The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-07-19
FAMOUS WEAPONS.
Derringer's Pistol and James Bowie S
Knife.


and the bowie knife, and once they
were the most popular weapons in the
southern states.
From 1910 to 1865 the derringer
|Nas part Of every southern gentle
maN's personal equipment. Usually he
had 4 pair Of them and were called
"bone. breakers. They we're i ided
for close quarters, and at twe..s feet
their bullets would smash an arm or
leg into splinters. Hardly more than
three inches in the barrel, and car
rying about sixty bullets to the pound,
by reason of, the peculiarly in the
manner Of boring and the arrange
ment Of the powder chamber, no small
pistol ever drove bullet with such
terrible power and deadly effect.
The wonderful little derringer be-
came world renowned. Its history, II
eloquently told, would compare much
of interest and involve many historic
episodes. In every section Of the
continent and every country Of Eu-
rope the derringer became house
hold symbol Of safety, which has Civ
en- the name place in history. From
the populous east to the wild western
borders the trustiest friend Of the
pioneer was found in the small and
inimitably perfect pistol which the
ingenious brain of Derringer gave to
the world many years ago. Of all the
weapons in modern warfare, or OF
those worn by the chiyalrous defend
ers of honor, none is so effective and
perfect as the derringer. 1t has
been the unerring arbiter in duels and
encounters, the most fatal Nemesis
in the hands Of retribution, the most
pitiless harbinger Of revenge and hate,
the most unfaltering ally Of justice
or of crime, the world has ever soon.
The bullets seek their victims with
the speed of the suns rays. Many a
tall form and full brow Of promise,
many a head honored among men and
bearing laurels Of fame above the
ashen locks of age, has fallen prone
to earth, red with blood, whose founts
these little balls have pierced. It was
a bullet from a derringer that crash
ed through the brain Of President
Lincoln and plunged the. nation in
grief. The assassin Booth selected
the derringer as the surest messenger
of death, and after he had fired the
fatal shot the pistol dropped to the
floor. in the box Of the theatre. 1t Is
now in the possession of the war de-
partment.
Wherever the derringer has been
the messenger Of fate to man daily
records bear witness to the lrres1stl-
BILE power which turks in these light
and delicate servants Of purple death.
Just behind the lines which separate
the District Of Columbia from Mary
land, near the town of Bladensburg,
a. secluded spot embowered with trees
and known as "Blood Rum" has wit
messed many tragic scenes in which
the derringer has figured consplcu-
ously. Not only at the famous Blad-
enburg duelling grounds but through
out the entire south the derringer was
the favorite weapon on the "feld of
honor.' .'..-.
About 1880 there lived in Phlladel-
phia gunsmith named Derr1nger,
who was noted for the exquisite fine
ness Of his work on firearms, and its
general excellence, especially in pls-
tolls. The flintlock was then used,
and to insure it's not missing fire the
lock work had to be done with a great
deal of care. In 1888 the contract was
let by the government for pistols to
arm the Is reimeat Of Dragons, just
created by act of congress. Two thou
sand holster pistols carrying thirty
bullets to the pound, were wanted.
Derringer had no difficulty in secur-
ing the contract, and also one for
thirty-six pairs Of officers pistols OF
finer quality. From that time until
1860 he was the first small arm maxi
er in the United States in the mat
ter Of pistols, or, perhaps, Of the
world
General John Magruder, a famous
officer of the artillery in the old army,
and a Confederate major general,
owned the finest and most elaborate
. pair of pistols that Derringer ever
made. They had two sets Of barrels
to each stock. One set was four