The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-07-12
SANDBAR FERRY.
A Sketch or the Historic DuelIing
Ground.
4 uguStu Ucyuid.

surgeon and seconds, the Sandbar
llueling grounds saw its palmy days.
Then it was that the law and OIL
GERS Of the law winkcd at such a thing
as an exchange Of pistol shots on the
river bank and if two parties desired
20 pcrforatc themselves with bullets,
why, it was nobody's business but the
PARTIES who wanted to settle the matter
i. la code.
Then it was that delegation would
80 down to the ferry and empty their
rev olvcrs at each other and then come
bone to brcakfast-if they were able
TO.
Sandbar Ferry, noted ducling
grounds, subject we'll worth few
moments description by the pen Of any
writer, be he reporter, author. or c1i
tor.
1t was in the antcbcllum days and
during the war Of the secession and
during the day Of the reconstruction
period that duclling rcigncd supreme.
Many were those who went to the
noted duclling grounds and exchanged
few shots. 1t was nothing out Of
the ordinary then and the old inhabi-
tants can tell of noted dues that took
place on this historic ground Of the
affairs Of honor.
Many came from sister States to
Sight it out near Sandbar ferry and
South Carolina furnished her quota of
them.
OF course the names of all the duels
that were fought on the river side can
not now be ssccrtaincd There were
so many that no one can be found who
can tell Of 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 most interesting way
Of an affair OF honor that he witness
cd on certain afternoon in the year
Of 1862 or thcrcabouts, so far as he
can remember.
Cornelius Redd, man wcllknown
in the war period Of Augusta and said
to be desperate fellow, had engaged
in dispute with party by the namo
Of Copeland, Of Washington, d. e.
The trouble was about gaming debt
and the two decided to fight it out a
la ducllo.
They selected seconds and 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 repeaters.
A prominent Augustan acted as
Redd's second, and Mayor Hope, Of
Richmond, Va. did likewise for Redd.
They lined up and open ed fire. -Four
shots were exchanged and Copeland
fell at the last shot Hc lived only a
very brief period after the shooting.
neaa vas not touched by the buiiits.
Redd was few years afterwards
shot by police officer with whom he
engaged in difficulty when resisting
arrest.
lie was small man but very game,
it is said.
The duel had been one of the most
systematic ever arranged to take place
on the Sandbar ferry duelling ground.
During the reconstruction period,
the greatest antagonism was 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 settle 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 af-
fair advanced, saluted each other, and
parted. They then went home, feel
ing that all old scores had been wiped
out and 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
woman Of ill reputc. One of the
parties spread reports about the wo-
man and the other and duel follow
ed. Tilly was killed.
Radcliffe was consumptiye. The
affair occurred in the year 1870.
A rather OUT Of the ordinary duel at
Sandbar was that Of two negroes,
I'LL