Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1866-06-05
Death Of General Scott.

lfrom the Richmond Dispatch, May SOL
teleglaphlc dispatch from West Point an
nounces that Lieutenant General Winfield Scott
dled at that place at five minutes past | o clock
on yesterday morning and although for some
years he has not been prominently or conspicu-
/ ously before the country, General Scott was for
SO long period regarded as the great military
chleftaln of the United States that a brief re-
sumo OF his career will, at this its final close, be
nothing more than proper
General Winfield Scott was born in Peters
burg, Va, on June Is, 1886 and was conse-
quently at the time of his death eighty years of
age. He studied law at William and Mary
College, and after practicing his profession for
lew years, was in 1908 appointed captain of
artillery, and stationed at Baton Rouge. On
account OF some remarks uttered by him in re-
latlon to the conspiracy of Aaron Burr he was
suspended from duty and returned to his native
State. In July, 1872, he was promoted to the
rank of Northumberland, and ordered to the
Canada frontier, where he took prominent
part IN the affair of Queenstown heights. Soon
after the capture of York Upper Canada, Gen
eral Scott was appointed acknowledgement on
the staff OF General Dearborn, with the rank of
colonel. In the combined attack upon Fort
George, in 1913, he commanded the advance,
and was severely hurt by flying piece of tim
Der: In 1914, he was made brigadier-general,
and established camp of instruction at Buffa-
To- and on July Sd, 1914, he, with Ripley's and
his own brigade, defeated the British at Chip
pewa. On July %, 1914, he fought the battle
of Lundy's Lane, where he had two horses kill
ed under him, and was severely wounded
Soon afterwards he was promoted to the rank
of major general, and visited the continent of
Europe in 1915. In 1925, he published Gene
raj Regulations for the A,ny, and in 1885, In
Jont7y Tactics from the French, both of which
works were adopted as text books by the United
the war with the Sacs and Foxes, which was
carried to a successful termination At the
time of the notification troubles in South Caro-
lima, Scott commanded the Federal troops in
that State and, in 1889, he paved the way, as
mediator, to the negotiations which ended in
the Ashburton Treaty between the United
States and Great Britain After the capture of
Monterey, in the Mexican war, General Scott
was assigned to the chief command of the Uni
ted States army in Mexico, and on March 9,
lS47, he landed twelve thousand men at Vera
Cruz, which city was captured three weeks at
forwards. On April 10th he gained the battle
of Cerro Gordo and on August I'd he gained a
victory at Cherubusco. On September 18th,
Chapultepec was fought and on the morning
Of the l4th the United States army entered the
city of Mexico.
In 1852, General Scott was the Wing nomi-
nee for President, receiving 1886, $50 votes
against ,60l PA received by the Democratic
candidate.
At the commencement of the late war, in
1861, General Scott did not resign his commits
sion and tender his sword to his native State
but remained in the service ofthe United States.
His advanced age prevented him, however,
from retaining command, and on November
l. 1861, he retired from active service with full
pay and allowances. He then visited Europe,
and was received with great distinction but
failed to restore his broken health.
From the time of his return from Europe I'M
til his death, General Scott lived in great retire
ment, only broken by an occasional interview
with some military celebrity upon whom he de-
sired to confer the honor of his praise. The
verdict of history has already been passed upon
the merits of Winfield Scott as General, and
of his errors or virtues as man it is not, per-
haps becoming in us to speak. Where we
cannot praise, we do not wish to condemn, and
the dead at least shall always be free from any
but the most charitable and merciful criticism