inquiry ordered by the President--Scott fully exonerated by the court--Complaints of citizens--Difficulties of the campaign--Speech in Congress of Hon. Richard Biddle--Scott declines an invitation to a dinner in New York city--Resolutions of the subscribers--Scott is ordered to take charge of and remove the Cherokee Indians--Orders issued to troops and address to the Indians--Origin of the Cherokee Indian troubles--Collision threatened between Maine and New Brunswick, and Scott sent there--Correspondence with Lieutenant-Governor Harvey--Seizure of Navy Island by Van Rensselaer--Governor Marcy 122
CHAPTER VIII.
Annexation of Texas--Causes that led to annexation--Message of the President--General Scott's letters regarding William Henry Harrison--Efforts to reduce General Scott's pay--Letter to T.P. Atkinson on the slavery question--Battle of Palo Alto, and of Resaca de la Palma, Monterey, and Buena Vista--"The hasty plate of Soup"--Scott's opinion of General Taylor--Scott ordered to Mexico--Proposal to revive the grade of lieutenant general, and to appoint Thomas H. Benton--Scott reaches the Brazos Santiago--Confidential dispatch from Scott to Taylor--Co-operation of the navy--Letters to the Secretary of War as to places of rendezvous--Arrival and landing at Vera Cruz, and its investment, siege, and capture--Letter to foreign consuls--Terms of surrender--Orders of General Scott after the surrender 149
CHAPTER IX.
General Santa Anna arrives at Cerro Gordo--Engagement at Atalaya--General Orders No. 111--Reports from Jalapa--Report of engagement at Cerro Gordo--Occupation of Perote--Account of a Mexican historian--General Santa Anna's letter to General Arroya--Delay of the Government in sending re-enforcements--Danger of communications with Vera Cruz--Troops intended for Scott ordered to General Taylor--Colonel Childs appointed governor of Jalapa--Occupation of Puebla--Arrival of re-enforcements--Number of Scott's force 175
CHAPTER X.
Movement toward the City of Mexico--The Duke of Wellington's comments--Movements of Santa Anna--A commission meets General Worth to treat for terms--Worth enters Puebla--Civil administration of the city not interfered with--Scott arrives at Puebla--Scott's address to the Mexicans after the battle of Cerro Gordo--Contreras--Reconnoissance of the _pedregal_--Defeat of the Mexicans at Contreras--Battle of Churubusco--Arrival of Nicholas P. Trist, commissioner--General Scott meets a deputation proposing an armistice--He addresses a communication to the head of the Mexican Government--Appointment of a commission to meet Mr. Trist--Major Lally--Meeting of Mr. Trist with the Mexican commissioners--Failure to agree--Armistice violated by the Mexicans and notice from General Scott--Santa Anna's insolent note--The latter calls a meeting of his principal officers--Molino del Rey--Chapultepec--Losses on both sides 195
CHAPTER XI.
General Quitman's movements to San Antonio and Coyoacan--Movements of General Pillow--General reconnoissance by Scott--Chapultepec--Scott announces his line of attack--Surrender of the Mexican General Bravo--Preparations to move on the capital--Entry of General Scott into the City of Mexico--General Quitman made Military Governor--General Scott's orders--Movements of Santa Anna--General Lane--American and Mexican deserters--Orders as to collection of duties and civil government 223
CHAPTER XII.
Scott's care for the welfare of his army--Account of the money levied on Mexico--Last note to the Secretary of War while commander in chief in Mexico--Army asylums--Treaty of peace--Scott turns over the army to General William O. Butler--Scott and Worth--Court of inquiry on Worth--The "Leonidas" and "Tampico" letters--Revised paragraph 650--Army regulations--General Worth demands a court of inquiry and prefers charges against Scott--Correspondence--General belief as to Scott's removal command--The trial--Return home of General Scott 254
CHAPTER XIII.
General Taylor nominated for the presidency--Thanks of Congress to Scott, and a gold medal voted--Movement to revive and confer upon Scott the brevet rank of lieutenant general--Scott's views as to the annexation of Canada--Candidate for President in 1852 and defeated--Scott's diplomatic mission to Canada in 1859--Mutterings of civil war--Letters and notes to President Buchanan--Arrives in Washington, December 12, 1861--Note to the Secretary of War--"Wayward sisters" letter--Events preceding inauguration of Mr. Lincoln--Preparation for the defense of Washington--Scott's loyalty--Battle of Bull Run--Scott and McClellan--Free navigation of the Mississippi River--Retirement of General Scott and affecting incidents connected therewith--Message of President Lincoln--McClellan on Scott--Mount Vernon--Scott sails for Europe--Anecdote of the day preceding the battle of Chippewa--The Confederate cruiser Nashville--Incident between Scott and Grant--Soldiers' Home--Last days of Scott--His opinion of noncombatants--General Wilson's tribute 289
INDEX 337
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
FACING PAGE
Portrait of Winfield Scott Frontispiece The Niagara Frontier 12
Battle of Chippewa 32
Siege of Vera Cruz 170
Route from Vera Cruz to Mexico 198
Operations of the American Army in the Valley of Mexico 226
GENERAL SCOTT.
CHAPTER I.
Parentage and birth of Scott--Precocity--Enters William and Mary College--Leaves college and commences the study of law with Judge Robinson--Attends the trial of Burr at Richmond--Impressment of American seamen and proclamation of President Jefferson--Joins the Petersburg troop--Leaves for Charleston--Returns to Petersburg--Appointed captain of artillery--Trial of General Wilkinson--Scott sends in his resignation, but withdraws it and returns to Natchez--Is court-martialed--On staff duty at New Orleans--Declaration of war with Great Britain--General Wade Hampton and the Secretary of War--Hull's surrender--Storming of Queenstown--March to Lewiston--Scott's appeal to the officers and soldiers--Indians fire on a flag of truce--Incident with a Caledonian priest--Letter in relation to Irish prisoners sent home to be tried for treason.
Winfield Scott was born at Laurel Branch, the estate of his father, fourteen miles from Petersburg, Dinwiddie County, Virginia, June 13, 1786. His grandfather, James Scott,
![](qr/26994/2.png)
Continue reading on your phone by scaning this QR Code
Tip: The current page has been bookmarked automatically. If you wish to continue reading later, just open the
Dertz Homepage, and click on the 'continue reading' link at the bottom of the page.