The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1875-12-29
AN INCIDENT OF THE WAR.
A Remarkable Duel Between
the Commanders Of a Federal
and a Rebel Scout.

| =
and Rebel Scout.
! To the Editor Of the Chicago Tribune:
On the 18th day ofsJune, 1868.
witnessed duel between q Captain
Jones, commanding Federal scout
and Captain Fry, commanding {
rebel scout, in Greene county. East
Tennessee. These two men had
been fighting each other for siz
months, with the fortunes of battle
in the favor of one and then the 9th
er. Their commands were .camped
on either side of Lick Creek, large
'and sluggish stream. too deep TO ford
and too shallow for ferry boat but
1 there a bridge spanned the stream
for the convenience Of the travelling
public. Each of them guarded this
bridge, that communication should
go neither north or south. as the
railroad track had been broken up
months before. After fighting each
other for several months. and con-
testing the point as to which should
hold the bridge, they agreed to fight
a duel. the conquerer to hold the
bridge undisputed for the time be-
ing. Jones gave the challenge, and
Fry accepted. The terms were that
they should fight with navy pistols
at twenty yards apart. deliberately
walking toward each other. and fir
ing until the last chamber of their
pistols was discharged, unless one
or the other fell before all the dis
charges were made. They chose
their seconds, aud agreed upon a
rebel surgeon las he vas the only
! one in either command) to attend
them in case of danger.
Jones was certainly a fine-looking
fellow, with light hair and blue eyes,
five feet ten inches in height, look
ing every inch the military chieftain.
He was a man that soldiers would
admire, and ladies regarded with adj
miration. never saw a man more
cool, determined, and heroic under
such circumstances. / have read of
the deeds of chivalry and knight-er-
rantry in the middle ages, and of
brave men embalmed in modern po-
esy but, when saw this man Jones
come to the duelists' scratch, fight
ing, not for real or supposed wrongs
to himself, but, as he honestly
thought. for his country and the glo-
ry 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 man full six feet high,
slender. with long. wavy, curling
hair, jet black eyes, wearing slouch
hat and gray suit, and looking rath-
er the demon than the man. There
was nothing ferocious about him !;
but he had that self-sufficient non-
chalance that said, II will kill YOU"
Without a doubt, he was brave, cool,
and collected. and, although suffer-
ing from a terrible flesh wound in
his left arm. received week before,
he manifested no symptoms of dis
tress, but seemed ready for the fight.
The ground was stepped off by
the seconds, pistols loaded and ex-
changed, ard the principals brought
face to face. 1 shall never forget
that meeting. Jones, in his military,
boyish mood, as they shook hands.
4 remarked that +5es k--s
| A soldier braves death for a fanciful wreath,
! When in glory's romantic career.
| Fry caught up the rest of the SEN
tence. and answered by saying:
Yet he bends DER the foe when in battle laid low
| And bathes every wound with tear.
They turned around and walked
back to the point designated. Jones
second had the word Fires" and,
as he slowly said, three
fire - they simultaneously turned
at the word ''One," and instantly
| fired. Neither was hurt. They
cooked their pistols, aud deliberate
| ly walked toward each other, firing
as they went. At the fifth shot,
Jones threw mp his right hand. and,
firing his pistol in the air, sank down.
Fry was in the act of firing his last
shot, but seeing jones fall, silently
lowered his pistol, dropped it to the
ground, and sprang to Jones side,
taking his head in his lap as he sat
down. and asked him if he was hurt.
discovered that Jones was shot
through the region of the stomach,
the bullet glancing around that or.
gan, and coming out to the left OF
the spinal column besides, he had
received three other frightful flesh
wounds in other portions of his body.
I dressed his wounds, and gave him
such stimulants as | had. lie after.
ward got we'll G9 $3.50
Fry received three wounds-one
breaking his left arm, one in the
left. and the other in the right side.
After months OF suffering he got
well. Neither OF them asked for a
discharge, but both resumed their
\ commands when they got well, and
\ fought the war out to the bitter end,
and to-day are partners in a whole
sale grocery business down South,
doing good business, and verify.
ing the sentiment Of Byron that "A
soldier braves DEATH ETC., etc. Z,
Trusting that the above truthful
narrative will be q lesson to some
people North and South, that stay.
ed on the outside aud yelled Seek
dog r. and are still not satisfied with
the results of the war, let me sub
scribe myself q reconstructed - -
.5-I4E -rrs CONFEDERATE SURGEON.
as-s- - To the Boys. KS fsses *
We copy from the Lewiston Joura
al. the following specimens of juven.
lie success in business There Is
a grammar school boy in this city
who has made and saved $3.50 the
past year in selling fruit. confection-
cry. etc. on the street at odd hours.
It is now vacation with him and he
lis clearing his 81 Sc q day selling