Last Notable Duel in America

Two twin granite shafts stand at the southern tip of Lake Merced in the southwestern part of San Francisco.

One of these stones bears the name Terry in bronze letters, its twin bears the name Broderick again in bronze letters.

A duel that occurred between these two men resulted in a haunting.

Justice Terry
SF Public Library
 and History Center.

U.S. Senator David C. Broderick was fatally wounded on this spot when California’s ex- Supreme Court Chief Justice David S. Terry challenged him to a duel, in the mid-1850s.

This duel was the result of a bitter struggle that was occurring within the state’s Democratic Party—over the hotly debated issue of slavery.

Justice Terry was the privileged son of a Kentucky family who made their fortune and prospered because of slave labor.

He wore fine clothes and was an educated gentleman, and was pro-slavery.

Senator Broderick
SF Public Library
and History Center

In contrast, Senator Broderick was the son of a stonemason. He did not wear fine clothes or have fancy manners. He had been baptized into politics via New York City’s rough Tammany Hall.

He was a friend of the civil rights activist leader, Frederick Douglass. He was firmly against slavery.

Broderick and Terry were originally good friends and allies in the Democratic Party, but when the issue of slavery became a hot topic, their relationship changed.

When Terry was not re-elected he publically blamed Broderick. This resulted in a bitter, accusatory battle between the two.

Justice Terry attacked Broderick for socializing with African-Americans, and for his advocating for freeing the slaves.

Senator Broderick hit back defending his beliefs and then questioned Terry’s judgment, ethics, and ancestry.

Terry then challenged Broderick to a duel. Broderick accepted, knowing he would be marked a coward if he didn’t.

At dawn, on September 13, 1859, the two men stood 10 yards apart near Lake Merced.

Belgium .58 caliber pistols were used. Both men were excellent marksmen, but Terry had practiced with one gun the day before—Broderick hadn’t.

Both pistols had hair-triggers but Broderick’s gun was more delicate and his seconds, inexperienced, did not grasp the significance of this difference.

Broderick fired first—but the gun fired as he raised his arm, and his bullet hit the ground near Terry.

Terry then shot Broderick, and he fell to the ground, wounded. He died three days later. He stated on his deathbed, “They have killed me because I oppose slavery . . .”

After his death, 30,000 people crowded into Portsmouth Square to listen to Broderick’s funeral oration.

Several witnesses to this duel were outraged and accused Terry of tampering with the pistols. He was arrested and put on trial, but the case was dismissed.

After Broderick’s death, a public and legislative outcry resulted in duels being outlawed. This is why this case is known as “The Last Notable American Duel.”

Eighteen months after this duel, American’s were fighting the Civil War to decide the issue of slavery.

Broderick’s ghost has been seen in various places.

One story states Broderick is still standing up for racial equality. His ghost has been seen joining civil rights demonstrations and marching.

His ghost is also seen on foggy fall mornings, near the spot where he lost his life. He is seen shooting into the ground and then clutching his chest in agony.  Finally, he is seen collapsing to the ground.

Most who have seen his ghost near the lake were not aware of this history.

The two granite obelisks mark where each man stood.
Photo: The BrokenlnaGlory

The site where Broderick was wounded, is a registered California Historical Landmark.

The pistols that were used in this duel were auctioned off in San Francisco in 1998 for $34,000.

SF Public Library
and History Center

St. Simons Island Light, Part ll

History

St. Simons' lighthouse.

The St. Simons Island Light is a lighthouse on the southern tip of St. Simons Island, Georgia.

It guides ships into St. Simons Sound and warns them of the many sandbars in the area. This lighthouse is still used today.

The original lighthouse was built in 1810 and was 75 feet tall. It was octagonal in shape and was topped off by a 10-foot oil-burning lamp.

During the American Civil War, this lighthouse was destroyed. During a battle, Union soldiers drove back the Confederates. The Confederates then destroyed this lighthouse so the Union troops that took over the area could not use it to guide their warships.

In 1872, the U.S. government constructed a new lighthouse just west of the original location. This lighthouse is 104 feet tall, made of brick and has a 3^rd order biconvex lens. This lens is one of 70 that are still in use today in the U.S.

The St. Simons Island Light is haunted by one of its former keepers, Frederick Osborne.

In March of 1880, Osborne was killed in a duel.

The reason for this duel is uncertain. One version states that Osborne made an inappropriate comment to his assistant light-keepers wife. This man, John Stephens then challenged him to fight.

In another version, it is stated that it was Stephens who made unwanted advances to Osborne’s wife.

Regardless, the two men stood 98 feet apart--Osborne held a pistol and Stephens held a shotgun loaded with buckshot. Stephen hit his mark. Osborne was fatally wounded.

Stephen was later acquitted of any charges, but this did not end it for him.

When Stephens took over as light-keeper, he often reported hearing the sounds of footsteps ascending and descending the steps that lead to the top of the lighthouse.

Till his death, he firmly believed this was Osborne’s ghost.

In later years, another lighthouse keeper by the name of Svendsen claimed that Osborne’s ghost constantly harassed his dog, Jinx.

Multi-witnesses have claimed to hear footsteps on the tower’s staircase.

