Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-09-11
COUNT BLUCHER'S DUEL.
From the Turf. Field and Farm.l

At place like Baden Baden, where
men of so many different nations meet,
and so many of these men are soldiers,
with play, womena and other indictments
to quarrel, it is rather singular that there
should be so few duels to record. Public
! opinion certainly does not forbid them,
and though the laws of the land-do, the
| frontiers of France or Wurtemburg are
but few hours distant Nevertheless,
not many duels have originated in Baden
within the memory of the present gene
ration. In lS43, the misconduct of a
native who, after being put in coventry
by his countrymen, was taken up by the
Russians, caused very complicated row
between the two nationalities despite
the law, it eliminated in two duels on
Baden ground and the death of three out
of the four combatants This was the
great sensation in the history of Baden
quarrels; next and only next was Count
Blucher's duel, in 1885.
Count Blucher Won Wallstadt, was a
grandson of the great Blucher 1t is
almost superfluous to say that he was not
old enough to have served under his
grandfather in the Napoleonic wars
The Prussians then were not liked in
Baden. But Count Blueher was an ex-
ception generally esteemed as Christian
and gentleman, a man of manners as
well as principles He died not many
months ago and it may be safely assert
ed that no man was ever more regretted
in the place. One only shadow of fault
had he Gossips called him somewhat
close in money matters, always just but
rarely generous. He was one of the
most peaceable, amiable and good tenn
pered men you are likely to meet in the
course of lifetime. Yet he fought a
desperate duel in 1885, as aforesaid, and
the way he came to fight it was this:
There was French officer whose name
is not worth remembering Tradition
has record of him that he quilted the
army on account of his legitimist prin-
ciples, when Charles Y was expelled
from France Whether his head was
turned by having nothing to do in his
provincial retreat, which is the most
charitable supposiiion, or whatever the
cause was, he actually determined to go
to Baden and kill Butcher, whom he had
never seen, and of whom he knew moth
ing, except that the Count was grandson
of Marshal Forwards ON which ac-
count the Frenchman determined to be
the death of him.
To 90 from Normandy or Brittany to
Baden in those days took about as long
for a man Of moderate means as it now
does to go from America to Europe.
There was time enough for reflection on
the journey, and the first appearance of
Baden Baden in itself might be supposed
capable of inspiring more wholesome
thoughts. But the Frenchman, probably
in that state of mental eXaltation which
it is hard to distinguish from temporary
insanity, never faltered from his pur
pose. Having had Blucher pointed out
to him, he assailed the Count on the pub
lie promenade where he might be seen
pretty much every day., with a volley OF
obscene abuse. Blncher took no notice
of the insult at first, not supposing that
it could possibly be addressed TO him by
an unknown person, but 1t was imme-
diately repeated in such manner as to
leave no doubt of the intention. The
Count demanded his assailants name
and retired to consult with his friends
They decided, after some investigation,
that as the officer was not drunk and
sufficiently sane TO be at large, there
must be fight, and as the insult had
been so gross, il must be duel a mort,
till one or the other fell.
| think IL there were a grandson of
Andrew jackson living in New York or
Boston, and an Englisman came over on
purpose to insult him (Which would be
about the counterpart of Bluchers af- |
fair), our clubmen would decide that the |
very act showed the foreigner to be more |
or less insane and not accountable. AT |
any rate, they would not deem 1t abso-
lutely necessary to make the encounter |
a fatal one But such was land still Isl |
the feeling of society on the European
continent, that if Count Blucher had
turned his insulter over to the police as
a disorderly BLACKBOARD, the Germans
would have felt themselves bullied by
the French, and the French would have
felt that they had bullied them, and
would have made quite q hero out Of
their very absurd and disreputable coun-
tryman.
The Germans being on their own
ground, had a right to claim German
rules, according 70 which the challenger
may propose his own weapon, and the
may see it, and 60 better.
OF course they proposed pistols. Your
Gaul is always an adept with the small
sword, that he may be able to spit any