Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-11-06
8elmoat Chronitle.
CEN. seoTTs VlNptcKrtoN. .

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CEN. scoTTs vlNDtcarloN.
The Patriotism aud Foresight of
Sc the Old Hero.
THE DAMNINe RECORD OF BucHAN-
ANS ADMINISTRATIONS.
Gen. WINFIELD Soorr, deeming his past
fidelity to the Union and his disposition to
maintaip il hby force, when necessary, dis.
trusted by some recent publications, sub
mits in selfdefense the following memoran.
da, which he makes public through the
National lntelligencer. They cannot pos
sibly damage the reputation Of the thief End
traitor Floyd, nor Of his confedcrates, How.
ell Cobb and Jacob Thompson; but we should
really like to know what ex President Bu.
chauan and ex-Secretsry Toucey have to
say to them. ttttf'
SOUTHERN roRTs--A SUMMARY, &c.
October 30, 1850, emphatically called
the attention OF the President TO the neces-
sity Of strong garrisons in all the forts be-
low the principal commercial cities of the
Southern States including, BY name, the
forts in Pensacola harbor. Oct. 81. / sup-
gested to the Secretary of War that a circ1.
lar should be sent at once to such of those
forts az had garrisons to be ON the alert
against surprises and sudden assaults. -
See nay" Iieics" since printed.
After a long confinement to my bed in
New York. | came to this city lWashington)
Dec. IL. Next day personally urged upon
the Secretary of War the same views, viz;
strong garrisons IN tho Southern Forts
those of Charleston and Pensacola harbors,
at once; those on Mobile Bay and the Mis-.
sissippi, below New Orleans, next, &c, &c.
again pointed out the organized comma
MES and the recruits at the principal depots
available for the purpose. The Secretary
did not concur in any Of my views, when |
begged him to procure for me an early in.
tervlew with the President, that | might
make one effort more to save the Forts and
the Union.
BY appointment the Secretary accompan.
led me to the President, Dec. Is, when the
same topics, Secessionism, &C., were again
pretty fully discussed. There being at the
moment lin the opinion of the Presidept) no
danger OF an early Secession, beyond South
Carolina, tho President, in reply TO INV ar.
guments for immediately reinforcing Fort
Sumter, said:
'The time hasno arrived for doing 40 that he ,hod
wait the action OF the Convention OF South Carolina In
expectation that Commission would be appointed and
sent to nesoIise with him and Congress. respecting the
Sccession OF the state, and the properly Of the United
States held within its limits and that Congress should
decide against the Secession, then lie would send a re
enforcement aud telegraph the commanding officer (Ma-
jor Anderson) oi For AIoire TO hold the FORTS ihIou
the ana Sumorl against aackn
And the Secretary, with animation, ad-
ded:
mess at Norfolk and he would then send thrc. hundred
men IN her from For Monroe to Charleston"
To which replied, first, that 10 many
mon could not be Withdrawn from that gar.
rison, but could be taken from Now York.
Next, that i would then be too lutte, as the
South Carolina Commissioners would then
have the g. me in their hands, by first using
and then cutting the wires; tlat ~ there
was not soldier in Fort Sumter, any hand
ful OF armed Secessionsts might seize and
occupy it, &c.
Here the remark may be permitted, that
II the Secrctarys 300 men had then, or
some time later, been sent to Forts Moultrie
and Sumter, both would now have been in
the possession ofthe United States, and not
battery below them could have been erect
cd by tho Secessionists consequently the
scoess TO those forts from the sea would
now 1.-THE end Of March) be unobstructed
and free
The same day, December Is, Iwrote the
following note:
Lieut. Gen Scott begs lhr President 10 perdon him
ior supplying IN ts note, what hs omitted TO say Ibis
nor,lng a. the Interview with which ho honored by
"long prior to the force bill March g is3a prior to
The isse o his proclamation nd part prior 10 The pas.
sage ui The oriihanne Of nulliication President jack
SON. under the act OF March g. l>O7 auhorilnv ths am
roymen Of the land aud naval forces caused re. en-.
ioeemens TO be sent to Fort Aioul,re, and soop OF.
wh thc Nulchez, with two cutters, To be sent
70 charleston harbor In ORDER To prevent the seizure
Of that iof by the nnldcr', and TO enforce the exc,
si Charlcson the day after the passage OF The ORDINANCE
p huinhcalson' an' nuiy Of the additional companies
were ,he, en route Tor the same destination.
ffcsdch Jackson iainiary sad nj the time, that
~ inc sstrmoage Of those iorces Tor the lawful purpo
,AsA A e was not making war upon South Carolina but
mat y South Carolina attack ked hrn IL would be South
stoiina mat made war upon the United States
Gen - who received his drsi Instructions oral) from
e " yfrsiden ~ The temporary absence OF the Secretary
'i war tGeh Cassl remembers those expressions welt
"ArusDAf Nidur, Dec. 10, lo6O.
Dec. 2S.-Again, after Major Anderson
had gallantly and wisely thrown his handful
Df men from Fort MOultre into fort Sumter,
Learning that, on demand Of South Caro-.
lima, there was great danger he might be
ordered by the Secretary back to the less
tenabe work, or out Of the harbor-I write
this note:
"ldcut..ien. Scott (who has had bad night, and can
scarcely hold up his head this mornig brgs 10 oxprrss
Inc hope TO the Secretary OF Wari. That orders may
h0 or gwen ior The evacuation OF Fort Sumter q That
0 recruits may Instantly be sent from Governors Jsa,
Q re.enlorce that garrison with ample supplies Of am.
nnlion aud subsistence, including fresh yegrtubes
,ontoes onions, iurps and g. That one OF two armed
'e,.els ee sent TO support the said tort
Lieut. Gen, - avns himself Of this opportunity slso
express the hope that The recommendations heretofore
made by him TO the Secretary Of War respecng Fons
Iaekson H. Philip, Morgan and Pulaski and pnrc uIar.
IN rNpect 10 FOrs Piekuna and McRea and the Pen.
acola Navy Yard, Ia connection with the last two named
rorks, may be rcconsidered by tho Secretary
"LieutGer. y Will further ask tho attention OF the
secrs,ay 10 Fort. Jefferson and Taylor, which arc
wholly acknowledging Of far greater value even 10 the
most Distant points Of the Atlantic coast and The people
~ the upper wsters Of the Missouri Mlssisaipp and
Jhio Rivers than 10 the State OF FLORIDA There IA only
feeble company ~ Key West tor the dsienss OF Fot
rayiori aud no, soldier IN Fort Jefferson 10 rcssl a
Sult soon after the beginning Of Secession or revou
'uch nuiaanceAn "
Dec. SOL addressed tho Prsldent again,
ss follows:
Lieu Gen. eoon begs the President OF the United
Mates 70 pardon the rresulsriiy OF this aion
y y saasy, ,e weather Is bad, aud Con H. Is well
bu, matters Of the highest national impo, ianes seem
o forbid moinenrs delay, and, II msled By zeal he
hopes "a the Iresidents forgiveness.
"Wlu the ffeAihem permit Gen g., without rcferepco
10 the War Department, and Otherwise as secretly as
md ~