The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-05-04
THE JACKSON DUEL.
WAS FOUGHT NEAR NASHVILLE
IN 1905.
Forced by his Political EnemIes Into q
Contest with n Professional Duelist
He KILLED His Man After Receiving
a Dangerous Wound.

The duel between Andrew Jackson
and Charles Dickinson, a Nashville
corporation attorney, occurred May 30,
1906, at Harrison Mills, a point thirty
miles from Nashville, on the Kentucky
line. Jackson's opponent was noted
for his extraordinary skill with the
dueling pistols and was feared by the
bravest.
1t does not appear that Jackson
shared this fear, though he admitted to
friends at the time that he expected
to die, his only hope being that he
would carry with him to the grave the
man who had made the duel neces-
sary. The causes leading up to the
fight we're as remarkable as the duel
itself proved to be, though the result
was a very material surprise to Dick
enson and the men who urged on the
ahair. It seems that Jackson's political
enemies had been looking around for
some one to provoke a duel with him
and kill him. The man they at last
selected was Charles Dickinson. The
plan was to have Dickinson deliberate
~ Islander Jackson's wife as the most
certain way to provoke a duel or a
street fight, in which Jackson would
be killed. II was alarmingly success
hil, but Jackson did not hurry into the
affair fast enough to suit his enemies,
who did not realize how thoroughly he
was preparing for the fight he knew
was being deliberately provoked. He
had important business to settle in
view of his possible death. He hardly
hoped to escape, so he deliberately
made his arrangements to that end,
then he challenged Dickinson.
The challenge was accepted and pis-
hols named, the distance 30 feet. This
indicated the purpose Of both to have a
fatal termination Of the ARRAY, but
Jackson insisted on making the dis
lance as short as possible. This rather
alarmed the professional duelist, for he
understood readily that any man at all
familiar with firearms could become a
dangerous opponent at this distance.
He preferred 60 feet, for at that dis
lance he could kill Jackson with little
danger to himself. He was forced, how
ever, to agree to the shorter distance
OF admit his %cowardice, and this would
have spoiled everything.
When the two parties arrived at the
place of meeting Jackson was as coo.
as an iceberg. but so was Dickinson
The latter, confident of his ability tC
kill his man before Jackson could
shoot, was quite unconscious of the
fate about to overtake him. Gen. Over.
ton was Jackson's second. Together
they discussed the situation and were
quite agreed that Jackson had but
slight hope of escape. AS the hes.
means of being sure to carry Dieken.
son with MIN, however, Jackson con.
cluded to hold his fire until he coult
take deliberate aim at his man. Dick.
enson was known as the quickest sho.
in the south. Under the code a mar
could fire the moment the word wa!
+ given, and with the hair trigger pistoli
used a quick shot usually fired before
the full word fire" had been pro,
nounced by the second giving the com.
mand. Therefore it was clear tina
Jackson would have to receive Dicken,
son't fire and then take chances OF
living long enough to kill him. This
was a desperate chance, and that 4
was taken by "Old Hickory" illustrates
the strong determination Of the man
The men faced each other with heavy
H..-Ts-- wf-k1Ir TFnNn ~kf1T a.,F--l
Jackson, for he drew the position will
the sun against him, and Dickensor
smiled significantly. Then the mel
took positions. The seconds stood BY
to see that each had fair play. zone
two, t~hree-hre!" came the signal, ant
scarcely had the word fire" beer
heard when Dickenson's pistol explod
ed and Jackson whirled around, but II
an instant Strengthened up and with al
effort prepared to fire. Deliberately h.
raised the great dueling pistol. Dick
enson, seeing he was caught, staggeret
back with a cry, but Gen. Overton in
stantly drew a revolver and command
ed him to toe the mark and receive hi
opponents fire. Slowly the NashVill
lawyer took the position from which h
had shrunk when he saw Jackson cool
ly preparing to kill him. Blood wa
running In a stream from Jackson
left side and he vas evidently hit hard
but nothing could stop the determine
man. Slowly he raised the pistol unit
It came to the proper range. Dicken
son, 80 feet away, closed his eyes. Their
was an explosion, and the man fel
dead with a hole in his head larg
enough to put a silver half dollar in
"Old Hickory" dropped at the sam
time, being badly wounded. It was
narrow escape, but looked like a ds
pensation Of Providence.