Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-06-07
DEATH OF LIEUT.. GEN. SCOTT.

y
of his country +; although infirm as he had
been for long while, the news does not
come upon us with the shock of surprise.
Winfield Scott was born in Petersburg,
Va, June ID, 1886, and consequently at
the time of his death lacked only two
weeks of the age of so. He was the grand
son of an adherent of the Pretender, who
fired to America from the field of Culloden,
and the son of Captain William Scott, an
officer of the army of the Revolution. He
was educated at William and Mary College,
and after having devoted short time to
legal studies, removed to Charleston, with
the intention Of practicing there as a law
yer. But the war with Great Britain was
then imminent, and when hostilities seem
ed on the eve of breaking out, young Scott,
who once before on Il similar alarm had
ridden % miles by night an soon as heard
cry for volunteers, and appeared on par
ade the next morning in borrowed uniform
i'll the ranks of dragoon regiment, threw
down his books and FASTENED to Washing
ton to ask for a commission. In April,
1908, bill passed Congress authorizing
the increase Of the Regular Army by the
addition of eight new regiments, and on
the Sd of the next month Scott was ap-
pointed Captain in one of them the light
artillery.
The war came at last, in 1912, and Capt
Scott was promoted to the rank of lieut.
colonel, and ordered to the Niagara from
tier. Here he witnessed his first battle
the affair of Queenstown Hights-where
he commanded on the field during the latter
part of the day, and greatly distinguished
himself In the Spring of 1913 he returned
to the frontier, with the rank of colonel and
the position of chief of staff to Gen. Dear
born. He commanded the American forces
which captured Fort George, on the 9th
Of May, when he was severely wounded.
He shared in the abortivc frontier campaign
of "That unprincipled imbecile" Gas he used
to call him. Wilkinson, and when that was
over, was sent, with the rank Of brigadicr-
general, to command camp OF instruction
at Buffalo. The value of his labOrs in this
place was strikingly displayed at the battle
of Chippewa, July 4, 1914 when, after
long series of disasters, the American arms
gained . victory small in itself, but most
impgrtant in its moral effect. In this en-
gagemeut as we'll as in the well-iought
battle Of Luudy's Lane, about three weeks
W Il
ncnt share In the latter action he was
twice wounded He was Immediately hrc-
yctt,d NJ ior- General, and Congress ordered
u gold medal to be presented TO hIm III tcs-
timony of their appreciation OF hls dlstn-
gushed services, "and of his uniform gal
lantry and good conduct III sustaining the
reputation Of the arms of the United States"
He was offered the post Of Secretary OF
War, but declined it, The peace which
soon cnsued gave him an opportunity to
visit Europe, where he saw Paris during
the allied occupation, and made many dis
tinguished acQuaintances With the ex-
ception of the publication Of his General
Regulations for the Army" in 1925, and one
or two personal quarrels with Gen. Jack
son and others, which fortunately did not
lead to hostile meetings, he did nothing to
bring himself much before the public until
the outbreak of the Black Hawk war in
1882, when he was sent to the West in
command of an army, but had no OppOrtun-
ity of fighting. During the notification
troubles he commanded in Charleston. The
hostilities with the Seminole Indians in
Florida began in 1885, and Scott was or
dered to the theatre of war, but was soon
)
His campaign here too was brief, and was
closed by a court of inquiry, which decided
fully in his favor He attributed the sum
moning of this court to the personal enmity
of Gen. jackson. In 1S41 he became
General-in-C' icf, on the death OF General
McComb
The Mexican war opened in May, 1916,
with the battles Of Palo Alto and Resaca
de la Palma, followed by those of Monterey
and Buena Vista, in September and Febru-
ary--all won by Gen. Taylor. 1t was evil
dent after the storming Of Monterey that
hostilties, to be effective, must be carried
into the interior of Mexico and a new line
of operations chosen, having the capitol for
its objective TIL army for this task was
was placed under the command of Gen
Scott, who landed at Vera Cruz with l2,-
600 men, March 9, lS4T captured the city
after a bombardment Of fifteen days and
on the 8th of April began his march toward
Mexico. The heights of Cerro Gordo where
Santa Anna had thrown his army across
the Americans path, where stormed with
magnificent galantry on the 18th Jalapa
was taken on the 10Th, Perote on the 22d,
and Pucbla ON May l5 Here Gen. Scott
WIS COtbitllCh W ldll, anu walt lpl lClH-
lorcements until Aug. I. At the beginning
Of September operations were resumed on
the s w side of the city. The wooded
heights of Chapultepec, with the Molino
del Rey and the Casa Mata, were stormed
by Worth, Quitman and Pillow, September
l3, and the same night the San Cosme and
Belcn gates were carried after heroic fight
ing The next morning the American
army entered the city in triumph, and the
war virtually at an end. The treaty Of
Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed March 3,
l84S, and the troops soon afterwards evac
uated the capital, having won the esteem
of the citizens by their strict discipline and
orderly conduct.
The outbreak of the rebellion found Gen
Scott still at the head Of the army, but in
firm in health and no longer capable of di-
recting an active campaign But he was
frequently in consultation with the cabinet
and military authorities at Washington.
As early as october, 1860, he had urged
President Buchanan to garrison the South
ern forts, and he repeatedly begged leave
to send such troops as he could reach to