The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1875-10-20
THE SAND BAR FIGHT.
A Reminiseence of 1927 and Of Ont. of the
Bloody COmbats in which
James Bowie was 4
NJ! Engaged.
4 Highly Interesting Narratiyeby a Grand
son Of Colonel Grain, One
Of the Partiei- "a
pants.
SHREVEPORT,
Sant 90 1879

tanned q communication headed the
Bowie Brothers, written from Gal
weston, Texas, by a grandson Of
Rein Bowie, which purports to give
some facts concerning what is known
in the traditions of the country rs
the "Sand Bar Fight" Your cores
.pondent devoted only sn all portion
Of his article to the mention of the
said fight, and that only in eonnec-
ton with the killing Of Major Wright
by James Bowie, but as his state
ment is not entirely correct, and does
not do justice to Major Wright and
other partici oators i'll that unfortu-
nate affair, /, as the grandson of Col.
Robert A. Crain--one Of the chief
actors-and the son of another gen
tleman who took part in the combat,
will give you statement of the
facts of that bloody ARRAY more full
in detail, and, / trust, correct in
particulars. i'iT
| have in my possession, in the
original manuscript, full statement
of the facts of that difficulty. written
by Col. Grain, in October, 1S27-one
month after the event. Also, in the
original manuscript, a statement or
narrative of the affair, written in Oe-
tober, 1927, by each of the following
named gentlemen, all of whom were,
at the time, | believe, residents of
the city of Natchez, Mississippi, and
its vicinity and had been eye-w witness
es Of the fight, viz: Drs. Denny,
Provan, Cox and Hunt, Capt. hewitt
and Col. Barnard. The facts ] will
give are drawn from the statements
of those gentlemen.
The place of combat was a sand
bar ON the Mississippi River short
distance above the city of Natchez,
near the mouth of what was then
known as Shelling's Bayou or Creek.
Time--the 10Th of September, 1927.
The parties had repaired thither for
the purpose of settling an affair OF
honor between DR.. T. H. Mandox and
Mr.. Samuel Wells, both of Rapides
parish, in this State-the former of
whom is still living, highly re
spected and honored resident of that
parish, whose head is now frosted by
the SHOWS of more than four score
years.
The second of DR.. Maddox was
Col. r. A. Grain, and his surgeon
DR.. Denny, of Natchez. The second
of Mr.. Wells'was Major McWhorter
and his surgeon Dr.. Cuny. The 9th
er friends of the Maddox party were
Major Norris Wright, Carey Fl. and
Alfred Blanchard. Those of the
Wells party, Gen. Sam Cuny, Col
James Bowie and Mr.. Z. Jefferson
Wells. The hostileparties approach
ed the spot selected for the duel be
tween Maddox and Wells, from diff
ferent directions. When within {
short distance, and in sight Of the
place, all on both sides stopped, ex
cept the principals, their seconds anc
surgeons, who went forward to thu
chosen spot. After the preliminary
arrangements had been completed
the principals took theirAposition!
and twice exchanged shots withou
effect. A reconciliation was then eff
fected, and the combatants advance
and shook hands. At this junctur
it was proposed that the party ad
journ to the shade of the woods nea
at hand, and pledge the era Of peac
and good fellowship in glass 0
wine. This was agreed to, and the,
started toward the wood, DR.. Mad
dox and DR.. Denney some. ten or fl
teen PAGES ahead, and Col Graf
walking with or near Mr.. Wells, Ma
| jor McWhorter and DR.. Cuny. It i
proper here to remark that the res
of the Wells party, viz: Gen. Sar
lCuny, Col. Bowie and Mr.. JEFF Well.
had taken up a position above tn
spot where the duel had been Tough
and very much nearer than were th
friends of DR.. Maddox and Go
Grain, who were below the spot, an
several hundred yards of.
i The party who were advancin
toward the wood, as above state,
had proceeded but short distanc
when several persons were seen |
lstart toward them from where Il