N his youth, Worth was engaged in a mercantile business in Albany; but just before the commencement of the war of 1812, he left his employment, and entered the service of his country.

The first signal opportunity which occurred for displaying the military talent for which he is now so celebrated, occurred at the battle of Chippewa, July 5th, 1814. In his official account of that battle, General Brown says, "the family of General Scott were conspicuous in the field, Lieutenant Smith, of the 6th infantry, the major of the brigade, and Lieutenants Worth and Watts, his aids."

A captain's commission, dated August 19th, 1814, was the result of this notice. At the battle of Niagara,

His victory at Palaklaklaha.

or Lundy's Lane, Captain Worth again distinguished himself, and was rewarded by promotion to the rank of a major, but a severe wound received in the battle, compelled him to remain for a time inactive. After the peace, he was some time, military instructor of the West Point Military Academy. He gradually rose in the army, but found no active service until he was employed against the Indians, in the Florida war. In April, 1842, he gained a brilliant victory at Palaklaklaha, which brought the war to a close for a time. He was made brigadier-general by brevet, March 1st, 1842, but some point of military etiquette caused him to resign, when the army of occupation was lying before Matamoras, by which he was deprived, greatly to his regret, of all participation in the glorious conflicts of the 8th and 9th of May. Hearing of these battles, he withdrew his resignation, hastened to join the standard of General Taylor, and gained imperishable renown at Monterey.

General Taylor employed the other divisions of the army in making a diversion on the east side of the city, in order to favour the operations of General Worth, who was directed to gain the Saltillo road at its junction with those leading from the city, and then when the enemy's supplies and retreat should be cut off, to storm the heights overlooking it and the south-western angle of the city. The fortifications were on one height, a large unfinished structure designed for the Bishop's Palace, and known by that name, and opposite the Bishop's Palace, and across the San Juan, (Federation Hill,) two others, one called from the name of the battery on its crest, Federation Hill, the other Soledad, or Soldada.