Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1900-10-11

John Sewer, of Tennessee, but the
meeting was what 3 VeraCl0us
chrouicler called brawl instead of
IL duel-plenty Of talk aud no blood
shed.
Jackson's third duel was fought
in 1906. and it was this affair that
places him among the most potable
of American duelIsts. Jackson was
living at the Hermitage on Neely's
Bend of the Cumberland river, and
had some trouble with nelghhor
named Erwin over horse race in
which both we're interested, but his
sou-in. law, Charles Dickerson, de
termiued to take up the affrout. He
went to Natchez, Miss. and for six
months passed his days in practicing
with q pistol. Then he wrote a
letter to Jackson in which, among
other exasperating things, Dickerson
mentioned the name of Mrs. Jack
lsor. This immediately called forth
laSehallenge. of which Gen. Thomas
1OvertSn was the bearer. Jackson's
.taeSg ri Z s r. ~
fme.' sAssessss $50 .
| "sThey fought onsMay 80, 1906, at
Harrison's Mills. Logan county, Ky.
Dickerson. who was as eager for
blood as WAS Jackson and quite as
confident of shedding it, offered to
wager 500 that he would strike the
second from the top in row Of brass
buttons that General Jackson wore
Oh his coat. Jackson heard Of The
offer and Immediately determined on
a remarkable course Of actlnn-to
stand in his place and let Dickrrson
shoot first.
| DickerSon won the toss for posi-
ton, General Overton gave the word
aud Dickerson fired. The spectators
saw q puff Of dust Knocked from
Jackson's coat by DickerSnn's we'll
aimed bullet, but Jackson did not
! fall, and DickorSOn was so much as
touished that he half staggered, half
stepped away. Jackson, with his
left eyebrows drawn down, placed
left arm firmly across his breast,
| while General Overton shouted to
Dickerson, Back to your place, SIR
DickersOn came back with
blanched face and avertcd eyes.
Jackson raised his pistol, pulled the
trigger and gave DickeraUn IA mortal
wound.
When OYertOn came to see how
badly Jackson was hurt he found
that Dickerson had hit the button he
had proposed to hit aud it had turned
the bullet aside, as Jackson had he-
lieved it would. The force of the
blow broke two Of Jacksom'- ribs.
"InIater years during the FloriIa
war; General Jackson challenged
General Scott, but Scott refused to
figh: duel. fIe said no duel was
necessary to prove the courage either
Of General Jackson or himself, and
that his conscience would not permit
him to engage in any such affair.
It comes with a shock when one
first hears that tho kindly. patient,
Joke. loving Lincoln went out, once
upon tune, to fight duel. And ii
is all the moro remarkable that he
should have done so Whea II Is re.
Insmbered that no was citizen of
Illinois al the tim8. For Illinois
people had never thought w0ll Of
such dOings. IN fact they hal not
fought duel since 1920, when man
named Bennett was hanged for
killing anothnr named Stewart in q
duel.
One James Shields, "a man of in.
ordinate vanity" aud with an "oX-
tremely sensitive nature, "waselected
Auditor of tho State OH the Demo
cratic ticket. The turkey-cock ways
Of the little man made him the sub
ject of endless ridicule on the part
Wings. Lincoln published = letter
that was ostensibly written from
Lost Townships"--a letter that
rolled Shields exceedingly, although
it was manifestly written for politi-
cal effect. It was followed by
another, in much tho same vein.
written By Mary Todd, Lincoln'5
sweetheart. Then Shields called III
q friend to hunt out Lincoln and de-
mand al explanation and retractIon.
The correspondence and detailed
accounts written by the participants
show that Shields second WAS intent
on soaring Lincoln into an ahject
apology, but ne found that he was
yappiug at the heels of the wrong
mastiff.
1T is plain that Lincoln did not ap-
prove Of such q duel, but under the
circumstances he WAS not going to be
bullied by an opponent like Shields.
Very likely, The fact that Mary Todd
was, in q way, involved in the con-
troversy made him feel obliged to
fight, if a fight was demanded. Ac-
cordingIy, ~ Mr.. Shields did insist,
Lincoln accepted the challenge, and
here are the terms as he wrote them:
First, Weapons-Cnralry broad
swords Of the largest size, precisely
equal in sll respects, and such as are
now used by the cavalry company ct
Jacksonville.
Second, Position-A plank 10 feet
long and from 3 to l. inches broad,
to be firmly fixed on edge on the
ground as the line between Us which
neither is to pass his foot over upon
forfeit Of his life. Next, line
drawn on the ground on either side
Of said plank and parallel with it,
each at the distance Of the whole
length Of the sword and three feet
additional from the plank and the
passing Of his own such line by
either party during the fight shall
be deemed surrender of the con-
test.
The meeting place was within
three miles of Alton on the opposite
side of the rivcr,n and the time D