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131-563: John Joel Glanton was born with his twin, Julian, in Edgefield County, South Carolina , in 1819. His father Charles William Glanton (1789–1826) died while he was young, and his mother, Margaret Hill Glanton, relocated her four sons to Louisiana . In 1832, she remarried to Major   John Roddy, a wealthy South Carolinian veteran of the War of 1812 , eventually bearing two children by him. In 1835, she followed him to Jackson County in

262-545: A party platform endorsing the Compromise of 1850 as a final settlement of the slavery question. On the convention's first presidential ballot, Fillmore received 133 of the necessary 147 votes, while Scott won 131 and Webster won 29. After the 46th ballot still failed to produce a presidential nominee, the delegates voted to adjourn until the following Monday. Over the weekend, Fillmore and Webster supporters conducted unsuccessful negotiations to unite behind one candidate. On

393-736: A police officer with his pistol in the American Theatre , but he was dismissed with little or no punishment, since no one was hurt. In early 1843, Glanton applied for a 320- acre grant of land in Jackson County, Arkansas. He improved the land but, receiving no certificate of purchase, he transferred his claim to his brother Benjamin in 1845 and returned to Louisiana. He was still receiving his mail in New Orleans in September 1846 but had apparently already left for Texas. By

524-572: A British force in the Battle of Queenston Heights . Scott led an artillery bombardment that supported an American crossing of the Niagara River, and he took overall command of U.S. forces at Queenston after Colonel Solomon Van Rensselaer was badly wounded. Shortly after Scott took command, a British column under Roger Hale Sheaffe arrived. Sheaffe's numerically superior force compelled an American retreat, ultimately forcing Scott to surrender to

655-759: A Northerner sympathetic to the Southern view on slavery who had served under Scott as a brigadier general during the Mexican War. Pierce had resigned from the U.S. Senate in 1842, and had briefly held only the minor office of United States Attorney for the District of New Hampshire since then, but emerged as a compromise candidate partly because he served under Scott in the Mexican–American War. The Democrats attacked Scott for various incidents from his long public career, including his court-martial in 1809 and

786-779: A Virginia native, Scott stayed loyal to the Union when the Civil War broke out and served as an essential adviser to President Abraham Lincoln during the opening stages of the war. He developed a strategy known as the Anaconda Plan but retired in late 1861 after Lincoln increasingly relied on General George B. McClellan for military advice and leadership. In retirement, he lived in West Point, New York , where he died on May 29, 1866. Contemporaries highly regarded Scott's military talent, and historians generally consider him one of

917-550: A black leader; John William Thurmond (1862–1934); Emma Anderson Dunovant (1866–1956); Florence Adams Mims (1873–1951); Benjamin Mays (1894–1984), a black leader; Francis Butler Simkins (1897–1966), a historian; and Davis Timmerman , a murder victim whose case resulted in the first execution of a woman in South Carolina's electric chair. Winfield Scott Winfield Scott (June 13, 1786 – May 29, 1866)

1048-493: A boat and killed some Quechans operating a rival ferry near Pilot Knob . At dawn on April 23, 1850, a band of Quechans led by Caballo en Pelo killed and scalped Glanton and most of his organization to establish the tribe's ferry monopoly. Hearing of the massacre, California officials recruited a militia in the ill-fated Gila Expedition against the Quechan tribe. Edgefield County, South Carolina Edgefield County

1179-480: A comment Scott had made at a private dinner in New York, though they later reconciled. He also continued a bitter feud with Gaines that centered over which of them had seniority, as both hoped to eventually succeed the ailing Brown. In 1821, Congress reorganized the army, leaving Brown as the sole major general and Scott and Gaines as the only brigadier generals; Macomb accepted demotion to colonel and appointment as

1310-529: A decisive victory over his former commander. Nonetheless, Scott remained popular among the public. In 1855, he received a brevet promotion to lieutenant general , becoming the first U.S. Army officer to hold that rank since George Washington . In 1859, he peacefully solved the Pig War in Washington Territory , ending the last in a long series of British-American border conflicts. Despite being

1441-477: A family friend, to help him obtain a commission in the newly expanded army. In May 1808, shortly before his twenty-second birthday, Scott was commissioned as a captain in the light artillery . Tasked with recruiting a company , he raised his troops from the Petersburg and Richmond areas, then traveled with his unit to New Orleans to join their regiment . Scott was deeply disturbed by what he viewed as

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1572-423: A force led by David E. Twiggs against Santa Anna's left flank, while another force, led by Gideon Pillow , would attack Santa Anna's artillery. In the Battle of Cerro Gordo , Pillow's force was largely ineffective, but Twiggs and Colonel William S. Harney captured the key Mexican position of El Telegrafo in hand-to-hand fighting. Mexican resistance collapsed after the capture of El Telegrafo; Santa Anna escaped

1703-546: A hardy constitution, in his prime Scott was a physically large and imposing figure. Scott's education included attendance at schools run by James Hargrave and James Ogilvie. In 1805, Scott began attending the College of William and Mary , but he soon left to study law in the office of attorney David Robinson. His contemporaries in Robinson's office included Thomas Ruffin . While apprenticing under Robinson, Scott attended

1834-438: A household in the county was $ 35,146, and the median income for a family was $ 41,810. Males had a median income of $ 32,748 versus $ 23,331 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 15,415. About 13.00% of families and 15.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.60% of those under age 18 and 18.40% of those age 65 or over. The Federal Bureau of Prisons Federal Correctional Institution, Edgefield

1965-484: A leading Confederate general; Prince Rivers (1823–1887), a black leader; George D. Tillman (1826–1901); Martin Witherspoon Gary (1831–1881); Lucy Holcombe Pickens (1832–1899); Matthew Calbraith Butler (1836–1909); Alexander Bettis (1836–1895), a black leader; Lawrence Cain (1845–1884), a black leader; Paris Simkins (1849–1930), a black leader; Daniel Augustus Tompkins (1851–1914); Alfred W. Nicholson (1861–1945),

