Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1847-11-04
THE LYNCHBURG VIRGlNI,y
MORNING. .NuyE.vRrp
CEN. SCOTT

The cas-. Of ,Ais officer is. IN many respcc,.
We think no ,lispassiona'e man can review iha
Of the campaign from the landing If the army n,
Cruz TO lis Triumphant entry into the city If w.,
without co""g 10 the conclusion, that no .n..;
leader ever encountered niore diff uliirs a H., ~"
no Instance, has there been m,re remarkable IuI
ct the highest genem'ship ard admin. TIA i've ,,l.
We need say no'ing Of pers NAL ,repidity. (o,,,..
ders-in-C hiet ought not, except in rare s.>,
themselves to hanger. WNfiEIp Scorr dill
to Mexico 10 flush maiden sword or estalllsh f, .,
ter Tor dauniless courage. Queenstown Chippeu, ,i
bridge"ai'r to say nothing Of other battle
placed his reputation in this respect beyond ct,i, n
went 10 lead an army, a, all times inadequate 10 ,ba o.
trprlze. from the Gulf to the city Of Mexico, na;r.
Ing 50 10 exhibit the powers Of comhna ion and s,..
zeal skill, the alternate aud timely audary and 40,
l"rbearanc which go tn make up he character n .
General. We not addicted t. iaiscrinin,,cl ,;
Which defeats lis own ubj"ct. We weigh w.N,h -;
port OF the term, when say. thai bad he nryrr d.
any thing else, and should he never doaay tlnr nu,
the campaign OF the past viii eattlo him t, ,,nL
among the comparatively few Great Gun nan,ers ,vL
figure In history. Gal ant Generals men who ara j.,
be'r element under Tie fre of the enemy and uln ave
w'n the admiration and gratitude of their caun,rymcr.
To be fou.d by hundreds in every nations history
but ho" few great commanders England beasts Of vo
only. Look at France. Amid the countless oppetun
lies for the evolution talent, aft dcd by the twenty
years of the French revolution during which mill,
ary OPP ratons prosecuted scale of unpraccJc
ted magnitude how many Of her accomplished General,
OF Division and AlarescIas In Camp whose names y.
familiar as household words 10 their cn,nrymen and +,
us, will live III history great commanders tit 10
plan and conduct campaign2
Tha, ScoTrs deeds have been brilliant aud his SHE
css astounding and that tho with means ya.ly in, h.
qnae, pretend 10 deny. That gallant arm,
capable OF doing whatever marital men ,uld have be-
lie from victory To victory. and always vastly So
perlor iurccs, under the reciun OF profound military
skill and calculation rs not less generally admitted We
would not dctracl an lota from TIE justly earntd fame
Of The subordinate officers and the rank and file Of the
army. We might be- deemed cxtrayagaut we're We Q
EN- ress the animation WIFI which their deeds have
spred Bu of what avail w ,ulI have been the skill
aud cnerprize OF The officers and The d,uncss bravery
spirit Of the men,ll the army had been commanded w an
incompetent General? The Commander in Chief mr,
fortunately for the glory If the American arms proved
worthy 10 head such an army, and hence The brllan,
success of the camla IN.
All this being admttd d, must yet flrtiir be CONF,
dcd that General scott received from, his cunn,y
nI'n the spontaneous praise AMI grateful admiration to
which his deeds justly enitc him Tbs is the more
remarkable. inasnnh as our people are nj backward
recognize military services claims upon their un.c0p
They are, indeed but too prone To overlae aud promptly
reward them by every token Of appreciation, ncudi
civil office and political preerment. What Then the
causes OF til seeming c1nesS to the brilliant deeds Of
soldier. wh" has certainly done much il not more
than, any living 10 eXalt the reputation Of the Amt
lean atms2
In the frs, place. he is object of d>irust and eaou
sy 10 the Administration. lie the bry
would have placed al the bead of he army, could t
have helped then selves. This, We pr,s,me,
will deny. 1t IS admitted 10y Mr. Pblk, in the coprs
pursued in regard 10 the Lieutenant Genealship M
was he sent TO the field until the enthusiasm with whc
thesuggestlon of running General Taylor for the Pres
dency was received in various quarters, rotsed Mr. Polk
to the necessity Of sending supersede the
Hero OF the Rio Grande, and. al III same time take
the chances of couneractng his popularity by presenting
another military leader 10 the notice of the public. Gen
! Taylor growing popularity a present Of
dread Scott had injured himself by his correspondence
with the Secretary Of " ar. lie rather unpopular,
it was supposed, and that he should acquire laurs in tie
war predetermined at least. Al any rate. tie rss
must be tun-and Scott, within six weeks after he had
been, IN answer to an enquiry, codly tod his services
in the field would not be required ordered reri
/ tothe Rio Glande. mystery yet hangs this a.
fair lie proceeded, as if by stealth; TO New Orcars,
going by sea. No ccla was given to the order. 1t was
moi announced in The official organ and the fact OF his
gong 10 assume the command Of The army was SUI jet
ct dispute III the papers for two three weeks. Anc1
pedIllon WAS organized against Vera Cruz. Tie AZ
IN ns'ra ION threw upon him the invdious task-i not
the odlnm-'t Withdrawing all the regula from Gen
! lay'ms army. Delays and vexatiuis disappopmeI's
rnsaed-not half of the batering train was in place
when tac army landed. Bomb vessels were filing ~
New York when the Castle surrendered and a ship "
me me "h'ch was to participate in the attack, Gu u"
arrive until her servccs Were rendered unnecrssfry IN
spite OF ali the nefciency othe Covers scott antr
about $4,000 men and invested the city, which Won"
have been reduced in half the time had the pro nSea
heavy guns and morars been place, on the STIPULATED
day. Scott pushed on towards Mexico. at thciGd"o
or 1pW troops and forced The works of Ceuo Codo o.
Tended by thrice his own free Saorllv after he was
i"'cd Ia send back three or four regime nts # t"fo
months volunteers. hose term o! service would eNfed
month or SIX weeks. This act OF which the a"
minis. ration en'ieavred 10 evade the responsibility
necessity was imposed upon him. aud he acted like ma"
VINO does his duty and cares not for consequences. ~"
'ss T." 50 many men condemned him lung inactivity "
tae"a, during which The l1iciaI organ was drctN's
The public as To the turce actually with him and as to u"
amount Of reintorcemens which he might expect 70 re-