The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-12-25
ANINCiDENT OF THE WAR.
Remarkable Duel Between the Com
manders of "a Federal and II Rebel

To the Editor of the Chicago Tribune.
On the 18th day of June, 1863, | wit
messed a duel between Captain Jones,
commanding Federal Scout, and Cap
tain Fry, commanding Rebel scout, in
Greene county, East Tennessee. These
two men had been fighting each other
Tor six months, with the fortunes of bat
tie in the favor of one and then the
other. Their commands were camped
on either side of Lick creek, n
large and sluggish stream, too deep to
ford and too shallow for ferry-boati but
there bridge spanned the stream for the
convenience of the travelling public.
Each of them guarded this bridge, that
communication should go neither north
nor south, as the railroad track had been
broken up months before. After fight
inr each other for several months,
and cOntcsting the point us to which
should hold the bridge, they agreed
tosfght duel, the cOnqucror to
hold the bridge undisputed for
the time being Jones gave the chal-
lcngc, and Fry accepted. The terms
were that they should fight with navy
pistol, Mt twenty yards apart, deliberate
iv walking towards each other, and fir
inc, until the last chamber of their pls-
,ols were discharged, unless one or the
other fell before all the discharges were
made. They chose their seconds, and
agreed upon rebel surgeon (as he was
the ONLY one in either command) TO al
tend them in case of danger.
.I3nc, was certainly fine looking tcl-
low, with light hair and blue eyes, five
feet ten inches in height, looking every
inch military chiettan. He was II
man that soldiers would admire, and la
dies regard with admiration. | never
saw man more cool, determined and
heroic under the circumstances. | have
read of deeds of chivalry and knight-er
rantrv IN the middle ages, and OF brave
men embslmed in modern poesy; but
when | SAW this man Jones come to the
duelists scratch, fighting not fer real or
supposed wrongs to himself, but rs he
honestly thought, for his country and
the glory OF the flag, could not help adj
miring the man, notwithstanding he
/ fought for the freedom of the negro,
which Was opposed to.
Fry was a man fully six feet high
slender, with long. wavy, curling halr
let blacK eyes, wearing slouch hat and
.rav SUIT, and looking rather the demon
than the man. There was nothing fero-
cious about him; out he had that self
I sufficient non-chalancc that said, 81 Will
/ XIII YOU" Without doubt, he was
brave cool and collected, and, although
suffering from terrible flesh wound in
his lett arm. received a week before, he
manifested no symptoms of distress, but
seemed ready for the fight.
The ground was stepped off by the see
onds pistols loaded and exchanged, and
the principals brought face to face, |
shall never forget that meeting. Jones,
in his military, boyish mood, as they
shook hands remarked that
4 soldier braves death for fanclul
| When in glory : romantic career.
Fry caught up the rest of the sentence,
and answered 10y saying;
Yet he bends DER the foe when in battle
laid low,
And bathcs every wound with tear.
They turned around and walked back
to the point designated. Johcs' second
had the word Fire and as he slowly
said One-two-thrcc-tiIe they sim.
uItancou,ly turned at the word "onc,
and instantly fired. Neither was hurt.
They cooked their pistols and deliberate
| lv walked toward each other, firing as
they went. At the fifth shot Jones
threw up his right hand, ard firing his
/ pistol in the mir, sank down. Fry was in
the act OF firing his last shot, but seeing
Jones fall, silently lowered bis pistol,
dropped 1t t. the ground, and sprang to
Jones side, taking his head in hIs lap as
he sat down, and asked him if lie was
/ hurt.
discovered that Jones was shot
through the region of the stomach, the
bullet glanclng around that organ and
coming out to the left of the spinal col
umn; besides he had received three other
irghtful flesh wounds in other portions
of his body. dressed his wounds, and
gave HIM such stImulantS as | had. lie
afterwards got well.
Frv received three woundS-one
breaking his left arm, one in the lett
and the other in the right side. Alter
months of suffering he got well.
! Neither Of them asked for Il discharge,
but bo.h resumed their commands when
they got well, and fought tho war out to
the bitter end, and to day are partners
IN wholesale business down South, do
ing a good business, and verifying the
sentiment of Byron that "A soldier
braves death, etc, etc.
Trusting that the above truthful mar
rativc will be- q lesson to some people
North and South, that stayed on the
outside and yelled "Seck Dog" and still
not satisfied with the results nf the war,
let me subscribe myself reconstructed