Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-05-12
Letter Of General Scott to the Sec
rotary Of War.

10 Congress on "Wednesday OF last rrck. ~
document which, despite its length, amply re-
pays pcrsal, and Will, we believe, create pro-
found scnsaiionin the public mind. The rebnke
to the Administration, contained in the manly
and dignifcj, though indignant language Of the
letter, will be felt wherever there are Justice
and munliness to appreciate IL:
Mexico, Feb. "a, 1913.
SIN: On the 18th inst, i received your two
letters Of the 9Th ult, and Immediately Issued
the General Order No. % "a copy cnclosed) de-
volying the command Of the Army in Mexico
upon Major General Butler.
As the officers detailed for the Court Of In-
quiry, before which am ordered to appear as
criminal are not known to have arrived in the
country, avail myself Of n moments leisure to
recall some of the neglecis, disappoiniments, in
jurics and rebukes which have been inflicted
upon INC BY the War Department since my de-
parture from Washington, Nov. 20, 1876.
To me the business Of rccrimination, however
provoked has ever been painful. In this sum-
mary shall, therefore, indulge in no wantonness
Of language, but con6ne myself to naked hislor-
ical fscts-lca,ing conclusions to men Of sense
and candor.
In the hurry Of preparation for Mexico (only
four DAYS were allowed me at Washington, when
employed in the great Buraux-tho~c Of the
Chief OF Engineers, Chief Of Ordnance, Chief
Quaricrma.ier and Chief Commissary Of Sub
sistencc)--I handed 10 you a written request
that one Of three Of our accomplished Captains,
therein named, might be appointed Assistant
Adiutant General. with the rank Of Major, for
duty with me in the field, and there icds va
csncy, at the time, for one. My request has
never been attended 10, and thus have had no
officer Of Adiuiant Generals Department with
me ia the campaign. Can another instance be
cited Of denying 10 Gcneralin-Chict, in the
field, at the head Of large army--or even a
small onc-the selection Of his chief Of the staff
that is, the chief in the department Of Order
and Correspondence?
Early in the following January, asked that
General Court Martial might he appointed, on
the part Of the President for the trial Of two Of
fcers (named BY mel for conduct each had com
mitted, that endangered, in a high degree, the
success Of the impending campaign. and sPe-
cially referred TO the anomalous and fatal act Of
Congress MAY 20, 1880, which prohibited me
a. the aecuser or prosecutor" from ordering
the Court for the trial Of the cases.
My application has never been noticed Thi
neglect alone ought early 10 have admonished
rue that had no hope Of support at Washington
in any attempt ] might make against certain
olIicers) TO maintain necessary discipline IN th.
Army was about to lead into the field. lief
Washington highly laitered with the confidence
and kindness the President had Just shown m'
/ in many long personal interviews on militar!
matters For more than two months my ex
( pressions Of gratitude were daily and ferven,
1 nor were they much les emphatic towards tn
head Of the War Department Proceeding witt
zeal and confidence in my most hazardous da
ties learned, January %. at the Brazos San
tiago. that an attempt was on foot TO create
Lieutenant General to take command in tn
field over me. Shocked and distressed allow
ed of no relaxation in my efforts to serve m
country. resolved. for the short time ! was likel
to remain in commission, 10 he
aTme as the dial to the sun,
Although il be not ahoa, upon
! A vet greater Outrage soon followed; failin
TO obtain an act for the citizen Lieutenant Ger
eral. a bill was pressed upon Congress TO autho
ize the plariug a junior Major General, Just 81
pointed (,he same Individually, in command Owe
all the old Major Generals then in front of III
enemy
will not here trust myself to add a soldier
comment upon those attempts, but may than
God that He did not allow them, or subsequer
injuries to break down, entirely, the spirit an
abilities (snch as they arc) with which He la
endowed me.
Foreseeing at Washington that, from the gres
demands OF Commerce at the moment, il woul
be difficult, ii no; impossible, to take up, perhaE
at any price, sufficient number of vessels I
New Orleans and Mobile to transport the reg
men,s Of my expedition from the Rio Grand
frontier TO Vera Cruz, endeavored TO impre.
upon the War Department the necessity Of SEND
ing out, from the Northern and Eastern ports.
certain number Of large ships, in ballast, in orde
that the expedition might not be delayed; ant
in view OF the " fixed fact" the return of th
ron,iiO at Vera Cruz in the Spring of the yea
"a delay of few weeks was likely 10 prove
total defeat.
In a paper transmitted to me-headcd Men
orAndum for the Quartennasier General" marx
ed IS War Department, Dec. Is, 'le," and signe
by the Secretary, which received Jan. Sit
said:
Independently Of this number Of transport
for troops and ordnance stores from the North
there will be required say five ships for the tran
portation of the surf boats now being prepare,
beside which len vessels must be taken up an
sent out in ballast flor troops1 unless stores ca
be put on board. TO make up the number (4C
required by the Commanding General
The date Of this memorandum is Dec. Is
more than three weeks after my requisitiou an
20 r -