WINFIELD SCOTT
One of the finest military leaders the U.S. has produced pens a letter in regards to a receipt and allows Captain Monroe to give advice/instructions for his account from here on out
Autograph Letter Signed: "Winfield Scott", 1p, 5x8. (Washington), 1842 March 19. To Captain Monroe. In full: "Capt. Monroe will please look over the accompanying acct. & if the service rendered was by his advice or instruction, say so on the face of the acct. & I will pay it. The amount does not appear to be unreasonable." On integral leaf, upside down, Captain Monroe has penned: "Major Genl Scott/Wahn 19 March 1842/answd 24th March '42/contained an account of John/W. Allen for services & c./certified that account./correct (except that I had no/authority to give him/instructions on the premises,/as he acted under orders/from State Department)". On the death of General Alexander Macomb in 1841, Winfield Scott became Commander in Chief of the U.S. Army. He was nicknamed "Old Fuss and Feathers" for his obsession with procedure and detail and for his elaborate uniforms. In 1847, General Scott was assigned to the chief command of the Army in Mexico. He captured Vera Cruz in March 1847, defeated the Mexicans at Cerro Gordo in April, Contreras and Churubusco in August, Molino del Rey and Chapultepec in September and occupied Mexico City on September 14, 1847. Promoted to Lieutenant General, Scott was the unsuccessful Whig candidate for President in 1852, losing to Franklin Pierce. Lightly creased. Stains on verso show through at blank areas. Clusters of pinholes at blank corners. Pinhead-size stain at the "e" in Winfield. Otherwise, fine condition.