The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1906-07-04
DUELS IN THE OLD SOUTH.
Charleston Sunday News.

Once and again, and still again,
We Southern people have been revilcd
by outside Puritans, pharisccs and
Philistines for our significant and per-
sistent use Of the word gentleman. -
However, VIC think even the rcvilcrs
are beginning to discover that the
term meant something more here than
it means in the ordinary chatter and
clattcr Of the outside world. TO be q
Southern gentleman in old times was
to be something very fine, indeed. 1t
was to keep the fountains Of kindness
and courtesy always full; to scorn
trickery in business, and to have a
horror of all double dealing. 1t was
to throw q strong barrier of protection
around all women, and to spread the
mantle Of charity over the failings of
humanity. It was to believe in vir.
tue and honesty, to maintain the
highest ideals of character and con-
duct, and to shrink with soorn from
the idea or suggestion that money
could be substitute for these. And
to fight, If one must fight, upon ab-
solutely equal terms with ones ad-
vessary. These were the men who
fought dueis in the South in old
times, according to the high, knightly
and stringent rules Of che Code Duello.
For many years before the war, and
for few years succeeding, this Code
Duello WAS one OF the strongest and
most destructive features Of Southern
life--o9 South Carolina life particular.
ly. By shis code man who oonsid
cred himself insulted or eggrieved by
another might challenge the latter to
moRalt combat on a field Of honor.
And the field OF honor it emphatieslly
. was. Not with light rapiers or pop.
guns, as it were, as in France and
Germany, but with tho dirsct, dire
full, deadly pistol, army or navy re-
peater, tho oombatsnts standing 80
many paoes apart, az might be
arranged by their seconds, and using,
according to the code, just tsuoh pis'
tolls, or in rare cases other weapons,
as might be chosen by the challenged
man. The seconds decided the posi-.
tions and the giving of the word by
toss up. Each oombatant took with
him to che field a second, a surgeon,
one, two, perhaps three friends as
witnesses, and generally one or more
saale negro servants. The seconds,
s=ith excessive eiyility, rnne.ilions
courtesy and knightly grace, loaded
the pistols, placed them in the hands
Of the combatants. and enforced rigid
00mpiiiau0o with aiii the rigid rules os
tho Coae Dze!!e. =
Like many other peculiar institu.
tions mediaeval life, the duel probably
originated With the Germanio nations.
It is certain fact. and very re-
markable one, that no trace Of the
duel, as an institution, is to be found
in the history Of the classical nations
O antiquity, or Of the many people
written Of in the Bible. And GER
tainly in the few personal combnts
Of classical aud Biblical annals that
come to our memory there was no
such ohivalry, no such respeot for ab-
solutely equal terms, as was evinced
y and practiced by the old.time South.
ern cavalier. 1t will be remembered
in = certain noted duel that David put
of. ssuls heavy armor because it en-.
numbered him, out that Goliah came
against the stripping with shield
aud buckler aad sword and spear. In
these days there seem to be different
opinions about she ethics OF taking
care Of ones skin. Goliath seems to
have been . ,fellow55who had an ex.t
csllent idea OF :: taking care Of his
skin. -: :.>.....;,.s
In old days some sort Of shield, Of
the person was allowable, as we'll a.
offensive Weapons, Hercules, after
conquering the Memean lion, was clad
in the lions skin. Among the. later
Greeks, soldiers had defensive arms,
and the Athenian matfon would have
her soldier boy who went $out With
1eonidss to return either With or on
his shield. In tho ohiyslrie ages,
when che Crusaders went; opt; 10 Js-
.rusalem, the champion of some lady
fair pledged to msintain that his love
was the fairest and most virtuous; ;of:
the whole earth, was usually e.sd in;
steel, horse and man. from heai 70
foot. " ). :. IF. 7>,',.. =, ,.... -,
In France and; Germany the dusls
fought wssh light swords. In still very
much in voRue.. The duels Of the stu.