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Agent of Destiny: The Life and Times of General Winfield Scott
The hero of the War of 1812, the conqueror of Mexico City in the Mexican-American War, and Abraham Lincoln’s top soldier during the first six months of the Civil War, General Winfield Scott was a seminal force in the early expansion and consolidation of the American republic. John S. D. Eisenhower explores how Scott, who served under fourteen presidents, played a leading role in the development of the United States Army from a tiny, loosely organized, politics-dominated establishment to a disciplined professional force capable of effective and sustained campaigning.
496 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1997
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About the author
John S.D. Eisenhower
33 books30 followersJohn Sheldon Doud Eisenhower was a United States Army officer, diplomat, and military historian. He was the son of President Dwight D. Eisenhower and First Lady Mamie Eisenhower. His military career spanned from before, during, and after his father's presidency, and he left active duty in 1963 and then retired in 1974. From 1969 to 1971, Eisenhower served as United States Ambassador to Belgium during the administration of President Richard Nixon, who was previously his father's vice president and also his daughter-in-law's father.
As a military historian, Eisenhower wrote several books, including The Bitter Woods, a study of the Battle of the Bulge, So Far from God, a history of the Mexican–American War and Yanks: The Epic Story of the American Army in World War I .
As a military historian, Eisenhower wrote several books, including The Bitter Woods, a study of the Battle of the Bulge, So Far from God, a history of the Mexican–American War and Yanks: The Epic Story of the American Army in World War I .
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
November 28, 2015
This was a great depiction of a carreerarmy man. He served in the war of 1812 and to start with and then served in two more wars, then whent in for pollatics. I recommend this book highly. Enjoy and Be Blessed. Diamond
January 2, 2009
This is a fine biography of the general who was nicknamed "Old Fuss and Feathers." The trajectory of his life is amazing in its scope. He founght in the War of 1812, led one of the American armies to victory in the Mexical War, and finished his career as the commanding general of the Union forces at the outset of the Civil War. He was also politically ambitious and ran into trouble a number of times as one consequence.
The volume, authored by John Eisenhower (Dwight Eisenhower's son) is well written and covers the various aspects oif his life in enough detail to "make sense" of Scott's life.
All in all, a rock solid biography.
The volume, authored by John Eisenhower (Dwight Eisenhower's son) is well written and covers the various aspects oif his life in enough detail to "make sense" of Scott's life.
All in all, a rock solid biography.
September 7, 2011
I was fortunate to find a copy of Eisenhower's biography of Winfield Scott in a used bookstore at a more than reasonable price. Having read a number of works on James K. Polk and the U.S./Mexican War, I looked forward to the opportunity to learn more about the military rather than the political perspectives regarding that conflict. Agent of Destiny did not disappoint. Eisenhower's style is quite readable and accessible popular history and is engaging and thought-provoking. At the same time I purchased this copy, I also picked up So Far From God, his analysis of the Mexican War, which I'm looking forward to reading soon as a follow-up.
In the annals of American military history, there has never been a figure as towering (literally) and influential as Winfield Scott over such a long period of time. Scott's career in the U.S. Army spanned most of the 19th Century, from the War of 1812 to the opening campaign of the Civil War. He served every president from Thomas Jefferson to Abraham Lincoln and held a general's rank for nearly his entire career. As Eisenhower notes in the title of his biography, Scott was truly one of, if not the principal agent of the fulfillment of Manifest Destiny. During his tenure in the Army, the United States grew to include all the lands west of the Louisiana Purchase to the Pacific Ocean. He was a political figure as well, aspiring to elected office and running as the last Whig presidential candidate in 1852.
Scott's biography serves as a solid primer on the military expansionism of 19th Century America. For me, the principal benefit to Eisenhower's biography was its treatment of Winfield Scott as the focal point rather than as a significant figure in an ensemble cast of characters. I enjoyed this work and I'm looking forward to reading more of John Eisenhower's works on American military history.
In the annals of American military history, there has never been a figure as towering (literally) and influential as Winfield Scott over such a long period of time. Scott's career in the U.S. Army spanned most of the 19th Century, from the War of 1812 to the opening campaign of the Civil War. He served every president from Thomas Jefferson to Abraham Lincoln and held a general's rank for nearly his entire career. As Eisenhower notes in the title of his biography, Scott was truly one of, if not the principal agent of the fulfillment of Manifest Destiny. During his tenure in the Army, the United States grew to include all the lands west of the Louisiana Purchase to the Pacific Ocean. He was a political figure as well, aspiring to elected office and running as the last Whig presidential candidate in 1852.
