MARSHAL OR. nuircschai, mareseal, Fr. .man'ehal, from :Al L. uiareschaleS.c, earesealcus, from 0110. marahscalh, groom, master of the horse, marshal, from ma rah, AS. in each, Ir., Gael. mare, (1k. pzipicas, inarkas, horse Ger. Schalk, Goth. skulks, AN seeale, obsolete Eng. shalk, servant). A term in English history, originally meaning, a groom or manager of the horse, though eventually the King's marshal became one of the great officers of the household of the Norman and Plantagenet kings. being conjointly with the constable (q.v.) a judge in the curia: martialcs, or courts of chivalry, and enjoying equal rank with the Chancellor. The constable's functions were virtually abolished in the time of Henry V111., and the marshal be came thenceforth the sole judge in questions of honor and arms. The earl marshal is president of the English College of Heralds, and appoints the kings-at-arms, heralds, and mirsuivants. The dignity of marshal existed formerly in Scotland, where a different orthography was adopted. and the office of marischal became hereditary in the fourteenth century in the family of Keith. In France the.highest military officer is called a marshal, a dignity which originated early in the thirteenth century. There was at first only one mari.chal de France. and there were but two till the time of Francis I. Their number afterwards became unlimited. Originally the marshal was the esquire of the King, and commanded the van guard in war; in later times the command be came supreme. and the rank of the highest mili
tary importance. From the title of this class of gem-cal officers the Germans have borrowed their Feldmarsehall, and the English the title of field marshal, a dignity bestowed on e?munanders dis tingtfished either by elevated rank or superior talents. The title marshal in the United States is used: (I) to denote the ministerial officer of the United States courts, there Reim. with sev eral exceptions, one appointed for each judicial district. The exceptions are the few instances where one marshal is required to perform the duties of two districts. '('lie duties of this officer resemble those of a sheriff in the State courts; he opens and closes the sessions of the district and circuit. courts, serves warrants. and executes throughout the district all lawful precepts di reeled to him. Marshals are also appointed for Porto Rico, Alaska, and Hawaii. (2) In ninny States of the South and West the marshal is the town or village police officer. and is to be dis tinguished from the officers of the county called sheriffs, and iron) the officers of the justices' courts called constables. Besides their functions in eonnection with the courts, the States marshals discharge duties in connection with the administration of the internal revenue service, public land s.. the mail service. etc. They are ap pointed 1)y the President with the advice and con sent of the Senate for a term of four years.