2096-441: A peace treaty with Mexican leaders. Though they initially feuded, Scott and Trist eventually developed a strong working relationship. In mid-April, Scott's force met Santa Anna's army at Cerro Gordo, near Xalapa. Santa Anna had established a solid defensive position, but he left his left flank undefended on the assumption that dense trees made the area impassable. Scott decided to attack Santa Anna's position on two fronts, sending

2227-553: A resolution promoting Scott to brevet lieutenant general. Scott was the first U.S. Army officer since George Washington to hold the rank. He also earned the appellation of the "Grand Old Man of the Army" for his long career. The passage of the 1854 Kansas–Nebraska Act and the outbreak of violent confrontations between pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces in Kansas exacerbated sectional tensions and split both major parties. Pierce

2358-645: A rising by the divided Mexicans against the American invasion, Scott placed a priority on winning the cooperation of the Catholic Church . Among other initiatives designed to show respect for church property and officials, he ordered his men to salute Catholic priests on the streets of Veracruz. After securing supplies and wagons, Scott's army began the march toward Xalapa , a city on the way to Mexico City. Meanwhile, Polk dispatched Nicholas Trist , Secretary of State James Buchanan 's chief clerk, to negotiate

2489-482: A truce with John Harvey , who commanded British forces in the area. In the mid-1830s, Scott joined the Whig Party , which opponents of President Jackson established. Scott's success in preventing war with Canada under Van Buren confirmed his popularity with the broad public, and in early 1839, newspapers began to mention him as a candidate for the presidential nomination at the 1839 Whig National Convention . By

2620-632: A wealthy engineer and businessman who came from a distinguished family in Virginia. Scott and his family lived in Elizabethtown, New Jersey for most of the next thirty years. Beginning in the late 1830s, Maria spent much of her time in Europe because of a bronchial condition, and she died in Rome in 1862. They were the parents of seven children, five daughters and two sons: With the conclusion of

2751-625: A white mob for the alleged murders of a white couple. In the Hamburg Massacre of July 8, 1876, several black militia were killed by whites, part of a large group of more than 100 armed men who attended a court hearing of a complaint of whites against the militia. Some of the white men came from Augusta. Due to fraud, more Democratic votes were recorded in Edgefield County than there were total residents; similar fraud occurred elsewhere, as did suppression of black voting. Eventually

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2882-735: A wider conflict, and they soon ordered the release of the prisoners. Later that year, Scott attempted to establish a legal practice in South Carolina but was unable to obtain a law license because he did not meet the state's one-year residency requirement. In early 1808, President Thomas Jefferson asked Congress to authorize an expansion of the United States Army after the British announced an escalation of their naval blockade of France , thereby threatening American shipping. Scott convinced U.S. Senator William Branch Giles ,

3013-553: Is a county located on the western border of the U.S. state of South Carolina . As of the 2020 census , its population was 25,657. Its county seat and largest community is Edgefield . The county was established on March 12, 1785. The Savannah River makes up part of the western border of Edgefield County; across the river lies the city of Augusta, Georgia . Edgefield is part of the Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC Metropolitan Statistical Area . The origin of

3144-450: Is in the county; it is partially within the city limits of Edgefield , and partially in an unincorporated area . In 2022, the GDP of Edgefield County was $ 807.3 million (approx. $ 29,243 per capita). In chained 2017 dollars , the real GDP was $ 645.6 million (about $ 23,386 per capita). Between 2022-2023, the unemployment rate has been 3.1-3.2% on average. Some of the largest employers in

3275-483: The 2000 census , there were 24,595 people, 8,270 households, and 6,210 families living in the county. The population density was 49 inhabitants per square mile (19/km ). There were 9,223 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile (6.9/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 56.77% White , 41.51% Black or African American , 0.33% Native American , 0.24% Asian , 0.03% Pacific Islander , 0.44% from other races , and 0.69% from two or more races. 2.05% of

3406-826: The Arizona territory. In Arizona the Glanton organization became partners in a ferry at the Yuma Crossing of the Colorado River , a popular crossing for settlers and prospectors traveling to and from California during the California Gold Rush . According to claims from competing ferry operators, the Glantons sometimes killed Mexican and American passengers returning from the gold-fields to take their money and goods. Other accounts claim they destroyed

3537-595: The Arkansas Territory , where the family established Walnut Woods, a plantation with more than twenty slaves near what is now Augusta . Little is certain about Glanton's youth, but he developed a reputation for explosive violence. He appears in few records until his 1841 arrest in Louisiana but later authors state he fled Tennessee as an outlaw before settling in Gonzales, Texas and taking part in

3668-488: The Battle of Fort George , and was promoted to brigadier general in early 1814. He served with distinction in the Battle of Chippawa but was badly wounded in the subsequent Battle of Lundy's Lane . After the conclusion of the war, Scott was assigned to command army forces in a district containing much of the Northeastern United States , and he and his family made their home near New York City. During

3799-531: The Battle of San Jacinto , President Sam Houston supposedly banished Glanton from Texas, although this was never enforced and no record of such an order survives. He was later said to have wounded or killed the best men on both sides of the Regulator–Moderator War without supporting either side himself. Glanton was arrested in New Orleans on March 11, 1841 for assault , having tried to shoot

3930-639: The Caroline affair , in which Canadian forces burned a steamboat that had delivered supplies to rebel forces. President Van Buren dispatched Scott to western New York to prevent unauthorized border crossings and war between the United States and the United Kingdom. Still popular in the area due to his service in the War of 1812, Scott issued public appeals, asking Americans to refrain from supporting

4061-508: The Confederate States of America , and chose Jefferson Davis as president. Because Scott was from Virginia, Lincoln sent an envoy, Thomas S. Mather, to ask whether Scott would remain loyal to the United States and keep order during Lincoln's inauguration . Scott responded to Mather, "I shall consider myself responsible for [Lincoln's] safety. If necessary, I shall plant cannon at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue , and if any of

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4192-562: The Great Migration out of the rural South. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 507.00 square miles (1,313.1 km ), of which 500.71 square miles (1,296.8 km ) is land and 6.29 square miles (16.3 km ) (1.24%) is water. As of the 2020 census , there were 25,657 people, 9,176 households, and 6,471 families residing in the county. At the 2010 census , there were 55,285 people, 21,348 households, and 16,706 families living in

