The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-18
HISTORIC DUELS
 FOUGHT IN AMERICA Were Very Common Early in
 the Last Century THE BURR-HAMIL TON AFFAIR Andrew Jackson Was One of the Most Persistent Dueists of His Time.
 Natchez Had Remarkable
 Field of Honor.
THE BURR-HAMIL TON AFFAIR
BY FREDERIC J. HAsKlN.

There was time when the United States enjoyed the distinction of being the lead ing dueling nation in the world. France and Germany, with century old records had to be content with a second place, for a while at least. This was in the early part of the nineteenth century when young heads were hot, when the nation was still trihe arrogant over It's successful struggle for independence, and when 1 ideals of honor were trif1e too high to balance in the scales with common sense. Politics WIS heated game to play and because of rash speeches made by one 1 one side against the other. pretext was not lacking for a call for arbitration by the l code" From Boston to New Orleans, and as far west as the movable frontier line extended, there were secluded spots where sword or pistol settled disputed 1 points and there were many graves bear ing the legend of questionable comfort: Died on the t1eld of Honor" Legisla- ton was at length resorted to by the wiser heads in each commonwealth, and with the Mordecai- -MeCarty duel at Rich mond, Va, in 1872, the last fatal satisfac- tion by the code was given on American soil.
 The encounter between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton at Weehawken on July Il. 1894, will always remain the most important in American history. It was ] then that the vice-president of the coun- try shot and killed the leading lawyer of the times, a man who had served as general and as first secretary of the treas ury of the Un4.~~. States Burr took of fense at a published statement of Ham, ilton's. no usual satisfaction was asked, and the challenge was accepted. Burr it fig said, fired to kill. He told Jeremy Benthan afterward in England that he was sure of being able to get him.
 Hamilton had not meant to shoot but through nervousness touched the trig- 1 ger sending his bullet however, wide of Burr Hamltons son, aged 19 had fallen ] in a duel on the samS spot two years be- ! fore in defense of his fathers name.
 Admirers of Hamilton claim he did not approve of duelling Yet we find him when an aide on the staff of Washing ton. eagerly wing with Henry Laurens 1 for the privilege of challenging General charles Lee because of that officers treatment of Washington. Laurens be- l came the principal and Hamilton the sec ond in this encounter Again, Hamil- ton challenged old Commodore Nicholson, because he had called him "an abettor | of the Tories" but friends prevented the l meeting He also threw down the gage for James Monroe ana asked Aaron Burr to be his second but Burr acted as in termediary instead, and the duel was not fought.
 Andrew Jackson was one of the great est duelist of his day. His most famous oue was that with Charles Dickinson, fought on May 30, 1906. This man, 1t seems when in his cups. made Q slight i ing remark about Mrs. Jackson, which the general could not forgive, though Dickinson apologized and explained that he was drunk at the time. Both were l notable shots but Dickinson was as quick ! as Jackson was slow. Dickinson fired, and saw the dust h,feck.afrom Jackson's coat. JacSsons hammeret adhs topped at half cock .He deliberately re-cocked it, aimed and shot Dickinson through the body. He thimselftkad. been wounded, but did not show it0then. He never forgave Dickinson | and athis wife's coffin many years after ward said, I'm the presence of this dear sand I'can Rnd do forgive all my ene- mics. But thosevile wretohes who have sandered her must look to God for mercy"
 Jackson had a most unfortunate en- Lcounter with Jesse Benton in 1913, having previously served as Gen. William Car roll second when that officer was fight ing outan old feud with4Jesse Benton. It was an unexpected, kind of duel md a bullet from Thomas H. Benton laid ! Jackson up for some time. Many years later when Jackson wassPresidept oftthe United Statesk and Thomas H. Benton again onss ohShis best friendsS Benton went to call at the White House, Being refusedkhudiencet~with~ thesbPresident he demandedethe reason. He wasssoldt that physicians were busy with the nhief exec utive, cuttingfa bulleu from his arm Then if anybody should"be allowed In, ams tha tsperson," said Benton, flor l put thattbulletSSherer'
 It Is clainied that while riding in car .riage through Virginia,Au thes early days Jackson advised GenAsArmistead T. Mason tosrepeat a challenge given Johp M. Mo Carty some tima3beforaE ThaAchallenge was accepted this'time, the historic duel ling aground odiBlad adensburg near~sWash- ington was choseus5hndah fssnow storm thesetwo Virginia cousinAfnet to settle an election dispute McCarty stripped tc his shirt, cold though 1t was but Mason fought frH his overcoat, fact that saved his opponent life, for the pistol hammer | caught on the pocket the ball was dis charged and striking McCarty's elbow broke into three separate pieces and made wounds fin three different parts of the body-a phenomenon that is still dis cussed in military circles McCarty had been eager that both should die, and when asked a choice in fighting, first suggested that both jump from the dome of the na- tional capitol then that they fight on a barrel of powder: then that they use dirks and finally that they use muskets loaded with puckshot at a distance of ten feet The seconds finally chose ball at dis tance of twelve feet. It Is interesting to know that when Jackson became Presi- dent he dismissed Midshipman Charles G. Hunter from the navy because or an unfortunate duel with William Miller at Chester. Pa.
 'T wish I had fallen in defense of my country" were the words said by hero who fell at Bladensburg seven years later. This was Commodore stephen De catur, who was mortally wounded by James Barron, disgraced officer, who had asked to be reinstated in the navy and who blamed Decatur with his fail ure to be taken in Barron. too, was badly wounded, and as they lay on the | ground waiting for their carriages to come, they deplored the matter and for gave each other, Henry Clay was some thing of fighter. His first would-oe duel grew out Of a case he took for poor inn-keeper against a prominent kentue- kian, Colonel Joseph Hamilton Davless at that time district attorney Of the Fed