Tuesday, February 12, 2019

Hey, Ladies Can Duel Also...!

We often think of dueling as something done by "gentlemen" to prove their honor, but there have been a few duels in which women took part. From Listverse, here is the tale of one such duel.

Lady Almeria Braddock And Mrs. Elphinstone



Photo credit: History.com

Dueling was not confined to gentlemen. Sometimes, gentlewomen got in on the action, too. In 1792, it was reported in Carlton House Magazine that Lady Almeria Braddock and Mrs. Elphinstone were taking tea when insults were said to have been exchanged. Mrs. Elphinstone had the temerity to tell Lady Braddock that she “had been” a beautiful woman.

Lady Braddock took exception to the past tense and took greater exception when the indiscreet Mrs. Elphinstone questioned the lady’s stated age, saying she was nearer to 60 than 30. Lady Almeria demanded satisfaction, to which Mrs Elphinstone is said to have replied, “Name your weapons. Swords or pistols?”Lady Almeria responded, “Both!”

On the morning of the duel, Mrs. Elphinstone put the first shot through Lady Almeria’s hat, which incensed the lady further. They set upon each other with swords, and Mrs. Elphinstone took a blow to her arm before the ladies judged honor to have been satisfied and ceased hostilities.

Seems to me that sometimes the "gentlewomen" of that time were anything but gentle. Nice to know that the settlement of disputes could be done without any killing being done.

Coffee in the kitchen this morning.

9 comments:

Gorges Smythe said...

Oh brother!

linda m said...

Now that is a new one for me. I never heard of women dueling before. At least they settled their argument without killing someone. Guess those women had some spunk after all. Snowed in again today, so coffee inside is good.

Sixbears said...

Sometimes those tea parties get out of hand. -11 this morning in the great white north. Another foot of snow on the way this evening. Going to need more coffee.

Mamahen said...

That's a new one on me. Sounds like all the "ladies" of that era had some spunk. The kitchen is always nice. I'm on my way:))

Dizzy-Dick said...

I have learned a long time ago not to make a women mad.

HermitJim said...

Hey Gorges...
Yeah, I know.
Thanks for stopping by this morning!


Hey Linda...
Long on spunk and short on common sense.
Thanks for coming over today!


Hey Sixbears...
You don't think that the "Tea" might have had some booze in it, do ya?
Thanks for the visit today!


Hey Mamahen...
I had never heard of it either!
Thanks for coming over today!

HermitJim said...

Hey Dizzy...
That is always good advice!
Thanks for stopping by today!

JO said...

At least no one died but a cut to an arm in those days could be fatal. But oh the spunk of those 2

Chilly again here so kitchen works for me

Hermit's Baby Sis said...

Sounds like they could have used some "Bless her heart" Southern genteel training, hmmmm?

Thanks for another interesting tidbit, Bubba.

Big hugs ~