Scott's biography serves as a solid primer on the military expansionism of 19th Century America. For me, the principal benefit to Eisenhower's biography was its treatment of Winfield Scott as the focal point rather than as a significant figure in an ensemble cast of characters. I enjoyed this work and I'm looking forward to reading more of John Eisenhower's works on American military history.
July 22, 2025
An accessible, lively, and insightful biography of the American military establishment’s first real professional soldier.
Eisenhower ably describes Scott’s record of getting himself in trouble, his time before military tribunals, his rapid advancement in rank, his political ambition, and his often testy relationships with his superiors (his ambition and rivalries take up a lot of space, perhaps too much)
However, there is little depth to Scott as a character and little in the way of analysis of Scott as a soldier; Eisenhower ably describes his exploits but never goes into much depth or assesses Scott’s record as a strategist or tactician. Scott’s background was as a lawyer, but we never learn how he evolved from a legal to a military career, or what role he played in the technological advances in warfare at the time. Also, there are a few incorrect dates and locations. Eisenhower also credits Scott with inventing the surfboats at Veracruz (it was George Totten), Gideon Pillow is called Polk’s former law partner, and Eisenhower credits Henry Clay for some of Stephen Douglas’s accomplishments in 1850. The book also seems to be based on a few published sources.
Overall, a well-written and mostly well-researched work, if a bit wooden at times.
Eisenhower ably describes Scott’s record of getting himself in trouble, his time before military tribunals, his rapid advancement in rank, his political ambition, and his often testy relationships with his superiors (his ambition and rivalries take up a lot of space, perhaps too much)
However, there is little depth to Scott as a character and little in the way of analysis of Scott as a soldier; Eisenhower ably describes his exploits but never goes into much depth or assesses Scott’s record as a strategist or tactician. Scott’s background was as a lawyer, but we never learn how he evolved from a legal to a military career, or what role he played in the technological advances in warfare at the time. Also, there are a few incorrect dates and locations. Eisenhower also credits Scott with inventing the surfboats at Veracruz (it was George Totten), Gideon Pillow is called Polk’s former law partner, and Eisenhower credits Henry Clay for some of Stephen Douglas’s accomplishments in 1850. The book also seems to be based on a few published sources.
Overall, a well-written and mostly well-researched work, if a bit wooden at times.
June 19, 2025
This turned out to be a first-rate biography of one of America's most overlooked generals. I was disappointed that Eisenhower glossed over large chunks of time, such as most of the 1850s, but the book was already quite long and the most important sections of Scott's life were covered well.
October 21, 2019
Agent of Destiny provides a solid account of one of the most consequential leaders in the annals of the United States military. It is one of a surprisingly thin number of biographies on General Winfield Scott, and perhaps not coincidentally its author John D. Eisenhower is the son of another one of the most consequential American generals.
The initial portion of the book analyzes Scott’s early days in the Army, a time which featured his stint as a prisoner-of-war at the hands of the British. This occurred after his first military action, which took place during the War of 1812’s Battle of Queenston Heights.
After ultimately being freed (Eisenhower comments on how courteous the treatment of prisoners-of-war were during the conflict), Scott shortly returned to the field of battle and would lead the successful taking of Fort George from the British. He would later take part in maneuvers during the Battle of Chippewa and the Battle of Lundy’s Lane. Scott was hit in the shoulder with a musket ball during the latter battle, and the American military was forced to withdraw from Canada during its aftermath. The portions of the narrative dealing with the War of 1812 underscore just how spotty Washington’s management of the war effort turned out to be. Coordination seemed to be lacking at times, and America’s ultimate victory was in no way preordained. But it was nevertheless a formative time for the young Scott, and he would be promoted to become the youngest general officer in the army during the war. He arrived back home to wide acclaim while recuperating from his injury in late 1814, and from there the trajectory of his military career would continue upward for nearly a half century.
Winfield Scott would find himself at the center of efforts to deal with the country’s Native American inhabitants. Although the Black Hawk War had just ended upon his arrival in the present day Midwest after a cholera-battling journey, Scott and his men did find themselves knee deep in the Florida swamps during the Second Seminole War. It was during the fight against the Seminoles that Scott and fellow general Edmund P. Gaines found themselves at odds with one another over command authority and strategy. The squabble over military turf encapsulated by this controversy was a microcosm of the petty instances of Scott's actions being guided by his inflated ego. His nickname of Old Fuss and Feathers stemmed from his perceived vanity (a character trait not overlooked by this non-fawning biographer) and the controversies he found himself embroiled in when due deference was not given.
