Winfield Scott, US General, 1786-1866  Wars Battles Biographies
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Documents Pictures & Maps Scott was the most important figure in
the US army for much of the first half of the nineteenth
century, with a career that stretched from the War of 1812 right
up to the early days of the American Civil War. . Known as 'Old
Fuss and Feathers' because of the importance he attached to
military formalities, he was nevertheless very popular with his
men, although did suffer from political opposition through his
career, coming to a peak at the end of the Mexican War. Born in
1786, Scott read law and briefly practices, before joining the
army as a captain of artillery in 1808. He came to official and
public attention during the war of 1812, where he fought on the
Niagara frontier. On 17 May 1813, now a Colonel, during the
illness of his superior he led an amphibious attack on Ft.
George, at the mouth of the Niagara River, allowing several US
ships to leave port. He wa