Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1876-01-01
AN INCIDENT OF THE WAR.
s Essn,nriSabIe Duel Between the
commander Of = Federal ami
:, Rebel Scout.
IErnm the Chicago Tribunal

From the Chicago 1rilNlnp.l
On the 18th of June, 1888, l witnessed
n duel between a Capt. Jones. com
mlnding 4 Federal scout, and Capt.
Fry, commanding a rebel scout, in
Greene county. East Tennessee. These
Two men had been fighting each other
Tor six. months, with the fortunes OF
battle 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 for Il ferry boat; but there
4 bridge spanned the stream for the con-
venience of the travelling public. Each
of them guarded this bridge, that COM
munication should 90 neither north or
south, us the railroad track had been
broken up months before. After fight
ing each other for several months, and
contesting the point Us to which should
hold the bridge, they agreed TO fight 4
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,
deliberately walking toward each other.
and firing until the last chamber oftheir
pistols was discharged, unless one or
the other fell before all the discharges
were made. They chose their seconds,
and agreed upon Il rebel surgeon Gas he
was the only one in either command) to
attend them in case of danger.
Jones was certainly q fine looking
fellow, with light hair and blue eyes,
five feet ten inches in height, looking
every inch the military ch~ieftain. He
was a man that soldiers admired, ladies
regarded with loving eyes. Inever saw
Il MAI more cool, determined and heroic
under such circumstances. l have read
of the deeds of chiyalry and knight
errantry inthe middle ages, and of brave
men embalmed in modern poesy; but, |
when | saw this man Jones come to the
duelists' scratch. fighting, not for real
or supposed wrongs, to himself, but, as |
he honestly thought, for his country and
the glory ofthe flag, 1 could not help
admiring the man, Notwithstanding he
fought Tor the freedom of the negro
which | was opposed to.
Fry vas 4 nan full six feet high.
slender, with long, wavy, curling hair.
jet black eyes, wearing I, SLOUGH hat, and |
gray suit, and looking rather the demon
than the man. There was nothing fe-
rocious about him; but he had that self
sufficient nOnchalance that said, 81 will
kill you" Without 4 doubt, he was
brave. cool and collected, and, although
suffering from 4 terrible flesh wound in
his left arm, received Il 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.
| shall neveriorget that meeting. Jones,
in his military, boyish mood, rs they
shook hands. remarked that
a soldier braves death for 4 fancifuI wreath,
when in glory's romantic career.
Fry caught up the rest of the sentence,
and answered by saying:
Yet he bends o'erthe foe when in battle laid low
Ana bathes every wo.in with 4 tear.
They turned around and walked back
the point designated. Jones' second
had the word Fire and, as he slowly
SAID. "One-two-three-tire - they
simultaneously turned at the word
One" II instantly fired. Neither
was hurt. They cooked their pistols,
md deliberately walked toward each
other, firing as they went. At the fifth
shot, Jones threw up his right hand,
firing his pistol in the air. sank
Town. Fry was in the act of firing his
asst shot; but, seeing Jones fall, silently
owered his pistol, dropped it TO the
round, and sprang TO Jones side, taking
MS head in his lap as he sat down, and
him if he was hurt. !
l discovered that Jones was shot ,
trough the region of the stomach, the :
bullet glancing around that organ, and {
,oming out to the left of the spinal I
besides, he had received three a
'iher lrightful flesh wounds, in other ;,
of his body. | dressed his /
rounds and gave him such stimulants rs c
had. lie atterward got well. N
Fry received three wounds one Il
reaking his left arm, one in the left. o
the other i'll the right side. After
lonths OF suffering he got well. Neither
them asked for 4 discharge, but both
a9ulne, their commands when they cot
ell, and fought the war out to the
liter end, and to-day are partners in Il .
'holesale cotton business down South. y
DING a good business, and verifying a
ne sentiment OF Byron that ga soldier II
raves DEATH ETC.. etc. n
Trusting that the above truthful nar- II
alive will be Il lesson to some people,
.orth and South that stayed on the out
tie and yelled Seek dog!" and are
Ill not satisfied with the results of the al
let me subscribe myself a recon 7,
.fllcted CONFEDERATE SURGEON fc