The Political Duel: Spaight vs. Stanly

Near this spot on September fifth, eighteen oh two, North Carolina witnessed the most notorious duel in its history. The combatants were former Governor Richard Dobbs Spaight, North Carolina's first native-born governor and a signer of the United States Constitution, and John Stanly, a prominent New Bern attorney and political rival. The two men had quarreled bitterly during a political campaign.

Standing behind the Masonic hall, they exchanged shots, and Spaight fell, shot in the side. He died the following day. Stanly faced threats of prosecution and was later pardoned by the governor.