Hero of the War of 1812 and the Mexican War

General-in-Chief of the United States Army at the outbreak of the Civil War

1861 Mathew Brady view taken at the United States Military Academy

(1786-1866) Born at Laurel Hill, a plantation near Petersburg, Virginia, his father was a veteran of the American Revolutionary War, and an officer in the Dinwiddie County militia. A year older than the Constitution, the venerable Winfield Scott, hero of the War of 1812 and the Mexican War, became General in chief of the U.S. Army in 1841, a position he still held at the start of the Civil War. He was known as "Old Fuss and Feathers" for his insistence on proper military etiquette. A true professional soldier, he was one of the very few men in the country who saw the need to prepare for a major military effort as the impending Civil War grew ever closer. His "Anacondona Plan" proved to be very sound and helped to defeat the Confederacy. It called for the capture of the Mississippi River, and a blockade of Southern ports, and by cutting off the eastern states of the Confederacy, Scott hoped to force the surrender of Confederate forces with a minimal loss of life on both sides. Succeeded by General George B. McClellan, as Commander-in-Chief, in November 1861, he retired to write his memoirs, and died at West Point in 1866 where he is buried. A Virginian, he was the only non-West Pointer of Southern origin in the Regular Army to remain loyal to the Union. His service as the "Commanding General of the United States Army," for twenty years, was the longest that any officer held that position.

Wet plate, albumen carte de visite photograph, mounted to 2 3/8 x 4 card. Full seated view on a wooden porch taken at the U.S. Military Academy. Scott wears his double breasted dress uniform with oak leaf trim on his collar and cuffs, epaulettes, and is posing holding his presentation sword and scabbard. Imprint on the front mount: Lieut. Gen'l Scott. Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1861, M.B. Brady, in the Clerk's office of the District Court of the District of Columbia. Back mark: Published by E. Anthony, 501 Broadway, New York, From Photographic Negative, From Brady's National Portrait Gallery. Extremely sharp image, and in choice condition. Beautiful photograph! They don't come much nicer than this one! General Scott considered this to be his favorite photograph of himself.