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Revised 18 May 2010

DUELS BETWEEN NOTED PERSONS

DUEL IN NEW ENGLAND - June 18, 1621, Edward Doty and Edward Leister, servants of Mr. Hopkins, fought upon a challenge of single combat with sword and dagger. One was wounded in the hand, the other in the thigh. The punishment adjudged by the whole company was that "they should lie with head and feet tied together for 24 hours, without meat and drink." They were released at the end of an hour upon their own and their masters' request and promise of better carriage."

DUEL ON BOSTON COMMON - In 1728 a duel was fought on Boston Commons between two young men named Woodbridge and Phillips. They met alone in the night and used short swords in the fight. Woodbridge was killed, and Phillips fled to France to escape the penalties of the law.
BUTTON GWINNETT - of Georgia, a singner of the Declaration of Independence, and General Lackland McIntosh, a Revolutionary officer, fought a duel with pistols at a distance of twelve feet, May 27, 1777. Gwinnett was killed and McIntosh was wounded. The quarrel grew out of rivalry for a brigadier generalship.
GENERALS CADWALLADER - and Conway fought a duel July 4, 1778. It grew out of the opposition of Conway to Washington. Conway was wounded, and thinking he was going to die, wrote a penitent letter to Washington for his dishonorable attacks upon his character.
MAJOR GENERAL CHARLES LEE - and Colonel John Laurens, an aid of Washington, fought a duel in 1778. Laurens challenged Lee on account of slanderous remarks made by him concerning Washington, defending his conduct at Monmouth in courtmartialing Lee. The affair terminated in the wounding of Lee.
ALEXANDER HAMILTON - and Aaron Burr, then Vice-President of the United States, fought a duel at Weehawken, N. J., July 11, 1804. Hamilton fired into the air, and was mortally wounded by Burr. The challenge was given by Burr ecause of Hamilton's successful opposition to Burr's political aspirations.
CONGRESSIONAL ACTION - Against Dueling - In 1806 Congress passed a law "that no officer or soldier should send a challenge to another officer or soldier to fight a duel, or accept a challenge if sent, upon pain, if a commissioned officer, of being cashiered; if a non-commissioned officer of suffering corpreal punishment, at the discretion of a court-martial." The practice of dueling had become at this time so frequent in the army that it demanded legal measures for its suppression, and the erroneous impression of honor made it impossible for one to decline a challenge without socially ruining his character.
HENRY CLAY - and Humphrey marshall fought a duel in 1808. Both were wounded. They were both members of the Kentucky Legislature at the time.
GEN. ANDREW JACKSON - and Senator Thomas H Benton fought a duel in 1813.
GEN. ARMISTEAD T. MASON - United States Senator from Virginias, and John M. McCarty fought a duel near Washington, D. D. in 1819 The former was killed and the latter wounded.
LIEUT. FRANCIS B. WHITE - of the Marine Corps, and Lieut. William B. Finch, of the United States Navy, fought a duel on an island in Boston Harbor in 1819. The former was killed, and Finch afterward assumed the name of Bolton.
STEPHEN DECATUR, JR., and Commodore James Barron fought a duel at Bladensburg, Md., March 22, 1820. Decatur was killed and Barron wounded. The latter was commander of the Chesapeake who surrendered to Leopard in 1807. The duel grew out of a discussion of that affair. Decatur was a brave naval officer, and celebrated for his gallant conduct in the Mediterranean against the Algerine pirates.
DUELING TREATED AS MURDER - In Illinois. In 1820 William Bennett was hung for killing Alphonso Stewart, at Belleville, St. Clair County, Ill., in a duel. This fatal case made dueling forever discreditable in Illinois. It is the only case where a man has been hung in this country for killing another in a duel.
GEORGE T. WETMORE - and George F Street, attorneys at law, fought a duel in New Brunswick in 1821. They had a difficulty in court. Wetmore was killed and Street was tried for murder and acquitted.
HENRY CLAY - of Kentucky, Secretary of State, and John Randolph, United States Senator from Virginia, fought a duel April 8th, 1826, near Little Falls Bridge, on the Potomac. The duel grew out of a speech made in the Senate, in which Randolph used insulting language in referring to M. Clay. The latter demanded satisfaction, and on being refused, challenged Randolph. The parties met and exchanged fire without any effect, and on the second call Clay fired again without hitting Randolph, who then fired in the air. As neither were hurt a reconciliation took place.
THOMAS BIDLE - and Spencer Pettis fought a duel in Missouri in 1831. Pistols were used at a distance of five feet, which were chosen by Mr. Biddle on account of being near-sighted. Their pistols overlapped one another when the duelists were in position. The quarrel grew out of politics. Both were killed.
CONGRESSMEN JONATHAN CILLEY - of Maine, and William J Graves, of Kentucky, fought a duel near Washington, D. C., February 24, 1838. The former was killed at the third fire. The trouble originated in a quarrel with Jas. Watson Webb, who was determined upon the death of Cilley.
DUELING IN THE - District of Columbia - In 1839 congress passed a law prohibiting the giving or accepting a challenge within the District of Columbia.
UNITED STATES SENATOR - David C Broderick and Judge D. S. Terry, both of California, fought a duel September 21, 1859. Broderick was killed. The cause was Broderick's outspoken anti-slavery sentiments. Terry was upon the Democratic list of electors in 1880, and was the only one not elected owing to the remembrance of that duel.
A DUEL BETWEEN Ex-Speaker Carter of the Louisiana Legislature, and Chief of Police Badger of New Orleans, with rifles, occurred February 15, 1872 at Bay, St. Louis, Mississippi. Nobody hurt.