Alexander Hamilton
As the City of Sculpture, it seems fitting that Hamilton should have a statue of the founding father whose name was bestowed on the fort beside the Great Miami River in 1791 and later on the city that grew around that frontier military post.
Alexander Hamilton's accomplishment were many, too numerous to relate in detail in this column. He overcame a difficult childhood to become an outspoken critic of British rule of the colonies as a teenager, and in his 20s and 30s a stalwart in the American Revolution and the establishment of the United States government.
Hamilton was born out of wedlock in either 1755 or 1757 in the West Indies and was orphaned at about 11 years of age. In 1773, while a student at King's College (now Columbia University) in New York City, he began writing about political issues.
In 1775, he abandoned his education to form a volunteer company to fight the British. A year later, he rose to captain of an artillery unit that he led in campaigns in New York and New Jersey, including action at Trenton and Princeton.
His talent as a writer and his military success were noticed by Gen. George Washington. March 1, 1777, Hamilton was promoted to lieutenant colonel and appointed an aide-de-camp to the commander of the revolutionary army.
"As secretary and aide," wrote historian Allan Nevins, "Hamilton held a position of great responsibility, and his duties were by no means confined to giving literary assistance to Washington. He became a trusted adviser" until assuming command of a battalion in the summer of 1781. He won praise for his combat leadership in the climatic Battle of Yorktown.
Hamilton served in the Continental Congress (1782-83) and was instrumental in events leading to the convening of the Constitutional Convention in 1787. At that Philadelphia convention, he advocated creation of a strong central government. As the only New York delegate to sign the document, he was a major influence in the ratification of the Constitution. He collaborated with James Madison and John Jay in writing the Federalists papers that helped win support for the Constitution.
In 1789, when Washington became the first president under the Constitution, he chose Hamilton as secretary of the treasury. His prime mission was to stabilize the finances of the new government. During his tenure, Hamilton resumed his close friendship with Washington and became an important influence on his presidency.
As secretary of the treasury, Hamilton often clashed with another cabinet member, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson. Hamilton resigned in 1795 and resumed his law practice in New York. He never held office again, but didn't abandon politics and political wrangles.
An example was the 1800 presidential election, which was decided in the U. S. House of Representatives. Hamilton was a leader of the Federalist Party that dominated the House. In electoral votes, two Democratic-Republican candidates tied. They were Jefferson, a long time political enemy of Hamilton, and Aaron Burr, also a Hamilton political opponent. Hamilton's support of Jefferson was influential in the House vote that placed Jefferson in the White House.
Later, when Burr lost the New York governor's race, he blamed the setback on Hamilton and challenged him to a duel. July 11, 1804, in Weehawken, N. J., Burr's single shot felled Hamilton, who died the next day.
If Hamilton isn't revered as much as his contemporaries -- including Washington, Jefferson, Madison and John Adams -- it may be because of his often combative personality, according to Joseph J. Ellis, author of Founding Brothers, The Revolutionary Generation.
"Once Hamilton encountered a major obstacle to the advancement of any cause in which he believed, he instinctively hurled himself onto the offensive, never looked back and waited for no stragglers. Whether the objective was a British parapet at Yorktown, the admirations of the legal and merchant elite in New York, or the ratification of the Constitution, Hamilton's pattern was the same: to unleash his formidable energies in great bursts of conspicuous productivity; imposing his own personality on events in an ostentatious, out-of-my-way style," said Ellis in his 2000 book that won a Pulitzer Prize.
The Duel
Vice President Aaron Burr versus Alexander Hamilton. The latter was a founding father and the nation's first secretary of the treasury whose name was given to a fort on the Ohio frontier in 1791 and later to the city that developed around that supply outpost built by the U. S. Army.
Hamilton, hit by a single shot, died a day after the July 11, 1804, contest at Weehawken, N. J. Hamilton, who spoke against him, was challenged after Burr failed to win election as governor of New York.
Hamilton was no stranger to duels. He had been close to exchanging shots several times, including a 1797 name-calling battle with James Monroe, a future president. Hamilton's eldest son died in a duel Nov. 23, 1801, at Weehawken with a Burr supporter. Philip Hamilton, 19, who reportedly fired in the air, was killed by George I. Eacker, who had spoken against his father.
Dueling -- which has been traced to at least the Middle Ages -- was an early import to the New World. The first American duel -- fought with swords and causing only minor wounds -- was recorded at Plymouth in 1621. Also known as an affair of honor, the one-on-one confrontations continued until after the Civil War, despite anti-dueling laws and religious opposition to the practice.
Duelists were men of all occupations, but most pitted "gentleman against gentleman" -- lawyers, politicians and military officers. Political disagreements were a common basis for the violence in the early United States. One writer described dueling as "an accepted risk of American public life."
Pistols were the favorite weapon, but other means of maiming and death also were used. The challenged party usually chose the weapon.
There were several dueling codes, specifying the rules of engagement. Negotiations were conducted by seconds, not the disputants. Seconds decided time, place, distance and other details. Until the appointed time of combat, an apology from the challenged party could prevent bloodshed. Once the duel began, it could be stopped by the challenger when he believed his honor had been restored or preserved. Some contestants deliberately fired wildly to avoid injury.
Andrew Jackson, a future president, was accused of stretching the rules in winning an 1806 showdown with Charles Dickinson. Jackson was wounded by Dickinson's shot, but Jackson's gun misfired. He didn't consider it a shot and cocked his pistol and fired again, killing Dickinson. He won the duel, but his reputation suffered because of the alleged violation of the code.
