The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-27

brilliant young lawyers, Louis T. Wigfall.
! aged twenty-three years, and Preston s,
! Brooks, aged twenty-five. The causus belli
4 in this famous duel grew cut of political
! strifes and ambitions Wigfall's second was
/ John Laurens Manning of Sumter county,
/ South Carolina. Brooks's second was Pierce
Mason Butler, of Edgeheld. All these four
men became famous characters in the his
| tory of their State-indeed, in the history
| of the South-as is abundantly proved by
| the chronicles and encyclopedias that have
! been written or amended since.
In the very earliest hours of the dim,
| gray dawn of a fall morning of the year
! 1S4l-to avoid notice and perhaps arrest
/ two close carriages are driven out of .Au-
| guSta They leave the door of the late
| Thomas Barrett, esq, who is himself an
occupant of one of the carriages. These two
coaches convey Wigfall. Manning Barrett,
physician and three colOred men servants
to the vicinity of Goat island Brooks and
Butler. with their physician and servants
come from the Edgefield side. accompanied
by the late Major Andrew Hammond, of
The duel took place at $50 o'clock in the
afternoon. The actors in the bloody drama
were taken from either shore 70 the island
IN one of the long pole boats of that day.
TWO shots were exchanged The result of
the second shot was the wounding of Wig
fall through both thighs and the whizzing
of a bullet into Brookss hip, the bullet
ranging round into his back and lodging
there. Both men were painfully and very
seriously wounded. Both sank to the ground
and soon became almost unconscious from
loss of blood.
Both wounds having been temporarily
dressed, both men were lifted tenderly into
the pole boat, and. lying almost side by
side, were rowed down the night-mantled
stream to the city. In this boat with the
wounded men were the seconds, Mr.. Bar
rett Major Hammond, the physicians and
five negro men.
Arriving at Augusta Louis T. Wigfall was
taken to the residence of Mr.. Thomas Bar
rett, whose wife and mother-n-law the late
Mrs. Harriet Glasscock, were family con-
nections of his, and there nursed back into
life with tender care and motherly watch
fulnesS. Preston Brooks was taken to
Boards Hotel. in Hamburg, whence, after
a few days, he was taken to his home In
Louis T. Wigfall married brilliant belle
of Providence, r. l., and, after living In
duel, removed to Marshall. Tex, which
State he very soon represented in the United
States Senate, where he achieved nation
al reputation as an orator and statesman.
The war, of course found him devotedly
and enthusiastically on the side OF his ma
tive South. He became hero in the memo
rable and initial siege of Fort SUMTER
brigadier general in the Confederate army,
senator from Texas in the Confederate Con-
gress. and an intimate friend ana ADVISER
of Jefferson Davis He died in Galveston,
Tex, some ten or twelve years after the
close of the war.
Preston S. Brooks married daughter of
Governor Means, of South Carolina, and
continued to live i'll Edgefeld He became
so popular among the people OF Edgeneld
and the nelghDOrlng 'dlStr1cIS lndt tHey
sent him to represent them in congress.
Previous to this, however, he had led Com
pany d, of the Palmetto Regiment through
out the Mexican war, and had reached the
highest rank as q wise and brave soldier
While he was member of the lower house
of Congress, his cousin, Judge Andrew
Pickens Butler, was South CarolinaS sena-
tor In the Senate about this time-lt is
matter of national hiStory-the famous
Massachusetts senator, Charles Sumner,
made a speech rejecting in an inSultlng
manner upon Senator Butler, who was
man many years his senior. This insult 10
his venerable kinsman so aroused the Ire OF
the fiery Brooks that he publicly cameo
Sumner in the Senate chamber. the matter
became almost a national issue, ana
aroused in the Northern mind much OF mat
hatred of the South that led to the war
Preston S. Brooks, in his third term as
congressman, died in Washington in 1884,
Pierce M Butler became Governor Oh
South Carolina, then United States COM
missioner to the Indians. and subsequently
the devoted and illustriouS leader OF the re-
noWned Palmetto Regiment In the mexican
war He fell at the head of his regiment
with q bullet through his brain, at the
memorable siege of Churubusco:
John LaurenS Manning married an aunt
of the present Gen. Wade Hampton. he
was at the time the wealthiest and the
handsomest man in South Carolina. lie pc
came Governor of his State, aij ms rather
and grandfather had been before MN, ana
nroved himself throughout all his years a
hero and a patriot of the highest type. he
died eight or ten years ago.