The Second Seminole War also further highlighted problems with military management by the War Department. A court of inquiry would end up being set up at the behest of President Andrew Jackson to settle who was at fault for command failures during the Second Seminole War.
But it is during the Mexican-American War that Winfield Scott’s name is truly established as household. He would have attained the position of general-in-chief by that time, but his relationship with the new president was anything but solid. Political gamesmanship would seep deep into the decisions made by President James Polk and Secretary of War William Marcy when it came to the Mexican war strategy and placement of generals and their troops. At times it seemed as if both Generals Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott were angling for future presidential runs (possibly against their Commander-in-Chief himself), making for at times awkward circumstances during a war which the United States won with crushing superiority.
Scott would also have disagreements with everyone from American negotiator Nicholas Trist to Generals William J. Worth and Gideon Pillow, showing how even at an advanced age it was an impossibility for Old Fuss and Feathers to give deference to anyone. Yet another finger-pointing court of inquiry would end up being held at the conclusion of the Mexican-American War.
While squabbling between those in authority would, as it did during the War of 1812 and the Second Seminole War, take some of the luster off of Scott’s commendable job of commanding, his actions at Veracruz would accomplish the most well-known wartime amphibious landing by Americans before World War Two.
Following the Veracruz landing, Scott and his men would push their way toward Mexico City, winning the Battles of Cerro Gordo, Contreras, and Churubusco before ultimately taking over Mexico's capital city. Following the successful Battle of Mexico City, Scott managed the postwar situation which was officially concluded by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. With the benefit of hindsight, it makes for strange reading to hear about commanders like engineer Robert E. Lee working toward the same goals as the U.S. military during the war in Mexico.
Several interesting anecdotes explained Old Fuss and Feathers’s second most well-known nickname: The Great Pacificator.
The account of the “Patriot War” during the winter of 1837-38 saw Scott being sent once again to the U.S.-Canadian border. This time it was by President Martin van Buren, and the mission was to prevent a border dispute between New Yorkers and Canadians from resulting in another full-blown conflict between the U.S. and Great Britain. His successful mediation allowed cooler heads to prevail, stopping a crisis from blowing up into something much bigger.
He exhibited a similar knack for calming angry waters during the so-called “Pig War” of 1859. This controversy featured another potential blowup between the U.S. and Great Britain, but this time the crisis was on the opposite coast. This featured an argument over ownership of the San Juan Islands in the Pacific Northwest. These relatively obscure Puget Sound islands became a flashpoint after a pig belonging to a member of the Hudson’s Bay Company was shot and killed by an American settler, resulting in a disagreement between the U.S. and her former colonial masters over who would exert ownership of the San Juans. Scott goes on to have a positive negotiating process with the commanders on the spot, defusing the situation and ensuring it ended as well as the Patriot War two decades prior. Agent of Destiny’s retelling of these events is skillfully accomplished by the author, with a solid explanation of these obscure controversies being relayed in relatively few pages.
While the book does not paint him to be as callous as many were toward Native Americans in the nineteenth century, he does play a key role in the journey which ultimately came to be called the Trail of Tears. While this removal of the Cherokee was lamented, Scott is shown to not have intentionally lent added cruelty to the process. Paradoxically, he seems surprised at the unwillingness of many of the Cherokee to voluntarily move west, an obtuseness which shows how much of a gap in cultural understanding there was even on the part of a man held up as more enlightened on Indian policy than a number of his peers.
Scott’s marriage to the former Maria Mayo receives scant attention from Eisenhower. The two of them are physically apart from one another during much of their marriage, and although the author seems reticent to point it out, it is indicated that there may have been a lack of passion between the two. Agent of Destiny expends very little paragraph space on Scott's family life, opting to center the bulk of the narrative focus on his military exploits.
Scott would go on to became an elder statesman of sorts following his defeat in the presidential election of 1852. He was the Whig Party’s candidate (the final one they would nominate before the party’s dissolution) and would go on to lose to Democrat Franklin Pierce. But he would continue as the preeminent head of the military for nearly ten more years, and it was during the early 1860s that it became clear it was time to move on. With the secession of the Southern states after the election of Abraham Lincoln, Scott decided to side with his country over his birthplace of Virginia.
