The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-04-24
DUELS AROUND AUGUSTA.
The Codes Campus Martids Sixty Years
Ago.

The Codes Campus Martids Sixty Year
Ago.
1t may not be generally known tina
opposite the old Arsenal, on the 9th
er side side of the river-the site o
Campbcllton-scorcs of hostile meeting
used to take place. 1t was the Sand Ba
Ferry of sixty years ago, and its rougl
gullcys are said to have echoed rs offer
with the dual snap of the pistol and the
twin crack of the rifle as the phantom
ten pin balls once revcrberated through
the ravines of the Catskills. 1t was at 6
time when Southern gentry flourishet
in the fnely-strung age of wealth and
ease, and the Code of Honor, unmolestec
by law and tolerated in public opinion
operated as corollary to the highly or.
ganized state of society. 1t was then
that every gentleman owned his horses
his dogs and his brace of pistols, and
with an inherent love of sport and wor-
ship Of courage, preserved a keen, wiry
sense of honor. The duel existed, not
as relic of barbarism, but as martial
landmark; for let it be remembered, that
the wild ardor of the Revolution had
scarcely cooled upon the American mind,
and the excitement of the war of 1872
was still upon the people. To be sure,
laws were enacted against duelling; the
Church and the State were its nominal
enemies, but our forefathers seemed to
have cherished an instinct which promp-
ted to the field Of honor, rather than
impelled to private broil or sped to vii
lage vendetta. "To this CUSTOM" said a
venerable man the other day, "may have
been due the infrequency of the bloodshcd
and murder which now checker every
locality with the rouge Ct noire of crime,
and fill even our high places with deadly
strife" "The Code" said he, "was real
of society; for men met like
men, face TO face, under the sky in
open cambat." Here, then, on the banks
of the quiet Savannah in the secluded
hooks more fit to welcome the trapper
with his bag or the angler with his rod,
lay the old battle ground, and on these
grassy knobs, guarded by stately pines
and skirted with willow bushes, many
q form sank down in blood.
PACE AND DENT.
Very few persons now living recollect
the duel between Thomas Pace, of Col
umbia county, and Columbus Dent. 1t
was sixty-seven years ago, sprang from
a political quarrel and was fought at
Dent is said to have chal-
lenged Pace and upon the latter's rofus-
ing to meet him, published him. Subse-
buently, Dent remarked that if Pace
would now challenge, the duel might be
made up. This reached PAGES ears, who
concluded to send the bantered billet, and
a bloody meeting resulted. Dent, who
is remembered to have been a cripple,
first stood his ground in bad position,
and was killed at the fire.
A STRING OF STRIFE.
Pace, the survivor of this affair, subse-
ouently made some remraks about Lieut..
Bee, United States Army, who took it up
and challenged the former. Pace was
likewise successful in this meeting,
shooting his antagonist through the
knee. Bee recovered, however, and
received, many years later, the rank of
Captain. The next meeting was between
DR.. Milledge Golphin and DR.. Saxton,
of Abbeville. These gentlemen, while
medical students, engaged in a boxing
match, in the course of which Golphin
knocked Saxton down, whereupon Saxton
Golphin accepted, and shot
his adversary in the shoulder, wounding
him painfully though not mortally.
This was in 1915. The year following,
Mr.. James Steward, q resident of Colum-
bia county. and Mr.. Goodwin-a Virgin
to Augusta to fight. Good
win, who was abont to engage in busi-
ness, was offended by some letters, de.
rogatory to his financial standing, and
Steward as their author.
The utmost coolness prevailed among
the combatants, Goodwin walking to the
battle ground with dressing gown on,
and Steward deliberately pulling of his
coat, and hanging it upon limb prepar-
atory to taking position. He was woun-
ded in the shoulder on the first fire. In
1919, another duel was fought in
Campbellton, between John Howard, OF
Milledgeville, and Richard l. Easter, of
this city. The difficulty originated from
some remarks made by one concerning
q lady to whom the other was engaged
to be married. The duel was fought at
twenty PAGES, and the agreement was
that each person should fire as quick and
as rapidly as possible, but were allowed
to maneuvre in the field as they pleased.
Easter was dropped at the first fire, ball
rerforating his hip. Sinking upon the
ground, he lost his pistol from the jar,
but quickly recovering his weapon, he
took deliberate aim aud snapped. With
the utmost interpidity be then lowered
his arm and shouted to Howard, PRO
ceed, snap is a fire." Seeing that his
adversary was wounded, however, How
ard fired into the air, and each antago.
mist, overcome by the fairness of
the other, shook hands and ended
the duel. Sometime during the
next year bloodless meeting also took
place between Seaton Grantland, Sr., q
Milledgeville editor, and Chas. Aber'
crombie, q citizen of Hancock county
This dispute was of political nature
and each ball found bloodless pads
Two Augusta carpenters, Middleton and
Handley were the next to forsake the
handsaw and jackplane for the derrin'
ger. One of them tried to undermine
the other in business, and after arriving
on the field, to which their quarrel drove
them, they fired off their pistols and jovi
ally reloaded for the fray, in which
Handley was slightly wounded.
A GAME OF CARDS.
The unfortunate meeting between
Mitchell, of Twiggs county, Georgia, ant
DIR. Woodbridge, of Abbeville, S. G.
showed upon what trivial causes serious
matters may rest. A question arose il
a game of whist as to whether playe
failing to follow suit lost three tricks b,
default, OF forfeited the entire hand. 4
quarrel arose; a challenge followed
a fight ensued, and Mitchell fell dead q
the first fire, shot through the heart. s.
complete was the execution that he nev
cr closed the eye with which he was TAX