DUELS DURING THE NINETEENTH CENTURY.
It has been truly said that during the French Revolution, the foot
of Liberty slipped on blood, and she fell prostrate under a military
despotism. Under the Directory an attempt was made to restore society
to its ancient prejudices, modified by the times, and duelling became
fashionable amongst the upper classes of society, more especially in
upstart circles, while in the army it was constantly resorted to both
by officers and soldiers. Scarcely a day passed without a meeting in
the Bois de Boulogne, while garrison towns were continually disturbed
by desperate duellists; pistols were now adopted by civilians, and the
sabre, rarely the small sword, became the arm of the military.
That duels should prove of frequent occurrence amongst soldiers and
officers of lower rank might be expected, since general officers showed
the example. In 1802, Generals Destaing and Reynier having quarrelled
in a discussion relating to the Egyptian campaign, Destaing was killed
by a pistol-shot in the breast. Napoleon, who was then First Consul,
expressed his displeasure, and for some time the survivor was obliged
to absent himself from Paris.
A diplomatic duel took place at Naples under the reign of Murat. At a
levee of the king and queen, Count Dolgoroucki, the Russian ambassador,
took precedence of the French envoy, Baron Durand de Mareuil, who as
family ambassador had a claim to a prior introduction. The baron took
no notice of this circumstance at the time, but on quitting the palace
sent a message to the Russian nobleman, who replied that he would
submit the affair to his court.
The French General, Excelmans, who was present at the time, immediately
called upon the Count de Beckendorf, the first secretary of the Russian
embassy, to demand satisfaction for the insult offered to France in
the person of her representative. The challenge was accepted, and at
the same time it was agreed that the two ambassadors should be present
at the meeting. However, the Russian ambassador would not allow his
secretary to take up the quarrel, and he accepted the message sent by
the envoy of France. The ambassadors becoming principals, the seconds
resolved that, according to the ancient Italian custom, they should
follow their example, and the four combatants met. Both ambassadors
were slightly wounded, but Beckendorf was run through the body by
Excelmans, and recovered with great difficulty. The war with Russia
broke out shortly after, and it is generally supposed that this insult
offered to France by the Russian minister was one of the pretexts that
accelerated the event.
Napoleon invariably objected to the practice of duelling; and, although
he knew from the character of his officers and soldiers, that it was
impossible to prevent it, yet he visited with his displeasure all the
superior officers who transgressed the regulations on that subject. He
was frequently heard to say, that he never could place any dependence
upon a duellist in battle, and that Latour Maubourg, the bravest of
the brave, had never drawn his sword in a private quarrel. Such was
also the opinion of Follard, the commentator of Polybius, who observed,
“that in his time, duellists were in great vogue, but he generally
found them the very scum and dishonour of the army, and the first to
flee in moments of danger.”
Gustavus IV, as has been already related, with more chivalric feeling
than wisdom, sent a message to Napoleon, who replied, “that he would
order a fencing-master to attend him as a plenipotentiary.”
During the reign of Napoleon, it appears that duels were not frequent;
society was no longer convulsed by party feelings and violent
political recriminations; discord had ceased to reign, and all France
submitted quietly to the iron yoke of military despotism. Former
disputes had arisen in the intrigues of courts, in which depraved and
ambitious females reigned paramount; and in the incessant altercations
of these privileged and honoured courtesans, the fashionable men of
the age were constantly involved; political debates were also a common
cause of hostile feeling, and a subsequent meeting: but under the
empire, no one could express his opinion, and political discussion
became merely a matter of form; the press, being also under the
immediate control of government, could not give offence, and when it
did offend, as it was the organ of the state, the injured party could
obtain no public or private redress.
The restoration of the Bourbons operated powerfully upon society; all
former animosities that had been kindled in silence, and smothered
by prudence, broke forth with an uncontrolled fury. The monarch was
reluctantly obliged to allow the freedom of the press, and the public
journals became the daily vehicle of slander and insult. The French
were unaccustomed to this licentiousness, which, from ancient usage, is
overlooked in general by British legislation,--lawyers and newspaper
writers could not brook these open insults, and literary duels marked
this period by their frequent occurrence. The return of the emigrants
was also the source of many duels; these unfortunate gentlemen,
“who had nothing learnt, and nothing forgotten” during their exile,
assumed a haughty bearing towards the officers of the republic and the
empire who were without birth or any name but that which their valour
had rendered noble, which could not be brooked by these soldiers of
fortune. Few duels between the _ancienne noblesse_ and the _parvenus_,
it is true, took place at court; but they were not unfrequent in the
army, until the sons of the olden times began to respect the children
of the revolution for their glorious deeds of arms, the narration of
which formed a great part of their conversation. Yet much blood had
been shed ere this reconciliation had taken place: the noble youth
of France who now surrounded the restored throne, devoted their time
to obtain some skill in swordsmanship, and in many of their quarrels
with the old officers, who had been for years out of practice, they
displayed a superiority which the former severely felt.
