The duel is shortly described by a witness, “John Reynolds _of_ Price’s
_Lodge in the_ Park, Swore, That hearing of a Quarrel, he and one
_Nicholson_, got Staves and ran to part them: that he _Reynolds_ was
within 30 or 40 yards of Duke _Hamilton_ and my Lord _Mohun_ when they
fell. That my Lord _Mohun_ fell into the ditch upon his back, and Duke
_Hamilton_ fell near him, leaning over him. That the two seconds ran in
to them; and immediately after them this _John Reynolds_, who demanded
the Seconds’ Swords, which they gave him, without any Resistance. He
then wrested the Duke’s Sword out of his Hand, and _Nicholson_ took away
my Lord _Mohun’s_, and gave it to _Reynolds_, who carried the four
swords some distance from the parties: He return’d and help’d Duke
_Hamilton_ up, who still lay on his Face. He got him up, and he walk’d
about 30 Yards: they desir’d him to walk farther, and he said he could
walk no farther.”
By this witness, supported by two others, we see no mention of General
Macartney stabbing the Duke, as represented in the illustration, and as
it was currently reported at the time. Macartney fled; but Col. Hamilton
remained, stood his trial, and was found guilty of manslaughter. He
accused Macartney of the foul deed, and great was the hue and cry after
him. The Duchess was naturally enraged, and offered a reward of £300 for
his apprehension, the Government supplementing her offer by an
additional £500, but Macartney got away safely. When things were
quieter, he returned, stood his trial at the Queen’s Bench, Colonel
Hamilton’s testimony was contradicted, and he was acquitted of the
murder, but found guilty of manslaughter. The punishment for this, by
pleading benefit of Clergy, which, of course, was always done, was
reduced to a very minimum--something amounting to the supposed burning
of the hand with a barely warm, or cold iron--and he was restored to his
rank in the army, and had a regiment given him.
[Illustration: decorative bar]
CHAPTER V.
Duelling in Hyde Park.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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