Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-03-08
And % 1t was but the worthy blacksmith

And % Ii was; but the worthy blacksmith
little knew the stake that was to be shot for.
On Saturday morning, the h1of February,
1919, at eight o'clock, the parties met. The
contemplated meeting, it is said, was generally
known at Bladensburg, and many of the citi-
zens accompanied or followed them to the
ground to witness the encounter II was snow
ing violently at the time.
Ihe ground selected for the combat was not
the usual path near the road, but another and
similar path just around the point of the hill
on the right, about two hundred yards from
the bridge. Mason had on at the time large
overcoat with long skirts. McCarty, potwit6-
standing the severity of the weather, presented
himself stripped to his shirt, and with his
sleeves rolled up, that be might have the free
use Of his arms. All the prelminaries having
been arranged, the parties were placed
McCarty facing up the brook, and Mason down
and then at the word, with the muzzles Of
their muskets almost in contact, both fired
Mason fell dead, his life literally blown out of
him. McCarty was severely wounded, his an
tagonlsts ball entering his left wrist. and tear
ing Its way through the muscles of his arm to-
ward his shoulder That both were not killed
seems little less than IA miracle.
MasOn's musket is said to have caught in the
skirt OF his long Overcoat, rs he was in the act
of raising it to his shoulder /; and to this acci-
dent, as it unsettled his aim, it is thought Nc
Carly was indebted for his life.
Mason never spoke from the timo he took his
place upon the ground. He lay nearly rs he
fell. On his person were found letters to his
relatives and friends in regard to the disposi-
ton OF his body in Case of his death Three
distinct wounds were discovered i'm his lett side
besides one in his left elbow. This circumstance
at first gave rise to q suspicion of foul play on
the part of McCarty; but by post mortsm ex-
animation it was ascertained that the ball had
struck the elbow bone, and been split in three
parts, each of which had entered the body
These parts were weighed, and were found to
correspond nearly with the weight of the ball
that had been agreed upon.
The seconds Of General Mason conclude their
account, published at the time, by saying
that the affair, although fatally, was honora,
bly, terminated" and that the department Of
the friends of Mr.. McCarty, throughout the
whole business was perfectly correct
For several days atterward the spot exhibited
melancholy evidences of this terrible conflict
The ground was dark with gore, and the BUSH
g., tor some distance around, were bespattcred
with blood, and hung with shred. of clothing
and fragments of flesh, blown from the body of
the slain by the force of the explosion
McCarty recovered from the wound in his
arm, but never from the more fatal wound in
ficted upon his mind by this unnatural enoun-
ter lie had escaped DEATH but he could
not escape the recollection of that fearful field
If his after-ife can be taken as furnishing apy
indication of his feelings, bitterly did he repent
that he had been induced to swerve from his
original determination not to engage in this
contest. We have been told, by those who
knew him. that from that hour he was changed,
anu that the laws against dueling are provided
with no penalties so terrible as those he suf-
fered to the end of his existence.