Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-12-19
DUELENG IN THE NAVY OF LONG
AGO.
An Interesting Sketch.
Written for THE EVENING STAR.

Written for THE EVENING STAR.
'uolic opinion at the present time so emphat-
lcally condemns dueling that the present gener-
alton can scarcely imagine what great change
mas taken place. particularly in the navy. within
the last thlrty-tiye or forty years regarding the
subject. 1t is true that even at the time it was
practiced everywhere there were some few per-
sons OF influence always opposed to the custom,
out they were only small minority. 1t is not
worth while now to argue the question whether
or not dueing was right or wrong the purpose
OF this article only aims at relating some of the
meetings between parties who went to the field.
In 1914, when on the African station. under
the command of Commodore Perry, the flag
ship Macedonian. Capt. Isaac Mayo, was visiting
the island of Grand Canary. where two of the
midshpmen fought; they used the old-fashioned
ships pistols, carrying bullet nearly as large
as musllet ball. Owing to unavoidable diff
cultles the friend of one of the gentlemen could
not get leave that day to leave the ship. SO it
was agreed that one second should act for both
AT the word both fired. and both were wounded;
one was struck just over the right eye--the ball
glanced, running round the skull under the
scalp. and lodged over the left eve: the other
was hit in the side on one of the small ribs. and
the pail brought up against the backbone.
Strange to say, neither fell tor at the distance
ten paces-wth such heavy bullets, one would
! think an OK wOnld be obliged to fall The per-
son shot in the head insisted upon another fire.
but his opponent declared positively that
! nothing could induce him to fire at man
| blinded by blood. which was streaming from
the wound. The one second also declared
that ne had enough of it, and. also.
that as both were wounded he thought that
both ought to be satisfied. That was the first
lntlmation that the party demanding another
shot had that his opponent was shot so he read
/ consented q Cn lrtb
tnat time, reseryng the privilege of another
meeting when both were in fighting trim. With
that understanding the party returned to the
snip. One OF the gentlemen, the'on wounded
IN the side, not having very nice coat. bor-
roWed one OF mesSmate, and the first thing he
SAID to his friend when getting On board ship:
- our coat is all right, but | am not" He had
taken the precautOn to
PULL THE COAT OFF,
fearing it might be injured OF course all the
midshipmen knew the fight was to come of.
and were anxiously excited, for each was of
such character as to cause the belief that they
were In earnest. but We're greatly pleased that it
ended as it did, both being deseryediy popular.
| The two never met again. as one of them was
ordered to one OF the ships OF the squadron the
other retained on board the Macedonian. Had
they ever met the fight would have been re-
neWed without doubt. In 1916 or Al when
the L. S. fleet was blockading the port of
Vera Cruz. the gentleman who was shot in the
side was drowned while rowing guard to the
northWard OF the castle; violent "norther''
| sprung up. suddenly az usual. and the Sea
sWaInped the boat. The morning after this sad
| loss his enemy joined the squadron. having been
sent by the Navy department under these orders,
ana the lrst news he heard was that his Oppo-
nent was dead, Some years after that the re-
naming one was lost presumably drowned as
the ship to which he belonged has never been
heard Of since she left her last port Singular.
that both met the same fate, is it not?
The duel caused great excitement at Pamas
| GRAND Canary, for such doin9s had never been
even heard OF in that entirely original town. If
one OF the officers of the frigate was on the
street nearly every person meeting him would
stop short. place himself in position and fire off
an imaginary pistol! Even the ladies were
never tired of talking about it. and seemed not
to know why, if one hated the other so. he did
not stab him in the dark, or hire some one to
Kill him? They could never comprehend the
Americans and their ways. The ship was
| crowded for days by the best people of the
place. asking thousand questions and visiting
the wounded fellows. One OF the girls, very
| beautiful and accomplished person, asked for
ana was given the ball that struck one Of the
two who fought.
A CAPTAIN WHO BELIEVED IN THE CODE.
The commodore and captain were living on
shore at the time of the duel; So of course the
executive officer sent report of the occurrence
as soon as the parties returned to the ship.
Now, Commodore Perry was bitterly opposed to
the code, but Capt. Mayo strongly approved of
it. as far as his duty permitted; he gave every
encouragement to such doings. When, there
lore the report reached them, the commodore
gave Capt. Mayo orders never to allow either of
the f9tterS to leave the ship while on the sta
ton; but Capt. Mayo said he liked young
blood (whateyer that means and ordered his
steward to go off to the ship with tub of ice
nf yrna tort
wounded, and to tell them to let him know at
any time ifhe could do anything for them! Com
modore Perry said he was astOnished at Capt.
MS conduct greatly encouraging dueling, but
~ did not mind that, and was evidently proud
OF his spirited young officer