Lt. General Winfield Scott - Washington, DC - Statues of Historic Figures on Waymarking.com

Mention a statue of General Winfield Scott in Washington DC and most folks will think about the monumental equestrian statue that stands at the intersection of Massachusetts Ave. and Rhode Island Ave. But there’s another equally monumental statue of ‘Old Fuss and Feathers’ a little further north, on the grounds of the Old Soldier’s Home, which few people visit. And like the equestrian statue, this one dates from the 1870s and is made of bronze obtained from cannons captured during the Mexican War.

Winfield Scott had a long and illustrious military career which spanned almost six decades in the first half of the nineteenth century. In one way shape or form, he participated in three major conflicts: the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War and the U.S. Civil War. In 1841, Scott was appointed Commanding General of the U.S. Army, a position he held for twenty years, under seven different Presidents - longer than anyone has ever held that or a similar position. And he even dabbled in politics, running for President of the United States in 1852, but lost to Franklin Pierce.

Scott participated in several significant battles during the War of 1812, all on the Canadian front. Before the end of that conflict, he was promoted to Brigadier General while still in his twenties. He was a brilliant commander during the Mexican War, even serving a short but successful stint as military commander of Mexico City. But by the time the Civil War rolled around, he was in his seventies and weighed over 300 pounds. No longer up for a fight, he was willing to let the seceding states leave the Union peaceably. This viewpoint conflicted with the Lincoln administration and Scott eventually resigned his position to younger but probably less competent successors.

Shortly after the Mexican War, Winfield Scott (and others) advocated for a retirement home for military veterans. In 1851, he put up the money to purchase some property in the District of Columbia for what became known as the Old Soldier’s Home - an entity that still functions in that same capacity today but with substantially expanded facilities (including a nine-hole golf course). It is an unusually idyllic setting in the middle of bustling city.

In honor of the former general’s contributions to the establishment of the home, this statue was commissioned shortly after his death. Executed by sculptor Launt Thompson, the general stands upright in full dress uniform, which is fitting since he earned his nickname ‘Old Fuss and Feathers’ because he always insisted on proper military dress and etiquette. The bronze statue stands on a granite base for a total height of almost 19 ft. and was officially dedicated in 1873. There is a small plaque off to the side which reads:

IN HONOR OF
LIEUTENANT GENERAL
WINFIELD SCOTT
BORN 13 JUNE 1786 DIED 29 MAY 1866
GENERAL IN CHIEF OF THE ARMY
1841-1861
FOUNDER OF THE
UNITED STATES SOLDIER'S HOME

Besides the couple of statues in Washington, Winfield Scott has also appeared on several U.S. postage stamps down through the years. On one of these, issued in 1937 and commemorating the U.S. Army, the image of Winfield Scott is actually based more or less on this Launt Thompson statue or at least one the studies Thompson made during its execution.

URL of the statue: [Web Link]

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