Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 March 1884 — DUEL IN THE DARK. [ARTICLE]

DUEL IN THE DARK.

Famous Midnight Meeting on the Field - v — of Honor. Night combats have been frequent in Europe, and also in the United States. In 1821, in London, England, a barrister, named Christie, and the editor of the London AJagazine, Mr. Scott, fought a duel, so-called, at Chalk farm, and,the latter was killed. The original trouble occurred between Mr. Scott and Mr. Lockhart, the latter named gentleman qt the time editor of Blackwood’s Magazine ; and, it seems, Scott, who had been challenged by Lockhart, and who had declined to accept, was called upon by Christie, and the two quarreled, and subsequently agreed to meet the same evening to adjust their difficulties according to the “code of honor.” The fight took place at 10 o’clock during the full of the moon, and Scott fell mortally wounded at the first fire. Christie was arrested and charged with willful murder by a corner’s jury, bnt at the trial a short time afterward, he was acquitted. In 1721, Capt. Chickley and Lieut Stanley, while disputing ip a mess-room in a town near Dublin (Ireland), agreed to fight with small swords in a dark room the following evening. Stanley was an adroit swordsman, but was run through the body by his antagonist in a few minutes after the commencement of the fight.

Maj. Campbell and Capt. Boyd, offio- < ere of the 21st foot (British army), fought a duel, without seconds, in the < parlor of an Irish inn at Newry, a short time before midnight, in January, 1807. During the dispute Campbell challenged his brother officer to fight at once, but Boyd preferred that the meeting should take place next day. Campbell then taunted his comrade, and insinuated that he was displaying the white feather. The result was that they left the garrison where they were quartered, unaccompanied by friends, and fought as stated- Copt. Boyd receiving a mortal wound, from which he died in a day or two. Campbell was couvicted of murder on the 18th of August following, and executed on October, 2. His wife, who belonged to a family of high standing, made a desperate effort to secure royal clemency, but, as is known, without success. Boyd's last words were: “Campbell, you are a bad man; you hurried me in a most*wanton way, and have mortally wounded me in a fight of your own making and not according to established rules. I wanted to wait and have the matter put into the hands of ; friends, and you would not let me.” This terrible arraignment by the dying man was as effective as the death-war-rant itself, and carried conviction before indictment. In a- letter which Campbell left for publication he said: “I suffer a violent and ignominious death for the benefit of my countrymen, who, by my unhappy exit, shall learn to abhor the too prevalent and too fashionable crime of dueling.” The writer once met a gentleman who was present at the execution of Campbell,, who said he (Campbell) was one of the handsomest and bravest officers of the 21st, British foot. While of an excitable nature when angered, it is said of him that he was generally far more amiable and much less disagreeable than Boyd, although they had long l»een on terms of mutal dislike of each other. The night before the execution Mrs. Campbell had managed to perfect methods of escape, as it was pretty generally understood that, although no royal mercy could be extended, no, particular means of vigilance had been adopted. His noble wife, who had planned the escape, reminded him of his heroic conduct in Egypt, of his family name, and of the unheeded recommendation of mercy by the jury which pronounced the fatal words. But he only replied :,, “The greatest struggle of all is to leave yon, my darling; but lam still a soldier, and shall meet my fate like a man.” And he refused to farther dishonor himself, although the guard arms asleep, the doors of the jail were unlocked, and horses , and confederates were close at hand. He passed the following morn* fug in prayer, mid at the, proper time ascended the stairs of the execution room with a firm step and without escort There stood before him 19,000

