The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-04
DWELLING In DEAD EARNEST.
FELIX HUSTON AND ALBERT SIDNEY
JOHNSON MEETING IN. TEX1S
pendcnce The Camp ON the Lavncca 1id
Leather Breeches In ~ Raxe-A Hugh
Toned Fight-tscn. mouston's Hemorse.

trnther Breeches IN ~ baxe-A tttEh-
Tened Fight-dcn. Houston's Kemerse.
OF all the duols Of my day. tho ono ] re-
call most wildly ia tho Houston johnson duel.
fought in the carly spring OF 1881. There was
no mystery or fooling Of any sort about that af-
fair; The mon m lant business and attended ~
it. Az one Of tbcm has since bscn n conspcu-
Gus igure in II bloodcr duel. the story may be
worth retsllng.
The Texan army was lying on tho Lavacca
river gctting II good r,a1y for offensive opera
tons against MltamOros. Gem Rusk had re-
signed TO go into tho Cabinet OF the infant ropub
lie. and the command had dovolvod upon Brig
Con. Felix Houston OF the cavalry. Houston.
ambitious OF honor. had gone 10 work with com
mendable Zeal ~ reorgunze tho army. which
had become somcwhM domoralizod by sickness
and privation during tho autumn. He rcmod
cllod tho regiments. formed complete com
panies from tho ranks Of broken ones. and re-
stored order and discipline Above all, no nss st-
ed tho comiss lat with his cred at Now Orleans
thus enabling 1t toobtain supply Of clothing
and provisions In n few months tho sanitary
condition and morale OF the army were excel
lent
This timely service. with his popular man.
ners. cndcaTcd him t. us. and almost roeonciiod
Us To- tao severe drilling through the liyo-lung
Waok. sunday excepted. We never drilled on
SUNDAY unless the AdIutnnt-G raj happened
la forgot It, Houston was ils IN Iulai iJic urIl
- rscani MS was the father oi Frederick the
Grcat. What with company drill IN the morn
ing, regmental drill IN the afternoon or 4 gen
ordl parade, always led by our long stridng,
sN-topt General IN person, W. wore Kept IN
pretty lively exercise for tIroU or four months.
The men ~ times, late at night, reyenleed them,
selves upon TIA" General by yelling at the top OF
thor voices some Stand rrOus. funny question oi
winch he Wa the subject; the answer would be,
" Old Long Shanks." or 'Old Leather Breeclius'
referring 30 Illusions embroidered moro.Q
cavalry pants. the uprOur sometimes iast'd
Tor An hour No notice was taken of these NOISY
demonstrations, hut If the day happened To bo
particularly hot tho morning dril was sure 10
be prolonged and in the afternoon parade the
quick time, dOuhrqulrk time. charges, marches,
aud counter marches always lodby the General
hinsei. were APT 10 DO piOtri1"tod beyond sun
Just as Con. Houston had got the army into
Eood training. n courier arrived from the Secrc-
larry oil war wth We unwHlf"me n iwS thai ne
had been superseded. and that Gen. Albert Sid
ney Johnson. late of the United Stats Army
had been appointed TO tn cniei command. Tho
news cut Gen. Houston 10 the heart, nor could
he con cal his chHgrin. There were no more
nocturnal disturbances in camp. no moro tests /;
every man seemed TO take the mutter rs mu1n
10 heart us the General himself. When his
name was mentioned II WIS with marked ro-
spect and aflc ction. There was no Drunkenness
In the Texan army. probably because tIere WAS
Little tn drink stronger than coffee or water !;
there was no gambling. thore beng no money
to wager; but as for swearing. am sure thot
the army in Flanders never eNcellcd thos9
pa!!trriigis Of the Lone star hepuRic..
what do you think Of thus West Point man
who h coming here to take command = asked
man of Joe Dixon. universally known In camp
West Pntl" replied joe with contempt. " /
don Know anything bout the cussei place;
believe ITS a fancy place away az North 'whor
II sure. II never turned out a better man, nor
hall - good one. as Old Leather Legs. That
" But itturns out ine soldiers. and this man
il SAID TO BE- one Of lis best specimens" per
81 don't want To talk on this matter at all q"
said Joe. Tor can do Justice 10 my feelings:
One thing Will say. horsepower. and that -.
can lick any man who would not get out of bed
IN the middle OF the uarkrsi night ana burn his
last shirt 10 damn West Pint BY. and all thut
give this merely as an illustration Of the
feeling among tn" men. | did not share IT, 1
liked Con Houston ns WI nv amy one, but be-
lirNcd then. n ! do now. that nn educntod
soldier H. the only person III to bo trusted with
responsible command.