4323-859: The Mississippi River . Some Native Americans moved peacefully, but others resisted, including many Seminoles . In December 1835, the Second Seminole War broke out after the Dade massacre , in which a group of Seminoles ambushed and massacred a U.S. Army company in Central Florida . President Jackson ordered Scott to take command of operations against the Seminoles personally, and the officer arrived in Florida by February 1836. After several months of inconclusive campaigning, Scott

4454-568: The Northwest Territory . In July 1812, the U.S. Congress declared war on Britain. After the declaration of war, Scott was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel and assigned as second-in-command of the 2nd Artillery Regiment, serving under George Izard . While Izard continued to lead recruitment efforts, Scott led two companies north to join General Stephen Van Rensselaer 's militia force, which

4585-530: The Nullification Crisis . Scott traveled to Charleston, South Carolina , the center of the nullification movement, where he strengthened federal forts but also sought to cultivate public opinion away from secession . Ultimately, the crisis ended in early 1833 with the passage of the Tariff of 1833 . President Jackson launched a policy of Indian removal , forcing Native Americans to move west of

4716-556: The Rio Grande in a region claimed by both Mexico and Texas. Polk, Secretary of War William L. Marcy , and Scott agreed on a strategy in which the U.S. would capture Northern Mexico and then pursue a favorable peace settlement. While Taylor led the army in Northern Mexico, Scott presided over the expansion of the army, ensuring that new soldiers were properly supplied and organized. Taylor won several victories against

4847-605: The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo on February 2, 1848; it was ratified by the U.S. Senate the following month. In late 1847, Scott arrested Pillow and two other officers after they wrote letters to American newspapers that were critical of Scott. In response, Polk ordered the release of the three officers and removed Scott from command. Upon founding the Aztec Club of 1847 , a military society of officers who served in Mexico during

4978-595: The Trent Affair , a diplomatic incident with Britain. On his return from Europe in December 1861, he lived alone in New York City and at West Point, New York , where he wrote his memoirs and closely followed the ongoing civil war. On June 23–24, 1862, President Lincoln made an unannounced visit to West Point , where he spent five hours consulting with Scott regarding the handling of the Civil War and

5109-561: The annexation of the Republic of Texas , which had gained independence from Mexico in 1836. After Polk won the election, Congress passed legislation enabling the annexation of Texas, and Texas achieved statehood in 1845. Polk and Scott had never liked one another, and their distrust deepened after Polk became president, partly due to Scott's affiliation with the Whig Party. Polk came into office with two primary foreign policy goals:

5240-628: The first battle of the 1835 Texian Revolution against Mexico 's Centralist Republic . His fiancée was abducted , scalped , and killed by Lipan Apaches before or during his time with Stephen F. Austin at the siege of De Cos 's forces in San Antonio . He was said to have been a scout under Col.   James Fannin , commissioned as a captain of the Texas Rangers while still 16, and to have narrowly escaped De La Portilla 's March 27, 1836 massacre of Fannin's men at Goliad . After

5371-626: The military police sent to arrest him but then enlisted in John Coffee Hays 's second regiment of the First Texas Mounted Rifles, also informally known as the Texan Rangers. He saw action as part of Gen. Winfield Scott   's Mexico City campaign , during which Private Glanton was noted by Gen.   Joseph Lane to have "attracted general notice for his extraordinary activity and daring throughout

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5502-933: The 1830s, Scott negotiated an end to the Black Hawk War , took part in the Second Seminole War and the Creek War of 1836 , and presided over the forced removal of the Cherokee . Scott also helped to avert war with the United Kingdom , defusing tensions arising from the Patriot War and the Aroostook War . In 1841, Scott became the Commanding General of the United States Army , beating out his rival Edmund P. Gaines for

5633-675: The 48th ballot, Webster delegates began to defect to Scott, and the general gained the nomination on the 53rd ballot. Fillmore accepted his defeat with equanimity and endorsed Scott, but many Northern Whigs were dismayed when Scott publicly endorsed the party's pro-Compromise platform. Despite the party's effort to appeal to southerners by nominating William Alexander Graham of North Carolina for vice president, many Southern Whigs, including Alexander H. Stephens and Robert Toombs , refused to support Scott. The 1852 Democratic National Convention nominated dark horse candidate Franklin Pierce ,

5764-428: The British after reinforcements from the militia failed to materialize. As a prisoner of war , Scott was treated hospitably by the British, although two Mohawk leaders nearly killed him while he was in British custody. As part of a prisoner exchange, Scott was released in late November; upon his return to the United States, he was promoted to colonel and appointed to command the 2nd Artillery Regiment. He also became

5895-479: The Canadian rebels. In late 1838, a new crisis known as the Aroostook War broke out over a dispute regarding the border between Maine and Canada, which had not been conclusively settled in previous treaties between Britain and the United States. Scott was tasked with preventing the conflict from escalating into a war. After winning the support of Governor John Fairfield and other Maine leaders, Scott negotiated

6026-525: The Cherokee "like cattle, through rivers, allowing them no time to take off their shoes and stockings. In mid-1838, Scott agreed to Chief John Ross 's plan to let the Cherokee lead a movement west, and he awarded a contract to the Cherokee Council to complete the removal. Scott was strongly criticized by many Southerners, including Jackson, for awarding the contract to Ross rather than continuing

6157-553: The Compromise of 1850 partly because of the fugitive slave act. By early 1852 , the three leading candidates for the Whig presidential nomination were Scott, who anti-Compromise Northern Whigs backed; President Fillmore, the first choice of most Southern Whigs; and Secretary of State Webster, whose support was concentrated in New England. The 1852 Whig National Convention convened on June 16, and Southern delegates won approval of

6288-414: The Confederacy. Scott took charge of molding Union military personnel into a cohesive fighting force. Lincoln rejected Scott's proposal to build up the regular army, and the administration would largely rely on volunteers to fight the war. Scott developed a strategy, later known as the Anaconda Plan , that called for the capture of the Mississippi River and a blockade of Southern ports. By cutting off

