Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-03-10
The Duel.
Trace the history of a duel.

Trace the history of a duel.
A challenge passes. What is the first
step which follows, as a general rule! That
the parties put themselves under immediate
training. They get the hest pistols. Friends
go out with them; they take a sapling as a
mark they fire al that, until they can hit it
.easily-until they are considered "a good or
sure shot" The opponents do not meet each
o'htr in the glow of passion, or ere the blood
has cooled, and settle their differences al
once. The crack of the pistol is not the i'm
mediate consequence Of the insult offered, or
the injury done. But deliberately they 90 TO
work, and work hard and constantly, until
they can rim a young tree no bigger round
than a mans thumb. When this is accom-
pliShed they have taken tie first step.
The next is, to accuslom the nerves TO the
shoc6 of firing. A man may fire we'll when
he is shooting alone! But the crack of a
gun, shot by another, may startle him. as 10
drive him wide of The mark. TO Ms crack
he must be thoroughly accustomed. The
first step Is, consequently. to use cork balls
in the practice. The ground is measured
mock seconds are put IN proper places a
mock opponent stands opposite the word is
given; and they fire. This is kept up for
days. 1t is kept mp until the cool observer,
or the experienced trainer, and the parties
themselves, hnOW that the eye and ear are ia
nllllarly accustomed TO every movement
which will be made on the field of blood.
But as this braclng the nerves is an all
important matter, another course of training
Is resorted to, it the parties wayer at all. In
deed, II is rarely omitted by regular duelists.
-Four or FIVE friends stand around the parties;
some before, some back, some in front of
OF him; as the word is giTen-are you ready
-prepare-firP-ihey all blaze away, and
generally before he shoots. This is contin-
ued until the parties can aim as well amid
the confusion and noise as if they were alone.
Sometimes, when fears are entertained that
the nerves OF the parties are not steady Y, mus
kets, or heavily charged guns are fired in
their faces-and fired until they are entirely
unconcerned and firm. The physical man is
thus trained to meet the emergency,-train-
ed to blunt, TO deaden, his sensibililies-so
that he may more surely take the life of anu-
tler, and save his own
When thus prepared, the parties meet
And now comes an opportunity for the dis
play of cunning and trick.
First, there is a good deal in choice IF po-
sition. The sun may affect the sight at one
point; a tree may be near, so as to give line
10 the pistol the ground may be slightly III
sing, and 1t so the uppermost will be apt to
overshoot--these, and twenty other import
ant or material advantages, are to be exainin-
ed into by seconds, and turned to the best
account by their principals.
Second there is much in giving the word.
A principal gets accustomed 10 his seconds
voice-its pauses-the length of lheln--and
knows after long practice exactly what to DO.
For instance, one second is slow-another
fast; or one begins deliberately, and quick
ems as he goes on; if the party gets his own
second, he has an advantage equal sometimes
to half, and, at others, TO a full account
This any one may readily perceive by pro-
nouncing the usual command-Are YOU rea-
dy-prepare--fre. One, two, three--ln diff
forent tones, and with slower or quicker
movement.
Third There is a good deal in The dress.
Every object-such as a button, or breast
pin, or anything which makes a contrast, is
carefully removed. The usual dress for The
dueIist is a large Hght morning UrapDer, made
as near the color of the earth as NAV be-
This is starched. Thus the adversary cannot
fix his sight upon a particular spot, and, as
1t bags oOt, he is liable to mistake the true
position of the body. And then the parties
are drilled to put the body in as small a COM
pass as possible. so as to guard the vital parts
as far as it can be done.
If neither party is hurt, after firing, they
make up, and have a laugh over it. If one
falls, the other escapes, as if he kne,o he had
done a felon deed.
This is a brief outline of this honorable prac.
tice! The reader has in the details given
more or less true of all Southern duelling-
a picture of the true course which honorable
men pursue in endeavoring to STAY each 9th
er! Could anything IN Itself be more degra-