The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-11-07
John 3. Magruder.

Buried in an obscure spot in the grave
yard at Houston. Texas, a subscription
is now being taken up to enclose hi
grave and put something upon it in tn,
shape of a token that he Is still remem
bered by the people among whom h,
fought and died.
Magruder was "a wonderful man. H,
stood s feet 4 inches in height, and hat
a form which the men envied and tn,
women adored. His nerves we're al
iron. Foreign travel and COMPREHENSIVE,
culture had given to his wit a zest tina
was always crisp and sparkling. He new
er lacerated- To the sting of the repair
tee he added the honey of the clover
He could fight all day and dance all night
10 the morning a glass of brandy and q
good cigar renewed his strength and
caused the cup of his youth to run owe
with the precious wine of health and hi
spirits.
He loved magnificent uniforms, magnif
cent horses, magnificent riders and mag
nifcent women.
Gifted and graceful in conversation, he
was a pet in the boudoir and a l~ogician il
the barracks. He had studied French il
Paris. Italian in Rome, and Spanish il
the halls of the Montezumas. His horse.
manship was of the English kind, that i.
to say, not graceful, but impossible to be
surpassed for firm riding and endurance.
tie wrote little love songs tina we're set
to music: u of them, 'Imogene." had
10 IL the plaintive ~repinings of a soldier
lover and the rhythm of burial bugles. Iu
the Crimea he astonished the French
officers by sleeping at the front with the
Chasseurs under fire. In Mexico he sent
back to the Archbishop a lady's perfumed
glove he had found in his palace when
the city was won, and with it a note
which read ut is pretty enough to have
belonged 70 a queen. Would she have
pardoned me if had appropriated it,
As the Archbishop sent him the next
day a basket of delicious wine, it is sup
pose That the fair owner of the glove must
have look %lenieDtly upon the handsome
American soldier.
Later, and while riding with General
Scott down the long street of Iturbide,
General Garnett Joined them, and Ma
gruder drew a little back, for his supcri
ors to consult. A white puff of smoke
curled out from an open window. a sud-
den report followed speedily and Garnett
and horse went down together. An
ounce ball, intended tor Scott, had broken
Garnett's thigh, and killed his charger.
Fearing another fire, Magruder ealloped
to the side of his chief and covered his
body with his own. The old mans eyes
never dropped nor his voice changed an
information.
How long will it take you to batter
down that house ~ He spoke CURLY to
Lieutenant Maeruder. pointing with a
sweep'Of his finger to the nearest. and
from which the bullet came. IAN hour
by the watch, General" Then open
fire at point blank range. and leave not
one stone upon another" 1t wa. done,
and well, and those who saw Magruder
soonest afterwards noticed that he had
another bar Cd his epaulettes; and had
been made a Captain. War was his ele
,nent- the bivOuac his delight, aud the
battle -teld his perfect inspiration.
Prodiyal fashionable. ionlishly brave
sometimes. a spend; hrift, generous. a
true friend aud s,a..l cumrAde, the sur
render Of Appomattox made him an aged
nan in in his prime and wrinkled his
features ~grievously which had before re-
sisted all the attack of time.-St. 10.
Gazette.