Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1877-03-03
ANDREW JACKSON'S DUEL.
The Fight in which he Killed his Anita gOnist
and was Himself Wounded.


Charles Dickinson was deadly. Dicl1in-
son had alluded in public to the well
known and recorded fact that one Rich
ards had obtained a divorce from his
wife on account of her g living in adul-
terry with one Andrew jackson" She
had already been made Jackson's wife,
but the offense was deadly. Jackson
sent the challenge. Dickinson was the
most expert marksman in Tennessee,
and Jackson resolved to give him the
first fire.
The place appointed for the meeting
was long days ride, iron, Nashville.
| ThursdPy Jutrniag, sbeItna n q 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 he was up SO
early. He replied that he had business
in Kentucky, across the river, but it
would not detain him long. On parting
he kissed her with peculiar tenderness
and said Goodbye, darling. 1 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 jour
ney. Away they rode in the highest
spirits, as though it were party of
pleasure Indeed, they made party of
pleasure of it. When they stopped for
rest or refreshment, Dickinson is said to
have amused the company by displaying
his wonderful skill with the pistol.
Once, at distance of twentyfour feet,
! he fired four balls, each at the word of
command into q space that could be
covered by silver dollar. 1t is said that
he had laid wager of $500 that he could
a certain button on his coat.
Both parties, with their respective
cavalcades, reached the vicinity of the
| ground appointed for the duel late in the
| afternoon. They secured accommoda-
tions at couple of neighboring taverns.
It is related that Jackson ate 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
! lop of mile and the fording of a
stream, which, owing to its swollen state,
it was found necessary to SWIM. brought
them to the ground. Dickinson and
party had already arrived The busi-
ness at once proceeded. Dickinson S
second won the choice of position and
Jackson's the office of giving the word.
"Both were perfectly collected" says
Parton. "All the politeness OF such oc-
casions was very strictly ard elegantly
performed. jackson was dressed in q
:. loose frock coat, buttoned carelessly over
| his chest, and concealing in some degree
! the. extreme slenderness- of his figure.
Dickinson was the younger and hand
somer man of the two, but Jackson's S
tall, erect figure, and the still intensity
of his demeanor, it is said, gave him q
most superior and commanding air, as
he stood under the tall poplars on this
bright May morning, silently awaiting
the moment of doom.
care you ready?' said Overton.
81 am ready" replied Dickinson.
81 am ready" said Jackson.
The word was given.
Dickinson raised his pistol quickly and
fired. Overton, 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 sure
ly 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. Over
ton 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
"Great God !" he faltered "have [
missed him ?'
"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 averted from his antagonist
General Jackson took deliberate aim
and pulled the trigger. 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 O second time
He fired. 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 bush. His trousers red.
dened. They stripped off his clothes.
The blood was gushing from his side ii
torrents. The ball had passed through
the body below the ribs. Such wouno
could not but be fatal.
jackson and his friends immediately
left the field. It.was found upon exam
nation, on reaching the tavern, that he
was wounded. Dickinsons aim," savt
Parton, chad been perfect. He had sen
the ball precisely where he supposed
Jacksons heart was beating, but tht
, thinness of his body and the looseness O
his coat combining to deceive him, thu
ball had only broken a rib or two anC
raked the breast bone. It was O some
; what painful, bad looking wound, bu
} neither severe nor dangerous.
, Dickinson died that night.
J In this duel it is plain to be seen, from
a careful consideration of the circum
/ stances above narrated, though the trutl
: does not appear to have reached the ap
l prehension of Gen. Jackson's biograph
/ er, that Dickinson was outwitted by hi
, older and more experienced antagonist
| Advantage was taken of the very fact O
his being "dead shot," and of his per
r feet confidence in his skill with the pistol
His avowed purpose was to shoot Jack
son through the heart, and he felt abso
lutely sure of doing this In what man
r ner his object was defeated Mr.. Partcl
3 unconsciously discloses. He Anne,
: precisely where he supposed Jackson
heart was beating, but the thinness o
e his body and the looseness of his coat
/. combined Ito deceive" him. Admit
i ting the morality of private combat as O
: public war, such q strategy under th
i circumstances cannot be regarded as un
e iustifable. The late General Sam. Dale
& ,,,t,o -,,oo Ia nth To ooI-.o,, I,oa Laa