Gore Vidal's novel "Burr" is an entertaining look at the life of Aaron Burr, the entire American Revolutionary War period, and the 1830s, complete with Burr's last wife, New York's most notorious madam, Eliza Jumel. She lived in the Jumel Mansion, which isn't much of a mansion. However, both Washington and his British opponent, General Howe, used it as their Tac HQs during the 1776 campaign for Manhattan.
Which means that at least one of my relatives tented near it during that campaign, as a paymaster sergeant for a Hessian regiment. "Sign here, you 'orrible little man."
Burr's father, Aaron Burr, Sr., founded Princeton. Both Burrs were born in Newark. Both are buried in Princeton. Burr, Jr. is near a tombstone that reads, "I Told You I Was Sick."
In 2004, Antonio Burr, a direct descendant of Aaron, met Alexander Hamilton V at the Heights of Weehawken, to re-enact the duel. It was the first time a Burr had knowingly met a Hamilton since that event. The two families had a good time.
Antonio Burr is a forensic psychologist and says Hamilton "wanted to die," which is possible.
There will always be a question whether or not Hamilton intentionally missed Burr when he fired; people forget that Hamilton was a general in the US army, he knew how to handle pistols, and was likely a very good shot. But he was having a duel with the sitting Vice President of the United States. I believe that he intentionally missed, honor satisfied, and expected Burr to do the same. Burr did not do the same.
But Burr's life after the duel was just as weird. He was never charged with murder, never arrested, just went along with his duties as Vice President, including sitting on the impeachment trial of Associate Justice Chase and counting the electoral votes for the 1804 elections. Then he goes to New Orleans and tries to get Spain and the United States into a war with each other in hopes he can take over a large portion of the Louisiana Purchase in order to start his own county. Turns himself in twice to federal courts only to be released before a judge has him arrested and sent to Virginia for trial on treason, where he is acquitted in a trial presided over by John Marshall, Chief Justice of the United States, because the U.S. failed to present two witnesses to the same act of treason.
But it is because of Burr, in part, that the DOJ has a memorandum that a sitting president or vp cannot be criminally tried for acts committed while they are in office.
He was very much a rouge. Ambitious. A thorn in everyone's side. Hero and villain. I think that the best term to describe him is "colorful".
A great number of duels in those days ended with both sides firing in the air and then negotiating a settlement.
Lincoln had one duel with swords, and as he was taller and had longer arms than his opponent, he merely sat on a log opposite the other guy, to that man's displeasure. They signed a paper later.
Burr did live a bizarre life...he thought he could start his own country, got busted for treason, and then walked. The Bloated Yam must be eternally grateful to him.
Lincoln was the challenged party, so he got to name the weapons used in the duel. He picked broadswords; his greater strength and reach gave him an advantage over the challenger. They quickly resolved the issue. People just don't realize how strong Lincoln and Washington were.
We would be living in a very different country had Burr became president after the 1800 election. I don't think that the Constitution could have survived a Burr presidency. I think that he would have made himself a dictator in the form of Napoleon, and that would have been it for the United States.
Here's the defense:
https://historynewsnetwork.org/article/antonio-burr-my-famous-ancestor-was-no-villain
Yes, Burr was complex.
Gore Vidal's novel "Burr" is an entertaining look at the life of Aaron Burr, the entire American Revolutionary War period, and the 1830s, complete with Burr's last wife, New York's most notorious madam, Eliza Jumel. She lived in the Jumel Mansion, which isn't much of a mansion. However, both Washington and his British opponent, General Howe, used it as their Tac HQs during the 1776 campaign for Manhattan.
Which means that at least one of my relatives tented near it during that campaign, as a paymaster sergeant for a Hessian regiment. "Sign here, you 'orrible little man."
Burr's father, Aaron Burr, Sr., founded Princeton. Both Burrs were born in Newark. Both are buried in Princeton. Burr, Jr. is near a tombstone that reads, "I Told You I Was Sick."
In 2004, Antonio Burr, a direct descendant of Aaron, met Alexander Hamilton V at the Heights of Weehawken, to re-enact the duel. It was the first time a Burr had knowingly met a Hamilton since that event. The two families had a good time.
Antonio Burr is a forensic psychologist and says Hamilton "wanted to die," which is possible.
https://nypost.com/2015/11/08/descendants-of-alexander-hamilton-and-aaron-burr-are-actually-friends/
There will always be a question whether or not Hamilton intentionally missed Burr when he fired; people forget that Hamilton was a general in the US army, he knew how to handle pistols, and was likely a very good shot. But he was having a duel with the sitting Vice President of the United States. I believe that he intentionally missed, honor satisfied, and expected Burr to do the same. Burr did not do the same.
But Burr's life after the duel was just as weird. He was never charged with murder, never arrested, just went along with his duties as Vice President, including sitting on the impeachment trial of Associate Justice Chase and counting the electoral votes for the 1804 elections. Then he goes to New Orleans and tries to get Spain and the United States into a war with each other in hopes he can take over a large portion of the Louisiana Purchase in order to start his own county. Turns himself in twice to federal courts only to be released before a judge has him arrested and sent to Virginia for trial on treason, where he is acquitted in a trial presided over by John Marshall, Chief Justice of the United States, because the U.S. failed to present two witnesses to the same act of treason.
But it is because of Burr, in part, that the DOJ has a memorandum that a sitting president or vp cannot be criminally tried for acts committed while they are in office.
He was very much a rouge. Ambitious. A thorn in everyone's side. Hero and villain. I think that the best term to describe him is "colorful".
A great number of duels in those days ended with both sides firing in the air and then negotiating a settlement.
Lincoln had one duel with swords, and as he was taller and had longer arms than his opponent, he merely sat on a log opposite the other guy, to that man's displeasure. They signed a paper later.
Burr did live a bizarre life...he thought he could start his own country, got busted for treason, and then walked. The Bloated Yam must be eternally grateful to him.
He finished up with that madam. Figures.
Lincoln was the challenged party, so he got to name the weapons used in the duel. He picked broadswords; his greater strength and reach gave him an advantage over the challenger. They quickly resolved the issue. People just don't realize how strong Lincoln and Washington were.
We would be living in a very different country had Burr became president after the 1800 election. I don't think that the Constitution could have survived a Burr presidency. I think that he would have made himself a dictator in the form of Napoleon, and that would have been it for the United States.
Right....I didn't remember the details.
Both Lincoln and Washington were VERY strong. Lincoln was a wrestler, and Washington could stretch out horseshoes.
Yes, Burr would have been a nightmare president.