The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-07-12
SANDBAR FERRY.
A Sketch Of the Historic Duelling
Ground.
Auqalstt, Herald.


settling a difficulty was to order coffee
and pistols for two, to say nothing Of
surgeon. and seconds, the Sandbar
dueiing grounds saw its palmy days.
Then it was that the law and off,
lcers Of the law winked at such thing
as an exchange of pistol shots on the
river bank and if two parties desired
to perforate themselves with bullets,
why, itwas nobody's business but the
parties who wanted to settle the matter
Ia code.
Then it was that delegation would
go down to the ferry and empty their
revolvers at each. other and then.come
home to breakfast-if they were able
to.
Sandbaa Ferry, noted duelling
grounds, a subject well worth few
moments description by the pen Of any
writer, be he reporter, author, or edi-
tor.
It was in the antebellum days and
during the war Of the secession and
during the day Of the reconstruction
period that duelling reigned supreme.
Many were those who went to the
noted duelling grounds and exchanged
few shots. It was nothing out OF
the ordinary then and the old inhabi-
tents can tell of noted duels that took
place on this historic ground Of the
affairs Of honor.
Many came from sister States to
fight il cut near Sandbar ferry and
South Carolina furnished her quota Of
them.
OF course the names Of all the duels
that we're fought on the river side can
not now be ascertained. There were
SO many that no one can be found who
can an tell cf all Of them, but the writer
has talked with one who was present
at noted duel that occurred at Sand
bar Ferry, and the one talked with told
the writer in amost interesting way
Of an affair OF honor that he witness
ed on a certain afternoon in the year
of 1862 or thereabouts, SO far as he
can remember.
Cornelius Redd, a man .well-known
in the war period of Augusta and said
to be desperate fellow, had engaged
in a dispute with party by the name
Of Copeland, Of Washington, D. G..
The trouble was about'a gaming debt
and the two decided to fight it out a
Ia duello.
They selected seconds and a surgeon
and with about Fifty or SO of interest
ed spectators repaired to the Sandbar
Ferry duelling grounds at about four
o'clock one afternoon. The weapons
for the. settlement of the difficulty
were navy repeatsrs.
A prominent Augustan acted as
Redd's second, and Mayor Hope, Of
Richmond, Va, did likewise for Redd,
They lined up and opened fire. -Four
shots were exchanged and Copeland
fell at the last shot. BE lived only q
very brief period after the shooting.
Redd was not touched by the bullits.
Redd was few years afterwards
shot by a police officer with whom he
engaged ina difficulty when resisting
arrest.
He wc.s : small man but yerysgame,
it is said.
The duel had been ore Of the most
systematic ever arranged to take place
on the Sandbar ferry duelling ground.
During the reconstruction period,
the greatest antagonism vas felt be-
tween the Radicals and Democrats,
the,two big political parties then ex-
tant.
Two Carolina newspaper editors had
been fighting each other pretty hotly
with their pens, and their editorials
grew SO warm that it called for bullets
to seatle the matter.
The ending OF the duel was bit
out Of the ordinary.
They proved poor shots and nobody
got hit. After several shots were ex-
changed the two gentlemen to the at
fair advanced, saluted each other, and
parted. They then went home, feel
ing that all old scores had been wiped
out ard no blood lost.
It was, perhaps, the most unique
ending that duel had had at this his
toric shooting ground.
A man named Tilly and another
named Radcliffe fought duel at Sand
bar Ferry, and the trouble was about
q woman Of i'll repnte. One Of the
parties spread reports about the wo-
man and the other and a duel follow
oa TiJlv was killed.