North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1851-08-16
GFrom the Ashville News.l
nrIUN nrInT ITO

To The FUbLlC
U.r;ops statements OF the duel which occurred be
tween Col John Baxter and myself, on inc S4n u!t'
having beer put in circulation for the purpose Q! IN
iuring me, am constrained in justice 10 myself
make simple statement of the facts In Inc case,
rJe, vat the public if they feel any interest in tn
matter, may at least form their oPihio"S 9oie0J 81"
understandingy. -o,
The Of quarrel IS tna1te. % ~ Ell Ell
importance to the public. though 1t was tTuly SET o
in an article unfinished in the Ashvllle News, OF INT
[ 9th nit Suffice it that Col. Baxter lnsulted me
by proclaining to the world, throngh inc Nhess
enger, as a liar, and challenged MN ne POP
containing the charge appeared on TUESDAY aIerhoon
the 18th of July. sent the challenge the same Or
ternoon by my friend, DR.. f. r. Jones' ana feceiVeo
Col. Bax,er's reply through ms lrlenI NJ W. 81
Woodin, the next morning. This reply OF Ooiohe
Baxter was insulting and of character when would
have justified me, according to the laws when gov
ern gentlemen under such circumstances, TO nave re-
f,s.3 % notice il. / however, waived any objection
70 IL NV second then sought an interview with Mr
Woodfn. Col. Baxter's second, for the purpose Of
arranging the preliminares of our meeting All tha
was agreed upon, was the weapons II. ZONES Hao
ali the time, that the terms of our meeting should be
reduced to writing, and signed here before we eit
This proposition declined, and lett here IN
company with my friend Dr. billiard, on the S'a,
knowing nothing of what sort of meeting l had to
expect with COL Baxter, excePt that we were to use
the ordinary duelling pistols.
When we arrived upon the ground, formal acceP-
lance of my challenge, dated at the Sauda Gap was
handed me- and the terms of the meeting in Colonel
Bax ters hand writing were submitted to US Tor our
consideration. They are as follows:
Ist. The weapons shall be the ordinary dueIlng
pistols loaded with one ball. and the distance 40 feet
End. The parties shall hold their pistols by their
sides in perpendicular position, with the muzze to
the ground.
3rd The word or signal for firing shall be given
by the friend of of the parties, to be determined
by lot, in the following maner: The person giving
the word or signal, shall ask s. are you ready =! And
on receiving the affirmative reply from both parties,
tUynf Iroo fro
Neither party shall fire make any attempt to fire.
before the word " fire. And the person giving the
wcrd signal for firing shall repeat the manner in
which he will do SO in the presence of both the par
ties before they take their positions.
1t will be remarked by those who are conVersant
with the manner of giving the word on an occasion
of this sort, that the nethed selected by COL Baxter
was in contraventlon of the ordinary usage No
words of halt were called after the word fire. and the
object seemed 10 be to ensure some one being hlt
My second objected to the unusual manner of giving
the word, but upon little conference between Mr.
w oodfin and Col. BaXter-the latter gentleman not
yielding the point, instructed my second to make no
further objection.
The seconds proceeded to load the pistols. when
Mr. Woodfn found he had no charger for Col. Bax-
ter's pistols. / offered mine, which was accepted.
Mr.. w oodhn charged the pistol. Mr.. Baxter seeing
the size of the charger, told Mr.. Woodfn to put in
another charge. Mr.. Woodfn, hesitating, said it
was sufficiently well charged, whereuPon Mr.. Bax-
ter remarked he could not put in too much. Mr..
Woodfn accordingly put in the additional charge of
powder, and Mr.. Baxter selected and rammed the
ball down with his own hand. He then selected
cap, put upon his pistol and we took our POSITIONS
Mr. Woodfn gave the word, and at the word fire,
distinctly Col. BaXters hand raise and level
his pistol at l shot, and heard but one report.
DR.. Hlliard, my surgeon, Dr. Jones, my second, and
my servant, who standing me heard but one
report. Mr.. Woodin standing near Col. Baxter
and thinks he could distinguish difference in the
report of the pistols. My ball struck Col. Baxter
between the knuckes of the second and third fingers
- IL, toa han ood
and lodged in the Any one may make the ex-
pertinent, and they will see at once his pistol was
presented at me.
few moments after Col. Baxter was shot, and
while the medical gentlemen were dressing his
wounds, DR.. Jones came TO me and said that Col.
Baxter had authorized him to say to me that he had
not intended to fire at me, and should not have done
So had my ball not hit his hand and caused his pistol
to fire. DR.. Jones said to me that my friend, con-
siderng the nature of the message, and the manner
in which it delivered to him, he thought it his
duty to advise to approach Col Baxter, and show
a willingness to reconcile our difficulty. l said to
DIR. Jones that did not believe what Col. Baxter
said his intention not to fire at me, and that his
object only TO get advantage of me IN bring
ing the affair before the public or he desired to put
me in situation where he could insult me with i'm
punity. DR.. Jones insisted that should approach
Col. Baxter, he believing that Col Baxers message
was intended as an offer of friendship; and was
finally prevailed upon to do SO. l advanced to
Col. Baxter and said Col. Baxter, from the mess
age you sent me by Dr. Jones, have been induced
to approach you. 1 am willing now that this matter
should drop here, and We should be friends. Col
Baxter said Mr.. Erwin, from what has passed be-
tween us, cannot consider you my equal. Said l,
stop Col. Baxter; l should certainly not have APP
preached you, had not received the message did
by DR.. Jones and turned and walked off. did
not to handy words with who would act
thus and could not resent the insult then. as my
antagonist was wounded, and disabled.
These are the simple facts in the case.
MARCUS ERWIN.
The above statement has been submitted to US, and
we find the facts in it correctly and truly stated.
w. l.. billiard,
E. r. JONES.
AsHEv1LLE, July 81, 1851.
DEAR SIR: The accompanying statement of the
affair between Col. Baxter and myself. submit to
you for the purpose Of asking whether, as far as
you know, thing in it is incorrectly, or unustly
stated. Very truly yours, -
]. W. WOODEN, Esq,