The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1866-06-07
Lieutenant General wInneld scolt.

The GAINESVILLE Courier says of this
distinguished man, whose death was
announced last week:
Had he lived until the 18Th Of June
he would have been 80 years Of sge.
He was born at Petersburg, Virginia,
on the 18th of June, 1886. His par.
cnts died when he was quite young,
leaving him heir TO considerable prop.
erty. lie graduated at William 81
Mary College, and afterwards spent
about one year in the practice of law.
AT the age Of % he was appointed
captain Of light artillery 10 the regular
army, and was ordered to report to
Gen. Wilkinson at Baton Rouge, La.
In consultation with some officers.
he accused Gen. Wilkinson Of com
plicity With Aaron BGrr's conspiracy;
had charges preGerrcd against him for
using language Of dsrespect for su.
perior and was suspended from his
rank for one year.
lnl812 he was promoted to Lieut..
Colonel and ordered to the Canada
frontier, He arrived at Lewistown
during the battle Of Queenstown
heights. This action was at first won
under his directions, but the troops at
Lcwislown refused to come to his sup
port, the British rallied and finally
won the day, taking Lieut. Colonel
Scott and his entire command prison
crs. he was soon exchanged, promo
ted 10 the rank of Colonel and assign
ed as adjulant. general upon the staff Of
| Gen. Daerborn. In 1913 he led the
assault upon Fort George, was the first
TO enter the Fort and toro down the
British flag with his own hands In
1911 he was made Brigadier General.
During that year he distinguished him
self in the battles Of Chippewa and
Lundy's Lane. Tn the latter battle
he had two horses killed under him,
and was twice wounded. From one Of
these wounds he never fully recovered.
At the close Of the war, Gen. Scott
was offered and declined a seat in the
Cabinet as Secretary Of War, and was
promoted to Major General. He soon
after visited Europe, reaching France
just after the battle Of Waterloo, and
made the familiar acquaintance of Ma
po!eOn and his leading marshals. Al
ter his return much of his time was
spent in preparing books for the disci-
pline and instruction Of the army. He
was actively engaged during the war
with the Seminoles in Florida between
1935and 1912. BY the death of Gen.
Macomb in 1871 Gen. Scott became the
ranking officer in tho U. S. Army
Soon after the Mexican war broke out
in 1916, Gen. Scott was put in com
mand of our forces in Mexico. AtYera
Cruz, Cerro Gordo, Contreras, Cheru.
busco, Chapultepec and the city of
Mexico he established his title to rank
beside Wellington, Napoleon and the
other great captains of the world. The
plan of making Vera Cruz the base OF
operations to march directly upon the
capital of Mexico and thereby conquer
peace, was originated by Gen. Scott
and urged upon the government for
nearly a year before he was permitted
to execute it. 1t was this plan and its
masterly execution, more than all else
lin his life, that stamped him great
General
In 1852 he was the unsuccessful can
didato of the Wing party for the Pres
idency. lie was good General, but
apoor politician.
When the rebellion broke out in
1861, Gen.. Scott was true to his coun-
try, and did all in his power to collect
and organize an army, and arrest the
monster IN its infancy However his
health gave way, ami he was obliged
to resign his command Of the army
just as the army seemed to most need
his services. By special act of Con-
gress, he drew the full pay OF Liouten,
ant General, up to the time of his
death, he having received the brcvet
rank of Lieut., General in 1855. H.
Gen Scott was a man of very com
manding appearance, about six feet
and four inches high, we'll proportion
cd and very erect. lie was high
spirited. proud, and perhaps, excessive,
ly vain He was jealous of rivals and
consequently his life was checkered
with numerous personal difficulties
with bis brother officers. He was very
fond of "good living" too much of
which was the probable cause of bis
poor health for years past. lie spent
his last winter in New Orleans, and re,
turned to his rooms at West Point on
ly about ten days ago. His life is a
portipn of the history of cur country,
and his death will be generally mourn
ed.