Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1866-06-30
GENERAL INTELLTGENCE.
General SeOtt-Tw0 "reminiscences oil
the sold Chic"

A Washington correspondent of the
Boston Advertiser, relates the following
anecdote of General Scott:
One of the occasions on which / saw
the General was at Saturday afternoon
instrumental concert IN the White.
House grounds of the Marine Band. Lit
was quite the custom for Mr.. Lincoln to
appear for half an hour or so on the
southern portico of the Executive Man
sion during these concerts. Happening
to be there on this afternoon, with
some Illinois friends of the President,
i was included in the invitation to ae-
company him to; the portico. We had
been out there, quarter of an hour,
perhaps, when one of the servants came
to say that General Scott was at the
door.
The President Immediately went to
meet him, and directly returned with
the Lieutenant General, in full uniform,
leaning on his arm. lit was a sight
worth something to see. The crowd in
frcnt of the house saw 1T, was hushed
In reverence moment, and then broke
out into a hearty clapping of hands.
The General stepped to the front and
raised his chapeau in acknowledgements.
At this instant the band struck up
''Hail to the Chief" while the people
continued their plaudits. ''You've
got a good many young Generals, MIR.
President, said nc, turning TO Mr..
Lincoln, ''but they don't forget the old
General yet, do theyY'-with a motion
toward the people, ana decided en-
phasis on don't" as If he had turned
the question over and over in his
mind. .......-.t
eve could spare a hundred of them
better than we could him." answered
MIR. Lincoln, as he supported him to a
chair, 81 thank You, MIR. President; /
thank you, said the General in cOnclu-
sion. Were there tears in his eyesf At
least there were in the eyes of several
persons who stood near.
And now the dear President and true
gentleman of that time sleeps far away
in 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 serve the hour" n
'tAnd while the races of mankind endure,
Let his great example stand
Colossal, seen of every land,
And keep the soldier firm, and statesman pure;
'Till in ali lands, and thro' all human story
The path OF duty be the way to glory"
That General Scott was of hasty and
irrascible temper IN these latter years,
no one knew better than himself. That
he was not as ready to recall as to utter
an unjust rebukeis not, perhaps, as well
known 80 the public as it should be-
l was witness, accidentally, to an instant
illustrative alike of his impatient spirit
and real gentlemanhood. It occurred
while he was yet Commander-in-C Chief
though cannot now fix the exact time.
His Office was on Seventh street, OppO-
site the War Department. His carriage
stood at the door one afternoon as L
passed, and discovering at the instant
that he was coming out for ride, /
paused to see him
Kind enough at heart, and thoughtful
of his troops when in service, he per-
mitted no undue familiarity on the
part of his soldiers, and required prop
err observance on all occasions of his
rank and position. The regulars knew
this we'll enough, and were not likely
to offend in this regard. His peculiar
tiles were very little known, however,
to the volunteers. AS he came out of
the building at which headquarters
were at this time, on 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 General Scott at
once-of course to his Adjutant General
or Chief of Staff. The willing, but not
we'll learned volunteer interpreted his
order literally, however, and carelessly
giving the salute, began: 'Oh, Gen
eral, here's paper ! want you to look
at before you
The naughty veteran of four score
seemed dumfOunded for Just one or
two seconds. and then strengthening to
his full height, and raising his cane,
with a sudden sweep of the ARM
think he had cane-he exclaimed in
a naughty voice: ''Clear out, sir-clear
out! The astonished orderly sprang
away, and the General passed to his
carriage and was driven off. The letter
was taken charge of by the orderly on
duty at the Office, and the other slow
~ walked on. The carriage was driven
no more than twenty or thirty rods be-
fore it turned round, and the driver
called TO the unfortunate orderly. He
of course met it with hat in hand, and
fear in every quivering muscle. He
was beckoned to the door, and the Gen
eral asked his name and regiment, as
he told two or three of us Immediately
afterward. He gave both, and the
General answered.: "Well, sir, report
to your Colonel that you were guilty of
gross disrespect to General Scott as an
officer, and that General Scott was
guilty of gross disrespect to you as a
man. General Scott begs your pardon.
Go to your duty. sir y