sage 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 Taylor had been nominated by the Whigs as their candidate for
President, and at the instance of General Scott he [Scott] was put in
command of the Eastern Department and the former the Western
Department. This was considered a compliment to General Taylor. March
9, 1848, the following joint resolution, unanimously passed by
Congress, was approved by the President:

"1. That the thanks of Congress be and they are hereby presented to
Winfield Scott, major general commanding in chief the army in Mexico,
and through him to the officers and men of the regular and volunteer
corps under him, for their uniform gallantry and good conduct,
conspicuously displayed at the siege and capture of the city of Vera
Cruz and castle of San Juan de Ulloa, March 29, 1847; and in the
successive battles of Cerro Gordo, April 18th; Contreras, San Antonio,
and Churubusco, August 19th and 20th; and for the victories achieved
in front of the City of Mexico, September 8th, 11th, 12th, and 13th,
and the capture of the metropolis, September 14, 1847, in which the
Mexican troops, greatly superior in numbers and with every advantage
of position, were in every conflict signally defeated by the American
arms.

"2. That the President of the United States be and he is hereby
requested to cause to be struck a gold medal with devices emblematical
of the series of brilliant victories achieved by the army, and
presented to Major-General Winfield Scott, as a testimony of the high
sense entertained by Congress of his valor, skill, and judicious
conduct in the memorable campaign of 1847.

"3. That the President of the United States be requested to cause the
foregoing resolutions to be communicated to Major-General Scott in
such terms as he may deem best calculated to give effect to the
objects thereof."

On February 24, 1849, a joint resolution was offered in the United
States Senate to confer upon General Scott the brevet rank of
lieutenant general, which went only to its second reading, an
objection being interposed to a third reading and passage of the
resolution. On July 29, 1850, Mr. Jere Clemens, of Alabama, submitted
a resolution instructing the Committee on Military Af