Dr. William Archibald Leland, Civil War Surgeon
Which could have the subtitle of:
He took a knife to a gunfight …
Or
Dueling with a Mabry is like history repeating itself …
Or
Irony of the Yellow Fever Research …
William Leland came to Alabama from his native state of Virginia in 1836. Although an educated man, a graduate of Jefferson Medical College, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (although he seems to have practiced medicine for about 7 years before receiving his degree) he also possessed a liberal share of worldly means and a giddy passion for the pleasures of the high life.
An event in his life made the news across the south, in particular in Knoxville Tennessee, when the good doctor engaged in a duel with General Joseph Alexander Mabry, a visitor to Tuscaloosa from Tennessee. The duel happened in April 1837 after the two men had an argument. The good doctor came out on the short end of the duel that was held on the bank of the Black Warrior River just outside the town limits; he was shot and General Mabry was considered the victor, for a couple of days anyway. Seems that our good doctor avenged his loss by taking a knife and stabbing to death General Mabry two days later. The good doctor was charged with murder and stood trial; the Circuit Court of Tuscaloosa acquitted him of all charges.
General Mabry himself had a rather unique life himself; he assumed the title of General rather than earning in through military service. Mabry was a member of the Tennessee Legislature and a member of the Tennessee Constitutional Convention of 1834. The whole Mabry family had a poor history with duels, as the General that was stabbed in Tuscaloosa lost his father when he was killed in a duel, and his son and grandson were killed in an ambush / murder / duel on Gay Street in Knoxville.
Our good doctor, now with a license, was a respected and favorite doctor to the wealthy of Tuscaloosa. When the war started, Dr. Leland joined others from the West Alabama area and in particular the Tuscaloosa and Northport communities, to form the 41st Alabama Infantry Regiment. Dr. Leland was one of the surgeons with this unit.
After the war, Dr. Leland worked to help find a preventative treatment for yellow fever. He professed to have discovered this miraculous treatment and proposed to give to society this valuable discovery. He made an effort to convince the government to take interest in the subject, so far as to aid in testing his theory; but it is believed that the government declined to take action. Dr. Leland died soon after, and his theory, whatever it was, followed him to the grave. This is a shame, as his grandson's wife and second son were both claimed by this disease.
To locate the final, solve:
33 11.8AB
87 33.9CD
A = The first digit in the date of his birth.
B = The fourth digit in the year of his death.
C = The date of his death.
D =Add together the third and fourth digits in the year of his birth.