Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-30
THEY DID NOT FIGHT.
How Duel Was Prevented Years

| Ago.
| CHARLOTTESVILLE VA. November
2s.-(SpeciaL)- Last June Mr.. Augustine
Jacquelin Smith. of New York, son Of the
late Mr.. Augustine c. Smith OF Winches-
ter, Va, was at the University Of Virginia
| as the representative OF Mr.. G. II. Rouss
| at the dedication OF the Rouss physical
laboratory, which the blind millionaire
FOUNDED. While here Mr.. Smith met q
lady, descended from William G. Riyes
ana bearing his name. and related how
his father and the statesman had once
appeared on the Geld of honor as mortal
antagonists. Recently Mr.. Smith has
written an account Of this affair. from
which the following Is taken:
My father when at William and Mary
College In 1893 had as classmates John
Tyler. afterwards President OF the United
states; William G. Rives. afterwards
United States Senator and Minister to
France, and Abel p. Upshur, afterwards
Secretary of State under Mr.. Tyler. They
were like brothers. But one day in a
heated discussion between them. the pur-
port of which l never learned, words Of
not very amiabe nature were exchanged
between young Rives and my father. and
they went out upon the field designated by
the code where wounded honor was TO be
indicated. North Carolina was selected
as the place where the battle would take
place. and to that State the combatants
quickly repaired. 4 misunderstanding.
gray-haired old gentleman in the neigh
borhood Of the spot chosen for the con-
test had been told OF the suspicious as
semblage. and he FASTENED to the scene.
He reached the ground just as the princi-
pals had taken their positions for hostile
action. He pleaded for a hearing. He
told or his own experience of a similar
nature-of his having killed a dear friend
on the field Of honor for a triling matter
that might have been so easily settled
but for false pride. He told OF his I'M
happiness since, and Of the never-ceaslng
remembrance Of the sad event and OF the
scene upon the field when the mortal
wound had sent into eternity a young
man in vigorous health and OF splendid
ability. He spoke, also, Of the misery
that came to more than one household
because a dear one had been slain. As
he told all this the tears rolled down the
burrows Of his kind-hearted but sad face.
The effect may be imagined. Each face
was moistened with the tears that could
not be represSed. His story was the
counterpart Of the case which had brought
the two young men before him who were
then facing each other in hostile atti-
tude. They all recognized this fact, and
halt was called. a reconciliation took
place, and both principals lived many
years afterwards to serve their country
with distinction-Mr. Rives TO become one
of the most distinguished men Of his
time in the civil department Of the re-
public, and my father to serve his coun-
try and State in both the military and
civil service. as a colonel for years I'm the
regular army. and after his resignation
in order to return to the bar. which he
preferred, 10 serve with distinction in the
Senate Of his native State"
Lieutenant Hoffman, Of Company d. is
in such bad health that he may be forced
TO spend some time i'm a mild southern
climate. His health was not robust when |
he went into the army and his residence
at Camp Alger did not improve II.
Mrs. Granville Bullock and her two 1T |
tie daughters have gone to Little Rock |
Ark, to spend some time with Mrs. Bull |
locks parents.