Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-02-20
HARD ON FOOTE.
The story OF His Two Duels with
SargentS. Prentiss.
From the Paris Kentuckian.l

From the Paris kentucklan.I
The brazen effrontery of Henry S.
Foote in exposing his willingness to
fight a duel with Jefferson Davis, is
only surpassed by the malignity of the
motive by which he is stimulated. 1t is
but too patent that he is vainly striving
TO attain consequence and capital with
the Black Republican party. To those
who know, and who are ignorant of the
fact. that he foisted himself upon the
State which placed him in the Conted-
crate Senate as true and firm South
erner, while in all his purposes and con-
duct he was q marplot working the de-
struction of the South, and that in the
last gloomy days of Southern depression
and distress that he secretly slipped
from his Senatorial seat and slyly passed
the lines of General Lee into Washing
ton City, with intent to betray his COM
rades; that he was coldly and igno-
miniously repulsed at Washington, and
he again returned secretly to Richmond
and audaciously essayed to resume his
seat as a Confederate Senator, it is not
surprising that in his desperation
he snatched at every plank to
save his sinking fame. The
friends of Jefferson Davis know well that
he will not soil his character as a states
man, a general and Christian gentle
man, by conflict with any such man as
Foote, and some of his friends think he
should not have even conaescended to
publish the card in which he declines to
notice him. If Foote really wants, in
his old age, to fight another duel, he had
better look down among the renegades
and traitors who were SO numerous be-
tween the lines of the late contending
armies.
In speaking of Henry S. Foote, we
are reminded of the account which the
late talented Sargent S. Prentiss gave OF
the causes Of the two duels between him
and Foote.
This is the substance Of the matter we
have heard as detailed by Prentiss;
A friend of Prentiss was at the point
Of death from an attack Of mania-a-potu.
For a week his physicians had essayed
every known remedy to put their patient
to sleep, but in vain. Prentiss knew that
Foote had made a visit to Texas. DE
was nursing his sick friend, when con-
sultation of the doctors was held, and
they announced that the case was hope
less unless the patient could be put to
sleep, but that they would exhaust all
the means known to the profession.
Prentiss sprang from his seat, and
said to the doctors. damn it, give him
Foote'S book on Texas to read, and l
will insure its soporifc effect" The re-
mark Of Prentiss was too good joke to
be kept, and it reached the ears of Foote,
who challenged, and Prentiss was too
much Of Southern cavalier to decline,
and they met, and Foote was wounded
and the parties made friends.
1t happened that the meeting was 30
notorious that q very large collection
crossed the river at Vicksburg to wit
ness it, and among them a number Of
boys, who were SO anxious TO get full
sight, that they climbed up many trees
about the grounds. When the seconds
had planted the parties, Prentiss looked
around and saw the boys in the trees,
and jestiRgly remarked, boys, you had
better take care, Foote shoots mighty
Wild" This remark was published in
the papers, and annoyed Foote to such
degree, that he again challenged Prem
tiss, who met him second time as a
gentlemanly solace to Foote'S wounded
spirit. At the meeting Foote fred and
missed, and Prentiss fred his pistol in
the air, and the parties we're again re-
conciled.
Foote's Texas dropped still-born from
the press, and it is believed it would DE
hard to find a copy, valuable as it might
prove as a narcotic.