The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1885-04-12
A STORY OF GEN. NATHANIEL LYON.
DS William A. Hammond In Magazine OF Americ
Itiatnrv1


Ilistory.1
Upon one occasion Capt. Anderson, OF the Second
Dragons, niterward major general In the Confed-
present several Of the officers Of The garrison well
~ the members OF general c0nrt-martia that was
then in session At the post Cart Lyon and myself
Although Capt. Anderson wss q citizen OF South
Carolina and his host, Lyon plunged as soon as he
the South and its peculiar Institution, in which he
used all the powers OF nvcctive that he possessed in
80 great degree. Among the guests were Gen.
Mansheld, Killed at Antietam: Gen. Ramsey, Chief
Of Ordnance during the war; Col. G. +. Smith, who,
II he had lived, would certainly have given good
account of himself on the side OF the Union, and
Gen. Casey. who SO highly distinguished himself at
the battle OF Fair oaks All Of these were Northern
men who had no liking for slavery, but they were
al dumblounded at the violence and vlruence Of
Lyons attnck. AS for the sOuthcrncrs. they looked
Indignant, OF conrse, all but the host, Capt Andcr-
son, who sat Mt the head OF his table smiling sereney
NJ Lyons abuse ana by occasionally addressing
word or two to those nearest TO him trying to mako
NE OCCASION pass as pleasantly as was possible under
OF us, including Capt Lyon, were sitting In Mai
Mcrrlls quarters Anderson entered the room. lie
looked around him, and his eyes ut once lighted on
the man OF whom he was evidently In search and
whom he had not found in his own quarters
Uapt LYON ne sai1, approaching his antagonist
was helpless TO repel your insults, TO commit an out
rage, for which am now going to punish you. ! do
one here present knows what think q YOU, and thai
kind Of retaliation would do you very little harm; I
am going 10 thrash yon.n
lie took step toward Lyon, who. hearing this
speech, had remained quietly in his chair garing nj
MS adyersary and evidently worked mp to the point
OF doing mischief. AS Anderson came nearer, Lyon
still without moving limb said with as much com
posurc as he could command:
~, capt Anderson, If you come step nearer ri
Instantly several OF lis rushed between the two,
and anderson, without word further, withdrew
About an honr ai'erward was to,lsed from bed
found Capt. Lyon. | at once suspected what had
happened but was not allowed TO remain long I'm d
state OF uncertainty. Henderson has challenged
lyon will have to accept answered.
,,r NJ, ! snai not accept; nave conscientlous
to law, and am law-abiding man,
"Then you VIII he sent 20 Coventry without delay.
You have grossly insuied Anderson In his own
house, and you must give him satisfaction, or you
will be run out of the army
for e sssS Of am INV ws VI snc
light him; " he attacks inc shall Kill him as I
would a dog"
argued the matter with him was many years
younger than am now-and the result was that he
finally consented to meet Anderson, provided I
would act as his second AMI that the duel should
take place with pistols across table.
] demonstrated with him on this latter point, and
told him that was quite sure Mai. Sbley, Ander-
his principal to fight after such murderous fashion.
lie was firm, however, 50 ! mad conference early
the following morning with Mai sibley, and, as
altogether outside the pale Of the laws Of duellng
and rs being barbarous, murderOus. unusual, and
ungentlemanly.
There was nothing left for Anderson to do but 10
horsewhip Lyon or nhct some other gross indignity
on him, and this he would certainly have attempted
nut Tor the TACT that Sibley and got him and Lyon
to agree that the matter should he referred TO a
council OF officers, whose decision should he binding.
This body, after due clibcraion decided that Capt.
Lyon had been guilty of grave oTense and that he
should apologize to Capt. Anderson In the presence
OF every otllcer Of the post.
This was bitter dose for Lyon to swallow, but
there was no escape lie declared to me that he
had been decreed he mustdo. He furned aud fretted
over the matter TIL he worked himself up to such n
state OF excitement as made me fear for the strength
OF his mind to resist 1t, hut he finally cooled down
and began to look at the matter philosophically.
Mr5. hammond and were to have a reception
that evening for the members of the court-martla.
and they and all the officers OF the garrison and their
wives would accordingly betOEether at my quarters
u was decided that at O'Clock Capt Lyon should
tender his apology in their presence. Every one
himself at one end OF the drawing-room The last
heat of the drums sounding tattoo had hardly died
away When Capt. Lyon, in full uniform, entered the
apartment. He looked neither to the right nor the
left but with me ut his side, as his escort and host
he walked through the long line of oiilcers-a in
full uniform-and ladies till he came within four or
five feet of Capt. Anderson, who, grave and dgnined
with Sbley by his side, awaited his arrival, "Capt
Anderson" he said, without tremor in his voice,
81 have come to express my regret for having used
believe it to he true, was out OF place at the time.
ana was such rs !, your guest, should not have
spoken. its employment was, under the circum-
stances, more injurious TO me than 1t was to YOU"
Anderson bowed without word, Lyon bowed, and
then, without rendering his hand, he turned and
strobe out of the ROOM Anderson and he never
spoke TO each other aftcrward except when their
official relations required them to do so.