s that Congress, on March 3,
1813, passed an act of retaliation. In May, 1813, at the battle of
Fort George, a number of prisoners were captured. Colonel Scott, being
then chief of staff, selected twenty-three to be confined and held as
hostages. He was careful, however, to entirely exclude Irishmen from
the number. Eventually the twenty-three men sent to England were
released, and Scott took great interest in securing their arrearages
of pay and patents for their land bounties.

The doctrine of perpetual allegiance had always been maintained by the
British Government, and examples were numerous of the arrest or
detention of prisoners claimed as British subjects. After this act of
Colonel Scott no other prisoners were set apart by the British to be
tried for treason.

These transactions gave rise to discussion of the question throughout
the country and in both houses of Congress. President Madison, and Mr.
Monroe as Secretary of State, took strong ground against the British
claim. While subsequent treaties were silent on the question, the
right is no longer asserted by Great Britain, and has been recognized
by treaty. Colonel Scott then returned to Washington.

CHAPTER II.

Scott ordered to Philadelphia--Appointed adjutant general with the
rank of colonel--Becomes chief of staff to General Dearborn--Death
of General Pike--Leads the advance on Fort Niagara--Anecdote of
Scott and a British colonel--Commands the expedition to
Burlington Heights--March for Sackett's Harbor--Meets a force at
Cornwall--Retreat of Wilkinson--Scott appointed brigadier
general--Attack on and surrender of Fort Erie--Battle of
Chippewa--Lundy's Lane and wounding of Scott--Retreat of the army to
Black Rock--Fort Erie--Visits Europe.

From Washington Colonel Scott was ordered to Philadelphia to take
command of another battalion of his regiment. In March, 1813, he was
appointed adjutant general with the rank of colonel, and about the
same time promoted to the colonelcy of his regiment. Notwithstanding
his command of the regiment, he continued to perform staff duties. At
this time General Dearborn was in command of the American forces at
Fort Niagara, consisting of about five thousand men. In May, Colonel
Scott, with his regiment, joined General Dearborn, and Scott became
chief of staff. He first organized the service among all the staff
departments, several of which were entirely new, and others disused in
the United States since the R