Ancient animosities and disappointed ambition now reigned paramount;
one party seeking to recover by violence and power what they had lost
by flight; and the other, to preserve what they had acquired at the
price of their blood and that of their families. All the wisdom and
prudence of Louis XVIII. could not restrain this impetuous torrent, to
which no bounds could be assigned, since the want of solidity of the
throne was felt in the vacillating state of every part of the social
edifice.
Parliamentary debates and studied imitations of British extemporaneous
eloquence, and paper-wars, led to constant disputes. St. Marcellin,
a distinguished literary character, was killed by Fayau, his bosom
friend. St. Morys, Lieutenant-colonel of the Gardes du corps, was
killed by Colonel Barbier Dufay, and Beaupoil de St. Aulaire paid with
his life a paragraph in his printed oration on the Duke de Feltre.
In consequence of this offensive publication, St. Aulaire was first
called out by the son of the deceased duke; he then had to fight a
cousin of the General M. de Pierrebourg: the parties met, when St.
Aulaire proposed the sabre, and Pierrebourg wished for the sword, but
conceded the point to his adversary; both were perfectly cool, so much
so indeed, that at the suggestion of St. Aulaire, they changed their
ground, as the sun was shining on his antagonist. St. Aulaire wounded
Pierrebourg in the knee, but being uncovered, the other gave point,
and wounded him between the ribs, when throwing away his sabre, he
exclaimed, “I fear that the wound is too deep;” to which the seconds
replied, “It is unfortunate, but it was all fair play.” St. Aulaire
expired a few minutes after.
Literary duels became frequent, especially on account of political
and historical works. Philippe de Ségur, author of the Campaign of
Russia, had to meet General Gourgaud, one of Napoleon’s aide-de-camps,
when the author was wounded. A Neapolitan colonel of the name of Pépé
challenged the author of a work, in which he had reproached Italy with
its pusillanimity, and obtained the satisfaction of wounding him, to
prove the incorrectness of his statement.
Two enthusiastic novel writers fought in defence of classical and
romantic literature, firing at each other four times, and only
separated when the severity of their wounds prevented further
hostilities. A desperate duel was fought between M. Raynouard,
commanding the Caravanne, and M. Garnerey, the artist, who had been
sent to paint the battle of Navarino. It appears that frequent
altercations had arisen between the parties when on board, and
Garnerey, labouring under fever, was landed by the captain at the
Lazaret of Toulon. The incensed artist wrote a letter, in which he
complained that he had been cruelly deprived of medical aid; in
consequence of which, Raynouard called him out as soon as they were
released from quarantine, when Garnerey shot him in the hip. He only
survived the wound nine days.
Notwithstanding the frequency of duels, the survivors were, in several
instances, prosecuted. An artillery officer of the name of Treins,
having called out a person of the name of Damarzil, it was decided that
they should fight with pistols, at the distance of six paces. Having
drawn lots for the first fire, it fell upon Treins; the witnesses
then requested that a greater distance should be taken. Treins would
not consent to this arrangement, which was contrary to the previous
agreement; he fired, and mortally wounded his adversary in the stomach.
Notwithstanding the severity of the wound, he had sufficient strength
to return the fire, wounding his antagonist in the arm. He died a
few hours after. The court came to the decision, “that Treins having
been the aggressor, and having fired contrary to the wishes of the
by-standers, at so short a distance, when he was certain of killing his
antagonist,--these circumstances did not allow that this case should be
included in those cases of duels which are not considered as criminal
and punishable as such.” On this occasion the duel was considered an
assassination, because the party fired at too short a distance. Yet it
must be recollected, that had the survivor’s pistol missed fire, his
antagonist had an equal certainty of shooting him.
The tribunal of Douai came to a similar conclusion in the case of a
person who shot another after taking a long and deliberate aim. The
court of Marseilles gave a similar judgment in the following case:--A
man, named Roqueplane had called out another of the name of Durré.
