Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-03-07
4 MIDNIGHT DUEL.
On Top Of the Blue Ridge-A Romantic Sto-
ry OF the Late War.
Atf,ans 0sas Ranrn~

-
@There is no doubt" said an old sol
der yesterday, @that many singular
things occur as we journey through
life" and he looked as though memory
was struggling with some sad feature
OF his existence. He sighed as he
continued: 81 remember il as though
it WAS yesterday the march of Hills
corps along the winding Shenandoah
up the famous LufAy Gap. Who
could ver forget that march? The
road winding with the beautiful river
and overhung with the majestic chain.
OF Blue Ridge mountains, while across
the chrystal water the magnificent val
ley, with its charming cottages dotting
the bounteous land with white ike
balls of snow robed in flowers. But
the most engaging and lovely objects
paled into insigniticance beside the
peerless women of this blessed cOun-
try, and you may well believe that
when the camp was struck the soldiers
lost no time in making their way TO
the surrounding cottages. Soon the
music of the violin was heard, and the
shutting feet kept time to the music,
while, for a time, the soldiers face was
lit with old time Joy. At n of these
cottages the bellies Of the valley reign
ell supreme, while several Southern
soldiers We'd with each otherin paying
homage to the queen. Among others
were two young soldiers-one from
Georgia and the other from Mississip-
pi-who were especially energetic in
their attentions, and so marked had
this become that those present watch
ed the play with increasing interest,
fully believing that both exhibited a
case of love at first sight. The surmise
on the part of those present was only
too true, as the tragic event which fol-
lowed fully proved. The Georgian
seemed to have the lead on the Mis-
sissippian, and when the dancers were
called to their places he led the
belle of the valley to a place in the set.
At this point the Missisgippian was
seer to approach the couple and claim
the lady's hand for a dance. An alter
cation ensued, but both were cool,
brave soldiers-two of the best shots in
the army-who did not believe in a
wal of words. So it was ended with
the Georgian dancing with the lady,
and the significant remark of the
Mississirpian that L will see you after
this set
"When the dance was over the Geor-
gian was e 90 seek the Mississippi
an, and together they each called a
friend from the crowd and departed.
When outside both claimed that an in
suit had been passed, which could on
" be wiped out in the blood of the
other, and that a, duel to the death
should be arranged at once.-A full
noon was just appearing above the
tops of the surrounding forest, and l
tell you this talk of blood in the silence
of the night was anything but pleas
ant. No argument, however, would
avail with these men, so it was arrang-
ed that the duel should take place on
top of the Blue Ridge, near the center
of the road that passes through the
gap; the weapons should be pistols
at fifteen PAGES, and to fire at or be-
tween the words 'one, two, three
firing to continue until one or both
were dead.
@The point was reached, the ground
measured of, and the men took their
positions without a tremor. The moon
shed its pale light down on Il scene
never to be forgotten. A moment or
two and the silence was broken by the
"One, two, three" At the
word zone" the report of two pistols
rang out on the midnight air, but the
principals maintained their positions.
The Georgian's left arm was seen to
drop closer to his side, but the Miss
sippian was immovable and still heidi
his pistol in front. Again a pistol
shot was heard coming from the Geor-
gian, and the Mississippian still neld
his position, but did not fire. The
Georgian protested that he did not
come there to murder him, but no m
swer was returned. The MissisSippianls
second approached his principal and
found him dead. shot through the eyes
the first discharge. Death, it seems,
had been instantaneous, so much so as
not even to disturb his equilibrium. |
may forget some things, but the mid
night duel on the top of a spur of the
Blue Ridge is not one of them