6419-400: The Democrats split along sectional lines, with Northern Democrats supporting Senator Stephen A. Douglas and Southern Democrats supporting Vice President John C. Breckinridge . Lincoln won the election, taking just 44 percent of the popular vote but winning a majority of the electoral vote due to his support in the North despite his name not being on the ballot in many Southern States. Fearing

6550-474: The Maryland or Virginia gentlemen who have become so threatening and troublesome show their heads or even venture to raise a finger, I shall blow them to hell." Scott helped ensure that Lincoln arrived in Washington safely and ensured the security of Lincoln's inauguration, which ultimately was conducted without a major incident. By the time Lincoln assumed office, seven states had declared their secession and had seized federal property within their bounds. Still,

6681-427: The Mexican army, but Polk eventually concluded that merely occupying Northern Mexico would not compel Mexico to surrender. Scott drew up an invasion plan that would begin with a naval assault on the Gulf port of Veracruz and end with the capture of Mexico City . With Congress unwilling to establish the rank of lieutenant general for Democratic Senator Thomas Hart Benton , Polk reluctantly turned to Scott to command

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6812-403: The Mexican capital and indirectly helped envoy Nicholas Trist negotiate the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo , which brought an end to the war. Scott unsuccessfully sought the Whig presidential nomination three times, in 1840, 1844, and 1848. He won it in 1852 , when the party was in danger of dying off. The Whigs were severely divided over the Compromise of 1850 , and Democrat Franklin Pierce won

6943-426: The Southeastern United States. Some of Scott's associates tried to dissuade Scott from what they viewed as an immoral mission, but Scott accepted his orders. After almost all of the Cherokee refused to relocate voluntarily, Scott made careful plans to ensure that his soldiers forcibly but humanely relocated the Cherokee. Nonetheless, the Cherokee endured abuse from Scott's soldiers; one account described soldiers driving

7074-412: The U.S. Army and were captured while fighting for Mexico. All 72 were court-martialed and sentenced to death. Under pressure from some Mexican leaders and personally feeling that the death penalty was an unjust punishment for some defendants, Scott spared 20, but the rest were executed. In early September, negotiations between Trist and the Mexican government broke down, and Scott exercised his right to end

7205-455: The United States retained control of the military installations at Fort Sumter and Fort Pickens. Scott advised evacuating the forts because an attempted re-supply would inflame tensions with the South, and Confederate shore batteries made re-supply impossible. Lincoln rejected the advice and chose to re-supply the forts; although Scott accepted the orders, his resistance to the re-supply mission, along with poor health, undermined his status within

7336-435: The War of 1812, Scott served on a board charged with demobilizing the army and determining who would continue to serve in the officer corps. Andrew Jackson and Brown were selected as the army's two major generals, while Alexander Macomb , Edmund P. Gaines , Scott, and Eleazer Wheelock Ripley would serve as the army's four brigadier generals. Jackson became commander of the army's Southern Division, Brown became commander of

7467-405: The Whig Party after taking office. Some Whigs, including Thaddeus Stevens of Pennsylvania, favored Scott as the Whig candidate in the 1844 presidential election . Still, Clay quickly emerged as the prohibitive front-runner for the Whig nomination. Clay won the 1844 Whig nomination, but he was defeated in the general election by Democrat James K. Polk . Polk's campaign centered on his support for

7598-469: The acquisition of Oregon Country , which was under joint American and British rule, and the acquisition of Alta California , a Mexican province. The United States nearly went to war with Britain over Oregon, but the two powers ultimately agreed to partition Oregon Country at the 49th parallel north. The Mexican–American War broke out in April 1846 after U.S. forces under the command of Brigadier General Zachary Taylor clashed with Mexican forces north of

7729-400: The actions both of the 23d and 24th" Nov. 1847 at Galaxara Pass in Puebla . After the summer of 1849, Glanton and his employees were hired by Mexican authorities to eliminate Apaches in northern Mexico and what is now part of the Southwestern United States . For increased income, their organization scalped Native war tribes who had been attacking settlers in America and Mexico to claim

7860-432: The administration. Nonetheless, he remained a critical military adviser and administrator. On April 12, Confederate forces began an attack on Fort Sumter, forcing its surrender the following day. On April 15, Lincoln declared that a state of rebellion existed and called up tens of thousands of militiamen . On the advice of Scott, Lincoln offered Robert E. Lee command of the Union forces, but Lee ultimately chose to serve

7991-496: The aftermath of the Burning of Washington . The War of 1812 came to an effective end in February 1815, after news of the signing of the Treaty of Ghent (which had been signed in December 1814) reached the United States. In 1815, Scott was admitted to the Pennsylvania Society of the Cincinnati as an honorary member in recognition of his service in the War of 1812. Scott's Society of the Cincinnati insignia, made by silversmiths Thomas Fletcher and Sidney Gardiner of Philadelphia ,

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8122-479: The army in Baton Rouge , where one of his first duties was to serve as a judge advocate (prosecutor) in the court-martial of Colonel Thomas Humphrey Cushing . During the early 19th century, relationships between Britain and the United States continued to deteriorate due to a variety of factors, including the British impressment of American citizens alleged to be Royal Navy deserters and Britain's support to Native Americans who were resisting U.S. colonization in

8253-411: The army of Mexican President Antonio López de Santa Anna at the Battle of Buena Vista . In the encounter known in Mexico as the Battle of La Angostura, Santa Anna brought U.S. forces to near collapse, capturing cannons and flags, and returned to Mexico City, leaving U.S. forces on the field. Santa Anna left to put down a minor insurrection , and recruited a new army. Biographer John Eisenhower said

8384-494: The army's Northern Division, and the brigadier generals were assigned leadership of departments within the divisions. Scott obtained a leave of absence to study warfare in Europe, though to his disappointment, he reached Europe only after Napoleon 's final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo . Upon his return to the United States in May 1816, he was assigned to command army forces in parts of the Northeastern United States . He made his headquarters in New York City and became part of

8515-400: The army's senior general. Congress became engaged in a divisive debate over the status of slavery in the territories, and Scott joined with Whig leaders Henry Clay and Daniel Webster in advocating for the passage of what became known as the Compromise of 1850 . Meanwhile, Taylor died of an illness in July 1850 and was succeeded by Vice President Millard Fillmore . The Compromise of 1850 and

