“The state of society and manners of the early settlers... shows very clearly that their grade of civilization was, indeed, low enough. The descendants of the English cavaliers from Maryland and Virginia, who settled mostly along the rivers, and the descendants of the Irish, who settled the interior parts of the country, were neither of them remarkable for science or urbanity of manners. The former were mostly illiterate, rough in their manners, and addicted to the rude diversions of horse racing, wrestling, jumping, shooting, dancing, etc. These diversions were often accompanied with personal combats, which consisted of blows, kicks, biting and gouging. This mode of fighting was what they called rough and tumble. Sometimes a previous stipulation was made to use the fists only. Yet these people were industrious, enterprising, generous in their hospitality and brave in the defense of their country.” Elaborating on their style of hand-to-hand combat is Englishman William Blane: “[Fighting] is only worthy of the most ferocious savages. The object of each combatant is to take his adversary by surprise; and then, as soon as he has thrown him down, either to ‘gouge’ him, that is, to poke his eye out, or else to get his nose or ear into his mouth and bite it off... This abominable practice of gouging is the greatest defect in the character of the Backwoodsman.” Known to the backswoodsmen as “fist and skull” fighting, it is little wonder they were obstreperous in either civilian or military life.
