he reasons for their frequent success. He entrusted his schemes
to nobody, not even his most confidential officers. He consulted with
them respectfully, heard them patiently, weighed their suggestions, and
silently approached his conclusions. They knew his determinations only
from his actions. He left no track behind him, if it were possible to
avoid it. He was often vainly hunted after by his own detachments. He
was more apt at finding them than they him. His scouts were taught a
peculiar and shrill whistle, which, at night, could be heard at a most
astonishing distance. We are reminded of the signal of Roderick Dhu:--

----"He whistled shrill,
And he was answered from the hill,
Wild as the scream of the curlew,
From crag to crag, the signal flew."

His expeditions were frequently long, and his men, hurrying forth
without due preparation, not unfrequently suffered much privation from
want of food. To guard against this danger, it was their habit to watch
his cook. If they saw him unusually busied in preparing supplies of
the rude, portable food, which it was Marion's custom to carry on such
occasions, they knew what was before them, and provided themselves
accordingly. In no other way could they arrive at their general's
intentions. His favorite time for moving was with the setting sun,
and then it was known that the march would continue all night. Before
striking any sudden blow, he has been known to march sixty or seventy
miles, taking no other food in twenty-four hours, than a meal of
cold potatoes and a draught of cold water. The latter might have been
repeated. This was truly a Spartan process for acquiring vigor. Its
results were a degree of patient hardihood, as well in officers as men,
to which few soldiers in any periods have attained. These marches were
made in all seasons. His men were badly clothed in homespun, a light
wear which afforded little warmth. They slept in the open air, and
frequently without a blanket. Their ordinary food consisted of sweet
potatoes, garnished, on fortunate occasions, with lean beef. Salt
was only to be had when they succeeded in the capture of an enemy's
commissariat; and even when this most necessary of all human condiments
was obtained, the unselfish nature of Marion made him indifferent to its
use. He distributed it on such occasions, in quantities not exceeding a
bushel, to each Whig family; and by this patriarchal care, still farther
endeared himself to