Chatham County GaArchives History .....Savannah Duels - Chapter XV 1923
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 26, 2004, 7:29 pm

CHAPTER XV. 

A MOCK DUEL THAT COST AN EYE.

THE "KNOW NOTHING" MOVEMENT BROUGHT A CLASH IN LIBERTY COUNTY THAT CLOSED IN A
WILMINGTON ISLAND REHEARSAL—A DUEL OF WORDS IN NEWSPAPERS THAT THREATENED A TRIO
OF DUELS WITH BULLETS.

    Occasionally, through the publication of the correspondence in the public
prints, or by a research in public documents or among- private letters, it is
possible to follow the entire course of a personal affair that either resulted
in the tragedy of a duel or a peaceful, and sometimes ludicrous, denouement.
This was signally the case in the affair in the fall of 1855 that threatened at
one time to result in several duels between prominent citizens of Liberty
county, all well known in Savannah, and in the progress of which difficulty an
intense interest was felt in this city.

    It was at the period when the great political duel was on between the
American, or "Know Nothing" party, and the Democratic party. Feeling ran very
high in Georgia, and nowhere more so than in Chatham, Liberty and other counties
of the First district. Families were divided, communities were torn asunder,
antagonisms were created that lasted until the war between the states drowned
them in the blood shed over its greater issues.

    The number of foreign born in the section was comparatively insignificant.
Outside of Savannah they must have been a very meagre fraction of the
population. But that fact did not prevent the politicians who were maneuvering
the American party from instituting its lodges and gaining a large membership.
The members were oath bound and the abandonment of the party principles and
support by anyone who had formally united with it brought severe denunciation.
It was just such an incident as this that provoked the trouble which threatened
for a time to make Liberty county the scene of a series of meetings on the
"field of honor."

    Dr. E. H. Hart had withdrawn from "Know Nothing" Lodge No. 202. His action
was resented and brought a card from James D. McConnell, denouncing him, in the
"Savannah Republican." The two men, up to that time, had been associated in
terms of ordinary intimacy and friendship, and were well known in Liberty and
near-by counties. Offended by the publication, Dr. Hart, through A. Maybank
Jones, invited McConnell to an interview with him. McConnell met them,
accompanied by W. A. Fleming. A personal encounter followed, in which McConnell,
said to have been much inferior in physical condition, was worsted.

    At this time began the proceedings looking to a duel. Dr. Hart, through
Jones, challenged McConnell, "To meet him on the field of equality." McConnell
promptly refused on the ground that Hart was not a gentleman, and added that "in
affairs of this kind the second is responsible for the principal, and especially
in this case do I hold him (Jones) responsible before the public." He then
applied the opprobrious word "Coward" to Jones. Jones then issued a challenge,
inviting McConnell to a "hostile interview." This brought forth a reply from
McConnell, through his friend, W. L. Walthour, in which McConnell pointed out
Jones had asked for "a hostile interview." McConnell claimed the right, as the
challenged party, to "a choice of mode of combat," while Jones' challenge, he
held meant "a fisticuff."

    Jones' reply was tart. He did not consider his letter a challenge. "I
intended it only as an occasion for finding and chastising you promptly," said
he. "I particularly avoided sending a challenge in deference to the expressed
opinion of my friend and his well known sentiment in opposition to the custom of
duelling." Jones then formally "demanded redress in the field of honor and in
such mode as honorable gentlemen adopt for redressing their grievances."

    One might think that this would have brought out the duelling pistols and
the surgeons, but not so. McConnell replied that Jones had put himself in the
same class as Dr. Hart, and could not be considered a gentleman. "But to a
challenge from your new friend, or any friend who is a gentleman, I will accede.
Your conduct has put it out of my power to recognize you."

    While McConnell did not give his authority for his stand as regards Hart and
Jones, it was probably based on Article 9 of the "Code of Honor" published at
Baltimore in 1847:

"Should both parties be gentlemen, recognizing the propriety of the duel, they
may not have recourse to fisticuffs or cudgels, which, though an obvious and
natural mode of determining difficulties, is one properly at a discount among
men of honor." Hart having assaulted him and Jones having invited him to "a
fisticuff," McConnell put them both outside the pale.

