file than did these. Every man of the regiment was
in rifle-range, and all did deadly work.

Though courteous and gentle in manner, Colonel Slaughter was possessed
of invincible firmness and independence when occasion required or a
sense of duty urged. An incident illustrates. General Jackson, who held
him in high esteem, appointed him to preside over a court-martial. The
decision did not meet with the favor of the chief, and he ordered a
reconsideration and reversal of proceedings. Colonel Slaughter declined
to comply, saying: "I know my duty, and have performed it." Jackson's
esteem was not lessened by the manliness of the answer.

His gallantry at New Orleans brought the name of Colonel Slaughter
prominently to political notice, and the next year, 1816, he was
nominated and elected lieutenant-governor, on the ticket with George
Madison for governor. Madison was not destined to wear the civic honors
which an ardent constituency had woven to crown him. He died in
October, a few months after the election. Slaughter succeeded him, and
was duly installed as governor. An active opposition party made an open
issue of the question as to whether the lieutenant-governor was eligible
to become governor by succession, under the Constitution, or that a
successor should be chosen at an election to be called by act of the
Legislature. There had been no precedent to this date. The question was
fiercely agitated, in and out of the legislative halls, during two years
of the executive term, before a subsidence of partisan feeling ended the
contest. Governor Slaughter held firmly to his convictions of
constitutional right, came safely through the angry waves of opposition,
and served out his term of four years with credit to himself and the
Commonwealth. The question was settled by this precedent, no more to be
raised, that, under the constitutional provisions then in force, the
lieutenant-governor should succeed to the office of governor upon the
"death, resignation, or refusal to qualify" of the governor-elect.

[Illustration: GABRIEL SLAUGHTER,

Eleventh Governor of Kentucky.]

On the expiration of his term Governor Slaughter retired to his country
home, and resumed his occupation as a farmer, leading a quiet and useful
citizen life until the end. He died at his home in 1830, aged
sixty-three years.

KENTUCKY'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE WAR OF 1812-15.

It is worthy of mention to the credit of Kentucky that, with a
population of