Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1847-11-04
Yours 81.
A FRIEND TO THE MILITIA.
Major Gen. Scott.

II gives US pleasure, says the National lntelli-
gencer, to transfer to onr columns from 1.-THE New
York Evening Post Tin which we find i, copied)
the following very earnest tribute by the Hartford
Times Ga journal also Democratic in its politics.
10 the military merit of the General Commanding
the Army of the United States:
""HE COMMANDER OF THE FoRcEs.-Il
seems to us that the merit Of Gen Scott in gaining
the late astounding victories before Mexico has
not as yet received its fitting tribute from the pub
lie press. Ills political opinions must necessarily
ever debar him from receiving the sufirages Of the
Democratic party for the chief magistracy Of the
Union But this circumstance cannot prevent us
from seeing that That this great soldier has deserv
ed exceedingly well of the Republic, and acquir-
ed very strong title TO the fervent gratitude OF
his countrymen. Perhaps. indeed, to man whose
hairs are already svered in the service Of his
country, The due appreciation and acknowl-
edgment Of that service may prove more accept
able reward than the highest office that could be
conferred him. AT all events, the least that can
be done is to award just honor and praise, in
no snted or niggardly measure, 10 those
who have no other remuneration TO expect
for their brave deeds. The battles Of Contreras
and Churubusco certainly rank among the most
brilliant military achievements of the age. little
hand Of eleven thousand audacious invaders have
defeated with immense slaughter, an army Of thir-
ty thousand troops. drawn up in position of their
own choosing, on their own soil, to defend their
own affairs and hearlhs, in the very hear, Of their
country. Bu it was not alone the indomiable
vaor Of our troops which distinguished these bat
lies. They were TO an equal degree marked with
tha Oh, md IF H.,
strategy.
In tuning the rocky aud almost impregnahle
passes of Penon and Mexicalcingo, fortified with
terrific batteries, upon which the enemy had ex-
pended the labor Of months, Gen. Scott displayed
The most consummale generaship. 1t was not the
mere avoiding or e'adlng these formidable posts
which Constituted its merit. II was, that his
cool and pracliced eye discerned at glance that n
passage could be cut through dease forests and
tangled defles, and heaps Of huge rock, where The
enemy never dreamed that such an exploit was
conceivable. 1t was repetition Of the same skill
fnl ou,hanking maneuver by which he had before
spared so much valuable life at Cerro Gordo-a
movement which rendered all tho laborous pre-,
partitions and defences Of the enemy useless, and
which Santa Anna himself pronounced TO be mast
erly and worthy Of Napoleon. II has been the
Growing meri, of Scott that, while he has been
everywhere victorious. he has also everywhere
husbanded his forces. Daring and intrepid TO the
last degree where those qualities were called for,
he has at the same time been careful never wan
tony TO waste the lives Of bis troops in unnecessa-
ry slormings or reckless assaults. Under almost
any other general, his handful Of troops would
have long since melted away from repeated
collisions with inert hut overwhelming masses,-
With humanity no less conspicuous than his
bravery Scott has always abstalned from any IN.
discriminate sla tighter even Of "a merciless foe.
= It was great thing 10 have mastered the