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14th Annual Bill Russell Lecture
OperaCreole, a local ensemble dedicated to preserving the influence of Creoles of color in opera, will perform scenes from Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha. Influenced by songs sung by African Americans on North Louisiana farms, Joplin sought to emulate classic European opera while introducing a uniquely American sound.
Thursday, April 11
7 p.m.
Williams Research Center, 410 Chartres St.
Admission: $10; free for Jackson Society, Laussat Society, and Bienville Circle members
Reservations recommended. For more information, call (504) 523-4662. A Company Man Launch Party
The Collection will celebrate the release of its newest publication with a reception and book signing with editor Erin M. Greenwald and translator Teri F. Chalmers.
Wednesday, April 17 6-8 p.m.
533 Royal St.
Free and open to the public Concerts in the Courtyard Series
The spring concert series features performances by Lars Edegran’s New Orleans Jazz Band (April), Mas Mamones (May), and Helen Gillet (June). Admission includes three complimentary beverages.
Friday, April 19, May 17, and June 21 6-8 p.m.
533 Royal St.
Admission: $10; free for THNOC members
Society for German-American Studies Symposium
Join THNOC and SGAS for lively conversation and scholarly presentations on the subject of German-American heritage.
Thursday-Sunday, May 9—12
Williams Research Center, 410 Chartres St.
Additional sessions at Royal Sonesta Hotel, 300 Bourbon St.
Registration required; visit sgas.org or e-mail William Roba at broba@eicc.edu for more information.
Seeking the Unknown: Natural History Observations in Louisiana, 1698-1840
The Collection’s natural history exhibition examines the earliest scientific expeditions in Louisiana, featuring specimens, maps, naturalists’ illustrations, and more.
On view through June 2
Tuesday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m.—4:30 p.m.
Sunday, 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
In the Williams Gallery, 533 Royal St.
Free and open to the public
This Georgia Historical Commission sign marks the gravesite of James Wilde—dubbed the Duellist’s Grave—and contains an excerpt of the famous poem written in his memory by Wilde’s brother, Congressman Henry Richard Wilde. Photo courtesy of David Seibert / Georgialnfo.
Major Wild[e], preferin [sic\ rather to loose [sic[ my own life than shed the blood of a man that I had once honor’d with the name of friend. Finding however, that he as well as his friend was determined on taking my life, I was compelled in my own defense to take deliberate and accurate aim the fourth fire, and he fell a corpse. This is a true statement of the affair.”
I found it impossible to definitively conclude that Johnson’s “true statement” about the duel was accurate; he was presumably biased in his own favor. However, the records I found do not contradict any of the details he presents. Johnson implies in his letter that he used to be a lawyer, and government records show that he served as a judge-advocate in the army, so his involvement in a court-martial against Twiggs is plausible. I double-checked the 1815 entry in the Savannah burial book, which includes a remark, presumably provided by a witness, that Wilde “was shot through the heart, at the fourth discharge,” just the way Johnson says it happened.
That’s as far as I could get within the limits of my cataloging work. My job often ends that way—historical records provide pieces of information, and I try to provide a summary based on the preponderance of the evidence. Some questions remain unanswered, but I’m happy to solve any part of the mystery, enhancing our catalog and archives for further use by researchers.
—	Michael M. Redmann
The Historic New Orleans Collection Quarterly 9
ON THE CALENDAR