Graham's Magazine, Vol. XXI, No. 4, October 1842Various
General
Graham's Magazine, Vol. XXI, No. 4, October 1842
Various
Literature -- Periodicals; Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals
In person, Somers was a man of middle stature—rather below than above
it—but stout of frame; exceedingly active, and muscular. His nose was
inclining to the aquiline, his eyes and hair were dark, and his whole
face bore marks of the cross of the French blood that was said to run in
his veins. It is a remarkable circumstance in the career of this
distinguished young officer, that no one has any thing to urge against
him. He was mild, amiable and affectionate, both in disposition and
deportment, though of singularly chivalrous notions of duty and honor.
It has been said by a writer who has had every opportunity of
ascertaining the fact, that when a very young man he fought three duels
in one day—almost at the same time—being wounded himself in the two
first, and fighting the last, seated on the ground, sustained by his
friend Decatur. Although such an incident could only have occurred with
very young men, and perhaps under the exaggerations of a very young
service, it was perfectly characteristic of Somers. There was nothing
vindictive in these duels. He fired but once at each adversary—he
wounded the last man—and was himself, in a physical sense, the
principal sufferer. The quarrels arose from his opponents imputing to
him a want of spirit for not resenting some idle expression of
Decatur’s, who was the last man living to intend to hurt Somers’
feelings. They loved each other as brothers, and Decatur proved it, by
offering to fight the two last duels for his friend, after the latter
had received his first wound. But Somers fought for honor, and was
determined that the men who doubted him, should be convinced of their
mistake. Apart from the error of continuing the affairs after the first
injury, and the general moral mistake of supposing that a moral injury
can be repaired in this mode at all, these duels had the chivalrous
character that should ever characterize such meetings, if meetings of
this nature are really necessary to human civilization.
Although it is scarcely possible that a warm-hearted young man, like
Somers, should not have felt a preference for some person of the other
sex, it is not known that he had any serious attachment when he lost his
life. Glory appears to have been his mistress, for the time being at
least, and he led no one of this nature behind him to mourn his early
loss. He died possessed of a respectable landed property, and one of
increasing value; all of which he bequeathed to the only sister
mentioned.
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