If you thought the quarrel between Dick Cheney and Pat Leahy was bad, just be glad it didn’t happen 200 years ago.
Last Sunday marked the bicentennial of the infamous duel between Alexander Hamilton, our nation’s first secretary of the treasury, and Aaron Burr, then-vice president of the United States. On July 11, 1804, the two men rowed three miles from their homes in Lower Manhattan to an area across the Hudson known as the Weehawken Dueling Grounds, and settled their political differences with gunfire.
While 200 years of development have obscured the exact location of the Dueling Grounds, descendants of Hamilton and Burr, along with 1,500 curious onlookers, packed Weehawken’s Lincoln Harbor on Sunday for the re-enactment of one of the more enthrallingly dramatic events in our nation’s early history.
Among the 1,500 in attendance was an exceptional media presence, as the level of interest in the event proved to be remarkable. Major networks sent representatives, as well as the Associated Press, local television stations and C-SPAN, who broadcasted the event live.
Also in attendance was Gov. James McGreevey, who spoke highly of the duel’s original participants.
“The career achievements of Burr and Hamilton supersede the extraordinary nature of the event,” he said.
The governor bemoaned the result of the event, which seems barbaric in our age, stating, “History has undervalued Hamilton and demonized Burr” as a result of the events that took place that day.
Congressman Bob Menendez (D-13th District) took the opportunity to promote voter turnout, citing the forthcoming November elections as “the civilized approach to dueling.”
Mayor Richard Turner of Weehawken emceed the event and Congressman Bill Pascrell (D-8th District), who represents Paterson, which was founded by Hamilton, and has introduced a bill to honor Hamilton’s memory, was also in attendance.
Who they were
Hamilton was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, a Revolutionary War hero, an accomplished attorney and the first secretary of the treasury.
Burr, also a war hero and accomplished attorney, was vice president to Thomas Jefferson.
A long-standing political feud proved to be the undoing of these two gentlemen.
On the day of the duel, Burr’s political life was destroyed, while Hamilton lost much more.
According to historian and author Thomas Fleming, who appeared Sunday at a symposium on the duel, the two men agreed to the fight because they both had high political aspirations. But contrary to most beliefs, Hamilton had not publicly humiliated Burr in the 1804 election for governor of New York, one that saw Burr get trounced by Morgan Lewis, the sitting Chief Justice of the New York Supreme Court. Yet, Burr held Hamilton responsible for his political demise.
Last Sunday, Douglas Hamilton, the fifth-great-grandson of Hamilton, and Antonio Burr, a descendant of Burr’s cousin, rowed ashore in Weehawken wearing period costumes to re-enact the duel.
Narrating the events were actors Patrick Boll and Nancy Giles, both Weehawken residents. Hamilton’s “second” (assistant), Nathaniel Pendleton, was played by Carl Rubino, professor of classics at Hamilton College in New York. Burr’s second, William Van Ness, was played by Peter Tavino of the Aaron Burr Association. The physician who had been present at the 1804 duel, Dr. Hosack, was played by Stuart Fisk Johnson, who has served as president of the Aaron Burr Association since 1995.
Marched 10 paces
The participants met back to back, marched 10 paces, and faced each other in the proper dueling fashion.
As was described by an eyewitness account, Hamilton was forced to pause and put on his glasses, as the sun was obscuring his view.
Upon instruction, the two men fired and Hamilton dropped to the ground.
Hamilton sustained a mortal injury that day and died 31 hours later. Burr was forced into exile and fled to Philadelphia to avoid dueling and murder charges.
However, their modern heirs, Douglas Hamilton and Antonio Burr, were able to stick around for the rest of the day’s festivities. It was the first time in centuries the two families had gotten together.
“It wasn’t something on my top 100 list, but it was nice to meet Antonio Burr,” said Douglas Hamilton, adding, “He seems to be a very nice man, though I’m not sure I’m going to be on his Christmas card list.”
Antonio Burr told reporters, “There was an animosity on the part of Alexander Hamilton toward Aaron Burr for which there was nothing in Aaron Burr’s record that could be justified.”
Visitors come out
The beating sun and temperatures in the mid-80s enhanced the historical accuracy of the day’s events. It was reportedly balmy on that same date 200 years earlier.
But that didn’t stop John Patrick Mullin of Park Ridge from coming out. “I read about this event in the Weehawken Reporter a few months ago, contacted the Aaron Burr Association, and have been here all week for their meeting at the Sheraton,” said Mullin.
Like most in attendance, Mullin is an avid history buff, having taught the subject in high school for over 40 years.
“It’s very exciting and gratifying to see the high level of interest,” said Lauren Sherman, co-chair of the 200th Anniversary Commemoration Committee of the Weehawken Historical Commission. “We [had] audience members from all over the country.”
The re-enactment was followed by a re-dedication of the monument in Hamilton Park and an in-depth, informative symposium held at Weehawken High School, which was also televised by C-SPAN (see cover story).