Daily American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1852, 1852-06-21
LIFE AND SERVICES
GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT
BY A SOUTHERN WING.
rron thn BALTIMORE Patriot, ]


/ w;n6old Scott was born near Petersburg, in
y;,.o;n;a an tbe 18th Of June, in the year 1885.
~ Sn;sbod his studies at the College of William
a,,a NIory and was admitted to the bar in 1906.
After practising law in Virginia about year, he
: emigrated to South Carolina.
our difficulties with England caused Congress
- mass an act in April 1908 to increase the
army Scott applied Immediately for commits
sion in one of the regiments about TO be raised,
and in May, 1908, was appointed captain OF
| light artillery.
War was not actually declared until June,
1872. The interval between 1908 and the decla-
ration OF war was one of great political excite
ment Scott sided with the Democratic party,
supported the election of President Madison, ana
approved, advocated, and wrote IN fnVor OF war
measures.
In July 1912, Scott was commissioned heuten-
colonel in the I'd artillery, and proceeded TO
the Niagara frontier In October Of that year
Lieutenant Elliott applied to Scott for assistance
in men to capture the Adams and Caledonia,
two British vessels of war then lying under the
protection of the guns of Fort Erie. The vessels
were both captured; but Elliott was compelled
to abandon the Adams. She got aground, and
the British attempted to retake her, but were
repulsed by the gallantry of Colonel Winfield
Scott. This was the first time he had met the
enemy, and here, as every subsequent engage
ment where he was first III command, he was VIC
torious.
few days after was fought the memorable
battle Of Queenstown Heights. Scott was the
hero Of the day, and covered himself with glory.
The battle lasted for many hours, and was fought
on the part of the Americans with most fearful
odds against them. The British army, having
been reinforced, numbered not less than thirteen
hundred men, while the Americans were reduced
to less than three hundred. Finding that the
militia on the opposite shore refused or was IN
| ~. 4 4 Al.
hopeless, Scott heroic band were at length com
PEELED to surrender. But their gallant deeds
upon that day carried inspiration to every Ameri-
! can heart. The disgrace Of Hul's surrender
was wiped otf--the taunts of the enemy checked
the character of the American army redeemed.
Scott was carried prisoner to Quebec. While
he was there, incident occurred which had a
most important bearing upon the future conduct
of the war, and is deserving Of particular men
ton.
At the time Great Britain denied the right of
expatriation: in other words, she denied the
right of any of her subjects to become citizens of
another country, contending that they owed to
her perpetual allegiance According to this doc
trine, native of Ireland, Scotland, or England,
It who had emigrated to the United States, and be-
: come naturalized American citizen, remained
e still subject of the British government, and
Q forfeited his life for treason if found in arms
e against her The United States denied this
doctrine-her naturalization laws being founded
upon the opposite theory
t While Scott was prisoner at Quebec the
British attempted to enforce their doctrine Of
perpetual allegiance in regard to certain Irish
prisoners found in the ranks of the American
t army at Queenstown. The following is a de-
scription of the scene:
"Scott, being in the cabin of the transport,
} heard hustle upon deck and fastened up.
There he found party Of British officers in the
act of mastering the prisoners, and separating
from the rest such as by confession, the accent
of the voice, were judged to be Irishmen. The
object was to send them in frigate, then along
side, to England, to be tried and executed for the
crime Of high treason, they being taken in arms
against their native allegiance. Twenty-three had
been thus set apart when Scott reached the deck.
The moment Scott ascertaned the object of the
British officers, he commanded his men to answer
no more questions in order that no other seec-
tons shoald be made by the test of speech. He
commanded them 10 remain silent, and they
strictly obeyed. This was done in spite of the
threats of the British officers, and not another man
was separated from his companions. Scott was re-
pestedy commanded to 90 below, and high alter
cations cnsued He addressed the party selected
and explained to them fully the reciprocal obliga-
tons of allegiance aud protection, assuring them
that the United States would not fail to avenge
! their gallant and faithful soldiers and finally
retaliation, and, if necessary, refusal to give
quarter in battle, should follow the execution Of
any one Of the party. In the midst of this ami
mated harangue, he was frequently interrupted
by the British officers, but, though unarmed,
could not be silenced."
The Irishmen thus selected were sent to Eng
land AS soon as Scott was exchanged, he pro.
ceeded to Washington ind reported the whole
affair to the Secretary of War by written com
munication. This report was transmitted to
Congress, and Scott, in personal interviews,
pressed the subject upon the attention Of mem
bers. An act was accordingly passed on the Sd
Of March, 1873, vesting the President with the
power Of retaliation. In engagement soon
after Scott captured a number Of prisoners.
True TO his pledge given at Quebec, he imme-
diately selected twenty-three Of the number to
be confined in the interior of the country there
to abide the fate of the twenty-three Irishmen
9 taken at Queenstown and sent to England for
trial
: The result of this firm resolution on the part
of Scott, and of the legislation consequent upon
his efforts was, not only to save the lives Of the
twenty three Irish prisoners but 10 compel Eng
land throughout the remainder of the war. to re
spect the rights of naturalized citizens, by
virtually abandoning her claim to perpetual ale
4 glance.
just after the close of the war, as Gen. Scott
was walking along one Of the vharves Of New
l. York, he was hailed by his old Irish friends foI
whom he had interfered Mt Quebec. They had
just been released from the English prisons, and
!, now rushed TO embrace him their deiyereE
: At the capture Of Fort George, on the 9th Of
May, 1873, Scott led the advanced guard. He
landed on the Canada shore Of Lake Ontario,
. formed his command on the beach, md scaled the
= banks behind which the British forces were drawn
n, up, fifteen hundred strong The action was short
= and desperate but ended in the total rout Of the