Existing comment:
The Duel
July 11, 1804 - 7:00 am
The duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr was the culmination of an "affair of honor" -- a highly ritualized war of words between two men looking to protect their political and personal reputations.
Hamilton, the former Secretary of the Treasury, and Burr, the sitting Vice President, came into frequent personal and political conflict. During Burr's 1804 campaign for governor of New York, Hamilton actively denounced Burr. Blaming him for the campaign loss, Burr challenged the honor-bound Hamilton to a duel.
The two men, their seconds, and a doctor, rowed across the Hudson River in two separate boats to Weehawken, New Jersey, where dueling was prosecuted less aggressively. Hamilton is reported to have "thrown away" his first shot -- a common way to resolve such affairs without bloodshed. Burr returned fire, mortally wounding Hamilton. Thirty-one hours later, Hamilton died in New York City surrounded by his family.
Burr's political career also died that day. He lived another 32 years, never expressing remorse for killing Hamilton. |