CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I. | |
| Parentage and birth of Scott—Precocity—Enters William and MaryCollege—Leaves college and commences the study of law with JudgeRobinson—Attends the trial of Burr at Richmond—Impressment ofAmerican seamen and proclamation of President Jefferson—Joins thePetersburg troop—Leaves for Charleston—Returns toPetersburg—Appointed captain of artillery—Trial of GeneralWilkinson—Scott sends in his resignation, but withdraws it andreturns to Natchez—Is court-martialed—On staff duty at NewOrleans—Declaration of war with Great Britain—General Wade Hamptonand the Secretary of War—Hull's surrender—Storming ofQueenstown—March to Lewiston—Scott's appeal to the officers andsoldiers—Indians fire on a flag of truce—Incident with aCaledonian priest—Letter in relation to Irish prisoners sent hometo be tried for treason | [1] |
CHAPTER II. | |
| Scott ordered to Philadelphia—Appointed adjutant general with therank of colonel—Becomes chief of staff to General Dearborn—Deathof General Pike—Leads the advance on Fort Niagara—Anecdote ofScott and a British colonel—Commands the expedition to BurlingtonHeights—March for Sackett's Harbor—Meets a force atCornwall—Retreat of Wilkinson—Scott appointed brigadiergeneral—Attack on and surrender of Fort Erie—Battle ofChippewa—Lundy's Lane and wounding of Scott—Retreat | [23] |
CHAPTER III. | |
| Is received and entertained by prominent civilians and military menin Europe—Marries Miss Mayo—Offspring—Thanks of Congress—Thanksof the Virginia Legislature voted, and also a sword—Controversywith General Andrew Jackson and correspondence—Prepares generalregulations for the army and militia—Controversy with GeneralGaines and the War Department about rank—In command of the EasternDivision—War with the Sac and Fox Indians—Black Hawk—Cholerabreaks out among the troops | [41] |
CHAPTER IV. | |
| Troubles in South Carolina growing out of the tariff actsapprehended, and General Scott sent South—Action of thenullifiers—Instructions in case of an outbreak—Action of the SouthCarolina Legislature | [60] |
CHAPTER V. | |
| Events that led to the war in Florida—Treaty of Camp Moultrie andits stipulations—Complaints of Indians and whites—Treaty ofPayne's Landing—Objections of the Indians to complying with thelatter treaty—Councils and talks with theSeminoles—Assiola—Murder of mail carrier Dalton—Murder of CharleyAmanthla—Dade's massacre—Murder of General Thompson andothers—General Clinch—Depredations by the Indians on the whitesand by the latter on the Indians—Volunteers—Military departmentsof Gaines and Scott | [72] |
CHAPTER VI. | |
| Review of the army by General Gaines—Arrival of General Gaines atFort King—Lieutenant Izard mortally wounded—Correspondencebetween General Gaines and Clinch—General Scott ordered to commandin Florida—Disadvantages under which he labored—Preparations formovements—Commencement of hostilities against the Indians | [103] |
CHAPTER VII. | |
| Scott prefers complaint against General Jesup—Court of inquiryordered by the President—Scott fully exonerated by thecourt—Complaints of citizens—Difficulties of the campaign—Speechin Congress of Hon. Richard Biddle—Scott declines an invitation toa dinner in New York city—Resolutions of the subscribers—Scott isordered to take charge of and remove the Cherokee Indians—Ordersissued to troops and address to the Indians—Origin of the CherokeeIndian troubles—Collision threatened between Maine and NewBrunswick, and Scott sent there—Correspondence withLieutenant-Governor Harvey—Seizure of Navy Island by VanRensselaer—Governor Marcy | [122] |
CHAPTER VIII. | |
| Annexation of Texas—Causes that led to annexation—Message of thePresident—General Scott's letters regarding William HenryHarrison—Efforts to reduce General Scott's pay—Letter to T.P.Atkinson on the slavery question—Battle of Palo Alto, and of Resacade la Palma, Monterey, and Buena Vista—"The hasty plate ofSoup"—Scott's opinion of General Taylor—Scott ordered toMexico—Proposal to revive the grade of lieutenant general,and to appoint Thomas H. Benton—Scott reaches the BrazosSantiago—Confidential dispatch from Scott to Taylor—Co-operationof the navy—Letters to the Secretary of War as to places ofrendezvous—Arrival and landing at Vera Cruz, and its investment,siege, and capture—Letter to foreign consuls—Terms ofsurrender—Orders of General Scott after the surrender | [149] |
