Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1894-11-14
A WAR DUEL.

4, QUO cayalrymen SAT IN silence upon tllelf
horses on the extreme left OF the Con1ed-
crate battle line at Gettysburg. The held
in their front was curtained with heavy
mist as II kindly nature had sought 10
veil the appalling traces OF the tragedy
there enacted. 1t had been sown with sho1
and bladed thick with steel on the preVl-
GUS afternoon, and the harvest OF death
was ungathered lying in windroWs along
the ghastly burrows that had been cut by
the red plowshare OF war Inc lnfantfy
line stretched far away to the right, ana
their gray uniforms blending With the
hazy atmosphere gave them very shad-
owy appearance. Many OF the regiments
were indeed but shadows OF what they haa
been at noon on the preceding day Some
were in line without even one commits
stoned officer, and others with but the nor
NAL strength of single company. For
example, as attested by the Official record,
the Twenty sixth North Carolina entered
the battle with 500 rank and file, and, al
though none was captured, but so an
swered to their names at the close or the
day. Colonel Henry II. BurgWyh, u,
who commanded it, and all the Held o1fl-
GERS were killed. Captain IL. q. Albright,
who had command of it after the battle,
was its only commissioned officer left un-
wounded. Company H of the same regl-
ment went in with 81 men and three offl-
GERS and came out with but one man
standing upon his feet, all the Others hav-
ing been killed or wounded I knew the
sole unstricken survivor well. He was
Private John Secrest, a robust young farm
er of Mecklenburgh county, n. c., and
1 regret to state that instead Of being
grateful to Providence for having plucked
him as brand from the burning he
grumbled loudly over the loss of one Of his
shoes, torn from his foot by a grapeshot
that struck the heel while he was falling
back in good order.
The so suuadrons of horse that were
awaiting orders in dreamy half sleep
were commanded by Brigadier General
Wade Hampton. He was the beau ideal
of cavalry commander, Of tall, heroic
form, a superb horseman, brave and en-
terprising without being rash, and with
daring always tempered by sound judg-
ment. He was unquestionably the strong
est man in the Confederate service and
the only one in either army who, enlisting
as private soldier, rose to the rank of lieu
tenant general. But, although judi
cious commander, he was possessed of
knightly spirit of adventure, and as adven-
lures come tn the adventurous his bril-
liant military career was marked by many
thrilling personal experiences.
But brave heart is no buckler against
a steel blade, as General Hampton real
lied that morning. Hearing bullet hiss
just over his head, he turned his face to-
ward the belt of open woods on his left in
time to see the flash Of gun at a point
about 800 yards away, and then he heard
another leaden messenger cut the air near
him. He at once rode at a brisk trot in
the direction of the timber to find out the
early bird of sharpshooter who thus
broke upon the quiet of the morning with
his shrill note of battle. When he had
ridden about 175 yards at right oblique,
he came to high stake and rider rail
standing on large stump, some or 5
feet in height, soldier whose blue coat,
bound with orange colored braid, and pan,
falcons with stripes of the same color on
the outer seams, indicated that he was a
United States cavalryman. He seemed to
be what the Scots term "braw lad, " and
although not engaged in political CAM
paign had taken the stump" doubtless
that he might get a better view Of the Con-
federate troops on the elevated plateau
south of the woods.
The contour of the ground hid General
Hampton from his command when he
halted at the fence. AS he drew his pis-
tol the quick eyed skir1nisher saw him, and
they both fired at the same instant The
ball from the soldiers rified carbine splin-
tered a rail near the horses head, and that
from Wade Hamptons A caliber revolver
made the bark fly from the stump The
duel was clearly irregular, as there were
no seconds, and the principals were about
1876 yards apart instead of Is or 20 paces
as prescribed by the code of honor and
they were unequally armed, although each
was within far range of the others weap-
on. Hampton held his pistol muzzle up,
at ready and courteously waited on his
antagonist, who threw back the lever of
his carbine, and f1inging out the empty
shell put in a fresh cartridge.
Again the reports of the carbine and pis-
tol blended, and bullet passed through
Hampton's gray cavalry cape, grazing his
right breast.
The soldier then inserted a third car.
fridge. but could not close the breach of
his rifle. the trouble evidently being that
the pun was foul, and hence the butt Of
the metallic case did not 20 in flush with
the socket He raised his right hand with
the palm to the front, as if to saw to his
adversary, wait a bit. I'll soon be with
YOU" and then drew his wipinp rod and
after driving out the stuck cartridge took