“[General-in-Chief of the army, Lieutenant General Winfield] Scott not only believed that the idea [for a battlefield decoration, to wit, a Medal of Honor, or valor] smacked of Old World vanity, elitism, and snobbery, he also thought that such an award was entirely unnecessary.” American Civil WarMedal Of Honor Book:Stealing the General: The Great Locomotive Chase and the First Medal of Honor Source: Stealing the General: The Great Locomotive Chase and the First Medal of Honor