o the Capital. Scott enjoys the rare distinction
of having held high and successful command in two wars which were a
full generation of men apart. In 1847 he commanded in Mexico the sons
of those officers who aided in his brilliantly successful campaign
against the British on the borders of Canada in 1814.

At the opening of the war of the Rebellion General Scott again
assumed command, but his seventy-five years pressed heavily upon him,
and he soon gave way to younger men who came rapidly forward with
patriotic ardor and with worthy ambition. Nearly all the graduates of
the United-States Military Academy who achieved distinction were in
what might be termed their middle youth; a few were in their twenties;
none were old. General Grant won his campaign of the Tennessee, and
fought the battles of Henry, Donelson, and Shiloh when he was
thirty-eight years of age. Sherman entered upon his onerous work in
the South-West when he was forty-one, and accomplished the march to
the sea when he was forty-four. Thomas began his splendid career in
Kentucky when he was forty-three, and fought the critical and
victorious battle of Nashville when he was forty-six. Sheridan was
but thirty-three when he confirmed a reputation, already enviable, by
his great campaign of 1864 in the Shenandoah Valley. Meade won the
decisive battle of Gettysburg when he was forty-seven. McClellan was
but thirty-five when he succeeded General Scott in command of the
army. McDowell was forty-five when he fought the first battle of
magnitude in the war. Buell was forty-two when he joined forces with
Grant's army on the second day's fight at Shiloh. Pope was scarcely
over forty when he attained the highest credit for his success in the
South-West. Hancock was forty-one when he approved himself one of
the most brilliant commanders in the army by his superb bearing on the
field of Spotsylvania. Hooker was forty-six when he assumed command of
the Army of the Potomac.

General Schofield was thirty-four when he commanded with signal ability
and success in the battle of Franklin. John Reynolds was forty-three
when he fell at the head of his corps in the first day's fight at
Gettysburg. Rosecrans was forty-two when he gained the important
victory at Stone River. Burnside was thirty-seven when he made the
admirable record of his North-Carolina campaign. Howard was thirty-two
when he was assigned to the command of a corps, and only a year older
when h