Gen. johnson arrived n few DAYS after his
appointment WIS announced. He ~ once.
without cuumuii'at ~ wlth Gen. Houston. di-
re- tod tn" Adlutant-G neral To have the army
parallel and tlr general ofd"r read. rms Wa
/ tpO much Tor Houston. already boiling ONerwit
rage. He Si down. wrote "a prremplory chal-
,hs' e. mortal romint, AMI handed II to ,~
friend, COL Rogers, with inStru tlOns to deliver
II at on 90 AMI af"pt OF no delay. Rogers pro-
rrtdrd To JOhn-uns trnf. whore h" found
Major Dnmorss in conversation with the Now
commanders. Demursr introduced Rogers, who
said he had como upon Disagree lhle hus IA ,sa
and handed Johnson the challenge. The Cen
"rhi took tue note, and rad II Though ~ cooy
n though II had been an invitation 10 dinner;
GEN. II ni-ton that he should hear from him
without delay. 4 meeting was arranged for the
tolls.
Early noXt morning the two Generals accom-
panied by thrir friends. mounted thor horses.
oricd the Lhyle,a. AMI. proeoeilng through
thr forest, al -ht II az tAe cds' oi the prairie
Sele ing an ol"n, grassy SPOT. thcy pro 'eedei
to hu-ln '-s. Before completing the nnai ar
rIng"nlrii- II M-e suggest by DemorSe. vino
u tfA as one of JphnSpn's seconds that rs Cen
Houston WIS known h. be- "a dead slot and an ok
I'r''n'sd duolisi. the terms o! the light were
We'll said Rogers. you had your choice of
| weapons what arc We 20 DO -"
ndrrstand N" dist. tly. Colonies | speak
% you H. a tri'ud, wholly ON my own rrsypnsi-
plllty, ana WtAoui the knoWl'dgn of ny prin IL
pal; bu You know quite ~ we'll ~ | DO that Il
On 'so nl take aim at zach other. OAnsOn " IN
| c'ainlnly De- Killed at ia, first ire."
g. u; a-nri hp@.rr, what DOS you propose -
No'nins; only that ypu CONSULT with your
Erin .lpal and ir'nI~. and make some con ics-
son hy winch tho fight an be olualiz,d."
comprl utnl Your motive. aud respect Il ="
sa,d H1Eri-' AMI M.il = what '~n BE- lone
Nhrn spoken g. upon tac Sullrf. Houston
as.e, y iHe COMPLAINT am !rnm Gen. Jpl n,nn
~ II shows ol.nns ahldl II, whtdovor. said
tni. Il =, rs. hut prmpra'. VINO j. "a good fol-
l'w.tlnks il would h, downright murder iJr
you - use your ann IN nring at johnson"
10" WISH the terms to b. ~ cuual IL + s,lblc
iou IAN say o. u morse tuat all can DO : 10
M",r ny sfii, as a MAJ Hsmani each parry
may hre at tic word to the blst Of his juda
n,
Wlll'h Wus tliy all thaf could % asked. and
gong up 10 Johnson. VINO stood tllhinl. with
ms iid" Doe rpiumuh. at i Ga, airau-rul. nj.
itpu-lt We were - take aim 1T Zach
Mhcr.' sad johnson. " l am not sure thai
gan hu the side OF a house III ilrlu. from the
>, Won, General, You must do your best
h'E,rs nhI nave 50 agreed, and the agroe-
IN" tN' General, were placed opposite each
olh'r snnllng siucW go, ~ % di-tui nl tN .lSr
pi'fS. Al the word ilrc, one, two. tpr'r, thu
Pi-tnl@ tAlVl'u slmult4n. uu~ly. johnson =
nan 'tih'' i'.t 900 ga t q .ir OF n 'u-i 'n, but
'HfA 10 itI'; liou-iup'- 'npuel front but
"A, 80. .n-In'7 u UNIFORM.
..,. lD'l """ n a hhi"n.' marked Johnson.
WltA % pheasant -ulllr.
q. Ou.NeD. rr.pri i rc''N." the rc:imcn,nl
'ali"i can rpl'r thu damage, bat n;iuru aiuuc
IAN @i1I ii.. ulrh to Nuui & u'r.'
\ second lire uuN t4r baths " tn' NNiugthrough
Spare, IT,. i'lI and ipN"u fires wrr, also
hurn. lrs-. lhn 5e"uud~ u'N thou-nt % time to
ini '.i'r '; hut johnson unIHHt. tO So ma ia
Afl hf without results, and Houston told
l'"-.i t.u' ',r WIS gHtuu- ia practice and Wa
Tl.pi,.-.N 'r.. ior ti.o nnh tiuc. n.cl IN
'..i"n ~ li' word, r"ii ~ -t'., ,Np.oirl.
inon-h MIN dead. Upon rNaulu ltiuir. how
eyer il was 3. 90. lln. tudt Doe had l..n shot
iut"u-h ip' N.p-, ilH hlll grazing tine ~pus in
li' lnl-aH-' ACROSS tnp body. Inc surgeon do