The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1866-06-22
SCOTS Peculiaritles.

ihut pch'lNi DtOtt WIS OF nasty ana
irascible temper in these latter years
no one knew better than himself. That
he was as ready to recall as to utter
an unjust rebuke is not, perhaps, MS
well known to the public as it should
be. | was witness, accident ally, to
an incident illustrative alike of his
impatient spirit and real gentleman
hood 1t occurred while he was vet
commander-in-chief, though / cannot
now fix the exact time. His office
was on Seventeenth street, opposite
the War Department. His carriage
stood at the door one afternoon rs |
passed, and discovering at the instant
that he was coming out for n ride |
paused to see him. Kind enough at
heart, and thoughtful of his troops
when IN service, lie permitted no UNI
due familiarity on the part of his
soldiers, md required proper obser-
vance on all occasions of his rank and
position. The regulars knew this
well enough, and were not likely to
offend III this regard His peculiari-
ties were very little known, however
TO the volunteers As he came out of
the building in which headquarters
were at this time, an orderly stepped
up with, as it appeared afterward, n
letter from one Of the bureaus of the
War Department, which he had been
directed to deliver to Gen. Scott at
once-of course to his adjutant-gen-
eral or chief of staff. The willing but
not well-learned volunteer interpreted
his order literally, however; and
carelessly giving the salute, began:
80, general, here's paper | want you
to look at before yol Tie laugh
ty veteran of nearly four score years
seemed dumbfounded for just one Or
two seconds, and then, strengthening
to his full height, and raising his
cane, with a sudden sweep of the arm
I think he had cane-he exclaimed
i'll a weishty voice, "Clear out, sir
clear out" The astonished orderly
sprang away, and the general passed
to his carriage and was driven off.
The latter was taken charge of by the
orderly on duty at the office, and the
other slowly walked on. The car
riage was driven no more than twenty
or thirty rods before it turned about,
and the driver called to the unfortu-
nate orderly He, of course, met it
with hat III hand, and fear i'll every
quiyering muscle. He was beckoned
to the door, and the general asked his
name and regiments he told two
or three of us Immediately afterwards.
He gave both, and the general an
swered, "Neu, sir, report to your col
"onel that you We're guilty of gross
"dlsrespect to General Scott as an
Officer, and that General Scott was
guilty of gross disrcspect to you as
man. General Scott begs your par
don. Go to your duty, sir.
One of the last occasions on which
l saw the general was at a Saturday
afternoon instrumental concert in the
White House grounds by the Marine
Band. 1t was quite the custom for
Mr. Lincoln to appear for half an hour
or so on the southern portico of the
Executive Mansion during these con-
certs. Happening to be there on this
afternoon, with some Illinois friends
of the President, ! was included in
the invitation to accompany him to
the portico. We had been out there
quarter of an hour perhaps, when
one of tho servants came to say that
General Scott was at the door, The
President Immediately went to meet
him, and directly return ed with the
acknowledgement leaning on his arm.
1t was sight worth something to see.
The crowd in front of the house saw
it, was hushed III reverence q moment,
and then broke out into hearty clap
ping of hands. The general stepped
to the front and raised his chappeau
in acknowledgment. At this instant
the band struck up "Hail to the
Chief while the people continued
their plaudits. You've got good
many Young generals, Mr.. Lincoln,
but they don't forget the old general
yet, do they with motion toward
the people, and a decided emphasis on
don't, as if he had turned the ques-
ton over and over in his mind. 1--WE
could spare IA hundred of them better
than we could him." answered Mr.
Lincoln, as he supported him to a
chair. Il thank you, Mr.. President
l thank you, said the general, in
conclusion. Were there tears in his
eyes? At least there were in the
eyes of several of the persons who
stood near.
And how the dear President and
true gentleman of that time sleeps far
away iii the prairie home he loved SO
well, and to-day the republic lays in
his grave the foremost captain of his
time"-the loyal soldier "who never
sold the truth to rave the hour.
''And while the races of mankind endure
Let his great example stand
Colossal, seen of every land,
And keep the soldier firm, the statesman pure,
Till in all lands and thro all human story,
The path of duty be the way to glory"
- Hash. Cor. BOSiOa advertiser.
A SEVERE TASK The late Judge
u of rnunacftont Voc NOT 20