Historical March 1986 report or notice. Original dates, prices and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
The resolution of differences has always been a challenge.
The rule of force, whether a gun, a spear, or a bomb, implies a final solution rather than a resolution.
There was a time that sort of solution was sought by the upper class in St. Louis. Duels were even then illegal.
An island in the Mississippi provided “neutral” territory where affairs of honor could be played out to their final solution.
The eastern end of Eads Bridge stands on the southern end of what was once called Bloody Island.
Before 1800, the Illinois shore opposite St. Louis had the configuration it has now. Above St. Louis silt islands formed which directed the force of the current of the Mississippi toward the Illinois shore across from what is now called the Ashley Street Power Place north of Laclede’s Landing.
The western side of the river slackened as a result of the surge on the eastern side, and a silt island, called Duncan’s Island, began to form just about where the Poplar Street Bridge leaves the Missouri shore.
These two actions of the river, the eastern surge and the formation of an island on the western shore south of the surge, combined to move the main current of the Mississippi further to the east.
As the river ‘broadened and directed its force eastward, it cut through the Illinois shore and reached Cahokia Creek. Bloody Island grew as the western current slackened even more with time.
By 1830, the evidence was clear the Mississippi would soon flow east of Illinoistown, leaving St. Louis at least a mile west of the river. Neither Illinois nor Missouri claimed jurisdiction over Bloody Island.
It was a place where no law was enforced, particularly regarding affairs of honor.
During the first third of the nineteenth century, a number of final solutions were carried out and gave the island its name.
The three most famous duels on Bloody Island were those between Thomas Hart Benton and Charles Lucas in 1817, Thomas Rector and Joshua Barton in 1823, and Spencer Pettis and Thomas Biddle in 1830. Of the six men listed, Benton and Rector survived.
The other four died of gunshot wounds received during the duels.
In one case, Benton and Lucas, it took two duels to kill one of the contenders because Lucas recovered from wounds the first time to seek honor a second time.
By 1850 a series of dikes modified the course of the Mississippi in front of the St. Louis harbor. Duncan’s Island was washed away and Bloody Island became part of the American Bottoms as it was before 1800. Robert E. Lee, better known for his leadership of the southern armies during the Civil War, designed the dike system which kept the Mississippi flowing by St. Louis and not a mile or more to the east.
In so doing he dissolved the island of final solutions.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, March 1986.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1986_03.pdf, printed page(s) 3; PDF page(s) 3.