CHAPTER IX. | |
| General Santa Anna arrives at Cerro Gordo—Engagement atAtalaya—General Orders No. 111—Reports from Jalapa—Report ofengagement at Cerro Gordo—Occupation of Perote—Account of aMexican historian—General Santa Anna's letter to GeneralArroya—Delay of the Government in sending re-enforcements—Dangerof communications with Vera Cruz—Troops intended for Scott orderedto General Taylor—Colonel Childs appointed governor ofJalapa—Occupation of Puebla—Arrival of re-enforcements—Number ofScott's force | [175] |
CHAPTER X. | |
| Movement toward the City of Mexico—The Duke of Wellington'scomments—Movements of Santa Anna—A commission meets General Worthto treat for terms—Worth enters Puebla—Civil administration of thecity not interfered with—Scott arrives at Puebla—Scott's addressto the Mexicans after the battle of CerroGordo—Contreras—Reconnoissance of the pedregal—Defeat of theMexicans at Contreras—Battle of Churubusco—Arrival of Nicholas P.Trist, commissioner—General Scott meets a deputation proposing anarmistice—He addresses a communication to the head of the MexicanGovernment—Appointment of a commission to meet Mr. Trist—MajorLally—Meeting of Mr. Trist with the Mexican commissioners—Failureto agree—Armistice violated by the Mexicans and notice from GeneralScott—Santa Anna's insolent note—The latter calls a meeting of hisprincipal officers—Molino del Rey—Chapultepec—Losses on bothsides | [195] |
CHAPTER XI. | |
| General Quitman's movements to San Antonio and Coyoacan—Movementsof General Pillow—General reconnoissance byScott—Chapultepec—Scott announces his line of attack—Surrenderof the Mexican General Bravo—Preparations to move on thecapital—Entry of General Scott into the City of Mexico—GeneralQuitman made Military Governor—General Scott's orders—Movements ofSanta Anna—General Lane—American and Mexican deserters—Orders asto collection of duties and civil government | [223] |
CHAPTER XII. | |
| Scott's care for the welfare of his army—Account of the moneylevied on Mexico—Last note to the Secretary of War while commanderin chief in Mexico—Army asylums—Treaty of peace—Scott turns overthe army to General William O. Butler—Scott and Worth—Court ofinquiry on Worth—The "Leonidas" and "Tampico" letters—Revisedparagraph 650—Army regulations—General Worth demands a court ofinquiry and prefers charges against Scott—Correspondence—Generalbelief as to Scott's removal command—The trial—Return home ofGeneral Scott | [254] |
CHAPTER XIII. | |
| General Taylor nominated for the presidency—Thanks of Congress toScott, and a gold medal voted—Movement to revive and confer uponScott the brevet rank of lieutenant general—Scott's views as to theannexation of Canada—Candidate for President in 1852 anddefeated—Scott's diplomatic mission to Canada in 1859—Mutteringsof civil war—Letters and notes to President Buchanan—Arrives inWashington, December 12, 1861—Note to the Secretary ofWar—"Wayward sisters" letter—Events preceding inauguration of Mr.Lincoln—Preparation for the defense of Washington—Scott'sloyalty—Battle of Bull Run—Scott and McClellan—Free navigation ofthe Mississippi River—Retirement of General Scott and affectingincidents connected therewith—Message of PresidentLincoln—McClellan on Scott—Mount Vernon—Scott sails forEurope—Anecdote of the day preceding the battle of Chippewa—TheConfederate cruiser Nashville—Incident between Scott andGrant—Soldiers' Home—Last days of Scott—His opinion ofnoncombatants—General Wilson's tribute | [289] |
| Index | [337] |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
facing page
[Frontispiece]Portrait of Winfield Scott
[12]The Niagara Frontier
[32]Battle of Chippewa
[170]Siege of Vera Cruz