The seconds wanted to place the parties at a distance of twenty-five
paces; Durré insisted upon fifteen. Lots were drawn for the first fire,
which fell upon Roqueplane, who discharged his pistol in the air. Durré
insisted that he should fire at him; and, despite the interference of
the seconds, his wish was acceded to: but the pistol missed fire; on
which Durré fired, and shot his adversary dead.
A singular case, somewhat of a similar nature, occurred not long
since at Bordeaux. A Spanish-American gentleman had left his wife in
that city, and during his absence her conduct, it appeared, had been
anything but correct. On his return, the tongue of scandal and of
friendship soon informed him of what was called his dishonour; and he
fixed upon a young man of the name of A----, as the person who was to
give him satisfaction, on the plea that he had intrigued with his wife.
M. A---- refused to meet him repeatedly, insisting upon his innocence;
and adding, that even if proofs of any criminality could be adduced,
the conduct of the lady had been so improper with various persons, that
he would not expose his life in such a business. The husband persisted,
and at last meeting him at ’Change, struck him repeatedly. A meeting
was now unavoidable. Forty paces were measured, and eighteen paces
told off between the two extreme points, leaving a space of only four
paces in the centre of the ground. It was decided that both parties
should advance towards this point, and fire whenever they thought
proper. The adversaries moved on; but the Spaniard, in his vindictive
impatience, fired at twelve paces, and missed his antagonist, who
continued advancing towards the central point of four paces, while
the disappointed Spaniard halted where he had fired. According to the
pre-arranged agreement, he was ordered to proceed to the centre, where
stood his antagonist; when only four paces divided them. M. A----
then stated, that he would not fire, if his adversary was satisfied;
to which the other replied, that he would fire, as he was determined
that one of them should fall. A---- fired; but the pistol missing, it
was found that his second had not put any cap to it: it was therefore
decided, that he was entitled to a shot. Again he expressed his earnest
desire not to fire. The Spaniard persisted, and was shot dead. Although
at the short distance of four paces, so uncertain is the fire of a
pistol, that had the ball, which had struck the shoulder and entered
the chest, deviated but a line or two, and been reflected from the
bone, the wound would have been slight, and A---- undoubtedly would
have fallen. M. A----, with the seconds of both parties, was imprisoned
for a considerable time; and when brought to trial, acquitted. In this
case, most undoubtedly, the fault rested with the seconds, who should
not have left to their principals the power of reserving their fire
until they came in such a close situation; an arrangement of which
every cool person would avail himself. The chances were also rendered
unequal by the precipitation of one of the parties. He could have held
back his fire until he came to the four-pace interval, if he thought
proper; and his adversary was fully warranted in availing himself of
the circumstance, while he honourably offered him his life.
In this case, my opinion was asked, as an English officer. M. A---- was
a particular friend of mine; and I gave it as my decided opinion, that
he had behaved most honourably. He had been fired at, and continued
to move forward according to agreement. The Spaniard should have done
the same; it was therefore but just, that he should not be allowed to
receive A----’s fire where he had halted; since, if A---- had missed
him, the Spaniard’s next fire would have taken place at the central
point, on which he most undoubtedly would have advanced, to claim the
advantage which he himself had given to his antagonist. In regard
to the missing of A----’s fire, had the pistol been capped, most
unquestionably he would have had no claim to a second fire; but the
unpardonable neglect had not been his, it was the fault of his second;
for which, most assuredly, he should not have perilled his life. It is
true, that a miss-fire is considered as equivalent to a shot, in primed
pistols, but this rule cannot hold good in percussion arms. A priming
may be damp, may be shaken out; but the pistol had been properly
loaded. A percussion pistol, without a cap, is to all purposes the same
as an unloaded weapon; and if such a neglect on the part of a second,
was to expose the life of a principal, it might lead to the most
treacherous acts and premeditated murders. This case strongly proves
the necessity of pistols being loaded in the presence of both seconds;
and perhaps so long as this barbarous practice prevails, it might be
more prudent not to use percussion arms. I shall return to this most
important subject in another part of this work.
