The Shasta courier., 1860-04-14
General JaeAson's Duel with Dickinson.

J
ton of the duel in which Charles Dickinson,
young lawyer of Tennessee, was killed By Gen.
Jackson, in 1906:
Dickinsen's second won the choice of position,
and Jackson's the Office of giving the word. The
astute Overton considered this giving ofthe word
matter of great atimportance, and he had already
determined how he would give il if the lot fell to
him. The eight PAGES were measured off and
the placed. Both were perfectly collected.
All the politeness of such occasions were strictly
| and elegantly performed. Jackson was dressed
in loose frock coat, buttoned carelessly over
his chest, and concealing, in come degree, the
extreme slenderness OF his figure. Dickinson
was the younger and handsomer Of the two
But Jackson's tall, erect figure, and his still de-
meanor, it is said, gave him a most superior and
commanding air, as he stood under the tall
poplars on this bright May morning, silently
awaiting the moment of doom.
"Are you ready ?" said Overton.
" l am ready" replied Dickinson.
"I am ready" said jackson.
The words were no sooner pronounced than
Overton, with sudden shout, cried, using his
old-country pronunciation, f" Fere"
| Dickinson raised his pistol quickly and fired,
| Overton, who was looking with anxiety and
dread at Jackson, saw puff of dust flying from
the breast of his coat, and saw him raise his
left arm and place it tightly across his chest
He is surely hit thought Overton, and in bad
place too but no he does not fall. Erect, and
| grim Fate, he Stood his teeth clenched, rails
ing his pistol. Overton glanced Dickinson.
Amazed at the unwonted failure of his aim, and
apparently appalled, at the awful figure and face
before him, Dickinson had unconsciously recoil-
ed pace or two.
"Great God r. he fatered, 'shave / missed
him ?"
"Back to the mark, sir y shrieked Overton,
with his hand upon his pistol
Dickinson recovered his composure, stepped
forward to the peg, and stood with his eyes
averted from his antagonist. All this was the
work of a moment, though it requires many
words to tell it.
General Jackson took deliberate aim, and
pulled the trigger. The pistol neither snapped
nor went off. He looked at the trigger, and dis
covered that it was stopped at half cock. He
drew it back to its place, and took aim second
time. He fired. Dickinson's face blanched: he
reeled his friends rushed toward him. caught
him in their arms, and gently seated him on the
ground, leaning against bush. His trowsers
REDEEMED. They stripped off his clothes. The
blood gushed from his side in torrent. And,
alas here is the ball, not near the wound, bpt
above the opposite hip, just under the skin. The
ball had passed through his body below the
ribs. Such a would could not but be fatal.
Overton went forward and learned the con-
dition of the wounded man. Rejoining his prin-
cipal, he said " he won't want anything more of
you, General" and conducted him from the
ground. They had gone hundred yards, Over
ton walking on the one side of jackson, the
surgeon on the other, and neither speaking
word, when the surgeon observed that one of
Jack sons shoes was full of blood.
"My God General jackson, are you hit ?r-
he exclaimed painting IN tho blood
30 believe, replied jackson, :" that he has
pinked me little. Let's look at it but say no.
thing about it there" pointing to the house.
He opened his coat. Dickinsons aim had
been perfect. He had sent the bali precisely
where he supposed Jackson's heart was beating.
But the thinness of his body and the looseness
of his coat combining to deceive Dickinson. the
ball had only broken rib or two, and raked the
breast bone. 1t was a somewhat painful, bad
looking wound, but neither severe nor danger
Gus, and he was able to ride to the tavern with
out much inconvenience. Upon approaching the
house he went up to one of the negro women
who was churning, and asked her if the butter
hal come. She said it was just coming. He
asked her for some butter-mllk While she was
getting it for him, she observed him furtiyely
open his coat and look in it. She saw that his
shirt was soaked with blood, and she stood gaz-
ing in blank horror at the sight, dipper in hand
He caught her eye, and hastily buttoned his coat
again. She dipped out quart measure full Of
buttermik, and gave it to him. He drank it off
at draught; then went in, took off his coat,
and had his wound carefully examined aid
dressed. That done, he dispatched one of his
retinue to Doctor Catlett, to enquire respecting
the condition of Dickinson, and to say that the
surgeon attending himself would be glad to con-
tribute his aid toward Mr.. Dickinson's relief
Polite reply was returned that Mr. Dickinson's
case vast past surgery. In the course of the
day General Jackson sent bottle of wine to Dr.
Catlett for the use of his patient
But there was one qualification which jackson
could not, even in such circumstances, grant
him. very old friend of General Jackson's
writes to me thus: although the General was
wounded he did not desire it should be known
until he left the neighborhood, and he had there
fore concealed it first from his own friends. His
reason for this, as he once stated to me, was.
that as Dickinson considered himself the best
shot in the world, and was certain of killing him
at the first fire, he did not want him to have the
qualification even of knowing that he had
touched him."