Evening star., 1909-06-09
THE sH1ELDs-L1NcoLN DUEL.
A Correction Of the Story of That
Proposed Encounter.

To the Editor of The Star:
The history of the late Gen. James w
Shields published in Sundays Star was
ably written and In the main correct. The
writer. however. erred in giving the par
ticulars of the Shields-Lincoln duel. The
true facts in the case are as follows:
Both gentlemen had served together in
the state legislature Gen. Shields was a
democrat and Mr.. Lincoln q whig. They
were warm personal friends. and politics
had nothing to do with their disagree
ment. In 1912 Gen. Shields was auditor
OF state and Mr.. Lincoln leading lawyer
Of the state capital: both gentlemen were
single and fond Of society. and were reg
ular attendants at all social functions A
correspondent over the nom de plume
Aunt Becky" in writing up the social
functions Of the city for weekly So
ciety paper, in speaking of Gen. Shields.
said: THE gentleman of diminutive pro-
portions and extensive aspirations went
sailing around the room like feather,
bowling in the presence Of the fair ladies
with the grace of the dancing master and
the ability Of the humming bird" Gen.
Shields took exceptions to the letter as
rejecting upon him, and said he would
whip the writer IL a man and her friend
II lady. Some one told Shields that
Lincoln had written 1t. Being hot-headed
young Irishman, without investigating as
to whether his information was correct
or not, he wrote Mr.. Lincoln a threaten
ing letter. Mr.. Lincoln paid no attention
to the letter. thus still further exasperat-
ing Gen. Shields. who challenged Mr.. LIN
coin to fight a duel. The challenge was
accepted and broad swords were named
as the weapons the fight to take place
on an island in the Mississippi river op-
posite Alton, seventy miles distant, at
sunrise on certain day.
Col. John j. Harden of Jacksonville, Ill.
learned Of the proposed duel the evening
before. He started at once for the scene.
Arriving at Carrollton. half way, at mid
night, he awoke DR.. r. w. English and
informed him of the matter. The two
men, with a fresh horse. started for Alton,
thirty-five miles distant. Arriving at day
light they crossed to the island in skifr
and found the gentlemen with their Sec
onds. surgeons and friends on the ground
preparing for action at sunrise. English
and Harden addressed a letter to each OF
the combatants and asked them to let the
whole matter stand suspended for one
hour. This was agreed to. Then Col. Har-
den and DIR. English addressed a letter
to Mr.. Lincoln and asked him IL he had
written the letter in question signed
written 1t. Mr.. Lincoln replied that he
had not written the letter. neither did
he know who had written it. English and
Harden inclosed Mr.. Lincoln's letter to
Gen. Shields and asked him If he wished
to withdraw his challenge. On reading
the letter Gen. Shields advanced with out
stretched arm and said: Mr.. Lincoln. l
desire to withdraw my challenge and give
you my hand as token Of my friend
ship" The gentlemen shook hands and
returned to Springfield, their friendship
lasting through life.
Col. Harden afterward fell at the head
Of his regiment at Buena Vista. Dr. Eng
lish lived to good old age and died a
few years ago at his home in Kansas
City.
The writer Of this letter was nephew
of DR.. English, and has heard him re-
peat the above facts times without num-
ber. He was also we'll acquainted with
Gen. Shields. and on one occasion heard
Shields and English laughing and telling
Of the matter together to a party of
friends at political rally.
w. T. DOWDALL.