In regiments, the strictest discipline could not prevent duelling. It
became the boast of particular corps; and before the French Revolution,
no officer was admitted into the society of his comrades, until he had
given proofs of his courage, and fought without any motive. For this
purpose, expert fencers were selected, who were called “feelers;”[19]
and it must be admitted, that in general they merely sought to inflict
a trifling wound. Another custom prevailed in several regiments, which
was called the _calotte_, and consisted in insulting persons who
passed by the coffee-houses which these madcaps frequented. On such
occasions they exacted a pecuniary tribute from the offended party,
if he declined fighting. It was on an occasion of this kind, that an
officer of artillery, named De Paris, was attacked at Verdun. In the
first instance he paid the exacted tribute, and then addressing himself
to the officer, who was considered the chief of the _calotte_, he
insisted upon an immediate satisfaction, which was of course granted.
The parties met; the chief of this murderous association was killed;
and two of his brother officers who succeeded him shared the same fate.
Colonels of regiments not unfrequently showed a pernicious example in
sanctioning duels. The Viscount de Noailles, colonel of the King’s
dragoons, had said at table, that although he would break, without any
hesitation, any officer who would call him out while with the regiment,
yet, that when at Paris, and in plain clothes, he would always be ready
to attend any officer to the Bois de Boulogne. A Captain de Bray, of
his regiment, who considered that he had been insulted by him, availed
himself of this declaration, and severely wounded him. His commanding
officer most honourably recommended him to the first vacant majority
in the corps. This same De Noailles was in the habit of announcing the
day of his departure from every place he had been quartered in, in the
public papers, for the purpose, he said, of affording an opportunity
for settling affairs of every description.
The restoration of the Bourbons had gradually calmed the excitement
between hostile parties, or rather they were tired of useless
conflicts, until the Revolution of the Barricades once more gave a
free vent to the rage of political animosities, and all classes seemed
to consider bloodshed as the only means of asserting their rights. An
absurd chivalrous character had been given to the heroes of July, and
every violent demagogue fancied that he was called upon to display a
similar contempt of life.
A paragraph having appeared in the paper called _La Tribune_,
containing some reflection on the Duchesse de Berry, the editors of
_Le Revenant_, a legitimist publication, demanded satisfaction from
those of _La Tribune_. The parties decided that no individual duel
should take place, but that a collective meeting should be fixed upon
between any two of the editors whose names appeared in the lists, as
other newspapers had taken part in the quarrel. At last it was decided
that a meeting should take place between Armand Carrel, editor of _Le
National_, and Roux Laborie, editor of _Le Revenant_. The duel took
place; when Laborie, who was by no means so dexterous as his adversary,
was run through the arm. The parties were then separated, when Carrel
stated that he believed he was wounded; and upon examination it was
found that he had received a dangerous injury in the belly. The seconds
were about crossing swords in their turn, when the interference of the
police put an end to the contest.
Challenges were now mutually exchanged between the writers in favour of
legitimacy and their republican brethren, until the populace espoused
the cause of the latter: publishers and the offices of the Royalist
papers were besieged for several days by the mob. Had Carrel died, it
is difficult to say to what excesses this exasperation might have led.
Brian, editor of _La Quotidienne_, had to fight a duel with one of his
colleagues; and hostile meetings between newspaper writers took place,
not only in Paris, but the principal cities in France. The following
extract from a paper of the time (February 1834) will show to what an
extent duelling was carried at this period.
“A deplorable mania for duelling has prevailed during the last week.
On the same day on which M. Dulong was wounded by a pistol-shot by
General Bugeaud, two medical students were fighting at a few paces from
them, and one of them was mortally wounded by a shot in the breast.
This morning, three more duels took place, one of them fatal, and all
grounded on political differences; and this day, the manager of one of
our theatres has fought the editor of a newspaper.”
While political disputes thus led numerous champions into the field,
their party warmly advocated the cause which they maintained at the
peril of their lives. Thus, a duel having taken place between a native
of Toulouse and Marseilles, on electioneering questions, the Toulousian
being seriously wounded, was carried to the hospital, where he was
immediately followed by his partisans, wearing white pinks at their
button-holes, and who suspended a crown of laurels and lilies over the
patient’s head at Marseilles. Barthelemy, the editor of the _Peuple
Souverain_, killed David, who conducted the _Garde National_; and soon
after the editor of the _Gazette de Perigord_, fought his predecessor
of different political opinions.
It would be endless to relate the numerous duels that took place at
this period between literary men, not only on account of political
divergence of opinion, but on literary claims. Thus, Alexander Dumas
fought Gaillardet, on account of the drama called the _Tour de Nesle_.
