The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-09-30
FIRST WITH COL. AVERY
Avery Denounced Jackson For Joke
in Open Court.
LINCOLN ONCE ACCEPTED A CHALLENGE
But Lincoln's Ready Wit Turned the Affair Into
Farce and the Proposed Duel Was
Never Fought. Famous Per-
sonal Encounters.


An article in the Junior Munsey by John
Il. Spears describes some famous Ameri-
can duels. The combats between Alex
ander Hamilton and Aaron Burr Commo-
dore Stephen Decatur and Commodore
James Barron, Commodore Perry and
Captain John Heath. Henry Clay and
John Randolph Jonathan Cilley and Will
liam J. Graves, Gen. Armistead T. Ma
son and John Mccarthy are all described
by Mr.. Spears, but the most interesting
narratives are those of the duels Presi-
dents Jackson and Lincoln, quoted be-
low
In his introduction Mr.. Spears says:
"Duelng has had marked influence
upon the history of this nation. although
it was never held in the same esteem that
it once received in Europe. Perhaps the
most remarkable thing about American
duels was their bloodthirsty character,
The meetings were not conventional al
fairs, for oftener than not their ending
was fatal. This probably did much to
bring the practice into disrepute.
From Andrew Jackson. the most IA
nous American duelist, to Abraham Lin
coin, who once accepted a challenge to
fight duel which his ready wit turned
into a farce, nearly all these personal
combats have grown out of politics. no
table exception was what have been call
ed the Mediterranean duels, wherein
young American naval officers fought
many British officers for the honor OF the
flag
"Of those Americans who have played
parts on what was called the field OF
honor Andrew Jackson must come first,
because 10 man of equal fame as a cti-
zen fought so manv dues as he. 1t may
be said that he cegan his public career
by fighting a duel over we'll smoked
piece of Tennessee bacon.
1.-THE future President of the United
States was then-it was in August, 1788-a
lawyer who had reached the mature age
of 81. He was opposed in a case by Col.
Waightstill Avery. Jackson thought to
have little Dackwoods fun and deftly re-
moved from Avery's saddlebags Bacon S
Arrangements a standard work, to which
he invariably referred in court, and sub
stituted q piece of Tennessee bacon for
the book Avery unrolled the chunk Of
meat in the court house in Jonesboro.
Tenn, greatly to the wonder and amuse-
ment of the spectators
INSTEAD of joining in the laughter,
Colonel Avery turned on Jackson and fe-
rociously denounced him. Jackson imme-
diately tore fly leaf from the back Of a
law book and wrote a challenge, with a
p. S. that said: This evening after court
adjourned
HE undoubtedly meant to write has
adjourned but he was too angry to be
accurate. He was also too angry to shoot
straight when the Colonel met him that
evening after sunset IN ravine behind
the court house. for he missed his man.
Jackson having also escaped unhurt, the
trouble WAS smoothed over by the sec
onds.
"In 1903 Jackson called out Gov. John
Sewer, of Tennessee, but the meeting was
what veracious chronicler called brawl
instead of duel-plenty of talk and no
bloodshed
"Jacksons third duel was fought in 1906,
and it was this affair that places him
among the most notable of American duel
lists. Jackson was living at the Hermitage
ON Neely's Bend Of the Cumberland River,
and had some trouble with a neighbor
named Erwin over a horse race in which
both were interested Erwin did not
choose to fight, but his son-in-law, Charles
Dickerson, determined to take up the
affront. He went to Natchez, Miss. and
for six months passed his days in prac-
ticing with pistol. Then he wrote let
ter to Jackson in which, among other ex-
asperating things, DickerSon mentioned
the name of Mrs. Jackson. This imme-
diately called forth challenge, of which
Gen. Thomas Oyerton was the bearer.
Jackson's letter of instructions ended
with these words: Accept no apology;
nothing but his blood will satisfy me-.
''They fought on May 80, 1906, at Har-
rison's Mills Logan county, Kentucky.
Dickerson, who was as eager for blood as
was Jackson and cutie as confident of
shedding it, offered to wager $500 that he
would strike the second from the top in
a row of brass uttons that General jack
son wore on his coat Jackson heard of
the offer and Immediately determined on
a remarkable course of aetion-to stand
in his place and let Dickerson shoot first.
"Dickerson won the toss for position.
General Overton gave the word and Dick
erson fred. The spectators saw a puff
of dust knocked from Jackson's coat by
Dickerson's well-aimed bullet. but jack
son did not fall. and Dickerson was so
much astonished that he half staggered,
half stepped away. Jackson, with his eye
brows drawn down. placed his left arm
firmly across his breast. while General
Overton shouted to Dickerson. Back to
your place. SIR
Dickerson came back with blanched
face and averted eyes. Jackson raised
his pistol, pulled the trigger and gave
Dickerson mortal wound.
When Overton came to see how badly
Jackson was hurt he found that Dickerson
had hit the button he had proposed to
hit and it had turned the bullet aside,