8646-456: The army's senior officer instead. Scott grew very heavy in his last years of service and could not mount a horse or walk more than a few paces without stopping to rest. He was often in ill health, and suffered from gout , dropsy , rheumatism , and vertigo . After retiring, he traveled to Europe with his daughter, Cornelia, and her husband, H. L. Scott. In Paris , he worked with Thurlow Weed to aid American consul John Bigelow in defusing

8777-445: The army. In January 1810, Scott was convicted in a court-martial, partly for making disrespectful comments about Wilkinson's integrity, and partly because of a $ 50 shortage in the $ 400 account he had been provided to conduct recruiting duty in Virginia after being commissioned. Concerning the money, the court-martial members concluded that Scott had not been intentionally dishonest but had failed to keep accurate records. His commission

8908-411: The battle, it was seen as a significant moral victory. The battle was "the first real success attained by American troops against British regulars." Later, in July 1814, a scouting expedition led by Scott was ambushed, beginning the Battle of Lundy's Lane . Scott's brigade was decimated after British troops led by General Gordon Drummond arrived as reinforcements, and he was placed in the reserve in

9039-405: The battlefield and returned to Mexico City, but Scott's force captured about 3,000 Mexican soldiers. After the battle, Scott continued to press toward Mexico City, cutting him and his army off from his supply base at Veracruz. Scott's force arrived in the Valley of Mexico in August 1847, by which time Santa Anna had formed an army of approximately 25,000 men. Because Mexico City lacked walls and

9170-477: The bounty for scalps. The soldier and memoirist Samuel Chamberlain claimed he worked as a member of the organization. According to Chamberlain, Glanton's second-in-command was a Texian known as Judge Holden . Reneging on their contracts, the state of Chihuahua put a bounty on the heads of the organization, declaring them outlaws in December 1849. Chihuahuan authorities drove them out to Sonora . Eventually they wore out their Sonoran welcome and moved north into

9301-424: The chief of engineers, while Ripley and Jackson both left the army. After Brown died in 1828, President John Quincy Adams passed over Scott and Gaines due to their feuding, instead appointing Macomb. Scott was outraged and asked to be relieved of his commission, but ultimately backed down. In 1832, President Andrew Jackson ordered Scott to Illinois to take command of a conflict known as the Black Hawk War . By

9432-421: The chief of staff to Henry Dearborn , who was the senior general of the army and personally led operations against Canada in the area around Lake Ontario. Dearborn assigned Scott to lead an attack against Fort George , which commanded a strategic position on the Niagara River. With help from United States Navy elements commanded by Isaac Chauncey and Oliver Hazard Perry , he led U.S. troops to land behind

9563-572: The city's social life. He earned the nickname "Old Fuss and Feathers" for his insistence on proper military bearing, courtesy, appearance, and discipline. In 1835, Scott wrote Infantry Tactics, Or, Rules for the Exercise and Maneuvre of the United States Infantry , a three-volume work that served as the standard drill manual for the United States Army until 1855. Scott developed a rivalry with Jackson after Jackson took offense to

9694-545: The cooperation of civil leaders and the Catholic Church, Scott and the army restored order in the city by the end of the month. Peace negotiations between Trist and the Mexican government resumed, and Scott did all he could to support the talks, ceasing all further offensive operations. As military commander of Mexico City, Scott was held in high esteem by Mexican civil and American authorities alike, primarily owing to

9825-527: The county include Dollar General and the United States Department of Justice . Edgefield has one newspaper, published in the town of the same name: The local radio station is located in the town of Johnston : Edgefield is also served by the following television stations: The school district for the entire county is Edgefield County School District . In addition to its ten governors of South Carolina listed below, Edgefield County

9956-429: The county. The population density was 53.9 inhabitants per square mile (20.8/km ). There were 10,559 housing units at an average density of 21.1 per square mile (8.1/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 58.6% white, 37.2% black or African American, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% American Indian or Alaska Native, 2.2% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race) made up 5.2% of

10087-521: The defeat at Contreras caused a panic among the rest of Santa Anna's army, and Scott immediately pressed the attack, beginning the Battle of Churubusco . Despite the strong defense by the Saint Patrick's Battalion and some other units, Scott's force quickly defeated the demoralized Mexican army. After the battle, Santa Anna negotiated a truce with Scott, and the Mexican foreign minister notified Trist that they were ready to begin negotiations to end

10218-453: The defeat of Charles Edward Stuart 's forces in the Battle of Culloden . Scott's father died when Scott was six years old; his mother did not remarry. She raised Scott, his older brother James, and their sisters Mary, Rebecca, Elizabeth, and Martha until her death in 1803. Although Scott's family held considerable wealth, most of the family fortune went to James, who inherited the plantation. At six feet, five inches tall and 230 pounds, with

10349-560: The eastern states of the Confederacy, Scott hoped to force the surrender of Confederate forces with a minimal loss of life on both sides. Scott's plan was leaked to the public and was derided by most Northern newspapers, which tended to favor an immediate assault on the Confederacy. As Scott was too old for battlefield command, Lincoln selected General Irvin McDowell , an officer whom Scott saw as unimaginative and inexperienced, to lead

10480-575: The election was decided in Hampton's favor, and the Democrats also took control of the state legislature. As a result of a national compromise, Federal troops were withdrawn in 1877 from South Carolina and other southern states, ending Reconstruction. The long decline in population from 1910 to 1980 reflects the decline in agriculture, mechanization reducing labor needs, and the effect of many African Americans leaving for Northern and Midwestern cities in

10611-489: The enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 badly divided the country as a whole and the Whig Party in particular. Northerners strongly objected to the stringent provisions of the act, while Southerners complained bitterly about any perceived slackness in enforcement. Despite Scott's support for the Compromise of 1850, he became the chosen candidate of William Seward , a leading Northern Whig who objected to

10742-541: The fact that two of the leading contenders, Clay and Taylor, were enslavers. Ultimately, however, the delegates passed on Scott for a second time, nominating Taylor on the fourth ballot. Many anti- slavery Whigs then defected to support the nominee of the Free-Soil Party , former President Martin Van Buren. Taylor went on to win the general election. After the war, Scott returned to his administrative duties as

