Special Sub-Topic: 10 Famous Duelists Click Here To Play: 10 Famous Duelists

Perhaps the most famous duel of all occurred in 1804 and involved Alexander Hamilton and which U.S. Vice President?

Burr & Aaron Burr. Burr was upset because Hamilton had cast the deciding vote in favor of Thomas Jefferson over Burr in the presidential election of 1801. He finally got his revenge a couple years later...though it made him a pariah.

One famous American naval hero, known for his brash statement 'our country, right or wrong', was killed in a duel. Which one of these was he?

Decatur. A hero in the American war with Tripoli in the early 19th century and also in the war of 1812, Stephen Decatur was also known for having said, 'our country, right or wrong'. Commodore James Barron, a former friend, killed Decatur in 1820 in a duel. It seems Barron harbored great resentment over the fact that Decatur had sat in his court martial and decided against him, and that Decatur later challenged publicly Barron's patriotism after Barron had failed to engage in battle during the War of 1812.

A socialist and friend of Karl Marx, this man was killed in a duel precipitated by a love affair. What was his name?

Lassalle. Ferdinand Lassalle was involved in fomenting revolution in Germany during the 'Year of Revolutions', namely 1848. He was killed in 1864 in a duel after having been involved in a secret love affair. Guess it was too early for the *sexual* revolution...

Button Gwinette was killed in a duel by General Lachlan McIntosh in 1777. What is significant about Mr. Gwinette?

Signer of the Declaration of Independence. Mr. Gwinette was the only signer of the Declaration to be killed in a duel. Not surprisingly, because he was killed at a relatively young age and soon after the signing, his autograph is now rather scarce and quite valuable!

On July 17th, 1876, a Cheyenne chief named Yellow Hair engaged in a duel with which famed American of the 'wild west'?

Buffalo Bill Cody. The true historiocity of this duel has been called into question, some historians claiming that Cody made up the story of the duel to add to his legend. Indeed, Cody later touted his duel with Yellow Hair, and claimed to have taken the 'First Scalp for Custer', a reference to the Battle at Little Bighorn at which occurred 'Custer's Last Stand'.

One of the greatest Russian authors and poets, he was mortally wounded in a duel to save his wife's honor...it seems she was having an affair. Who was this Russian literary genius?

Alexander Pushkin. Alexander Pushkin is well known for his written works, such as 'Boris Godunov', but not his aim. His wife's lover, a Frenchman named Baron George D'Anthes de Heckern, did Pushkin in with one fatal shot. The author of 'Eugene Onegin' died on February 8, 1837, a couple days after the duel.

Another Russian poet and novelist named Mikhail Lermontov died at the tender age of 27 following a duel. Which of these was not one of his works?

And Quiet Flows the Don. Ironically, Lermontov was a great admirer of Pushkin, and wrote an elegy to him called 'Smert Poeta' following Pushkin's death in the duel mentioned above. Unfortunately, he did not learn from the mistakes of his contemporary, and was killed in a duel with Major N.S. Martynov, with whom he had a feud.

One U.S. Senator was killed in a duel in 1859 by David S. Terry, a former chief justice of the California Supreme Court, no less! What was the name of this senator?

David Broderick. This duel became famously known as the 'Broderick-Terry duel' or the 'Duel by the Lake' (after Lake Merced). Broderick, an anti-slavery democrat, was the only U.S. Senator to have been killed in a duel while in office.

One American president was involved in several duels before reaching office, including two in which he was wounded badly. Which President was this?

Andrew Jackson. His first duel was against Charles Dickinson on May 30, 1806. Jackson was nearly mortally wounded during this duel, he carried Dickinson's bullet in his body for the rest of his life. Dickinson did not fare so well, Jackson killed him with his second shot (the first had misfired). Jackson was also involved in a duel on September 4, 1813, this time versus Thomas Benton. Again, wounded badly, he nearly lost his arm. He survived all of this to become President of the United States from 1829 to 1837...it pays to be lucky!

A fencing enthusiast and expert at the duel, Sir Richard Francis Burton (the explorer, not the Welsh actor!) was killed in a duel.

f. Burton was not killed in a duel, but he did write the fencing and dueling manual called 'The Sentiment of the Sword'. I hope that you have enjoyed this quiz...and remember, there are nicer ways to settle conflicts with your mortal enemies! Have a thumb war or perhaps a nice game of battleship!