The morning call., 1894-02-04
RECENT PUBLICATIONS

+
Great Commanders series has not been as
fortunate in the selection of the author for
the latest volume as he was for most of
those which preceded IT, General Marcus
J. Wright in his history of General Win
field Scott does Dot seem TO be in thorough
sympathy with his subject, and in places
evinces. if not a want of knowledge, at
least q poverty of research and failure
10 get In touch with the men and events
be desert bes. This is especially notice
able in his sketch Of the war of 1872 and
the part his hero took in that struggle.
In his preface General Wright states hat
he has consulted and used with freedom
the previous biographies of Scott The
pages which follow show that he has de-
pen ded upon them TO an extent that no
biographer who hopes to give individuality
to his work can afford TO do without
ha wing it suffer in the estimation
of MS readers. General Scott was
in many respects a unique figure in
modern military annals. Educated as
a LAWYER the first nIutterings of trouble
with England, caused by the firing on the
Chesapeake in 1897, found him deserting
his law books ana naStenlng 10 offer his
services as volunteer in the struggle
which seemed Imminent. HOstiliIies were
averIed Tor the time, however, and young
Scott returned to his practice, which was
not interrupted until 1909, when he re-
ceIved a captains commission in the regu-
lar army and started for New Orleans.
There was another lull in the war feeling
and he sent in his resignation and returned
to Virginia. Here, instead OF again taking
up MS legal practice. he devoted himself
TO the study Of the military art and for
nearly two years he read and dgested The
works of the writer's best known in the
nfn nl,r,r Ia ua6
campaigns of Turenne, Conde, SAKE and
| Frederick the Great. The knOwledge thus
gained stood him in good stead when he
was Il short time later 20 take the field and
enter IN earnest upon the business OF war.
1t was this groundwork OF military snowl-
edge combined with the study of Napo-
Icons campaigns, which he made during a
a visit 10 Europe some time after the
war of 1872 which, added to his natural
talents, made him the best equipped
soldier and the most accom- Dished
tactitian on the American continent and
made possible the planning and carrying
out Of that admirable campaigD which be-
gan before the walls of Vera Cruz and
ended IN the halls of the MCnteZumas.
During the war of 1872 Scott gained
reputation for personal bravery In action
which made him the idOi OF bis men, and
a showed steadlness OF purpose and an abil-
/ lty 10 grasp the situation wherever he was
! placed that gave assurance of his fitness
for the hizhest command. The skill and
capacity which marked General ScOtf's
conduct upon several occasions when
called upon 10 unTavel difficult InterDa-
IlODal complications showed That he had
talents which would have gained for MIN
renown in the ranks Of diplomacy had for
tune carried him iu that direction. The ris-
/ Ing in Canada IN 1887, known as the Patriot
/ War, threatened to -mbroil US In serious
/ trouble with Great Britain. and Scott was
4 .Tn 81 l.
command Of our forces which had already
/ been gathered 10 be ready ID case of
emergency. He first visited the different
/ towns where feeling ran highest. aud eX-
/ horted the people To observe the neutrality
proclamation Of the President; when ne
/ found them obstinate he made il plain
4 that any attempt TO commit an overt act
would be promptly repressed. Finally,
/ when the officer IN command Of the British
/ forces threatened to open IRE upon an
American vessel 10 the Niagara River, Scott
/ notified him that If done il WeUld be con-
sidered as an act of waT. To add force TO
/ his declara ton he stood in full uniform In
/ view Of the enemy on the American bank
/ OF the river, with a battery Of guns near
7 by. ready TO FIRE at g signal. The British
commander recon sidered his determlna-
ton and war between the two nations was
averted. A year later Scott succeeded.
by the exercise OF rare diplomacy, IN set
ting the border troubles which had broken
ont between Maine ana New Brunswick.
In 1859 he visited Puget Sound, ana sue
ceeded in settling the dispute wbich
had arisen between the represen tatiyes
OF our country and Great Britain
over the possession of San J an Island.
HIS services, too. in 1892 In settling
/ the nullifsctlOn troubles and keeping
South Carolina in the Union without the
! shedding of blood should not be over
/ looked. TIE chapter accorded to this in
I pIFa in Spntr'G hu lrannrol WrTuht
!, one Of the most interesting in the book,
By the way, and affords the reader very
clear and comprehensive view Of the
causes that lea 10 the disturbances in
south Carolina, and how the incipIent
/ spirit of disunlonism was checked; how
the snake was scOtched bUt not killed.
SCOTS greatest weakness was ms van
lty, and Tor this be had some excuse. Ma
Jure was seldom more prOdigai IN her gifts
than 10 his son Of Mars. General keves,
who was Tor manv years his aid-de-camp,
thus describes him when he became a
member Of his military family in 1888:
''He was a little past the middle life, but
still In the perfection OF his bodily and
mental powers. he was feet AZ inches
tall, erect as an Indian chief, with an eye of
wonderful force and expression. His
features were regular. bis nose nearlv
straight, although a slight curve added
essentially To the cir Of command. His
martial bearing WAS enhanced by the re-
membrance of past exploits, by constant
adularOn and by self-cOntent
I Until ] knew General Scott's true char
acter, and when ! pictured him from re-
port. l concluded he was a great soldier
and a very vain man. " then ! became
better acquainted with him / discovered
new proofs of bis excellent soldiers hip and
my opinion nf his vanity was essentially
u cd lifted"
General Wright gives an excellent &C
count % that portion of SCOTS career
which included the period preceding the
outbreak of the rebellion and the early
days OF the war, and paws a deserved
tribute to the veterans steadfast loyalty TO
the flag under which he had marched to
victory IN two wars. and to whose blue
field his success as a general had added the
brightest Of the pew stars-Calfornia.
The volume very ittngly closes with the
quoted words of Scott's friend, General
Wilson: He has beQuesthed to his coup-
try name pure and unspOtted-a name
than which the republic has few indeed
that shine with a brighter luster, and
name that will go down to future genera
ti0ns with those of the greatest captains of
the nineteenth cputurV.p New York.