While he had played on his contacts to help calm tensions between South Carolina and the federal government during the Jackson era tariff nullification crisis, things were beyond repair in 1861. While he retained the top command during the early stages of the Civil War, Scott was ultimately replaced by George McClellan (who was not Scott’s first choice to succeed him) when it became clear following the First Battle of Bull Run that a younger leader was needed to vigorously prosecute what was coming to be seen as more than a small scale war effort.
On November 1, 1861, Scott’s resignation from the army was accepted by Lincoln’s cabinet, ending six decades of military service to the United States.
Agent of Destiny is not a perfect piece of writing, but overall it will grow the public's understanding of one of the most important generals in American history. It would have been a richer portrait courtesy of more focus on the personal aspects of Scott's life, but shedding light on family matters did not appear to be the author's objective. The book set out what it intended to do, and for that it is a recommendable and serviceable biography.
-Andrew Canfield Denver, Colorado
The initial portion of the book analyzes Scott’s early days in the Army, a time which featured his stint as a prisoner-of-war at the hands of the British. This occurred after his first military action, which took place during the War of 1812’s Battle of Queenston Heights.
After ultimately being freed (Eisenhower comments on how courteous the treatment of prisoners-of-war were during the conflict), Scott shortly returned to the field of battle and would lead the successful taking of Fort George from the British. He would later take part in maneuvers during the Battle of Chippewa and the Battle of Lundy’s Lane. Scott was hit in the shoulder with a musket ball during the latter battle, and the American military was forced to withdraw from Canada during its aftermath. The portions of the narrative dealing with the War of 1812 underscore just how spotty Washington’s management of the war effort turned out to be. Coordination seemed to be lacking at times, and America’s ultimate victory was in no way preordained. But it was nevertheless a formative time for the young Scott, and he would be promoted to become the youngest general officer in the army during the war. He arrived back home to wide acclaim while recuperating from his injury in late 1814, and from there the trajectory of his military career would continue upward for nearly a half century.
Winfield Scott would find himself at the center of efforts to deal with the country’s Native American inhabitants. Although the Black Hawk War had just ended upon his arrival in the present day Midwest after a cholera-battling journey, Scott and his men did find themselves knee deep in the Florida swamps during the Second Seminole War. It was during the fight against the Seminoles that Scott and fellow general Edmund P. Gaines found themselves at odds with one another over command authority and strategy. The squabble over military turf encapsulated by this controversy was a microcosm of the petty instances of Scott's actions being guided by his inflated ego. His nickname of Old Fuss and Feathers stemmed from his perceived vanity (a character trait not overlooked by this non-fawning biographer) and the controversies he found himself embroiled in when due deference was not given.
The Second Seminole War also further highlighted problems with military management by the War Department. A court of inquiry would end up being set up at the behest of President Andrew Jackson to settle who was at fault for command failures during the Second Seminole War.
But it is during the Mexican-American War that Winfield Scott’s name is truly established as household. He would have attained the position of general-in-chief by that time, but his relationship with the new president was anything but solid. Political gamesmanship would seep deep into the decisions made by President James Polk and Secretary of War William Marcy when it came to the Mexican war strategy and placement of generals and their troops. At times it seemed as if both Generals Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott were angling for future presidential runs (possibly against their Commander-in-Chief himself), making for at times awkward circumstances during a war which the United States won with crushing superiority.
Scott would also have disagreements with everyone from American negotiator Nicholas Trist to Generals William J. Worth and Gideon Pillow, showing how even at an advanced age it was an impossibility for Old Fuss and Feathers to give deference to anyone. Yet another finger-pointing court of inquiry would end up being held at the conclusion of the Mexican-American War.
While squabbling between those in authority would, as it did during the War of 1812 and the Second Seminole War, take some of the luster off of Scott’s commendable job of commanding, his actions at Veracruz would accomplish the most well-known wartime amphibious landing by Americans before World War Two.
Following the Veracruz landing, Scott and his men would push their way toward Mexico City, winning the Battles of Cerro Gordo, Contreras, and Churubusco before ultimately taking over Mexico's capital city. Following the successful Battle of Mexico City, Scott managed the postwar situation which was officially concluded by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. With the benefit of hindsight, it makes for strange reading to hear about commanders like engineer Robert E. Lee working toward the same goals as the U.S. military during the war in Mexico.
