The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-03
ON THE FIELD OF HONOR.
Renaissance of the Walker-Marma-
duke Duel-Women in Battle.

Renaissance of the Walker-Marma-
duke Duel-Women- in Battle.
Ex-Councilman Thomas j. White of
Springfield, Mo-, was member of Joe
Shelby's historic brigade, and saw a
great deal of the war west of the Mis-
sissippi river. He was one of the I'M
official witnesses of the tragic Walker
Marmaduke duel, near Little Rock, and
has given the following account of the
affair to a representative Of the st.
Louis Globe Democrat.
81 was only a private in Shelby's COM
mand and, therefore, had no invitation
to view the meeting between Gen.
Marmaduke and his antagonist. We
were very partial to Gen. Marmaduke,
and felt q deep interest in the outcome
of the duel as soon as it became ru-
mored through the brigade that the men
were to fight. A number of our men
wante to see that Gen. Marmaduke has
fair show for his life, and l was enc
of party of soldiers that learned the
time and place of the duel, and went to
watch the fight. | was some distance
from the principals, but near enough to
see distinctly the encounter.
ut was early in the morning when the
parties met. A messenger had already
been sent to Gen. Price, informing him
of the challenge that Gen. Marmaduke
had accepted and of the preparations
for the duel. The officers hoped that
word would reach Gen. Price in time
for the commander to prevent the duel;
and the principals hurried, in order to
anticipate any such action.
Gen Marmaduke, being the chal-
lenged party, had named the weapons
and the distance The pistols were the
regular duelling derringers and the dis
lance Is PAGES at the beginning, with
an advancing at each fire. Each man
had four pistols, one in hand when the
position was taken for the fight, and
the other three in the side pockets of
his coat. The order of the duel was
that after the first fire If neither party
fell, the principals were to wheel around
and then advance till the seconds gave
the word to shoot.
Both men took their places-reso-
lutely with fine soldierly bearing, and
waited for the order to fire. 1t was a
moment of great suspense to Shelbys
men, who had gone unbidden to witness
the duel. Not a word was spoken, and
each one of us gazed intently at the
two combatants as they stood pistol in
hand ready to vindicate their honor on
the field Of death.
in a slow and measured voice, the
second called off the numbers, one, two,
three and the pistols were aimed. AT
the first fire neither man flinched, and
they wheeled around, and, facing each
other, began to advance. The second
command to fire came quickly, and the
the two pistols were discharged about
the same time. Again the men turned
and advanced. At the third shot they
were but a few feet apart. AS the
blaze of fire flashed out of the muzzle
of Gen. Marmaduke's pistol, Cen
Walker threw up both hands, dropped
his smoking weapon and began to fall
backward. Gen. Marmaduke saw that
his aim had been fatal, and ran for
ward in tfale to catch his falling antag-
onist around the shoulders and let him
down gently to the ground.
Gen Marmadul1e was deeply affect
ed, and exclaimed as he bent over his
dying foeman: You made me do it,
major! You made me do it,
Mr. White tells how the wives of some
Of Shelbys men once saved the whole
command frcm capture. The brigade
was stationed at Little Rock and about
thirty-five women, mostly the wives
of officers, were at hotel in the town.
The command was at that time only
about 700 strong. The federals. under
the leadership of the hard rider and
fighter, Col. Coffee, surprised Shelby's
men and completely surrounded them,
except on the river side. When the fight
began the confederates retreated to-
ward the hotel where the women were
stopping, and the enemy followed in
hot pursuit. There was no chance Of
escape except across the RE, and
that was a desperate risk. AS the fed
erals charged up toward the hotel after
Shelby's men every woman stood on
the balcony with a pistol in hanI
When the union cavalry game within
range those brave women opened fire
in defense of their husbands, and the
hotel seemed a regular garrison 70 the
surprised enemy. Coffee's men thought
that Prices whole army was held in
reserve to entrap them, and, without
waiting to investigate the source of the
fire, they retreated.