Winfield Scott
1786–1866 · American · Mexican-American War / Early Civil War
Known for: 'Old Fuss and Feathers'—conquered Mexico City and devised the Anaconda Plan that won the Civil War
Winfield Scott was the most underrated military commander in American history. At 6'5" and over 300 pounds, obsessed with military protocol and magnificent uniforms, he earned the nickname 'Old Fuss and Feathers.' But beneath the vanity was a military genius who conquered Mexico City with a smaller force in 1847—earning comparison to Cortés—and designed the Anaconda Plan that ultimately won the Civil War.
He served as commanding general for 20 years and was the Whig presidential candidate in 1852. He was too old and too fat to personally command in the Civil War, but his strategic vision—strangling the Confederacy through blockade and river control—proved decisive.
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