Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1895-08-30
A FAMOUS DUEL.

0ureW jackson WAS Cuo Io
pIesentatlve American of his epoch
When the history Of this cOuutr!
shall be written by someone VIII
has been enough of a man amout
men to he wise weigber of al
kinds of evidence and who is pos
sessed of that imaginative power
which enables a mind to reincar
nate itself amid the events ant
personalities whose tendency an(
purpose 1t aims to Odepict and whose
meanings aud motives it essays tC
explain, it is probable that. Andrew
Jackson aud Abraham Lincoln
two children OF the people, born in
poverty, will be accounted not
only the two most typical Amer
cans, but the largest and nO0les'
figures i'll our populOus natiOna
Pantheon.
Charles Dickinson was Nash
VILE lawyer of some mark IN his
profession and in politics, though
chiefly as a pistol shot. He con
sidered himself the best shot in tue
world. Perhaps he was. But the
Oitcher that goes to the we'll toe
often, says the prOverb, gets
broken at last. Like most Ten
nesseeanS OF that erratic era,
Dickinson drank hard at times,
and, in bis cups, threw all discre
ton and decency to the winds.
Among other unpleasant things,
it was reported to Jackson that
Dickinson had alluded to the
alleged irregularity or illegality oI
Jackson's marriage with Mis-
Rachel RObards, which was, OF
course, a very sore point with the
general, who loved his excellent
wife devOtedIy.
Still, Jackson was not blood
thirsty to fight Dickinson. Tc
that gentleman's father.ln.law he
said:
i would iain have no quarrel
My political enemies, | believe,are
using this young man as an instru'
ment to get me out of their way
do not wish to fight, but viii t.
the death, il crowded. Bid him
panse IN tlme.'
The suasions of Dickinson's
father in.law temporarilyprevailed
and an apology followed, but th'
smOulderlng spark of hostility wa
famed into a flame soon after.
Some reports of alleged remark
concerning certain horse-racine
and betting transactions cause'
Dickinson to repeat his insults ant
10 say that if ever such a coward
ly cur as jackson could be whip
ped or spurred luto a meeting b.
would rid Tennessee and the cOun
try of the 'pestileut polIroon.'
Dickinson about this time mus
have been meditating an attack o.
similar nature to the murderoul
onslaught which the Benton brOtl
ers made Oh the general year
after, for he Dragged that he wa
going to force a fight on Jackson.
Thus it began to be a publ
opinion that a duel must ensue
aud Jackson fnslly challenges
Dickinson, which was exactly whs
the latter had plotted, because
challenge gives the receiver th
choice Of weapons.
AS DickinsOn's cayalcade wen
along, stopping now aud then
roadside taverns to bait tbei
horses and refresh themselves, th
hero of tue party gave numerOu
exhibitions of bis pistol skill, hit
ing half dollars tossed In the all
and in ODe place, where a bit {
string was hanging from a tree, b
shot of the lower half and sai
with a savage laugh; SHOW that t
General Jackson when be come
along this way
Far different was the temper
the other party, the tall, gaun
slender, stately soldier riding i
front of his comrades with his oil,
friend and second, General Owe
ton. They gave a very grav'
thought, of course, a brave col
sideratlon Of the matter. Bot
knew Dickinson's wonderful skill
10 fact at that very hour Ii
Nashville gambling fraternity