The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-03-22
ANDREW JACKsON,s DUEL.
The Flight in which he Killed his An
tagonfst and was Himself wounded.

| OAChIJV4NC DO1As
The Flight In which he Killed his An
tagonfst and was Himself wounded.
The duel between Andrew Jackson and
Charles Dickinson was deadly. Dickin-
son had alluded in public to the we'll
known and recorded fact that one Rich
ards had obtained divorce from his
wife on account of her "living in adultery
with one Andrew Jackson" :" She had
already been made Jackson's wife, but
the ofense was deadly. jackson sent the
challenge. Dickinson was the most ex-
pert marksman in Tennessee, and Jack
SON resolved to give him the first fire.
The place appointed for the meeting
was long days ride from Nashville.
Thursday morning, before the dawn of
day, Dickinson stole from the side Of his
young and beautiful wife and began
speedily to prepare for the journey. She
awoke and asked him why be was up 30
early. He replied that he had business
lin Kentucky, across the river, but it
would not detain him long. On parting
he kissed her with peculiar tenderness
and said: Goodbye, darling. shall
be sure to be at home tomorrow night"
He mounted his horse and repaired to-
the rendezvous where his second and
half dozen gay blades of Nashville were
waiting to escort him on his journey.
Away they rode in the highest spirits, as
though it were party of pleasure. In
deed, they made party of pleasure of it.
When they stopped for rest or refresh
ment, Dickinson is said to have amused
the company by displaying his wonderful
skill with the pistol. Once, at a distance
of twenty-four feet, he fired four balls
each at the word of command, into o.
space that could be covered by silver
dollar. It is said that he had laid a.
wager Of $500 that he could hit his an
tagonist within half an inch of certain
button on his coat. ! .'''
Both parties, with their respective
cayalcades, reached the vicinity of the
ground appointed for the duel late in the
afternoon. They secured accommoda-
tions, at q couple of neighboring taverns.
1t is related that Jackson ats heartily at
supper that night, conversing in lively,
pleasant manner, and smoked his even
Ing pipe as usual. He retired early, and
by daylight next morning the whole
party was up and in the saddle. A gal
fop of q mile and the fording of a stream,
which, owing to it's swollen state, itwas
found necessary to swim, brought them
to the ground. Dickinson and party had
already srrived.. The business at once
proceeded. Dickinson's second won the
choice of position and Jackson's the Office
of giving the word. "Both were perfect
" collected" says Parton. Gall the po-
liteness of such occasions was very strict
ly and elegantly performed. Jackson
was dressed in loose frock coat, button
ed carelessly over his chest, and conceal
ing in some degree the extreme slender
ness of his figure. Dickinson was the
younger and handsomer man of the
two, but Jackson's tall, erect figure, and
the still intensity of his demeanor, it is
said, gave him most superior and COM
manding air, as he stood under the tall
poplars on this bright May morning,
silently awaiting tho moment 'of DOOM"
care you ready 2" said Overflow.
81 am ready" replied Dickinson.
~ am ready" said Jackson.
The word was given.
Dickinson raised his pistol quickly and
fired. 0verton, who was looking with
anxiety and dread at Jackson, saw puff
of dust fly from the breast of his coat,
and saw him raise his left arm and place
it tightly across his breast He is surely
hit, Thought Overton, and in bad place,
too but no; he does not fall. Erect
and grim as fate he stood, his teeth
clenched, raising his pistol Overton
glanced at. Dickinson. Annoyed at the
unwonted failure of his aim, and ap-
parently appalled, at the awful figure and
face before him, Dickinson had recoiled
a pace or'two.
t'Great Godp' he faltered shave I
missed him?" SD
"Back to the mark, sir |" shrieked
Overton, with his hand upon his pistol.
Dickinson recovered his composure,
stepped forward to the peg and stood with
eyes ayerted from his antagonist.
General Jackson took deliberate aim
and pulled the trigger. u The pistol
neither snapped nor went off, He looked
at the trigger and discovered that it had
stopped at half.cock. He drew it back
to its place and took aim q second time.
He fred. Dickinson's face blanched; /;
he reeled; his friends pushed toward
him, caught him in their. arms, and
silently seated him on the ground, lean
ing against q bush. His trousers red
dened. They stripped OF his clothes.
The blood was gushing from his side in
torrents The ball had passed through
the body below the ribs. Such wound
could not but be fatal:
Jackson and his friends Immediately
left the field. It was found upon exam
ination, on reaching the tavern, that he
was wounded. "Dickinson's aim," says
Parton, chad been perfect. He had sent
the ball precisely where he supposed
Jackson's heart was hsating, but the
thinness OF his body and the 1ooseness Of
his coat combining to deceive him, the
ball had only broken a rib or two. and
raked the breast bone. 1t was some
what painful, bad looking wound, but
uciIueT SofcIo uOE unuSO1ouos
Dickinson died that night.
In this duel it is plain to be seen, from
careful consideration of the circul..
stances above narrated, though the truth
does not appear to have reached the ap-
prehension of Gen. Jackson's biographer,
that Dickinson was outwitted by his older
and more experienced antagonist. Ad-
vantage was taken of the very fact of his
being "dead shot," and of his perfect
confidence in his skill with the pistol.
His avowed purpose was to shoot jackson
through the heart, and he felt absolutely
sure Of doing this. In what manner his
object was defeated MIR. Parton uncon
scfously discloses. BE aimed precisely
where he supposed Jackson's heart was
beating, but the thinness of his body and
the looseness of his coat" combined ato
deceive" him. Admitting the morality
of private combat as of public war, such
strategy under the circumstances can
not be regarded as unjustifable. The
late General Sam. Dale, who was init