The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1882-09-06
Incidents Of the Fighting Career
Of Colonel Mcciung Of Mis-.
SiSSippi.

Of Colonel Mcciung of Mis-.
sissiPPi.
The f~avoritc weapon Of the creole in
their encounters was the colichemarde,
or four sided rapiei, or the pistol, while
the American chung TO the rifle or shot
gun, with which be was generally more
proficient. These latter were the favor
tie weapons with the Mississippians and
Alabtmians, aud duels with them were
necessarily much more fatal han with
the c~olichemarde, where wounds were
frequent and casualties few. OF the
Mississippi: duelists Colonel McCiung, q
fellow officer with jon. Davis N the First
Mississippi rifles and who served
with distinction in the Mexican, war,
was one Of the most dangerous, killing
his opponent in nearly every encounter
he had. He cams of a good Virgin;an
family. being a nephew OF Chief Justice
Marshall, but when under the influence
Of liquor was moross and dictatorIal.
He moved to Mloslssippiin 1884 and had
been in the State only a few months
when he became involved in a quarrel
with Colonel Allen, one of the most be
loved and IGNORED men In Mississippi.
1t was 4 trivial quarrel, but McClunS re-
fused to allow Of any settlement and
brought the affair to a duel. The terms
we're such as would rave seemed extra
ordinary TO the creole admirers of the
code and it - doubtful whether they
would have recognized it as d legitimate
duel. The two antagonists were to stand
forty PAGES apart, armed with bowie
knife and pistol, and were to advance on
each other, firing at discretion. Allen
kept his pistol covering McClung as he
slowly advanced on him. What was the
surprise Of the audience to see NcClung
suddenly raise his pistol, aim and fire At
a distance Of over a hundred feet. Allen
fell to the ground, shot through the
mouth and moltally wounded. Nc
Clung's shot on this occasion is the best
on record in a southern duel, one hun
dred feet being 4 much longer range than
The dueiing pistol is suited to.
This was only one OF Meetings. many
affairs, IN all of which his opponents were
killed, one of them being his own cousin.
His last fight was with a young man by
the name Of Meniiee, brother of Ken
lucky famous Congressman of that name
The weapons chosen were Mississippi
rifles, the same as originally selected
for the late New Orleans editorial meet
lug. The duel was a big affair in Vicks-
burg, where it was fought. Everybody
knew of it. On the day OF the occurrence
the motley population of the little Mis-
si5sippi town poured out to witness it, and
planters even from afar off came up In
their carriages to have a sight OF a meet
ing where it was felt sure blood would be
she'd. Sixty yards was the distance
chosen and when the seconds went to
measure off the ground it was with great
difficulty that the crowd could be forced
back so as to allow the fight to go on.
The positions were taken and the rifles
were placed in the combatant's hands.
Are you ready?"
Ready" both firmly responded.
Fire one two Here Menifee's
rifle exploded, and the bullet whistled by
the head of McClung and lodged in a
tree, that appeared to be on exact line
WITH the body of the latter.
To the surprise of everybody, instead
of firing his piece McClung attempt to
break it in halt, and with a fierce oath
hurled it a distance of twenty feet away.
where it alighted upon a pile of soft sand
and stuck, muZzle down, several feet In
The seconds soon learned the cause of
his curious action-the gun had hung
fire. 1t was rescued, the sand removed
rom the muzzle and reloaded. After an
interval OF ten minutes the combatants
resumed their positions and the crowd
gathered around them again. During
he interval many bets had been wagered
on the result of the duel, the odds being
generally in favor of Menifee, who was a
popular favOrite, and who, moreover,
was generally supposed to be more pro
ticient with the rifle. The word was
again given. This time McClung's piece
was more faithful. Before Menifee's
finger had pressed the trigger of his rifle
that of McClung had been discharged,
and the ball, striking the cock of Meni-
fees gun, hurled a piece of it deep into
! the brain of the unfortunate young man,
who fell and died before he could be re
moved from the field. Meetings. &C
tions on seeing his antagonist fall were
l those Of a maniac. Rising to his ful!
height he peered through the smoke to
see that hi. enemy was dead. He then
dropped upon his knees and pressing hi,
rifle tenderly to his bosom kissed it af-
t t~ectiOnately, as a lover would his mis-
; tress or a mother Der child. 1t is said
? that he even uttered u prayer fer thank
~fullness to God ''for having directed the
bullet so well.' This was the last duel
in which McClung engaged, as few were
willing to risk their lives in an encoun
ter with him. After serving with dis
tinction in the Mexican war he returned
to Mississippi but he had become more
moroSe han ever and deeply melancholy.
His enemies claimed that he was haunted
by the spirits Of those slain in duels, a
/ story which was commonly believed
when, in 1855, without any explanation
whatever, he blew out his brains with q
pistol which he had frequently killed
others. Thus by his W hands died one
: of the most determined and representa-
tive southern du=lIsis Of his time.
: DESPERATE ATTEMPT AT RELEASE
st. Petersburg, Sept--A desperate at