Time Travel: 10 paces into Savannah history

Posted: October 12, 2013 - 2:24am

“He is a scoundrel and a lying rascal!”

This is how Lachlan McIntosh allegedly described Button Gwinnett while addressing the Georgia Assembly. Savannah’s most famous duel followed soon thereafter.

The person offended by disdainful remarks or actions had the right to demand a duel with the perpetrator. If a demand for a duel was sent, the perpetrator had two choices: Accept or decline. If the duel was accepted, the perpetrator had the right to choose which weapons would be used. Swords, shotguns and dueling pistols were the normal options.

Gwinnett was born in 1735 in Gloucestershire, England, and arrived in America in 1765. A skilled politician, he was appointed to serve as commander of the Georgia militia and also served as a representative of Georgia in the Continental Congress. Gwinnett was one of three Savannahians to sign the Declaration Of Independence.

McIntosh came to the Colony via Bradenoch, Scotland, and secured work as a surveyor. In 1776 he attained the high rank of brigadier general of the Georgia Continental forces.

The aforementioned famous Button Gwinnett-Lachlan McIntosh pistol duel occurred at sunrise on May 16, 1777. Surprisingly, it is alleged to have occurred at a range of only 10 to 12 feet — pretty difficult to miss even if you are not a skilled marksman. Each fired and each shot the other in the leg, but Gwinnett’s thigh injury caused him to fall to the ground. McIntosh is reputed to have asked Gwinnett if he chose to take another shot, to which the latter is said to have responded “yes” or words to that effect. At this point the seconds stopped the duel, to the dismay of Gwinnett.

The victor? Clearly it was McIntosh because he survived while Gwinnett perished a few days later from gangrene suffered as a result of his leg wound.

Dueling contestants often fired from roughly 30-35 feet. The distance added some interest to the duels since occasionally neither shooter connected on the first few rounds. Also factor in the state of development of the dueling pistols. In 1814 Samuel Bryan was killed in a duel when his weapon misfired during the first two rounds, but his opponent’s did not!

In 1792 James Jackson and Savannah Mayor Thomas Gibbons missed each other three times and figured three strikes and you’re out. Duel concluded. This was probably a good outcome for Gibbons in that Jackson’s dueling record would have rendered him a regular on ESPN’s “SportsCenter” highlight reels. Depending on which account you believe, Jackson is reported to have killed anywhere from 11 to 23 of his dueling adversaries. Jackson was probably at the top of the leader board in dueling Colonial Georgia.

As a matter of fact, Jackson in 1780 killed George Wells with the first shot. Remember Button Gwinnett? Wells served as his second in that fateful duel three years earlier.

Maybe Gen. Nathanael Greene had it right. He was challenged to a duel and declined. He informed his challenger that even though he was not engaging in a duel, he would be fully armed at all times and was not afraid to fire if the situation warranted it.

The name of his challenger? James Gunn. History does have a sense of humor.


Up to 46% off subscriptions to the Savannah Morning News

BiS Local Business Directory

Connect with savannahnow.com