The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1882-10-18
Some Noted Dueis.
s. Tom. fo.t D..p..ea.

morning, IN winch NJ. Levi. claimea
that all OF the New Oriean, duels ne bao
known were nothing but murders. the re
suit OF the frivolous, bravado style which
Was SO common before the war. lie va
right, too. Many OF them which have
witnessed We're simple murder. but that
the almighty code removed the .tain
ne rules OF honan had been - refined
ahd nned down again that often a man
W0uld get himself 20 eutauglei by accI
dent that, without The slightest desire ii
the world To Do 50, he would have to 20
and get out and xiii or be killed. Just be
cause the code said that was the proper
thing 10 DO. Take the tamou, Graves
CIlley duel as an example. Cilley's cpl
taph should have been KILLED for q
technically"
DO you remember the particulars?
i do, very well. for | was a friend oil
tue parties, and was present on the field
when CIIley was killed. You. perh tp..
remember that j Watson Webb. The
editor, wished 10 challenge Congressman
Cliiey Tor an allusion CIlley had made IL
hun "a debate Congressman Graves ear
rled Webb challenge Cilley declined To
receive II. Graves grew excited immcdi
ateiy. lie wrote to Cllley, demanding u
know aud to have stated ia writing.
whether he tCIl ey) had not said in re-
fuslng to accept Nebb's note that he
meant no dlsrespect 10 me; that you
could not consent to get into difficulties
with conductors of public Journals fJr
anything you might say in debate, aud
that your objection TO receiving Webb's
note was not because Of any person OBJ
lection To him a. a gentleman. Then
began u course of halr-spilttIng, which
looks nOn>ensical enough. bat which
ended IN the murder of Cilley. Ii seems
that the latter mad taken the very ground
expressed IN Graves note, but that he
declined to put them in writing. lie did
not think that any man had a right To
demand thl. from him HIS reply was
Il declined TO receive Colonel Webb's
note because | do not care to be drawn
into a controversy with him. | neither
affirmed nor denied anything concerning
hts character a. a gentleman. but | did
say tilat intended 10y the refusal no dis
respect to YOU
This dld not satisfy fire eating Graves.
tie must have an answer in detail to the
questions lie put. SO he wrote again.
deuaGding to know explicitly whether he
would ulscIalm any objection to Webb a.
a gentleman, saying IN terms, | inquire
whether you decline to receive his com
munlcdtIOn On the ground of any persona
objection u hun as a gentleman OF a man
u homo. | shall expect u ate rca,
answer.
"CIiley replied: 4 regret my note of
9 erday was unsatisfactory to YOU. but
! cannot admit your right 10 propouna
the questions to which You demand "A
categorical answer, and | therefore de
cline any further response to it,
"Graves responded as follows As YOU
refused to receive a note which | bore TO
you from Colonel Webb. and have refused
to decline on grounds which would exon
crate me from all responsibility IN the
affair, | IN bound to ask that s~a,isfac-
ton, etc.
"On this provocation the parties met.
After the first fire a reconciliation wa, at
tempted. After consultation Cillev au
thorlz9d his second to make the following
state ment: 1 meant no disrespect t. Mr.
Grayes IN refusing to accept CoIane,
Webb's noe. | entertained for him then.
ana do now, the highest respect anI
klndesC feelings. | declined to receive
Webbs note because | did not chose to
~ NN@'N ~ - 4 VII I'LL
1t should be stated here that the note
which caused the trouble was not a chal-
ienge, but a letter asking an explanation.
lhlS did not SUIT Graves. Ciiiey further
stated that he refused to disclaim any
disrespect for Colonel Webb, because h.
did not choose to be drawn into an cy
plauatlon concerning him. At this shots
were again exchange !. CIllcy's second
again claimed thai the matter ought t.
end here. He stared that his priucipa,
had fully demonstrated his courage, and
hat the matter ought To end here. N[r
Wise lGraves' second replied that Mr..
CIliey had already, IN another corrcSpan-
ieuce, dloclalmed dlSreopect to Mr.. Graves
out that Graves felt bound to protect the
honor OF his friend Colonel Webb. Mr..
Clllcy was again requested to say that he
did not intend to reflect on Webb , char
acter in declining his note. He replied
the same words that he declined to re
ceive Nebb's note because he did not
choose to be drawn into a controversy
with him. The parties ,hen took places
for the third time. The fighting wa,
being done with rifles at eighty yacl,.
At the fire Cilley fell aud expired il a
few minutes.
"Was not Webb present on the ieId2'
No; but he wanted 10 be. Webb was
enraged and Inundated beyond express
ion at tIl!ey ; refusal to accept his note,
and on the morning that Cillcy and
Graves went ont TO fight Webb went to
the formers room for the purpose of
forcing HIM to arrange a meeting. Gil
ley was not there, OF c use. Graves Sus-
~pectfnGtalj ne AMI Graves were or the old
6~aden,burg grounds, Webb rns.ei
out there with his friends. Their pro
gramme was that upon reaching the
ground Webb should approach Cllcy and
demand a meeting. and should give Gil
ley notice that If he pointed his rifle at
Graves or attempted 10 fight the duel
with him he webb would kill him 90
the spot. If JiIley refused the meeting
Webb was to cover him with his pistol
and shoot him the instait he raised his
rifle toward Graves. OF course at this or
before this Webb and his friends would
be attacked by Graves and his seconds.
who would be bound to protect Cilley. If
the duel had been fought at the Bladens
burg it is probable that a terrible butch
cry would have been the result.
Political ducts were not common in
the South?'
Yes; twenty five years ago South
erners always fought, aud about ANYTHING.
Political feuds were always settlel that
way. The duel between Mason aud Ne.
Carly of Virginia, was a :a,e In point.
Trouble had long existed between the
men, who were cousins. Mason was a
United States Senator, and resigned to
fight McCarty. lie wrote; My dear sir
i have resigned my commission for the
sole and special purpose of being at LID
erty to fight you duel. | have effected
such arrangements of my affairs as my
iuty to my family required, and | am
now extremely anxious to settle the quar-
rel between Us once and forever.
He instructed his friends, with refer
once To Mcl,arty. to agree 10 any forms