The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-02-05
A Midnight Duel.

"There is no doubt" said an old soldier
yesterday, '',Lat many singular thing.
occur as we jnurney through life" and
he looked Hs though memory was strug
ling with some sad feature nf hi. exist
ence. He sighed us he continued: II
remember as though il WIS yesterday
the march OF HiIis cnrps along The
winding Shenandoah up To the famous
Lurny gap. Who could ever forget that
march? The road winding with the
brah.iiul river, rnd ovrrhung with
maj jrstic chain Of Blue Ridge mountains,
white acrnss the crystal water The mag.
niiicrnt valier. with lis charming Cottages
doltiuE the Ln'!ntenus land with white.
like balls Of snow r"brd in flowers. But
the most engaging aud l"vcly objects
rnled into insiyiiiIicancc beside the peer
iers women "f Tins blessed country, aud
you may we'll believe that when the
camp was struck that the soldier, lost no
'lrne IN making their way 10 the surround
ing cutt'ges. Sunn thr mu-ic Of the
ri"lin WA, heard, mud Tie shulling feet
kept time To the music. while, tor Il time,
the soldiers face wa. lit with old time
joy. At one of tln-e cottages the belle
Ut the valley rcgnrd supreme. while
several southern soldiers vhd with encn
other in paying hninnge To the queen
Among others were two young soldiers
one from Genrgin aud the mher from
Mississippi who were specially cncrgrIir
IN their attentions, aud 20 marked had
this become that ;hosc present watched
the play with constantly in, ren-inP in
terest. Iully believing lhut both exhibited
case at love at first sight. This sur
mise on the part OF thn-e present wa~
only too true, aI tho ir"gic event which
followed fully proved. Tho Georgian
seemed In have the lead on the Mirsi.sip
pimn, and when The dancers were called
to take their places, he l,,i the belle oi
The valley 70 n place in he sct. At this
point the Mississippian was seen To mp
prnnch the couple and heard Ia claim the
ludy's hand for the dance. An nltcrca
ton ensntd, but both we've cool, brave
| sOldiers-iwn Of the best shots in the
nrmy-who did not believe in war Of
words. So it was ended by The Georgian
dancing with the lady, and the signifi
cant remark Of the Mi-sissippian that II
will zee you after this act"
"When the dance was over the Ge0r
gian WAS seen 10 seek the Mississippinu,
and together they called each friend
from the Cruwd and departed. When
outside both claimed that IN insult had
been passed, which could only be wiped
uut in the blood Of the other, and that n
duel to the death should be arranged ut
once. a full moan WA just appearing
above the tops of the surrounding forest
aud tell you this Talk of blood in the
silence Of the night WAS anything but
plen.ant. No argument. however, would
avail with these men, al 1t WAS arranged
that the duel should take place on top
of the Blue Ridge, near the centre of the
road that paSses through the gap; thnt
the weapnns should be pistols mt fifteen
pnces, and the fire mt or between the
words 'one, two. three firing to continue
until one or both were dend.
The point wnR reached. the ground
measured nf. and, the men took their
positions wilhnnt n tremor. The moon
shed i,s pale light down on :cene never
tn be forgotten. A moment or two and
the silence was broken py tho signal ::
"Dnc. two, three" A. the word Zone"
tho report "f twn pistols rang out IN the
midnight air, but tho principals mnin.
tmined their respective wniliuns. The
G-nrgian's left arm was seen to drop
clo.er to the side, but the Mi.sissirpinn
was in,mnvnble, aud still held his pistol
to tho front. Aynin. n pistol shot was
heard. canning from the Georgian. and
'he Missi-.ippinn still held his position.
hut lie did not fire. The Georgian pro
tested that he had mt come there 10 mur
der him, hut nn answer waa returned
The Mis>i.sirpinn's SECOND approached
his prncirnl aud found him dead, sho,
through the eye on The frat discharge nf
the weapnns Death 1t seems had been
| instantaneous. M much sn ~ not even To
disturb his equilibrium. l may lurgel
-"me things. but the midnight duel on
the top of a spur at the Blue Ridge, with
it's attendant rcum.tances, is not one
Of em."-Athens, Ga, Banner.