Duels weren't always limited to one shot. In 1802, DeWitt Clinton -- later the New York governor who promoted the Erie Canal and started the nation's canal boom -- exchanged five shots with an opponent. After hitting John Swartout twice, DeWitt, then mayor of New York City, refused to continue shooting at a wounded man. DeWitt had been challenged by Swartout, a friend of Aaron Burr. Swartout claimed DeWitt had smeared Burr in a political dispute.
Burr and Hamilton were influential leaders in rival political parties, and bitter enemies since at least 1791. A flashpoint was the 1800 presidential election, decided in the U. S. House of Representatives. Hamilton was a leader of the Federalist Party that dominated the House. In electoral votes, two Democratic-Republican candidates tied. They were Burr and Thomas Jefferson, also a long time political enemy of Hamilton. Hamilton's backing of Jefferson influenced the House vote and won Jefferson the presidency. Burr became vice president.
In 1804, Burr lost the New York governor's race. During the campaign, a third person reported a "despicable opinion" of Burr expressed by Hamilton, also a New Yorker, at a dinner party. That led Burr -- whose term as vice president extended to March 5, 1805 -- to challenge Hamilton to the July 11, 1804, duel. They faced each other in New Jersey because dueling had been outlawed in New York.
Hamilton had fought in the American Revolution as a volunteer and rose to aide-de-camp and trusted adviser to Gen. George Washington. He served in the Continental Congress, promoted convening the Constitutional Convention, signed the Constitution and campaigned for its ratification. President Washington chose Hamilton as the first secretary of the treasury.
When the U. S. Army built a fort on the banks of the Great Miami River in 1791, Gen. Arthur St. Clair honored his friend by naming it Fort Hamilton
Hamilton, hit by a single shot, died a day after the July 11, 1804, contest at Weehawken, N. J. Hamilton, who spoke against him, was challenged after Burr failed to win election as governor of New York.
Hamilton was no stranger to duels. He had been close to exchanging shots several times, including a 1797 name-calling battle with James Monroe, a future president. Hamilton's eldest son died in a duel Nov. 23, 1801, at Weehawken with a Burr supporter. Philip Hamilton, 19, who reportedly fired in the air, was killed by George I. Eacker, who had spoken against his father.
Dueling -- which has been traced to at least the Middle Ages -- was an early import to the New World. The first American duel -- fought with swords and causing only minor wounds -- was recorded at Plymouth in 1621. Also known as an affair of honor, the one-on-one confrontations continued until after the Civil War, despite anti-dueling laws and religious opposition to the practice.
Duelists were men of all occupations, but most pitted "gentleman against gentleman" -- lawyers, politicians and military officers. Political disagreements were a common basis for the violence in the early United States. One writer described dueling as "an accepted risk of American public life."
Pistols were the favorite weapon, but other means of maiming and death also were used. The challenged party usually chose the weapon.
There were several dueling codes, specifying the rules of engagement. Negotiations were conducted by seconds, not the disputants. Seconds decided time, place, distance and other details. Until the appointed time of combat, an apology from the challenged party could prevent bloodshed. Once the duel began, it could be stopped by the challenger when he believed his honor had been restored or preserved. Some contestants deliberately fired wildly to avoid injury.
Andrew Jackson, a future president, was accused of stretching the rules in winning an 1806 showdown with Charles Dickinson. Jackson was wounded by Dickinson's shot, but Jackson's gun misfired. He didn't consider it a shot and cocked his pistol and fired again, killing Dickinson. He won the duel, but his reputation suffered because of the alleged violation of the code.
Duels weren't always limited to one shot. In 1802, DeWitt Clinton -- later the New York governor who promoted the Erie Canal and started the nation's canal boom -- exchanged five shots with an opponent. After hitting John Swartout twice, DeWitt, then mayor of New York City, refused to continue shooting at a wounded man. DeWitt had been challenged by Swartout, a friend of Aaron Burr. Swartout claimed DeWitt had smeared Burr in a political dispute.
Burr and Hamilton were influential leaders in rival political parties, and bitter enemies since at least 1791. A flashpoint was the 1800 presidential election, decided in the U. S. House of Representatives. Hamilton was a leader of the Federalist Party that dominated the House. In electoral votes, two Democratic-Republican candidates tied. They were Burr and Thomas Jefferson, also a long time political enemy of Hamilton. Hamilton's backing of Jefferson influenced the House vote and won Jefferson the presidency. Burr became vice president.
In 1804, Burr lost the New York governor's race. During the campaign, a third person reported a "despicable opinion" of Burr expressed by Hamilton, also a New Yorker, at a dinner party. That led Burr -- whose term as vice president extended to March 5, 1805 -- to challenge Hamilton to the July 11, 1804, duel. They faced each other in New Jersey because dueling had been outlawed in New York.
Hamilton had fought in the American Revolution as a volunteer and rose to aide-de-camp and trusted adviser to Gen. George Washington. He served in the Continental Congress, promoted convening the Constitutional Convention, signed the Constitution and campaigned for its ratification. President Washington chose Hamilton as the first secretary of the treasury.
When the U. S. Army built a fort on the banks of the Great Miami River in 1791, Gen. Arthur St. Clair honored his friend by naming it Fort Hamilton