Several interesting anecdotes explained Old Fuss and Feathers’s second most well-known nickname: The Great Pacificator.
The account of the “Patriot War” during the winter of 1837-38 saw Scott being sent once again to the U.S.-Canadian border. This time it was by President Martin van Buren, and the mission was to prevent a border dispute between New Yorkers and Canadians from resulting in another full-blown conflict between the U.S. and Great Britain. His successful mediation allowed cooler heads to prevail, stopping a crisis from blowing up into something much bigger.
He exhibited a similar knack for calming angry waters during the so-called “Pig War” of 1859. This controversy featured another potential blowup between the U.S. and Great Britain, but this time the crisis was on the opposite coast. This featured an argument over ownership of the San Juan Islands in the Pacific Northwest. These relatively obscure Puget Sound islands became a flashpoint after a pig belonging to a member of the Hudson’s Bay Company was shot and killed by an American settler, resulting in a disagreement between the U.S. and her former colonial masters over who would exert ownership of the San Juans. Scott goes on to have a positive negotiating process with the commanders on the spot, defusing the situation and ensuring it ended as well as the Patriot War two decades prior. Agent of Destiny’s retelling of these events is skillfully accomplished by the author, with a solid explanation of these obscure controversies being relayed in relatively few pages.
While the book does not paint him to be as callous as many were toward Native Americans in the nineteenth century, he does play a key role in the journey which ultimately came to be called the Trail of Tears. While this removal of the Cherokee was lamented, Scott is shown to not have intentionally lent added cruelty to the process. Paradoxically, he seems surprised at the unwillingness of many of the Cherokee to voluntarily move west, an obtuseness which shows how much of a gap in cultural understanding there was even on the part of a man held up as more enlightened on Indian policy than a number of his peers.
Scott’s marriage to the former Maria Mayo receives scant attention from Eisenhower. The two of them are physically apart from one another during much of their marriage, and although the author seems reticent to point it out, it is indicated that there may have been a lack of passion between the two. Agent of Destiny expends very little paragraph space on Scott's family life, opting to center the bulk of the narrative focus on his military exploits.
Scott would go on to became an elder statesman of sorts following his defeat in the presidential election of 1852. He was the Whig Party’s candidate (the final one they would nominate before the party’s dissolution) and would go on to lose to Democrat Franklin Pierce. But he would continue as the preeminent head of the military for nearly ten more years, and it was during the early 1860s that it became clear it was time to move on. With the secession of the Southern states after the election of Abraham Lincoln, Scott decided to side with his country over his birthplace of Virginia.
While he had played on his contacts to help calm tensions between South Carolina and the federal government during the Jackson era tariff nullification crisis, things were beyond repair in 1861. While he retained the top command during the early stages of the Civil War, Scott was ultimately replaced by George McClellan (who was not Scott’s first choice to succeed him) when it became clear following the First Battle of Bull Run that a younger leader was needed to vigorously prosecute what was coming to be seen as more than a small scale war effort.
On November 1, 1861, Scott’s resignation from the army was accepted by Lincoln’s cabinet, ending six decades of military service to the United States.
Agent of Destiny is not a perfect piece of writing, but overall it will grow the public's understanding of one of the most important generals in American history. It would have been a richer portrait courtesy of more focus on the personal aspects of Scott's life, but shedding light on family matters did not appear to be the author's objective. The book set out what it intended to do, and for that it is a recommendable and serviceable biography.
-Andrew Canfield Denver, Colorado
November 25, 2009
Winfield Scott served his country well and I would hope that he has not been lost to history. This book brings to life this man's place in American history. I enjoyed the chapters concerning his role in the American-Mexican War and I would like to read this authors book on that conflict, a shame it's no longer available. Buy this book and enjoy, recommended reading!
March 13, 2016
Love this book. Scott tends to be an overlooked general in the history books. 1812 isn't talked about much, and by the Civil War, he was well past his prime. I picked up the book because I like biographies, and I knew nothing about him. This book is informative, accessible, and enjoyable. If you like biographies, this era in history, or both, I highly recommend this book!
September 20, 2019
Between the War of 1812 and the Civil War one name shine above all the rest and that was Winfield
Scott. John S.D. Eisenhower son of a man who was also a major military figure in a different age
has written a fascinating tale of a man known, not always affectionately as 'Old fuss n' feathers'.
