The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1860-10-25
DUELS AND DEADLY FIGHTS.
BY A SOUTlIERNER.

Whatever tho moaIists may say, or
popular Cpinion may be, tharc is no class
Of "sonsation" reading moIo eagerly pc
ruscd than such Us detail scenes Of vio-
Icncc and bloodshcd Tho "duclly" has
prevailed among all races, civilized and
barbarian, from the remotest antiquity,
and is not likely to be eradicatcd while
men arc urged by hot passion, oridcas Of
punctiIious honor prevail in professions
and communities. | read, recently, in
II newspaper, n chronological sketch of
the numerous ducls which have been
fought upon the renowned fighting
ground ut Blndcnsburgh; and ] propose
to throw together II brief account of
several ducls and atfrays that have Ia
ken place in our country at various
times giving facts MS heard them,
without pretending to minute accuracy.
| havcnotthc newspaper item alluded
to before mc--but believe there is some
error in the account OF the duel between
Mason and McCarty in 1929, | think
and there are some facts omitted, which |
will add:
|
Mason and McCarty were brothers in
IaW-hason man OF hot and lrNsclbIe
tenn McCarty of Il resolutc but bet
ter controlled disposition. For some
offence, Mason challenged McCarty,
who objected to deadly combat with
one so closely related to him, and offer.
gd to apologies An apology was re-
fuSed, ana McCarty notified that he
would be forced to fight, unless he pro-
ceeded with the chaIienSe, McCarty
th"h named ms tcrmS--that both par,
ties should SIT upon u keg Of powder,
ann lhen 1lrr IT, TINS was rejected, by
','' seconds as barharouS. McCArtN
tneh proposed That both should go upon
the cupoIa OF the Capitol at Washington,
ANA leap from 1t, hahd lii hand--buI
t'l' was also pronounced lnadmlsSabc.
lie then named muSietS, loaded with
two balls each, and eight PAGES, saying
he W"u'd XIII MnSon-hc did, being
unharmcd himself, The Newspaper
account states that Mctarty's hair be-
'"'ho WN''o $, on after, which ! sup
pose Is u mlS'aNe. ! knew him ten
'"H '''cF th' uocl, ana hlS haIr was
''''' ''''' 'r""h' VIVA h's'EnS OF being gray,
l"" was so lohS as to tall upon his
'"o"''!cr5'
:, ~ 'nc'doit IN lhe subsequent HE OF
NAt'"rty EXHIBITS thc determined char
"'''r OF !ho man Somewhere about
| went .N'"Eo or thlftN years ago, and be
'oFG 'no 're.omptlpn system had modi'
'lt't inc ruHe ana hISh handed ways
"i'Gh 'reVaIIrl IN tilo disposal OF the
puhhc lands, Colonel McCarty, with
,hrre or IolF friends, Wentl"om Virgin
III TO a'IehdA Il puol,c land sale. On the
Gay before the sale, the SquattcrS in
that region, according to the energetic
system OF mat independent and very
uNeiui class OF our fellow citizens, notl,
Iled all strangers present of what lands
they would be allowed to bid upon, and
that any attempt to bid for any others
WoUid oe Summarlly settled, at the peril
Ol inc lnlruulhE blddcr ana they were
not men VINO trlIled or ottca failed
III that N'naol palrIotlcAnd pubic duty.
Al lhc moment the auctIoncer was
about To commence sale, Colonel Me
'afty stepped forward, ana requested Il
moments delay. lie then stated to the
croWd-and there was no lack oI tie"cc,
bearded faces, or those pleasing argu.
meAts, rifles, pistols, and knives around
that he had been warned not to bid
! for certain lands now about to be offered
for sale; that he recognized nOHuthOrity
but the law OF the land; that hc should
allow no man to control his rights by
| thrcatJ ana then announcing himself
and friends by name, and is from Vir,
glnia, he added that they intended to
bid tor whatever lands they saw fit,
among those about to be offered, and
amy man attempting violence, would do
,oat his peril lie then drew Il brace
Of pistols, his friends did the same,
and the bidding commenced. The
NirginiauS bid as they pleased for
the forbidden lands, bit no fght re
suited.
An instance resembling, in its cirtum-
stances, the duel between Mason and
McCartv, occurred near one oftho Vir.
guia court houses, and while the court
was in session, some years AFRO, between
DR.. Branch +. Archer, IL distinguished
actor in the carly struggles OF Texas,
and oran eminent Nirginan family and
Il Young rc,atvc. The young man, Ter
some rather slight cause, challenged Dr.
Archcr who cndcavorcd to avoid duel
for the same reason which made Me.
| Carty unwilling to FIGHT Mason. The
Young man in this case, pcrcmptorily
and With threats, demanded Il meeting
which was finally conceded. They fought
", ',s ,.un,,a 49, G,.o ,,aoa, I,n s,nnT NJ