- Thomas Biddle
Thomas Biddle (November 21, 1790-August 29, 1831) was a
War of 1812 hero who died in aduel withMissouri CongressmanSpencer Pettis .Biddle was born into the powerful
Biddle family inPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania . His father wasCharles Biddle , a member of theSupreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , and his brother was Nicholas Biddle, a banker.During the
War of 1812 he was commissioned as a captain in the infantry underZebulon Pike . He saw action atFort George andStony Creek and was wounded atFort Erie and again in theBattle of Lundy's Lane . [ [http://www.gencircles.com/users/merybgen/1/data/14 Thomas Biddle gencircles.com - Retrieved March 4, 2008] ]In 1814 he was brevetted to major and became an aide for
George Izard .In 1820 he became an army paymaster in
St. Louis, Missouri .During an 1830 campaign speech Congressman
Spencer Pettis criticized Biddle's brother Nicholas for theSecond Bank of the United States .Biddle then went to Pettis' hotel room in
St. Louis, Missouri where he whipped Pettis severely with a piece of cowhide. Pettis won re-election to Congress by a wide margin. [ [http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/ROOTS/2003-10/1065765205 Fatal Meeting Between Major Biddle and Spencer Pettis - Sedalia Democrat, Sedalia, Missouri, March 4, 1877 (via rootsweb.com)] ]In 1831 Pettis challenged him to a duel. Biddle, who was nearsighted, set the terms of meeting at five feet. They met on August 27, 1831 at
Bloody Island (Mississippi River) and both men were mortally wounded. Pettis died the following day while Biddle lived until August 29. [ [http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/education/dueling/political-duels.asp Crack of the Pistol: Dueling in 19th Century Missouri - sos.mo.gov - Retrieved March 5, 2008] ] [ [http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/ROOTS/2003-10/1065765205 Fatal Meeting Between Major Biddle and Spencer Pettis - Sedalia Democrat, Sedalia, Missouri, March 4, 1877 (via rootsweb.com)] ]Both men were buried with honors.
Biddle is buried in
Bellefontaine and Calvary Cemeteries .References
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