It appeared that the latter was the original author of this drama,
admirably constructed, but unfortunately of a disgusting character,
every vice that can disfigure humanity having been brought into
action. The manager of the theatre (La Porte St. Martin) conceived
that the dialogue required correction, or that the incidents of the
piece might be more powerfully developed; and he, therefore, with the
consent of the author, placed the MS. in the hands of Dumas. The latter
claimed no authorship, until the piece was brought out with great
success, and became the _rage_ of the Parisians; when, to the amazement
of Gaillardet, Dumas published the play as his sole production. The
business was first brought before the tribunals; but the honour of the
parties not being satisfied, a meeting took place, when pistol-shots
were exchanged at fifteen paces. The infuriated dramatists were
resolved to fire until one of them fell; but the seconds very wisely
prevented further proceedings. This exasperation, arising from galled
vanity, is easily accounted for, when we find that two other dramatic
writers, whose productions had been received with doubtful success, and
severely criticised in the papers, shut themselves up with a pan of
charcoal, and were suffocated in poetical despair.
Duels, having thus descended from the aristocracy of the country to
inferior grades, became at last common even amongst trades-people. In
1833, we find a silk-mercer fighting a wool-merchant with pistols, and
desperately wounding his antagonist; while a bath-keeper called out
and fought a crockery-ware seller, for having sold him a cracked stove.
At Douai, a woollen-draper challenged a brazier to fight him with
swords; the parties met, and rushing at each other like two butting
bulls, the brazier was run through the throat, and the unfortunate
woollen-draper received a mortal wound in the bowels.
Nor was difference of rank any protection against the necessity of
giving satisfaction. At Bordeaux, an officer of cavalry, wishing to
dispose of a new uniform coat that did not fit him, called in a Jew
old-clothesman, who offered him five francs for the coat. The officer,
justly incensed at this impertinence, ordered him out of his room.
Moses refused: the dragoon kicked him down stairs. The exasperated Jew
immediately challenged the officer, who refused to fight him; when the
Jew, meeting him in the street, called him a coward, and struck him.
The officer would have cut down the Israelite on the spot, had he not
been prevented, and was about bringing the man before the police, when
it was decided by the corps, that the officer, having placed himself
upon a level with the Jew by striking him, he was called upon to give
him the satisfaction he had demanded. The meeting took place, and the
Israelite went to the ground with a host of his nation. Swords being
crossed, the Hebrew, notwithstanding the loud acclamations of his
tribe, could not be brought to stand, but retreated and fell back,
until his adversary brought him against a ditch, which at last halted
him. Here he would not show fight; and the officer would have run him
through the body, had not the crowd of Jews rushed to his relief; and
it was with great difficulty that the dragoon and his second could
effect their escape to a carriage in attendance.
It was during these turbulent times, and after the Revolution of
July, that my friend, Colonel Trobriant, shot Pélicier, of the Home
Department, the dispute having arisen about a popular song. Trobriant
wanted to fire in the air; but his adversary replied, “No cowardly
condescension, if you please, sir. Aim at me, sir, for I shall aim
at you.” Trobriant fired, and the ball entered the forehead of his
obstinate adversary.
Prefects, magistrates, editors, shopkeepers, had now descended into the
camp; and no situation of life, age, or condition, seemed to be matters
of consideration. Comte Leon, a supposed natural son of Napoleon,
fought several duels; one with the colonel of the National Guard of
St. Denis, and the other with an English officer of the 18th Hussars,
of the name of Hesse, who had lost to him eighteen thousand francs at
play. In this last meeting, it was decided in writing, that the parties
should be placed at thirty paces from each other, and advance to ten
paces. They both moved forward three paces, took aim, but did not
fire. Hesse made another step, and Leon did the same, when both firing,
Hesse received a wound in the left breast, and expired after three
days’ acute suffering. The widow prosecuted the survivor; but after a
short trial he was acquitted, Mrs. Hesse not appearing on behalf of the
prosecution.
In the singular duel between two persons of the names of Lethuillier
and Wattebaut, the survivor was condemned to ten years’ imprisonment.
