The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-03-25
s,ys,iur mt Four Eeet-A Duc,iing Re
mtnsscence OF Early Times i'm MfSsas-
From the New Orleans Bulletinl

From the New Orleans Buteiin.1
In 1887 Colonel Duvall, candidate ior
the Senate in one Of the upper Seha,oiIa'
districts OF Mississippi. became involved ina
personal affair With young Cnnh'hsp%m, ~
the famons lighting Cunnln2hams OF oou'h
Carolina. Cunningham was no' twenty que
Ua WAS a small, handsome y"utb, Win ions
f,,ycn hair. bright b.ur eyes. anu very anna
bic. gentle manners. hus OF most dauhlicss
determination and cool courage.
cunningham had challenged Duvail, who
Ind foucht before, and was regarded as an
adcnt in the duciIo. Durall, 10 spirit
which was considered SIS bordering on brag-
aadocio, accepted the challenge, hut pre-
s.ribed the terms that they should fight with
nislols four feet of. lie evidently mistook
his man if he imagined that such terms
would be rel cted by Cunningham. The
parties met opposite Nicksburg. An i'm.
mcnse corcourse assembled 10 witness the
affair. The boyish Cunningham excited
universal sympathy, mipg led with pity and
admiration, when be appeared in the beld
He looked younger and more boyish than he
Tally was.
There was serious design on the part OF
the spectators 10 interfere and prevent the
fight between q full grown man and mere
boy. But Cunningham and his friends, by
their determined Conduct, prevented all such
interference. The parties were soon sta
toned at their places, just four feet apart by
exact measurement. Cunningham liked bis
eye upon his antagonist with that peculiarly
gentle smile characteristic Of him. Dnvall
though doubtless brave msn, could not but
feel and nantes. some nervousness on The
occasion, as he had prescribed the perilous
and desperate terms on which the combat
was to be determined.
Attention" was called, and the parties
declaring they were "ready," the word was
given, and both fired at the word cone
DuvaII fell, shot through the heart. Gun
ningliam stood cOollv in his place unscathed.
An involuntary "hurrah" arose from The
spectators at the issue Of an affair which had
enlisted their feelings so warmly in behalf OF
1bi, young David Of this combat.
Cunningham was an amiabc, pleasant gen
tlcman, and rarely became involved in quar-
relS. But on one occasion he displayed his
characteristic determination in manner that
gave great satisfaction to the lockers on. lie
was the second OF young lawyer Of New
ORLEANS who went out TO give satisfaction to
aDother young lawyer who had been insulted
by his "learned brother"
La order 10 obtain the use Of the Gueling.
pistols OF certain notorious sO-calIcd fight
ing man IN the city, who had a great taste
for such affairs. ii was necessary to take the
Bobadl with his pistols rs Il sol Of supcrnu.
nerary second. Accordingly Cunningham,
with his principal, ard B0badll and his
"saw handles" proceeded 10 The Metallic
course. where the meeting was arranged.
he parties we're stationed, the word was
gwen. and they fired without effect. 4 par
l,y vas held, snd The challenging party dc.
cilriug Themselves satisfied, Cunningham, CT
cu,tr>c. for bis fIicnd, acquicscod in The ter
Mutation Of the affair Thercupon Bohadil,
" hv lad been much disappointed at The
iloC dies result. declared that his pistols
lc>.r before missed; that this Was mere
cAi'd'> play, and that when parties did take
troun!c 10 come out 10 fight he liked 10 see
sUUrthing done.
"Wcil." responded Cunningham, "if you
ore :" anxious 10 see 4 little blood She'd /
~ uh" great pleasure in accommodating
YOU. and in order TO Justify you for shedding
little OF my blood | tgkc the liberty to say
tha, I consider you Il coward and black
guard"
Bthadil remarked that be didn't come
thee TO tieht himself, but to see others fight
II, d sunk iron the fed. He never again
Event OUT c,'Aer as principal or second.
Poor Cunningham died in New Oreaus in
1854 of CONSUMPTION.