Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1854-06-15
My DucI with Captain Elliot.

- 'Ay duel with Captain Elliot
y said the Dr. liz hing a fresh ciga
) took place during the war with Me1
N leo. But, bel5re | proceed, l mus
N give you short account of my pre-
e vious history
e Elliot and | had been rivals an
e enemies from our very boyhood.- :
We were edoc4 tied at the same pub
lie school. Before l arrived, hq wa
: the pet, the hefo, the Napoleon, S
5 to speak, of the school; the leade
alike in study, in sport and in mis-
e chief. lie was proud, imperious
oyerbealing boy, though with many
generous and endearing qualities
and out of school his will Was law tc
! tho boys. as much as that Of the
teacher was in school.
When | arrived, however, being
about his own age, and a lad of con-
siderable spirit, | refused to SD bmit
to bls authority; and there being
many malcontents in the school,
who secretly disliked him, they
one BY one enrolled themselves I'M
der my standard, and we were thus
divided into. separate factions. 4
Numherless we're the pitched battles
which we had, as well as the person
al conflicts for supremacy; number
less the bloody noses and crack
ed crowns nhmberless the rep
rimands and even more tangible in
llictions of the teachers. Elliot and
! were, in fact, always at variance,
always crossing each other, and agree
ing in nothing except in hating each
other cordially.
'When We left school, he went to
West Point, and L to the MEDICAL
College, and we lost sight Of each
other for some years. In due course
Of time, | co nmenced practising as
a physician; but finding 1T did not
pay very well, and being besides Of a |
somewhat rowing and adventurous
dispositio N, applied. for and OBJ
tained the appointment of army sur
geon, and was immediately ordered
to Fort
i had been the Ire but short Il
lime. when the Com mandant, braveI
Did Gurley, whom some of you, ,
remember, died Of fever. =
An officer of the name of Elliot,
vas appointed to succeed him, and
'op may Judge of my modification {
When found it was my old enemy. c
'Iuch as it CALLED my pride, | was (
bliged here to submit to his author a
ty; but | did it, | assure YOU, withH
very bad grace. II
Elliot was essentially changed a
ince | had last known him; the i'm a
'etus, overbearing boy, had become a
grave, quiet, reserved man, who a
ould, if he chose, render himself a f
cry agreeable companion, but who a
eldom took the trouble to do it IN
Iany of the officers, however, and c
II the men, liked him very much; n
at, somehow, there seemed TO be an
npassible barrier fixed between him q
nd me. | disliked his reserve, "
Iiich I attributed to pride; and h4 a
Of my boisterousness, as
c was pleased to call it. lie did, !,
ldeed make some efforts to concili+ y
te me at frs t, but seeing 1repulsed :, :
lem, ho withdrew himself behind =
is intrenchments, and treated me Q
yer after with cpldness absolutely = =
eezing. I
Things were in this state, when o,
a uncle of Elliott's, with his wifa
al daughter, stopped for short :,
me in the vicinity Of the fort, on =, -
leir way to Washington. .,
The daughter, Miss lveline, was ?;
charming lady, and every unmarl 81
ed man in tn e garrison Immediately = =
Il in love wi th her. 1t would weary r
ou to enume rate the pic-nits, the = =
ater parties, the drives, the pails
Iat were given in honor OF her p :.
,od.humored rivalry prevailed = " W
ong us for her preference; and be IS ~
ore taken MS to whether Davis on ie
,nes, or the Doctor, or the com ~
andant hims elf had the oest cnance =,
For myself | was, | do think, Sc y
,nslv in love with the charming y
Il To bo sure she did not give
E much enco ouragement, but tried er
encourage myself | rode with al
r walked with bsr, danced with m
r, and kept with her as mucn as p
possibly could ! saw that fii'O'1 p