Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1866-10-11
Receliections of Gen. scott
BY JAMES PARTON.

The frs, time ever saw the late Lieu
tenant General Scott, lie was fifty years of
age. and was fourteen. He lived then at
EliZabcthtown. New jersey, where he had
a large. old and dilapidated mansion that
stood in the midst of grounds worse kept
than any others in the neighborhcod. The
General was seldom at home in those days,
and during his long absences therc-,yas no
body in the lieusc except the family in
charge.
At that time. too, General Scott had little
more than his pay and allowances as Ma
! ior General. and his family was an expen-
! sive one. Moreover, u general on distant
service. or in active campaigning has to
maintain two establishments. both of which
should bc upon scale of some lberality.
/ His family have To- bc maintained at horne.
and his own ient in tlo% field oughts t6 be
} the scene of frequent hespitalits. Some of
our generals, during the late war, were
compelled to keep up three establishments,
one at home one in the field, and one at
the headquarters of their department. This
was frequently the case with General H. f.
Butler, who spent, during the five years he
was in the service, little more than three
times as much as he received. General
Scott for many years of his life, was con-
stanilv pilolsed TO make Inns six. thousand
dollars year last till the year was at an
end, and hence the forlorn appearance ofhis
house and grounds.
But his own appearance was most strik-
ingly superb thirty years ago. | saw him
As he was stepping on board steamboat at
EliZabethport, in undress uniform, with a
magnificent blue cloak npOn his shoulders,
lined with red. HIS hight, as afterwards
n. =.
his form was finely developed, erect and
symmetrical. His dark hair had not vet be-
gun to turn gray Take him for all in all, he
was the most imposing person, at first sight,
that | ever beheld. As he walked down
the plank of the steamboat with his martial
cloak around Kim, followed by a colored
servant carrying a portmanteau, and salu-
ted by every one whom he passed, the
school-boy was thrilled and overwhelmed
by the gorgeous apparition. There was
something even about One portnlanteau tlaa,
Vas distinguished, and the black inan who
Was carrying II was an Object Of interest, II
not of veneration to the assembled youth
upon the wharf
When next saw General Scott, his head
was white with the SHOWS of seventy
winters, and his giant form had lost much
of its spring. though nothing of its erect
ness and majesty. 1t was here i'm New Y orb
that | saw him, at his headquarters in
Twelfth street; for the enmity and yituper
alton of Jefferson Davis, the Secretary OF
War, had induced him Gas | always sup
posed) to transfer his official residence from
Washington to New York. / was prepar-
ing then to write the life of Aaron Burr
and hearing that the General had known
him, called for the purpose of getting in
formation.
His office was the back parlor of pri
vate house, and visitors were shown into
the front parlOr, but as the door between
was open, they could hear and see the Gen
eral as he sat at his desk transacting the
, business of the little army of which he was
the chief. Two or three aid-de-camps were
lounging about, and occasionally assisting
|, the General.
, During the half hour had to wait, aftel
sending in nv card and letter of introduc-
ton, the only business of the Commander
Chief seemed to be the reading of re
quests for leaves of absence, and other let
, tiers respecting trifiing details of army bu
siness. / remember thinking that Majol
General mounted upon a fine bay charger
with plume in his hat, was much NOR,
| picturesque and interesting object than {
Major General seated at a desk in q bacl
Office. considering whether Lieutenan
ynras OUGHT or ought NOT 40 he allowed .
! leave of thirty days to attend sisters wed
, ding.
Il II the business was petty, it was sooi