Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1840-09-24


lot was his who had fallen. Taking the rules ;
hich govern such matters, os the CRITERION
my friend had nothing wherewnh to accuse
biInself. The quarrel was indeed "iastened
| on him." Generous as brave, he had done
| every thing IN his power, To lhduce WIN,
| drawul oi the challenge, und when, oy h's'
N fire. his adversary was wounded, he anSlously
lldesired that the affair might there terminate,
| His propositon was rejected; ms secono
| sh,t wus in,al What al instructive lesson II
does this story present To him VINO wouIo re- Il
sort 10 this mode Of settling ptrsoha' ann n
Iculty and who possesses common schsioilhy \
aud the principles oi humanity nud hohor -
ltLe sad alternatives his own death or n sub l
seauent life ot bitter regret anu sorrow.
short experience in the army convinced nie,
lalso. that fighting a duel was not an undoubt-
T. ed test of true courage. know Instances OF
duels, aud desperate duels, being fought by
m,u who would not have been selected by
the officers who knew them, TO lead II iorlorn
hope. On the contrary, possessed The mos,
positive testimony 10 prove, that some oi lie
bravest oi men would not be engaged IN an
affair of the kind under any circumstances.
Il present you with q remlplsccnce of my
early military life. introduce 1t only TO sus'
tain my posi,lon but irom the respect en-
terrain for the memory oi gallant brother
| oiiicer, long since called to receive IN another
world, hls reward for having preferred "iho
praise OF God to the praise ol men, In
the sumner Of the year lIo3, Lieut.. Drake,
| uf the infantry OF The second suo-leglon, re-
l|celyed a marked insult frsm another officer.
Manllestlng no disposition 10 coll Inn to an
lInccuuni. some of those who wished hm well
amonps, whom was one, spoke 10 hun on
the subject, expressing our fears that his
4 Reputation as an officer would greatly suffer-
Il n he permitted such an insult To pass unnoti-
Heed The answer that he gave me was, that
II he cared not what opinions the officers might
| form OF him he was determined TO pursue
| his own course. That course was SO novel
| 10 the army, that il lost him as supposed 1t
would, the respect OF nearly all the officers
The ensuing summer, however, gave Mr.
Drake an opportunity q. vindlcutIng most trl'
umphanty his conduct and principles. lie
had been stationed III small fortress, whicl
Ihud been erected by General Wayne during
,lle winter upon the spot IN which they bad
the previous day deposited quantity OF pro
visions, which had been rendered remarkable
bv the defeat of General 81. Glars army
three years before. The garrison consi,tr,
ofa single rife company, and thirty infantry
aud OF the latter Drake was the immedlat,
comu ander. In lie beginning of July, 1874
detachment OF the army, consisting OF seve
raj hundred men, under the command of Ma
lor McAlahou, being encamped near the fort
which they had escorted from the canton
ment OF the army at GreenvIllc, were al
tucked, carly IN the morning. by upwards q
three thousand Indians. The troops made
gallant resistance but being turned on botI
hanks, and in danger OF beng surrounded
they retreuled TO the open ground around tn,
fort. From this too, they were soon dis
lodged by the overpOwcrlDg force of the enc
my in the retreat many wounded mcn were
in danger ofbelng lett, which being observed
Il from the foIt, the comnandanl, Capt. Gibson
directed hls own lieutenant 10 take the III
Il faniry, brakes particular con,rnand.l and
- portion of The rlhemrn, und sally out 10 thel
relief To tins Drake objected, aud elaine,
!. the right 10 command his own men, aud as
senior To the other lieutenant his right ais
Ell to the whole command. 20, very well, sir,
he said the captain, "ii such is your wish, TAX
nc it," ali is my wish, sir, to do my duty, an
m will endeavor 10 do IT, now and at all times,
,ni was the modest reply Of Drake. He accord
10 ingly sailed out skIiully lnierposed his de
CO, tachInent between the relrcatlng troops an
o' The enemy opened upon them hot fire
Isl arrested their advance, and gave an opporti
m nity To the wounded To effect their escape
Ihl and to the broken aud rctrcutng companies q
IN our troops, TO re form aud again 10 face tn
IT. enemy. Throughout The whole affair, Drake
~ activity, skill, and extraordinary selt-posse,
la sion, was most Conspicuous. The enemy,
course, observed 1t, Us well As his friends
:. Ire numerous shots directed at him, ,howcvc
like the arrows of Tcncer. aimed at the hea
mar Of Hector, were turned aside by provdeni
10 lhlf:ierehct uh'l he 'l"u uceo'hp'sncu
md that hc had been sent To perform. He thC
oso received ball through hi, body aud fell
mo-. faithful corporal came To his assistance, al
roo with his aid he reached The fort and tho-
liz two were the last of the retrcatng party wi
,Lo entered il Drake made II n point Of hone
that it should be so. Mr. Drake was rendc
no, ed unfit for duty for long time by his w0un
an II He had not, indeed, recovered from IT, IN Ill
=, summer Of 1855, when he was my CUES
on, when IN command at Fort w ashinglon, (Ci
,ad cinnati,l on his way on furlough, 20 visit h
nj native State, Connecticut. His friends, ho'
.c ever, enjoyed his presence but short ,lin'
,.r. having, as ! understood, taken the yellow
her yer, IN passing through Phadclph he dl
car, 1 in n few days alter he reached his hone.
have yet another "reminiscences, the rel
the II tion OF which may serve the cause you ha
19I so much al heari:-
G IN An officer of the army had so often and
mall unnrc essarily wounded The feelings OF ano,
med or Ol The suule corps, lne uutcs oi VIII
any made their associations Indispensable, II
he considered himself bound TO demand sat
ear faction IN The usual way. They met, n
rfnl the injured man fell, receiving a NOR
the wound, rs 1t was anticipated he would, fr,
; of the superior skill OF his antagonist IN tho II
pom Of the weapon which they used. Being pc
luct sessed Of hgh grade OF talents aud
be. amlable churacter he had The sympathy
-per all the officers. With others, | visited Ia
man after hc had removed 10 his quarters.
rom expressed a desire To see the officer WI
hIs whom he had fought, and was present
pou the interview. wish | could describe, as
ihcr merits, this interesting scene. The ciIcul
ight stances attending II were so deeply inpr6
,rtu sed upon my mind that they never can
in eiiaced as long as memory holds lis seat.
hich In the tent were sOme bali dozen office
con. the friends Ufth dying man, Cor he had fec
,jecl his omable qualities, niaty and warm one
more exhibiting unequwocal evidences of III,
m OF sorrow. Conspicuous above the rest, q
le or near The head OF the rude couch, was I
be. manly form OF the comma ndani of the corr
oi To winch both the duellIsts bclonp,d n