Scott was born in Virginia in 1786 and first thought of being a lawyer, but then changed his mind and
joined the army as a commissioned lieutenant. He saw action soon enough and for his bravery at
the battles of Lundy's Land and Chippewa and the deaths of a lot high ranking people above him, Scott was a brigadier general by 1820.
Scott seemed to serve everywhere in the Black Hawk War which did not develop into a major conflict
he was praised. He did his time in the Seminole War, a war in which no glory was won for the US
Army. He was given command of our Northeastern frontier forces in Maine around the time a
conflict was heating up between Great Britain and the USA over the Maine/New Brunswick line. The
issue was settled by treaty later on, but Scott won praise for his diplomatic services here having a
lot to do with preventing this from being a shooting war.
Because of that Scott received some consideration for president by the Whigs in 1840. But they went with an older general William Henry Harrison. Scott always was of Whig persuasion, a fact
that would cause him problems.
By the time the Mexican War had been declared Scott was the senior general in the army. But President James K. Polk was a bitter partisan Democrat and ran his war that way. His two most successful generals were Scott and Zachary Taylor who made the first incursion into Mexico across
the Rio Grande from the north. When that didn't bring the Mexicans to the peace table, Scott
made an amphibious landing at Vera Cruz and marched to Mexico City. Both Taylor and Scott won
every battle they had.
Polk was constantly looking to undercut both men and they knew it. The answer is that this was
nothing compared to the massive incompetence on the Mexican side.
In 1852 Scott was chosen by the Whig Party as its last presidential candidate. The Whigs were broken over the Compromise of 1850 and a Free Soil Democrat John P. Hale of New Hampshire
split the vote. The Democrat who won was one of Scott's commanders in Mexico, Franklin Pierce
who won an overwhelming victory in the popular and electoral vote. Scott carried 4 states.
Scott was 75 and still general in charge when the Civil War broke out. Scott was one of the few who
offered a realistic assessment of what it would take to beat the south. It would be a long struggle
and it would be won by blocking off southern cotton trade. But he was too old for bureaucratic and
political games. Abe Lincoln allowed him to retire towards the end of 1861. Scott died in 1866.
He was an interesting man, vainglorious to nth degree, but having a good military mind. Without
question our major military figure between 1812 and 1861 and John Eisenhower tells his story well.
Scott. John S.D. Eisenhower son of a man who was also a major military figure in a different age
has written a fascinating tale of a man known, not always affectionately as 'Old fuss n' feathers'.
Scott was born in Virginia in 1786 and first thought of being a lawyer, but then changed his mind and
joined the army as a commissioned lieutenant. He saw action soon enough and for his bravery at
the battles of Lundy's Land and Chippewa and the deaths of a lot high ranking people above him, Scott was a brigadier general by 1820.
Scott seemed to serve everywhere in the Black Hawk War which did not develop into a major conflict
he was praised. He did his time in the Seminole War, a war in which no glory was won for the US
Army. He was given command of our Northeastern frontier forces in Maine around the time a
conflict was heating up between Great Britain and the USA over the Maine/New Brunswick line. The
issue was settled by treaty later on, but Scott won praise for his diplomatic services here having a
lot to do with preventing this from being a shooting war.
Because of that Scott received some consideration for president by the Whigs in 1840. But they went with an older general William Henry Harrison. Scott always was of Whig persuasion, a fact
that would cause him problems.
By the time the Mexican War had been declared Scott was the senior general in the army. But President James K. Polk was a bitter partisan Democrat and ran his war that way. His two most successful generals were Scott and Zachary Taylor who made the first incursion into Mexico across
the Rio Grande from the north. When that didn't bring the Mexicans to the peace table, Scott
made an amphibious landing at Vera Cruz and marched to Mexico City. Both Taylor and Scott won
every battle they had.
Polk was constantly looking to undercut both men and they knew it. The answer is that this was
nothing compared to the massive incompetence on the Mexican side.
In 1852 Scott was chosen by the Whig Party as its last presidential candidate. The Whigs were broken over the Compromise of 1850 and a Free Soil Democrat John P. Hale of New Hampshire
split the vote. The Democrat who won was one of Scott's commanders in Mexico, Franklin Pierce
who won an overwhelming victory in the popular and electoral vote. Scott carried 4 states.
