The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-05-20
IN DEFENSE OF A FRIEND.
Many Persons Murdered and Two Families
Ruined to AvenRe nm Insult to n Gentle-
man Belonging to Neither.

he
Herald, writing of Tallahassee, Fla,
gives the following terrible story, now
told for the first time:
In the Seminole war Colonel Graham
commanded crack regiment. One
morning he received a message from his
wife announcing that she was on the eve
of confinement. He at once repaired to
her bedside. The day after he left the
camp battle took place. Shortly after
ward an article appeared in the Augusta
Chronicle and Sentinel rejecting upon
the courage Of Col. Graham, and intima-
ting that his reason for leaving camp was
not 50 much fondness for his wife as for
himself. The paper containing this cut
ting and cruel article came into the camp
before Col. Graham S return, and at once
became subject of conversation
throughout the camp. Capt. Henry,
splendid young fellow, who was an aid
upon Col. Graham's staff, felt that an in
sinuation against his colonel was an in-
suit to himself, and he at once repaired
to Augusta, determined to protect the
honor Of his absent friend with his own
life, if necessary. He demanded from
the editor of the Chronicle and Sentinel
the author of the offensive article. 1t
turned out to be Gen. Fitzgerald, of
Florida, warm and devoted friend of
Capt. Henry's. He sent peremptory
challenge to Gen. Fitzgerald.
He received q reply, stating that
"Gen. Fitzgeral would be pleased to
answer the demands of Capt. Henry if
he should be SO fortunate as to survive
the duel he was just about to engage
in with Capt. Williams, who had also
made the article against Col. Graham
cause of complaint" Upon inquiry it
transpired that Capt. Williams, another
aid upon Graham's staff, had preceded
Mr.. Henry in his trip to Augusta, and
determined himself to defend the impu-
tation against his commander.
Capt. Henry had no Alternative but to
await the result of the encounter be-
tween Fitzgerald aud Williams, the con-
ditions of which were that they should
fight with bowie knives. The meeting
came off. The left hands of the com
batants were clasped together in firm
and dead-game grasp, and the keen,
long knives, the most terrible weapons
before which man can be brought,
were placed in their hands. At signal
the knives were perpendicularly aleng
their legs. At the next words they were
raised into the air, and the terrible
fencing began. 1t is brief but terri
BILE struggle. The knives cut, and
gashed, and whizzed through the flesh
of the combatants, pressed and sparkled
against each other; now buried and now
wiped out with blueish moisture on the
blades, until Capt. Williams fell, hacked
almost to pieces. Gen. Fitzgerald es-
capped almost without injury.
He than tl1rpnl his attentiOn to Co7,t
Henry. He chose as the weapons for
this second combat murderous weapon,
now happily obsolete, but then known
rs yaegers. 1t is broad -mouthed, fun
nel-shaped, smooth-bore gun, that will
carry a handful of shot, and will hit
everything in the neighborhood of its
aim. At the meeting Capt. James,
Henrys second, was to give the word.
AS he called Wheel" the two men
turned, but Henry stumbled, and his gun
went off into the air. Gen. Fitzgerald
took cool aim, fired at the word, and
Capt. Henry dropped dead Now two
gallant young fellows had fallen in de-
fense of q chivalric spirit, being led to
their death in defending the honor of a
comrade. And yet the terrible vendetta
was hardly opened. Col. Junius Henry,
the brother of the slain man, was then
in Louisiana, and heard of his brothers
death. He claimed that he had been
wantonly killed, holding that Gen. Fitz-
gerald should not have fired when he
had seen his brothers gun shot, by acci-
dent, aimlessly into the air. He started
at once for the place to avenge his
brothers death.
He came at once to the hotel Gov.
R.p1,Y, who l-a,,+ tho hp,,ao ~ h;oo -
the door, and at once divining the pllr-
him to be cool and quiet about it. On
ting near the fireplace, with large
cloak around him and his head bowed
down upon his hands. In few mo-
ments some one brushed by him rather
roughly. Raising his head quickly, he
saw that it was Gen. Fitzgerald.
In an instant he was ablaze with ex-
element, and rising exclaimed: "You
have murdered my brother, sir, and now
do you presume to insult me Draw and
defend yourself, sir!'
AS quick as thought Fitzgerald drew
q six-barreled pistol and fired, tearing
away Col. Henry's third finger, just as
the latter poured a broadside into him
from horseman's pistol, lodging ball
III his side. The fire was repeated, each
time hitting its mark. Col. Henry was
then ont of ammunition, being armed
only with two. horseman's pistols. He
threw back his long cloak, howeve.
drew his bowie knife. and closed with
his antagonist. In a few seething
strokes Gen. Fitzgerald was cut to the
floor, and his opponent pulled off by the
crowd. Gen. Fitzgerald was taken
home, and gradually recovered. Col.
Henry, embittered by the conflict he
had had, sent him word that he would
kill him on sight.
In about three months Fitzgerald re-
covered and appeared ON the streets.
Col. Henry loaded his double barreled
shot gun, it is said, putting in bullet
which had been cut out of his brothers
body by Mrs. Gaillard, whose husband
had been his secord, and who had him
self been killed on account of his partici-
patton in this duel. Going to town he
met Fitzgerald, and calling on him to
defend himself, drew down and fired.
The first barrel tore away Fitzgeralds
shoulder, and the second was lodged in
his heart, killing him outright.
Col. Henry shortly after went to Texas.
He had been there but a short time
when he heard that q man named
Stewart had made some disparaging re-
marks concerning his action in the Fitz-
gerald matter. Meeting Stewart on the
,1rairia O0a 1ou ha haDda1 him q lattef