The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-06-28
A STRANGE WAR DUEL.
How Two Federal and Confederate Scouts Settled
Matters.

Georgia Union.I

lGeoTgid Union
On the 18th of june 1863, witnessed duel
between Capt. Jones, commanding a Federal
scout, and Capt. Fry, commanding rebel scout,
in Greene County, East Tenn. These two men
had been fighting each other for six months,
with the fortunes Of battle in favor first of one
and then the other. Their commands we're
encamped on either side of Lick Creek, a large
and sluggish stream, too deep to ford and too
shallow for a ferrybOat, but there a bridge
spanned the stream for the convenience Of
the travelling public. Each of them guarded
this bridge, that communications should go
neither north south, as the railroad track
had been broken up months before. After
fighting each other several months, and con-
testing the.point as to which should hold the
bridge, they agreed to fight duel, the con-
queror to hold the bridge undisputed for the
time being. Jones gave the challenge and Fry
accepted. The terms were that they should
fight with navy pistols, at 20 yards apart. de-
liberately walking toward each other and firing
until the last chamber of ther pistols was dis
charged, unless one or the other fell before all
the discharges were made They chose their
seconds, aud agreed upon rebel Surgeon las
he was the only one in either c0mmand) to at
tend them in case of danger.
Jones was certainly fne-looking fellow,
with light hair and blue eyes, five feet 10 inches
in hight, looking every inch the military chief
tain. He was man soldiers would esteem and
ladies regard with admiration. / never saw a
man more cool, determined and heroic under
such circumstances. have read Of the deeds
of chivalry and knght-errantry in the Middle
Ages and brave men embalmed in modern
pOesy, but when / saw Jones come To the duel
ists scratch, fighting, not for real or supposed
wrongs TO himself, but, as he honestly thought,
for his country and the glory of the flag |
could not help admiring the man, notwith-
standing ne fought for the freedom Of the negro,
which / was opposed to-
Fry was a man full six feet high SLENDER
with long, wavy, curling hair jet-black eyes,
wearing a slouch hat and gray suit, and looked
| rather the demon than the man.
There was nothing ferocious about him, but
| he had that selfsufficient nonchaIauce that
| said, j. will kill you" Without a doubt he
was brave cool aud collected, and although SUI
! fering from terrible flesh wound in his left
arm, received week before, he manifested no
! symptoms Of distress, but seemed ready for the
fight.
i The ground was stepped off by the seconds,
pistols loaded and exchanged, and the princi-
pals brought face to face.
They turned around and walked back to the
point designated. Jones's seconds had the word
Fire" and as he slowly said One-two-
| three-fre!" they simultaneously turned at
the word and instantly fired. Neither was
| hurt. They cooked their pistols and deliber-
ately walked toward each other, firing as they
went. AT the NTH shot Jones threw up ms
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 he silently
lowered his pistol, dropped it on the ground
and sprang TO Jones's side, taking his head in
his lap as he sat down and asking if he was
hurt.
discovered that Jones was shot through the
region of the stomach, the bullet glancng
| around that organ and coming out to the lef
of the spinal column besides, he had received
three other frightful flesh wounds in Other
portions of the body dressed his wounds
and gave him such stimulants as ! had. IL,
aiterward got well.
Fry received three wounds-one breaking Iii
right arm, one the left, and the other in til,
right side. After months of suffering he 90
; well, and fought the war out TO the bitter end
and to-day the two are partners in a wAolesal,
grocery business.
Write fn T. A Armstron0 natroit Nfiah Fo