The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1897-08-25
Gau. Scott Unstarched.

made q Sulllllol tou'I " Pooo
ion" to all the Notifications along Il
the Atlantic seax coast and was .
feted. and fireworked without meas e
ure.,
A comical incident is recalled ;
by the Washington Post as having
occurred at Fortress Monroe in
the summer of 1858, when Gen.
Scott was on his annual outing !
"under orders.
All who knew the old general
will remember how pompous he
was; how thoroughly he apprecia-
ted his own fine commanding pres
ence. He was Ell route to inspect
Fortress Monroe, and it was his
habit.to come from New York to
Old Point Comfort on one of the
commodious steamers then plying
on the New York and Richmond
Line. The Hygeia Hotel of that
day was kept by Coaleb Willard.
The house was located on the west
face of the fort, near the western
portcGllis, and was destroyed du-
ring the late civil war, as the per-
NIT to build the hotel was coup
led with the condition. that the
government could destroy it IN
time Of war without compensation
| The same conditions attached
to the two great hotels now on
| Old Point Comfort.
i The present fine dock on the
Chesapeake bay side had not then
been butt, and the only dock was
on the Hampton Roads side, at
which there was not sufficient
water to enable the Richmond
steamer to make landing and
transfer General Scott directly to
terra frma consequently the steam
ship company was accustomed to
"heave to- the ships and send
!. the general ashore in the captain $
t natty gig, with crack crew at
the oars.
e The dock was provided with a
n stairway passing down it's side in
: to thewater to make to landing
t for small boats. 1t was a balmy
summer forenoon, with sea- breeze
vs. just sufficient to keep the water
+ ripping. Out in the roads the
"a great steamer was, with muffieC
20 throb, shove to- and making
s. things ready to land the general
lg The steamers boat approached
y with the great general seated il
the stern sheet, and was backed t.
e. the stairway to make landing
al AS the boat stopped General Scot
e. arose, his stalwart form and grea
ut size making him seem a veritabl
w giant, and a gorgeous one the EN-
Ell dodiment of the glorious pom
he and. circumstances of war. Th
ny sun glittered GA the gilded but
OF tons, golden hilt and scabbar
and great bullions epaulette
The plumes and golden tassels {
his dress chapeau fluttered
Id the breeze; his linen choker al
tv- stock We're immaculate, and tt
ca Unlocking crowd held it's breath
he admiration.
of The general put forth his wei
the booted foot to the step to moul
in the dock. Alas! the tide W
ere out and the lower step was sli
ned perry. A stagger, a convulsi
f a but vain effort to recover himse
ere and souse, this wondrously impre
Ind sive personality went headlong i
, as to the salt water.
A AS the general came to the 81
to face two of the sailors in the be
ed, seized him and brought him to
ing position to scramble on all-for
.me up the steps to the dock. He
lem yens, what a transitionI It W
itor more than from the sublime
as the ridiculous. To say that t
the general looked like a drowned I
UNI is drawing itmild. The drench
pro- and crumpled blue broadcloth, t
nee wilted choker, the disarrane
| an epaulettes, the bedraggled CT
able peau (which sailor had recover
You and damned on his head); wa
an s dripping from his nose and eye
'uch angle of his anatomy, formi
| of puddles at his feet the -woe-bege
eak- expression and the greatly crush
ed q appearance of the old hero of M
the leo made a spectacle too forlc
tup and yet SO ridiculous that
le of spectators will never forget
vent It was bad form. The men in
ranks, laughed, the officers had
ly concealed grins. It was
eii'' possible to suppress it, tho'
Vic some of the best disciplinarian
by Tho orn,v p,oro IN that co,,noo
So Cap. Ramsay, afterward gene
So Major Wedges, taken prisoner