Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1858-08-25
WashIngtOn,s Personal appearance.


first saw General Washington on the 17Ih
Of October, 1878, when for short time be
had bis headquarters at house then occupied
by Col. Kane, (great grandfather Of the late
DIR. Kane,) some two miles west Of the Quaker
meeting house on Quaker Hill in the preser
town Of Rawlings, formerly called Fredricks.
burg, Dntchess county, and on The road lead
ing to Poughkeepsie. The eucampment Of
the largest portion of the Continental army
then collected in one place was on the same
ridge Of land with the Quaker meeting house,
and from two to three miles south Of il on the
road from Cold Spring to Carmel, the present
countv seat Of Putnam county, and within the
limits Of the town Of Patterson in the same
county. was at that time in my tenth year,
and like alIsboys belonging to ardent whig
families, at that stirring period, was intensely
interested In the great events occurring around
me. My father and mother took me with
fhena-1 .ala assllla ,t,nui tan miles liassal
from tEieif residence.
The 9th of Octobsr was selected as the
time for the visit because it was known that
there would be a grand parade and fe'lival
on that day, II being the first anniversary Of
the surrender Of Burgoyne For the same rea
son many Others awaited themselves ofllle oc
casion to visit the camp; aud large crowd of
both sexes was collected. AS everybody was
eager TO see General Washington, they hud
died together upon the road leading from the
Generals headquarters to the camp all on
horseback, as everybody then rode who rode
at all. The cavacade OF officers and their at
tendants who had gone up to headquarters to
escort the COMMANDMENT Chief down to the
place of entertainment soon made their appear
ance. AS it was passing the company ofspec.
tators. nv father euquired Of a soldier stand
inc bv the road whether "his Exeellency" was
in the train which was just riding by He
answt red, remember, thus: Yves sir he's on
the right hand in front, or the blaze faced
horse"-and a noble horse he WAS. The ca
yaIcade, 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 atupon its top, where
the tables set under long shade Of green
boushs. AS soon as the Generals horse came
TO the foot of the bill, he sprang forward with
the sw,ftness Of bird aud assembled rather BY
leaps than an ordinary galop, and reached the
top before any other one Of the escort had goI
half way up. Certainly never before, nor du
ring the long years since, did behold 50 no
Bile an equestrian figure, for General Washing
Ton exceiIed in horsemanship as he did IL
everything else which he undertook.
When the General and bis attendants had
arrived at their destination, the spectators dis
mounted and took their stands outside of The
assembly Of officers. who joined in numerous
parties ii conversation for a long while before
dinner was served. My eyes were riveted du
ring the whole time upon General Washing
ton, whose noble personal appearance and ma
iestic bearing SO far exceeded any other pres
ent as to leave no ground for comparison. A
loftv stature two inches over six feet with d
form as perfect in its proportions as possible
representing both gracefulness and strength
a nearer and repeated view Of him many
years after. when in the Office of President q
the United States, enables me to say that my
first estimate Of his personal appearance was
not mistaken one, though formed in theen
tbusiasm Of boyhood. gazed at him for a
least two hours, scarcely having patience tC
have my attention turned to other distinguish
ed offieers whom my father pointed out to m,
such as Baron Steuben, General Kuox. anC
The Baron De Kalb then believed that
was looking at the nobIest aud best men il
the world, aud eighty years resding and re
Election, which have since elapsed, has in NJ
wise changed that early impression.
The General was dressed in blue Goa
with buff facings and large gold epaulets, viii
bnff coIered small clothes and vest. and hooIi
reaching quite 10 bis knee. His hail, Of whicl
he had q large quantity, was craped and turn
ID back from his forehead, and dressed in
very large and long braid Or twist upon hi
back; The whole prOfusely powdered, as va