WRIGHT,
"_Agent for the Collection of Confederate Records_.
"War Records office, War Department, Washington, July 8, 1895."
At the close of the war duels between officers of the two armies
were not infrequent. In the scrap-book there is the account of one
of these affairs sent from Vicksburg to a Northern paper by a
correspondent who was an eye-witness of the event. It tells how
Major MacIver, accompanied by Major Gillespie, met, just outside
of Vicksburg, Captain Tomlin of Vermont, of the United States
Artillery Volunteers. The duel was with swords. MacIver ran
Tomlin through the body. The correspondent writes:
"The Confederate officer wiped his sword on his handkerchief. In
a few seconds Captain Tomlin expired. One of Major MacIver's
seconds called to him: 'He is dead; you must go. These gentlemen
will look after the body of their friend.' A negro boy brought up the
horses, but before mounting MacIver said to Captain Tomlin's
seconds: 'My friends are in haste for me to go. Is there anything I
can do? I hope you consider that this matter has been settled
honorably?'
"There being no reply, the Confederates rode away."
In a newspaper of to-day so matter-of-fact an acceptance of an
event so tragic would make strange reading.
From the South MacIver crossed through Texas to join the Royalist
army under the Emperor Maximilian.
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