According to Ben Truman's history of dueling in America, "A singular affair was that between Lieutenant Lanier, of Bishop and General Polk's staff, and a wagonmaster of the same (Confederate) corps. Lanier was a dressy but gallant fellow, and while executing some order, or attempting to, he incurred the displeasure of an irascible wagonmaster, one morning, who said menacingly to Lanier, 'If you didn't have on so much gold braid, I'd challenge you to fight.' 'You would, eh?' replied Lanier, who at once tore off his jacket and added, 'Come on, then; we're equal!' In ten minutes the parties had taken their positions, with revolvers, at twelve paces, and at the first shot Lanier fell severely wounded." (Portrait of Lt. John S. Lanier of Co. K, 14th Mississippi Infantry Regiment, Liljenquist collection, Library of Congress)

Due to the tradition of dueling in the Southern United States there were a number of duels during the American Civil War between Confederate States military officers and/or politicians.

Following the Marmaduke–Walker duel, the Southern Unionist Nashville Daily Union commented approvingly on the trend: "To which we say, Amen! Can't the rebels get up a few nice little duel parties between Jeff Davis and Stephens, Bragg and Joe Johnston, Harris and Polk? It would afford an agreeable variety to the tremendous wholesale fights which ever and anon shake the land." According to historian William Oliver Stevens, there were no duels between officers of the U.S. Army or U.S. Navy during the American Civil War.

Confederate duels
DuellistDuellistDatePlaceOutcomeNotes
St. Clair MorganGeorge S. StorrsMarch 20, 1861Florida – near Fort McRee, PensacolaMorgan woundedMain article: Morgan–Storrs duel
Lieutenant John S. LanierUnidentified "wagonmaster of his corps"Between May 20, 1861, and July 9, 1863Place unknownLanier wounded
William A. LakeHenry Cousins ChambersOctober 16, 1861ArkansasLake killedRival candidates for Confederate Congress; Chambers shot Lake in the forehead, Lake died at the Gayoso Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee
Doctor Forward, a sutlerLieutenant Alfred H. JonesDecember 24, 1861Virginia – near Young's Mill, on the PeninsulaBoth killedRifles at 40 paces; the duel resulted from a "quarrel about the price of a box of candles."
D. H. HillRobert ToombsAfter July 1862AvertedFollowing the Battle of Malvern Hill, arguments about the action resulted in a proposed duel, which never took place
Major Alfred M. RhettColonel William Ransom CalhounSeptember 5, 1862South Carolina – CharlestonCalhoun killedCalhoun, a relative of John C. Calhoun, was Rhett's superior officer at Fort Sumter.
Captain John Cussons Jr.Major Alfred Horatio BeloApril 1863Virginia – near SuffolkBelo wounded
Captain George MoodyCaptain Pichegru WoolfolkJuly 2, 1863PennsylvaniaNo duelPlanned but forestalled by the Battle of Gettysburg
Major General John S. MarmadukeBrigadier General Lucius M. WalkerSeptember 6, 1863ArkansasWalker killedMain article: Marmaduke–Walker duel
Lieutenant William H. DorseyMr. Adler of Baltimore, MarylandDecember 13, 1863Maryland – near Bowling Green, Caroline CountyAdler killed
Captain SmithLieutenant ScottDecember 16, 1863VirginiaScott killed
Major William F. RapleyMajor Albert BeldingOctober 18, 1864MissouriBelding wounded
Edward C. ElmoreJohn Moncure DanielAugust 16, 1864VirginiaDaniel woundedDaniel participated in a number of duels during his lifetime.
Private Marx Cohen Jr.Private Thomas R. ChewMarch 19, 1865North CarolinaNo injuriesSaid to be the final duel of the Confederacy; their seconds put blanks in their pistols, both walked away unharmed, and both were killed later that day at Battle of Bentonville.

See also

Notes

Further reading

  • Deitreich, Kenneth A. (2006). (Thesis). Morgantown, West Virginia: West Virginia University. doi:.
  • Wells, C. A. (May 1, 2001). . Vanderbilt Law Review. 54 (4): 1805.