history!
spotted on my first bike ride around town. the site is in bladensburg, maryland, conveniently located outside a cvs parking lot.
Dueling Grounds
On this site, now part of Anacostia River Park, more than 50 duels were fought during the first half of the 19th century. Here, on what became known as "The Dark and Bloody Grounds," gentleman of Washington settled their political and personal differences. One of the most famous disputes was that between Commodores Stephen Decatur and James Barron. Decatur, who had gained fame as the conqueror of the Barbary pirates, was fatally wounded by his antagonist. Although Congress passed an anti-dueling law in 1839, duels continued here until just before the Civil War.
decatur: namesake for the illinois town, war of 1812 hero, bad at shooting.
barron: old man, duel winner.
bladensburg's popularity as a dueling site was purely geographic:
Dueling was banned in Washington, but not in Maryland, which was a short carriage ride away. Irate legislators could simply shuttle out to Bladensburg and fire at will. (PBS)
and fire at will they did:
In June, 1836, 22-year-old Daniel Key, a son of Francis Scott Key [Star Spangled Banner composer], was killed in a senseless duel with a fellow Annapolis cadet, of the United States Naval Academy, John Sherbourne, over a question regarding steamboat speed. (wikipedia)
fascinating stuff, but i didn't see any ghosts.
maybe they were inside cvs.
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