Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 2.djvu/124

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [12 s. n. A. 5, me.

The quotation referred to by your cor- r.-snond'-nt >t-ems to me to be a warning to husbandmen not to be too liberal with the distribution of their feeding stuffs before Candlemas Day, as, should the weather be fine on that day, the winter would only be half over, and the hay and straw and fuel would, consequently, have to be drawn upon for many more weeks.

W. G. WILLIS WATSON. Exeter.

The nearest rime to the one inquired about known in several North - Midland counties runs :

If Candlemas Day comes blithe and gay, You may saddle your horse and buy some hay ; But if Candlemas Day comes rugged and rough, You may fodder away you'll have fodder enough. Which means that if there be hard weather at the beginning of February it bodes well for the hay and corn crops later on.

R-VTOLIFFE.

THOMAS HOLCROFT AND THE BIOGRAPHY OF NAPOLEON (12 S. ii. 24). In the ' D.N.B.' there is a list of thirty-seven works by this author, but Napoleon's biography is not among them. I have not seen the " trans- lation " by Joh. Adam Bergk, but, judging by the information given by your corre- spondent, it is quite possible that the German scribbler has embodied some notes or remarks about Napoleon made by Thomas Holcroftin his ' Travels'to Paris ' (1804), and then dished up the whole farrago as a trans- lation of a book written by that author, with notes and additions by himself.

L. L. K.

MAJOR CAMPBELL'S DUEL (12 S. ii. 70). The Campbell-Boyd duel is a historical case, particulars of which are given in ' Duelling Days in the Army,' by William Douglas ; also in ' Notes on Duels and Duelling,' by Lorenzo Sabine ; and a report of the trial and execution of Major Campbell at Armagh will be found in vol. i. of ' The Chronicles of Crime,' by Camden Pelham, published by Reeves & Turner in 1886. The circum- stances, stated briefly, were as follows : Alexander Campbell was a major and Alexander Boyd a captain in the 21st Regi- ment of line (Scots Fusiliers). On June 23, 1807, the regiment had been inspected at Newry by General Ker, then in command of the Athlone district, who appears to have intimated to Major Campbell that he had given the wrong word of command on parade. That night at mess Campbell maintained he had given the right word, Boyd, however,

taking the contrary view. The controversy waxed hot, and ended by Campbell naying : " Capt. Boyd, do you say I am wrong ? <r To which the latter replied : " I do ; I know I am right according to the King's order.' *" They fought with pistols the same night in a small room only about seven paces across at the widest point, no one but themselves being present, and Boyd was mortally wounded in the stomach. Campbell fled,, and resided for some time in Chelsea, but eventually surrendered, was tried for murder, condemned to death, and, despite the most strenuous efforts to obtain a reprieve, was executed at Armagh on Aug. 24, 1808.

WlLLOTJGHBY HAYCOCK.

An account of this duel is given in Mackay's ' Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular De- lusions,' vol. ii. p. 295, published 227 Strand, 1852:

" A dispute arose, in the month of June. 1807, between Major Campbell and Captain Boyd, officers of the 21st Regiment, in Ireland

"His unfortunate wife went upon her knees before the Prince of Wales, to move him to use his influence with the King in favour of her unhappy husband. Everything a fond wife and a courageous woman could do she tried, to gain the royal clemency.

"The law was allowed to take its course, and the victim of a false spirit of honour died the death of a felon."

Major Campbell was brought to trial in August, 1808, at Armagh; the jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against him, but recommended him to mercy on the ground that the duel had been a fair one.

R. J. FYNMORE.

I possess the following tract, which gives a good account of the case :

The Trial of Major Camp1>ell for the Murder of Captain Boyd in a Duel, on the 23rd of June, 1807 ; With the Evidence in Full. The Charge of the Judge, and Details of Major Campbell's Last Moments. Execution, etc., etc. London. Printed by B. McMillan, Bow Street, Co vent Garden. Sold by H. D. Svmonds, Paternoster Row; and to be had of all Booksellers. 1808.

For further particulars see ' Celebrated Trials ' (1825), vi. 32 ; ' Chronicles of Crime,' Camden Pelham (1887), i. 452 ; Gent. May.. Ixxviii. pt. ii. 855 ; Morning Post, Aug. 31, 1808.

Major Alexander Campbell was hanged at Armagh on Aug. 24, 1808.

HORACE BLEACKLEY.

There is an account of this affair in Steinmetz's ' Romance of Duelling,' 1868, vol. ii. pp. 208-13.

S. A. GRUNDY-NEWMAN.