Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-04
CODE OF HONOR
As Carried Out on the Famous
Bladensburg Dueling Field.
SOME new PHASES OF An OLD SUBJECT
Scenes of Mortal Combat at This
Historic Spot.
VOICE OF PUBLIC OPINION

Despite it's interest from a romantic and
historical standpoint. none of the several
writers who have told of Blandensburg
notorious dueling ground has undertaken to
gather and weave into a connected MARIA
tive accounts of the many so-caled affairs
of honor that have occurred there, being
satisfied to describe the few that attained
prominence through the standing of the
parties engaged. The paucity of Information
on this subject is doubtless owing to the
dehcacy of the chroniclers of the time to
record events that reflected no credit on the
local community or the Union at large.
Few references to duels are made in the
newspapers of Washington, Georgetown and
Baltimore during the period when they were
of frequent occurrence, and when
meeting was mentioned at all the
statement was coupled with a homily
On the practice in general and an
expression of the hope that such af-
fairs would ultimately be prevented by the
exercise of public sentiment. The National
IntelEgencer had & consistent rule not TO
give any account of local or other duels,
and of the few that it felt called on TO men
tiCn through their fatal endngs, the notice
was in the briefest form.
y careful search, however, through these
journals, public records and biographical
and other published works, and verbal
the facts, have brought to light the stories
of many interesting events enacted on Bla-
densburgs field of honor which the his
torian ard average chronicler have passed
by. some of them for the reason, no doubt,
that the principals concerned We're not of
sufficient Importance to deserve permanent
notoriety through the medium of the art
preSCrVaJiTe. Local interest, however, has
leen sufficient incentive in the present in
stance for an exercise of that patience re-
CURED in making search for all informa
ton that could be obtained. and the reward
has been ample in securing much material
which. while it may not he valuable from
a historic standpoint. will at least be
worthy the perUsal of those who find
amusement and instruction in studying the
history of the District of Columbia and its
vicinity.
Most Noted In the World.
Statesmen. officers of the army and navy
government employees and private citizens
have taken part in the affairs of the code
duello at Bladensburg. 1t the most
celebrated dueling ground in the world.
and it is said that more than fifty hostile
meetings occurred there. However this
may be, the records are lacking to the
poSt Of them, and there is evidence of not
5nCrc than third of that number as hav-
ing taken place on the bloody field.
1t is not difficult to understand how the
purposes. Situated within easy access
but without the jurisdiction of the
District of Columbia, and convenient of
escape from the clutches of Maryland law
lax though il vast afforded excellent op-
rortunities for the hotbloods of Was hing
ton, in Congress and out, to settle their
differences according to the code The ex-
act spot where so many duets occurred is
Just oil the old stage route between Wash
irgtOn and Baltimore, the present Bladens-
lGrg or toll-sate pike, within mile of the
village OF Bladensburg and half mile be-
yong the District boundary. Turn to your
Il he
road under culvert at this point and a
short walk will bring you to the place
where Decatur. Mason and other men of
lesser prominence living in the frSt half OF
the present century fell to satisfy what
they were pleased to consider claims of
honor that could be adjusted only through
the shedding of blood.
So far | have been able to ascertain,
the first hostile meeting on the Bladers-
burg field took place in 1872. This was
soon after the seat of government had been
removed to Washington, and the principals
In the affair. Representative Barent Car
Genier of New York and Representative
George Washington Campbell of Tennessee,
appear to have established the place as the
favOrite resort for the settlement of pri-
waite differences GARDENER fell with
bullet from his opponents pistol in his
body. The attending physician decided that
he could not recover, but he ultimately
pulled through, and was reelected to Con-
gress by the federalists of his district. De-
spite his wound he lived for twenty years,
Tying at kingston, N \ =, IN lS22.
GARDENER edited New York newspaper
for several years, and his daughter mar
ried Theodore Fay. the Journalist. Camp
bell. after leaving Congress, served the
United States as minister to Russia. About
this time Lieut.. Col. Thomas Flournoy of
the army wounded his opponent in a duel
at Bladensburg.
Death of nm Army officer.
very said affair was that which took
place on May % 1914 when Ensign Ed
ward Hopkins of the thirty-sixth infantry
was killed on the Bladensburg ground The
young man had entered the army a little
more than a year before he met his tragic
death His was one of the regiments or
ganiZed for service in this vicinity and
three months after Hopkins fell it took
part in the battle of Bladensburg, which
resulted in the defeat of the American
lie buildings in this city. The reg
iment was stationed in GEORGETOWN
and just before the duel occurred part of
1t had been dispatched to st. Clements
check the raids of ''Cockburn's sayaees :"
Hopkins was Marylander and it is said
that his people lived within sight of the
pace where ne fell His antagonist is IN
known to history, and the cause of the duel
IS equally obscure search of the War
Department records showed merely thai
Hopkins was killed in duel on the date
named 1t is evident, however that this
duel called forth a general order from the
War Department. which may be found in
inc National lntelligencer for May %
ISL Probably the army authorities hal
WIND OF the affair and attempted to stop II
ne order, as printed in the InteIligencer
bears date of May ~. but this NAV Inc an
error, as Niles Weekly Register, shortly
thereafter, mentions that a Lieut. Ross
was dismissed from the army for engaging
IN duel contrary to the general order of
May ID The order follows: ANY com
mlssloned officer of the army of the United
states who shall send. or accept any cbaI
ienSe 10 night duel. or who, knowing that
any oilcer has sent or accepted, or Is about
10 Sehd or accept, a challenge to fight a
Cuei' anu who does not Immediately arrest
ana bring TO trial the offenders in this
case, snail be dismissed the service of thn
lhted states. j. b. WALBACH,
p. Adjutant General"
III was on a cold winters dav in Feb
ruary' lSl9 that Gen. Arm:stead T Mason
ex-senator from Virginia. fell victim to-
me bullet OF his cousin, Col John NJ Nc
carly his lifes blood staining the snow
covered ground. Next to the affair no
tween Decatur and Barron this is tho
most famous Of Bladensburg's saryrinarv
rays Gen. Andrew Jackson who ,vbiie
PRESIDENT, dismissed four naval officers fnr
engaging in an affair of honor has boan
accused of having been Responsible for This
meeting The Senator and his cousin 70
Sided near LeeSburg, Va and tba tro,tI.