Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1860-05-17
The desperate Duel between
jackson and DickinsOn.

IL 1AO NAOS 9O - 9AC4 WI W WI
jackson and Dickinson.
The famous duel between Jackson and
Dickinson isgenerally known, but Parton's
life of the former gives an excellent account
of the affair, with some circumstances that
are new. /.
Diekinson's second won the choice OF
position, and Jackson's the office of giving
the word, The astute Oyerton considered
this giving of the word matter OF great
Importance, and be would give if, if the
lot fell to him. The eight PAGES were
measured of, and the men placed; botn
were perfectly collected. All the poiiie-
ness Of such occasions was strictly and ele
oantlv reformed. Jackson was dressed In
q loose frock coat buttoned carelessly over
his chest. and concealipg in some degree
The extreme slenderness of his figure
Dickinson was the younger and handsomer
man of the two. But Jackson's tall, erect
figure and the intensity of demeanor, it is
said, gave him a most superior commanding
air, as be stood under the tall poplars on
this bright May morning, silently awaiting
the moment of doom.
aAre you ready !" said Overton.
81 am ready" said Dickinson.
"I am ready" said jackson.
The words were no sooner pronounced,
than 0yerton, with sudden shout, cried,
using his old country pronunciation, fire 2
Dickinson raised his pistol quickly and
fired. Overton, who was looking with
anxiety and dread at jackson, saw a puff
OF dust fly 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, sand in bad place,
too, but be does not fall" Erect and grim
as fate he stood, his teeth klinched, rais-
ing his pistol. Overton glanced at Dick
inson. Amazed at the unwonted failure
of his aim, and appalled, at the awful figure
and face before him, Dickinson had uncon-
ciously recoiled pace or two.
"Great God! !" he faltered, have I missed
hima"
"Back to the mark, sirw thuudered
Overton, with his had upon his pistol.
Dickinson recovered his composure,
stepped forward to the peg, and stood
with his eyes averted from his antagonist.
All this was but the work of moment
though it requires many words 10 tell it.
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. He drew it back to its place and
took aim a second time. He fired, Dickin-
sons face blacked; be reeled; his friends
rushed towards, caught bin in their arms
and gently seated him on the grass, lean
ing against bush. His trowsers redden-
ed. They stripped off bis clothes. The
blood was gushing from bis side in a tor
rent. And, alas here is the ball, not near
the wound, above the opposite hip, just
under ethe skin. The ball had passed
through the body below the ribs. Such
wound could not be but fatal.
Oyerton went forward and learned the
condition of The wounded man. Rejoin-
ing bis principal, be said: "He won't want
anything more of you, General" and con-
Quoted him from the ground. They had
gone an hundred yards, Overton walking
on one side Of jackson. the surgeon on the
other, and neither speaking word, when
the surgeon observed that one of Jackson's
shoes was filled with blood.
"Oh! believe" replied Jackson, 'sthat
he has pricked me little. Let's look al
it. But say nothing about it there" point
ing to the house.
He opend bis coat. Dickinson's aim
had been perfect. He had sent the ball
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. It was a somewhat
painful, bad looking wound, but neither
severe nor dangerous, and he was able to ride
to the tavern without much inconvenience.
Upon approaching the house, be went up
to one of the negro women who was
churning and asked her if the butter had
come. She said it was just coming. He
asked for some buttermilk. While she
was getting it for him, she observed him
furtiyely open his coat and look within it.
She saw his shirt was soaked with blood,
and she stood gazing in blank horror, at the
sight, dipper in hand. He caught her eye,
and hastily buttoned up his coat again.
dipped out quart measure full of butter
milk, and gave it to him. He drank it off
at draught, then went in took off his
coat and had his wound carefully examined
and dressed. That done, he dispatched,
one of bis retinue to DR.. Catlet, to in
quire respecting the condition of Dickin-
son, and to say that the surgeon attending
himself would be glad to contribute his
aid towards Mr.. Dickinson's relief. Polite
reply was returned that Mr.. Dickinson's
case was past surgery. In the course of
the day, Gen. jackson sent bottle of wins
to DR.. catlet, for the use his patient.
But there was one qualification which
jackson could not, even in such circum-
stances, grant him. A very old friend of
General Jackson's writes to me thus aAl-
though the General had been wounded, be
did not desire it to be known until he had
left the neighborhood, and therefore had
concealed it first from his friends. His
reasons for doing this, as he at once stated
to me, was, that as Dickinson considered
himself the best shot in the world, and
was certain of killing him the first fire, be
1.d pof xuopk b,,,, bovo tbo ,S