Dueling

   "Mister Jackson. Will you please be my second and teach me how to duel?" asked a distraught Aaron Hamilton.
   "Dueling is not for boys. It is an honored way for gentlemen to settle their differences." answered the future President, Andrew Jackson.
   "But a Mister Gregory King has dishonored me and my family. Refusing me the hand of marriage to his daughter Rachel and calling my family unworthy of being called patriots because my father, Pastor William Hamilton, did not fight in the war of independence against England."
   "Yes, I know your father well." said Andrew. "He is a pacifist. Being a Pastor, a man of the cloth, he should not be expected to fight in any war."
   "I must protect and redeem my family's honor." stated Aaron.
   "You must think about this Aaron." said the fatherly Jackson. "If you kill Rachel's father, will she not hate you for this?"
   "I have already resigned to the idea of losing the hand in marriage with the beautiful Rachel." Aaron says sadly. "She no longer reciprocates my undying love for her."
   "Okay. I will be at Shepherd's Field at 10 minutes to noon tomorrow." Jackson replies. "I just hope your aim is true."
   The sun was high in the sky at ten minutes to noon, beating the sweat down upon the four men's faces, here for a duel. The wind, was barely blowing the leaves along the tobacco fields on Shepherd's farm. A perfect fall day.
   "You have not given me any advice on how to duel Mister Jackson?" questioned Aaron.
   "If your aim is true, you will hit your target." replied Andrew. "Just remember, after the count of 20 paces and you turn to shoot, station your body like you are holding a sword. Stand sideways to Mister King. It will give him less of a target to shoot at."
   The four men meet in the center of an open field. The two duelists grab a pistol each and line up back to back.
   Gregory's second can be heard starting the countdown.
   "One, two, three,......eighteen, nineteen, twenty!"

   This is,

My Version Of Historical Fiction

Jim Hauenstein,

And,

“Until the Civil War there was scarcely a man in public life in New Orleans or Louisiana who had not fought at least one duel; most of them had engaged in several.”
- Herbert Asbury -

That is my story and I am sticking to it!

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