The Republican journal., 1871-07-27

HERE LIES INFERRED
ms BODY on MIR.
BENJAMIN WOODBRIDGE,
son oE THE HONORABLE
DUDLEY WOODBRIDGE ESQR
WHO DECD JULY " sd,
YEAR OF MS AGE.
The story Of young Woodbridge Is soon told !;
for before he had completed his twentieth year
he fell a victim of Il duel the first fought in
Boston, The parties to this sad transaction
were himself, i young merchant OF great prom
iSe, who had Just completed his education, hay
inc been sent to Boston from distant abode
for the purpose, and who had recently been a,l-
mitted to business as 4 partner with Mr.. .'on;-
than Sewall, one of the most active merchants
of the place; and his antagonist. MIR. Henry
Phillips, then Il Young graduate OF the College
at Cambridge, who had lately been associated
With his brother Gillian, who had recently sue
cee,lcd his father Samuel Phillips, i'll the buS-
ness of bookseling. Phillips was also young :;
vet he was about four years older than W oou-
bridge; for at the time of the melancholy affair
he had but Just completed his twenty-thrd
wear The social position of both was eminent
ly respectable; for each was related to the best
families in the Province, both by descent ana
by family alliances. 1t is not generally known
even by those who are familiar with the gener-
al facts, that Woodbridge was son OF gentle
man of some distinction in Barbadoes, one OF
settled in the ministry rs pastor of the church
in Groton, Connecticut.
The cause Of the difficulty between the young
gentlemen was dispute at a card-tabe. lhe
place of meeting was on the rising ground oil
the Common, not far from the Great Elm near
where in the olden times Il powder house stood
but where, until quite recently, on gala occa-
sions tloated the flag of our Union. The weap'
ons on the occasion were small swords. Ihe
combat was in the evening; and the parties
| were unattended. Woodbridge fell mortally
wounded by Il thrust through the body, and
died on the spot before the next morning
Phillips was slightly wounded, and, at mid
night, by the aid OF his brother Gillian, ano
Peter Faneuil, of famous memory, made ms es'
cape, and being received on board the Sheer
ness a British man-Of-war then lying i'll tht
harbor was on his way to France before the
sun of.the next morning had fully discovered
to interested friends the miserable result OF the
the unfortunate meeting. Within twelve
| month young Phillips died at Rochelle, IL
France, OF grief and Il broken heart. What
lesson does that silent grayestone pcrpetnahy
| teach!
Several chapters are devoted to that
pride OF all Bostonians, the Common
| This tract of about 45 acres, which Is now
so beautified and adorned, was originally
| free pasture land for the cows of the in
habtants, and so strong was the force o
custom that it required much time an(
argument to procure the relinquishmcn
of that right.
Fifteen chapters of the book are fille'
with descriptions of the harbor. will
islands, channels, forts, shoals, &c. an'
to our mind is, for the general reader th'
most interesting portion of the work. 4
| remarkable occurrence in the harpof' II
which refractory negro blew up a vesse
and sacrificed his life, is thus told
Scarcely any one who was boy betweel
forty-five and fifty years ago Will ever forge
into on Artillery Election day, in the year 1871