Letter from William McCain Challenging Isaac Owen to a Duel
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Scope and Contents
This single-page letter, dated November 3, 1825, is a formal challenge to a duel issued by William McCain to Isaac Owen. In the letter, McCain expresses his outrage over alleged personal insults and attempts to vilify his character, asserting that only a duel can restore his honor. He demands that Owen meet him at six o’clock the following morning in a designated field, with terms to be arranged through his second, Mr. Pettigrew. This document provides insight into the persistence of dueling as a means of resolving personal disputes in early nineteenth-century America, reflecting the social codes of honor and masculinity of the period.
Dates
- Creation: 1825-11-03
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Due to the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access to certain materials may require additional advance notice.
Conditions Governing Use
Researchers are responsible for using the materials in conformance with United States copyright law as well as any donor restrictions accompanying the materials. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright claimants in collection materials. Copyright for official University records is held by The University of Alabama. The library claims only physical ownership of many manuscript collections. Anyone wishing to broadcast or publish this material must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of literary property rights or copyrights. Please contact Special Collections (archives@ua.edu) with questions regarding specific manuscript collections. For more information about copyright policy, please visit: https://www.ua.edu/copyright/. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals without the consent of those individuals may have legal implications, for which the University of Alabama assumes no responsibility.
Biographical / Historical
This letter provides a rare glimpse into the culture of honor and dueling in early nineteenth-century Alabama. Dueling, though illegal in many states, remained a common means of settling matters of honor in the antebellum South. This letter serves as a valuable historical artifact, illustrating the values, tensions, and interpersonal conflicts of the era.
Extent
1 item
Language of Materials
English
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The University of Alabama acquired the letter from Langdon Manor Books, LLC, in 2025.
Condition Description
About good: portions had separated completely and were repaired with tape at an early date. Those repairs are now reinforced with archival tape. It is encased in mylar.
Dimensions
Single leaf measuring 91/2" x 73/4".
Processing Information
Processed by Courtney Tutt, January 2025.
- Title
- Guide to Letter from William McCain Challenging Isaac Owen to a Duel
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Finding aid created by Courtney Tutt, January 2025.
- Date
- January 2025
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the The University of Alabama Libraries Special Collections Repository