Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1880-05-22

Whitaker took more stock in Marshal
than did the austere Brannan. He had
fellow feeling with him, too, for the flas
was thorn in the flesh to him. Ever
morning he would take his glass an(
look to see if the flag was still there, ant
invariably as he took the glass from his
eyes a big D. epitaph exploded wrath
! fully from his lips. He was wont to tall
with Marshall about it.
Marshall" he would say, you art
sure you can shoot down that Dc
flag?"
Il can, sir"
But, do you know what General
Brannan says, Marshall?"
Il do, sir. But, with all respect tt
General Brannan, maintain / can dc
it."
One night Whitaker sent for Marshall
to come to his headquarters. When he
| got there, he said:
Marshall, Eve been at Chattanooga
to-day. and I've signed my name to $500
for YOU"
Signed 5000 for me? Why, what's that
| for, General?'
swell, sir, / am going to have you try
at that flag. and General Brannan says
you will burst gun. and | have gone
security to the amount of 5000, and to-
morrow morning you shall make the
| trial"
John Marshall went back to his quar-
tiers that night happy man. He was
now to have the opportunity to show
that he could do as much as he said. He
felt the hour of his triumph approach
ing.
In the morning after breakfast Gen.
eral Whitaker came down to the point.
His gun squad was there in perfect drill,
for he had shown them so often how he
would do it if he only could get permits
sion, and they had taken so much inter-
est that each man was proficient in his
part.
The General took his place where he
could watch the effect of the shot. He
was little anxious. Now, Marshall"
he said, "be CAREFUL Don't you explode
gun and kill me, yourself, and half a
dozen men,"
'Never fear, General" responded Mar
shall, confidently. "Tll hurt no gun.
Now watch where the first shot goes.
Everything in readiness, Marshall
pulled the lanyard. General Whitaker
took the glasses from his eyes, and said:
"TOO high, Marshall, too high! Invent
hundred yards above the flag"
Eyes, sir, | know that, and the next
shot will be fifty yards above it,"
And the next one was fifty yards above
"Now, General, this time I'll fetch the
flag"
The gun doomed. General Whitaker
looked for the flag. At last he burst out,
by -, Marshal, she's gOne." In his
delight he forgot the distinctions of
rank, and, handing his glass to a
private of the gun-squad, told him to
take look. The soldier did so, and cor
rObOrated the General. The glass passed
around, and all saw that the flag was
gone.
General Whitaker went to Marshall
and said: Marshall, my man, 1 cOngrat-
ulate you. I'm going right over to Chat
tanOOga and tell General Brannan that
the Eighteenth Ohio Battery knows
more than he does"
General Brannan was an honorable, if
strict officer, and when he heard that
Marshall had succeeded in shooting the
flag he sent him his congratulations,
and commended him for his skill. But
General Whitaker enjoyed MarshalPs
triumph even more than did Marshall
himself, and he always afterward treated
him with great consideration and favor,
and laughed with thesintensestfOf relish
whenever he had occasion to relate how
Lieutenant Marshall, of the Eighteenth
Ohio Battery, knew more of practical
gunnery than the Chief of Ordinance of
the Army of the Cumberland, and had
forced him to take water on an opinion.
Dayton. o., Journal.