10873-427: The fairness with which he treated Mexican citizens. In November 1847, Trist received orders to return to Washington. Scott received orders to continue the military campaign against Mexico; Polk had grown frustrated at the slow pace of negotiations. With the support of Scott and Mexican president Manuel de la Peña y Peña , Trist defied his orders and continued the negotiations. Trist and the Mexican negotiators concluded

11004-628: The fields. During Reconstruction, Edgefield County had a slight black majority. It became a center of political tensions following the postwar amendments that gave freedmen civil rights under the US constitution. Whites conducted an insurgency to maintain white supremacy , particularly through paramilitary groups known as the Red Shirts . They used violence and intimidation during election seasons from 1872 on to disrupt and suppress black Republican voting. In May 1876, six black suspects were lynched by

11135-514: The fort, forcing its surrender. Scott was widely praised for his conduct in the battle, although he was personally disappointed that the bulk of the British garrison escaped capture. As part of another campaign to capture Montreal, Scott forced the British to withdraw from Hoople Creek in November 1813. Despite this success, the campaign fell apart after the American defeat at the Battle of Crysler's Farm and after Wilkinson (who had taken command of

11266-458: The front in August) and Hampton failed to cooperate on a strategy to take Montreal. With the failure of the campaign, President Madison and Secretary of War John Armstrong Jr. relieved Wilkinson and some other senior officers of their battlefield commands. They were replaced with younger officers such as Scott, Izard, and Jacob Brown . In early 1814, Scott was promoted to brigadier general and

11397-687: The hanging of members of the Saint Patrick's Battalion during the Mexican–American War. Scott proved to be a poor candidate who lacked popular appeal and suffered the worst defeat in Whig history. In the South, distrust and apathy toward Scott led many Southern Whigs to vote for Pierce or to sit out the election, and in the North, many anti-slavery Whigs voted for John P. Hale of the Free Soil Party . Scott won just four states and 44 percent of

11528-472: The invasion of Mexico through Veracruz was "up to that time the most ambitious amphibious expedition in human history." The operation commenced on March 9, 1847, with the Siege of Veracruz , a joint army-navy operation led by Scott and Commodore David Conner . After safely landing his 12,000-man army, Scott encircled Veracruz and began bombarding it; the Mexican garrison surrendered on March 27. Seeking to avoid

11659-533: The invasion. Among those who joined the campaign were several officers who would later distinguish themselves in the American Civil War , including Major Joseph E. Johnston , Captain Robert E. Lee , and Lieutenants Ulysses S. Grant , George B. McClellan , George G. Meade , and P. G. T. Beauregard . While Scott prepared the invasion, Taylor inflicted what the U.S. characterized as a crushing defeat on

11790-553: The invasion. Scott spent the following months convalescing under the supervision of military doctors and physician Philip Syng Physick . Scott's performance at the Battle of Chippawa had earned him national recognition. He was promoted to the brevet rank of major general and awarded a Congressional Gold Medal . In October 1814, Scott was appointed commander of American forces in Maryland and northern Virginia, taking command in

11921-433: The line between poor and yeoman was never very distinct. Stephanie McCurry argues that yeomen were clearly distinguished from poor whites by their ownership of land (real property). Edgefield's yeomen farmers were "self-working farmers," distinct from the elite because they worked their land themselves alongside any slaves they owned. By owning large numbers of slaves, planters took on a managerial function and did not work in

12052-586: The main Union army in the eastern theater of the war. Though Scott counseled that the army needed more time to train, Lincoln ordered an offensive against the Confederate capital of Richmond. Irvin McDowell led a force of 30,000 men south, where he met the Confederate Army at the First Battle of Bull Run . The Confederate army dealt the Union a major defeat, ending any hope of a quick end to

12183-772: The most accomplished generals in U.S. history. Scott was born on June 13, 1786, the fifth child of Ann (Mason) Scott and William Scott, a planter, veteran of the American Revolutionary War , and officer in the Dinwiddie County militia. At the time, the Scott family resided at Laurel Hill, a plantation near Petersburg , Virginia . Ann Mason Scott was the daughter of Daniel Mason and Elizabeth Winfield, and Scott's parents chose his maternal grandmother's surname for his first name. Scott's paternal grandfather, James Scott, had migrated from Scotland after

12314-608: The name Edgefield is unclear; the South Carolina State Library's information on the county's history suggests that the name "is usually described as 'fanciful.'" There is a village named Edgefield in Norfolk , England. Edgefield District was created in 1785, and it is bordered on the west by the Savannah River. It was formed from the southern section of the former Ninety-Six District when it

12445-513: The popular vote, while Pierce won just under 51 percent of the popular vote and a large majority of the electoral vote . After the 1852 election, Scott continued his duties as the army's senior officer. He maintained cordial relations with President Pierce but frequently clashed with Pierce's Secretary of War, Jefferson Davis , over issues like travel expenses. Despite his defeat in the 1852 presidential election, Scott remained broadly popular, and on Pierce's recommendation, in 1855, Congress passed

12576-439: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 8,270 households, out of which 34.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.60% were married couples living together, 15.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.90% were non-families. 22.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

12707-416: The population. In terms of ancestry, 15.8% were American, 9.0% were English, 6.7% were Irish, and 5.1% were German. Of the 9,348 households, 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were married couples living together, 16.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 28.3% were non-families, and 24.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size

12838-612: The position. After the outbreak of the Mexican–American War in 1846, Scott was relegated to an administrative role, but in 1847 he led a campaign against the Mexican capital of Mexico City . After capturing the port city of Veracruz , he defeated Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna 's armies at the Battles of Cerro Gordo , Contreras , and Churubusco . He then captured Mexico City , after which he maintained order in

12969-583: The possibility of imminent secession, Scott advised Buchanan and Secretary of War John B. Floyd to reinforce federal forts in the South. He was initially ignored, but Scott gained new influence within the administration after Floyd was replaced by Joseph Holt in mid-December. With assistance from Holt and newly appointed Secretary of State Jeremiah S. Black , Scott convinced Buchanan to reinforce or resupply Washington, D.C., Fort Sumter (near Charleston, South Carolina), and Fort Pickens (near Pensacola, Florida ). Meanwhile, several Southern states seceded, formed

