The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-09-08
HOW COL. SHANNON Was KILLED,

0Nas lawyer or Camden
and 9 prominent citizen Of South Carolina
l met that gentleman at Dubois Bridge
Darlington county, S. c., on the 5th 8
July, 1880, for the purpose OF settling
q personal difficulty that had arisen etwee,
us. We fought in the usual manner o
dueling. Il The fight was fair and equal
and there has been no complaint en- til
part Of his friends that I sought or obtain
ed any advantage over him. He fell at m,
tre, and ! can5honestly say that LION
believe q Drawer man ever bit the dust. III
went down with his colors flying and front
Ing the foe. He died upon the rampant
Of his enemy, and with a smile upon his
face, he filled ahero's grave. Since N,
troubles with Col. Shannon began I hav,
frequently heard him spoken Of as a self
W1lled, imperious. and intolerant man. VIII
was often brought into difficulties with hi
associates. OF that I know nothing. Fo1
70 OF, 30 years he was to me the genial
cultivated gentleman, with whom it was 4
pleasure to-meet. WI were Of the same
age, and when young resembled each Other
so much hat n was often taken for the
other. n when we did meet enjoyed these
mistakes. / was fond of him, and the
feeling seemed reciprocal. God forbid
that l should now seek to cast reproach do.
on his memory. Most honorably has be
settled his account with me, and we have
passed receipts as to the affairs Of this
world. 3H n, :"
From that eventful 5th Of July / have
been an object OF. the grossest misrepresent
alton and most relentless persecution,
Every falsehood that the imagination could
invent that was at all likely to ft the pub
lc ear has been freely published BY a
clamorous press to my detriment. Ihave
been represented as pounding down nv
victim availing myself Of a long sought
opportunity, as being in perfect
practice and capable of performing mira
cles with q pistoi, have been assaulted
by n OF the most inscriptions and cor
rupt public men who ever disgraced Amer
lshed In nearly all the papers of the state.
and when I sought permission to reply I
was forced to 60 to a republican newspaper
to obtain a right denied me by nv y
party. Yes, reader I, q life long democrat,
who had neither sought nor held Office
since the close Of the war, andwho had
given my entire estate of 1000 acres, rent
free, oadvance the interests of the demo-
Gratis in 1876, was forced to the necessity of
asking favors of those to whom I had spent
my life in opposition. Losing all hope Of
OF reaching the public through the ordinary
channels, now adopt the only means
available toarne,s and4beg the lndulgencetof
the rea Ter while I make bare and plain all
the facts connected with this sad affair. .
After Q statement of the causes leading
to the duel, Col. Cash proceeds with q full
description Of the affair on the field. s8
In accordance with9the above arrange
mont I met Col. Shannon at Dubois bridge
on the 9Th day of July. When I drove up
on the ground / saw about 100 persons
standing in groups over the field, about
one half of whom collected around my
carriage after I had left it. They were a
motley mass Of white people, mulattoes and
freed negroes. I had never seen them be-
fore, and did not address my remark to
them in dividually or collectively, nor take
any notice OF g in any manner So
soon as / arrived upon the ground some of
Col. Shannon's party advanced toward the
center Of the field, where I and some of my
friends went to meet them. Here the pis-
tolls were loaded aud near by the pegs were
set. and l was directed by my friend, Mr..
William B. Sanders, to take my position.
My brother-in-law, Captain Ellerbe. and
my son, w. B. Cash, came to bid me fare
well. Our meeting was about 100 yards
from the group referred to. Capt. Eilerbe
said: Remember, old fellow you are shoot
ing at long taw,'' and my son said, Father.
remember now how poer mother was
treated s# !,
7 replied: If Col. Shannon does not
disable me before I shoot. I will send nv
bullet through his heart This is verba-
tina the conversation that passed between
us. 1t was spoken in a low tone, and no
oneselse heard it, and all statements to the
contrary are absolutely false. When / took
position drew from my pocket q pho.
tograph likeness Of Mrs. Caeh, and while
taking what Isupposeds might be my last
look at the picture Col. Shannon took his
position, and, I am informed, saluted nv
friends and myself. I did not see his act.
and therefore did not return the salute. To
others this may appear q small matter, but
the circumstance LAS annoyed me very
much, and I cannot get over it.
Mr.. johnson had won the word, and it
was his duty to direct the fight. It would
be impossible for any man to fill any posi-
ton or to discharge any duty more perfectly
or more fairly than he performed his part
on that occasion. When asked: Gentle
men, are you ready?' Col. Shannon was the
first to reply and never can I forget his game
cock crow of defiance. His voice was loud,
clear, and firm. "A moment after I respond
ed, Ready! and MI. johnson pave the sig
nal. At one Col. Shannon fred, and /
felt q burning sensation on my right cheek
and neck, and thought I was shot. The
fire and smoke FROM Col. Shannon's pistol
obscured the upper portion Of his person,
and caused q moments delay in my firing.
] fired at two and saw q white spot through.
his black coat precisely where I had aimed,
and yet he stood firm and unmoved. The
thought flashed upon me that I had been
cheated. It was only for a moment, for he
stepped once forward, toward me,) then
turned to his right and staggered. I turned
my eyes away and saw no more. The.
friends of both parties seemed somewhat.
excited, and then changed their positions
and approached the point where Col. Shan
non had fallen. i called Mr.. Sanders back
and requested him to ask If the gentlemen
were satisfied, as the code required he
should do, to which Mr.. johnson replied,
and ! think said: MY God, what more
could we ask2n" Do you know thst Col.
Shannon has been shot?' I then asked Mr..
Sanders to take me off the field and 1
rode off with my friend, a. 81. War1ng, in
the first vehicle that was ready to move.
No word was spoken for some consider
able time, when I remarked to Mr.. Warning:
The powder from Col. Shannon'k pistols