    But back comes Jones with a summary of the events up to this time. "Hart
begins to chastise him; McConnell evades a full chastisement on the score of
physical inferiority; Hart challenges him to meet on the field of equality;
McConnell refused at the time and says in a letter afterwards he (Hart) is not a
gentleman, but holds his friend or second responsible; Hart's friend (Jones),
thus recognized, proposes two fields to McConnell—one for corporal chastisement,
the other for mortal combat, just which would suit him McConnell says I can't
fight the second of Hart, for he is no gentleman, but I will accede to a
challenge from his second. The natural inquiry is, when would this secondary
courage come up to the sticking point." "I dismiss this man now and leave him to
wear the epithet with which the laws of honor and brave men and spirited ladies
will, I know, gracefully crown him."

    Henry Hart Jones, who had carried the challenge to McConnell from his
brother, A. Maybank Jones, then seems to have discussed challenging McConnell
through the medium of the Jones' brother-in-law, Joseph A. Anderson, W. L.
Walthour continuing to represent McConnell.

    Of course McConnell had to have another inning before the public. In his
final card he sets forth that "When he (A. M. Jones) knew that I would recognize
him, he dared not challenge me; after I refused him recognition he boldly
challenged me. The public has seen how he acted as a second; his infirmity seems
to have been shared by his brother and brother-in-law. I expected to find among
the trio one brave and honorable enough to do the fighting, but I was
disappointed. Let me suggest for them that if they cannot fight for themselves
they should get one who can fight for them, and let the newspapers alone."
"Disgrace is now stamped upon A. M. Jones, and his friends are compelled to
fight for him, or wear it with him."

    The stigma of cowardice thus put on the two Jones brothers and Anderson
could not be ignored. A. Maybank Jones had become more vitriolic in reviewing
the affair. McConnell had brought into his last card the names of three friends,
Capt. P. W. Fleming, A. S. Quarterman and G. T. Handley, in a way that seemed to
be an endorsement by them of various statements published by him in a card in
which McConnell declared "A. M. Jones, on the evidence of these gentlemen, is
now before the public in the capacity of a liar." Jones now pointed out that
Capt. Fleming in a statement had shown that McConnell had received a challenge
from Dr. Hart. "As for Mess. Quarterman and Handley, I found they were both
persons of honor and courage. When the amende honorable, or satisfaction in a
mortal combat, was demanded, they obeyed the voice of justice and honor, and
granted the former by a full retraction of their u___st insinuations. Mr.
McConnell has been challenged both by Dr. Hart and myself; by the one in a
peremptory verbal manner, by the other in a formal written challenge. They are
both still to be considered operative; neither ever having been withdrawn. Mr.
McConnell refuses to accept them upon the singular but convenient plea that we
are not gentlemen. He knew when urging such a subterfuge that it was all the
prompting of cowardice, an evasion that would not meet the approbation of the
community. But to place the matter beyond doubt, where our relative positions
are not known, and the grounds of this artifice are not suspected, and also to
remove whatever scruples his own conscience may entertain, we submit the
enjoined expression of opinion of a number of the first gentlemen of our county."

    "We take pleasure in certifying that in point of honor, courage and
respectability, Dr. E. H. Hart and Mr. A. M. Jones are perfect gentlemen and
stand upon a full equality with gentlemen of our community. (Signed) W. P. M.
Ashley, P. W. Fleming, George W. Walthour, John A. Thomas, R. Cay, Joseph
Quarterman, J. P. Stevens. G. W. Dunham, Wm. M____ll, Abial Winn, B. A. Busby,
W. S. Baker, B. W. Allen, ____ Winn, Thomas Mallard, E. J. Delegal."