Sympathizing men with heads uncovered, and among them the fusileers. with whom he had intrepidly charged the enemv upon the burning sands of Egypt. The hum of a single bee might have been heard in that respectful crowd, as Campbell addressed it. "Pray for me,” was all the poor soldier said; and, while the diapason of an impressive "amen” went np unbroken by a single other vociferation, or even whisper, the unfortunate man let fall his own cambrio handkerchief as a ©ignal that he “was ready,” and simultaneously he dropped through the dreadful trap, and went on oto that uncertain pilgrimage to tlio legendary beyond. The notorious Due de llichelieu, of France, who fought so many successful duels, and who seemed to wield a magician’s sword, met the Prince do Lixen —wdiom he had purposely insulted on acoount of the hatred entertained for the latter by Mme. du Rosier© —near the trenches of Philipsbonrg, in 1719, at nwnight, during a storm, by the light of torches held by. brother of? fleers. As the story goes, Do Lixen, who was a general in the French army Xand a very tall man), had had a horse shot from tinder him during an engagement ; and seeing a pony near, jumped upon him and rode into the presence of De Richelieu (who was also a general at that timo), who burst into a loud laugh and exclaimed: “No wonder wo lost the day when we have mountebanks for generals. Behold the horsemanship of the great Prince de Lixen, who keeps his feet close to the ground for fear of falling from the saddle.” The Prince heard De Richelieu’s voice and laugh, and too weil know what it meant, and the source of its inspiration. “I’ll insult the villain in n© uncertain way upon the first opportunity,” murmured De Lixen. The next day Richelieu, whoso command Lad been the last to retreat from Philipsbourg, came into the presence of Prince de Conti, the commanding officer, with disheveled hair, pow-der-stained face and deranged toilet. Hsi rival took this occasion te carry out his quiet threat of the day preceding, and said sarcastically: “It is a matter of much surprise that the Due de Richelieu should come into the presence of gentlemen with the air and dress of a masquerader.” “I did not retreat so hurriedly from the field as some of those officers who appear here in toilets more elaborately prepared, your highness,” and then, turning to De Lixen, he con? tinued: “I shall now go and purify myself, Prince, and in an hour you shall hear from me,” And so he did, in the shape of a challenge, which was accepted ; after which arrangements were made and agreed upon that the two gentlemen should meet each other in the trenches at midnight. They met and crossed swords at exactly 12, and fn ten minutes the magical weapon of De Richelieu had flashed through the heart of his twentieth victim, and the survivor, stooping over the dead prince, said: “Let us carefully bear his noble body with all honor to camp. It is the fortune of war, gentlemen, and may be our turn next.” In a short time afterward De Richelieu went to Paris to acquaint his inamorata with the intelligence that he had removed one of her troubles from the world forever. But what was his astonislmient to discover that the frail and faithless Mme. du Bosiere had fled with an English nobleman to London. Quien sabe?

Some years ago Maj. Ben. Perley Poore, then Washington correspondent of the Boston Journal, sent that paper tho following account of a midnight duel upon an island in tho Savannah Kiver:

Among the many bloody duels on record as having been fought by Congressmen w as one in which .Tames Jackson, of Georgia, who had been and who was afterward a United States Senator, was the challenged party. Ho was an Englishman by birth, but he went to Savannah when a lad, studied law-, was a leading Freemason, and fought gallantly in the Revolutionary war. He killed Lieut. Gov. Wells, of Georgia, in 1870 in a duel, and was engaged in Several other “affairs of honor,” until he finally determined to accept a challenge on such term as would make it his last duel. So, upon his next challenge, which was from Col. R. Watkins, also of Georgia, he prescribed as the terms that each party,armed with a double-barreled gun loaded with buckshot, and with a hunting-knife, should row himself in a skiff to designated points on opposite sides of the Savannah-river. When the city deck struck 12 each should row his skiff to a small island in the middle of river, which was wooded and covered with underbrush. On arriving at the island each was to moor his skiff, stand by it for ten minutes, and then go about the island until the meeting took place.' The seconds waited on the main land until 1 o'clock, when they heard three shots and loud and angry cries. Then all was still. At daylight, as had been agreed upon, the seconds went to the island and found Jackson lying on flie ground, insensible from the loss of blood, and his antagonist lying across him dead. Jackson recovered but would never relate his experience on that night, nor was he ever challenged again. He died in Washington City while serving his second term as United States Senator, March 19, 1*876. In 1728 a young gentleman named Benjamin Wood bridge was killed in a duel with swords, late one night, on Boston Common, by Harry Phillips.after a short combat. Phillips, who was not hurt, made his escape from the city next day, and later turned up in France, where he died in 1729. Eugene Bonnemere. in his ( “Histoir© des Pansana,” tells the story of how a peasant by the name of Lebre, who lived m the south of France, got more than even with a sergeant of the royal guard which was quartered near Lebre's cabin. It was toward the end of the seventeenth century, and the sergeant, presuming upon his gallantry and manly beauty, and knowing the proverbial weakness of some women for even non-commissioned officers of his profession, took occasion to pay marked attention to Lebre’s yonng and pretty wife; which, while being strictly agreeable to dainty Mrs. L , was highly i unsatisfactory to the incensed husband, who, at last, gave Mr. Sergi. Dnprez a piece of proper advioe, and was promptly knocked down for his pains. Lebre

