Martial Arts Of The World - Webs
Martial Arts Of The World - Webs Martial Arts Of The World - Webs
98 Dueling duels in late eighteenth-century Germany, or for that matter any musical contest, such as the Eskimo song duel, do not qualify as true duels. Differently equipped champions from different military forces, such as David and Goliath (First Book of Samuel, Old Testament), probably should also not be considered duelists, whereas similarly equipped Zulu warriors carrying shields and throwing spears who have stepped forward from their ranks to challenge each other can perhaps be considered duelists. It is harder, though, to decide whether military snipers with scoped rifles hunting each other in Vietnam or fighter pilots in that war or in earlier wars are duelists. Perhaps they should not be considered such because no rules are followed—ambushing whether in the jungle or from behind clouds being the primary tactic—rather than because of minor differences in weapons. Duels are staged, not for the public, but before select witnesses, assistants (called in English seconds), and physicians. News of a duel, however, becomes public when word spreads of a wounding or fatality. Although duels are almost always between individuals, there is the possibility that they could be between teams. American popular literature and its movies abound with gunfights. Are these duels? When the Earp brothers met the Clanton and McLaury brothers for a gunfight at the OK Corral, was this a duel? Probably not, because witnesses and the other members of the typical duelist’s entourage were not invited. Later, both Morgan and Virgil Earp were ambushed in separate encounters, with Morgan killed and Virgil crippled. Wyatt later killed the presumed assailants, probably in ambushes. Although equal rank is not given as a defining attribute by Webster’s, nearly all scholars who have studied the duel emphasize that duelists are from the same social class. If a lower-class person issues a challenge to an upper-class person, it is ignored and seen as presumptuous. The custom of dueling has died out in the English-speaking world, but when it was prevalent, it was considered bad form to challenge royalty, representatives of the Crown such as royal governors, and clergy. Indeed, it was treason to contemplate the death of the king or one of his family members. If the challenge came from a social equal, it might be hard to ignore. If the upper-class person chose not to ignore the lower-class person’s challenge or insults, he might assault him with a cane or horsewhip. The notion that gentlemen caned or horsewhipped men of lesser social status had symbolic significance. Any person hit with a cane or lashed with a whip was being told in a very rough and public way that he did not rank as high as his attacker; hence the importance of the choice of weapons by southern senator Preston Brooks for his merciless attack on New England senator Charles Sumner in Washington in 1856. Sumner, in a speech, had used such words as “harlot,” “pirate,” “falsifier,” “assassin,” and “swindler” to describe elderly South Carolina sen-
A Code of Honor—A Duel in the Bois de Boulogne, Near Paris. This illustration of a typical duel appeared in the January 8, 1875, edition of Harper’s Weekly and clearly shows all the elements of a “duel.” (Harper’s Weekly) ator Andrew Pickens Butler. Preston Brooks, Butler’s nephew, sought out Sumner and is reputed to have said: “Mr. Sumner, I have read your speech carefully, and with as much calmness as I could be expected to read such a speech. You have libeled my State, and slandered my relation, who is aged and absent, and I feel it to be my duty to punish you for it.” The punishment followed, and Sumner was caned senseless (Williams 1980, 26). General Andrew Jackson, future president of the United States, attempted in 1813 to horsewhip Thomas H. Benton, a future U.S. senator, but Benton reached for a pistol while Jackson dropped the whip and drew his own firearm. Benton’s younger brother Jesse, who had the grudge against Jackson, was on the scene; he shot Jackson with a pistol loaded with a slug of lead and two bullets. Jackson’s shoulder was shattered and his left arm pierced, but he refused amputation. Fifteen years later, when both Andrew and Thomas were U.S. senators, they became reconciled. During Jackson’s presidency (1829–1837), Benton was a staunch supporter, and on Jackson’s death in 1847 Benton eulogized him. Both Jackson and Benton killed men in duels. Although motives for challenging and accepting a duel can vary, honor is most frequently mentioned. For members of an upper class, honor is directly linked to class membership. Dueling not only defines who is in Dueling 99
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98 Dueling<br />
duels in late eighteenth-century Germany, or for that matter any musical<br />
contest, such as the Eskimo song duel, do not qualify as true duels. Differently<br />
equipped champions from different military forces, such as David and<br />
Goliath (First Book of Samuel, Old Testament), probably should also not<br />
be considered duelists, whereas similarly equipped Zulu warriors carrying<br />
shields and throwing spears who have stepped forward from their ranks to<br />
challenge each other can perhaps be considered duelists. It is harder,<br />
though, to decide whether military snipers with scoped rifles hunting each<br />
other in Vietnam or fighter pilots in that war or in earlier wars are duelists.<br />
Perhaps they should not be considered such because no rules are followed—ambushing<br />
whether in the jungle or from behind clouds being the<br />
primary tactic—rather than because of minor differences in weapons.<br />
Duels are staged, not for the public, but before select witnesses, assistants<br />
(called in English seconds), and physicians. News of a duel, however,<br />
becomes public when word spreads of a wounding or fatality. Although duels<br />
are almost always between individuals, there is the possibility that they<br />
could be between teams. American popular literature and its movies<br />
abound with gunfights. Are these duels? When the Earp brothers met the<br />
Clanton and McLaury brothers for a gunfight at the OK Corral, was this a<br />
duel? Probably not, because witnesses and the other members of the typical<br />
duelist’s entourage were not invited. Later, both Morgan and Virgil Earp<br />
were ambushed in separate encounters, with Morgan killed and Virgil crippled.<br />
Wyatt later killed the presumed assailants, probably in ambushes.<br />
Although equal rank is not given as a defining attribute by <strong>Webs</strong>ter’s,<br />
nearly all scholars who have studied the duel emphasize that duelists are<br />
from the same social class. If a lower-class person issues a challenge to an<br />
upper-class person, it is ignored and seen as presumptuous. <strong>The</strong> custom of<br />
dueling has died out in the English-speaking world, but when it was prevalent,<br />
it was considered bad form to challenge royalty, representatives of the<br />
Crown such as royal governors, and clergy. Indeed, it was treason to contemplate<br />
the death of the king or one of his family members. If the challenge<br />
came from a social equal, it might be hard to ignore. If the upper-class<br />
person chose not to ignore the lower-class person’s challenge or insults, he<br />
might assault him with a cane or horsewhip.<br />
<strong>The</strong> notion that gentlemen caned or horsewhipped men of lesser social<br />
status had symbolic significance. Any person hit with a cane or lashed<br />
with a whip was being told in a very rough and public way that he did not<br />
rank as high as his attacker; hence the importance of the choice of weapons<br />
by southern senator Preston Brooks for his merciless attack on New England<br />
senator Charles Sumner in Washington in 1856.<br />
Sumner, in a speech, had used such words as “harlot,” “pirate,” “falsifier,”<br />
“assassin,” and “swindler” to describe elderly South Carolina sen-