The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1875-12-29
A "REMINISCENCES OF THE WAR.
A Strange SEQUEL af d Strange
Duel.
[oorretpondcpce ohieago Tribane.l

Jones, commanding a Federal scout,
and Captain Fry, commanding a Rebel
scout, in Green county, East Tennes.
see. These Two men had been fighting
each other : six months, with the
fortunes of Sattle in the favor of one
and then the other. Their commands
were camped on either side Of Lick
creek, a large and sluggish stream, too
deep to ford and too shallow
low for ferry boat; butthere was a
bridge spanning the stream for the con-
yenience of the travelling public. Each
of them guarded this bridge, that conf
munication should go neither North or
South, as the railroad track had been
broken up months before. After fight.
ing each other for several mouths, and
contesting 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 being. Jones
gave the challenge, and Fry accepted.
The terms were that that they should
fight with navy pistols at twenty yards
apart, deliberately walking towards
each other, and firing until the last
chamber of their pistols was discharg,
ed, unless one Or the other fell before
all the discharges were made. They
chose their seconds, and agreed upon
a rebel surgeon, Gas he was the only
one in either command) to attend them
in case of danger.
Jones was certainly fine looking fel-
low, with light hair and blue eyes, five
feet ten inches in height, looking every
inch the military chieftain. He was
a man that soldiers would adore and
ladies regard with admiration. l never
saw man more cool, determined, and
heroic under such circumstances. l
have read of the deeds of chivalry and
night.errantry in the middle ages, and
of brave men embalmed in modern po-
esy; but when I saw this man jones
come to the duelists' scratch, fighting,
not for real or supposed wrongs to HIM
self, but, as he honestly thought, for
his country and the glory of the flag, 1
could not help admiring the man, not.
outstanding 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-
ed hat and gray suit, and looking rath-
er 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 collect.
ed, and, although suffering from ter
fible flesh wound in his left arm, re-
ceived a 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 exchanged,
and the principals brought face to face.
l shall never forget that meeting.
Jones, in his military, boyish mood, as
they shook hands, remarked that
A soldier braves death for a fanciful
wreath,
When in glorys romantic career.
Fry caught up the rest of the sem
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 "fre," and as he
slowly said, Zone, two, three-fre p
they simultaneously turned at the
word zone, and instantly fired. Meth.
er was hurt. They cooked their pis-
tolls and deliberately walked toward
each. other, firing as they went. Al
the fifth shot, Jones threw up his right
hand, and, firing his pistol i'll the air,
sank down. Fry was in the act oi
firing his last shot; but, seeing Jone,
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.
1 discovered that Jones was shot
through the region of the stomach, the
bullet glancing around the organ. and
coming out to the left of the spinal
column; besides he had received three
other frightful flesh wounds, and gave
him such stimulants as l had. He aft
forwards got we'll.
Fry received three wounds-one
breaking his left arm, one in the left