Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-05-07
JACK>ON,s DUEL WITH pICKIxSox

JACk<ON's DUEL WITH DICKINSON
Mr.. Parton, in the first volume of his Life of
jackson, just issued, gives the following graphic
description of the duel in which Charles Dick
inson, young lawyer of Tennessee, was killed
oy Gen jackson. in 1906
Dickinson S second won the choice of position
and JacksOn's the Office of giving the word.
The sstute Oyerton considered this giving Of
the word a matter of great importance and be
had already determined how he would give it,
II the lot fell to him. The eight PAGES were
measured of and the men placed. Both were
perfectly collected. All the politeness of such
occasions were very strictly and elegantly per-
formed Jackson was dressed in q loose frock
coat, buttoned carelessly over his chest, and
cOncealing in some degree the extreme slender
ness Of his figure. Dickinson was the Younger
and the handsOmer man of the two But Jack
son tall, erect figure and the still demeanor
1T is said, gave him a most superior and COM
mandlng air, as he stood under tho tall pOpIars
on on this bright May morning, silently awaiting
the moment Of doom.
"Are you ready" said Overton
g am ready" replied Dickinson
- am ready said Jackson.
The words were no sooner pronounced than
Oyerton, With sudden shout, cried, using his
Old-cOuntry prOnunciatiOn-"FEREt :"
Dickinson raised his pistol quickly and fred
Overton, who was looking with anxiety and
dread at jackson, saw a puff of dust fy 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 Overflow and in a
bad place, too; but nO-he does not fall Erect
and grim as fate he stood, his teeth clenched
raising his pistol. 0vertOn glanced at Dickin-
SON Amazed at the unwOnted failure of his
aim, and apparently appalled, at the awful
figure and face before him, Dickinson had ur-
consciously recOiled pace or two
"Great God '" be faltered, have missed
him l''
=. Back to the mark, SIR shrieked Overton.
with his hand upon his pistol
Dickinson recovered his cOmposure slammed
forward to the peg, and stood with his ewes
averted from his antagonist. All this was the
work OF moment, though it requires many
words to tell it,
General Jackson took deliberate aim. and
pulled the trigger. The pistol neither snapped
nor went of He looked at the trigger and
discovered that it had stopped at half.cock.
be drew it back TO its place, and took aim a
second time. lie fired. Dickinson's face
blanched; he reeled; his friends rushed toward
MIN, caught him in their arms and gently
seated hun on the ground, leaning against a
bush. His trOwsers reddened They stripped
on his clothes. The blood gushed from bis
side IN torrent. And, alas here is the ball
not near the wound, but above the opposite
hip, just under the skin. The ball had passed
through the body, below the ribs Such a
OvertOn went forward and learned the con
dltion Of the wounded man Reioinipp his
principal, he said % He won want anyihino
moro OF you, General" and conducted him
from the ground. They had gone a hundred
yards, Overton walking on one side of jackson,
the surgeon on the other, and neither speak
ing word, when the surgeon observed that
one OF JscksOn's shoes was full of blood
MY God, General Jackson, are YOU hit ~
he exclaimed, pointing to the blood
80, believe" replied jackson, "that he
has pinked me little. Let's look at it. But
house.
He opened his coat. Dickinson's aim had
been perfect. He had sent the ball precisely
where he supposed Jackson's heart wss beat.
ing. But the thinness of his body, and the
iooseness OF his coat combined to deceive Dick
lnson, the ball had only broken a rib or two.
and raked his breast. 1t was a painful. bad
looking wound, but neither severe nor danger
Gus, and he was able to ride to the tavern
without much Inconvenience. Upon d . oroach-
Ing the house, he went up to one of the negro
women, who was churning, and asked her If
the butter had come. She said it was lust COM
ing. He asked her for some butter milk While
she was getting ii for him, she observed him
feTlvely open his coat and look within it, She
saw that his shirt was soaked with blood. and
she stood gazing in blank horror at the sight
dipper in hand. lie caught her eye, and has
quart measure full of butter-milk and gave il
70 him: He drank it of draught: then went
IN, took OF his coat and had his wound care
fully examined and dressed. That done. he
dispatched one Of his ritinue to DIR. Catlett,
to inquire respecting the condition of Dickin-
son, and to say that the surgeon attending
himself would be glad to contribute his aid
towards Mr.. DickinsOns relief polite re-
ply was returned that Mr.. Dickinson's case
was past surgery. In the course of the day
General Jack kSon sent bottle of wine to DR.
Catlett for the use Of his patient.
But there was one qualification which jack
son, could not even in such circumstances
grant him. Avery old friend of q eneral j lack
cons writes to me thus: eAIthough the Gen
ersl was wounded, he did not desire it should
De known until be bad left the neighborhood
and be had therefore concealed it at first even
from bis own friends. His reason for this, as
he once stated me was, that as Dickinson CON
sidered himself the best shot in the world. and
was certain Of killing him at the first fire, be
did not want him TO have the qualification of
knowing that he had toue had hin,