Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1850-10-21
THE LEFT-HANDED DUEL.
BRANCH T. ARCHER, OF TEXAS.

In the fall of 1880, Mr.. Archer was young
Virginia lawyer of some note Going to Powha.
tan Court House on business, he accidentally met
Gen. Crump, small, sharp-featured gentlman,
with piercing dark eyes, thin lips, and nose
like the eagles beak, was cool, sarcastic and
history of dozen duels in the sheer that with
ed like snake in the coil around the corners OF
his mouth, as every separate word issued
through his teeth with sort Of shrill and mena-
cling hiss He never seemed to forget one in
stant that he was the most famous dead shot in
Virginia In conversing with Crump about a
suit in which they were opposing counsel, the
latter made some offensive remark, or lnslnua-
,ion of which Mr. Archer desired an explana-
ton.
~ have no explanation to make" said Crump,
and he get his keen eyes on the other as If he
would slay him with glance The look was a
Quasi murder.
Archer threw his entire soul into one stern
aentence-rThen demand Of you to retract the
insinuation YOU have made against my mo-
tives I"
~ shall add fifty more Of the kind before re-
tract that 2 said Crump, with sheer, and re-
narked-sI am going 10 my room at the hotel
to wait for your communication, if you have any
for me-"
Col Archer's friends gathered in clusters a
round him, en,reating that he would not sacri-
fee his life to the bullet of a duelist whose aim
was sure and deadly. But he would not be per-
suaded- he would punish Crump, or perish in
the attempt. A formal challenge was soon
passed and accepted, and the meeting was ar
ranged to transpre at sunrise the next morning,
on the summit Of a hill, two miles west OF Powha-
tan Court house. At the time place designated,
great throng collected to witness the combat.
Crl,mp and Archer had both arrived at daybreak,
H. tbor al throprh tho 10
haze Of twilight With the first golden glimpse
of the sun, the principals were stationed in
position by their seconds and all hearts in the
multitude vibrated with strange feeling, al
most of fear, so determined and deadly were the
s:ountenances Of the two foes, although the eX-
preston on their faces individually was very
different Crumps vsage wore the scorching
sneer of devil sure of his prey; but the blue eyes
of Archer seemed surcharged with fhe lightning
of manly wrath. The word being given, the
two pistols reared simultaneously. Archer's
bullet grazed Crump's left temple, but his own
right arm fell shattered to his side.
'sHa l have winged my game " cried Crumr
in tones of knocking triumph.
eyes but have still wing remaining al
YOUR service shaking his other arm in the face
of his enemy, and demanding an additional
round.
Again the weapons OF death were loaded and
the parties took their places Archer must nave
been suffering an agony of pain: Beads Of cold
sweat rolled from his forehead; the blood stream
ed down from his wounded arm, and stood in
puddles about his feet his features were as
white as marble-so white that he might have
been mistaken for a ghost; and Indeed there
appeared every reason to suppose that he would
really be ghost at the next explosion of Crpmp's
pistol. YET he gave no evidence ffear Look.
ing his antagonist in the face, he exclaimed
General, you now have every advantage. !
arm forced by necessity to use my left hand
and, if you were not coward, you would dc
the same.'
Quick as thought Crump changed the weapon
from the right hand to the left, and Immediately
the word to fire was repeated. At the sound Of
the pistols both enemies fell. Archer had
tainted from loss of Blood the effect Of his pre-
vous wound, but Crump was shot through the
heart!