The Duke of Buckingham addressed a letter to the Duke of Bedford, demanding whether this language was used in allusion to him. The Duke of Bedford answered that it was, and that he stated the facts because he believed them to be true. A challenge was, in consequence, sent and accepted. The duel took place in Kensington Gardens, at a retired spot previously fixed upon. The Duke of Bedford left St. James’s-square, at half-past seven on Thursday morning, accompanied by Lord Lyndock, and drove directly to Kensington Gardens; where the Duke of Buckingham arrived about the same time, attended by Sir Watkin Williams Wynn.
BETWEEN M. BENJAMIN CONSTANT AND M. FORBIN DES ISSARTS.
June 6, 1822.
On the 6th of June, after the sitting of the Chamber of Deputies, Benjamin Constant, the celebrated French political writer, demanded satisfaction of M. Forbin des Issarts, for a letter inserted in the Paris journal, the Quotidienne of the preceding day. Without any other explanation, the honourable deputies proceeded on the following morning to the ground. M. Benjamin Constant was accompanied by General Sebastiani and M. Girardin, and M. Forbin des Issarts by General the Count de Bethisy and Colonel Chemoin. M. Benjamin Constant being lame, he and his adversary were placed at ten paces distant on chairs. They fired together by signal: neither was hurt, and M. Benjamin Constant appearing satisfied, the seconds decided that the combat ought to terminate. According to the French journals, nothing could exceed the sang-froid that was manifested by the honourable deputies.
BETWEEN M. PINAC AND AN ENGLISHMAN.
July, 1822.
The following account of a fatal duel which took place in the town of Bagnères, in the department of Upper Pyrenees, is given in a letter to the editor of the Journal des Débats, of the 29th of July:—“A deplorable event has just taken place in this town. The unfortunate young Pinac was interred this day; having been killed in a duel with an Englishman. The affair did not arise out of any personal quarrel. The Englishman, whose name is not known, being in the reading-room of Frescati, wrote on the margin of a pamphlet relating to the battle of Toulouse, that ‘Every thing in it was false; that Lord Wellington had gained a complete victory; and that the French army was indebted to his generosity for not having been put to the sword.’ M. Pinac, a young officer, not in actual service, on being made acquainted with this circumstance, called the Englishman to account for having written these words. The authorities did every thing in their power to prevent the duel; but their precautions proved ineffectual, and Pinac, having received a ball in his belly, died some hours afterwards.”
BETWEEN GENERAL PEPE AND GENERAL CARASCOSA.
February, 1823.
In the year 1821, the Neapolitan general, Carascosa, announced his determination of calling out Lieutenant-General Pepe, late commander of the Neapolitan forces. Very shortly after General Pepe’s arrival in London, which was on the 1st of February, 1823, he received a letter from General Carascosa, in which that officer, after charging General Pepe with conduct injurious to his reputation, avowed his opinion that military revolutions were, in all cases, contrary to the principles of honour; and that any change in the government of Naples was unnecessary, still less in that of Spain. The letter concluded with a challenge in the usual terms. To this letter General Pepe replied, by declaring his opinion, that every free state was indebted for its liberty to military revolution, not excepting even England; that the Spaniards were now a prey to civil anarchy, only because certain individuals calling themselves Liberals were, in fact, hostile to the constitution of the Cortes; and that he had employed the authority which his rank and his command had given him at Naples, to resist the despotism of a government which, while it rendered the people miserable, was of no actual advantage to the reigning dynasty. He concluded by accepting the challenge.
On the 20th of February, the generals met. Count Santa Rosa, ex-minister of war of Piedmont, attended General Pepe, and M. Brunet, a French gentleman, General Carascosa. The weapons were swords, and the combatants engaged; but at the second pass, General Pepe’s sword snapped short near the guard; upon which the seconds interfered, and the combat, as is usual in such cases, was deferred.
A second meeting took place on the 28th of February, not far from Kew Bridge. On engaging, General Carascosa attacked with great impetuosity; but after several passes on both sides, General Pepe, seizing his adversary’s sword with his left hand, disarmed him, and placing the point of his sword at his breast, had his life in his power. Here the affair would have terminated, but General Carascosa, on recovering his sword, renewed the combat; which was warmly maintained, until he was finally disabled by a thrust from General Pepe in the right shoulder. General Pepe, seeing his adversary incapable of further defence, declined availing himself of his advantage; and thus the duel terminated.