The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-09
THE LATE GENERAL SCOTT.
Anecdotes Illustrative of the Character of
the Famous COMMUNICATIVE Chief.

Anecdotes Illustrative of the Character of
the Famous COMMUNICATIVE Chief
Washington Letter in Philadelphia Record.
An old army friend of mine who remembers
General Winfield Scott as tall, fine-loozing old
man, with white hair, strict martinez, with
good head and big heart, gives story or
two about him. In his latter years General
Scott was very irascible. A great many people
knew that but few knew that he was always
sorry for hasty word. While he was at the
head of the army, with his office on Seventeenth
street, just opposite the War Department he
was coming out one day to enter his carriage,
cane in hand. A volunteer orderly, who
knew nothing of Scott's views of militia
ry propriety approached him with a
letter from the War Department
bureau, which he had been directed to deliver to
General Scott at once. The orderly rocking
nothing of adjutants- general or chiefs of staff,
interpreted his order literally, and hastily giving
a careless salute, began; "Oh, General, here's
paper want you to look at before you" For a
moment the proud Commander-in-chief seemed
petrifed Then, raising his cane, he said in
loud voice: "Clear out, sir; clear out of the
way The startled orderly sprang to one side,
and the General got into his carriage and
driven away. The soldier then delivered
his letter to some one in the office, and walked
slowly out. General Scott's carriage had not
gone thirty yards before it stopped and turned
about The driver, raising his voice, summoned
the offending orderly to the door. Trembling in
every limb cap in hand, he approached General
Scott asked his name and regiment He gave
them well, sir" said the General, report to
your colonel that you were guilty of gross dis
respect to General Scott as an officer, and that
General Scott guilty of gross disrespect to
you as a man. General Scott begs your pardon.
90 to your duty, sir"
In 1861 lady passing the season here was
very aXious to get General SCOTS autograph.
He was very busy, and she found her task very
difficult One day the happy thought struck her
that her pretty little tenyear-old daughter might
be able in this case to do what she herself could
| NOT Go cha tho oh oioo1 civil 10 Tho
Generals office with the autograph album. The
orderly told her that she could not see the busy
General. She would not be denied. She would
wait she said. At the end of half an hour the
orderly took her request to the adjutant. The
latter admitted her, but told her she could not
possibly see the General. She said she
| must. At last the adjutant showed her the door
leading to General Scots office, and told her she
could go in if she dared. Taking him at his
word, she marched right in. This is her descrip-
ton of the CALL given at the time II afraid
at first when he looked up; but as soon as he saw
1t was only me, he said, right pleasantly We'll,
| little girl, what do you wantF and told him my
ma wanted him to write his name in her book;
and he looked sharp at me- and then smiled a
little bit, and shook hands with me. and asked
me who my ma was, and l told him, and [ told
him my pa was in the army and ma was all alone
with me, and then he Just kissed my cheek and
wrote in mas book and said 'goodmorning' to
me, and came out, and nobody didn't hurt me
at ALL" This is what he wrote: Treason is the
greatest crime-Winfield Scott"
just one more: One Saturday afternoon, in
the summer before Scott left the army forever
President Lincoln with some friends sat on the
balcony at the rear of the White House, listen
ing to the music of the Marine Band, when
| General Scott was announced. The President
Immediately advanced to meet him, and
returned with the Lieutenant general, in
full uniform, on his arm. The crowd on
the lawn saw the President and the white-haired
veteran, stopped talking, looked at the pair for
moment, and then broke forth into applause
The General at once stepped to the front and
raised his hat in acknowledgement. The band
very appropriately played Hail to the Chief y
while the crowd continued the clapping of hands.
you've got good many young generals, Mr.
President said the old hero, turning to Lin
coin, but they don't forget the old General yet,
do they2' ''We could spare hundrd of them, :
said the President helping the General to a seat,
better than him." 81 thank you Mr.. Presi-
dent than YOU said the General, with tears in
his eyes.