The Bowie Knife and Sandbar Fight

Among the most famous of American folk heroes, Jim Bowie was known for his prowess with a knife—and his knife was an extraordinarily large blade measuring more than nine inches in length and nearly two inches across.

The oversized knife was favored by Bowie as a means of protection and gained national, and even international, fame after a melee that took place near Natchez, Miss. During that fight, Bowie used his huge knife to disembowel an attacker and withstood two gunshots and stabbings.

Sitting in the old Mississippi River channel near Natchez, Giles Island adorns its lodge and guest houses with historical artifacts, and prominently displayed among them are several replica Bowie knives. An oil painting of the folk hero and an award given to the biggest buck taken on the property during a season—The Bowie Buck—also make note of the local legend.

For a recount of the battle that gave rise to Bowie and his blade, peruse this excerpt from the Wikipedia entry on the man. Bowie became internationally famous as a result of a feud with Norris Wright, the sheriff of Rapides Parish. Bowie had supported Wright's opponent in the race for sheriff, and Wright, a bank director, had been instrumental in turning down Bowie's loan application. After a confrontation in Alexandria one afternoon, Wright fired a shot at Bowie. The uninjured Bowie was enraged and tried to kill Wright with his bare hands. Wright's friends intervened and stopped the attack, after which Bowie resolved to carry his hunting knife at all times. The knife he carried had a huge blade that was 9.25 inches long and 1.5 inches wide.

The following year, on September 19, 1827, Bowie and Wright attended a duel on a sandbar outside of Natchez, Mississippi. Bowie supported duelist Samuel Levi Wells III, while Wright supported Wells's opponent, Dr. Thomas Harris Maddox. The duelists each fired two shots, and, as neither man had been injured, resolved their duel with a handshake. Other members of the groups, who had various reasons for disliking each other, began fighting. Bowie was shot in the hip; after regaining his feet he drew a knife, described as a butcher knife, and charged his attacker. The attacker hit Bowie over the head with his empty pistol, breaking the pistol and knocking Bowie to the ground. Wright shot at and missed the prone Bowie, who returned fire and possibly hit Wright. Wright then drew his sword cane and impaled Bowie. When Wright attempted to retrieve his blade by placing his foot on Bowie's chest and tugging, Bowie pulled him down and disemboweled Wright with his large knife. Wright died instantly, and Bowie, with Wright's sword still protruding from his chest, was shot again and stabbed by another member of the group. The doctors who had been present for the duel retrieved the bullets and patched Bowie's other wounds.

Newspapers picked up the story, which became known as the Sandbar Fight, and described in detail Bowie's fighting prowess and his unusual knife. Witness accounts agreed that Bowie did not attack first, and the others had focused their attack on Bowie because "they considered him the most dangerous man among their opposition." The fight cemented Bowie's reputation across the South as a superb knife-fighter.