3 ms·

The fact that this conspiracy was likely real lends importance to Hamilton's self-sacrifice in the famous duel. There were two possible outcomes of the fight. 1

The fact that this conspiracy was likely real lends importance to Hamilton's self-sacrifice in the famous duel. There were two possible outcomes of the fight. 1) Hamilton kills Burr, eliminating him, or 2) Burr (the sitting Vice President!) kills him, thereby discrediting himself as a political figure. Killing a man, even in 1804, and especially as Vice President, would not simply blow over. Hamilton knew this. He won the duel in spirit before it began. Hamilton's career was essentially over due to the Reynolds Affair, but facing Burr was his final act to serve his country. A fascinating bit of history indeed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burr%E2%80%93Hamilton_duel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burr%E2%80%93Hamilton_duel

jdoliner 8y ago
I don't think Hamilton was quite thinking of the duel as a way to stop this plot. For one thing the timeline doesn't quite match up there, the duel happened in 1804, the conspiracy seems to not have come to light until 1806. Maybe Hamilton was aware of it before, but I haven't seen much evidence of that. My understanding is that it was more the other way around, killing Hamilton discredited Burr as a public figure and the only option he had left to hang on to power was to essentially create his own country that he could be President of. It was quite ill-conceived and accomplished nothing but his arrest. That being said, Hamilton did know going into the duel that Burr would permanently mar his reputation if he slayed him, Hamilton. And thought that this would keep him safe. There is a 3rd option in duels, which is both people shooting into the air, maintaining their honor without casualty. This was actually the most common outcome of dueling at the time, though reading history it's easy to get the opposite impression. Duels that end with pistols to the sky don't get discussed as much. But Hamilton was in many duels leading up to the Burr deal that ended that way.
- mjklin 8y ago
  Not to mention that Burr had fought a duel on the exact same ground with Hamilton's father-in-law in which both their guns jammed, they both laughed it off, and they were joking with each other on the boat ride back to Manhattan (anecdote found in Chernow's Hamilton bio).
- Bluestrike2 8y ago
  The process was known as deloping ("throwing away"),[0] and normally involved firing a round into the ground. Hamilton's second claimed he deliberately fired into the air, while Burr's second claimed Hamilton fired at Burr and missed.[1] There's really no clear answer, unfortunately, and Hamilton's use of pistols with hair triggers could have played a role as well. Hamilton did write in a statement prior to the duel that he'd delope if possible: > ... I have resolved, if our interview is conducted in the usual manner, and it pleases God to give me the opportunity, to reserve and throw away my first fire, and I have thoughts even of reserving my second fire—and thus giving a double opportunity to Col Burr to pause and to reflect.[2] Firing into the air rather than the ground would involve moving your pistol in a manner that would clearly appear as if you intending to fire on your opponent. On the other hand, his death at Burr's hands certainly gave Hamilton the "brilliant exit" he'd admired for years.[2] Plus, if Hamilton wanted to ensure Burr's destruction after his death, his statement couldn't have been better written. Society would have shunned Burr regardless, but the statement all but guaranteed it would view him with the deepest of contempt. 0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deloping https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deloping 1. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/burr-slays-hamilton-in-duel https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/burr-slays-hamil... 1. https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Hamilton/01-26-02-0001-0241 https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Hamilton/01-26-02-00... 2. http://www.historynet.com/hamilton-burr-duel.htm http://www.historynet.com/hamilton-burr-duel.htm
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
JohnJamesRambo 8y ago
I like your way of looking at it.
billfruit 8y ago
I think most likely Hamilton and Burr would have acted out of personal intent, rather than any heroic ideal of serving the country, in this matter of the duel. By most reports Hamilton; whose reputation had been tarnished by other matters, left no stone unturned to ensure that posterity will remember Burr as villain.

jdoliner 8y ago

I don't think Hamilton was quite thinking of the duel as a way to stop this plot. For one thing the timeline doesn't quite match up there, the duel happened in 1804, the conspiracy seems to not have come to light until 1806. Maybe Hamilton was aware of it before, but I haven't seen much evidence of that. My understanding is that it was more the other way around, killing Hamilton discredited Burr as a public figure and the only option he had left to hang on to power was to essentially create his own country that he could be President of. It was quite ill-conceived and accomplished nothing but his arrest. That being said, Hamilton did know going into the duel that Burr would permanently mar his reputation if he slayed him, Hamilton. And thought that this would keep him safe. There is a 3rd option in duels, which is both people shooting into the air, maintaining their honor without casualty. This was actually the most common outcome of dueling at the time, though reading history it's easy to get the opposite impression. Duels that end with pistols to the sky don't get discussed as much. But Hamilton was in many duels leading up to the Burr deal that ended that way.

mjklin 8y ago
Not to mention that Burr had fought a duel on the exact same ground with Hamilton's father-in-law in which both their guns jammed, they both laughed it off, and they were joking with each other on the boat ride back to Manhattan (anecdote found in Chernow's Hamilton bio).
Bluestrike2 8y ago
The process was known as deloping ("throwing away"),[0] and normally involved firing a round into the ground. Hamilton's second claimed he deliberately fired into the air, while Burr's second claimed Hamilton fired at Burr and missed.[1] There's really no clear answer, unfortunately, and Hamilton's use of pistols with hair triggers could have played a role as well. Hamilton did write in a statement prior to the duel that he'd delope if possible: > ... I have resolved, if our interview is conducted in the usual manner, and it pleases God to give me the opportunity, to reserve and throw away my first fire, and I have thoughts even of reserving my second fire—and thus giving a double opportunity to Col Burr to pause and to reflect.[2] Firing into the air rather than the ground would involve moving your pistol in a manner that would clearly appear as if you intending to fire on your opponent. On the other hand, his death at Burr's hands certainly gave Hamilton the "brilliant exit" he'd admired for years.[2] Plus, if Hamilton wanted to ensure Burr's destruction after his death, his statement couldn't have been better written. Society would have shunned Burr regardless, but the statement all but guaranteed it would view him with the deepest of contempt. 0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deloping https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deloping 1. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/burr-slays-hamilton-in-duel https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/burr-slays-hamil... 1. https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Hamilton/01-26-02-0001-0241 https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Hamilton/01-26-02-00... 2. http://www.historynet.com/hamilton-burr-duel.htm http://www.historynet.com/hamilton-burr-duel.htm
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]

JohnJamesRambo 8y ago

I like your way of looking at it.

billfruit 8y ago

I think most likely Hamilton and Burr would have acted out of personal intent, rather than any heroic ideal of serving the country, in this matter of the duel. By most reports Hamilton; whose reputation had been tarnished by other matters, left no stone unturned to ensure that posterity will remember Burr as villain.