Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-01-30
. THE FIELD Oh HONOR"
Noted DuUls Among Army and Navy
Officexs and Private Citizens.

and will be of special interest to many
of our readers whose memories 60 hack
to the days when the practice of calling
out your man was still in vogue. To Gen
eral James Wilkinson, Z. s. A., is given
the credit Of originating the custom of
s'posting, his victim being the equally
well known John Randolph, of Roanoke,
who declined challenge on the plea
that he could not descend to the gen.
erala level. In reply Wilkinson asked
Randolph, among other things, to
ascend to the level of gentleman, if
possible; act like wman. if you can, and
spare me the pain of publishing you to
the world for an inselent, slanderous,
prevaricating poltroon.r Randolph hav-
ing neglected to avail himself of this
eligible opportunity, his antagonist
posted this notice on all the taverns and
street corners of the national capital:
s'Hector Unmasked. In Justice TO my
character, denounce to the world John
Randolph, a member of Congress. as a
prevaricating, base, eliminating scoun-
drel, poltroon and coward
In 1850 Zachariah +. Johnston, an Of
ficer of the navy, who undertook the
same exploit at the expense of Fabius
Stanley, who had declined his challenge,
was tried by court-martial and dismissed.
California, it appears, takes the palm
for the number of fatal duels fought
within its limits. Illinois, on the con-
trary, boasts that but one duel has ever
been fought upon her soil-in which the
challenged party (Alphonso Stewar) was
killed and the survivor (William Ben
nett hanged. Thus was carried out on
our soil the stern decree which both
Frederick the Great and Gustavus Adolf
phus threatened but did not enforce; the
duelists. at the sight of the gallows wait
ing for the survivor, concluding that
they had other and more important bust
ness than that of winging each other.
During the war with Tripoli many fatal
collisions took place between American
naval officers and officers of the British
garrison at Gibraltar. During the civil
war in the United States there were few
or no hostile meetings among Federal Of
ficers, Major Truman tells us. Perhaps
he should except the encounter in Louis
Wills between Jefferson G. Davis and GEN
cral Nelson and the encountes at the war
department In which Henry M. Naglee
threatened to pull Mr.. Stanton's nose.
Thcfirst, at least, comes within the scope
Of his volume, which records many sim
liar encounters. Among the Confeder-
ates there were O number of fatal duels,
the most conspicuous being that between
General Marmaduke, of Missouri, and
General Walker, of Georgia. in which the
latter was slain.
"Affairs of honor" between officers Of
the United States army and navy were
quite frequent up to 1850; after which
time they ceased almost altogether. A
great many valuable lives were sacri-
feed while they lasted, among them
Captain Ferdinand Louis Amelung, U.
S. A. killed in Louisiana in 1920; Mid
shipman John Banister, U. S. N, in
Virginia in 1896; Lieutenant Samuel III
Bryant, u. S. A., in North Carolina In
1914; Midshipman Samuel B. Cooke. u
S. N, near Washington in 1922; Cap
tain Joshua W. Collett, u. S. A. In
Mexico IN 1848; Surgeon Willis III. Bas-
sett, T. S. N, in South American 1880;
also Commodore Decatur, whose encoun-
ter with Commodore Barron, at Blad-
ensburg, on March 90, 1920, is placed
second on the list of noted American
duels. that between Hamilton and Burr
holding the first place.
Among the fatal army and navy duels
mentioned by Major Truman are the
following: Midshipman Connor, u s.
N, killed by Midshipman Pierson near
Havana in 1919; Ensign Hopkins, u.
s. A., near Bladensburg, in 1914, and
Samuel G. Bloomfield, U. s.. A., near
Weehawlken, N. j.. in the same year;
Lieutenant James J. Bowie, U. S. A.,
near Lake Pontchartrain, in 1909; Pay
master James, u. S. A., near Savannah,
in 1915; Lieutenant +. B. white, U. S.
M. c., by Lieutenant William b. Finch,
u. 8. N, at Boston harbor, in 1910.
Lieutenant Huston and Ensign Brad
shaw killed each other in 1894 In
Mississippi, in 1912, Captain John Stew
art, T.. s. A., was killed by Henry Ma
son, and in the same state in 1910
Stephen Rose, u. S. A., was killed.
In 1909, near Carlisle, Penn, Cornet
Huxton Milton, II. s. A., was mOgtally
wounded, and in 1914 Captain MacOmb,
U. s. A., was killed by brother officer.
Lieutenant Lawson, IT. s. n, In 1902, at
Leghorn. killed Captain James Mex Knight,
U. S. NJ. c.. and in 1903 Lieutenant
Buck killed Thomas Moore at Natchez,
Miss. Joseph cambridge, then midsSip-
man, killed bullying Englishman at
Malta in 1903. distance four PAGES. At
Gibraltar in 1920 Lieutenant Downing,
U. S. N, killed Lieutenant Smith of the
British army.
Among those wounded in duels were
General Gadsden, by General Howe in
1878. and in the same year General
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