Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-08-14
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
WINFIELD SC0TT.

single page Of History is than they can claim. AT
most it could only shy Of them that they lived and that
thew enjoyed great Offices But when man has really
performed many remarkable and even splendid actions
il becomes very difficult to relate his life within small
as am about take 1t cam Of only be done
by passing very slightly the smaller less necessary
facts Of the story, and dwelling principally upon the
greater and interesting This is the in
which win endeavor to write short life of the great
American Commander flor those who have not leisure
read long it ought to be) To write 1t other
wise than simply and faithfully, there is temptation;
for the magnitude of great part of the events is such
to require establishment and their notoriey forbds
all misrepresentation.
HIS PARENTAGE AND EDUCATION
WINFIELD ScoTT was born on the small planta
ton Of his father, William Scott, near Petersburg
Virginia, on the 18th of June, 1856, ths year be-
fore the formation of our Constitution. He was
the younger of two sons, and had three sisters His
grandfather was Scotch gentleman who had taken
part in the rebellion Of l745 and fought against the
King. Forced to fly his country, he took refuge in
Virginia, where he became alawyer. Dying early,
he transmitted to his grandson probably larger
amount of hatred to British Kings than of property
His SON became farmer, and married Ann Mason,
young lady Of better family than fortune, but Of
great virtues and sense-qualities for which she
soon
died young leaving her the sole guardian of five
children, and an estate which only high degree Of
prudence could render sufficient for their support
and education The excellent lady, however, dis
charged the difficult task admirably. To do SO re-
quired great industry, frugaity, and orderliness
and to the constant lesson of these (yet not without
the still higher ones Of Religion and Of love of honor
and knowedge) young Scott was bred up no nurs-
ling Of and indulgence, but the hardy child Of
difficulty and fortitude His own exertions second
ing his mothers management, good education was
obtained for him; and, finally, selecting his grand
fathers as his profession, he attended course Of
law lectures at William and Mary College, after
which he entered lawyers Office, and in 1906 was
admitted to the Bar. For year afterwards he rode
the circuit. In the mean time he had lost his
mother
HOW HE BECOMES SOLDIER.
In the summer of 1907 occurred the wanton at
tack of the British frgate Leopard upon our UMPIRE
pared ship, the Chesapeake and the seizure and
mpressment of several of the latters crew as Eng
ish subjects This outrage excited violent public
resentment throughout country. Young Scott
shared in it most ardently, and, war seeming to
be on the point of breaking out at once, joined a
volunteer troop of horse raised in Petersburg to de-
fend our coast, and marched with them down to the
shore of Lynnhaven Bay where for while they
vasion. Neither our Government nor the British
had yet made up its mind; this little cloud of war
soon blew over; and our volunteers were called
home again but even tkis short and bloodless ex-
petition had probably been enough to rouse in our
young hero the native passion for arms and to de-
eide his future career Every thing, however, look
ing peaceful once mere, he returned for time to
his practice But our difficulties with the pretend
ed "Queen of the Seas" speedily again thickened.
Mr.. Jefferson tried in vain the weak remedies of an
Embargo and Non-intercourse act. 1t became clear
that sure-enough war could not be much longer
avoided: an army, therefore, was to be raised and
bill for this purpose being brought forward in Con-
gress the close of the year 1907 Scott applied for
commission. The bill was passed in the April fol-
lowing and in Maythe great soldier that was to be
was appointed by President Jefferson a captain Of
light artillery. During the rest of 1908 he was
employed on the recruiting service and in the study
of his new profession
QUARREL WITH GEN. wILKINsoN.-ITs coNsE-
QUENCEs
In 1909 he was ordered to Louisiana, and placed
for time under the command of Gen Wilkinson,
an officer on whom, in common with many others of
his countrymen he looked as an accompice of Burr
conspiracy, and afterwards as turning informer
against his associates Thinking so ill of his com
mander he declined all offers of his favor, and even
made no secret of his bad opinion of him. This
coming to Wilkinsons ears, he became bitterly the
young soldiers enemy, and watched the opportuni-
ty for revenge About this time he was removed
from the command there, and Gen. Wade Hampton
appointed in his place. Upon this Scott spoke of
him openly as ga traitor" as indeed he legally
might; for the Rules and Articles of War only
forbid disrespectful language or behavior towards
ones commanding officer, not all ones superiors at
distance. Selling upon this pretext, and that of
his having, while acting, without experience pay
master to the company he recruited, withheld for
some two months about fifty dollars in all of pay
money TO cover some Of their debts to a suter for
which he had rendered himself liable, Wilkinson
brought Scott to trial before court-martal in the
hope Of procuring his dismissal from the army The
court acquitted Scott of all the charges of ungen-
tlemanly conduct" and Of all fraudulent intention,
but convicted him of " unoficerke conduct in two
points first, in Withholding the fifty dollars, as
above explained and, secondly, in having said at
public table that Burr and Wilkinson were the
only traitors he had ever SEEM" and that the latter
was liar and scoundrel" For these two facts
they condemned him TO suspension from rank, pay,
and emouments for twelve months but recommend.
ed to the President the remission of nine months Of
that punishment. Severe as, even in the eyes Of
the court was this sentence it was executed in full
1t did not however lessen Capt Scots military cha
racter, except for personal prudence HIS brother.
officers pretty generally thought as he did, and on.
y held their peace. Not so, however, the public
Whereabouts; they sympathEed entirely with the