The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-08-11

Having resolved on the duel, Burr
sent Hamilton u message demanding ex-
planation Of the remarks which the latter
had made This took place on the 18th
Of June. 1t is not proposed to give
these wel.known facts in detail, but the
writer may mention that four letters were
exchanged between the principals and
nine days elapsed before challenge was
sent. Hamilton had clear view Of the
determination of his correspondent. He
saw that hostile message was inevitable,
and being in obedience to what was false.
ly called the laws Of honor, he accepted
it as room as offered. He was conscien.
tiously opposed to the practice, with very
good reason indeed, since his son Phillip
had fallen iu duel with Adam Eacker
two years previously but he could not
brake the iron rule Of military life. He
would not send challenge, but he would
not refuse one He had twenty years
previously served as second, and now
as principal
On the Fourth Of July. 1904, just Il
week before the duel, both parties atten.
ded the dinner of the Society Of the Gin.
ciunati. Hamilton was in good spirits
and sang "The Drum which then was a
popular song. How little was it then
dreamed that he had accepted challenge !
Burr on the other hand couversed very
little, 1t was said after the duel that
Burr had been practicing with pistol,
and also that he had discovered that silk
was bullet.proof. Hence, as the rcpor.
went, he had ordered a suit Of this mater
ial for the occasion, aud, according to this
ridiculous notion. he stood fire. proof
However there was no need Of this or any
other precaution for Hamilton had doter-
mined to throw away his fire which, a.
is we'll known, was done. Indeed it was
said that his second, Mr., Pendleton re.
visited the spot and found Hamiton's
bullet lodged in tree. The paper which
Hamilton left as testimony against
dueling shows that his conduct was in
opposition to his conscience He felt
that he had no right to expose life
which his family needed so deeply, and
acting as he did in face Of this conclusion,
he was guilty Of dreadful. wrong.
Hamilton's second was Nathan Pen.
deton Burr's second was William l..
Van Ness BY special arrangement the
meeting was postponed until after the
Circuit Circuit, which was held on the
9th in which Hamilton had an important
case. When this had been disposed of,
Mr. Pendleton informed Van Ness that
his principal was ready. Sunday, the
sth was passed by Hamilton in the bos.
om Of his family. What grievous
wrong he was about to inflict upon them
On Monday he made his will leaving
everything to his wife and commencing
her to his children Tuesday was spent
in preliminaries to the meeting, which
was to come off earl y the next day. A
surgeon and a boatman were to be en-
gaged. and the former was found in Dr.
Hosack, who was one Of the leading prac.
titioners Of the age. On that day Burr
wrote long letter to Theodosia, giving
explicit directions as to the disposition Of
his affairs, and also advice in reference
to the education OF her little boy lie
also wrote careful and elaborate letter
to her husband, in which other details
are given, and he concludes with the
brief explanation II have called ont
General Hamilton, and We meet tomor.
row. Van Ness will give you the par
ticulars- The preceding has been written
in view of this. IF it should be my lot
to fall yet | shall live in you and your
sou 1t may be observed as IA striking
contrast not only that Burr did not fall,
but that he survived both his daughter
and her husband, as well as their sor and
died in miserable old age.
1t was arranged between the seconds
that Burr should be on the ground first,
and he must have left Richmond Hill be.
fore q o'clock. Pendleton says that at
in the morning the Hamilton party
reached the spot (Which was Weehawken),
and the ierryman was ordered to wait at
the bank. Burr and Van Ness were
busy clearing the ground SO as 10 make
an opening The principals saluted each
other in that formal manner which the
laws Of honor demand The distance
(ten paces) WAS measured, and tl.en Van
Ness and Pendleton united in oadiug Il
brace Of pistols. They then drew for
choice OF position, which Hamilton won.
and tho combatants Immediately took
their places. BY previous agreement, the
following had been arranged as the meth
cd OF combat 1.-The parties having been
placed in proper position, the second who
gives the word shall ask .hem if they are
ready, and being answered in the atiir.
native shall say present, aud after this
the parties shall present and fire when
they pleale." The word was given by
Pendleton, and both parties presented and
fired in succession. Pendleion says that
Barr took deliberate aim, Hamilton
fred G''er Burr, but the intervening time
was matter Of disagreement, 1t could
not, however have been more than two
or three seconds, for he fell mortally
wounded BY the first fire. Burr imme-
diately advanced towards the wounded
man with an expression of regret, and
then, without speaking, turned and left
the field. The spot on which Hamilton
fell was subsequently indicated by mon
ument placed there by the St. Andreww 5
Society Of which Hamilton was men,
Der. 1t stood in what was Thirty. first
street in the old Weehawken district, but
the Improvement in that vicinity has rc.
quired its removal
AS Hamilton sank to the ground Pen.
l.. IN. 4
ack, who heard the firing, was also i'm.
medialely at hand. The unfortunate
man was hardly abIe to speak. They
carried him down to the boat, passing tho
Burr party, and to prevent Identification
T Nan Ness covered his principal with hii
opened umbrella. Burr was rowed a,
rapidly as possible TO R,chmond Hill
, where he gathered few necessary art
cles and then fed ,o Philadelphia. IL,
Il "A 4 .