The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-06-11
A Story of Gems. Nathaniel Lyon and
r. H. Anderson.

The following, which we have never
sssn in print, gives an account of an In.
teresting incident In the early life of
Gen. r. II. Anderson of Sumter Cotnty;
South Carolina, who died some years ago.
This item will possibly be news to many
of his old friends:
Upon one occasion Captain Anderson,
of the Second Dragons, afterward q
Lieutehabt. General In the Confederate
service, gave a dinner PARTY, at which
were present several of the officers of the
garrison as well as the members of a
general court.martia that was then in
session at the post. Captain Lyon and
myself wefe at7ong the humber.
Although Captain Anderson was a
citizen of South Carolina, and his host,
Lyon plunged as soon as he could get the
opportunity into harangue against the
South and its peculiar institution, in
which he used all the power of inyective
that he possessed id 50 great degree.
Among the guests were Genera! Mans
field, Killed at Antietam; General Ram
sey, Chief of Ordinance during the war; {;
Col. @. F. Smith, who, if he had lived,
would certainly have given good ac'
count of himself on the side of the Union,
and General Casey, who so highly dis
tinguished himself at the battle of Fair
Oaks. All of these were Northern men
who had no liking for slavery, but they
were all dumbfounded at the violence of
Lyons attack. As for the Southerners,
they looked indignant, of course, all but
the host, Captain Anderson, who sat at
the head of his table smiling serenely at
Lyons abuse, and by occasionally
addressing word or two to those nearest
to him; trying to make the occasion pass
as pleasantly as was possible under the
circumstances. But that evening, while
several of us, Including Captain Lyon,
were sitting in Major Merrill's quarters,
Anderson entered the room. He looked
around him, and his eyes at once lighted
on the mar of whom be was evidently in
search, and whom he had not found in
his own quarters.
captain Lyon" he said, approaching
his antagonist, "you took occasion to-day,
when 1 from my position was helpless to
repel your insults, to Commit an outrage,
for which am now going to punish you.
do not mean to heap personal abuse on
you, for ever one here present knows
what I think of you, and that kind OF
retaliation would do very little harm; I
am going to thrash you"
He took astep toward Lyon, who, hear
ing this speech, had remained quietly in
his chair glaring at his adversary, and
evidently worked up to the point of doing
mischief. As Anderson came nearer,
Lyon, still without moving limb, said,
with as much composure as he could
command:
"Captain Anderson, if you come step
nearer I'll kill you"
Instantly several of US rushed between
the two, and Anderson, without a word
further, withdrew.
About an hour afterwards l was reused
from bed by some one at the door, and
on going down stairs found Captain Ly'
on. at once suspected what had hap
pened, but I was not allowed to remain
long in state of uncertainty. "Ander-
son has challenged me-" he said.
"You will have to accept" answered.
"No, shall not accept; I have con-
scientious scruples against dueling, and
besides, it is contrary to law, and am
law-abiding man."
"Then you will be sent to Coventry
without delay. You have grossly insult
ed Anderson in his own house, and you
must give him satisfaction, or you will be
run out of the army"
ri don't care; I am willing to endure
persecution for the sake of my convic-
tiops. I shall not fight him. If he
attacks me, I shall kill him as I would a
dog"
argued the matter with him I. was
many years younger than am now
and the result was that he finally con.
sented to meet Anderson, provided I
would act as his second, and that the duel
should take place with pistols across q
table.
demonstrated with him on this latter
point, and told him that | was quite sure
Major Sibley, Anderson's second, would
peremptorily refuse to allow lis principal
to fight after such a murderous fashion.
He was firm, however, so had confer
ence early the following morning with
Major Sibley, and, as l had expected,
Lyons terms were regarded by him as
altogether outside the pale of the laws of
dueling, and as being barbarous, murder
Gus, unusual, and ungentlemanly.
There was nothing left for Anderson
to do but to horsewhip Lyon or infict
some other gross indignity on him, and
this he would certainly have attempted
but for the fact that Sibley and got him
and Lyon to agree that the matter should
be referred to a council of officers whose
decision should be binding. This body,
after due deliberation, decided that Cap.
tain Lyon had been guilty of grave
offence, and that he should apologize to
Captain Anderson in the presence OF
every officer of the post.
This was a bitter dose for Lyon to
swallow, but there was no escape. He
declared to me that he would rather cut
off his right hand than do what it had
been. decreed he must do. He fumed
and fretted over the matter till he work.
ed himself up to such a state Of excite.
ment as made me fear for the strength OF
his mind to resist it, but he finally cooled
down and began to look at the matter
philosophically.
Mrs. Hammond and were to have q
reception that evening for the members
of the court martial, and they and all the
officers of the garrison and their wives
would accordingly be together at my
quarters. 1t was decided that at nine
o'clock Captain Lyon should tender his
apology in their presence. Every one
was there, and at nine o'clock Captain
Anderson stationed himself at one end
Of the drawing.room. The last beat Of
the drums sounding tattoo had hardly
died away when Captain Lyon, in full
uniform, entered the apartment. He
looked neither to the right nor to the
left, but with me at his side, as his escort
and host, he walked through the long
line of officers-all i'll full uniform-and
ladies till he came within four or five feet
of Captain Anderson, who, grave and