Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1858-04-16
Vol. XII.
BEADENSBURG DUELING
&rRnITNI0

The March number of Harper's Magaz inc
contains history of this fatal dueling ground,
from which we take the following account of
the Mason and MeCarty duel, which occur
red in 1918
MASON AND NJ eARTy.
One of the most desperate of those H-et-
aEchoIy encounters which have made th4s
place So memorable was that of the 9Th of
February, 1878. sstweed Gen. Armstead
T. Mason, previously Senator in Congress
from Virginia, and Col. John Il. McCarty, a
citizen of the same. State. The difficulty
between them had existed for some time. 1t
originated in that most prolific source OF per-
sonal municipalities. The parties were
second cousins, but notwithstanding this,
their quarrel appears to have been prosecuted
with an animosiiy as bitter as their relation
ship was intimate. Several months previous
to the final meeting, violent alteration had
taken place between them at the polls at
Leesburg, in consequence of Mason's having
questioned McCarty's right to vote. Nc
Carly at once challenged Mason; but in his
challenge he prescribed the terms and con-
ditions of the duel. This dictation of terms
Mason would not submit To-; and consequent
ly by the advice of his friends, he declined
the challenge. At the same time, however,
he sent word to McCarty that he was ready
10 accept regular challenge, in proper
form. McCarty paid no attention to the
message, but forthwith published Mason as
a coward. Mason then sent challenge to
McCarty which he declined on the ground of
alleged cowardice in Mason, as shown by his
refusal to fight in the first instance. At this
juncture, number of Mason's personal
friends united in letter, begging him to take
no further notice os McGarty. Though Ma
son was burning under sense of the wrongs
he had received, he yielded to their entreat-
les. and the affair was TO all appearance at
an end.
Some months afterward, however, while
riding to Ricamond in the stage, with gem
tIemen of high military and political stand
ing, he was told that he ought to challenge
McCarty again. This he decided to do as
soon as he reached Richmond. Ii was in
vain that his friends now endeavored to dis
suade him. He would not listen to their
appeals. In the language Of the card sub
sequently published by them, 'he had re-
solved on challenging McCarty, in opposition
to all the advice which they gave, and all the
efforts which they made to dissuade him."
To free himself from the embarrassments and
restraints imposed by the laws of Virginia
in regard to dueling, or influenced, perhaps,
by LIBERALIZATION not to violate her statues
while holding his commission, he resigned
his commission as General of Militia made his
will, and addressed McCarty an invitation to
ai,1 ,1ll IT. L
description, portrays the spirit in which the
controversy was conducted, he says: 81 have
resigned my commission for the special and
sole purpose of fighting you; and am now
free to accept or send a challenge and to
fight duel. The public mind has become
tranquil, and all suspicion of further prose-
cution of our quarrel having subsidized, we
can now terminate it without being arrested
by the civil authority. and without exciting
alarm among our friends.' 81 am
extremely anxious TO terminate at once and
forever this quarrel. Ny friends ---
and--- are fully authorized to act for me
in every particular. Upon receiving from
you pledge to fight, they are authorized
and instructed at once to give the challenge
for me, and to make immediateI Iy every ne
cessary arrangement for the duel on any
terms you may prescribe. -
This note which fully betrays Mason's in
fiexibilty of purpose. and which. it is stated
was never read by McCarty, was written be-
fore any interview had taken place between
Gen. Mason and his seconds, and was in
closed to them in a letter containing positive
instructions for their government.
He writes them: "Y ou will present the
enclosed communication to Mr.. John Nc
Carty, and tell him at once thai you are au-
thorized by ME to challenge him. in the event
OF his pledging himself TO fight a duel with
me. Agree to any terms that
he may propose, and to any distance to
three feet, his pretended favorite distance
or to three inches, should his rash and i'm
petuous courage prefer. To any species of
fire arms-pstols, muskets or riles-agree
at once" l-
Acting under these instructions, Mason's
seconds called on McCarty ), as the bearer of
his challenge. McCarty again refused to re-
ceive any communication from Mason, for
the same reason as before. A violent per-
sonal alteration then took place between
McCarty and one OF Mason's seconds, the
latter insisting strongly tina. the challenge
should be received and accepted, and the
former obs,nately declining to receive tt
The quarrel became SO violent that the par
ties were near fighting. At last one of Ma
sons seconds having threatened to post Nc
Carly as coward unless he accepted the
challenge, McCarty agreed to fight. 1t
would appear from this, that though Mason's
| friends in general, and even one Of his sec
onds strove to prevent the duel, it was forc-
ed upon McCarty by the other.
If the spirit which animated Mason in this
unfortunate controversy was headlong and
uncompromising that which impelled McCar-
| ty was apparently none the less SO. 1t is
said that he would consent to no meeting
! that afforded any possibility for the escape of
1 either. Reckless of his own life, he deter
mined that if he fell his antagonist should
| fall with him. He therefore would only
/ consent to meet Mason on such terms as
must, in all probability. result in the destruc-
/ ton of both.
With this object in view in accepting the
challenge, his first proposal is said to have
been that he and Mason should leap together
from the dome of the capitol. This was de-
clined as wholly unsanctioned by the Code.
He next proposed 'to fight on barrel OF
powder, which was objected to-" say the sec
| onds, ''as not according with established u
sage, as being without example, and as cal
cuated to establish dangerous precedent
He next proposed to fight with dirks, in q
| hand to hand encounter. This was declln-
ed for a like reason. His fuai proposition
was to fight with muskets, charged with buck
shot, at ten feet distance. These terms were
hardly less calculated to insure fatal result
to both than those which had been previous
!. <ly objected to; but desperate as they were
since they were clearly specified within Ma
Latter of inst tinns and nerhans eri