AMERICAN ECLIPSE vs. HENRY 



The first North and South match, which started a long 

 series of sectional contests, grew out of the fact that 

 American Eclipse was without a rival in the North and 

 Sir Charles without a rival in the South. 



On Nov. 20, 1822, C. W. Van Ranst, of New York, 

 owner of American Eclipse, and James J. Harrison of 

 Brunswick County, Virginia, owner of Sir Charles, ap- 

 peared at the Washington, D.C., course to run a match 

 race, 4-mile heats, with these horses, for $10,000 a side. 

 Harrison paid forfeit, $5,000, because Sir Charles had 

 met with an accident that disabled him for a 4-mile 

 contest; and then he proposed a race of one 4-mile heat 

 for $1,500. This race was run. Sir Charles broke 

 down. 



Later in the same day Col. William R. Johnson, of 

 Virginia, who had witnessed Sir Charles' defeat, offered 

 to produce a horse on the last Tuesday in May, 1823, to 

 run 4-mile heats against Eclipse over the Union Course, 

 Long Island, for $20,000 a side, $3,000 forfeit. An agree- 

 ment to this effect was consummated at once; it was vir- 

 tually Eclipse against the world. This contest soon 

 assumed the phase of a North and South affair the 

 first of the many matches of that name and character 

 that enlivened the annals of American racing. 



From the time the news of the match reached the far 

 interior the South felt sure of victory, due largely to con- 

 fidence in Col. Johnson's well known skill and ability 

 in the management of contests of this sort. 



