Daily American telegraph., 1852-10-08
AMERICAN TELEGRAPH.
ANECDOTES OF
WINFIELD SCOTT,
AS SOLDIER AND AS CITIZEN

WINFIELD SCOTT,
AS SOLDIER AND AS CITIZEN.
BY Edward william johnson.
n PART THIRD.
SCOTS SeL.eaucation in Tactics.
When the tools of fight were few and clumsy,
could hardly be called even an art but in their
modern state, when they have become huge and
various machines, it grows Of necessity, a high
science; and great genius only and thorough
study can render q man master in it. To this
difficult science, necessary to complete the power
ful faculties which nature had bestowed upon him
as q man of action, young Scott now began to de-
vote himself He had, however, everything to do
for himself; for as yet, military knowledge, (of
which he was by-and-by to be almost the founder
for us) scarcely existed, even among the two or
three regiments that formed our feeble and far
scattered establishment of regulars The officers
themselves were alike destitute of military educa
tion and Of such experience as might have imper-
fectly supplied its place. Not merely was the gen.
eral theory of fwarfare Of the movement Of armies,
and Of the greater field evolutions unknown, but
the application and service Of indispensable arms
such as engineering, fertilization, cavalry, ord
nance, commissariat, and others It is scarcely an
exaggeSation to say, that our acquaintance with
tactics consisted Of but the manual exercise, and
the company drill There was not even anybody
to teach another. Here then was our future
commander left to find out this great science for
himself 1t was what may be called the art Of
war without master" How rapidly and how
well he, nevertheless, learnt it, guided only by
his genius, and aided only by his own ardor Of
professional knowledge soon appeared in his ad-
mirable training Of General Browns army, and
the masterly manner in which he fought it.
Several things are, however, worthy to be noted
as to this preparatory period Of his life. In the
first place, it is curious to remark how it was his
repulse by her law from pursuing his original
profession in South Carolina, which threw him
upon that Of arms and how that event afterwards
led him back to that State to check by his pres
ence as soldier the rash legislation of those who
had refused to admit him as civilian. For
tunate as the exclusion proved for the peculiar
greatness Of Scott and fortunate for the military
glory of our country, it was most fortunate Of all
for the Palmetto State herself whose selfdestruc-
tion the conduct of Scott averted Secondly, it is
striking to observe how necessary to his charac-
teristics and career asa warrior were the knowl-
edge and the habits which he brought from his
previous pursuits. Without this, he would have
been mere soldier; without this, he could
scarcely have conducted with such signal success
difficult and dangerous negotiations; without this,
he could hardly have shown, IN the midst of COM
mand, such unalterable reverence for law and In
the midst of triumphs such regard for justice and
humanity. But for this, he could never have
proved himself fit to rule as well as command in
peace as well as war; and joined the civil virtues
to all the terrible qualities of the invincible gen.
eral. In the third place, they who delight in de-
batting questions that can never be settled, may
discuss, in all their pros and cons, the probabli-
ties of whether Scott would or would not have
become distinguished lawyer. l shall not
attempt to decide; but may well say, that GER
tainly he has often shown that he possesses Q
highly legal understanding, and that joining tc
| 1t as he does, the genius Of still higher art
which must be by turns deep to deliberate, inven-
tive to devise, and strong to execute if he had
failed at the Bar it would at least not have been
failed the sword and the ploughshare are made
out Of the same MATERIAL but they are very differ
emily finished and tempered.
To complete, meantime, his theoretical educa-
tion in Tactics, now followed one of those SEEM
ing disasters which are such or are the contrary,
according merely to the worth and metal of the
man on whom they light. have elsewhere lin q
brief life Of Scott) related the circumstances of
his quarrel with Gen. Wilkinson, that officers
unworthy effort Of revenge, and its success to the
extent not of disgracing but of procuring the sus
pension Of the too truth-speaking and honor-lov-
ing youth, who had over-freely expressed his dis
dain for double traitor, the confederate and the
betrayer Of Burr. The court which (spparently
Ia Difference to the rank Of his prosecutor) con-
demned Captain Scott, expressly acquitted him OF
all dishonor laid upon him by the charges, and
recommended an almost complete remission Of its
own sentence. That Recommendation the Execu.
tive should have held obligatory, as really making
a part Of the judgment of the court itself But
Wilkinson had, in the very matter for which
Scott stigmstized him, served the government
though at the sacrifice Of his character and the
Administration no doubt felt itself bound to pro.
tect the man by whose perfdy 1t had profted
So the severer terms Of the sentence were adopt
ed, and Scott was sent for twelvemonth into re-
tirement. just or unjust, all punishment is hu-
initiating. They whom the elevation OF their
principles makes least capable of having deserved
are the keenest to feel it, and, at the same time
the most incapable Of being subdued or sunk by
1t. Against unmerited shame, the wrongs of un-
Just men in power, or the changing voice Of the
often.unerateful multitude, they take refuge las
Scott has more than once had occasion TO do) in
the unshaken citadel Of brave soul, that knows
how to vindicate itself from momentary reproach
by arming itself with still stronger titles to sue
cess. This was what our soldier now did he
withdrew to solitude, and threw himself upon the
severest study Of his profession. That year Of
lonely labor did more to qualify him for leading
his countrymen to victory than would have done
the utmost personal favor and assistance OF
score of wilkinsons. But for that Generals en-
nifty, he would not, when IL came, have been in q
condition to win the brilliant battle Of Chippe
wa as afterwards, but for the dsgraoes and rid
icuie which Polk and Marcy contrived against
him, he might never have been stirred up to that
heroical exertion Of all his faculties, which
achieved the most daring Of modern expeditions
the conquest Of Mexico 1t is easy enough for bad
superiors to set their heels upon the common run