Scott was 75 and still general in charge when the Civil War broke out. Scott was one of the few who
offered a realistic assessment of what it would take to beat the south. It would be a long struggle
and it would be won by blocking off southern cotton trade. But he was too old for bureaucratic and
political games. Abe Lincoln allowed him to retire towards the end of 1861. Scott died in 1866.
He was an interesting man, vainglorious to nth degree, but having a good military mind. Without
question our major military figure between 1812 and 1861 and John Eisenhower tells his story well.
May 24, 2021
General Winfield Scott is the forgotten General in American history which is a shame. His abilities and talents and what he did for the US Army far outweigh other better known commanders such as George Patton and Andrew Jackson. John Eisenhower, son of the General and President, writes lovingly about Old Fuss and Feathers, but also fairly.
Scott was initially going to be a lawyer but volunteered for service, when it looked like war with England during the Jefferson administration, had him finding his calling. He worked the political angle to get appointed an officer and then never looked back . His ego was great but, also as it turned out, so were his abilities. During the War of 1812 he would be promoted to General and lead his troops to small victories over the British near the Canadian border. Scott showed great concern for his men and it would be a trait of his career.
Scott's ambition never wavered. He wanted to be in command and saw himself as Presidential material, or at least General in Chief. His main problem was Scott saw himself as a great writer but his writing got him in trouble time and time again. Also Scott would not keep his opinions strictly military. This nearly cost him his greatest military success, leading the American army in the Mexican War. First to take Veracruz in a seaborn landing that was the largest such American operation until World War II, then taking his outnumbered army and capturing Mexico City. This campaign at times is considered one of the greatest in world history, but it was helped by extremely poor Mexican leadership, something Eisenhower only briefly mentions.
Scott would be the longest serving General in Chief in US history serving from the 1846 to 1861 when Lincoln and McClellan forced him into retirement. Even at this stage in his late 70s, Scott foresaw what would need to be done to win the Civil War and warned that the war would take a few years, something the politicians did not care to hear. But by this point Scott's health and lack of energy helped bring about his exit.
A true American patriot, at times he helped Presidents and politicians he hated. He apparently hated Jefferson Davis so much that it was rumored, although not true, that it was the main reason he did not go south with his home state of Virginia. The truth was Scott took his oath very seriously and saw himself as an American patriot above all.
Eisenhower's book is marred at points due to the lack of sources. Scott himself did not write too much on the period after he lost the Presidency in 1852 until his retirement. Some of the documentation of Scott's career is sporadic at best. Winfield Scott did much to professionalize the US army in an era when that was not always the case. It is a shame that in this era before the Civil War two of the greatest Americans are pretty much forgotten, John Q. Adams and General Winfield Scott. Eisenhower does much to bring back Scott.
Scott was initially going to be a lawyer but volunteered for service, when it looked like war with England during the Jefferson administration, had him finding his calling. He worked the political angle to get appointed an officer and then never looked back . His ego was great but, also as it turned out, so were his abilities. During the War of 1812 he would be promoted to General and lead his troops to small victories over the British near the Canadian border. Scott showed great concern for his men and it would be a trait of his career.
Scott's ambition never wavered. He wanted to be in command and saw himself as Presidential material, or at least General in Chief. His main problem was Scott saw himself as a great writer but his writing got him in trouble time and time again. Also Scott would not keep his opinions strictly military. This nearly cost him his greatest military success, leading the American army in the Mexican War. First to take Veracruz in a seaborn landing that was the largest such American operation until World War II, then taking his outnumbered army and capturing Mexico City. This campaign at times is considered one of the greatest in world history, but it was helped by extremely poor Mexican leadership, something Eisenhower only briefly mentions.
Scott would be the longest serving General in Chief in US history serving from the 1846 to 1861 when Lincoln and McClellan forced him into retirement. Even at this stage in his late 70s, Scott foresaw what would need to be done to win the Civil War and warned that the war would take a few years, something the politicians did not care to hear. But by this point Scott's health and lack of energy helped bring about his exit.
A true American patriot, at times he helped Presidents and politicians he hated. He apparently hated Jefferson Davis so much that it was rumored, although not true, that it was the main reason he did not go south with his home state of Virginia. The truth was Scott took his oath very seriously and saw himself as an American patriot above all.
Eisenhower's book is marred at points due to the lack of sources. Scott himself did not write too much on the period after he lost the Presidency in 1852 until his retirement. Some of the documentation of Scott's career is sporadic at best. Winfield Scott did much to professionalize the US army in an era when that was not always the case. It is a shame that in this era before the Civil War two of the greatest Americans are pretty much forgotten, John Q. Adams and General Winfield Scott. Eisenhower does much to bring back Scott.
