Winfield Scott: A Strict But Fair General

The military was in his big bones, as he served over 50 years as a commander in the young country called the United States.

An engraving of President Abraham Lincoln and his Cabinet, with General Winfield Scott standing on Lincoln's left, circa 1864. Archive Photos/Getty Images

Given with the nickname “Old Fuss and Feathers” due to his strict adherence to military discipline, Winfield Scott served more than 50 years as a commander in several wars and served in the military for over five decades.

Scott was born in 1786 on a Virginia plantation. His parents died when he was still a juvenile, but with his inheritance he was able to attend the College of William and Mary and then went on to study law. But service in the military was his first love. He first joined the local militia and then the army.