The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1888-05-31
REWARKA0L.E nUEL.
An 0aesaeae oT che Vvar

On the 18th day Of June, 1853,
witnessed duel between Captain Jones,
commanding . Federal scout, and Captain
Fry, commanding . Rebel scout, in
Greene county, East Tennessee. These
two men had been fighting each other for
six m0nths, with the fortunes Of battle in
favor Of one and then the other. Their
commands were camped on either side of
Lick creek, . large and sluggish stream,
too deep to ford and too shallow for .
ferry-boat; but there . bridge spanned
the stream for the convenience OF the
travelling public. Esch Of them guarded
this bridge that communication should 60
neither north nor south, a. the railroad
track had been broken up q month before.
After fighting each other for several
months and contesting the point - to
which should hold the bridge, they agreed
to fight duel, the conqueror to hold the
bridge undisputed for the time being.
Jones gave the challenge and Fry accept
ed. The terms were that they should
tight with navy pistols 1t twenty yards
apart, deliberately walking towards each
other, and fring antil the last chamber
of their pistols was discharged, unless
one or the other fell before oil the dis
charges were made. They chose their
seconds, and agreed upon rebel surgeon
las he was the only one in either COM
mand) to attend them in case of danger.
Jones was certainly a fine looking
fellow, with light hair and blue eyes, five
feet ten inches in height, looking every
inch the military chieftain. Ha was q
man the soldiers would admire and ladies
regarded with admiration. l never saw
man more cool, determined, and heroic
under such circumstances. have read
OF the deeds of chivalry and knight
errantry in the middle-ages and of brave
men embalmed in modern poesy; s; but,
when l saw Jones come to the duelists'
scratch, fighting not for real or supposed
wrongs to himself, but as he honestly
thought, for his country and the glory of
the flag, l could not help sdmiring the
man. notwithstanding he fought for the
freedom ofthe negro, which was opposed
to.
Fry was a man full six feet high,
slender, with long, wavy, curling hair, jet
black eyes, wearing slonch hat and gray
suit, and looked rather the demon than
the man.
There was nothing ferocious about
him; but he had that self-sufiicient non.
chalance that said. "I will kill you"
Without doubt, he was brave, cool, and
collected, and although suffering from
terrible flesh wound in his left arm. re-
ceived week before, he manifested no
symptoms of distress, but seemed ready
for the fight.
The ground was stepped off by the
seconds, pistols loaded and exchanged,
and the principals brought face to face.
| never shall forget that mseting. Jones,
in his military, boyish mood, as they
shook hands remarked thatA-
soldier braves death for f.nciful wreath
When in glory's romantic career.
Fry caught up the rest of the sentence
and answered by saying-
Yet he bends o'er the foe when in battle laid low
And baths every wound with tear.
They turned around and walked back
to the point designated. Jones' second
had the word Fire." and as he slowly
said, "One-two-three- - they 81.
multaneously turned at the word One :"
and instantly fired. Neither was hurt.
They cooked their pistols, and walked
deliberately towards each other firing IS
they went. At the fifth shot, Jones threw
up his right hand, and firing his pistol in
the air, sank down. Fry was in the act
of firing his last shot but, seeing Jones
fall. silently lowered his pistol, dropped
it on the ground, and sprang to jones'
side, taking his head in his lap as he sat
down, and asking him if be was hurt.
discovered that Jones was shot
through the region of the stomach, the
bullet glancing around the organ, and
coming out to the left spinal column !;
besides he had received three other
frightful flesh wounds in other portions
of his body. dressed his wounds and
gave him such stimulants as had. He
afterwards got well.
Fry received three wounds-one break
ing his left arm, one in the left, and the
other in the right side. After months of
suffering he got we'll, aud fought the war
out to the bitter end, and to-day they
are partners in wholesale grocery busi.
ness down South, doing good business,
and verifying the sentiment of Byron,
that " A soldier braves death, ETC., etc.
Trusting that the above truthful mar
rative will be lesson to some people,
North and South, that stayed on the out
side and yelled, "Seek dog" and are
still not satisfied with the results of the
war, let me subscribe myself . recon-
| structed
CONFEDERATE SURGEON.
PADDY REMAINED SERENE.
| Sunerinten1eat Cu1ahv of the Az