The circumstances were the following:--Lethuillier and his wife kept
a _maison de santé_ at Pantin, and Wattebaut, who called himself a
man of letters, lodged with them. They were both staunch republicans,
and their uniformity in political opinions cemented a strict intimacy
between them. However, political affections did not prevent Wattebaut
from paying more than common attention to the fair wife of his host. A
dispute arose, when it was decided that they should fight with pistols,
and at the same time it was also agreed that no seconds should be
present at the meeting, to avoid the possibility of any reconciliation,
while at the same time the honour of Madame Lethuillier would not be
compromised by the circumstance being confided to others. The parties
met in the wood of Romainville; Wattebaut in vain sought to reconcile
matters by affirming his innocence in the most solemn manner; the
husband was inflexible. Wattebaut fired, and his ball entering the
right temple, grazed along the eye, passed through the root of the
nose, and came out by the left eye, Lethuillier being struck blind.
Wattebaut seeing him fall, fancied that he was dead, and fled; but the
wounded man contrived to crawl as far as the cemetery of Pantin, where
his groans attracted the notice of some persons passing by, who carried
him home. Lethuillier pursued his adversary before the tribunals,
maintaining that he had been treacherously wounded before he had taken
his ground, and after he had proposed to his adversary to fight across
a pocket handkerchief. Wattebaut, on the contrary, asserted that he had
fired according to the stipulated pre-arrangement, contradicting the
charges brought against him in every particular. Although no evidence
appeared on behalf of the plaintiff or the defendant, the latter was
condemned to ten years’ imprisonment.
Such was the fury of duelling during these times of excitement, that
two brothers actually engaged in a conflict of this nature: one of them
fired on his adversary, a dragoon in the 11th regiment, and having
missed him, knocked him down with a bludgeon, and only left him when he
considered him a corpse.
A duel was fought between Cadet Gassicourt the chemist, and one of the
Mayors of Paris, and his assistant, Viguier, about some repairs that
were required in their parish church; and in 1834 the president of the
_Cour Royale_ fought a barrister, when the judge was wounded by the
pleader. About the same period the celebrated meeting between General
Bugeaud and a lawyer of the name of Dulong took place. Both of them
were members of the Chamber of Deputies, and the quarrel arose in a
debate in the house regarding the treatment of the Duchess of Berry. As
this was what was called a parliamentary duel, the particulars of this
transaction are curious. The discussion arose on the subject of the
imprisonment of the duchess under the general’s custody, when a deputy
of the name of Larabit maintained that an officer was not obliged to
fulfil an ignoble mission. Soult replied, “A soldier’s first duty is
obedience;” on which Larabit observed, “The President of the Council
says that a military man should obey: this I readily grant; but when a
man is conscious of his rectitude, and is ordered to recede from his
duty, he should cease to obey his superiors.” “Never, never!” exclaimed
several members; on which Dulong added, with much warmth, “What! is a
man in obedience to the command of his superiors to become a gaoler and
degrade himself?”
This hasty expression was not distinctly heard by all the members
present, nor did it reach the ears of General Bugeaud until some friend
repeated the offensive language. The general immediately went over
and sat near Dulong, who gave a satisfactory explanation, disclaiming
any personal allusion. Here the matter would have rested, had not one
of the newspapers taken up the subject, when the general demanded a
written apology from Dulong, a request to which he immediately acceded
by transmitting to the editor of the paper a statement in which he
declared that he had meant nothing personal or offensive in his speech.
This letter was sent to the general, who forwarded it by M. de Rumigny,
one of the King’s aides-de-camp, to the editor of the _Journal des
Débats_. Soon afterwards an evening paper published the following
paragraph:
“The _Journal des Débats_ having reported yesterday that M. Dulong had
made use of language most insulting to General Bugeaud, it was this day
affirmed in the Chamber that the honourable general had insisted on an
apology on the part of M. Dulong, which will appear to-morrow in the
_Journal des Débats_.”
On reading this report, M. Dulong immediately addressed the editor of
the _Débats_ to request he would not publish his declaration, and the
general himself called at the office for the letter, and afterwards
waited upon M. Dulong. Seconds were appointed, and as matters could
not be settled to the satisfaction of all parties, a duel with pistols
was arranged to take place the following morning.
General Bugeaud, who was considered one of the most dexterous shots in
the army, suggested to M. Dulong the advantage that might result to him
from the use of swords; but Dulong, who as a lawyer knew nothing of the
use of arms, thought that the pistol would offer him a greater security.