13100-581: The removal under his own auspices. Scott accompanied one Cherokee group as an observer, traveling with them from Athens, Tennessee , to Nashville, Tennessee , where he was ordered to the Canada–United States border . In late 1837, the so-called " Patriot War " broke out along the Canadian border when some Americans sought to support the Rebellions of 1837–1838 in Canada. Tensions escalated after

13231-408: The second phase of the battle. Scott was later severely wounded while seeking a place to commit his reserve forces. He believed that Brown's decision to refrain from fully committing his strength at the outset of this battle resulted in the destruction of Scott's brigade and many unnecessary deaths. The battle ended inconclusively after Brown ordered his army to withdraw, effectively bringing an end to

13362-489: The site, and while the poor location caused several illnesses and deaths among his soldiers, Wilkinson refused to relocate them because he personally profited. In addition, staying near New Orleans enabled Wilkinson to pursue his private business interests and continue the courtship of Celestine Trudeau, whom he later married. Scott briefly resigned his commission over his dissatisfaction with Wilkinson, but before his resignation had been accepted, he withdrew it and returned to

13493-461: The staff, and even worse, his advice was seldom sought by his civilian superiors." Macomb had largely been outside the chain of command, and senior commanders like Gaines, Scott, and Quartermaster General Thomas Jesup reported directly to the Secretary of War. Despite Scott's efforts to invigorate the office, he enjoyed little influence with President Tyler, who quickly became alienated from most of

13624-543: The staffing of the War Department . After McClellan's defeat in the Seven Days Battles , Lincoln accepted Scott's advice and appointed General Halleck as the army's senior general. In 1864, Scott sent a copy of his newly published memoirs to Ulysses S. Grant , who had succeeded Halleck as the lead Union general. The copy that Scott sent was inscribed "from the oldest to the greatest general." Following

13755-542: The time Scott arrived in Illinois, the conflict had come to a close with the army's victory at the Battle of Bad Axe . Scott and Governor John Reynolds concluded the Black Hawk Purchase with Chief Keokuk and other Native American leaders, opening up much of present-day Iowa to settlement by whites. Later, in 1832, Jackson placed Scott in charge of army preparations for a potential conflict arising from

13886-524: The time of the Mexican–American War , he was part of Walter P. Lane 's San Antonio company of Texas Rangers . Contemporary sources charged him with killing a Mexican civilian in Magdalena , New Mexico , while serving as a perimeter sentry in 1847. Glanton defended himself, saying the civilian had ignored his commands to halt. This event brought Walter P. Lane—then a major in the army—into conflict with his general Zachary Taylor . Glanton evaded

14017-442: The time of the convention in December 1839, party leader Henry Clay and 1836 presidential candidate William Henry Harrison had emerged as the two front-runners, but Scott loomed as a potential compromise candidate if the convention deadlocked. After several ballots, the convention nominated Harrison for president. Harrison went on to defeat Van Buren in the 1840 presidential election , but he died just one month into his term and

14148-570: The trial of Aaron Burr , who had been accused of treason for his role in events now known as the Burr conspiracy . During the trial, Scott developed a negative opinion of the Senior Officer of the United States Army , General James Wilkinson , as the result of Wilkinson's efforts to minimize his complicity in Burr's actions by providing forged evidence and false, self-serving testimony. Scott

14279-405: The truce. In the subsequent Battle for Mexico City , Scott launched an attack from the west of the city, capturing the critical fortress of Chapultepec on September 13. Santa Anna retreated from the city after the fall of Chapultepec, and Scott accepted the surrender of the remaining Mexican forces early on the 14th. Unrest broke out in the days following the capture of Mexico City, but with

14410-604: The union. In 1859, Buchanan assigned Scott to lead a mission to settle a dispute with Britain over the ownership of the San Juan Islands in the Pacific Northwest . Scott reached an agreement with British official James Douglas to reduce military forces on the islands, thereby resolving the so-called " Pig War ". In the 1860 presidential election , the Republicans nominated Abraham Lincoln , while

14541-440: The unprofessionalism of the army, which at the time consisted of just 2,700 officers and men. He later wrote that "the old officers had, very generally, sunk into either sloth, ignorance, or habits of intemperate drinking." He soon clashed with his commander, General James Wilkinson , over Wilkinson's refusal to follow the orders of Secretary of War William Eustis to remove troops from an unhealthy bivouac site. Wilkinson owned

14672-433: The war, Scott was elected as one of only two honorary members of the organization. Scott was again a contender for the Whig presidential nomination in the 1848 election . Clay, Daniel Webster , and General Zachary Taylor were also candidates for the nomination. As in 1840, Whigs were looking for a non-ideological war hero to be their candidate. Scott's main appeal was to anti-slavery "conscience Whigs", who were dismayed by

14803-469: The war. Despite the presence of Scott's army just outside of Mexico City, the Mexican and American delegations remained far apart on terms; Mexico was only willing to yield portions of Alta California and refused to accept the Rio Grande as its northern border. While negotiations continued, Scott faced a difficult issue in the disposition of 72 members of Saint Patrick's Battalion who had deserted from

14934-505: The war. McDowell took the brunt of public vituperation for the defeat at Bull Run, but Scott, who had helped plan the battle, also received criticism. Lincoln replaced McDowell with McClellan, and the president began meeting with McClellan without Scott in attendance. Frustrated with his diminished standing, Scott submitted his resignation in October 1861. Though Scott favored General Henry Halleck as his successor, Lincoln made McClellan

15065-593: Was admitted to the bar in 1806, and practiced in Dinwiddie . In 1807, Scott gained his initial military experience as a corporal of cavalry in the Virginia Militia , serving amid the Chesapeake–Leopard affair . Scott led a detachment that captured eight British sailors who had attempted to land to purchase provisions. Virginia authorities did not approve of this action, fearing it might spark

