Virginia Vignettes

Winfield Scott was a hero of the Mexican War (1846–1848), the last Whig Party candidate for U.S. president, and commanding general of the United States Army at the start of the American Civil War (1861–1865). Known as “Old Fuss and Feathers” for his equal love of discipline and pomp, Scott by 1861 had served in the military for more than fifty years and under fourteen U.S. presidents. He had been severely wounded in battle, avoided several wars with his diplomatic skills, and commanded the army that conquered Mexico City in 1847, all of which made him the most admired and famous soldier in America. Less well known is the fact that Scott was convicted by court-martial for conduct unbecoming an officer, was investigated by a court of inquiry, once was accused of treason, and several times offered his resignation from the army. When the Civil War began, the Dinwiddie County native remained loyal to the Union, and while age had so reduced his once-towering frame that he could no longer even mount a horse, his ego and intellect were still intact. Scott eventually lost control of the army to George B. McClellan. He soon retired, published a two-volume memoir in 1864, and died in 1866.

Further Reading

• Eisenhower, John S. D. Agent of Destiny, the Life and Times of General Winfield Scott. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1997
• Johnson, Timothy D. Winfield Scott, the Quest for Military Glory. Lawrence: University of Kansas Press, 1998
• Peskin, Allan. Winfield Scott and the Profession of Arms. Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press, 2003
• Warner, Ezra J. Generals in Blue. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1984

This Vignette Provided By

This Vignette is drawn from an Encyclopedia Virginia entry by Tom Clemens, a history professor at Hagerstown Community College, in Hagerstown, Maryland.