The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-12-12
HISTORIC SAND BAR FERRY
BLOODY DCELLING GROUND
Graphic Story About the Duelling
Written More Than 40 Years Ago
by Col. James T. Bacon.
Augusta Chronicle.

augusta CuCOHlClG.
Now that the old Sand Bar Ferry il
about to pass into the dim, dismal
past, by the old swamp being turned
into fertile field, and the old boat be-
ing discarded for the more modern
steel draw bridge, it will be interest
ing to many to read the following ac-
count written more than 40 years age
by Col. James T. Bacon, editor Of the
Edgefeld Chronicle Col. Bacon was
we'll Informed about the old duelline
grounds and the code used in those
days, and for that reason his article
is one of authority on the subject.
The following is what Col. Bacon
had to say regarding the historic duel
ling grounds:
''There is not a spot of greater in
terest in any part of our country than
the secluded glade known in the his
tory Of the South, of South Carolina
and Georgia, especially, as Sand Bar
Ferry. A commonplace name enough,
but attached to glade of fairy ring
set apart for the conventional duelling
ground when the Code Duello was the
first resort OF gentleman in settling
norcono1 difHon1tioe
"In some respects it would seem
that this spot were fashioned for some
such purpose, so quiet, so perfectly Sc
cluded, so easy of access and at the
same time so out of the way that a
most bloody duel could be fought to a
finish before authority from any point
could arrive to interfere.
"This historic duelling arena lies
three miles southeast Of the city OF
Augusta, over what was once wheel
SCARED and rugged road, heavy IN
places with fine sand, and again
marshy where it dipped into bit OF
lowland or struggled through a tom
que of undrained swamp. The road
lies along pleasant farm lands, and
plume-like elms meet in leafy arches
overhead. Now it runs deep into the
heart of the dim swamp, now close
along the margin of the rushing mud
dy, turbulent Savannah, bordered by
thousands and thousands of finest
specimens of the trailing water will
low.
tThis duelling ground lies on either
side of the river With the belllger-
ents of the Carolina side. who wished
to settle differences with leaden ar
guments, the fairy ring beneath the
hoary moss-draped trees On the Geor-
gia side was chosen for the scene OF
action. With those already in trouble
On the latter side, the clean, firm sands
of the white river bank were preferred.
On the Georgia side the famous spot
might we'll have been mistaken for
the artificial work of man, fashioned
with a view to the purpose which it
served. The ground is as level as
dancing floor; a soft carpet of moss
covers it, through which the vivid fruit
of the partridge vine or ground ivy
glows like the crimson stain Of blood.
All around tall cedars, feathery elms
and towering gums, interspersed with
a few black-boled pines, draped with
long streamers of funeral gray moss,
shade the traveller from the .too-ar
dent rays of the semi-tropical sun.
son the left the river runs, broad
ening out into wide shadows, the sand
bars shoaling out from either bank,
until at low water, or during the sum-
mer months, persons. standing On the
.6,,kther end of F. could clasp
! towering juniper shu e off the|View
of tie most prosaie objects, slailroad
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