The Alexandria Herald

Mr. Wells' defence.

We have heretofore mentioned the affair of judge Randolph and colonel Greenhill's being shot by Mr. Wells. The following is an extract from Mr. Wells' communication on the subject.

On the day mentioned near about sunset I was walking in my garden, when my wife stepped into the kitchen looked out at a back window, and informed me that the judge was in the yard walking about.----I immediately walked out of the garden, went into my dwelling house and on entering the dining room discovered the judge's servant standing on the ground holding the three horses seventeen yards from my piazza and in front of my dining room door, which horses I knew as well as I did my own. Having for some time been confident that I should be attacked by the judge, and also entertaining the belief that whenever the attack should be made, I should have to contend with more than one, I was forcibly struck with a belief upon seeing col. Greenhill's horse with the judge's, that I then had them both to contend with. Believing at once as I did, that I should be attacked by the two, and not wishing my wife & children near me (who already seem alarmed) I immediately started to the other large room of my house, to keep from the presence of my wife & children whom I was under the necessity of directing peremptorily to keep back. When I arrived in the front door of the room now alluded to, I discovered the judge thirty or forty yards in my front: It was my wish to have seen where col. Greenhill was, but the judge seeing me in the door immediately advanced in a direct line with his eyes fixed steadily on me. I discovered that he had a whip with a thong to it in his left hand--he placed his right hand either in the bosom pocket of his coat or in his bosom inside of his waist coat. So soon as he advanced within fifteen or twenty paces of me I stepped back with my left foot behind my right and prepared for defence. When the judge advanced to the steps of the piazza he made no halt, and when ascending the steps I asked him if he meant to attack me in my own house. to which he made no reply but with his eyes fixed in my face stepped into the piazza where he halted within less than ten feet of me, at which place he commenced speaking raising his whip, and drawing his hand, which I presumed was on his pistol all at the same time. So soon as he commenced these motions and speaking, I drew my pistol, ready cocked and fired as quickly as possible i was under no apprehension of missing as I have already stated he was within less than ten feet of me, which rendered it not necessary to take sight, and this accounts for the quickness of my firing. His words when he commenced his motions for attack were these. "Are you the damn'd rascal that," and at the word "that" the fire of my pistol stopped his speech. Each of my pistols were charged with two balls & I struck the judge's wrist which saved life if through the mercy of providence he shall recover. Compare the holes in his wrist and partly in his breast, and it will be plainly discovered he was in the act of drawing when I fired. His wrist having impeded the force of the ball it did not penetrate entirely into his breast, but fell back on the floor. The judge after a short and silent pause, turned, staggered, and fell fourteen yards from the door; but some time before he fell I stepped into the piazza, near midway, between the house door and piazza door, when I discovered col. Greenhill advancing rapidly towards the judge. Col. Greenhill advanced to the judge, made a small pause, something passed between them which I did not distinctly understand, and he immediately left the judge and advanced towards me." I instantly made ready with my second pistol and when he had advanced within 4 yards of the steps to the piazza, I addressed him in these words "And have I got to fight you too?" when he made me no answer but advanced to the foot of the steps He was then within ten feet of me or less with his eyes fixed on my face, and as I believe about to draw a pistol, when considering myself not bound to wait any longer I drew, aimed at his head and fired. Colonel Greenhill staggered and fell with his head off from the door; where in struggling to rise he bled considerably. He (judge Randolph) was found fourteen yards from my door armed with four pistols, and col. (Greenhill's blood was only four yards from my door, and he armed with a pistol and a dirk."

THOS. WELLS.