The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-12
THE SEvIER-JACKSoE DUEL
DEsCRIBED M A GRANDSON OF TIE
OHLY OTHER PERSON PRESENT
Jackson's1 Interrupted Discourse-Shots Prompts
" ExchanEcd-Jnckson's Lire In SEWERS
HRnds-Tho Generals Rebnko To His Hu-
morist frricnd-Gnllnntry on both sides.
trom the 81. Louis Globe. Democrat.

EIands-Thc Generals Rebuko to His Hu-
morist Fricnd-GaiInntry on Both sides.
From the 50. Louis Globe. Democrat.
Nc two historians agree on the locality where
tho personal explanation" between Con. jack
son and Col. Sewer occurred, but rs my grand
father was with Gen. Jackson, and as ho has
often shown me one Of the fintlock pistols used
on that occasion, I am In n position to assert
that 1t was just five miles out on the Knoxville
road.
To have ridden along the Knoxville road be.
tween 8 and 0 o'clock in the morning in the
middle OF May, when the Cherokee roses and
swoetbriars blend their scent In the air with
that from the blossoms Of the wild grape, is to
have u fragrant memory that will last forever.
Perhaps there are blucr skies than those which
overlook tho Knoxville road In May; perhaps
there arc times in the Val d'Arno or In Tempe
whom tho sunlight sitting through. the foliage
falls on greoncr grass and turns 1t more nearly
to tho primrose gold which Iluskin loved to see
on grass ut morning. Perhaps these things may
he, but / do not know, and neither did my grand.
father and Gen. Jackson as thoy rode together
with loosened rein. 1t was the General who
was talking.
II am not a religious man, as you know"
Col. Upton he was saying, but you, sir. arc q
gentleman, q man OF refinement, and l may
speak on such subjects without the danger of
| DclHk NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. ~ 10 my HIS UTlulC u
be a rough soldier. and to have lived all my life
among scenes Of violence. but l assure you that
on such n morning as this, in the presence or so
much beauty, it Is impossible for mo not to feel
the deepest reverence for its creator. / am
flled-ah!"
My grandfather know that under the Gen.
erals impctuous and fiery temper there was a
deep vein of religious feeling, peculiar In its
manifestations. no doubt, when manifested at
| all. and generally carefully concealed; for, like
most sensitive men, Gen. Jackson took pains
to conceal what was finest and highest in him
from those he thought likely TO misunderstand
him. He was as genuine in his emotion under
the effects OF the Tennessee May morning, how
ever, as he was when on his deathbed he asked
God TO forgive all his en~cmies-eSccpt those
y he was a deeply religious man In hs way,
though he allowed it to be known only by the
few who knew him intimately. Being one OF
these; my grandfather was not so much sur.
prised at the unusual nature OF the Grafton he
had begun as at its sudden Interruption. Look
jackson had pulled up his horse suddenly. half
wheeling to the right and turning in the saddle
to face q horeemnn VINO had come into view
around the bend in, the road not more than
fifty yards away. No one who knew Jackson
had to look q second time to understand that
something was about TO happen. He sat ALSO
lutcly rigid in the saddle, holding the reins with
under his hand had taught his horse TO Under.
stand. 1t had spread out its forefeet and
backed its ears in the position Of strained ner-
hoioS MI " Z
assume when it knows the least movement may
disturb Its owners aim and cause him to waste
Of the shot. The completeness of the sympathy !
between a well.bred horse and its rider is as.
down the reins and is interpreted through tho
bit to a brain so highly organized that the more
WINGED that Swift made no mistake in his esti.
mate of the, relative moral and intellectual
standing OF the horse and the yahoo.
II the Generals roam understood the situa-
ton at once, my grandfather had no difficulty
IN guessing 1T, for Jaek s lips were pulled
tho furrow between the eyes which never APP
peared there except in a crisis, when he .-as
suddenly, called on to concentrate his faculties
on the al! .important point Of moi wasting II shot.
The rider who had caused this sudden break
In what promised to be- a most edifying con.
versation came on at a good round gait. not
hesitaIlnE in the least when ne saw that both
with the evident intention OF passing the com.
pll,ments Of the season with aim; He was q
to %Kentiiity were in those days. He wore a blue
uniform coat. faced with white. in the French
belonged to it, The cooked bat. Which da.ed
back to the Revolu ionary period. and wal
men going out Of fashion, even among soldiers
elder generation. and the light French walking
rapi,er which swung q! his side was in further
of ,flint-lock pistols which were IA part OF every
riders equipment in the first quarter Of the
bearing as he rode up perfectly easy and natu-
raj. He wished my grandfather and Gen. Jack
voice. calling each by, maine. Ny graz dfather
returned the salutation prom otly, but Gen.
and when hc did sICak it was in the steady.
restrained. low-pitched tone he never adopted
outbreak which generally relieved him and put
him in n COOL humor.
Gen. SEWER, he began.
prefer the title had at King Mountain to any
higher one given in these days"
II This yelled n concealed meaning 1t did not
appear IN the speaker voice, for he spoke good
huniorediy as before, but it was evident that
interruption.
II beg your pardon. sir. Col. Sewer. am in.
formed on good authority that you said publicly
had thrown away the valuable lives of more
Greeks from the Horseshoes Bend than ihha il abra,SS
cost to drive the Cherokces from the State.
though they were. the bravest and most inteIli,,
took thirty battles to do it,
N dear Gen. Jackson" said Sewer. with
represented by yonr informant, l am not at all
disEo. ed 10 dispute your assertion that he is re-.
.iao,e, nor Is this a suitable occasion for qucs-
uoninS Ms accuracy, as n tale bearer
nv Co. Itp,pn;" aid Gen. Jackson, turning to
side and witness that, what occurs between Col.
SEWER and myself is perfectly. fair. Col. Sewer
that you are similarly provided. II it suits
iitHiMrft Gony eniense. sir, viii ride twenty or
fairly turned YOU viii be at liberty T to IRE. !. nave
MY dear Gen. Jackson" said Sewer, in the
saho Even zone, nut Win n very heightened !
color, Il must say that this H. sudden. and.
even from you. somewhat surprising. but YOU
are entirely warranted in taking il for granted
that what suits your convenience in the matter
suits mine. Col. Upton, although our families
have not always been as friendly as / could
wi h, l will ask you to do me the favor to toll
my friends, II u should BIO necessary for you to
take shch action on my part. that everything
which occurs hero to-day was arranged in GOOD
Of Gen. jackson" VAC"
He had barely ceased speaking when Gen.
JACKSON rode very deliberately 10 tho north,
Ioosening, his pistols In his holsters as he rod.
Tho meeting had occurred where the road skirt.
ca a STRIP or open woodland. and into this my
grandfather rode 70; some ten PAGES. When
nc turned his horse Gen. jackson was already
IN position, and was, waiting TO be sure that no
was taking no possible advantage. When Io
snw That SEWER had drawn his pistol and was
,eVcliing u. &c fired suddenly without stopping
70 tnkc aim; Sewers pistol was discharged
almost IN the, Same instant. and his badly
trh'l,sn horse SHE'D al the report. his cooked hat
,eil on, as II seemed then from the object of Tho
horses si,ring to one side. but. as 1t appeared
iatcr' with some help from Gen. Jackson's hui.
lNI. Az ~, al rpiTnI Ia bta l,n,, .l l--r