Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-12-28
A FAMOUS FIRE-EATER.
Col. Alfred Rhett, Late of South Caro-.
lina-His Duel with Col. Calhoun.

| lina-His Duel with Col. Calhoun.
From the Philadelphia Times.l
With the recent death of Colonel Alfred
Rhett at Charleston has passed away on,
of the most picturesque figures associated
with the defense of that city against the
Federal forces Personally he was also {
most interesting study as an exaggerated
specimen of the Southern fre-eater. Hi:
fatal duel with Colonel William Ransom
Calhoun, a nephew of the great Southern
statesman, is famous page in the dark
records of the code of honor.
Graduated at Harvard, Alfred Rhett
was, when the war began, one of the gayest
| of the fashionable young men of Charleston
society. He easily procured an appoint
ment from Governor Pickens to lieuten-
ancy in the battalion of South Carolina ar
tillery, (regulars), subsequently enlarged
to a regiment and designated as the First
South Carolina Artillery. In this capacity
he took pant in the reduction of Fort Sum-
ter, and it was then that the bitter feud
originated which ended in the death OF
Colonel Calhoun.
Calhoun, then the senior Captain OF the
battalion, commanded at Fort Moultrie.
Rhett was in charge of the battery. Dur
ing the heat of the bombardment Major
Andersons flag fell, and Calhoun mistak-
ing the circumstance for signal of sur
render, instantly shouted to the gunners,
"Cease firing" The younger officer vio-
lently resented the breach of etiquette in
not first communicating the order to him
self, and thus began the deadly feud. 1t is
but truth, however, to say that while this
ri, cta la
cause was found in the subaltern's most
unprofessional impotence of control. 1t
is probable, too, that this disposition was
exasperated by certain 'old army" hauteur
and brusqueness with which Calhoun was
fairly chargeable. A graduate of West
Point, he inclined to martinetism, while
Rhett, who was himself terror to the
enlisted men, was little disposed to accom-
modate himself to that temper in Others
So matters went from bad TO worse, the
breach constantly widening, the younger
officer chatting under the control Of his
senior and emitting no opportunity of
showing his hatred and contempt of a man
whom he pronounced to be a coward.
The strain was temporarily relieved by
Captain Calhoun going to Virginia with
his company equipped as light battery,
while Rhett was promoted to the Cap
taincy of the second company and sta
toned at Fort Sumter. In this capacity
he exercised harsh discipline, which
made hIm probably the most thoroughly
hated and feared officer at the post.
In the summer of 1862 the feud be-
tween Rhett and Calhoun reached its
elimination. The battalion had been en-
larged to a regiment, and Calhoun as Col
onel, returned from Virginia to take the
command Rhett was Major. Unhappily
the bursting of a cannon during series of
experiments, removed the amiable Lieu
tenant-C Colonel, Wagner, and Rhett, being
next in the line of promotion, was once
more brought into immediate relations to
his detested senior. The old line of ag-
erosion was taken up. On the one side
was defiance; on the other was, probably,
considerable forbearance. At all events
such was the opinion of the officers of the
regiment, whose sympathy was, with
scarcely an exception, with the Colonel.
1t was well understood-indeed, publicly
proclaimed-tha Rhett, who was dead
shot with the pistol and in daily practice,
had no other object in view than that Of
driving his senior to challenge him. On
his side, Calhoun steadily declared that
his first duty was to the country, and that
he would not allow himself to be driven
to avenging private insults until the war
should be ended.
But so bitter was the general feeling
that splendid old veteran, Colonel Peter
c. Gaillard, as a friend of Calhoun,
avowed his intention of sending a chal-
lenge to Rhett. Then Calhoun, in ex-
tremities, mailed his resignation to the
Confederate War Department and imme-
| diately called out his junior. The result
was a forgone conclusion. Rhett had the
choice of weapons, and of course named
pistols. The two men met at sunrise the
following morning, and at the sharp crack
of Rhett's pistol Calhoun fell dying. He
was buried from old St. Paurs, his obse-
quies attended by a large conccurse of oiti-
zens and by a numerous body of his regi-
mental officers, over whom his tragic end
cast deep gloom.
There was a strong feeling of general in
dignation against Rhett, aud it was hoped
that the military authorities would show
some sense of common decency by, at the
least, assigning him to some other field of
duty. But he had influence, and it is one
of the scandals of the War Department at
Richmond that, after brief suspension
from duty during the sitting of the Board
of Inquiry, he was promoted to the place
which his own good right hand had made
vacant.