The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1885-12-11
.JNCKsoN.s.DUEL.
.A'Chapter From tho Early History Of Ton
nessee.

From the Chicago Current.
1t is from the early career of Andrew
jackson that we can form the best
conception OF the social conditions
which exist in the south and south
west until late in the first half of the
present century. His life is an mex
haustible repository of broils. A
lavishes it's energies upon objects In an
inverse relation to their Importance,
has computed that the seventh presi-
dent of the United States was par
ticipant in nearly 100 "fghts or vio-
lent and abusive rquarrels" in the
course of the long squabble which con-
stituted his existence. One duel was
prosecuted with such stern purpose up
on his part that he afterwards declared
in words, which gives us an additional
insight into the iron will which made
him an once the hero and scourge of
his country, that he could have killed
his foe if he had himself been shot
through the brain. For our purpose,
lit is enough to say, that in the year
1906, Andrew jackson and Charles
Dickinson. a brother attorney in Ten
nessee, had O. feud; that this feud led
to challenge which was at once ac-
,cepted by Dickinson; and that the
seconds of the parties fixed upon
spot in Kentucky as the scene of the
duel.
Bets were freely made'upon the re-
suit by the public. The duel was to
take place on Friday, the 3Oth of
May. On Thursday morning before
dawn, Dickinson arose from the side
cof his young and beautiful wife, ,quieted
kissed her tenderly, and assured her
the night of the next day. He then
panied by his second and several other
sworn friends. That night he slept at a
tavern only a short ride from the spot
which he sought. Andrew Jackson and
his party slept at a tavern about two
miles off. Early next morning the two
were in motion. The spot
was i'm a copse of poplars in the heart
of a.dense forest; and, under the agree
ment between the seconds, If either of
the principals fired before theword was
given, the seconds were to shoot him
lON IL IlSUStlllIy. l1GIc JdCkSCIl ,ttIlu
Dickinson met. What then happened
cannot be more vividly and powerful
ly described than has already been de-
seribed by Parton. jackson was
dressed in a loosefrock coat, buttoned
earelessly over his chest, and conceal
ing in some degree the extreme slender
ness of has figure. Dickinson was the
younger and handsomer man of the
two But Jackson's tall, erect figure,
and the still intensity ofhis demeanor,
it is said, gave him a most superior
and commanding air, as he stood TN
der the tail poplars on this bright
May morning, silently awaiting the
of doom.
care you ready?" said Overton,
II am ready" replied Dickinson.
81 am ready" said Jackson.
The words were no sooner pronounc-
ed than Overton, with a sudden shout,
cried in his old country pronunciation:
'Fere!''
Dickinson raised his pistol quickly
and fired. sOverton, who was looking
with anxiety and dread at Jackson,
saw a puff of dust fly from the breast
of his coat, and saw him raise his left
arm and place it tightly across his
chest. He is surely hit, thought Over
ton, ,and in a bad place, too, but no; he
does not fall.F
Erect and grim as fate he stood, his |
teeth clenched, raising his pistol. Over
ton glanced at Dickinson. Amazed at |
the unwonton failure of his aim, and |
appalled, at the awful figure
and face before him, Dickinson had un-
recoiled a pace or two.
Great God!" he faltered, "have Imis-
sed him!' "Back to the mark, sir!"
Overton, with his hand upon
his pistol.
Shall we go on? Dickinson stepped
back to the mark and took his place
with his eyes averted from Jackson.
Jackson covered the body of Dickin-
son with his pistol, sighted him delib-
arately and pulled the trigger. The
weapon was lowered, the hammer was
reversed, and Jackson again took aim.
There was a report. "Dickinson's
lace blanched; he reeled; his friends
rushed toward him, caught him in their
arms, and gently seated him on the
ground leaning against 81 bush. His
trousers Redeemed. They stripped off
his clothes. The blood was gushing
rom his side in torrent. And, alas!
lere is the bali, not near the wound,
out above the opposite hip, just under
5he skin. The ball had passed through
5he body below the ribs. Such a
wound could not help but befatal."
The rest is easily told. The wound
I'd man was carried to the house in
which he had slept the night before.
The mattress on which he had laid
vas soon soaked with blood. Allday /
ong he suffered with great agony; ard
lis cries of pain mingled with his exc
,rations upon the bullet in his side are
said to have been terrible to hear.
About 8 o'clock at night he asked why
he light had been put out. Five min
ltes afterward he died, and the next
lay, when his miserable wife was hur-
.ying toward the spot where she had |
heard that her husband had been
dangerously wounded" she met the
'ude agon in which his remains were
being escorted by a silent procession
of horsemen,t to what was once, but was
10 longer, his home.
Nor was Jackson unscathed. When