The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-05-09
A REMARKABLE DUEL.
How a Union and a Confederate Soldier
Fought in Single Combat.

How Union and a Confederate Soldier
Fought in Single Combat.
From the Milledgeville, Ca, Union.)
On the 18th day Of June, 1868, I
witnessed duel between Captain Jones,
commanding Fe1eral scout, and Cap
tain Fry, commanding Rebel scout, IN
Green county, East Tennessee. These two
men had been fighting each other for
six months, with the fortunes OF battle
in favor of one then the other. Their
commands were camped on either size
of Lick creek, large and sluggish
stream, too deep to ford and too shallow
for ferry boat; but there bridge span.
ned the stream for the convenience OF
the travelling public. Each of them
guarded this bridge that communication
should go neither north nor south, as
the railroad track had been broken up
months before. After fighting each
other several months and contesting the
point as to which should hold the bridge,
they agreed to fight duel, the con-
querer 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 twenty yards apart, dehber-
ately walking toward each other, and
firing until the last chamber OF their
pistols were discharged, unless one or
the other fell before all the discharges
were made. They chose their seconds,
and agreed upon rebel surgeon Gas he
was the only one in either command)to
attend them in case of danger.
Jones was certainly fine looking
fellow, with light hair and blue eyes,
five feet ten inches in height, looking
every inch the military chiefton. He,
was q man the soldiers would admire
and ladies regarded with admiration. |
never saw man more cool, determined
and heroic under such circumstances.
have read Of the deeds of ehivalry and
knight-errantry In the noiddle-ages and
brave men embalmed in modern poeSy;
but, when I saw Jones come to the duel
lists scratch, lighting, not for real or
supposed wrongs to himself, but, as he
honetly thought. for his country and
the glory of the flag. could not help
admiring the man, notwithstanding be
fought for the freedom of the negro,
which was opposed to.
Fry was 8 man full six feet high,
slender, with long, wavy, curling hair,
jet black eyes. wearing slouch hat and
and gray suit, and looked rather the
demon than the man.
There was nothing ferociousabout him:
i 1..4 lo Lo1 4Iof ,alf fG oia,4 nonobo-
lance that said, 81 will kid you" With
out doubt, he was brave, cool, and
collected, and although suffering from a
terrible flesh wound in his left arm,
received 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 meeting.
Jones, in his military, boyish mood, as
they shook hands remarked that
A soldier braves death for 4 fanciful wreath
When in glorys romantic career.
Fry caught up the rest Of the sentance
and answered by saying
Yet he bends over the foe when In battle LAID
And bathes every wound with tear.
They turned around and walked back
to the point designated Jones' second
had the word "Flre, and as he slowly
said, ssOne-two-three-fre!" they
simultaneously turned at the word
"One" and instantly fired. Neither was
hurt. They cooked their pistols, and
deliberately walked toward each other
firing as they went. At the fifth shot,
Jones threw up his right hand, firing
his pistol in the air, and sank down. Fry
was in the act Of firing his last shot; but,
seeing Jones fall, silently lowered his
pistol, dropped it on the groud, and
sprang to Jones side taking his head In
his lap as be sat down, and asking him
if he was hurt
I 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 the body. dressed his wounds, and
gave him such stimulants as I had. He
| afterward got well.
Fry received three wounds-one
breaking bis right arm, one il the left,
and the other in the right side. After
months of suffering he got well, and
fought the war out to the bitter end,
and today are partners in a wholesale
grocery business, and verifying the
sentiment of Byron, that ga soldier
braves DEATH" etc., etc.
Trusting that the above truthful
narrative will be a lesson to some
people, north and south, that stayed on
the outside and yelled, ''Seek dog~ and
are still not satisfied with the result Of
the war, let ne subscribe myselfa a recon
structed CONFEDERATE SURGEON.