Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1860-06-28
5HisttlIant0us.
The Sand Bar Dnel at Natchez

In order to correct false account of the
duel on the sand bar - Natchez. in 1928, the
Richmond Despatch gives a Statement whirh
as We have heard the story from more than ouc
MiSSiSsippian, we believe to be quite correct
In the parish of RapjieS. and more partic-
ularly in It's principal town, Alexandria, stu
a,gd on the Red River, there had existed.
from tie time of the purchase of Louisiana.
two strong and hostile parties, the one co1,p0s-
cd of the Creole population, with many Amer
lean auXiliareS, and the other composed, in a
great measure, of American settlers, with.
probably the addition Of few Creoles The
ii.-wlli OF the parties was stimulated to an in
teu>c degree, by numerous disputes @i:h re-
gard 10 land titles arising out of what were
known at the time aS the WaShita claims =
Frequent acts of violence Signalized the exist
CnCe Of these parties, WlC. rs is avc7s the
case with factions Of every description. 4 few
years previously 90 1893, drew TO a head un
der the actual though unacku0wledged lead
erShlp OF two master SpiFits-men who Seemed
formed, by nature, for stormy times The
first of these, Gel Crane, I'VE do not reCollect
his name was a native of Fauuuier CT Lou
dcun county, Virginia. lie was tall, thin
man, quite lame, Of no great physical strength,
We presume, from his size aud figure. but OF
strong mind, powerful will, and undaunted
courage lie removed TO Louisiana about the
year 1918, and was at the time we write of,
a planter in the parish of RapideS He was
regarded a. the leader OF the American fac
ton. Tie other was Col James Bowie, who
was native of Maryland, where the name is
quite commoa, but had removed in early youth
10 Louisiana. lie rcseEibled Col Crane in
many particulars He had powerful, but
not very cultivated understanding was a
shrewd judge, and most efficient manager Of
men possessed, ike Crane, great physical
courage, but differed from him in that his
frame aud strength were on the gigantic scale.
We have heard persons, who have served with
him in Texas, say that, in addition to his 9th
er qualifications as border chief, he had a
degree OF military talents which would, under
other circumstances and in a different service,
have made him conSumate commander He
was cool, persevering, and prudent, and held
it as maxim never to strike blow without
some important object in view. He was ~
ing i'll in the town OF San Antonio when the
MexieauS advanced upon it, and was carried
on bed into the Alamo. Had he been in
health, we have heard Texans say, the massa-
cree at the Alamo would not have taken place,
for be would hare insisted on retreating from
that dangerous advanced position and falling
back on the settlements, at least a week be-
fore Santa Anna came on. Daring to the ex-
treme of rashness, where daring was required,
be was too much Of soldier to expose bis
men in position so far in advance of all sue
cor, where, if they were defeated, they must
be inevitably destroyed. To return, however,
to the thread of our narrative.
There was, of course, deadly animosity be-
tween Crane and Bowie, bat they did not i'm
mediately come into the conflict. Their par
tisans, however, were continually fghting.-
On one occasion, General Cuney, of Bowie's
party, fred at Col. Crane, and struck some
body else, On another occasion, Dr.. Wright,
of Cranes party, shot Col! Bowie, in Culbert-
sons tavern, with a pocketpistol. the ball
striking the pit of bis stomach. Ii only pen
etrsted his clothing however. and produced
DO other i'll effect than deadly va Vssa, which