St. Landry democrat., 1889-05-11
Washington's Personal Appearance.

Washington, according to Houdon's
measurements, was feet inches in height.
| He was a giant in size and physical
| strength. Looking over the extensive col
| lection of old letters and memoranda re-
lating to Washington, in the possession 81
Dr. Joseph M. Toner, of this city, who is
now engaged in editing Washington's
diaries, says the Washington correspondent
of the New York Tribune, l found copy
of an interesting account of Washlngton's
personal appearance, written by one who
had seen him. 1t was letter penned by
David Ackerson, of Alexandria, Va, in
1911, in answer to an inquiry by his son.
Mr.. Ackerson commanded a company in
the revolutionary war.
"Washington was not" he wrote, 'what
ladies would call pretty man, but in mil
itary costume. a heroic figure such as would
impress the memory ever afterward. :"
The writer had a good view of Washing
ton three days before the crossing of the
| Delaware.
"Washington," he says, chad large,
thick nose, and it was very red that day,
giving me the impression that he was not
so moderate in the use of liquors as he
was supposed to be. l found afterward
that this was popularity. His nose was
apt to turn scarlet in a cold wind. He
was standing near small camp fire, evi
IDENTIFY lost in thought and making no eff
fort to keep warm. He seemed six feet
and a half in height, was as erect as an
Indian, and did not for moment relax
from military attitude. Washington's
exact height was feet 2 inches in his
boots He was then little lame from
striking his knee against tree. His eye
| - l. nj,
and he had a troubled look on his color
less face. He had piece of woollen tied
around his throat and was quite hoarse.
Perhaps the throat trouble from which he
finally died had it's origin about then.
Washington's boots were enormous. They
were No. 10. His ordinary walking shoes
were No. H. His hands were large in
proportion, and he could not buy glove
to fit him and had to have his gloves made
to order. His mouth was his strong fea-
ture, the lips being always tightly com
pressed That day they were compressed
so tightly as to be painful to look at. At
that time he weighed 200 pounds and there
was no surplus flesh about him. He was
tremendously muscled, and the fame OF
his strength was everywhere. His large
tent when wrapped up with the poles was
so heavy that it required two men to place
it in the camp wagon. Washington would
lift it with one hand and throw it in the
wagon as easily as if it were a pair OF
saddle bags He could hold musket
with one hand and shoot with precision as
easily as other men did with horse pistol.
His lungs were his weak point and his
voice was never strong. He was at that
time in the prime of life. His hair was a
chestnut brown, his cheeks were promi-
nent, and his head was not large in con
trast to every other part of his body, which
seemed large and bony at all points. His
finger Joints and wrists were so large as to
be genuine curiosities. AS to his habits at
that period, found out much that might
be interesting. He was an enormous eater,
but was content with bread and meat, il
he had plenty of it. But hunger seemed
to put him in rage. 1t was his custom
to take drink of rum or whisky on
awakening in the morning: OF course all
this was changed when he grew old.
saw him at Alexandria year before he
died. His hair was very gray and his
form was slightly bent. His chest was
very thin He had false teeth which did
not fit and pushed his under lip outward.