he acted subordinately
to the late Gen. Armistead, but, on the retirement of that officer,
assumed command. The war was prosecuted by him with new vigor, and the
Indians defeated ultimately at Pilaklakaha, near the St. John, April
17, 1842. This fight was virtually the termination of the war, the
enemy never again having shown himself in force. Gen. Worth was highly
complimented for his services on this occasion, and received the
brevet of brigadier general.

During the season of peace which followed Gen. Worth remained almost
constantly with his regiment, which more than once changed its
station; and when the contest with Mexico began, reported to Gen.
Taylor at Corpus Christi. His situation here was peculiar, and he
became involved in a dispute in relation to precedence and command
with the then Col. Twiggs, of the 2nd dragoons. The latter officer was
by several years Worth's senior in the line, and, according to the
usual opinion in the army, entitled to command, though many of the
most accomplished soldiers of the service thought the brevet of Worth,
on this occasion at least, where the _corps d'armee_ was made up of
detachments, valid as a commission. This dispute became so serious
that Gen. Taylor interfered, and having sustained Col. Twiggs, Gen.
Worth immediately tendered his resignation to the President.

There is no doubt but that the decision in favor of Gen. Twiggs was
correct, and that Worth was radically wrong in his conception of the
effect of his brevet. He, however, had been brought up under the eye
of Gen. Scott, who entertained the same ideas on this subject, and
who, years before, under precisely s