The U.S. Coast Guard took over the running of the lighthouse in 1939. Guardsmen at this time reported hearing the sound of footsteps while they did routine maintenance on the light.

Many believe Osborne still lingers because he wants to make sure the light is cared for.

In the early 1970s, the Coastal Georgia Historical Society spent three years restoring the 2-story Victorian light-keepers cottage--in 1984 this building became a museum. Tourists for a small fee can now climb the 129 steps to the top of the lighthouse.

Lighthouse today

The view of St. Simons Sound and the surrounding area is breathtaking.

In 2010, the lighthouse tower was fully restored--great pains were taken to protect the rare biconvex lens.

In 2013, a paranormal group called LDL captured activity on a video they took of the lighthouse. They use a P- SB7 Spirit Box to communicate with the ghosts. Information about this box is in another post here.

Photograph by
Lawrence G. Miller

On this box, they captured what they feel is Frederick Osborne’s voice. They also obtained evidence of another ghost that haunts the lighthouse.

This ghost is Lisa Register. She is believed to have committed suicide by jumping off the top of the lighthouse in 1999.

Here is a link to this video on YouTube.

In Part l, I share another ghost story connected to St. Simons Island entitled, Light in the Graveyard.

The Ghost of Aaron Burr

By the time Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton met on an open field to duel the two men had been political and personal enemies for over a decade. 

This fight ended Burr’s political career. After the duel, Burr became very bitter. It is for this reason that many state his ghost still haunts the New York area.

Alexander Hamilton was a Federalist and Aaron Burr was a Republican. These two men first clashed in 1791 when Burr was elected to the U.S. Senate. His opponent was Hamilton’s powerful father-in-law Philip Schuyler. 

Then in 1800, Hamilton wrote a highly critical piece about President John Adams. This piece was meant for private eyes only, but Burr published it. This caused great embarrassment for Hamilton and caused a rift in the Federalist Party.

When Burr and Thomas Jefferson tied in balloting for the presidency Hamilton lobbied Congress aggressively to vote for Jefferson. His campaign had little effect, but Jefferson did emerge the winner. Burr then became the third vice-president. 

By 1804 the feud between these two became violent.

When it became clear that President Jefferson was going to drop Burr from the ticket for his second term in 1804, Burr decided to run for governor of New York. 

Burr turned his back on the Republican Party and ran as an Independent instead. Hamilton waged a campaign to try and convince New York’s Federalists not to support Burr’s bid. But again his campaign failed. Burr’s bid for governor failed as well.

By this point, the two men hated each other. 

In April of 1804, the Albany Register published a letter from Dr. Charles D. Cooper in which he told Philip Schuyler that Hamilton had given a speech where he stated that Burr was “a dangerous man, one who ought not be trusted with the reins of government.” 

Burr in April sent a request to Hamilton asking him if he had actually said this. In a round of heated letters, Hamilton neither denied nor admitted this statement.

Since Burr did not get the apology that he was seeking he challenged Hamilton to a duel. Hamilton had no choice but to accept to save face. 

Duels by this time had been outlawed by the states of New York and New Jersey but Burr for some reason felt his challenge would revive his waning political career. 

The two men faced each other on the morning of July 11^th outside Weehawken, New Jersey. Each man fired a shot-- Hamilton hit the ground mortally wounded--he died the next day.

Burr walked away unscathed at least this is what he thought initially. He was charged with murder, he then fled to visit his daughter in South Carolina. * 

Later he returned to Washington to complete his term as vice-president. The charges against him were eventually dropped, but he never again held elective office. 

In 1807 he was charged with treason, he had attempted to create a new country in the center of North America--including the Southwest and parts of Mexico, but he was acquitted. 

Not surprising, Burr is considered one of Americas most controversial Founding Fathers.

Burr’s ghost is seen in several locations. The Morris-Jumel mansion located in northern Manhattan is one of these places. 

In 1833, at the age of 77, Burr married one of America’s wealthiest widows, Eliza Jumel. But it wasn’t long before Eliza realized that her new husband’s land speculation deals were draining her fortune. 

The two separated just four months after they married. Their divorce was finalized on September 11, 1836, the same day that Aaron Burr died. His ghost is only one of several spirits that are seen at the Morris-Jumel home. **

Another area that Burr’s ghost is seen is in New York City’s West Village. Several witnesses have stated that they have observed him wandering through the streets in the Village. One restaurant, located on Barrow Street called One If By Land, Two If By Sea has laid claim to his ghost.

Many accounts state this restaurant is located in what was once Burr’s Carriage House. Actually, this Carriage House wasn’t built until after Burr sold the property. 

Employees over the years have encountered Burr’s ghost in the basement of this structure. It is said he likes to trip people as they walk down the stairs. Several workers have quit after this happened to them.

After the duel, Burr first fled to New Hope, Pennsylvania. It was here he found a safe haven in a private residence. Today this house is known as the Aaron Burr House. Burr’s spirit has been seen in this home, now a Bed and Breakfast, over the years.

*  I wrote another post about the ghost of Aaron Burr’s daughter Theodosia Burr Alston here.

** The Morris-Jumel house has a fascinating history. It is stated that Eliza killed her first husband for his money--her ghost also haunts this mansion. Her story is told here.