Crap, over 2 hours researching and typing a piece about the Affair of Honor (duel) between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton that took place on July 11, 1804 only to hit 'Publish Post' and it was lost because Blogger crapped out on me. It only saved about 2 paragraphs during auto saves and I typed a good 4 or 5 regular pages of text. Oh well, go to some history sites if you want detailed info.
I'll just say they were personal rivals, and Aaron Burr won the fight, was charged with murder in NY & NJ (duel was in NJ), was not prosecuted because he was the sitting Vice President of the United States at the time. Hamilton died the next day. It has been hypothesized based upon physical evidence (a letter he wrote the night before the duel), his own oral statement after being shot, and his history in dueling, that Hamilton never even intended to fire at Burr. Burr certainly intended to fire at Hamilton as per his own statements. Some believe that Hamilton fired first, wide and well over Burr and his shot reportedly struck a tree about 12 feet above the ground where the bullet lodged. Then Burr believing that Hamilton had fired at him, returned the shot striking and mortally wound Hamilton. He was well justified in having done so if Hamilton indeed fired first because each man had a second loaded pistol for a follow-up shot. Normally, in dueling back then, if an opponent wanted to get out of it with honor, he fired a shot into the ground near his feet showing that he had attended the duel with honor and courage and had yet declined to kill his rival. The other opponent then usually did likewise and it was over. In this case though, if Hamilton fired first, his shot zoomed by Burr and Burr reacted killing Hamilton. Of course if Burr fired first, it was possible that Hamilton fired a shot as he collapsed and that is why it went wide and high. Others think it possible that Hamilton used the adjustment on his pistol to set it as a hair trigger and he may have inadvertently fired the shot when he brought the pistol into play. Others think he was suicidal and wanted Burr to kill him. (His son had been killed in a duel at the same dueling area only 2 years prior.) No one actually witnessed the shots visually as the seconds turned their backs to the action so as to later be able to claim plausible deniabilty and say they had never seen the duel take place (something to protect themselves and the winner). Hamilton did make a dying declaration that he had never intended to harm Burr but some believe that he hated Burr so much he would have said anything to have made him look bad if Burr had actually won the duel. That whole controversy was discussed by me in detail but is now forever lost in the virtual ether of the Blogosphere.
Burr finished his vice presidency after which he conspired to start a new country by seizing land within the Louisiana Purchase, then in Spanish territories, then New Orleans. His plans never really made it off the ground but he was charged and tried for treason. He was acquitted based upon Article 3 - Section 3 of the Constitution when it was shown that only a single co-conspirator gave testimony against him that there was in fact a conspiracy. He then, in disgrace and owing a lot of money, fled to England where he spent most of the next 4 years. Returned to the US of A. Died in NY and was buried in NJ in 1834.
Burr's party was the Republican party (not related to the Republican party of today except in name only). It was, in fact, the precursor of the Democratic Party of today and is often retroactively referred to as the Democratic-Republican Party. Hamilton was a Federalist. No political commentary here - just factual info.
Imagine all of that though regardless of party affiliation; a vice president of the United States of America charged with murder by two states and later charged and tried for treason. What a guy! Crap, crap, crap - my other piece was much better but after losing it, I lost my inspiration to try my hand at it again.
All the best,
Glenn B
No comments:
Post a Comment