The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-02-23
General jackson as n Duelist-His Own
Account of the Affair with Dicki-
son.

NdskuiUe American, FebuTdry 13.--The /
following correspondence will be read with |
interest, not only in Tennessee, but by ad-
mirers Of Old Hickory throughout the
length and breadth Of the land:
NASHVILLE, February s, 1877.
General w. G. Harding:
Ny DEAR SIR-In the Kentucky cor
respondence of the Cincinnati Commercial
there recently appeared a communication
describing the duel which took place many
years ago between General Andrew jackson
and Charles Dickinson. ! inclose to your
address a paper containing it, for the pur-
pose ofcalling your attention to the closing
paragraph, which is as follows:
jackson never exhibited the slightest
compunction for the part he tooA in this
bloody affair. He very rarely alluded to
il, but when he did il was always with per-
feet complacency. 1t is told of him that a
gentleman was once examining his dueling
pistols. Taking up one of them the Gen
eral quietly remarked, That ia the pistol
with which / killed Mr.. Dickinson
This is not according to my recollection.
Governor Neil s. Brown informs me that
you had conversation with our great and
good friend at the Hermitage, short time
before his death, upon this subject, in
which he expressed regret at the occur
renee, in terms that reflected most credita-
| bly, on his great name and fame. Should
not the truth of history be vindicated? !
am, dear sir, very truly your friend,
J. GEO. HARRIS.
BELLE MEADE, NEAR NASHVILLE,
| February 8, 1877,
J. Geo. Harris;
Ny DEAR SIR am obliged for your
kind favor of the Sth inst; also for the pa
per Cincinnati Commercial containing an
account of the duel between General An
drew Jackson and Charles Dickinson, which
is incorrect in some essential points, and
does great in Injustice to General Jackson, as
will appear from the recital of a converse.
tion which took place between him and my
self
At the time General Jackson retired
, from the Presidential chair, and for severa
wears thereafter, | lived in McSpaddeni
Bend, on the Cumberland River, three ol
T four miles distant from the Hermita ge ,..ant
it was my pleasure to visit the old hero fire
quently.
, On the occasion referred to, / found Gen
eral Jackson alone, which was not often tn
! case. In the course of the conversation,
asked him whether brave men were eve
frightened.
General Jackson replied: II do not know
sir, that | am competent to answer tn
l question"
t | answered: "The world, and especiall
: those who know you best, will accord yo
as much courage as belongs to man."
General Jackson then replied: aft tina
& be so, sir, would say that have been a
: badly frightened as any man ought ever
e be.
! asked him on what occasion he wa
. frightened, supposing that he referred
9 some of his Indian engagements.
d The General said: 1T was, sir, when
e fought the duel with Mr.. Dickinson. /
70 the first place, sir, had no unkind feelin
:, against Mr.. Dickinson, and no dispositio
q to injure hair of his head. | had gone
far as an honorable man could 60 to avoi
9 the difficulty with Dickinson. He ha
70 not injured me, and, therefore, l had n
!, ground of complaint against him; my qua
u rel had been with his father-in-law, Colont
r. Erwin. l new Dickinson to be brav'
D. honorable gentleman, and the best she
with the pistol / ever saw--far better tina
myself for ! was never an expert with tbs
. weapon. knew that he could shoot quicl
d er and truer than l could. therefore wei
3 upon the ground expecting to be killed, an
II owe the preservation of my life on III;
occasion to the fashions of the day, for
wore coat with rolling collar and yer
y fnll-breasted but, fortunately for me, sir,
rs was organized with a very narrow chest
IA Dickinson's ball struck very near the Gel
!. ter of my coat, and, while it scraped Il
w breast. bone it did not enter the cavity
the chest. In an instant, under the impre
ne sion that was perhaps mortally wounde
ut and upon the impulse of the moment,
>. fred and my antagonist fell-and no euent
: myIite, sir, haze regretted so much. Ny d
'e termination before and after taking II
b, position was to discharge my pistol in Il
We air, but because felt the effect of his sh
I fred at him. just here, sir, let me az
that the world has done me great injustic
for am charged with having brought
or the difficulty, and with having fixed t
terms so as to reserve my fire and advant
and it charges me with having advane
,st upon Dickinson, and shot him when W
ia. within few feet of him-aU of uhich
II false, sir. fired instantly after receivi
- his shot, and from my position, and Dicki
no son stood in his position and received my
" like brave man as he was.
ell The above is the conversation nearly u
:. baton as it occurred between General JAG
10 son and myself in reference to that duel
60 Very truly your friend,
eW w q HARDING