Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-07-03
NJ lSC Z L L A n Y.
THE HEROIC AGE.


| The following "reminiscences, by the Hon. Da-
vid Sherman Boardman of New Milford, Con-
necticut, relating to the personal appearance of
the greatest citizen of his country, is an exceed
lngy interesting narrative; and the venerable
writer, now in his ninetieth year, has kindly
yielded to our request. and detailed the impress
sion made upon his youthful mind by the sight
of the grandest figure that adorns the heroic age
of the Republic.
wASHINGroN'S PERSONAL APPEARANCE.
| first saw General Washington on the 18th
OF October, l1IS, when for a short time he had
| his headquarters at house then occupied by
Colonel Kane, (great- grandfather of the late
DIR. hane,) some two miles westerly of the Qua
kcr meeting-hous on Quaker hill, in the pres
| ent town of Rawlings, formerly called Freder-
lcksburg, Dutahess county. and on the road
leading to Poughkeepsie. The cncampment of
the largest portion Of the Continental army then
collected in one place was on the same ridge of
land with the Quaker m citing house, and from
two to three miles south of it, on the road from
Cold Spring to Carmel, the present county seat
of Putnam county, and within the limits of the
town OF Patterson i'll the same county. | was
at that time in my tenth year, and, like all BOYS
belonging to ardent whig families, at that stir
ring period, was intensely interested in the great
events occurring around me. NV father and
mother took me with them to see the camp,
about ten miles distant from their residence
The 18th of October was selected as the time
for the visit because it was known that there
would be grand parade and festival on that
day, it being the first anniversary of the surren-
der of Burgoync. For the same reason many
others availed themselves of the occasion to yis-
it the camp, and large crowd of both sexes
was collected. AS everybody was eager to see
General Washington. they huddled together up
on the road leading from the Generals head
quarters to the camp all on horseback, as cv-
erybody then rode who rode at ALL The cayal-
cade of officers and their attendants who had
gone up to headquarters to escort the Comman-
der-in- Chief down to the place of entertainment
soon made their appearance. As it was pass
ing the company of spectators, my father in
quired of a soldier standing by the road, wheth-
er "his EXcellency" was in the train which was
just riding by. He answered, remember, thus:
ayes, sir him on the right hand in front on
the blazediaced hOrse'-and noble horse he
was The cavalcade, Immediately it had passed
the throng Of spectators, wheeled to the left OF
the road into an open field at the foot of very
abrupt but short ascent to the flat upon its top,
where the tables were set under long shade of
green boughs. As soon as the Generals horse
came to the foot of the hill, he sprang forward
with the swiftness of a.bird, and ascended it
rather by leaps than an ordinary gallop, and
reached the top before any other one Of the es-
cort had got half way up. Certainly never be-
fore, nor during the long years since, did be-
hold so noble an equestrian figure; for General
Washington excelled in horsemanship, as he did
in everything else which he undertook. When
the General and his attendants had arrived at
their destination, the spectators dismounted, and
took their stand outside of the assembly of Off
! who ininn1 IN
sation for long while before dinner was serv-
ed. My eyes were riveted during the whole
time upon General Washington, whose noble
personal appearance and ajestic bearing so far
exceeded any other present as to leave no ground
for comparison. A lofty stature two inches ov.
er six feet, with form as perfect in its proper.
tons as possible to represent both gracetulness
and strength-a nearer and repeated view OF
him many years afterwards, when in the Office
of President of the United States, enables mt
to say, that my first estimate of his personal ap
pearance was not mistaken one, though form
ed in the enthusiasm of boyhood gazed al
him for at least two hours, scarcely having pa.
| tience to have my attention turned to other dis.
tingushed officers whom my father pointed out
to me-such as the Baron Steuben, Genera
Knox, and the Baron DE Kalb. then beliey.
ed that was looking at the noblest and best
man in the world, and eighty years of reading
and reflection which have since elapsed has il
no wise changed that early impression.
The General was dressed in blue coat witt
butf iacings and large gold epaulets with buff
colored small-clothes and vest and boots reach
ing quite to the knee His hair of which he
had great quantity, was craped and turned
back from his forehead, and dressed in yer,
large and long braid or twist upon his back
the whole profusely powdered, as was then tht
or, shaped like a sabre, but much shorter and
lighter 1t was worn attached to a belt around
the waist, under the coat. The handle was Of
green ivory, the hilt and guard of silver, ant
was the same that was presented to Congress,
some years ago by the relative to whom ii wa,
bequeathed by the Generals will. Such wer,
my first impressions at the sight of the greates
man of his own or of any age. The picture il
stamped upon my memory in living light, ant