Have you ever found yourself fascinated with the many historical vignettes about people having duels to settle their conflicts? Read on to learn about five of the most famous (and infamous) duels of all time: 

 

Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton, 1804

The duel between Vice President Aaron Burr and prominent political figure Alexander Hamilton is one of the most well known duels in American history. The men were political adversaries for a long time and the tension between them reached its peak when Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel. The two met in a field in New Jersey early in the morning and pulled their pistols – both fired shots but Hamilton missed and Burr hit his target, lodging a bullet in Hamilton’s spine that resulted in his death the following day. Burr may have been victorious with his gun but, following the duel, his political career experienced major fall-out and eventual ruin. 

 

Andrew Jackson and Charles Dickinson, 1806

Before becoming president, Andrew Jackson was known for his habit of challenging his enemies to duels. He was fearless in trigger-happy showdowns and known for coming out as the victor. His most famous match happened with Charles Dickinson, another man famous for his skills as a dueler, after Dickinson accused Jackson of cheating on a horse race and the pair exchanged insults. When the two met for their gun showdown, Dickinson fired a shot into Jackson’s chest but Jackson didn’t waver – he quickly fired back at Dickinson and, though his gun jammed on the first shot, he managed to shoot Dickinson dead with the second bullet. Dickinson’s bullet, which somehow miraculously didn’t kill Jackson, remained lodged in his chest for the rest of his life because it was too close to his heart to be safely removed. 

 

John Randolph and Henry Clay, 1826

John Randolph was a Congressman with a reputation for volatility and a habit of engaging in tangles with his associates. After Randolph insulted Secretary of State Henry Clay on the Senate Floor, Clay challenged him to a duel. Randolph had to accept the challenge, for honor’s sake, but he had no desire to kill Clay (because of the fall-out it would have caused to his own political career), so he went into the duel with the plan of aiming high enough to miss the mark. After a series of missed shots by both men, they eventually shook hands in the middle of the field and agreed to end the duel.

 

Stephen Decatur vs. James Barron, 1820

James Barron was a captain in charge of the American warship USS Chesapeake, and he dropped the ball in the line of duty by failing to adequately prepare the ship and too easily surrendering when faced with enemy forces. His actions were considered a disgrace to the US Navy – and that’s why, when Barron tried to rejoin the navy in 1818, celebrated naval hero Stephen Decatur was strongly opposed. Decatur and Barron engaged in an escalating conflict over the issue and eventually Barron challenged Decatur to a duel. Both men struck each other with bullets but Barron was only hit in his thigh while Decatur received a fatal shot to his stomach. Following the duel, Barron was able to rejoin the US navy. 

 

Benjamin Gratz Brown and Thomas Reynolds, 1856

Governor Benjamin Gratz Brown, a supporter of the emancipation of slaves, came into conflict with Governor Thomas Reynolds, who advocated on behalf of slave owners. The pair argued for years and the tensions between them escalated. They even scheduled and cancelled a duel before things heated up again and they finally met for a gun showdown. Brown received a bullet in his leg while Reynolds walked away without a mark on him. Amazingly, the men just returned to their political careers and ongoing disagreements as if nothing had happened.