Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1860-05-19
THE JACKsoN-DICKINSoN DUEL.

'Oh,' iCOoHV HiC VI tlc loIlllcr gives an cA-
ccllcnt account of the affair, W tn some cir
cumstanccs that are new.
Dickinson's second won the choice OF
position, and Jaclson's the Office of giving
the word. The astuto Ovcrton considered
the giving Of the word It mattcr3 of great
Importance, and he had already dctclmin
ed how he would give it if the lot fell to
him. The eight. PAGES were measured off
and the men placed; both were perfectly
collected. All the politeness of such cc.
casions was strictly and elegantly per-
formed. jackson was dressed in u loose
frock, buttoncd carclcssly over his chest,
and concoaling i'll some degree the extreme
slondcrncss Of his figure. Dickinson was
the younger and hand.omcr man of the
two. ut.Jackson's tall erect figure and
the still intensity of his dcmcanor, it is
said, ,gayc him a most superior and com.
manding air as he stood under the tall
poplars in the bright, May morning, silent
" awaiting the moment of doom.
Are you ready? p said .Oyorton,
g ain ready" said Dickinson.
Il am ready said Jackson,
The words were no sooner pronounced
than Oycrton, with Il sudden shout, cried =,
IL ing lis old country pronunciation,
"Fearc."
Dickinson raised his pistol quickly and
fired, Oycrton, who was looking with
anxiety and dread at jackson, saw puff
OF dust fly from the breast of his coat and
saw him raise his arm and place it tightly
across his chest. Gle is surely hit, .
thought Overflow and in bad place, too
but he does not fall" Erect and grim as
fate he stood, his teeth clenchcd, raising
his pistol. Oycrton glanced at Dickinson.
Amazed at the unwontcd failure of his aim
and appalled, at the awful figure and face
before him, Dickinson had ANONYMOUSLY
rocoiled step or two.
"Grcat God - he faltercd, "havc l
missed him!''
"Dack to the mark, sir!" thundcred
Ovcrton, with his hand upon his pistol
Dickinson recovered his composure,
stepped forward to the pcg,and stood with
eyes ayerted from his antagonist. All
this was but the work Of Il laomcnt though
it requires many words to tell it.
General Jackson took deliberate aim
and pulled the trigger. The pistol neither
snapped nor went off lie looked at. the
trigger and discovered that 1t had stopped
at half-cock. lie drew it back to its place
and took aim second time. lie fired
Dickinaon's face blauchcd he rcclcd; his
friends rushed forward, caught him in
their arms, and gently laid him on the
grass, leaning against bush, They strip
ped of his cloths. The blood gushing from
his side i'll a torrent. And alas. here is
the lall, not near the woaul, but above
the opposite hip, just under the skin The
ball had passed through the body, below
the ribs. Such Il wound could not but be
fatal,
OrertJn went forward and learned the
condition Of the wounded man. Rcjoining
his principal, he said; "IIe wont want
anymore of you, General" and conducted
him from the ground. They had gone Il
hundred yards, Oycrton walking on one
side Of Jackson, the surgeon Oh the other,
and neither speaking word, when the
surgeon observed that one OF Jackson's
shoes was full OF blood.
"Oh! believe, replied jackson, ''that
he has pinkcd me Il little. Let's look at it
But say nothing about it there" pointing
to the house.
lie opened his coat Dickinson's aim
had been perfect lie had sent the ball
precisely whore he supposed jackson ;
heart was beating. But the thinncss Of
his body and the loosoness Of his coat COM
binod to deceive Dickinson; the ball had
only broken rib or two and raked the
breast-bone. 1t was a somewhat painful
tad-looking wound, but neither severe nor
dangerous, and he was able to ride to the
tavern without much inconvenience.
Upon approaching the house he went
up to one Of the negro women who was
churning and asked if the butter had come?
She sald it was just coming, He asked
for some buttermilk. While she was get
ting it for him, she saw him furtiyely open
his coat and look within it. She saw that
his shirt was saturated with blood, and
stood gazing in black horror at the sight,
dipper in hand. lie caught her eye, and
hastily buttonCd up his coat again, She
dipped out a quart measure of Buttermilk