Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1875-12-23
AN iNCrpRsr OF THE WAR.

Commanders Oh St0f"a anu
a Rebel Scout
To the Editor Of ths 0Aieago Tribune:
On the 18th day of June, 1868, !
witnessed a duel between a Captain
Jones, commanding Federal scout,
and Captain Fry, commanding Reb-
el scout, in Green County, East Ten
nessee. These tive men had been
fighting each other for SIX months,
with the fortunes of battle in fa-
vor of one and then the other Their
commands were camped on either
side of Lick Creek, large and slug
gish stream, too deep to ford and too
shallow for ferry boat; but there a
bridge spanned the stream for the
convenience of the travelling public.
Each of them guarded this bridge,
that communication should go Meth
er north nor south, as the railroad
track had been broken up months be-
fore. After fighting each other for
several months, and contesting the
point as to which should hold the
bridge, they agreed to fight duel,
the conqueror to hold the bridge un-
disputed for the time being. Jones
gave the challenge and Fry accepted.
The terms were that they should
fight with navy pistols at twenty
yards apart, deliberately walking to-
wards each other, and firing until the
last chamber of their pistols 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 J
to attend them in case of danger.
Jones was certainly fine looking
fellow, with light hair and blue eyes,
five feet ten inches in height, looking
every inch the military chieftain.
He was man that soldiers would ad-
mire and ladies regarded with ad-
miration. | never saw a man more
cool, determined, and heroic under
such circumstances. / have read of
the deeds of chivalry and knight
errantry in the middle ages, and of
brave men embalmed in modern poe
sy; 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
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 full six feet high,
slender, with long, wavy, curling hair,
jet black eyes, wearing a slouch hat
and gray suit, and looking rather the
demon than the man. There was
nothing ferocious about him. but he
had that selfsufficient nonchalance
that said, 81 will kill you" Without
doubt, he was brave, cool and col
lected, and, although suffering from
a terrible flesh wound in his left arm,
received week before, he manifested
no symptoms of distress, but seemed
ready for the fight.
The ground was stepped off by
the seconds, pistols loaded and ex-
changed, and the principals brought
face to face. | shall never forget |
that meeting. Jones, in his military
and boyish mood, as they shook
hands, remarked that
A soldier braves death for fanciful
wreath,
When in glory's romantic career.
Fry caught up, the rest of the SEN
tence, and answered by saying
Yet he bends Ger 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 Fire." and as
he slowly said, "One-two-three-
fire? they simultaneously turned at
the word "One" and instantly fired.
Neither was hurt. They cooked their
pistols and deliberately walked to-
ward each other, firing as they went.
At the fifth shot Jones threw up 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
20 Jones side, taking his head in his
ap as he sat down, and asked him if {
ne was hurt.
l discovered that Jones was shot
through the region of the stomach, I
,he bullet glancing around that or !
gan and coming out to the left of the
'pinal column; besides, he had re-
;eived three other frightful flesh
Wounds in other portions of his body.
dressed his wounds, and gave him
'uch stimulants as / had. He after
ward got we'll
Fry received three wounds-one
his left arm. one in the left,
md the other in the right side. After q
months of suffering he got well. J
Neither of them asked for a dis Il
;harge, but both resumed their COM y
nands when they got well, and !,
ought the war out to the bitter end, +
nd, to-day, are partners in whole o
ale grocery business down South, do t
ng good business, and verifying the :
ointment of Byron that ga soldier Z
raves DEATH" DC. +,
Trusting that the above truthful o
arrative will be lesson to some n
eople North and South, that stayed .
n the outside and yelled ''Seek . .
og!" and are still not satisfied with :,
he results of the war, let me sub d
cribe myself reconstructed
CONFEDERATE SURGEON.