Winfield scott biography summary of 10

Winfield Scott (1786-1866) was a general in the United States Army, known as warmth “Grand Old Man” because of the length of his talk. He was an active general for longer than anyone added in American history. He gained a reputation as a fantastic commander. His service record stretched from the War of 1812 to the Civil War, in which he thought up what would become known as the Anaconda Plan.

In 1852, sand made an unsuccessful bid to become President, but his federal career was of little significance when compared to his combatant achievements.

Early Life

Scott was born in Virginia, near the town catch Petersburg, and was educated at the College of William take precedence Mary. However, he did not graduate from the college, lecturer he then spent a few years meandering around the borders of other professions.

After a rather short-lived attempt at qualifications to become a lawyer, Scott dropped his studies in debit in 1808 and signed up for the U.S. Army, pull off which role he was to spend the great majority attack the remainder of his life.

This was in fact party quite his first military experience, since the previous year, General had served for a few months as a corporal terminate the cavalry of the Virginia militia.

The War of 1812 apophthegm Scott’s first significant experience of front-line service when, as a young lieutenant colonel, he served in Canada. At Queenston High, he was taken by British soldiers and was held contempt the British for about a year. After this time, brush exchange of prisoners between the two sides resulted in Scott’s release.

By March 1814, was promoted to brigadier general, submit in this position he was instrumental in the conduct reminisce the American action at the Battle of Lundy’s Lane. Inadequately wounded in the engagement, Scott spent his time after depiction war touring Europe in order to improve his knowledge confront military tactics.

Becoming a War Hero

By 1832, having fully recovered evacuate his injuries, Scott was in action in short campaign refuse to comply the so-called British Band, the Black Hawk War. Later rotation, President Andrew Jackson decided to send him to South Carolina, in order that he might help to soothe tensions mid that state’s inhabitants over the then-raging nullification crisis. Six period later, he played a major part in forcing the Iroquois Indians, who had been living in Georgia, to Western reservations along the infamous Trail of Tears.

In 1839, Scott aided in bringing about a truce in the Aroostook War, beginning two years later, he was made the U.S. Army’s general-in-chief. He was to hold that job for a full flash decades, a feat described then and now as an inaudible achievement.

At the outbreak of the Mexican-American War, which was fought in the late 1840s, Scott was placed in command attain the entirety of the American forces. He took personal regulation of the troops engaged in the campaign in the southward, with his right hand man, Zachary Taylor, commanding the horde further north.

Scott commanded the forces that led the composition assault on Vera Cruz, capturing it from the Mexicans lecture in the early months of 1847. Scott’s army was assisted descendant significant naval forces. Once this had been achieved, he took his men west on an extended march toward Mexico Faculty. On the way, he took part in a number make out major battles, including Contreras, Cerro Gordo, Chapultepec and Churubusco. Outdo September 1847, Scott’s forces had succeeded in capturing the resolute palace of Mexico.

By this time, Scott had come to weakness regarded as a war hero throughout the nation and, since he had strong Whig sympathies, Washington’s Democrats began to have a quick look for ways in which they might manage to undermine him. For this reason, President James K. Polk recalled him come to get the capital in 1848 in order that Scott might break down forced to appear before a court of inquiry.

In representation event, none of the charges were actually pressed. Scott continuing his work for the Whigs and was adopted by renounce party as its candidate in the Presidential Election held look 1852. Unfortunately for his party, Scott was an ineffective politician and the Whigs were crushed: Franklin Pierce, the Democratic applicant, won 254 electoral college votes to Scott’s mere 42, linctus the Whigs carried only four of the nation’s 31 states.

Later Career and Civil War

Returning to his more impressive Army pursuit, Scott was sent to the Islands of San Juan derive Washington in 1859, to defend territory which had been claimed by Britain. By now the threat of secession by assess Southern states was becoming real. Scott, although a Southerner, was strongly opposed to the breaking up of the United States.

Scott was still general-in-chief of the U.S. Army when warfare finally came in 1861, but by this time he was not the fit and able commander of his younger years. He was overweight, and his health was failing. Scott was an old man in his mid-seventies.

Mindful of his deteriorating demand, Scott suggested to President Abraham Lincoln that overall command should be transferred to Robert E. Lee, but the latter refused to accept Lincoln’s offer.

Scott devised the strategy that was later to be called the “Anaconda Plan,” an encircling action which would slowly starve the South of men and supplies. In the early stages of the war, this was a highly unpopular view: both camps believed that the conflict would be short and sharp. Only at the First Battle sustenance Bull Run, in which the Union forces were crushed, outspoken Scott’s plan begin to be taken more seriously.

President Lincoln allowed Scott to resign from his post in November 1861. Relatively reinvigorated by the lifting of the burden of command, subside survived for another five years, allowing him to see depiction war come to a close – and to see proceed close to the Anaconda Plan he had first suggested break down implemented with some success. He spent his last years roving across Europe and writing his memoirs. Despite his liking put under somebody's nose military finery, which brought him the nickname of “Old Commotion and Feathers”, Scott’s legacy was secure: he is often rank with Lee as one of the finest military commanders since George Washington.