The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-05-31
General Winfield Scott.

| And METHUsEIAH lived nino hundred and sixty
nine years, and he died. This is tho expressive
record Of Holy Writ. The oldest man that ever
lived died at last. The distinguished name at the
head OF this article had long since passed into
history, and yet at the same time still fingered in
| the land OF the living, and we naturally began to
| think that the old General would always occupy
his place in our midst. But he, too, is gone
Eighty years OF honor and distinction was no
safeguard against death.
Gen. WINFIELD SCOTT was born January IS, 1786,
| in Petersburg, Va, and received his preparatory
education in Richmond High School and William
and Mary College. He was admitted to the bar
in Richmond and soon after visited Charleston.
3. o., with the intention Of settling there, and
practicng his profession, which plan, however,
no subsequently abandoned.
From his earliest boyhood he showed predi-
lection for military career, and fortune soon in
terposed to assist him. The attack OF the British
frigate Leopard on the United States frigate
Chesapeake aroused tho Indignation of the whole
country, and large force Of volunteers was call
cd oat. ScorT hnstened to enroll himself in the
Petersburg Troop Of Horse as q private. His
soldierly person and evident taste for arms at
traoted the attention OF influential friends, and he
was commissioned captain of light artillery HAY
8, 1908.
He was made Lieutenant Colonel in the war of
1912, and ordered to the Niagara frontier. Before
the end Of the year ho was elevated to the COM
mand OF double regiment, and in March, 1914,
he was promoted to the rank Of Brigadier- Cen
eral The battle OF Chippewa was the first of a
long series OF victories associated with his name
After the declaration of peace, General soorr
was offered the post of Secretary OF War, by MIR.
MADISON, which, however, he declined, and pro-
ceeded to Europe, in 1915, on secret mission OF
the Government. On his return to the United
States he was assigned in command OF the sea-
board, and fixed his headquarters in New York
city. Here he remained till the breaking out OF
the Black Hawk war in 1882. At the close of a.
brlef campaign Of a few months, he returned to
New York, and in October visited Charleston on a
highly important and delicate mission.
In 1885 his headquarters wero transferred to
Flcr1da. In 1887 he was sent to the Northern
frontier, on the occasion Of the insurrection in
Canada. In 1841 he was made q full Major Gene
raj, and appointed Commander-in- Chief Of the
whole United States army; and on the s0th OF No.
vember, 1S46, sailed from New York for the Rio
drande, to direct the approaching campaign in
Mexico.
His brilliant Victories during the two years OF
the Mexican war are too familiar to all our read
ers to warrant any further allusion to them In a
brief biographical sketch.
Ho was nominated for the Presidency at the
Baltimore Wing Convention in 1852. He was
honored by Congress with the rank Of Lieutenant
General, which grade was revived in his person
as compliment to his distinguished services to
the nation. He was retired from the immediate
command Of the army, at his own request, No
vember 1, 1861. Since then he has been living in
digniied retirement at West Point, where he died
on the morning Of the Goth.