Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1858-04-03
MISCELLANY /.
BIadonsburg Duelling Ground.


The March number of Haper's, Maaa-
zine contains a history of this fatal duelling
ground, from which, we take the following
account of the Mason and .MeCarty duel
which occurred III 1918: 81
MASON AND MoCARrY. M
One of the most desperate of these mel
ancholy encounters which have made this
place so memorable was. that of the 9th of
February, 1878, between Gen, Armistead
j. Mason, previously a Senatorin Congress-
from Virginia, and Col, JohnsM. McCarty,
citizen of the same State. The difficulty
between them had existed for some time.
Ii originated in that most prolific source
of personal enmity politics The parties
were second cousiGs; MISUNDERSTANDING
this, their quarrel appears to have been
prosecuted with an. ahimosity as unsporino.
as their relationship was intimate Several
months previous to the final meeting a yio-
lent alteration had taken place between
them at the polls at Leesburg, in conse-
quence of Mason's having questioned Nc.
'Cartys right to vote NIcCarty at once
challenged Mason; but in his challenge
he prescribed the terms and conditions Of
the duel. This dictation of terms Mason
would not submit to-; and consequently.
by the advice of his friends, he declined
tiie challenge At the same time, :howey-
or, he sent word to McCarty that he was
ready to accept a regular challenge, in a.
proper. form. BIcCarty paid no attention
to the message, but forthwith published
Mason as a coward. Mason then sent a
challenge to McCarty, which AIcCarty de-
elned on the ground of alleged cowardice
in Mason, as shown by his refusal to fight
in the first instance. Atthis junctme, a
number of 1lason's personal friends united
in a letter, begging him to take no further
notice of MeCarty. Though Mason was
burning undera sense of the wrongs he had
receives, he yielded their entreaties, and
the affair was to allappearances at an end
some months afterward, however, while
riding to Richmond in the stage with a
gentIemanof high military and political
standing, heswas told that he ought % chal.
3onge McGarty again This he decided to
do as soon as he reached Richmond = it
was in vain that Ills friends now endeayor-
cd to dissuade him He would not listen
to,their appeals. Iu the language of the
card subsequently published by them, che
had resolved on challenging Mr., McGarty
in.opposition 10 AN the advice which they
gave, and all the efforts which. they made
to dissuade him. TO free. himself from
the embafrassments aud restraints imposed
by the laws of Virginia in regard, TO duel
ing or influenced, perhapssI5y a deternlina-
.tionnot to violate the statutes while hold
sue his commission, nc resigned his COM
mission as Gcncral of tho Militia, made his
will, and addressed Ne Garty AN invitation
to the field. In this note, which, better
than any description, porsrays the Bpiritin
which the controversy was conducted, he
ssys ~ hasN resiggeS9 ;;s;isyi eemnissiea for
che spceiat@ and sole purposeof fghtinS you,
andI am now free to accept or scnda aehal.
lepgc aud 10 fight a duel The public mind
has become tranquil, and all suspicion of
tho further prosecution OF our quarrel hay.
ing snbsided we eaf; now terminate it With
ont beng arrested by tho civil authority,
and without exeiting alarm anong our
friends, y e + am OK tfenioIy
'anxioGs to teri1ffrate at once and forever
this quarreIl Ny friends and
s are filly authorized toact for me
i1 every particular Hpen roeeiying fpoln
youa pledge to tight, they are authorized
andiinstrueted az % 10 give She cfallenge
for me, ana TO 'nllse iWe aiateIy every
.1cecsaly afrsng gcnife on any
terms yQp paes ss - e
S lIasoo's
fdeh, IL IL
va by McCarty, 9aa
s4sskf - = 4i,ff6r0ic,v had tolson