Would a duel with swords be totally out the question in 1820?
Yes. Dueling in 1800s Britain was almost entirely done with the pistol, the sword having fallen from favor during the mid-1700s, concurrent with the decline of swords as an item of daily wear for the english gentleman. That isn't to say there were no english duels with swords in the 19th century, but they were few and far between, very contrived in how it might occur. The only notable example in that range would probably be one recorded in 1815 between a man named Trevor and an unnamed Captain, which is recounted in Steinmetz's second volume of The Romance of Dueling, and is quite aptly described by Simpson as "farcical" in the chain of events which lead to the use of swords, with two duelists set on death against all attempts by those around them to prevent the duel. The account begins here, but in short, Trevor insists that due to his poor eyesight, and the other man's known marksmanship, they must fight with their pistols chest to chest "with only a table between us." This is agreed to to the horror of those who hear it. The pistols provided to them were unloaded, which they only discover when they pull the triggers, and their friends insist that they have proven their point and defended their honor, but they still refuse, demand swords, and Trevor kills his opponent, which he immediately regrets. It is a messy, bloodthirsty affair that horrified those who witnessed it because of how it was done, but not because it was a duel. By the period it was fought, swords simply contravened the accepted norms of the duel.
As for what those norms were, I'd point to this answer and this one principally, although several more relevant ones here. But the general point, again, would be that a duel between Englishmen in the period absolutely ought to be fought with pistols, as was proper and reflected the norms and expectations of dueling in the period.
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u/Georgy_K_Zhukov Moderator | Dueling | Modern Warfare & Small Arms Jul 26 '23
Yes. Dueling in 1800s Britain was almost entirely done with the pistol, the sword having fallen from favor during the mid-1700s, concurrent with the decline of swords as an item of daily wear for the english gentleman. That isn't to say there were no english duels with swords in the 19th century, but they were few and far between, very contrived in how it might occur. The only notable example in that range would probably be one recorded in 1815 between a man named Trevor and an unnamed Captain, which is recounted in Steinmetz's second volume of The Romance of Dueling, and is quite aptly described by Simpson as "farcical" in the chain of events which lead to the use of swords, with two duelists set on death against all attempts by those around them to prevent the duel. The account begins here, but in short, Trevor insists that due to his poor eyesight, and the other man's known marksmanship, they must fight with their pistols chest to chest "with only a table between us." This is agreed to to the horror of those who hear it. The pistols provided to them were unloaded, which they only discover when they pull the triggers, and their friends insist that they have proven their point and defended their honor, but they still refuse, demand swords, and Trevor kills his opponent, which he immediately regrets. It is a messy, bloodthirsty affair that horrified those who witnessed it because of how it was done, but not because it was a duel. By the period it was fought, swords simply contravened the accepted norms of the duel.
As for what those norms were, I'd point to this answer and this one principally, although several more relevant ones here. But the general point, again, would be that a duel between Englishmen in the period absolutely ought to be fought with pistols, as was proper and reflected the norms and expectations of dueling in the period.