The parties met at the Bois de Boulogne at the appointed hour, when
it was decided that they should be placed at forty paces from each
other, and on a given signal advance and fire whenever they thought
proper. General Bugeaud in the most honourable manner, and to give his
adversary every possible chance that the greater distance could afford,
fired at the second step, but unfortunately with too much precision, as
the unfortunate Dulong dropped wounded by a ball that had entered the
skull over the left eye, and he expired on the following morning. This
fatal event was clearly the work of political writers, who fomented
the hostile feelings of both parties, and whose conduct only admitted
of this extenuation, that they were always ready to fight amongst
themselves, or with any other political antagonist who wanted to decide
a question by recourse to arms.
This duel caused a considerable sensation in Paris; the King was
much censured for not having prevented it, as the chances were most
unequal between a skilful combatant and a literary man, who had never
handled sword or pistol. Moreover, the written apology of Dulong,
instead of being returned to him when the hostile meeting was decided
upon, remained in the hands of the general’s second; a most unfair
proceeding, since the ill-fated Dulong, who fought sooner than give
publicity to a statement which was reported to have been obtained by
threats, had the unquestionable right to demand the restoration of the
document; and this letter, which it was affirmed had been burnt in the
Palace of the Tuileries, appeared a few days after Dulong’s death in
several provincial papers.
In a former chapter, we have seen with what ferocity many duels were
fought in more barbarous times, yet at the period of which we are now
speaking, similar acts of desperation were not uncommon. Two officers
mortally wounded, insisted on being laid upon mattresses, that they
might continue to fire at each other, until one of the party expired.
Two other officers of high rank exchanged five shots, and the sixth
only took effect, proving fatal to one of them.
Duels were also fought in public. A fatal duel of this nature took
place between a M. de C----, an officer of light cavalry, and M. V----,
of Carcassone. It appeared, that while the regiment of M. C---- was
quartered in the latter town, he had courted a sister of M. V----,
and, under the promise of marriage, deceived her. The route arrived,
and the regiment marched to Hesdin, where V---- followed the seducer,
and insisted upon his marriage with his sister; to which proposal
C---- acceded, stating, that he only waited for the consent of his
family. A suspicious delay having taken place, M. de V---- followed him
to Paris, and demanded a categorical explanation of his intentions;
satisfaction was insisted upon, and C---- again renewed his promises,
fixing a period. This period having expired, M. de V----, accompanied
by his sister and mother, repaired to Hesdin, where the regiment was in
garrison. C---- continuing to hesitate, a meeting was fixed upon, near
the glacis of the town; the commanding officer and the mayor being both
apprised of a transaction which was considered unavoidable. The gates
of the town were closed after upwards of eighteen hundred persons had
assembled to witness the conflict.
On the ground, M. de V---- once more called upon De C---- to fulfil
his promise, and rescue his unfortunate sister from ignominy, adding,
that from his expertness in the use of the pistol, his life was at his
disposal; and he even proposed swords, to afford him a more equal
chance in the conflict. This remonstrance and generous conduct were of
no avail. M. de C----, it appears, had practised pistol firing for a
considerable length of time, and was equally certain of a successful
aim. Lots were drawn for the first fire, which fell upon C----, whose
ball grazed the head of his adversary, who firing in turn, shot his
dishonourable adversary through the head.
All distinction of rank appeared to be levelled; and a general officer
who was disappointed in his expectation of promotion, actually sent a
message to Marshal Soult, then minister of war, demanding either the
advancement he had memorialized for, or personal satisfaction. The
age and position of the marshal were sufficient motives to decline
this singular meeting; when the general thought proper to call out
the marshal’s son, the Marquis de Dalmatie, to fight for his father,
a challenge which, of course, was also refused; when the pugnacious
memorialist published an insulting letter addressed to the marquis, in
the usual language of what is called “posting;” but this outrageous
conduct was very properly treated with the contempt it deserved.
Such was the state of society in France after the restoration, and the
second revolution. There existed no authoritative power able to control
the discordant elements that agitated society. Disappointed ambition
on one side, and insulting prosperity on the other, came into daily
collision. There was no common enemy to fight beyond the frontier, and
intestine personal warfare had succeeded foreign military operations.
There existed a constant state of agitation and uncertainty which all
parties were anxious to subdue; and the editors of the public papers
were war-hounds, let loose to stir up universal commotion. Batons
of marshals and dukedoms were no longer to be obtained by the sword
wielded against national enemies, and civil pre-eminence was sought by
drawing it on any competitor who stood in the way of advancement. The
country was in a febrile state, and loss of blood seemed as necessary
to the body politic, as it might have been considered advisable in
the case of a morbid individual. There existed no safety-valve from
the high pressure of the times; and, fortunately for the country, the
occasional explosions that took place were of little importance, and
only served to improve the machinery, so ably conducted by its present
engineer, the King of the French. Any endeavour on his part, or that
of the Bourbons, after their restoration, to prevent parties from
coming into hostile collision, would have been worse than idle. It was
a storm, to which a calm might naturally be expected to succeed; and,
at the present period, duels in France are scarcely ever heard of; in
fact, they are not in fashion.
