Arkansas intelligencer., 1847-10-09

his fatal Duel has been the cause of so much
anln,adversion, that Capts. Young and Banlhead,
| aun Lieut. Garnett, who were present, as friends
upon The occasion, have thought it necessary to
put before the public g statement of the origin
una developement of the affair:
, by TINS statement, made in the Fredericksburg
/ recorder, IT appears that on the morning of the
Soth OF May. Munford and Mahan- met at the
| quarters OF Capt.. Young. and the conversation
| haPpening to turnupon the supposed ueg hborhood
OF the enemy Lieut.. Mahan having before assert
ed That he had seen some 40 within short dis
| iance OF China Lieut.. Munford declared that the
story, IN his opinion, needed confirmation and that
he dii not believe syllable OF it. and then made
remarks OF character SO nsuIting, that, in the
opinion OF one OF the three officers making this
=" statement, Lieut.. Mahan compelled to de-
ilrtnd satisfaction or resign his commissions and
retire from the regiment unfit for the assoca.
ton OF his brother officers.''
Lieut.. Mahan Immediately sought the assistance
OF Capt. Bankhead his friend in the affair. but
was advised of the stringent laws on the subject
and told that If ne could procure-another friend
capt. Bankhead wished not 10 act. Mahan said
mat he could get no other, and begged the advice
/ OF Capt. Bankhead, promising to abide by IT, He
was then advised to pursue the course adopted by
PIeasanIs and Ritchie--with this execution.
that to avoid impcating any but himself he should
say to aluntord tha. he would be at a designated
spot at q 2. NJ, armed with side arms To this
he assenied, bat on meeting Munford at 2 O'Clock.
instead of repeating what he was advised to saw
he merely informed Munford that after the Insult
he had received, he was compelled to dema nd sat-
iSfactlon, and that lIe-w shed to hear from him in
half an hour.
lie then repaired TO the quarters OF Capt. Bank
head who, on hearing what he had doue refused
to have anything more do with the affair." but
was interrupted by the entrance of Munford. who
told Alahan that although he did not consider him
IN any respecI gentlemen man of honor, he
would not deny him any satisfaction he wanted
Ibis was SAID IN language SO outrageous that Ma
han was about to resent it the spot. but was
prevented; and the arrangement was then made
that they would meet about half mile west of
China, armed as they saw proper, and accompani-
ed by Capt. Young, as surgeon, Capt. Bankhead
and Lieut.. Thomas S. Garnett, as mutualf friends
and armed they chose-Lt. Munford inlimat-
ing that he should carry with him a musket.
= Upon arriving at tho field, strenuous, bu, una
vailIng efforts were made by the seconds and
Capt. Young, to induce Munford to relract his
his abusive language. His reply was, that he
was compelled 10 fight that it was too
late, as Mahan had come out TO fight he should
fsht-that he would not hurt him much.' Re-
Peated efforts to postpone the affair till the next
morning equity fruii!ess.
Munford then took his position acconpanied
by Lieut. Garneit, and Captain Bankhead return.
ed to Mahan and informed him of the unsuccess
ful termination of his mission, and that no alter.
native now left but try TO save his own
life by killing his adversary.
We give in the words of the statement itself
the account Of the fight, and the position assumed
by the gentleman VINO '.assisted" at it:
.'AIl friends now lef, the ground, and the two
antagonists loft facing each ether, about
sixty yards apart. They paused for an instant,
watching each others notions when both advan-
ced about three or four PAGES, halted, and aimed;
they recovered their arms, however, and again
moved up, halted and aimed; again they recover
ed their arms, moved up still closer, halted " hen
about thirty-iive plces of each other. aimed and
both fired The result is known to the public
Munford was struck with islt buckshot and died
the next might. Alahan received slug ia his
chest and a bail in his left axilla. which came out
left of tho spinal column, from which he died on
the Ist of june.
Our every effort was N lde first to prevent the
fight, by inducing Munford TO retract the language
he had used. and failing in this, to postpone the
fight until tho next morning. In both of these
efforts we failed--and in no way could the fight
have been prevented, but by reporting the diff
Guilty to the commanding officer, or arresting
them ourselves. We were morally bound TO II
neither; 10 fact il would have been a gross viola
ton of confidence on the part of either of US to
mention the probability OF their meeting 10
a brother officer-and the custom of the service
would have condemned US for adopting any other
course than the we pursued-and tho univer-
sal opinion of the whole column. that the fight
was inevitable, shows conclusively the truth of
our assertion.
'sln conciusion have been panied 10 learn
that some there are, who ceDSure for the part
we acted. To those, can only say, tha: #.
after reading the foregoing. they connot and VIII
not be satisfed-especially when they remember
that we are attached 10 corps noted for It's chlv-
airy and high tone of honor--we shall then be
compelled to consider ourselves willfally misun-
derstood-and our conduct maligned."
Mr.. Barrett, the proprietor of the Dublin Pilot,
is about to publish aLife of O,Connel. the mate
ras of which have been collected during an in
iimacy of seventeen years.
! Five young gentlemen were introduced to the
police court at Boston, on Friday. for smoking in
tho streets. They were fined So and costs,
| each.
-----~.-.-----s--rz-=---
MARKETS.