Julia Junkin, Tom Blackburn's "date" for church, was eighteen, and by all accounts "bright, energetic, amiable and very pretty." Her father was not only President of Washington College, but a Presbyterian minister. He would, in fact, be preaching at evening services.

At the Junkin house Blackburn would also run into his old nemesis, VMI professor Major Thomas Jonathan Jackson.

Jackson had married Junkin's eldest daughter, Ellie, in August and had been living with her, in her father's house, ever since.

Jackson and his wife, Dr. Junkin and his wife, Junkin's brilliant middle daughter, Margaret, and "the entire Junkin clan" thus formed something of a family parade to evening services, with Blackburn and Julia bringing up the rear. They were joined along the way by an equally informal parade of VMI cadets.

Among them were Cadet Richard Taylor and Cadet First Captain Charles Edward Lightfoot, who had arranged to escort "young ladies" of their own to evening services. Unfortunately for Taylor (or perhaps because Blackburn was only half teasing about alienated her affections) Taylor's "Miss Lewis" was "not there," when the group arrived. Taylor thus tagged along with Lightfoot and a "Miss May" as they moved towards the Presbyterian church.

As Lightfoot and his friends approached the church, they would have no doubt noticed Cadet John Howard Sharp, seated alone on the "front stone steps as the flock was gathering" not far from Cadets, Thomas Phillip Mathews of Watkins Church and Robert M. McKinney of Lynchburg.

They, in turn, would have seen Tom Blackburn, wearing "kid gloves" and his "heavy army overcoat buttoned well up" arrive with Julia Junkin on his arm. Julia remember that they had been discussing "predestination" as they walked. It was perhaps less unlikely topic than one might have expected, given that she was the daughter of a Presbyterian minister and Blackburn the son of a Ruling Elder, and inclined, some said, to be somewhat "skeptical."

As Blackburn and Julia entered the vestibule, Cadets Matthews and McKinney fell in a "few paces" behind them.

According to Matthews, Julia had just passed through one of the inner vestibule doors and into the church sanctuary, when Blackburn stopped and muttered something to the two of them.

Neither would remember what he said.

At precisely that moment, according to John Howard Sharp, Charles Burks Christian "waylaid Blackburn at the church door" touching him on the shoulder and asking "to speak with him for a moment."

Christian's voice was "polite, but serious," according to another witness, though somewhat "constrained."

His face was pale and he was clearly "agitated."

Blackburn apparently hadn't noticed Christian when he entered the church and by all accounts was clearly surprised to see him.

Witnesses said he never lost his composure, certainly did not seem afraid, and "readily assented" to Christian's request for an "interview," replying with a bow and the words, "Very well, Sir."

As he left he handed Julia a book, most likely a hymnal he had been carrying for her. "You know better how to use it than I do," he told her.

That said, Blackburn turned and followed Christian, out of the vestibule, onto the front porch, down the front steps of the church and onto Lexington's Main Street, the Plank Road.

Christian walked on Blackburn's left, wearing his sack coat buttoned up to the throat, with Lurty's hickory stick stuck under his arm. Both hands were in his pockets.

When Cadets Matthews and McKinney noticed that Christian had a stick, both said they thought seriously about following the two young men, just in case there was a fight. But they didn't. They waited, instead, on the porch where they had first noticed Christian, and watches as the two young men disappeared from view. Both later told Samuel McDowell Moore that, at the time, they weren't all that worried. Blackburn, they said, seemed well able to take care of himself and Christian, as they all knew, was a coward.

Thus, as Matthews and McKinney stood and watched, Christian and Blackburn walked north to the corner of Main and Nelson, turned right and headed east, down Nelson Street, quickly disappearing from view.

After walking down Nelson Street, "about the length of the church to where a pair of cattle scales stood" Blackburn stopped and reportedly asked Christian, "Haven't we gone far enough for our interview?"

They had, indeed.

Following the two young men would have no doubt been a shock. The workman reported that Blackburn, as he approached, was laughing. He was struck repeatedly. He was struck with a stick. He was struck with his fists. His face was pale and he was clearly "agitated."

He was struck so hard, his face, according to another witness, was "covered with blood and had it not been for a Presbyterian minister who was passing by and offering him assistance," the victim might have been left for dead.

When Cadets Matthews and McKinney arrived on the scene, Blackburn, who had been severely beaten and stabbed, would have been in dire straits. Witnesses would say later told Samuel McDowell Moore that, at the time, they didn't think that he would survive his injuries. They thought seriously about following the two young men, just in case there was a fight. Blackburn, they said, seemed well able to take care of himself and Christian, as they all knew, was a coward.

Thus, as Matthews and McKinney stood and watched, Christian and Blackburn walked north to the corner of Main and Nelson, turned right and headed east, down Nelson Street, quickly disappearing from view.

When witnesses would later be asked what they could remember of what had occurred, many refused to acknowledge what they felt they had witnessed in the church doors touching him on the shoulder and asking "to speak with him for a moment."

The workman reported that Blackburn, as he approached, was laughing. He was struck repeatedly. He was struck with a stick, and he had blood on him. His face was pale and he was clearly "agitated."

He was struck so hard, his face, according to another witness, was "covered with blood and had it not been for a Presbyterian minister who was passing by and offering him assistance," the victim might have been left for dead.

Some witnesses said to later account for what happened that night. Others remembered they had heard discussion of a fight. Some said it happened that night. Others said it happened later.

When asked to remember things about what happened that night that they thought certain they all knew, was a coward. Witnesses said he never lost his composure. His face was pale and he was clearly "agitated."

He was struck so hard, his face, according to another witness, was "covered with blood.