The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-05-28
Anecdotes About General Scott.

An old army friend of mine who
remembers General Winfield Scott
as tall, fne-lOoking old man, with
white hair, strict martinez, with
good head and a big heart, gives me
story or two about him. Ia his
later years General Scott was iras-
chile. A great many people knew
that, but few knew that be was al
ways sorry for hasty word. While
he was at the head of the army with
his office on Seventh street Just op-
posite the War department, he was
coming out one day to enter his car
riage, cane in hand. \ volunteer
orderly, who knew nothing of SCOTS
views of military propriety, ap-
preached him with letter from a
War Department Bureau, which he
had been directed to deliver Gen. |
Scott at once. The orderly, recking
nothing of Adiutants General or
Chifs of Staff, interpreted his order
liteally, and hastily giving a care
less salute began: "Oh, General, /
heres a paper | want you to look at /
before you" For a moment the /
proud Commander-in-Chief seemed (
petrifed. Then raising the cane, he, .
said in a 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 was driven waay. The soldier
then delivered his letter to some one /
in the office and walked slowly out.
General SCOTS carriage had not {
gone thirty reds before it stopped |
and turned about. The driver, rails /
ing his voice. summoned the often /
ding orderly to the door. Trem- I
bling 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 disrespect to Gen
eral Scott as an officer, and that |
General Scott was guilty of gross
disrespect to you as man. Gener- /
al Scott begs your garden. Go to |
your duty, sir"
In 1860 a lady passing the season !
here was very anxious 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 ten-year-old daughter might .
be able in this case to do what she
herself cou'1 not. So she sent the .
charming Altle girl to the Generals !
office with the autograph album.
The order told her that she could not /
see the busy General. She would /
not be denied. She would wait, she |
said. AT the end of hall an hour
the orderly took her humble re
quest to the adjutant. The latter
admitted her, but told her that she
could not see the General. She said .
she must. At last the adjutant
showed her to the door leading 20
General Scott's office, and tsld her
she could go in if she dared. TAX
ing him at his word, she marched .
right in. This is her description of
the call given at the time: Il was
afraid at first when he looked uD d; /
but as soon as he saw it was only me .
he said right pleasantly Well, /
little girl, what do you want? and /
| told him my ma wanted him to
write his name in her book and he
looked sharp at me and then smiled
n little bit, and shook hands with
me and asked me who my ma was,
and | told him my pa was in the
army, and ma was all alone with me
and then he lust kissed my cheek
and wrote in mas book and said
'good-morning' to me and l 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 af-
ternoon in the summer before Scott
left the army forever, President Lin
coin with some friends sat on the
balcony at the rear of the White
House, listening to the music of the
marine band, when General Scott
was announced. The President i'm
mediately advanced to meet him,
and returned with the Lieutenant .
General, in full uniform, on his arm.
The crowd on the lawn saw the T.
President and the whitehaired vet
eran, 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 while the crowd
continued to the clapping of hands.
you've got a good many young
Generals, Mr.. President" said the
old hero, turning to Lincoln, "but
they don't forget the old General yet,
do they?'" "We could spare hun
dred of them," said the President,
helping the General tc a seat. bet
ter than him." Il thank you, " said
the General, with tears in his eyes.
Convincing