ThelamentableduelbetweentheDukeofHamiltonandLordMohuntookplaceinNovember1712，andsprangfromthefollowingcircumstances。Alawsuithadbeenpendingforelevenyearsbetweenthesetwonoblemen，andtheylookeduponeachotherinconsequencewithacertaindegreeofcoldness。Theymettogetheronthe13thofNovemberinthechambersofMr。Orlebar，aMasterinChancery，when，inthecourseofconversation，theDukeofHamiltonreflectedupontheconductofoneofthewitnessesinthecause，sayingthathewasapersonwhohadneithertruthnorjusticeinhim。LordMohun，somewhatnettledatthisremark，appliedtoawitnessfavourabletohisside，madeanswerhastily，thatMr。Whiteworth，thepersonalludedto，hadquiteasmuchtruthandjusticeinhimastheDukeofHamilton。TheDukemadenoreply，andnoonepresentimaginedthathetookoffenceatwhatwassaid；andwhenhewentout，oftheroom，hemadealowandcourteoussalutetotheLordMohun。Intheevening，GeneralMacartneycalledtwiceupontheDukewithachallengefromLordMohun，andfailinginseeinghim，soughthimathirdtimeatatavern，wherehefoundhim，anddeliveredhismessage。TheDukeacceptedthechallenge，andthedayafterthemorrow，whichwasSunday，the15thofNovember，atseveninthemorning，wasappointedforthemeeting。
AtthathourtheyassembledinHydePark，theDukebeingattendedbyhisrelative，ColonelHamilton，andtheLordMohunbyGeneralMacartney。TheyjumpedoveraditchintoaplacecalledtheNursery，andpreparedforthecombat。TheDukeofHamilton，turningtoGeneralMacartney，said，“Sir，youarethecauseofthis，lettheeventbewhatitwill。“LordMohundidnotwishthatthesecondsshouldengage，buttheDukeinsistedthat“Macartneyshouldhaveashareinthedance。“Allbeingready，thetwoprincipalstookuptheirpositions，andfoughtwithswordssodesperatelythat，afterashorttime，theybothfelldown，mortallywounded。TheLordMohunexpireduponthespot，andtheDukeofHamiltoninthearmsofhisservantsastheywerecarryinghimtohiscoach。
Thisunhappyterminationcausedthegreatestexcitement，notonlyinthemetropolis，butalloverthecountry。TheTories，grievedatthelossoftheDukeofHamilton，chargedthefatalcombatontheWhigparty，whoseleader，theDukeofMarlborough，hadsorecentlysettheexampleofpoliticalduels。They。calledLordMohunthebullyoftheWhigfaction，hehadalreadykilledthreemeninduels，andbeentwicetriedformurder，andassertedopenly，thatthequarrelwasconcoctedbetweenhimandGeneralMacartneytorobthecountryoftheservicesoftheDukeofHamiltonbymurderinghim。Itwasalsoasserted，thatthewoundofwhichtheDukediedwasnotinflictedbyLordMohun，butbyMacartney；andeverymeanswasusedtopropagatethisbelief。ColonelHamilton，againstwhomandMacartneythecoroner’sjuryhadreturnedaverdictofwilfulmurder，surrenderedafewdaysafterwards，andwasexaminedbeforeaprivycouncilsittingatthehouseofLordDartmouth。Hethendeposed，thatseeingLordMohunfall，andtheDukeuponhim，herantotheDuke’sassistance，andthathemightwiththemoreeasehelphim，heflungdownboththeirswords，and，ashewasraisingtheDukeup，hesawMacartney，makeapushathim。Uponthisdepositionaroyalproclamationwasimmediatelyissued，offeringarewardof500poundsfortheapprehensionofMacartney，towhichtheDuchessofHamiltonafterwardsaddedarewardof300pounds。
UponthefurtherexaminationofColonelHamilton，itwasfoundthatreliancecouldnotbeplacedonallhisstatements，andthathecontradictedhimselfinseveralimportantparticulars。HewasarraignedattheOldBaileyforthemurderofLordMohun，thewholepoliticalcirclesofLondonbeinginafeverofexcitementfortheresult。AlltheTorypartyprayedforhisacquittal，andaTorymobsurroundedthedoorsandalltheavenuesleadingtothecourtofjusticeformanyhoursbeforethetrialbegan。Theexaminationofwitnesseslastedsevenhours。ThecriminalstillpersistedinaccusingGeneralMacartneyofthemurderoftheDukeofHamilton，but，inotherrespects，saythenewspapersoftheday，prevaricatedfoully。Hewasfoundguiltyofmanslaughter。Thisfavourableverdictwasreceivedwithuniversalapplause，“notonlyfromthecourtandallthegentlemenpresent，butthecommonpeopleshowedamightysatisfaction，whichtheytestifiedbyloudandrepeatedhuzzas。“[“PostBoy，“
Decemberl3th，1712。]