Duel

a combat by arrangement between two persons. A challenge and its acceptance are an essential part of a duel. The Pilgrims had scarce landed at Plymouth when a duel was fought by two working-men. Duels were numerous throughout the thirteen colonies, yet persisted longer in the South. In 1804 Alexander Hamilton was killed in a duel by Vice-President Aaron Burr. General Jackson killed M. Dickinson in a duel, yet President Jackson dismissed four officers from the navy for engaging in the practice. Colonel Benton, the famous Missouri statesman, killed his man. The various states of the Union have passed laws forbidding the practice. Dueling is said to have originated in western Europe among the peoples of Teutonic descent. In the two centuries following the discovery of America it is estimated that from 2,000 to 6,000 Frenchmen alone fell yearly in duels. In case an opponent became obnoxious it was quite possible to hire an expert swordsman, whose trade it was to pick a quarrel, issue a challenge and run his sword through the body of the objectionable person. Dueling is now rare in France and still rarer in England, but the practice lingers in the German army, and, in the modified form of fencing matches, among the students of the fighting corps of the German universities. See Hamilton; Clay