Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1855-12-20
af(istellmeod, 8sabmg,
LIEUT.. GEN. WINFIELD SCOTT.


The renowned warrior, whose achievements
have added so much lusire to the American
arms, and whose very name is suggestive of
victory, occupies no ordinary place among the
eminent men of our country. The "hcro of
Lundys Ian" THE "cnqncror Of Mexico
the General who has never known defeat
we'll does Scott deserve the need Of honor
Pleasing, therefore, is the ta;,k We have under
taken to add one leaAet to he laurel wreath
with which his adniring corntrymcn have al
ready crowned him.
1t is said that Scott : descent may be traced
from gentleman of the Inwland; Of Scot
land, who imn grated to tbs country shortly
, after the battle Of tull5lcn This person
having settled in Yir.inia, or ;..@.l i'll the prac
ticc Of the law lie, however. died at an ear
l. age, leaving 4 sen William: WHO became the
father of the subject of this sketch. Near
Petersburg, Virginia, on the 18th June l1S6,
Winfield Scott was born lie received lib
cral education, and having ;tJop pied the law as
his profession, his studies We're directed to that
end. and in lSOG he WAS admitted 10 the bar.
In 1907, Scott came to this State with the in
tention of practising his profession in Charles
ton; but, i'll consequence vf the law requiring
Of legal practitioners residence in the State
Of one year he abandoned his design, and re-
turned to Virginia.
About thi> period, those secondary causes,
which brought ol. the war of lSl2 were in ac
tive operation Scott perceived that hostilities
with one or ln,rc Of the offending powers were
inevitable The spirit Of the soldier rose with
in him and sharing in the General feeling of
inli enation produced by the aggressions on
our commerce, and the imFressmcnt Of our
scamcn, he resolved to exchange the forum for
the battle-tcl&-to forsah: thcms for the
more congenial companionship Of Vars. Ac-
cordingly, bill, providing fD- ""fncrcase of
the army, having been passed by Congress III
May, ls0S, he succeeded by means Of an in
fucntial friend, in securing the commission,
of Captain Of light artillery
Now commenced his military career, but not
under the most favorable auspices. Having
been sent. in $500, to join the army in Loui-
siana, he became involved in Il difficulty with
the commander, General Wilkinson. This
proceeded from some free comments which the
ardent young Captain had made on the charac-
tcrand conduct of that inefficient officer Hav-
inr been brought before court martial, Scott
was suspended from the army for one year.
He now returned to Virginia and profting by
the sage counsel of friend, determined to make
his sentence of suspension personally advanta-
geous, by devoting himself to the study of mil
itary art and science. When, therefore, he
was allowed to rejoin the army, he was enabled
to do so with undiminished zeal, and more
intimate acquaintance with the duties Of his
profession.
Next ensued the war Of 1872, in which
Scott bore so conspicuous part Having been
previously promoted to the rank of Lieutenant
Colonel, he first distinguished himself at the
battle Of Queenstown Heights, in which, al
though finally forced to surrender, his conduct
was very highly commended. 1t was on this
occasion that Scott fought in full dress uni
form, and, being urged to change his dress,
made the we'll known reply: "No, IrW die
in my robes"
After this affair he remained prisoner Of
war until January 1913, when having been ex-
changed, he fastened to the field of war, pre-
pared to engage thereon with renewed spirit
and yigor. Soon after he figured most con-
spicuously at the capture of Fort George, where
he pulled down the enemys flag with his own
hands, and completed the victory by hot and
daring pursuit of the retreating foe.
But it is not our purpose to enter into de-
tailed recital Of his services. They are famil-
lar to the American reader. Suffice it to say
that having been made Brigadier General in
March, 1914 Scott won additional honors at
Lundy's Lane and Chippewa, and finally emer-
ged from the "dust and blood" of the "second
war of independence" as its most distinguish
ed hero lie was not only promoted to the
high rank of Major General, but was honored
with othe recorded appreciation, of his coun-
try'-that which he himself regards the
"highest reward that freeman can receive"
In 1871, by the death Of Macomb, Scott be-
came commander-in-chief of the army. He
had, however, up to this period been engaged
in many difficult and important services. He
had brought several Indian wars to a success
full close-had conducted with wisdom deli
cate mission to this State ;luring the period of
cation-had employed his pen in matters
pertaining to his professin-had adjusted the
difficulties between Maineand the British Gov
ernment respecting the northeastern boundary
and had generally exhibited the high quail
ties of the civilian as wei as soldier
1t was, however, in our late war with Mexi-
co that Scott completed the full measures Of
his fame We need not tnter into an account
of his achievements in tht country. Our own
fellow-citizens-the members of the Palmetto
participated therein most honora-
bly,, and Carolinians, at least, can receive no
new information on the subject. 1t is well
known how landing in Mexico at the head of
10000 men, he took tie city Of Vera Cruz
with the strong fortress # San Juan de Ulloa;