15196-463: Was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.04. The median age was 40.3 years. The median income for a household in the county was $ 42,834 and the median income for a family was $ 57,114. Males had a median income of $ 41,759 versus $ 29,660 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 19,901. About 17.8% of families and 21.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.1% of those under age 18 and 17.1% of those age 65 or over. At

15327-403: Was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.12. In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.10% under the age of 18, 9.80% from 18 to 24, 32.10% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 10.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 112.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 114.80 males. The median income for

15458-537: Was a one-of-a-kind, solid gold eagle measuring nearly three inches in height. It is one of the most unique military society insignias ever produced. There are no known portraits or photographs of Scott wearing the insignia, which is now in the collection of the United States Military Academy Museum. In March 1817, Scott married Maria DeHart Mayo (1789–1862). She was the daughter of Abigail ( née DeHart) Mayo and Colonel John Mayo,

15589-402: Was an American military commander and political candidate. He served as Commanding General of the United States Army from 1841 to 1861, and was a veteran of the War of 1812 , American Indian Wars , Mexican–American War , and the early stages of the American Civil War . Scott was the Whig Party 's presidential nominee in the 1852 election but was defeated by Democrat Franklin Pierce . He

15720-419: Was assigned to lead a regiment under Brown. In mid-1814, Scott took part in another invasion of Canada, which began with a crossing of the Niagara River under Brown's command. Scott was instrumental in the American success at the Battle of Chippawa , which took place on July 5, 1814. Though the battle was regarded as inconclusive from the strategic point of view because the British force remained intact after

15851-432: Was critical of Gaines' actions during the campaign, though it did not accuse him of misconduct or incompetence. It also criticized the language he used to defend himself publicly and to the court. Martin Van Buren , a personal friend of Scott's, assumed the presidency in 1837, and Van Buren continued Jackson's Indian removal policy. In April 1838, Van Buren placed Scott in command of the removal of Cherokee people from

15982-661: Was denied re-nomination in favor of James Buchanan, while the Whig Party collapsed. In the 1856 presidential election , Buchanan defeated John C. Frémont of the anti-slavery Republican Party and former President Fillmore, the candidate of the nativist American Party . Sectional tensions continued to escalate after the Supreme Court handed down its decision in Dred Scott v. Sandford . Buchanan proved incapable of healing sectional divides, and some leading Southerners became increasingly vocal in their desire to secede from

16113-428: Was divided into smaller districts or counties by an act of the state legislature . Parts of the district were later used in the formation of other neighboring counties, specifically: In his study of Edgefield County, South Carolina, Orville Vernon Burton classified white society as comprising the poor, the yeoman middle class, and the elite planters. A clear line demarcated the elite, but according to Burton,

16244-574: Was essentially indefensible, Santa Anna sought to defeat Scott in a pitched battle, choosing to mount a defense near the Churubusco River several miles south. The Battle of Contreras began on the afternoon of August 19, when the Mexican army under General Gabriel Valencia attacked and pushed back an American detachment charged with building a road. In the early morning of the following day, an American force led by General Persifor Frazer Smith surprised and decimated Valencia's army. News of

16375-552: Was known as Old Fuss and Feathers for his insistence on proper military etiquette and the Grand Old Man of the Army for his many years of service. Scott was born near Petersburg, Virginia , in 1786. After training as a lawyer and brief militia service, he joined the army in 1808 as a captain of the light artillery. In the War of 1812, Scott served on the Canadian front, taking part in the Battle of Queenston Heights and

16506-702: Was ordered to the border of Alabama and Georgia to put down a Muscogee uprising known as the Creek War of 1836 . American forces under Scott, General Thomas Jesup , and Alabama Governor Clement Comer Clay quickly defeated the Muscogee. Some subordinates and civilians criticized Scott's actions in the campaigns against the Seminole and the Muscogee, and President Jackson convened a Court of Inquiry that investigated Scott and Gaines. The court cleared Scott of misconduct; still, it reprimanded him for his language criticizing Gaines in official communications. The court

16637-644: Was preparing for an invasion of the Canadas . President James Madison made the invasion the central part of his administration's war strategy in 1812, as he sought to capture Montreal and thereby take control of the St. Lawrence River and cut off Upper Canada from Lower Canada . The invasion would begin with an attack on the town of Queenston , which was just across the Niagara River from Lewiston, New York . In October 1812, Van Rensselaer's force attacked

16768-446: Was removed from command for insubordination and was succeeded by General Wade Hampton . The rousing reception Scott received from his army peers as he began his suspension led him to believe that most officers approved of his anti-Wilkinson comments, at least tacitly; their high opinion of him, coupled with Leigh's counsel to remain in the army, convinced Scott to resume his military career once his suspension had been served. He rejoined

16899-549: Was succeeded by Vice President John Tyler . On June 25, 1841, Macomb died, and Scott and Gaines were still the two most obvious choices for the position of Commanding General of the United States Army . Secretary of War John Bell recommended Scott, and President Tyler approved; Scott was also promoted to the rank of major general . According to biographer John Eisenhower , the office of commanding general had, since its establishment in 1821, been an "innocuous and artificial office ... its occupant had been given little control over

17030-492: Was suspended for one year. After the trial, Scott fought a duel with William Upshaw, an army medical officer and Wilkinson friend Scott blamed for initiating the court-martial. Each fired at the other, but both emerged unharmed. After the duel, Scott returned to Virginia, where he spent the year studying military tactics and strategy, and practicing law in partnership with Benjamin Watkins Leigh . Meanwhile, Wilkinson

17161-704: Was the home of numerous local notables: George Galphin (1709–1780);Samuel Hammond (1757–1842); Parson Mason Locke Weems (1759–1825); Rebecca "Becky" Cotton (1765–1807); Billy Porter (aka “Billy the Fiddler”), a slave (1771–1821); Rev. William Bullein Johnson (1782–1862); Augustus Baldwin Longstreet (1790–1870), a famous author; Andrew Pickens Butler (1796–1857); Dave Drake (1800–1879?), a slave; Francis Hugh Wardlaw (1800–1861); Louis T. Wigfall (1816–1874); Preston S. Brooks (1819–1857); General James A. Longstreet (1821–1904),

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