    This put the issue squarely up to McConnell. In the meantime the trouble
between Jones and Quarterman and Handley had become acute, so that there was a
prospect of three duels on Jones' hands. This was obviated by the mediation of
friends, resulting in the publication of this card:

    "We, the undersigned, mutual friends of Messrs. A. S. Quarterman, A. M.
Jones and George T. Handley, knowing their difficulty having come to a crisis
which would lead to mortal combat, have thrown ourselves between the parties, as
mediators in the matter, have investigated the case, and have the pleasure of
saying the whole difficulty has been settled honorably and satisfactorily to the
parties, as by the following agreement. (Signed) P. W. Fleming, George W.
Walthour."

    In the agreement referred to, Augustus S. Quarterman and G. T. Handley
stated that in the certificate given by them to McConnell it was not their
"intention to endorse his charges against Mr. A. M. Jones as a coward and liar."
They regretted any impression made on the public mind "in regard to the courage
and veracity of Mr. Jones" "as it was not our intention to convey that idea."

    Two months had been consumed in all this correspondence. The time had come
for the duel of words to cease, for leaden bullets to take the place of paper
pellets. Public opinion demanded an arbitrament in another field than that of
the newspaper columns. Maybanks Jones challenged McConnell and selected William
Brailsford, of McIntosh county, as his second. But not a word is found
thenceforth in the Savannah papers concerning the affair. And thereby hangs one
of the most unique developments in any duel that was ever planned, the details
of which have come down during nearly three-quarters of a century through the
families of interested parties.

    Seeing that a meeting had become inevitable, McConnell, who was expert
neither with the pistol nor the rifle, began to practice. Col. W. R. Pritchard,
of Savannah, became his mentor, and the practice took place on Wilmington
island. There one Sunday afternoon a mock duel was arranged between McConnell
and John R. Norton, with Col. Pritchard as master of ceremonies. Duelling
pistols were used and a lot of blank cartridges were taken down. Col. Pritchard
desired to get McConnell accustomed to firing the pistol while being fired at.
Several shots were satisfactorily exchanged and McConnell was developing ability
in controlling his nerves and taking careful aim.

    "Now," said Col. Pritchard, after reloading the weapons, and addressing
Norton, "I want you to fire point blank at McConnell's head. Aim right between
the eyes. I want him to get used to the flash of the pistol in his face. Are you
ready, gentlemen? Aim! Fire!"

   There was a simultaneous explosion and McConnell fell to the ground as though
dead.

    "Fine," said the colonel. "You did well, that time. We'll try it again."

    The supposition, of course, was that McConnell had dropped in play. But when
he failed to get up the others rushed to see what was the matter. They found
him-unconscious, with blood oozing from over one eye, where a bullet had
entered. In some way a loaded cartridge had become mixed with the blanks.

    Doctors visiting the island were summoned, shook their heads, refused to
probe, and gave the unfortunate man over to death. For three days and nights
Col. Pritchard sat by his side. Then McConnell's eyes opened with a look of
recognition.

    "Colonel," said he faintly, "That bullet went through my head. I feel it
back of my ear." "~ Examination showed this to be the case. The bullet had been
deflected and was easily removed from its lodgment. McConnell recovered. The
accident, though, cooled off everyone and all talk of a duel, or series of
duels, ended.

    McConnell lost an eye as a result of the mock duel. Many years after the
civil war a gentleman visited West Point. Chatting with the superintendent he
asked if any cadets were there from Georgia. He was told the names of the boys
from this state, among them that of Pritchard, of Savannah. Requesting to meet
him, young Pritchard was brought to the office.

    "I am glad to see you, young man," said the visitor, over one of whose eyes
was a green cloth. "I knew your grandfather well. Unwittingly he cost me this eye."

    It was James D. McConnell.


Additional Comments:
From:

ANNALS   OF   SAVANNAH

SAVANNAH DUELS AND DUELLISTS

1733-1877
BY

Thomas Gamble

COPYRIGHT 1923
REVIEW PUBLISHING & PRINTING COMPANY SAVANNAH, GEORGIA


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