Death Found Charles Henry Dickinson 30-May-1806

  Charles Henry Dickinson was born on 20-Dec-1780 in the Wiltshire Manor in Caroline County, Maryland. He would marry Jane Eriwin and become an Attorney and horse trade in his adulthood. He was best known for being a crack-shot with a pistol. He was a famous Duelist credited with killing 26 men before his death.
   He had moved to Tennessee and was running a horse farm. There had been a bet between Andrew Jackson and Charles's father-n-law over a horse race. Insults were exchanged later Charles would apologize. Later the feud would resume after a friend of Charles visited with Andrew after a scheduled race had been forfeited. It is believed that perhaps a misunderstanding led to the feud starting back up. Charles Dickinson would insult Andrew Jackson in a local paper. Some believe he also insulted Jackson's wife. What ever the case Jackson demanded satisfaction with a duel to defend his honor.
   Dueling was outlawed in Tennessee so the men would meet with their seconds in Adairville, Ky. Mr. Dickinson was not worried about Mr. Jackson to much as he prepared to put the 27th notch on his belt. Mr. Jackson's second devised a risky plan for the duel. He suggested that Andrew let Charles fire first. The theory was that perhaps the accomplished duelist would be in such a hurry that he would miss. The two men met with their seconds and took pistol's in hand. Charles would fire first and was believed to have missed Andrew. Charles would be required by the rules of dueling to stand still as Andrew took his shot. Andrew in raising his pistol only went to half cock. He raised it again bringing it to full cock. He fired his pistol striking Charles in the chest. Charles would would bleed to death with in a few minutes. The duel struck a blow to Andrew Jackson's reputation, many saying that he should not have been allowed to fully cock the pistol on a second try. They believed he could have also been gentlemen enough to have fired the shot in the air or simply wounding his foe. Andrew Jackson's second noticed shortly after the duel that blood was flowing into Jackson's boot. Charles Dickinson had not missed but hit Jackson. Jackson was standing sideways  giving a smaller target. The ball from Dickinson's pistol had struck Jackson in the ribs breaking three of them. The ball had then stopped inches from Jackson's heart. There was no way to operate that close to such a vital organ at that time. Jackson would carry the ball next to his heart for the rest of his life. He would also suffer great pain from the ball.
  On 30-May-1806 two men faced off in a duel with one cheating death and the other death found. Charles Dickinson was 26 years old at the time of his death. His wife Jane was pregnant with their only child. She would name their son Charles Dickson II after his father. He was survived by his wife, unborn son, family, and friends. May Charles Dickinson RIP!