The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1875-08-06
Mi 8 ccllane O us.
For the AgiS and Intelltgencer
IDA MARSHALL.

N.
On the 10Th day of May, in the year ITS,
intelligence reached Charlotte, N. c.,
that the battle of Lexington had been
fought, and that British tyranny was
about to bind the Colonies in letters of
iron. The news spread like wild fire.
Couriers mounted on swift horses were soon
securing the country for miles around,
spreading the sad news and telling the peo-
pie that meeting would be held in the
woods at Charlotte that same evening. At
the appointed time dense crowd of men
and large number Of ladies were assembled
in the grove aforesaid. Their object was
to consider the situation, and see what was
to be done in this dreadful emergency.
Among those present was John Marshall,
afterwards Chief Justice,) and his beauti-
full cousin, Miss Ida Marshall. The meet
ing was orderly, but the iron countenances
of those true and sturdy patriots, plainly
showed that they were in terrible earnest
and meant business, and that King George
the Ill. had no friends there.
The meeting was first addressed by John
Marshall, who depicted in eloquent terms
the terrible State of affairs. He was fol-
lowed by Miss Ida Marshall, who was one
of the most beautiful ladies of the old
North State, and blessed with a noble mind
and every requisite that constituted an in
telligent and refined lady. At the time of
which l write she was twenty years of age.
! After John Marshall closed his speech,
Miss Ida arose, and with one of her sweet
est smiles greeted the large audience. At
her appearance on the rostrum wild shout
of applause greeted her, and in q sweet
silvery voice she addressed the large ASSN
| bly, before her. She was listened to with
marked attention and delight by her pa
triotic audience. She wore large gilt
tering diamond on her breast, but its spark
ling lustre soon paled before the patriotic
burst of oratory of the beautiful and gifted
speaker. Her hearers were spell bound
and taken captive by her powerful argu-
ments, in which she portrayed the tyranny
of the British Government, telling her
hearers that the time for submission or
compromise had passed away forever, and
that it was now time for the sons of free
dom to burst their shackles and declare
themselves free from all allegiance to the
British Crown. The fair speaker brought
her speech to close by telling her hearers
to fear nothing, for that she believed that
the Great Jehovah would look benignly
on their efforts, and that they would be
finally successful.
The gifted speaker spoke for two hours,
and took her seat amid the shouts of her
patriotic hearers.
At the close of our heroine's speech a
resolution was drawn up, which, declared
that henceforth the Colonies of America
owed no allegiance to the British Govern
ment, and those present pledged themselves
by their lives and sacred honor to support
the same. The resolution was passed by
reclamation. This was the first and origi-
nal Declaration of Independence of the
thirteen United Colonies, and its immedi-
ate passage was in great measure brought
about by the sweet voice of the beautiful
and gifted Ida, to whose gifted mind we
owe the first Declaration of Independence.
Miss Ida continued espouse the cause OF
Liberty throughout the war, and spent
thousands of her ample fortune in the
sacred cause. She was in Philadelphia on
the 4th of July, 1776, and had the grand
satisfaction to see the darling project
which was the idol of her heart consum.
mated.
1t would take book to give history
of what this estimable lady did for hel
country during the war, and will give you
one more incident and then close.
In 1880, when Lord Cornwallis overrur
North Carolina he stopped awhile at Char
lotte, and sent Major Ferguson to the
mountain region to enroll the tories and to
overawe the patriots. Ferguson stopped a,
house where Ida was ON visit. Miss lot
waited on the Major and his staff at the din
ner table, and entertained them with be
witching grace. When the unsuspectins
Britons were about to leave, and were chat
ting with the other ladies, she stole out,ant
mounting young wild horse rode at full
speed to neighboring encampment o
patriots, warning them to prepare for al
i. attack before the next morning. She i'm
mediately returned, and having been gon
so short time, the Britons had not miss
led her and she escaped suspicion. Befor