The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1859-03-31

now to inform you that shall pay no
farther attention to any communica.
tion you may make to me, other than
a direct call to the field"
TO this Barron, replies, January 10,
$780," Whenever you will consent to
meet me on fair and equal grounds,
that is, such as two honorable men
may consider just and proper, you are
at liberty to view this as call. The
whole tenor of your conduct to me
justiiies this course of proceeding on
my part
Oh the Gath Decatur accepts the
call and refers Barron to his friend
Commodore Bainbridgc as author.
lied to make all necessary arrange.
ments. Baron replies, February g.,
that Decatur's communication found
him confined 10 his bed with a bill
ious fever, and it was eight days af-
ter its arrival before he had been
able to read it, and that as soon as he
was in u situation to write, Decatur
should hear from him to the point.
Barron probably wrote final note,
but it is not published. This then
closed the correspondence.
The contest was likely to prove an
unequal one. Decatur was esteemed
to have no superior in the use OF the
pistol. His skill and precision were
the theme Of common remark. Be-
sides this he had been u duolist al.
most from his boyhood, and was well
verscd in all the practices and tech
nicalities of the code. 1t is related OF
him that, when young liutcnant
having been treated with great dis
courtesy at Philadelphia by an officer
of an India ship, he challenged him,
by the advice of his father. Before
going to the field, Decatur declared
his intention not to innict II mortal
= injury on his antagonist, but to wound
him in the Lip. lie did so, escaping
, himself unhurt. lie had been engaged
G in other difficulties, and always will
success.
On the other hand, Barron lahore,
' under one great disadvantage. IL
, was near-sighted. In conflict whcr
so much depends on a quick and ac
curate aim, he was thoroughly con
scious how much the chances wer
, against him in consequence of thl
A deficiency, to say nothing of his own
J. want Of experience and Decatur''
c acknowledged superiority as a marks
!" man. This circumstance will laccoun
$, for the persistent endcavors exhibited
= by Barron in his correspondence t
d draw the challenge from Dccatu'
G that he might secure "lhe prlvlleg
allowed to the challenged party
n relation to the choice Of weapon
S distance, ETC. Ii he could succeed
V doing this. he hoped to be able
n. name such terms as would, in son
}. degree, remedy his own deIicioncie
r. and place him as nearly as posslb
m on an equal footing with his MOI
N skillrul antagonist. But this could NJ
d be done. lie plainly saw that ii b
d expected to meet Decatur at all, h
himself must give the challenge an
q take the risks. In wording his inv
G. tation, therefore, nc expressly stip'
\. lates for such terms, in elect, as /
20 would have had tho right to nan
N had the invitation come from Decatu
ID terms by which no advantage won
,e result to Decatur from his nearness
or vision and want of experience. Ft
mr. he says, whenever you will consc
ct to meet me on fair and equal sroun'
q that is such as two honorable m,
nd may consider just and proper, you II
a. at liberty to view this as cal"
ed The great difficulty. therefore, W
to make such arrangements for I
.ly meeting as under the circumstanc
", would be considered fair and equa
,e. From the Tact that nearly seven wee
lo. intcrvened between the date OF t
;ir, last note and the day named for t
di. duel,it is inferred that there was mu
nv negotiation between the seconds b
Ter fore everything was shaped to
30. satisfaction OF each. The arrang
TO ments. however, were mt length CO
cluded. the time fixed was the 2
,ot of March; the place, the ground ne
nj. Blandensburg; the weapons, pisto
e,. and the distance eight PAGES.
nd 1t was also provided that each p;
ne ty, after being placed. should ra
en- his pistol and take deliberate {
in. at the other before the uord fire ,
is, giccn. This, it was considered, '
ID. due to Barron on account Of his
m. rective vision, and was deemed to