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WINFIELD SCOTT, a distinguished American general, was born June 13, 1786, near Petersburg, Dinwiddie county,
Virginia, and was educated at the William and Mary College. He studied law and was admitted to the bar, and in
1808 he accepted an appointment as captain of light artillery, and was ordered to New Orleans, In June, 1812, he
was promoted to be lieutenantcolonel, and on application was sent to the frontier, and reported to General Smyth,
near Buffalo. He was made adjutant general with the rank of a colonel, in March, 1813, and the same mouth attained
the colonelcy of his regiment. He participated in the principal battles of the war and was wounded many times,
and at the close of the war he was voted a gold medal by congress for his services. He was a writer of considerable
merit on military topics, and he gave to the military science, "General Regulations of the Army" and
"System of Infantry and Rifle Practice." He took a prominent part in the Black Hawk war, and at the beginning
of the Mexican war he was appointed to take the command of the army. Gen. Scott immediately assembled his troops
at Lobos Island from which he moved by transports to Vera Cruz, which he took March 29, 1847, and rapidly followed
up his first success. He fought the battles of Cerro Gordo and Jalapa, both of which he won, and proceeded to Pueblo
where he was preceded by Worth's division which had taken the town and waited for the coming of Scott. The army
was forced to wait here for supplies, and August 7th, General Scott started on his victorious march to the city
of Mexico with ten thousand, seven hundred and thirty eight men. The battles of Contreras; Cherubusco and San Antonio
were fought August 19-20, and on the 24th an armistice was agreed upon, but as the commissioners could not agree
on the terms of settlement, the fighting was renewed at Mobino Del Rey, and the Heights of Chapultepec were carried
by the victorious army of General Scott. He gave the enemy no respite, however, and vigorously followed up. his
advantages.. On September 14, he entered the City of Mexico and dictated the terms of surrender in the very heart
of the Mexican Republic. General Scott was offered the presidency of the Mexican Republic, but declined. Congress
extended him a vote of thanks and ordered a gold medal be struck in honor of his generalship and bravery. He was
candidate for the presidency on the Whig plat form but was defeated. He was honored by having the title of lieutenant
general conferred upon him in At the beginning of the Civil war he was too infirm to take charge of the army, but
did signal service in behalf of the government. He retired from the service November 1, 1816, and in 1864 he published
his "Autobiography." General Scott died at West Point, May 29, 1866.
FROM:
A Biographical Record
Of Schuyler County, New York
The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company
New York and Chicago 1903.
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