The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-02-06
Sam Houston's Duel.

that have passed into history. Within
its borders, or adjacent thereto, the hot
blooded Tennesseans were won't to settle
their affairs of honor, and the crack of
the duellists' pistol not unfrequently re-
sounded in the quiet forests. Near
Adairville, in the edge of Logan county, |
General Jackson fought Dickinson for |
the honor of the woman he loved, and |
stood like statue after struck by his |
antagonists shot. II was on this oe-
casion that he proved his iron will by |
telling his second that "had ho boon |
shot through the heart, he would have
lived long enough TO kill his antago.
MIST"
Nix miles south OF Franklin, on the
farm Of IL, j. Duncan, 200 yards from
the TennaaHee line, was fought duel
which erented widespread excitement
throughout the Union, owing 10 tho
reputation Of the principals. In 1926
General ham Houston was member Of
Congress from the Nashville district in
fennesaee, and sending home for distri-
button among his constituents number
OF public documents, he claimed that
Curry, the postmaster NJ Nashville, 8uTs
pressed and failed 10 deliver thom, and
denounced him M sooundrel. For
this Curry sent him u challenge by
General White. Houston refused TO ro-
ceive tho message, ~ he stated, "from
such contemptible source" throwing
il on the ground and stamping on II.
General White said he was not sur
prised, as no one expected Houston
! fight. To this Houston retorted, tDo
| you try me-" OF course challenge
followed from White, which Houston
promptly accepted. The terms and
conditions were: Fifteen feet dis
tance; holster pistols; time, sunrise"
Simpson county. On the 23d day of
September, 1926, the parties met at
the designated point with their seconds
The fact that q duel was to be fought
had gone abroad, and O number of
persons had secreted themselves near
the field to witness the affair, a fact
unknown to either principals OF sec
onds. After the first shots had been
/ exchanged and White had fallen to
the ground, the people rushed to the
! spot. Houston seeing them and fearing
an arrest, started toward the State line
| with view of crossing and escaping.
General White called to him, Seen
eral you have killed me-" Houston
then faced the crowd with pistol still
hand and inquired if there were any
/ Ou1C0TS III tllc law dLuOuS buOlu, ttlO
being answered in the negative, he ad-
vanced to the side of his late antago-
mist, and kneeling by him, took his
hand, saying, 81 am sorry for you, but
you know that it was forced upon me. D
General White replied, ST know it and
forgive you" White had been shot
/ through just above the hips, and the
surgeons to clanse the wound of blood
took one of their old-fashioned silk neck
erchiefs through the wound. General
White recovered from his fearful
wound, as much to the joy of Houston as
to himself.
During the week preceding the duel
General Houston remained at the home
, of Sanford Duncan, near the field,
pracGcing meanwhile with pistols. At
this temporary home were two belliger-
emit dogs, named for their pugnacious
!, dispositions, Andrew Jackson and
Thomas FL. Benton. These we're con-
!, tinually fighting, Houston's political
sentiments leading him to espouse the
cause of the jackson pup who very much
! to his delight was constant winner in
the trays The hour for rising and pre-
pairing for the duel on the arrival of the
day was 3:40A. NJ. Just before that hour
General Jackson barked beneath the
window of his admirers room, awaken
ing him. Houston arose without dis
turbing his attending friends, and began
the task of moulding bullets with which
to fight General White. As the first bull
let fell from the mould a game cock,
which he admired scarcely less than he
Houston, with that element of super
, stition in nearly every mind, accepted
the early greetings of his friends as
happy ones, and marking the bullet on
one side for the dog and!the other for the
chicken made up his mind that his pis-
tol should be loaded with it, and that he
would fire first that particular ball at
General White. He afterward said that
she was not superstitious, but these two
circumstances made him feel assured of
success, 7" thus disproying his own words.
The bullet was used, and White fell at
the first fire, as stated. After the duel
Houston selected as coat. Of arms ssa
chicken-cock and dog" and many were
the comments made by those unfamiliar
with the facts in after years, when a
President of Texas and Senator in Con-
gress, he sported SO strange crest.
These facts are authentic, having been
related by General Houston to San
ford Duncan Jr., late of Louisville,
while the two were en- route to Washing
ton city during Houston's term as Sena-
tor.-Boa0liag Green Hstelzigencer.
8 How DUCHESS SHOULD RECEIVE HER
GUESTS. = Rules for receiving your
guests, if you are Duchess: Your SER
wants in livery will introduce your
guests from the ante-e hamber, calling
out their names, and they on entering
will make you bows and grimaces by the
dozen. You also must go through your
exercise. If the guest is duke, stand
straight mp; and if marquis, half way
up; if count, a little way up; if baron,
just bend little the hinges of your
knees; and as for mere gentleman, any
common weekday inclination will do.
Your servants, too, must be drilled.
Monsieur lie Prince Gortchakoff! This
must be pronounced in loud and dis
tinct voice, the doors of the saloon must
be banged open, and the buzz of the
saloon must cease for while. The de-
scending scale Of dignity must be
observed, down through the subordinate
visitors, until you hear in soft soprano,
on g fat, just audible, Monsieur
Guibollard. Then you will see squeez-
ing through, the door little ajar, a
humble individual holding on to his
claque hat by the tips of his fingers,
L., I,