The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-10-29

turned aside by providential interfeFeb &C, unit
| he had accomplished all that he had been sen
| to perform He then received ball through
his body and fell; faithful corporal came to hi
assistance, and with his aid he reached the fort
| and those two were the last of the retreatine
party that entered it. Drake made it a point o
| honor that it should be so. Mr. Drake was rem
dered unfit for duty, for long time by hi:
wound He had not, indeed, recovered from il
in the summer of 1896, when he was my guest
when in command at Fort Washington, (Cincin
nati) on his way, furlough, to visit his native
State, Connecticut. His friends, however, EN-.
| loved his presence but short time, having as
understood, taken the yellow fever in passing
through Philadelphia; he died in a few DAYS al
| ter he reached his home.
have yet another Renaissance, the relation
of which may serve the cause You have so much
at heart.
An officer of the army had so often aid so
unnecessarily wounded the feelings of another
ofthe same corps, the duties of which made
their association indispensable, that he consid-
cred himself bound to demand satisfaction in the
usual way. They met, and the injured man
fell, receiving mortal wound, as il was antci-
pated he would, from the superior skill Of his
antagonist in the use of the weapon which they
used. Being possessed of high grade of tai
ents and an amiable character, he had the SYM
patty of all the officers. With others, visited
him after he had been removed TO his quarters
He expressed desire to see the officer with
whom he had fought, and was present al the ill.,
teIyiew. Iwish could describe, as il merits,
this interestig scene. The circumstances at
tending it were so deeply impressed upon my
mind that they never can be efaced as long as
memory holds its seat.
In the tent were some half dozen officers, the
friends of the dying man, Qor he had, from his
nal a
hibitng unequivocal evidences of their sorrow.
Conspicuous above the rest, and near the head
of the rude couch, was the manly form of the
cOmmandant of the corps to which both the
duellists belonged, Qhe beau ideal of chivalrous
valor, and the Chevalier de Bayard of the army,)
endeavoring to stihe, as best he could, the feel
ings which agitated his bosom. At little dis
lance, and in full view of the victim of his pas
sions, sat insensible -: but must restrain the
indignation which | still feel He was my bro
Their officer-we shared together the perlls of
difficult war-and, in battle, | knew that he did
his daty-and, whatever might have been his
conduct to others, never had personally any
reason to complain of him. But there he sat,
apparently, at least, unaffected by the mischief
he had done, by burying in uRtimely grave
man who had never injured him; whose arm
might be needed in the pending decisive battle
with the hitherto triumphant enemies of his
country, and whose intellect might at some fu-
ture time have been usefully employed in its
councils The severe bodily pain which the dy-
ing officer had for some time suffered had ceased,
and that calm and ease succeeded, which is the
harbinger of approaching death, and
which gracious Providence has provided for
the MORALLY wounded soldier, to enable him to
offer a last prayer for his distant family, if he
has one, or for the pardon of his own sins
Turning his intelligent eye upon his late antag-
onist, he mildly said, che had desired to see him
for the purpose of assuring him of his sincere
forgiveness-that he wished him happiness in
this world-and that, as the means Of securing
it, he recommended to him, with the sincerity Of
a dying man, to endeavor to restrain the vio-
lence of his passions, the indulgence of which
had deprived one of life who had never injured
him in thought deed"
You will expect me to state what effect the
scenes have described had in forming my own
principles, and governing my own conduct. l
have already stated entire change in my sem
timerts on the subject of duelling from those
which entertained upon my first entering the
army, and for which no excuse can be offered
but my extreme youth, and the bad examples
continually before me. In almost every other
case possessed of the deliberate opinions of a
man, YOU might safely conclude that this con-
duct would be in conformity to them. But suck.
alas, is not the case with men of the world in
relation to the laws winch form t'the coda Of
| honorn Abstractly considered, they all condemn
| them, while in practice they adopt them. In all
other cases independent men act from their OWE
convictions, but in this upon the opinion O
| others.
acknowledge, then, that the change of nv
opinion, which have admitted in relation tt
duelling, had no other influence on my conduct
than to determine me never to be the aggressor
But, although resolved TO offer no insult nor in
fiict any injury, | was determined to suffer
: none. When | left the army, however, anc
, retired to civil life, considered myself author
, lied greatly to narrow the ground upon which
| would be willing to resort to a personal com
bat To the determination which had pre-
f yously made, 10 offer no insult or infict an,
injury to give occasion to any one to call upol
Y me in this way-for, after witnessing the scene
n which have last described, the wealth ant
+ honors of the world would not have tempted
g me to level pistol at the breast of a man whou
: injured resolved 10 disregard all remarks
o upon my conduct which could not be construed
into deliberate insult, Or any injury whicl
u did not affect my reputation or the Happiness
: and peace Of my family.
When had the honor TO be called upon {,
command the Northwestern, army recoIlectin.
:, the number of gallant men that had fallen il
n the former war: In personal combat, deter
a mined 10 use all the authority and all the in
p auence of my station TO prevent the recurrence
{ To take away the principal source from whicI
$ they spring. in an address to the Pennsylvania
t brigade, at Sandusky, declared il to be m,
:, determination to prevent, by all the means tina
i The military laws placed in my hands, and in
!, jury, OF even insult, which should be ofere,
3 by the superior to inferior officers. | canno
. say what influence this course, upon my part
b may have produced in the result. But / Stat,
with pleasure, that there was not single duel
: nor, as far as ! know, achaIlenge given, while
, retained the command
In relation to my present sentiments, seRs
OF higher obligations than human laws or hu
man opinions can impose, has determined I'M
never, on any OCCASION to accept challenge O
seek redress fora personal injury by resor
to the laws which compose the code Of hon
or.
W. II. HARRISON.
TEXAS.
|