Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1866-06-07
Gen. Scott,---EEis Life and Death

Lieutenant General Winfield Scott, who
expired May goth at West Point. was born
at Petersburg, Virginia, June 18th, 1856,
and he was consequently eighty years OF
age, lacking sixteen days, at the period OF
his death. A life which extends over three
quarters of century, and which IS identl-
fed with the infancy and maturity OF the
J republic, and whose deeds have conferred
world wide reputation upon the possessor,
is, worth tracing in brief detail.<
Left an orphan at an early age, ne COM
menced the study of law, after having re-
! ceived the benefit Of an education at
William and Mary's college. He continued
in the practice Of law till his 22d year, when
he was appointed captain of light artiile-
! ny, and assigned to the division Of General
| Wilkinson, at Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
/ Owing to some opinion expressed by him
with reference to the Burr trial, he was sus-
! pended from duty after having served a
| year; but in 1872 he was promoted to q
/ lieutenant colonelcy. and was sent to the
| northern frontier. His first battle was that
! CT Queenstown, in which he was taken
prisoner by the British. He was exchanged
after much difficulty, and, soon after, with
the rank Of Adjutant General, he joined
the army under command of General Dear
born, and participated in the attack upon
| Fort George, IN May, 1878; and whose flag
! he pulled down with his own hands after a
desperate and gallant assault, in which he
was severely wounded.
In the fall OF the same year he was with
the frJitless expedition which started down
the st. Lawrence, directed against Aon-
treal and in the spring Of the next year
| Q814) he was made 3 Brigadier General,
when he commenced at Buffalo to infuse into
his army the genius OF a discipline which
soon after bore most excellent fruit. In
July he crossed the Niagara river and cap
tured Fort Erie; and next day fought the
celebrated battle of Chippewa, in which he
routed a force fully equal to his own, by the
superiority of his manavering. A month
later followed the historical battle Of Lun-
dy's Lane. Both these battles were gallant
ly contested, and the latter particularly so.
It was fought against superior numbers and
was regarded as the most desperate which,
up to that time, had ever been fought on the
continent. 1t conferred upon General Scott
reputation for gallaniry and ability which
was never obscured, even by his record in
| Mexico.
Disabled by painful wound, General
Scott was kept from the service until after
peace was declared with Great Britain.
Upon his recovery be declined seat in the
cabinet Of Secretary Of War; but he was
made a Major General, and soon after he
visited France, partly as o diplomat and
partly TO avail himself Of the advantage Of
! association with the military men that had
so long fought unGer Napoleon.
From 1875 to 1892 General Scott devoted
himself to giving the country military lit
erature. He laid the foundations of our
present system by publishing his General
Regulations for the army" in 1925, and his
:. Infantry Tactics" which were, however,
| scarcely more than on adaptation from the
French. In 1882 he was engaged in The Gel
ebrated Blackhawk war, during which he
visited the Mississippi country, passing
through Chicago on his way to the scene Of
operations. The result of this war, and the
treaty Of peace with the Sacs and Foxes, at
Rock Island, are too well known to bear
mention. During the same year the country
became involved in the notification troubles
with South Carolina, and it was largely
owing to the firmness, moderation, wisdom
and sagaoity Of General Scott, that the
country escaped civil war.
In 1885 he was identified with the Semi
mole war in Florida, and with the Indian
difficulties in the Greek country and in
1888 with those in the Cherokee country.
In 1889 the "patriot war" occurred on our
northern border; and which. by the infiu-
ence of General Scott, was finally brought
to an amicable termination
In 1871 General Scott, by the death of
General Macomb, succeeded to the command
Of the armies Of the United States. Five
years later, war broke out between this
country and Mexico. After Taylor had
fought several battles, Scott was assigned tc
the command Of the American army in Mex
leo, with o view of directing a movement
upon the Mexican capital. In March Of the
succeeding year, l847, he landed at Vera
Cruz, and captured the place after siege
Of twenty days; and ten days later he com
menced his march towards the city OF Mex
leo. The battle of Cerro Gordo soon oc-
Cured, and o little later, Jalapa, Perote and
Puebla, fell into the hands Of the victorious
leader.
In August the march upon the Mexican
capital was resumed by Scott, at the head
of an army Of little more than 10000
men. On the 10Th, the United States forces
reached the city, and then began series of
operations which, for daring, and despera-
ton, and savage fighting, and furious as
saults, were not eclipsed at any time during
the late war. Involved in the operations
against the Mexican capital were the battles
. Of Cherubusco, Chapultepee, and several
minor operations; and in which first came
into notice many of the men who, in the
late war, took prominence in the conflict.
On the 18th Of September the city of Next
co was entered by our troops its 81, 900 de-
tenders having given way TO the desperate
valor Of the handful OF men who opposed
them. In March Of the next year treaty
of peace was negotiated between the United
States and Mexico. and General Scott re-
| turned hoGae.
III 1852 he was nominated by the Wing
party for tho Presidency, bat, after q cam
paign in which Scott limited his efforts
mainly to traversing the country, he was
defeated by over 200, GOO votes. Ia 1856
the, rank Of Brevet Lieutenant General was
revived for his benefit, and was so arranged
as to expire with his death. In 1859 he set
tied satisfactorily some threatened differ
ences about boundaries, which arose be-
tween the United States and British
America.
When the civil war broke cut, General
Scott was one Of the foremost in giving in
an unqualified adhesion 70 the Government.
His first step was to provide for the safety
of the national cspital and to secure the
inauguration Of Alr. Lincoln. He also in
terested himself at once in the war, and
projected the plan Of campaign against
the South, which, at least, had the merit of
breadth, but which, owing to the enormous
extent Of territory, the ignorance Of our
troops, and the difficulty Of putting the