Mexico weekly ledger., 1881-02-17
A NOTABLE DUEL.
The Bowie Knife. its Invention and FIrs
Use.

The Bowie Knife. its Invention and First
Use.
A feud had existed for years be-
tween two parties of the Parish of
Rapides, Miss, on Red River. The
principals were DR.. Maddox, Major
Wright and the Blanchards on the
one part, the Curreys, the Wellses
and Bowies on the other. A chal-
lenge had passed between DR.. Mad
dox and Samuel Wells. A meeting
was arranged to take place near
Natchez. Mississippi, in September,
1927. Hither the parties repaired
with their friends. 1t was agreed
that no persons should be present
but the combatants, their seconds
and surgeons. The place of meeting
was large sand-bar, Immediately
below the upper bluff, near Natchez
The sand-bar at low water is of con-
siderable width, bordered above and
below with forest growth; on the op-
posite side OF this bar were stationed
the friends of each party; one Of
these parties was something nearer
the combatants than the other. Col.
Crane was the second of Maddox.
Between him and James Bowie and
Gen. Currey there had long existed
a deadly feud, and some months be-
fore this affair Gen. Curry shot Col.
Crane with a shotgun, on Bayou
Rapides, disabling one of his arms.
The parties 10 the duel approached
the spot that had been selected for the
combat from different directions. The
prelimlnaries were soon arranged.
The combatants took their positions
and exchanged two shots without ef-
feet, and the difficulty was amicably
adjusted.
Bowie was just in the edge of the
woods, with General Wells and Cur
rey, armed with pistols, Bowie car
rying huge knife. As the dueling
party started to leave the grounds
Bowie and party started to meet
them. The friends of Maddox and
Crane, on the opposite side of the
sand-bar, seeing this, and being
furthest from the party, started on a
run to meet them as soon as they
should reach the retiring combatants.
Gen. Currey was the first on the
ground, closely followed by Bowie.
Currey immediately advanced upon
Col. Crane and remarked, "Col.
Crane, this is a good time to settle
our difficulty" and commenced draw
ing his pistol. Bowie did the same.
Crane was armed with a brace oi
dueling pistols and standing awaited
the attack of Currey. At this mo.
, ment Currey was seized by his broth.
er and begged to desist. Bowie and
Crane fired at each other, it was said,
without effect. There were those
who said Bowie was wounded. This
latter statement l think most proba'
hle, for Bowie stopped, felt of his
mp, and then drawing his knife
p jumped toward Crane, who wa:
{ watching Gen. Currey. Released
from the hold of his brother, Currey
!, was advancing. At this momen
Il Crane leaped across small ravin'
cut through the sand by the ram
water flowing from the acclivitie:
Q above and, resting his pistol upol
his crippled arm, fired at Currey
!; wounding him fatally. He fell.
Crane was now disarmed and Bowl,
advanced cautiously upon him. Club
bing his pistol he struck Bowie Owe
e the head, as he avoided the knlf
adroitly, and felled him to the ground
4 Crane refreshed step, as his frient
= Major Wright approached. Bowie
in the meantime, had risen, and wa
4 sustaining himself by holding on Il
Il a snag which the river when at
# foot had left standing firmly in th
N sand. Major Wright advanced upo
# him, and with long, slender spear
10 drawn from a walking cane which b
N carried, attacked Bowie, who made
h pass to parry the spear with hi
r knife, in which he failed. The spea
.. was of cold iron, and, striking th
=, breast bone, bent and went aroun
~ with the rib. Bowie at this momer
r IN seized Wright and fell, pulling Cow
r. Wright with and on top of him, an
p. holding him strongly to his person
3 Wright was slender and by n
> means strong man, and was power
~ less in the hands of Bowie, who cool
=. !. said to him, "Now, Major, you die !!
10 and plunging the knife into his heal
y, killed him instantly.
40 The knife was made by Resin /
III Bowie out of blacksmith's rasp, {
Or large file, and was the original of tt
of famous Bowie knife. When Jam,
,d Bowie received it from his brother |
re was told by him that it was ''strou
IN and of admirable temper. It is mo-
he Trustworthy in the hands of a strol
pd man than pistol, for it will n,
,st snap. Crane and Wright are bo
on your enemies; they are from Mar
land, the birthplace OF our ancestor
MT and as brave as you are, but not
pd cool. They are both inferior
,d strength to yourself and thereto,
on not your equal in close fight. The
"a are both dangerous, but Wright u
lth hooe oo- AASSP ehio eA"sh
ng with YOU. 1t will be your friend
"a a last resort and may save your life
,er After this conflict Resin p. Bow
nv carried this knife to Phiiadelphi
nj where it was fashioned by cut,
ot into the form of a model made
I'm him, and presume the knife is J
,ur in the possession of some member
MS the family.
Tn There was no reconciliation |
.ed tween Crane and Bowie after the co
ON flict, though Crane aided personal
er in carrying Bowie from the groun
and Bowie thanked him and sal
sbe Col. Crane, do not think uno
the the circumstances you ought to ha
shot me.' Almost Immediately up
the attack of Currey upon Crane
fight between their friends beca
general, in which there were seve
he'd wounded, but Wright and CurI
~. were the only persons killed. i.
roH A. - b,, farri bto