The French are naturally disposed to fight; and we have had sad proofs
of this sanguinary propensity during the late war, when their prisoners
on board the hulks, and in the several dépôts, converted every tool
or instrument into a sword; and nails, knives, razors, sharpened iron
hoops, were fixed at the end of sticks for the purpose of fighting;
fighting and gambling being their only amusements.
Many were the melancholy scenes that took place in 1814, when the
allies were in Paris; duels between the officers of the foreign powers
and those of the disbanded French army were incessant, and they
generally proved fatal to the strangers. The French were spending their
whole days and nights in fencing; and there is every reason to believe,
that, not satisfied with their own skill in fence, their _prevosts_, or
fencing-masters, assumed the uniform of officers to meet any imprudent
youth who was foolhardy enough to accept their challenges. Thus did
many an Austrian and Prussian officer fall in the Bois de Boulogne.
When the British army occupied the south of France, similar scenes were
witnessed, but more especially at Bordeaux, where the French officers
came over the Garonne, for the sole purpose of insulting and fighting
the English, who were, in many instances, absurd enough to meet their
wishes. It is, however, gratifying to state, that the fortune of arms
was generally in our favour; and, in many instances, when our young
officers had been so imprudent as to accept a challenge with the sword,
their superior bodily strength and utter ignorance of the polite rules
of duelling turned to their advantage; in several instances, they
rushed on their adversaries, broke through their guard, and cut them
down. In vain the French expostulated against this breach of _les
régles de l’escrime_, and called out “foul play;” our seconds usually
carried pistols in their pockets, and threatened to shoot any one who
interfered; and the French at last were tired of the experiment.[20]
After the campaign of Waterloo, the French were equally anxious to
recover by private deeds of courage their lost fame in battle; but past
experience had taught the British the folly of attending to their
insults. An unfortunate occurrence, however, took place at Cambrai.
Lieutenant G---- of the Guards was proceeding to the mess-room, when a
French officer in plain clothes followed him, making use of the most
insulting expressions; G---- turned round and asked him if his language
was addressed to him, when the ruffian replied, “To you, or any
English coward.” Instead of treating this rodomontade with sovereign
contempt, the young man agreed to meet him the following morning with
pistols. The report of this intended meeting was generally known in
the garrison; and it is deeply to be lamented, that the commanding
officer did not place the ardent youth under close arrest, but it
appears that he was satisfied with the assurance on the part of the
French _commissaire de police_, that the offending party should be
apprehended and sent out of the town. This, however, was not done, and
the meeting took place on the following morning. Although it had been
clearly stipulated that the weapons should be pistols, the Frenchman
came to the ground with unbuttoned foils, alleging that he could not
procure pistols. G---- very imprudently offered him one of his own,
and fell, mortally wounded, at the first discharge. It was observed,
that on their mutual fire, the Frenchman staggered a pace or two;
when collecting himself, he advanced to poor G----, who was expiring
in the arms of his companions, and said with much _sang-froid_, “Poor
young man! had we fought with swords, he would have been spared all
this agony.” What he meant by this expression it is difficult to say,
whether he would have killed him _outright_, or slightly wounded him.
The latter surmise, however, is not probable.
When a party of men came from the gate to bear away G----’s body, the
French officer exclaimed that “it would be treachery to apprehend him;”
but he was presently undeceived, and advised in the most honourable
manner to effect his escape as speedily as possible. The fellow,
however, seemed to confide in the protection of his countrymen and the
apathy of our commander, for he went publicly to the coffee-house,
boasting that, after killing a Prussian, an Austrian, a Spaniard, and
a Portuguese, he at last had been lucky enough to kill an Englishman.
During this conversation he exhibited a silk handkerchief pierced
with several shot-holes, and which he said had been grazed by his
adversary’s ball. This circumstance, connected with his having
staggered on G----’s fire, gives every reason to believe that he wore
a cuirass, our inexperienced officers not having insisted upon his
stripping, according to the established rule in French duels, when both
parties are obliged to show that they wear no protection.