The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1844-09-06
[NU MBER 40.

hno ft!oseu 10 answer IL. Inc next step
was challenge from Graves 10 CiIley.
But what had Mr.. Clay to do with all
this? Nothing in the porld, up TO this
point. He did not know iha, any such diff.
ficulty had occurred. But, when Graves
deemed himself compelled TO challenge Gil.
ley, and had already written the challenge.
he called on Mr.. Clay, his friend and Eel.
low boardcr, and stated to him in confidence
the whole matter. MIR. Clay Was ustonlsb-
ed and dls,resscd--told Mr.. Graves he
g. ought not TO have been involved 10 this
affair, aud that it might aud should be set.
tied without bloodshed. He asked 10 SEQ
the challenge, and, on reading it, remarked
that il vas naked and unqualified summons
I 10 The held--that this must not be sent, but
one that would admit of aud invite peace.
4 fol adjustment. Accordingly, be toe up
the challenge and wrote the follow Jog:
WASHINGTON CITY Feb. %, 1893.
AS you have declined accepting com
munication which bore to you from Cot.
Webb, and as by your note tf yesterday
you have refused TO decline on grounds
which would exoneIate the from all respon
s,billty growing on, Of the affair. am left
no other alternative UT to ask that satsfac.
ton which is recognized among gentlemen.
Ny friend, Hon. Henry A. Wise, is au.
thorized by me 10 make the arrangements
suitable TO the occasion.
Your obedleui servant,
W. J. GRAVES.
Hon. }. Clley."
Mr.. Graves concurred with Mr.. Clay IN
the hope that the niIair would be settled
without a combat, and left him. fle de.
spalched The above challenge by Mr.. Wise.
and il was promptly accepted. Mr.. CilIey,
(having, os the challenged party, the choice
ofweapons,) proposed r,fes-dls,anc eigh.
ty yafds-bu, as We have given the chal.
IcDge, lei Us have the acceptance:
WASHINGTON, Feb. 90, 1893.
SIR-Mr. CiIley proposes to meet Mr..
Graves Ut such place as may be agreed up.
on between US 10 morrow at II o'clock
The weapons 10 be used on the occasion
shall be rifles: the parties placed side TO
side at eighty yards distance from each
other, TO hold The rifles horizontally at
F.
cooked and triggers set; the words TO be
Z" Gentlemen are you ready" After which,
neither answering NO." the words 10 be
Fife--oae, two, three, four" Neither
party shall fire before the word fire nor
after the word +" -four" The positions of
the parilesa, the ends Of the line TO be deter.
mined by lot. The second Of the party los.
ing the position shall have the giving Of
the word. The dress 10 be ordinary win.
ter clothing and subject to the examination
OF both paties. Each party may have on
the ground, besides his second, surgeon
and two other friends. The seconds for
the execution Of their respective trusts are
allowed TO have PAIR Of pistols each on the
ground but no other person shall have any
weapon. The rifles 10 be loaded in the
4 presence Of the seconds. Should MIR. Graves
not be able TO procure a rife by the time
prescribed, time shall be allowed for that
/ purpose.
Your very obedient servant,
GEO. w. JONES.
4 Hon. Henry A. WISE.
Such we're the conditions of exlraordlna.
ry ferocity given 10 this combal--not by
j MIR. Graves, nor by any friend of Mr..
Graves. He wrote, through Mr.. Wise,
\ that the terms were unusual and objec.
+ lionable," bu, il was not bis right TO change
them. file had rarely fred pistol, scarce.
" ever q rife, and never except from rest.
iIe had no rife, and could no, obtain one
10 season for the early meeting appointed on
The other side but when Mr.. Graves gave
notice Of this as reason why the comba,
must be postponed, be was promptly inform
cd that Mr.. Jones had ar excellent rife,
/ (Dr. Duncan's) which was entirely a, his
service The rifle accompanied the note.
This was declined, but an imperfect rifle
procured and gunsmi,h set to work TO re.
pair ii, which he did by little after 10 of
the mex, day. Meantime. Mr.. Cilley was
practic,pg m firing at q mark, in prepare.
lion for the combat. Mr.. Wise gave no.
tice that Mr.. Graves would be ready be.
tween 2 and 2 l.2 o'clock the rifle was
finished about 70; Graves fired il once or
twice to les, it, (the lock having been taken
Off and replaced and the breech unscrewed
and taken TO pieces,) then proceeded TO the
place designated the duel took place, and
at the third fire Mr.. Cllley fell dead.
Such is true though brief history Of
'the Martyr Cilley'-martyr TO what
Let facts be stated When il was whis-
Epered about the Capitol that Graves and
CilIey had gone on, TO fight, the friends of
both parties, knowing tha, Cilley was
good shot and Graves none at all, supposed
llhai Graves would be killed. One OF Gil.
I ley's party took out his watch, and noting
the hour, said 10 all around, "Grayes is
now a dead man." A few daysefterwards,
a son Of Hon. Reuel Williams, Loco sena'
tor from Maine. received 10 Augusta let
ter from his father 10 Washington dated at
'l2 O'Clock on the day Of tho duel. A Wing
was presen, when he opened it IN the Post
Office aud read, "Cilley has gone out TO
! eight Graves, who is by this time a dead
1 man. In a postscript ii was added, q Tho
body Of Galley has just been brought in
Soch Is tho vanity Of human expectations.