SCOTT, WINFIELD, American general, was b. at Petersburg, Va., of Scottish ances try, Jan. 13, 1786, was educated at William and Nary college, and studied tho pro fession of law; hut in 1808, having a genius for military pursuits, lie was appointed rapt, of light artillery in gen. Wilkinson's division, stationed at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, hut was suspeuded for having 'accused his general of complicity with the conspiracy of Aaron Burr. At the commencement of the war of 1812 he was appointed lieut.col.. and sent to the Canadian frontier. He crossed with his regiment at Queenston heights, where the American troops were at first successful; but on the British receivino. re-enforce ments, they were repulsed with heavy loss, and Scott was taken prisoner. receiving follow ing year, having been exchanged, he was appointed adj.gen., and was wounded by the explosion which followed the assault on fort George. In 1814 as brig.gen . he established a camp of instruction, and from April to July drilled his raw levies in the French tactics with such effect, that on July 3 he took fort Erie, opposite Buffalo, by assault; and on the 5th fought a sharp drawn battle at Chippewa, and twelity days after the famous frontier battle of Lundy's Lane, in which he had two,horses killed under him and was twice wounded, the last time severely. He was raised to the rank of maj.gen., and com piled the general regulations of the army, and translated and adapted from the French the system of infantry tactics, which has since been the text-book of the American army. In the Indian hostilities of the American frontier, in the excitement attending the threat of nullification in South Carolina, and in the Seminole war, gen. Scott manifested those qualities of wisdom and moderation which made him rather a pacificator than a warrior. During the Canadian revolt of 1837-38 he displayed great tact in allaying the excited passions of the frontier. In 1841 he was appointed commander-in-chief of the U. S.
army, and in 1846 directed the military operations in the war against Mexico. Taking the field in person, he, Mar. 9, 1847, lauded 12,000 men at Vera Cruz, and invested and bombarded the city, which capitulated on the 26th. April 18 he carried the heights of Cerro Gordo, on the 19th he took Jalapa, on the 22d Perote, and on May 15 Puebla. where, owing to his heavy losses, chiefly by diseases incident to the climate, he was obliged to wait for re-enforcements. On Aug. 10 he advanced, with 10,780 men, to encounter the larger forces and strong positions of gen. Santa Anna. He turned El Penon, and won the brilliant victories of Contreras and Churubusco. Santa Anna entered upon negotiations only to gain time and strengthen his defenses. These were followed by the sharp and sanguinary battles of Molino El Rey and Churubusco, Sept. 8, strong positions skillfully and bravely defended by superior numbers; and on the 14th Scott entered the city of Mexico at the head of less than 8,000 soldiers. Peace was negotiated with the cession of New Mexico and California to the United States, and the victorious gen. was welcomed home with the liveliest demonstrations. In 1852 gen. Scott was the candidate of the Whig party for the presidency, but was defeated by one of his subordinate officers, gen. Franklin Pierce. In 1855 was created for him the office of lieut.gen. At the beginning of the war of secession in 1861 be foresaw more than many others its extent and serious character, and advised the calling out a much larger force than was first brought into' the field. He had even suggested the advisability of allowing the " wayward sisters to part in peace." Age and growing infirmities com pelled him in 1861, to retire from active command. Ile subsequently visited Europe and published his Memoirs (8vo, 2 vols., New York, 1864). Scott died May 29, 1866.