The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1860-11-06
DUELs AND DEADLY FIGHTS.
BY A souTHERNER.

scenes of violence and bloodshed. The q duello'
has prevailed among all races, civilized and barba-
rian, from the remotest antiquity, and is not likely
to be eradicated while men are urged by hot pas.
sion, or ideas of punetilious honor prevail in pro
! fessions7a and communities read, recently in q
newspaper chronological sketch Of the numerous
duels which have been fought upon the renowned
fighting ground at Badensburg; and propose to
/ throw together brief account of several duels
and afrays that have taken place in our country at
various times-giving facts as I heard them, with
out pretending to minute accuracy. E~f
[ have not the newspaper item alluded to before
me-but | believe there is some error in the ac-
count of the duel between Mason and McCarty Gin
| 1929, think and there are some facts omitted
which / will add
| Mason and McCarty were brothers-in-Iaw-
Mason, man of hot and irascible temperate G.
Carly Of resoute but better controlled disposition
For some ofense Mason challenged McCarty, who
objected to deadly combat with one so closely re-
lated to him, and offered to apologize An apology
was refused, and McCarty notified that he would be
forced to fight unless he proceeded with the chal
| lenge. McCarty then named his terms-that both
parties should sit upon a keg of powder and then
fire it. This rejected by the seconds as bar
barous. McCarty then proposed that both should
go upon the cupola of the capitol at Washington,
| and leap from it, hand in hand-but this was also
pronounced inadmissible. H then named muskets,
loaded with two balls each, and eight paces saying
he would kill Mason-he did, being unharmed
himself The newspaper account states that Nc
Carty's hair became white soon after, which sup
pose is a mistake I knew him ten years after the
duel, and his hair was then brown, with no signs
of being gray, and so long as to fall upon his
shoulders. .-- .-.s.s.' e.s.- 4r-y .--. ~.
An incident in the subsequent life of McCarty,
exhibits the determined character of the man.
oh five rtu
and before the pre-emption system had modified,
the rude and high handed ways which prevailed in
the disposal of the public lands, Col. McCarty,
with three or four friends, went from Virginia to
attend public land sale On the day before the
sale, the squaters that region according to the
energetic system of that independent and very
useful class of our fellow citizens notified all
strangers present of what lands they would be
allowed to bid upon, and that any attempt to bid
for any others would be summarly settled at the
peril of the intruding bidder, and they were not
men who trifed or often failed in that kind Of
patriotic and public duty.
At the moment the auctioEeer was about to COM
mence the sale, Col NcCarty stepped forward, and
requested moments delay. He then stated to
the crowd-and there was no lack of fierce bearded
faces, or those pleasing arguments, rifles, pistols
and knives, around-that he had been warned not
to bid for certain lands about to be offered for
Of the land that he should allow no man to con-
troll his rights by threats; and then announcing
himself and friends by name, and from Virginia
he added that they intended to bid for whatever
lands that they say fit, among those about to be
offered, and any attempting violence would do
so at his peril. He then drew brace of pistols
his friends did the same, and the bidding com
menced4 The Virginians bid they pleased for
the forbidden lands, but no fight resulted.
A -
the duel between Mason and McCarty, occurred
near one of the Virginia court houses, and while |
the court ia session. some years ago, between
Dr.. Branch L. Archer, distinguished actor in the
early struggles of Texas, and Of an eminent Fir-
ginian family, and young relative. The young
man. for some rather slight cause, challenged DIR.
Archer, who endeavored to avoid duel, for the
same reason which made McCarty unwilling to
fight Mason. The young man, in this case, per
emptorill, and with threats, demanded meeting,
which was finally conceded. They fought in a
grove at five PAGES, the sound of the pistols in
terrupting the proceedings of the court. The |
young shot dead at the first fire, Archer
afterwards fought knife duel in Texas, with
Spaniard-their left hands tied t0gether--and
killed his antagonist. He of Gen. Hous-
ton s most bitter aud unsparing foes, but never
could bring " Old San Jacinto" to fight.
1t is stated of the celebrated Bowie, that he |
settled an anncable controversy with Spanlard
about the relative merits of his terribly famous
knife and the Spanish long-knife, by knife duel
their left arms tied together. At the word,
Bowie, by a powerful jerk, turned the Spaniard
around, passed his knife into his body, and turned
1.-THE Spaniard sinking down, a dead man Bowie
then coolly severed the cord and let the dead body
fall, with as much Indifference though it bad
been log. This, of course, was most satisfactory,
and convincing proof that he had the best of the
controversy .s .,.zaz e...asss-- /
Twenty years ago, and still later, the pleasant
town of Vicksburg used to have regular !" seBsa-
tons" from fights between the editors of the
" Wing" and the Sentinel Every week or two
they were upon the street with their guns, shoot
ing at each other The editor of the " Sentinel"
was an Irishman by birth, and from Philadelphia.
His writings were virulent in the extreme and his
relish for fight seasoned even above that
degree of zeal which has so celebrated the viyacity
of Donnybrook Fair" He was finally removed |
to more serene existence, in street light with
young gentleman named Jackson, who went all the |
way from New Orleans for the purpose of shooting.
him, which be did. The tone of the Sentinel
was not abandoned in bitterness by this little acei
deut-but it always had its fighting editor, who I
chivalrously encountered all comers- occasionally
" wipiBg out or manning an adversary; but three
or four of them "went under" in succession while
engaged in this pleasing pastime. -=
A duel which came off about twenty years ago, I
between -Gholson and Prentiss, in Mississippi, |
created considerable sensation at the time, in the !