On the 17th instant, a duel took place between the Duke of York and Colonel Lennox. Lord Rawdon was second to the Duke of York, and the Earl of Winchilsea to Colonel Lennox.
The dispute originated in an expression of the Duke of York, that “Colonel Lennox had heard words spoken to him at Daubigny’s, to which no gentleman ought to have submitted.” This observation being repeated to Colonel Lennox, he took the opportunity, while his Royal Highness was on the parade to address him, desiring to know what were the words which he submitted to hear, and by whom they were spoken. To this his Royal Highness gave no other answer than by ordering him to his post. The parade being over, his Royal Highness went into the Orderly-room; and sending for the Colonel, intimated to him, in the presence of all the officers, that he desired to derive no protection from his rank as a prince, and his station as commanding officer; but that, when not on duty, he wore a brown coat, and was ready, as a private gentleman, to give the Colonel satisfaction.
After this declaration, Colonel Lennox wrote a circular letter to every member of the club at Daubigny’s, requesting to know whether such words had been used to him, and appointing a particular day for an answer from each; their silence to be considered as a declaration that no such words could be recollected.
On the expiration of the term limited for an answer to the circular letter, the Colonel sent a written message to his Royal Highness to this purport—that not being able to recollect any occasion on which words had been spoken to him at Daubigny’s, to which a gentleman ought not to submit, he had taken the step which had appeared to him most likely to gain information of the words to which his Royal Highness had alluded, and of the person who had used them; that none of the members of the club had given him information of any such insult being in their knowledge; and therefore he expected, in justice to his character, that his Royal Highness should contradict the report as publicly as he had stated it.
This letter was delivered to his Royal Highness by the Earl of Winchilsea; when, the answer returned not proving satisfactory, a message was sent to his Royal Highness desiring a meeting, and the time and place were settled that evening.
The meeting took place on Wimbledon Common. The Duke of York received Colonel Lennox’s fire, but did not fire himself; the ball from Colonel Lennox grazed his Royal Highness’s curl.
Some days after this Colonel Lennox made a requisition to the Duke of York, as Colonel of the Coldstream Regiment, that his Royal Highness would permit a call of the officers of that corps, in order that certain propositions touching his conduct and situation might be submitted to their consideration.
His Royal Highness informed the friend of Mr. Lennox,—that he could not possibly oppose any design which might tend to relieve Mr. Lennox from his present embarrassment. The meeting of this military convention was held at the Orderly-room; and after much deliberation, adjourned to the 1st of June; when, considerable discussion having taken place, the convention came to the following resolution:—“It is the opinion of the Coldstream Regiment, that subsequent to the 15th of May, the day of the meeting at the Orderly-room, Lieut.-Colonel Lennox has behaved with courage; but, from the peculiar difficulty of his situation, not with judgment.”
Colonel Lennox soon after exchanged his company in the Duke of York’s regiment, for the commission of Lieut.-Colonel in the 35th Regiment of Foot.