February 13, 2024
My first venture at reading a biography of "Old Fuss & Feathers", Lieutenant General Winfield Scott. And it was very good. But it is not the first time I've read a book by the author John S.D. Eisenhower. I like his work.
Scott's was a life of service to his country of over 50 years! War of 1812, Black Hawk War, Seminole War, the Mexican-American War, Nullification Crisis, General-in-Chief and, of course, the beginning of the Civil War. His "Anaconda Plan" was ultimately used as the strategy to defeat the South. Add to that the administrative postings and the attempts to run for the Presidency. He was also known as the "Pacificator" for the number of crisis situations he helped mediate. A full life indeed. He rests in the cemetery at West Point.
" Another star has faded, we miss its brilliant glow
For the veteran Scott has ceased to be a soldier here below.
And the country which he honored, now feels a heart-felt woe,
As we toast his name in reverence, at Benny Haven's, Oh!"
- "Benny Haven's, Oh!" (traditional West Point song)
Scott's was a life of service to his country of over 50 years! War of 1812, Black Hawk War, Seminole War, the Mexican-American War, Nullification Crisis, General-in-Chief and, of course, the beginning of the Civil War. His "Anaconda Plan" was ultimately used as the strategy to defeat the South. Add to that the administrative postings and the attempts to run for the Presidency. He was also known as the "Pacificator" for the number of crisis situations he helped mediate. A full life indeed. He rests in the cemetery at West Point.
" Another star has faded, we miss its brilliant glow
For the veteran Scott has ceased to be a soldier here below.
And the country which he honored, now feels a heart-felt woe,
As we toast his name in reverence, at Benny Haven's, Oh!"
- "Benny Haven's, Oh!" (traditional West Point song)
November 27, 2018
Scott had an interesting life and he made many contributions to our nation for over 50+ years. Not terribly surprising that with his nickname being "old fuss and feathers," he was not able to capture the public imagination and become President. I'm still not sure event after reading this biography why he got tagged with that name, other than it being clear that marketing wasn't his strong suit.
April 2, 2024
Eisenhower writes a very straightforward account of Winfield Scott's life. Scott was one of the greatest American military officers. He was a hero of the War of 1812 and the Mexican War. In it, he led America's first amphibious invasion of a foreign country and captured Mexico City, bringing that war to an end. His career lasted until the first few months of the Civil War.
June 16, 2018
This was an amazing book. spanning the majority of an important century in the development of the United States, and an equally important lifetime of one of the greatest military minds in history. A must-read for anyone interested in the 19th century!
May 23, 2020
Well-written, just ran out of time, had other books to read.
September 7, 2015
A biography of General Winfield Scott the 19th century US military hero who served 15 Presidents. Written by John S.D. Eisenhower, son of Ike, and a military man himself, the book drags at places where battles are minutely analyzed. But, overall, it is a great read. Scott had presidential political aspirations, but possessed inept political skills. His service to his country was through his military acumen. For those interested in the great time of American expansion in middle 19th century America, this is the story of one little known with a large impact.
August 7, 2021
A well written and solid biography of General Winfield Scott. Between Washington and Grant we had Scott, who defined the American military during the 19th century. He was our first professional soldier and the most consequential military leader beginning with the War of 1812 and lasting until the beginning of the Civil War. Scott represents the evolution of military warfare strategy from the late 18th century model of Europe to the "total war" strategy of the 19th. The author gives the general his due for his accomplishments but goes a little easy on his role in American Indian removal.
December 29, 2014
Winfield Scott served in the U.S. Army for over 50 years, beginning with the opening of the frontier in the early 1800s to the beginning of the Civil War. For many of those years, he was America's ranking general officer. Mr. Eisenhower's biography paints a picture that neither flatters nor condemns the man and officer. It is a well written and balanced look at a key figure in American military history.
August 4, 2012
I was guilty of thinking of Winfield Scott as the old guy in the photos from the Civil War. This book shattered that image by making me aware of the heroism and courage of one of our greatest military men.
January 16, 2013
This book is actually very impressive. As with many biographies today, it is somewhat biased towards its subject, but the treatment is thorough. It is well-noted, and the detail is surprising. For early American military buffs, this book is a useful addition.
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