Middletown transcript., 1869-03-20

| straight, and rather slender, OF dark com-
plexion showing little, if any rosy red, yet
good health the outline of his face nearly
a circle, and within that, eyes black to
darkness, strong and penetrating, beaming
with intelligence and good nature. An
upright forehead, rather low, was terminus
ted in horizontal line by amass Of raven
black hair of unusual thickness and
strength. The features of his face we're in
harmony with the outline, and the temples
fully developed, The result'of this CONF
bination was interesting, and very agreea-
BILE. The body and limbs indicated agility
rather than strength, in which, however,
he was by no means deficient. He wore q
purple, or pale blue hunting shirt. (and
trowsers of the same materially fringed with
white. A round black hat mounted with
the bucktail for coekade, completed tho
figure aud the man. He went through the
manual exercise by word and motion de-
libcrately planned and performed, in the
presence of the company before he rcquir-
ed the men to initiate him, and then pros
ceeded to exercise them with the most per-
feet temper. Never did man possess
temper more happy, or if otherwise, more
subdued, or better disciplined After q
few lessons the company was dismissed, and
informed that if they wished to hear more
of the war, and would form circle around
him, he would tell them what he knew
about it. The circle was formed, and no
addressed them for nearly an hour. ] re-
member, for l was near him, that he speke
at the close of his speech of the g Minute
Rntt oh 10 b.a hfn
was going into it, and expected to bo
joined by many of his hearers, He then
challenged an acquaintance to o game Of
quoits, and they closed the day with foot
races, and other athletic exercises at Hhich
there ras no Jcttiag."
This is a portrait" says a distin-
guished cotemporary OF the Chief Justice.
to which in simplicity, gaiety Of heart.
and manlincss of spirit, in everything but
the symbols of youthful soldier, and one
or two of those lineamcnts which the hand
of time, however gentle, changes, and,
perhaps improves, he never lost his resem-
blance. All who knew him we'll, will re-
cognize its truth to nature"
The determination which the youthful
Marshall announced to his friends ON the
muster ground was no idle defamation.
Unlike those who warm into eloquenee on
the subject of war, when its prospect is
distant, but when its thunders break. pre-.
fer the race with the swift, rather than the
battle with the strong, or like the inimita-
bic Artemas Ward, who said he was will
ling to sacrifice all his wife's relations for
'' the vigorous prosecution of the war, ,"--
the summer of 1775 saw the name of John
Marshall enrolled on tho lists of the "Min.
ute Battalion" with the rank of Lieuten-
ant; and in the battle of Great Bridge,
near Norfolk, when Lord Dunmore was dee
feated and forced to his ships, the subject
of our sketch shared in the triumphs Of
the victory, and had full and honorable
mention of his name in conncxion with
that engagement. The next year. Us
Lieutenant in the 18th Virginia Regiment,
he marched to the Middle States, where
in 1777 he was promoted to Captaincy.
At Brandywine, Germantown. and Iron
Hill, the tall form of the young captain
might have been seen towering in the hot
test strife, and his bold manly voice been
heard uttering its tones of cheer. Three
times was ne in the battles brunt with
George Washington, and twice in the fields
of Brandywine and Monmouth with that
young and gallant Frenchman. who leaving
the purple clusters of his viney France to
blush for other eyes, drew his chivalrous
blade in the cause of young freedom, and
was proud to be called "the adopted son
of Washington brave Layfayette
''The officers of the Virginia line" saya
Judge Story, appeared almost to idolize
John Marshall" !"
He was again in the field ut the battle
of Stony Point, aud, in October 1870,
when Virginia was invaded by British
force, under the infamous Benediot Ar
mold, Marshall was again at his post. But
why enumerate all this of the young SOL
dler, when the campaign of '78, would Of
itself have stamped undying glory upon
the history of the humblest subaltern' in
that immortal band, 'twho," in tho elo-
quent language of Horace Binney, ."pp.
surpassed in carth's annals, unpaid, almost
starving and naked, left the bloody foot-
prints of their toil-worn march upon tho
SHOWS of Valley Forge, in that vigorous
winter, and who never turned their faces
from their country in resentment, or from
their enemies in fear"
Before passing on to behold John Mar
shall in the more extended field of his usc-
fullness, nnd in his rising fame, | cannot
better close this present number, without
one more tribute to the man from that dis
tinguished lawyer, and personal friend Of
the Chief Justice, Horace Binney,
"a man of the people. deriving his :
existence from cultivator of the earth, o
stranger during youth to all the indnlgen-
cies which nourish sense Of aupsyiority
to others, or deaden the sympathy with the
humble; imbibing his morality, his know
ledge, his tastes, his estimate Of mankind
from n brave and yirtuous voeman. and at