Daily American telegraph., 1852-06-25
LIFE AND sERvHcEs
GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT.
BY A SOUTHERN WING.
From the Baltimore Patriot,l

Winfield Scott was born near Petersburg, In
VIRGINIA, on the 18th Of June, in the year 1886
He finished his studies at the College OF William
, and Mary. and was admitted to the bar in 1906
After practising law in Virginia about year, ht
! emigrated to South Carolina.
Our difficulties with England caused Congress
! to pass an act in April, 1908, to increase the
!. army, Scott applied Immediately for a commits
sion in one of the regiments about to be raised,
and in May, 1903, 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, and
approved, advocated and wrote in favor OF war
measures.
In July, 1872, Scott was commissioned lieuten-
ant 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 in command, he was VIC
torious.
A 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 un-
able to cross to their aid, and that succor was
A1. L A1o,~r.
PEELED to surrender But their gallant deeds
upon that day carried inspiration to every Ameri-
can heart The disgrace of Hulps surrender
| was wiped off-the taunts Of the enemy checked
the character of the American army redeemed.
Scott was carried prisoner to Quebec While
he was there, an incident occurred which had
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, a native of Ireland, Scotland, or England,
who had emigrated to the United States and be-
come naturalized American citizen, remained
e still subject of the British government, and
h forfeited his life for treason if found in arms
n against her. The United States denied this
: doctrine-her naturalization laws being founded
s upon the opposite theory.
!, While Scott was prisoner at Quebec, the
' British attempted to enforce their doctrine Of
Il perpetual allegiance in regard to certain Irish
n prisoners found in the ranks of the American
!. | army at Queenstown. The following is de-
scription of the scene:
e "Scott being in the cabin Of the transport,
e heard hustle upon deck and hastened up.
! There he found party of British officers in the
act of mastering the prisoners and separating
q A.. a.
5 of the voice, were judged to be Irishmen. The
3 object was to send them in frigate, then along
side, to England, to be tried and executed for the
e 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
i British officers, he commanded his men to answer
no more questions, in order that no other selec-
: tions should be made by the test of speech. he
commanded them to 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
peatedly commanded to go below, and high alter
cations ensued. He addressed the party selected,
and explained to them fully the reciprocal obliga-
tons of allegiance and protection, assuring them
!, that the United States would not fail to avenge
their gallant and faithful soldiers; and, finally,
pledged himself in the most solemn manner that
o retaliation, and, if necessary, refusal to give
quarter in battle, should follow the execution of
y any one of the party. In the midst of this ami
q 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 and reported the whole
affair to the Secretary Of War by written com.
munication. This report was transmitted to
Congress- and Scott, in personal interviews
4Ia tha nf
bers An act was accordingly passed on the Sd
of March, 1913, vesting the President with the
% power Of retaliation. In an engagement soon
~ after Scott captured number of prisoners.
NJ True to his pledge given at Quebec, he imme-
% diatey selected twenty-three of the number to
y be confined in the interior of the country, there
= to abide the fate Of the twenty three Irishmen
< taken Mt 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 to compel Eng
land, throughout the remainder Of the war, to re-
spect the rights of our naturalized citizens, by
virtually abandoning her claim to perpetual alle-
glance.
Just after the close of the war; as Gen. Scott
% was walking along one of the wharves Of New
20 York. he hailed by his old Irish friends for
% whom he had interfered Mt Quebec. They had
"a just been released from the English prisons, md
4 now rushed to embrace him as their deliverer.
At the capture Of Fort George, on the 9th OF
May, 1913, Scott led the advanced guard He
landed on the Canada shore of Lake Ontario
formed his command on the beach, and scaled the
banks behind which the British forces were drawr
up, fifteen hundred strong. The action was shor
and desperate, but ended in the total rout of tn,
"a enemy. Scott was the first man to enter tn,
fort, and hauled down the British flag with hi
own hands