at onoe challenged his antagonist, who declined to recognize a common peasant as his equal, and, shutting Lebre out of his own cottage, took immediate' possession of it and its pretty matron. 1 In a day or two the Sergeant quit the place for gOod, and Lebre returned, sold all his effects, packed the erring madame of to her father’s, enlisted in the army, and was seen no more in that neighborhood for upward of eight years. He fought through two campaigns bravely, but without a scratch, and by gradual.promotion reached the rank of Sergeant. “Aha L” cried Lebre, joyfully, at the end of six years’ service, “Sergt. Duprez, Sergt. Lebre is.your equal! I shall seek you out, you villain, and punish you for tho wrongs whicli I suffered at your hands six years ago.” 1 Lebre was twft years in finding his man. And w'hen he did find him they were at the point of sitting down at the same dinner table, with a dozen other officers of about" uniform rank. As soon as the repast was over Lebre arose, and, addressing Duprez, inquired: “Suppose, s|r, a man should give you a blow, what would you do ?” “I would return it and challenge him to fight,” responded Duprez. “Take that, then!” exclaimed Lebre, dealing his old enemy a tremendous blow, which staggered him considerably; and then, addressing himself to his other comrades, he recapitulated the story of how Duprez had knocked him down for defending his wife, and thereafter refused to fight him on the ground that he was not Duprez’s equal. “Now, Sergt. Duprez,” ejaculated that fellow’s assailant, turning around and facing his enemy, “you and I are equal. I have returned the blow you gave me eight years ago, and now challenge you to fight for your life.’— And as quick as lightning the two serpents drew their weapons, and Duprez was kiJLlod. in three minutes, the duel taking place by candlelight, i In 1719, in London, England, Capt' William Aldworth, of the army, and Owen Buckingham, Member of Parliament, met, and dined, and quarreled, and fought, all in one evening. It was so dark that they could not see each other, and they were so thoroughly well intoxicated that it did not make much difference Whether they did or did not see each other; but, all the same, there was one less Member of Parliament the following morning, for Buckingham, [WHS found by some friends shortly after the fight, pierced to the heart with his antagonist’s rapier, and Aldworth near by, very drunk ancj covered with wounds.

University Place, New York (N. Y.), was the scene of a fatal duel, one cold„ snowy night in the winter of 1804, the parties to the combat being William Coleman, editor of the New York Evenimj Post (an organ of the Federalists), and Capt. Thomas, Harbor Master of the port of New York. Thomaa who had made quite an effort to provoke Coleman, remarked freely that he had no fight in him, and that if slapped well on one side of his face he would only be too happy to present the other teide for similar treatment. Coleman, after making sure that Thompson had used the language attributed to him, challenged the offender, designated pistols as w eapons, and named 11 o’clock as .the time of meeting, and at or near University Place the scene of battle. Each party had surgeons and seconds, and agreed, ns it was snowing at the time, to fire at twelve yards. Both fired the third time, when Thompson was heard to exclaim: “My God 1 I have got it!” and, reeling sideways, fell mortally w ounded into the snow, and died a short time after haviug been conveyed to his residence. The dying man made a statement in the presenco of a number of friends to the effect that the duel and his death were the consequence of his own quarrelsome character and rashness, and his last words were forgiveness to Coleman, whom he believed had no intent to kill. —Alta California.