Charles Dickinson (historical figure)

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Charles Dickinson (1780-May 30, 1806), was a 19th Century American and nationally famous duelist. An expert marksman, Dickinson's dueling career ended with 26 kills, at the hands of future president Andrew Jackson.

Life

Born at Wiltshire Manor, Dickinson grew up in the Grove community of Caroline County, Maryland. He was a successful planter, renowned duelist, and a popular socialite.

Death

Jackson's political opponents convinced Dickinson to insult Jackson's wife assuming Jackson would not survive. At a party near Hillsboro, Maryland, at the Daffin House plantation, he met Andrew Jackson and struck up a conversation about horse racing. Later the two would meet again when Dickinson had relocated to Nashville, Tennessee. A horse race was set up between the two men, but Dickinson pulled his entry out at the last minute.[link] Both men, enraged after trading public insults subsequent to the scrapped race, agreed to a duel. Dickinson fired first, and Jackson took one ball in the ribs.[link] Without wavering, Jackson then fatally wounded Dickinson with a .70-caliber shot to his middle, severing an artery. He died a few hours later, the only man Jackson ever killed in any of his 103 duels.

References

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