ed that
his reason for concealing his wound was that he did not intend to give
Dickinson the satisfaction of knowing that he had hit his enemy before
he died.

Twenty-two years after, as Jackson stood by his dead wife's body, he
"lifted his cane as if appealing to {251} heaven, and by a look
commanding silence, said, slowly and painfully, and with a voice full
of bitter tears:

"'In the presence of this dear saint I can and do forgive all my
enemies. But those vile wretches who have slandered her must look to
God for mercy!'"

III. The Killing of Stephen Decatur

The idol of the American Navy was Stephen Decatur. James Barron, a
disgraced officer under suspension for his lack of conduct during the
famous affair between the British ship _Leopard_ and the American ship
_Chesapeake_, had taken no part in the war of 1812, for causes which
afforded him sufficient excuse; but subsequently he sought
re-employment in the navy. Decatur, who had been one of the court
which tried and sentenced him before the war, and who was now a naval
commissioner, opposed his plea. The situation brought forth a
challenge from Barron. Decatur was under no necessity of meeting it.
As commissioner, he was in effect, Barron's superior, and Washington
had laid down a rule for General Greene's guidance in a similar case
that a superior officer is not amenable to challenge from a junior
officer whom he has offended in course of duty. The principle is sound
common sense, as everybody, even duellists, will admit. Nevertheless,
such was the state of public opinion about questions of "honor" that
Decatur felt constrained to accept the challenge.

The two naval officers met on the duelling ground at Bladensburg, "the
cockpit of Washington duellists," on the 22nd of March, 1820. Barron
was near-sighted, and insisted upon a closer distance than the usual
ten paces. They were placed a scant eight {252} paces apart. Decatur,
who was a dead shot, did not wish to kill Barron; at the same time he
did not deem it safe to stand his adversary's fire without return.
Therefore he stated to his second that he would shoot Barron in the
hip. Before the duel, Barron expressed the hope that if they met in
another world they might be better friends. Decatur replied gravely
that he had never been Barron's enemy. Under such circumstances it
would appear that the quarrel might have been composed without the
shedding of blood.

At the word "two" the men