Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1859-12-23

/ bearing seli-willed, obstinate and profane.
He was a gambler, bully, and a duel
ist. 1t was said Of him that it was i'm
possible for him to live without fighting.
It was charged against him by one of his
political opponents that be had been en-
gagged in nearly one hundred fights, or
violent and abusive quarrels." His BIZ
ographer comedies that the statement is
not improbable, excusing him by saying
that 1.-THE average per annum Of bis life
is not unreasonably high, considering that
it was his principle to make his friends
quarrel his own, and considering too, that
during the last fifteen years of his resi-
dence in Tennessee he held offices which
necessarily brought him into collision
with the entire rascality Of the State"
But the accounts of some of his quar-
rels, which his biogropher has given with
evident care and impartiality in his ex-
animation Of facts, unfortunately do not
bear out this justification. They are his
own quarrels, and in most of them he was
the aggressor. At one time we see him
threatening the life of husband, whose
wife he had seduced from her allegiance,
and afterward married before she had
been divorced. At another, he challen-
ges lawyer who, in his rejoinder in
open court, ridiculed one Of his legal ar
guments. Again, he acts as second in
duel between two boys of eighteen, set
ting the principals only six feet apart
When called into the service of the Uni
ted States in the war of 1912, with a re-
giment of Tennessee volunteers, of which
he was Major General, his biographer
tells us that he took with him his dueling
pistols and a small quantity of particu-
lar kind Of powder, expecting to settle u
question Of precedence between himself
and Gen. Wilkinson of the regular'army,
by an appeal to the duelo. His favorite
mode of settling a quarrel was by a street
ARRAY, in one of which, with Col. Thomas
II. Benton, lie was shot by brother Of
Benton, and had his shoulder shattered.
Here is an account of the only duel which
he appears to have fought, although he
refused one or more challenges on the
ground that those who called him out
were not gentlemen. His antagonist in
this duel, whom be killed, was Charles
Dickinson, a young man who left a young
and lovely wife. Gen. Oyerton was
Jackson's second;
Dickinsou's second won the choice Of
position, and Jackson's the Office of Civ
ing the word The astute Overton con.
sidersd this giving OF the word a matter
Of great Importance, and he had already
,, determined hOeo he would give it, if the
lot fell 10 him. Tue eight PAGES were
measured off, and the men placed. Both
were perfectly collected. All the polite.
nesses Of such occasions were very strict.
ly and elegantly performed. Jackson
was dressed in a loose frock coat, button.
ed carelessly over his chest, aud conceal
ing in some degree the extreme slender.
ness Of his figure. Dickinson was the
? younger and handsomer man of the two
But Jackson's tall, erect figure, and The
. still intensity of bis demeanor, it is sale
gave him a most superior and command
ing air, as he stood under the tall poplar
# on this bright May morning, siIentl,
ID awaiting the moment of doom.
al Are you ready" said Oyerton.
le / am ready" replied Dickinson.
4 IL am ready" said jackson.
r The words were no sooner pronounce,
Of than Overton, with a sudden shout, cried
at using his old-country pronunciation
] FEREl'
in Dickinson raised his pistol quickly an
re fired Oyerton, who was looking wit
L. anxiety and dread at Jackson, saw pu-
IS Of dust fly from the breast Of his Goa
lie and saw him raise his left arm and plac
a it tightly across his chest. He is surel
N. hit, thought Overton, ard in a bad placl
a. too; but no; he does not fall. Erect an
n grim as fate he stood, his teeth clenche,
lis raising his pistol. Overton glanced ;
of Dickinson. Amazed at the unwonte
failure of his aim, and apparently az
,st palled at the awful figure and face befor
i. him, Dickinson had unconsciously recoi
- ed a pace or two.
= Great God" he faltered, have
missed him ?"
OF Back to the MARK, sirr' shrieke
IN Overton, with his hand upon his pistol.
en- Dickinson recovered his composur
u stepped forward 10 the peg, and stood vii
J" his eyes averted from his antagonist.
All this was the work Of a moment, tn
he it requires many words to tell it.
IN Cen JacLsop tool. 5ol;Lo.,4 =. =: -