The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-11-06
have the honor to remain, sir, with high re-
spect, WINFIELD SCOTT.

spect, WINFIELD SCOTT.
A special Cabinet counsel was convened
on Friday morning, 10 take the subject into
consideration. 1t was decided that General
SCOTS request, under the circumstances Of
his advanced age and infirmities, could not
be declined. Gen. Mcclellan was thereupon
with the unanimous agreement of the Cabi.
net, notified that the command of the army
would be devolved upon him at o'clock in
the afternoon. The Cabinet again waited on
the President and attended him to the resi-
dence Of Gen. Scott. Being seated, the Pres
ident read to the General the following order
On the LIST day Of November, 1861, upon
his own application to the President of the
United States, Brew Lieut. Gen. Winfield
Scott is ordered to be placed and hereby is
placed upon the list Of retired officers of the
army of the United States, without reduction
in his current pay, subsistence or allowances
The American people will hear with sadness
and deep emotion that Gen. Scott has with
drawn from the active control of the army,
while the President and the unanimous Cab
met express their own and the Nations sym
pathy in his personal Affections, and their
profound sense of the important public ser
vices rendered by him in his long and bril-
liant career, among which will ever be CRATE
fully distinguished his faithful devotion tn
the Constitution and the Union and the flag
when assailed by parricidal rebellion.
(Signed) ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Gen. Scott then arose and addressed the
President and Cabinet, who had also arisen,
as follows: s.
"Mr. President, this honor overwhelms
me; it overpays all services have attempt
ed to render my country. If I had any
claims before, they are all obliterated by an
expression Of approval by the President with
the unanimous consent Of his Cabinet Well
know that the CO lntry has placed its inter
est in this trying crisis in safe keeping
Their counsels are wise, their labors are as
untiring as they are loyal, and their course
the right one. President, you must excuse
me am unable to stand longer 70 give
utterance to the feelings of gratitude which
Cypress me in my retirement. shall offer
my prayer to God for this Administration
and for my country. shall pray for it with
confidence for its success over all enemies,
and that speedily"
The President then took leave Of Gen.
Scott, giving him his hand ard saying he
hoped sop2 tee write him q private letter ex-
pressive of his gratitude and Affection.
Gen. Mcclellan issued an order accepting
the command ii chief Of the army, and eulo-
giving Scott
From contraband just from Manassas we
learn the rebels have extensive Notifications
at Centreville and an army of 50,0 900. Their
camps extend within two miles of Fairfax
Court House. At Manassas there are about
10000 troops.
(Tribune's Dispatch
A dinner celebrating Gen. McClellan's
assumption Of the command, was given him
tonight by the Sec of State at which al the
members of the Cab met were present. Du-
ring the evening, Ger. Mcclellan was obser-
we'd in his new duties, the President b ing
with him for several hours
The qustioa of Gen. McCleI'a,'s successor
in command of the Army of the Potomac, is
already under discussion. Gen. Halleck is
most talked Of
1t is understood that the Naval Expedition
is not directly aimed at cities on or near the
southern coast. The Troops will land at set
tied places, with spacious harbars, and will
at once open cotton ports, and establish
basis of operations for the forces now mus
tering.
The following telegram was received to-
day by the President:
SAN Francisco, Tuesday, Oct 30.
To A. LINCOLN:
California will send for the remains of
General Baker. RoB'T j. STEVENS.
(Signed) w. B. TAswELL.
:[Times' Special
Gen. Heintzelman's pickets continue to
advance down the Virginia shore. They
have crossed the Occoquon. The pickets
are very strong, one company of each rcgi-
merit being constantly on duty. But no
trace of the Rebels 10 any force, has been
seen in this direction, for two weeks.
Application has teen made by the Colo
nels Of some Of the Volunteer Regiments, for
permission to recruit their Regiments up
to the standard of the new Regiments
of regulars, authorized by the recent
act of Congress, viz: $500 men. The ap-
plicants have been refused
Worlds Special.
General Mcclellan issued an order, which
has been sen to the Colonel Of each Regi-
ment, stating that Gen. Stone was in no wise
responsible for the defeat at Edwards Ferry
but the blame belongs to subordinate off
Ger, whose name is not mentioned.
To-day, several Clerks in the Treasury
Department wero removed, many Of whom
havelbeen suspected Of disloyalty for some
time past
The Treasury Department is making ar
rangements for the redemption of the out
standing II per cent Treasury Notes, issu-
ed last winter, by the Buchanan Administra-
ton.
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