VOL XVII. NO. 31
DECEMBER 31. 1949
Entered ai sccond-clawi matter. June 1. 1033. at the Poetofflce at Raleigh, North Carolina, under the Act of March 3. 1879.
Jackson’s Duel With Dickinson
"Uullilws'' is a word whieli probably de¬
scribes Jackson as well as any oilier. Ilis
duel willi Charles Dickinson is a fine illus¬
tration of this characteristic.
MUCH has been said and
written about the charac¬
teristics of Andrew Jack-
son. whom North Carolina claims
as a native son.
His most painstaking bio¬
grapher. James Parton, has writ¬
ten: "Andrew Jackson, I am given
to understand, was a patriot and u
traitor. He was one of the greatest
of generals and wholly ignorant of
war. The first of statesmen, he
never devised — he never framed a
measure. He was the most candid
of men and capable of the pro-
foundest dissimulation. A most
law-defving. law-obeying citizen.
A stickler for discipline, he never
hesitated to disobey his superior
when it suited him to do so. A
democratic autocrat. An urbane
savage. An atrocious saint.”
And that is a fairly truthful
description. Jackson unquestion¬
ably was a ruthless individual; a
man of remarkably strong will.
He would tolerate no interference
with his plans, and had an undy¬
ing hatred for anyone who sought
to thwart him in any way.
A fine illustration of this is the
duel between Jackson and Charles
Dickinson which occurred in
Logan County. Kentucky. May 30.
Dickinson. The Aggressor
The circumstances of this aiTair
are characterized by brutality of
both participants, although Dick¬
inson unquestionably was the ag¬
gressor and deliberately provoked
Jackson to mortal combat with
full purpose to kill him.
It has been related that he bet
S500 he would kill Jackson by his
first shot, and it was also told that
Jackson afterwards said: ‘T would
have hit him if he had shot me
through the brain.”
Dickinson was a famous duelist;
a marvelous marksman \vho never
missed his aim and who had been
victorious in several "affairs of
honor." The squabble with Jack-
son had reached such a stage of
bitterness that a duel was agreed
upon by both men.
While on route to the meeting
place Dickinson exploited his
marksmanship at a tavern and.
having cut by his bullet a slender
cord at twenty-five paces, left it
dangling from a tree and re-
uested the innkeeper to direct
ackson's attention to it should he
pass that way.
The agreement between the
seconds to this duel is extant. It is
as follows: “It is agreed that the
distance shall be twenty-four
feet; the parties to stand facing
each other with their pistols held
down (K-rpendicularly. When they
are ready, the single word. 'Fire!'
shall be given, at which they are
to fire as soon as they please.
Should either fire before the word
is given, we pledge ourselves to
shoot him down instantly. The
person to give the word is to be
determined by lot. as also shall be
the choice of position. We mutu¬
ally agree that the above regula¬
tions shall be observed in the
affair of honor depending between
General Andrew Jackson and
Charles Dickinson, Esq.”
An Unusual Provision
It is said that the provision that
the pistols should be held down¬
ward was unusual, especially in
this instance, as the unvarying
manner of Dickinson in firing was
to raise the weapon at arm’s
length above his head and lower it
quickly to proper aim.
The agreed manner of firing
may have been the adroit sug¬
gestion of Jackson's wily second,
the significance of which escaped
Dickinson in his cocksureness of
results.
Hut, notwithstanding the ad¬
vantage which thus accrued to
Jackson, he and his second. Gen¬
eral Thomas Overton, a Revolu¬
tionary War soldier, anxiously
considered whether it would stiil
be best for Jackson to attempt to
fire first, and they finally agreed
that it would not.
It would require no time for
Dickinson to take aim. even
though it w’ere necessary for him
to raise and lower his weapon. But
Jackson was much slower. There¬
fore. though it appeared that Jack-
son certainly would be hit. he
preferred to risk being wounded
or killed rather than miss the op¬
portunity to take deliberate aim.
Dickinson's second w'on the
choice of position, and it fell to
Overton to give the signal to fire.
Here is an authentic account of
this thrilling event:
"Are you ready?" asked Over-
ton.
"I am ready," replied Dickin¬
son.
"I am readv." said Jackson.
"Fire!"
Jackson Wounded
Dickinson raised his pistol
quickly and fired. Overton, who
was looking with anxiety and
dread at Jackson, saw a puff of dust
fly from the breast of his coat, and
saw' him raise his right arm and
place it tightly across his chest. 1 1
«*
is hit surely, thought Overton, and
in a bad place, too: but no; he
does not fall.
Jackson stood erect and grim as
fate, his teeth clenched, and then
he slowly raised his pistol.
Overton glanced at Dickinson.
Amazed at the unwonted failure
THE STATE. DECEMBER 31. 1949
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