Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1873-01-09

the Virginians eye and the cool name
1~of his reply produced a visible etec
upon the man who had killed six fellow
beings seemed to realize in SECOND
that he had met not only his equal, bu
his superior
Nevertheless, there was no way O
getting out of the scrape. The duelis
who had been the terror of the navy
was now forced to meet in mortal com
bat the man who had spit upon him, O.
to be driven in DISGRACE from the navy
and to be spurned as craven wherevel
he was known. Ohe made up his mind
to write Lawson a challenge; anc
though he had not friend ON the ship
yet he got some one to carry his note
of defiance and to act as his second.
Lawson promptly accepted it, and
replied that his terms were: time. the
next morning at sunrise; place, Kelly's
farm, a mile east of. Norfolk; weapons
pistols: mode of firing, over a handker
chief to be held by the seconds, and
between the. words one and three.
When Mcknight read Lawson's ac-
ceptance he must have seen his almost
fate in a combat with so determined al
opponent, deprived of his usual advan-
tages. But Che preliminaries were soor
arranged, and the morning was to see
one or both die!
There was little field on Kelley's
farm on point made between a creek
and the Eastern Branch of the Eliza
beth river, and this was the place selec-
ted. At sunrise next morning Lawson
and his second were ON the ground, but
Mcknight was not there. They waited
some time; but he did not appear. AT
last Lawson and his second turned THEN
steps towards the batteau on which they
had crossed the creek While walking
along his friend looked back, and saw
Mcknight and his second approaching
from the other side of the field. They
then stopped; and though Mckcight
had not come to time, and Lawson
was thus by he code released from
the obligation Of meeting him yet he
declared to his second that he would
not insist upon the right of posting him
because of his delay, but that he would
90 back and meet him. They returned
and the two seconds prepared to carry
out the prelimlnaries.
They then went into the middle Ct
The field, and each second took hold of
the corner. Of a handkerchief they
placed the principals one on each side
OF the same at the distance of three feet
from each other, when each friend
handed pistol to his principal. For
a few moments there was perfect silence
when one of the seconds cried out :
Are you ready? One! Instantly Nc
might sprang high into the air and
f Il pierced through the heart! He had
not even fred his pistol. Such was the
md Of the man Of honor!
Lawson afterwards, in conversation
on the subject of this duel, remarked
hat he felt perfectly sure that he would
i'll his opponent: for, said he, AS l APP
preached him on the field, l saw his
pistol shake in his hand, and I knew !
had him
If ever palliation would be urged in
behalf Of any duel, without doubt, Law
son was ent tied to it; for the provoea-
ton was horriable, and the laws OF
honor that than governed the conduct
of society, and above all the two ser
vices were inexorable But Lawson
vas never happy man from the day he
Silled Mcknight. He soon afterwards
-esigned his lieutenancy and retired to
: farm which he owned in Princess
Anne county, When war ensued with
Great Britain, he raised command, bore
himself most CALAMITY in resisting an at
tack made by party from the enemy's
vessel that landed near Cape Henry and
were driven off by Capt Lawson and
his men. He died few years after the
war, honored and beloved by all that
knew him, and the few very old men
now left, that knew him intimately, all
speak of him with uncommon affection,
regretting that the life of their deal
friend should have been made wretched
by an enforced compliance with the re-
quirements ofthe Bloody code of honor.