American army marched through Philadel we are without particular description of the phia and toward the Brandywine. The conduct of young Marshall on the field. It army at this time, according to Mar is enough, however, to know that his career shall's statement, after uniting with the was honorable, and that he sought oppor Pennsylvania militia, did not number tunity for service in the most active and more than 11,000 effective men. Young hazardous parts of the various fields of action Marshall's company was attached to a with which he was connected, and evidence corps of light infantry under General is abundant that the skill and courage of the Maxwell, which advanced and engaged ' young Virginian were sufficient for the most in a skirmish at Iron Hill, but Maxwell soon serious work to which a soldier may be retreated over White Creek, with a loss of called. forty men. The corps to which Marshall be Young Marshall is a part of the sad story longed held the advance of the army in cross of the terrible winter of 1777-8 at Valley ing the Brandywine, and went into position Forge. He shared the sufferings and the on the hills south of the river on the road privations of the army for the entire winter. leading to Chad's Ford. The corps was im The extreme cold and the hunger reached mediately under arms and engaged in skir officers and men alike. We have the words mishing with the enemy, but early in the day of Washington, that "no history extant can gave way, and recrossed the river below the furnish an instance of an army suffering ford, taking up a position which was only such uncommon hardships, and bearing separated from the British by the river and them with the same patience and fortitude." a thin strip of wood. While the force was in It is here that we have a sufficient test of this position, it is understood that Marshall the soldierly qualities of young Marshall. took part in a sharp and hazardous skirmish There was no pomp of parade, or of war, no which engaged a large body of the enemy; gorgeous military display to stir the enthusi but in his own account of the affair he mod asm of youth. The cold, the nakedness and estly refers to himself as an eye-witness. the hunger were such as to try the souls of Young Marshall was in command of his strong and mature men. Here we find con company in the hotly contested battle of the ditions which try the mettle, and the fibre Brandywine, where his father, in command of men; and let us see how the future illus of the third regiment, notably distinguished trious Chief Justice acquitted himself. Let himself by holding, under severe loss, his the words of a messmate tell. Lieutenant position in a wood against largely superior Slaughter says: "He was the best-tempered numbers long after his division had retreated man I ever knew. During his sufferings at from its position. Valley Forge, nothing discouraged, nothing At Germantown young Marshall's com disturbed him. If he had no bread to eat, pany was attached to Woodford's brigade, it was just as well; if only meat, it made no which was in that part of the left wing oppo difference. If any of the officers murmured site the British right. The infantry of the at their deprivations he would shame them British right was sharply attacked and by good-natured raillery, or encourage them driven from the field, and while the brig by his own exuberance of spirits. He was ade to which Marshall belonged was gal an excellent companion, and idolized by the lantly pursuing the retre.ating enemy, its soldiers and his brother officers, whose onslaught was retarded and broken by the gloomy hours were enlivened by his inex destructive fire of the British from the haustible fund of anecdote." During the winter at Valley Forge, in famous stone house. addition to his field duties, young Marshall There are few historical details of the ser acted as arbitrator between officers and men vice of subordinate revolutionarv officers, so
