War of Two : Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr, and the Duel That Stunned the Nation

A provocative and penetrating investigation into the rivalry between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, whose infamous duel left the Founding Father dead and turned a sitting Vice President into a fugitive. In the summer of 1804, two of America’s most eminent statesmen squared off, pistols raised, on a bluff along the Hudson River. Why would two such men risk not only their lives but the stability of the young country they helped forge? In War of Two, John Sedgwick explores the long-standing conflict between Founding Father Alexander Hamilton and Vice President Aaron Burr. Matching each other’s ambition and skill as lawyers in New York, they later battled for power along political fault lines that would decide—and define—the future of the United States. A series of letters between Burr and Hamilton suggests the duel was fought over an unflattering comment made at a dinner party. But another letter, written by Hamilton the night before the event, provides critical insight into his true motivation. It was addressed to former Speaker of the House Theodore Sedgwick, a trusted friend of both men, and the author’s own ancestor. John Sedgwick suggests that Hamilton saw Burr not merely as a personal rival but as a threat to the nation. It was a fear that would prove justified after Hamilton’s death... INCLUDES COLOR IMAGES AND ILLUSTRATIONS Examines The Rivalry Between Alexander Hamilton And Aaron Burr, Whose Infamous Duel Left The Founding Father Dead And Turned A Sitting Vice-president Into A Fugitive. Part I. The Roots Of Hatred -- In The Hands Of An Angry God -- Contentment -- Platonic Love Is Arrant Nonsense -- The Prodictious Glare Of Almost Perpetual Lightning -- Refinement -- In The Roseate Bowers Of Cupid -- Six Slayloads Of Bucks And Belles -- Holy Ground -- A Fever For War -- Liberty Or Death -- When In The Course Of Human Events -- The Malcolms -- A Lady With A Beautiful Waist -- Beauty Is Woman's Sceptre -- The Schuylers -- But A Single Word, Burr -- A Little Sorceress -- In Ill Humour With Everything But Thee -- Part Ii. The Battle Is Joined -- Commentaries On The Laws Of England -- Children Of A Larger Growth -- Come My Charmer And Relieve Me -- You Will Become All That I Wish -- Two Men Of Politics -- A Dreaded Dilemma -- To A Mind Like His Nothing Comes Amiss -- Another Long Nose -- And We Had A Bank -- Botanizing -- Embryo-caesar -- Other Than Pecuniary Consolation -- Sober Among The Drunks -- I Have Been So Cruelly Treated -- Louis Capet Has Lost His Caput -- The Best Woman And Finest Lady I Have Ever Known -- Root Out The Distempered And Noisome Weed -- Part Iii. To The Death -- To Fight The Whole Detestable Faction -- The Bubble Of Speculation Is Burst -- An Absolute And Abominable Lie -- Strut Is Good For Nothing -- The Lady In The Well -- The Fangs Of Jefferson -- The Gigg Is Up -- A Damn'd Rascal -- Tant Mieux -- A Still More Despicable Opinion -- Part Iv. And Then There Was One -- Have No Anxiety About The Issue Of This Business -- A Good Many Incidents To Amuse One -- Motives Of Profound Political Importance -- A Terrible Whirlpool, Threatening Everything -- A Slight Expression Of Contempt -- G.h. Edwards -- In The End. John Sedgwick. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 425-434) And Index. Part I. The roots of hatred In the hands of an angry God Contentment Platonic love is arrant nonsense The prodictious glare of almost perpetual lightning Refinement In the roseate bowers of Cupid Six slayloads of bucks and belles Holy ground A fever for war Liberty or death When in the course of human events The Malcolms A lady with a beautiful waist Beauty is woman's sceptre The Schuylers But a single word, Burr A little sorceress In ill humour with everything but thee Part II. The battle is joined Commentaries on the laws of England Children of a larger growth Come my charmer and relieve me You will become all that I wish Two men of politics A dreaded dilemma To a mind like his nothing comes amiss Another long nose And we had a bank Botanizing Embryo-Caesar Other than pecuniary consolation Sober among the drunks I have been so cruelly treated Louis Capet has lost his caput The best woman and finest lady I have ever known Root out the distempered and noisome weed Part III. To the death To fight the whole detestable faction The bubble of speculation is burst An absolute and abominable lie Strut is good for nothing The lady in the well The fangs of Jefferson The gigg is up A damn'd rascal Tant mieux A still more despicable opinion Part IV. And then there was one Have no anxiety about the issue of this business A good many incidents to amuse one Motives of profound political importance A terrible whirlpool, threatening everything A slight expression of contempt H.G. Edwards In the end. In War of Two, John Sedgwick explores the long-standing conflict between Founding Father Alexander Hamilton and Vice President Aaron Burr. A study in contrasts from birth, they had been compatriots, colleagues, and even friends. But above all they were rivals. Matching each other's ambition and skill as lawyers in New York, they later battled for power along political fault lines that would not only decide the future of the United States, but define it. A series of letters between Burr and Hamilton suggest the duel was fought over an unflattering comment made at a dinner party. But another letter, written by Hamilton the night before the event, provides critical insight into his true motivation. It was addressed to former Speaker of the House Theodore Sedgwick, a trusted friend of both men, and the author's own ancestor. John Sedgwick suggests that Hamilton saw Burr not merely as a personal rival but as a threat to the nation. Burr would prove that fear justified after Hamilton's death when, haunted by the legacy of his longtime adversary, he embarked on an imperial scheme to break the Union apart.