Special Collections Research Center
Winfield Scott Letter to W.C. Preston
Scott, Winfield, 1786-1866
SC 00004
/repositories/2/resources/2531
0.01 Linear Feet
1842 November 7
English
Biographical / Historical
Winfield Scott (June 13, 1786 - May 29, 1866) was a United States Army general, diplomat, and presidential candidate. Known as "Old Fuss and Feathers" and the "Grand Old Man of the Army", he served on active duty as a general longer than any other man in American history and most historians rate him the ablest American commander of his time. Over the course of his fifty-year career, he commanded forces in the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the Black Hawk War, the Second Seminole War, and, briefly, the American Civil War, conceiving the Union strategy known as the Anaconda Plan that would be used to defeat the Confederacy.
A national hero after the Mexican War, he served as military governor of Mexico City. Such was his stature that, in 1852, the United States Whig Party passed over its own incumbent President of the United States, Millard Fillmore, to nominate Scott in the U.S. presidential election. Scott lost to Democrat Franklin Pierce in the general election, but remained a popular national figure, receiving a brevet promotion in 1856 to the rank of lieutenant general, becoming the first American since George Washington to hold that rank.
Administrative History: Winfield Scott (June 13, 1786 - May 29, 1866) was a United States Army general, diplomat, and presidential candidate. Known as "Old Fuss and Feathers" and the "Grand Old Man of the Army", he served on active duty as a general longer than any other man in American history and most historians rate him the ablest American commander of his time. Over the course of his fifty-year career, he commanded forces in the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the Black Hawk War, the Second Seminole War, and, briefly, the American Civil War, conceiving the Union strategy known as the Anaconda Plan that would be used to defeat the Confederacy. A national hero after the Mexican War, he served as military governor of Mexico City. Such was his stature that, in 1852, the United States Whig Party passed over its own incumbent President of the United States, Millard Fillmore, to nominate Scott in the U.S. presidential election. Scott lost to Democrat Franklin Pierce in the general election, but remained a popular national figure, receiving a brevet promotion in 1856 to the rank of lieutenant general, becoming the first American since George Washington to hold that rank.
Acquisition Information:
Acc. 2015.001 was received by Special Collections in January of 2015. The addition of Mss. Acc. 2015.001 to the collections was made possible by the Johns-Pollard Fund.
Processing Information:
Accessioned and minimally described by Tim Eklund, SCRC staff, in February 2015.
Conditions Governing Use:
Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.
Conditions Governing Access:
Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.
Preferred Citation:
Winfield Scott Letter to W.C. Preston, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.
Related Materials:
Winfield Scott Papers (Mss. 82s Sco3), Robert E. Lee to Winfield Scott Letter (Mss. Sm Coll Lee, Robert E.), John Buchanan Floyd Papers (Mss. 65 F59), Mexican-American War Collection (Mss. Acc. 2008.199).
Scope and Contents
Letter, 1842 November 7, written by General Winfield Scott to W. C. Preston, a politician. In the letter, Scott recounts recommending Preston to the president for a position in Paris, and goes on to discuss the presidential nomination of the Whig party, for which he was a possible candidate. Scott expressed a desire to be nominated only if the Whigs stood a small chance of winning. The letter was written in Washington, D.C.. A transcript of the letter is included with some annotations.
Letters (correspondence)
United States--Politics and government--1841-1845
Whig Party (U.S.)
Small Collections Box 1id321138/repositories/2/archival_objects/226416Small Collections Box 1Letterid284900/repositories/2/archival_objects/2264171842 November 7Small Collections Box 11