Though no landmarks or memorials formally recognize dueling in Charleston, it remains a quintessential element of the Holy City's legacy. Most upstanding locals nourished the duelist's tradition, many going so far as to make it an integral part of their social lives. For a time, even the most casual character insults or slurs toward one's moral fiber or family lineage invited a challenge, and almost always, the offended party was expected to retaliate. Thus, finding full expression in frequency and public acceptance throughout the Lowcountry, a gentleman's duel was a crucial--albeit deadly--matter of taste and caste. For two centuries, Charlestonians dueled habitually, settling personal grievances with malice instead of mediation. Charleston historian J. Grahame Long presents a charming portrait of this dreadfully civilized custom.
As Director of Museums for Historic Charleston Foundation, Grahame oversees and maintains all stewardship and interpretive initiatives at the Nathaniel Russell House and Aiken-Rhett House museums and serves as curator for the extensive collections therein. He has authored three books, published numerous articles and lectured extensively throughout the southeast on various topics concerning material culture, decorative arts, and social histories of the South Carolina Lowcountry. The former chief curator at The Charleston Museum, he is the resident historian for the German Friendly Society, a member of the Mayor’s Walled City Task Force and an honorary member of the Washington Light Infantry.