Evening star., 1947-11-02

HE removal OF the old Army
headquarters at the south-
west corner of Seventeenth
- and r street NV, which
BY now has entirely passed from
view. was erected as private
residence sometime prior to 1927 by
Gen. Nathan Towson, Paymaster
General o. the Army, and who re-
sided there until his death, July 20,
1854.
Gen. Towson was one Of Wash
ington's most prominent citizens,
and upon the occasion of the in
auguration of President Jackson,
March 4, 1929, was selected as mar
shall Of the day. He was also mem
Der Of the Board of Managers OF
the Washington Monument National
Society formed by citizens of Wash
ington in 1888, and an organizer OF
the Columbian Horticultural Society
the same year.
For q number of years 1t was
the official headquarters Of Lieut..
Gen. Winfield Scott, the hero OF
Chapultepec, who, in 1852, was the
candidate of the Whig party for
President, defeating for the nomi-
nation Millard Fillmore and Daniel
Webster, whose names were pre-
sented to the convention in Balti-
more. On the first ballot Gen. Scott
had 1874 votes, Fillmore 1873. and
Webster 20. every one of the latter
having been cast by Northern dele
gate. Not a Southern vote was given
Mr.. Webster.
President Pierce appointed Scott
10 the new position of lieutenant
general in the Army and the latter
established his headquarters In the
building just recently razed. In those
days we are told that Gen. Scott.
In full uniform, was the beau ideal
of a military hero. who. at the
numerous functions during the ad-
ministrations of Presidents Pierce
and Buchanan, "Old Fuss and Feath-
ers" was the object Of much in
terest, especially when he appeared
with a white chapeau adorning his
head. For nearly a decade Gen
Scott occupied this mouse.
Robert E. Lees Reply.
One of the most notable instances,
which occurred in the spring OF 1861,
was when Col. Robert E. Lee was
summoned by Gen. Scott and who
Is said to have asked him point
blank whether he intended to re-
sign from the Union Army. with
other officers who proposed to take
part with their respective States In
the cause of secession, or to remain
In the service of the United States.
To this Col. Lee is said to have made
no reply, whereupon, odd Chapulte-
pec" came directly to the point,
saying:
IT suppose you will 60 with the
rest. If you SO propose, it is proper
YOU should do so at once. Your
present attitude is an equivocal one. "
General" Col. Lee then answered,
"the property belonging to my chill
dren, all that they possess, lies IN
Virginia. They will be ruined II
they do not go with their State.
cannot raise my hand against my
children" And Gen. Scott then sig
nified that he had nothing further
to say. The next morning Gen. Lee
rendered his resignation, which was
accepted five days later.
When, in October, 1861, Gen
Scott resigned from his command
to 70 to West Point, Gen. Mcclellan
his successor, had his headquarters
In this building for a time. He was
followed by Maj. Gen. Henry w
Halleck, while he was serving as
commander In chief Of the Army
from July %, 1862, to March 8, 1864
When. Gen. Grant came to Wash
ington after the surrender at Ap-
pomattox, he also made his head
quarters onsthis corner, and 1t was