The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1862-11-21
General soott's Reply to Buchanan.


Genera! Scott publishes rrjoinder 10
Ex President Buchsnau. He (Scoll) is
sorry 10 perceive that the publication OF
his official report TO President Lincoln has
given otfsnse 7-tha; the resul: was purely
incidental, aud it did not enter into his
(Scous) purpose in drawing up the
paper, eut on reflection, be supposes Ii at
under the circumstances the oifense was
unavoidable yet be il rememb bered, he
ssys, that he new President had a right
10 demand Of me, in the immediate com.
mand Of the army, how it happened that
the incipient rebels had been allowed 10
coerce several Of those forts, and from the
bad condition OF others, were likely 10
gain possession Of them also =; that pri.
marily the blame rested exclusively on
me. Hence, 10 vindicate my sworn allie.
glance TO tho Union and my professional
conduct. the report was submitted to Pres
ident Lincoln at an early day in his ad.
niinistra,iou. and recently tc the world.
First. 10 account for not having garri.
soned sufficiently the southern forts 20 se.
cure anticipated treason and rebellion, &C.
cording to my recommendations, begin.
ming October 9o,h. 1850; repeated the
next day, and again earnestly December
l3 b, Is h, 28h aud 30lh, the ex Presi.
dent says there was no available troops
within reach.
Scott then proceeds 10 show that small
garrisons would a, first have sufficed lor
the Twin forts Jackson and ST.. Phillip
also that his (Scotl'S) object was to save
the Union by all means al hand. all those
woiks until Congress could hav. time to
authorize a call for volunteers-a call
which the President for such purposes
might no doubt have made, without any
special Legislation, with the tull approba.
ton OF every loyal man in the Union.
On the second point, Scott says. that
the ex President almost loses bis amia.
billity in having his neglect Of the forts
attributed. as he says, without the leas,
cause, TO Governor Floyd and be adds,
all my cabinet must bear me witness,
that as the President. was myself re-
sponsibe for all acts OF the administration.
Now, Notwithstanding the broad assump-
ton ol responsibility, he (Scolt) would be
sorry 10 believe that the ex.Presdent
specially consented 10 the removal by
Secretary Floyd, Of $4,000 extra mus.
kets and ammunition, from Northern de.
positoriss to Southern arsenals, so that on
the breaking out Of the maturing rebe lion
they might be found without cost, except
10 the United States, 10 the most con.
venient position for distribution among
the insurgents OF lhe Sonth. or the leo
or las pieces Of artillery which the sam.
Secretary ordered from Pittsburgh 10 Ship
Island, in Lake Borgne, and Galveston,
Trxss, for forIs not yet erected, he says :
Accidentally learning, early in Msrch,
that under the posthumous order the skip
ment OF these guns had commenced,
communicated the fact to Secretary Holt
(acIirg for Cameron) just in time 10 de.
,est the robbery. But upon this point We
may hear ex.Secretary Floyd himself.-
A. Richmond he expressly claimed the
honor OF defeating all my plans and So
licitations respecting the forts, and re.
ceived his reward-it being there univer.
sadly admitted that but for that victory
over me there would have been no REBEL.
| ion.
Third. Mr.. Buchanan complains that
! published, without permission. on Jan.
usry 18Th, 1861, my views addressed 10
him and the Secretary Of War, October
29.h and 3oth. 1850. But tha, act was
caused, as explained TO him at the ;ime,
by the Misrepresentation of my views in
one Of the earlier speeches Of the same ex
Secretary after his return 10 Virginia.
Fourth. One OF my statements, CON-
planning OF the joint countermand, sent
through the Secretary OF War and Navy,
to prevent the landing a. For, Pickcus OF
Capt. Vodges' company. unless the fort
should be attacked. is cited by the ex.
President 10 prove want OF memory on
my part, and a note from ex.Secrelsry
Holt is alluded 10. 10 show that had en-
,irely approved Of the joint eounlermand
the day It was prepared. Few persons
are as little liable TO make missta,e EN- en-,
by accident as Mr.. Holt, and no one is
more incapable of making one by design,
yet have not the slightest recollection OF
an interview with him on this subject.
do remember, however. that Mr.. Holt, cn
some matter of business, approached my
bedsiGes abou: that time when was suf-
fering from an excess Of pain. Mr.. Buch-
ansn. Mr.. Hol; and myself were all lands
men and could know but little of tho pos.
sibility OF landing troops on an open sea.
beach and amid the surf. Mr.. Toucey,
Secretary Of the Navy. with officers OF in.
teIlgence and nautical experience. ought
to have said plumply, that If Capt. Vodges
had orders not to land, except in case OF
an attack upon Fort PicEens he might rs
we'll have remained at Fortress Monroe.
as The prohibition placed the fort, so far
as be was concerned. at the mercy, or as
the event showed, the want OF enterprise
on the part OF the rebel commander at
Pensacola. Possibly there are other parts
Of the reply which q superficial reader
may think requires comment or e!ucida-
ton. and indeed here is another marked
for me by my kind visitor.
Fifth. The ex President has brought
, together labyrinth Of dates. respecting
the arrival snd departure of the rebel
Commissioners. armistices, DO, with
which. as had no official connection, |
may have made an unimportant mistake
or TWO. but as have not BY me the means