Middletown transcript., 1876-04-15
A Thrilling War Incident.

On the 18th day of June, 1868,
witnessed a duel between a Captain
Jones, commanding a Federal scout,
and Captain Fry, commanding . rebel
scout, in Greene county, East Tennes-
| see. These two men had been fighting
| each other for six months, with the
fortunes of battle in 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 for ferry boat !;
but there bridge spanned the stream
for the convenience Of the travelling
public. Each Of them guarded this
bridge. that communication should 60
neither 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 undisputed
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. de-
liberately walking toward each other
and firing until the last chamber Of
their pistols was discharged, unless one
or the other fell before all the dis
charges we're made. They chose their
seconds, and agreed upon rebel sur.
Reon Gas he was the only one in either
command) to attend them in case Of
danger. Jones was fine-looking fel-
low, with light hair and blue eyes, FIVE
feet ten inches in height. looking every
inch the military chieftain. He was q
man that soldiers would admire and
ladies regard with admiration. ! never
saw man more cool, determined and
heroic under such circumstances. I
have read Of the deeds Of chivalry and
knight-errautry in the middle ages. and
of brave men embalmed in modern poesy;
but when saw this man Jones come
to the duelists' scratch. fighting, not
for. supposed wrongs to himself, but as
be honestly thought, for his country
and the glory of the flag, | could not
help admiring the man. notwithsts nding
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 slouch hat and gray
looking suit, and rather the demon
than the man. There was nothing
fsrocious about him; but he
bad that self-suficient nonchalance
that said, II will kill you" Without
doubt be was brave, cool and collect
ed, and, although suffering from ter
rible flesh wound in his left arm, re-
ceived week before, he manifested no
symtoms 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. I shall never forget that
meeting. Jones, in his military, boy
ish mood, as they shook hands, remark
ed that
A soldier braves death for fanciful wreath,
When in glery's romantic career.
Fry caught up the rest Of the SEN
tence, and answered BY saying:
Yet be 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 "Fire," and be slowly
said "One-two-three-6re p They
simultaneously turned at the word
Zone" and instantly fred. Neither
was hurted. They cock their pistols and
deliberately walked toward 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 to Jones' side. TAX
ing his head in his lap as he sat down,
and asked him il he was hurt. l dis
covered that Jones was shot through
the stomach, the bullet glancing around
that region, and coming out to the left
Of the spinal column; beside, he had
received three other frightful flesh
wounds in other portions Of his body.
1 dressed his wounds and gave him
such stimulants as l had. He after
ward got we'll. Fry received three
wounds-one breaking his left arm, ,one
in the leg and the other in the right
side. After months Of suffering he got
we'll. Neither Of them asked for dis
charge. but both resumed their places
as soon as they recovered. and they
fought the war out to the bitter end.
and to-day are partners in o Wholesale
grocery business down South, doing a
good business, and verifying the senti-
ment of Byron that "a soldier braves
DEATH" &c