Bloody Island (Mississippi River) facts for kids
1853 Map of Bloody Island towhead
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Mississippi River, East St. Louis, Illinois |
| Coordinates | 38°38′18″N 90°10′26″W / 38.6384°N 90.1738°W |
| Administration | |
| Additional information | |
| The neutral ground, between Illinois and Missouri, of many notorious duels in the 19th Century, including Thomas Hart Benton and Charles Lucas. | |
| Duration | 1817-1856 |
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| Location | Bloody Island Dueling Grounds |
| Participants | Thomas Hart Benton vs. Charles Lucas (fought two duels in 1817)
Joshua Barton vs. Thomas C. Rector (1823) Thomas Biddle vs. Spencer Darwin Pettis (1831) Benjamin Gratz Brown vs. Thomas C. Reynolds (1856) |
| Casualties | |
| Thomas Hart Benton and Charles Lucas, both wounded in first duel
Charles Lucas, killed in second duel Joshua Barton, killed Thomas Biddle vs. Spencer Darwin Pettis, both killed Benjamin Gratz Brown, wounded |
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Bloody Island was once a small piece of land in the Mississippi River. It was located across from St. Louis, Missouri. This island was known as a "towhead" or river island. It became famous as a meeting spot for people who wanted to have duels. This was because it was seen as "neutral ground." Neither Missouri nor Illinois had full control over it.
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Island History and Growth
Bloody Island first appeared above the water in 1798. Over time, it grew bigger and bigger. This growth started to cause problems for the St. Louis harbor. In 1837, a smart engineer named Captain Robert E. Lee helped solve this issue. He designed and built a system of walls and dams. These structures helped to wash away the river channel on the west side of the island. Eventually, this caused Bloody Island to connect to the Illinois shore.
Today, the southern part of what was once the island is under the Poplar Street Bridge. This area is now a large train yard. In the early 1800s, a man named Samuel Wiggins bought a lot of land around the island. He started a ferry service to carry people and goods across the river. Later, his company, Wiggins Ferry Service, developed train yards. These yards were used to move train cars across the river one at a time. This continued until the Eads Bridge opened in 1879. The train yard is now owned by the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis.
Famous Duels on Bloody Island
In the 1800s, dueling was a way for people to settle serious arguments. It was often about protecting one's honor. Bloody Island became a popular spot for these duels. Here are some of the most well-known ones:
Thomas Hart Benton and Charles Lucas (1817)
Thomas Hart Benton and Charles Lucas were both lawyers. They had a big disagreement during a land case. Benton insulted Lucas, calling him a liar. Later, during an election, Lucas questioned Benton's right to vote. Benton responded by calling Lucas a "little puppy." Lucas then challenged Benton to a duel.
In their first duel, Lucas was shot in the throat, and Benton was grazed in the knee. Even though both felt their honor was satisfied, Benton wanted to shoot again. He was eventually convinced not to. However, when Lucas started changing the story to make himself look better, Benton challenged him to a second duel. In this second fight, Lucas was killed.
Joshua Barton and Thomas C. Rector (1823)
Joshua Barton was the first Secretary of State for Missouri. He was also a federal attorney in St. Louis. His brother, Senator David Barton, had criticized William Rector. William was Thomas C. Rector's brother and a government surveyor. Joshua Barton published these criticisms in a newspaper. Because of this, Thomas C. Rector challenged Joshua Barton to a duel. The duel took place on June 30, 1823. Barton was killed, and Rector was not hurt.
Thomas Biddle and Spencer Darwin Pettis (1831)
This was one of the most famous duels on Bloody Island. It happened on August 26, 1831. Thomas Biddle was the brother of a well-known banker. Spencer Darwin Pettis was a politician. Pettis challenged Biddle because Biddle had publicly embarrassed him. Biddle was nearsighted, meaning he couldn't see well up close. He chose Bloody Island and a very short distance of five feet for the duel. He might have thought this close distance would make Pettis change his mind. However, Pettis was determined. They both fired from five feet away, and sadly, both men were killed.
Benjamin Gratz Brown and Thomas C. Reynolds (1856)
This duel happened on August 26, 1856. Benjamin Gratz Brown was the editor of the St. Louis Democrat newspaper. Thomas C. Reynolds was a United States Attorney. They had different views on important political topics. Brown supported the idea of ending slavery, while Reynolds was against it. Reynolds challenged Brown to a duel. Brown was shot in the leg and walked with a limp for the rest of his life. Reynolds was not injured. This duel was later called the "Duel of the Governors." This is because Reynolds became the state's Confederate governor, and Brown was elected governor after the war.
