Existing comment:
Charles D. Cooper
"To Philip Schuyler, Esq."
April 23, 1804
The incident that directly led Aaron Burr to challenge Hamilton to a duel occurred in 1804: published accounts reported that Hamilton disparaged Burr to a group of prominent men. Burr claimed that he had twice forgiven Hamilton for such comments, but in the wake of his abandonment by the Republican faction, he was less generous. Hamilton, also at the lowest point of his political power, replied that Burr's accusation was too vague to merit response.
The two were at an impasse, and on July 11, 1804, they dueled at dawn in Weehawken, New Jersey. Reports conflict as to which man shot first and whether Hamilton intentionally aimed his gun away from Burr, but Burr shot Hamilton through his abdomen, and he died the following day. |