The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-12-23
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Burr and Hamilton.
!. THEIR FAMOUS DUEL, RESULTING IN THE
q. y i''s DEATH OF HAMILTON.

Burr and Hamfis0n.
si.li u y ..i9-' 1870 -',,"t-ti7 81
THEIR FAMOUS DUEL, RESULTING IN THE
e . .fs DEATH OF HAMILTON.
.SySt .aSHXs3i tts';G: ,yka,77 ,e,,
The duel between Aaron Burr and'Al-
exander Hamilton was fought early on
the morning of July II, 1904. The pre-
iminary; correspondence had begun on
the goth of June, William P. Van Ness
being the friend of Burr, and Judge
Nathaniel Pendleton acting for ,Hamil-
ton. The challenge was at length given
by Burr and accepted, and the parties
prepared for the meeting. Hamilton ex-.
, eecuted his will, stating several reasons
why he should not fight duel, but still
yielding to the prevailing sentiments and
demand of the time. Burr, the night be-
I fore. wrote some letters; and then lay
down and slept till morning. ,,..,l,
tsT The spot selected for the combat was
at Weehawken, in Hudson county New
JERSEY, about two miles and half above
Hoboken, and opposite Sixty-fourth
street of New York: It was q quiet nook
in the, rock above the North river shore.
Ten full PAGES were measured, and then
thew cast lots for the choice. of position
and to decide who should give the word.
General Hamilton's second won in both
cases. The pistols we're, then loaded in
presence of al, and the principals placed;
Hamiltonis position faced the uyeri anu
1.-The city. & It was unfortunate, for the sun
land the ,glancing waves might haveintet-
ferred. But in the end it .mattered not.
Burr was faced toward the heights under
which they stood.
Judge Pendleton7handed the pistol to
Hamii6Sn, and askea:s l5lC
sWill you, have the hair-spring setfi
'2a ssNot this time" was the quiet answer.
Psndleton then explained the rules un-
der:which they were to fire, as follows;
aThe parties being stationed, the second
who gives the word shall ask them
! whether they are ready Upon beng
answered in.the affirmative, he shall say
PRESENT. After this the parties shall
.tpresent, and fire when they please. II
lone fires before the other the opposite
second shall say, 'One, two, three fire 7
atnrd. he shall then FIRE, OF lose his fire.
Pendleton asked if they were ready.
Upon being answered, he gave the word
present f Both parties presented, and
t;fredin succession The seconds did not
precisely agree as to the succession OF
shots, but it is believed that Burr fired
first. and that. Hamilton's shot was myol-
iuntary. Colonel Burr's shot took effect,
and Hamilton fell almost instantly
against the bowlder, his pistol going OH
at the moment.
Burr henzadyanced toyad2 Hamilton
with All All and gesture expressive of re-
! gret., But being urged. from the field ~
Els friend, he turned about and withdrew,
/ his friend shielding him with an :iunn-
librella 10 prevent recognition by the boat
men and surgeon, who were then ap-
preaching. Burr returned home to break
fast.
!. Hamilton's second sprang forward and
lifted the General to a sitting, posture.
The ball had struck a. middle Of o rib and
! fractured it, and; then lodged in his spine:
DR.. Hosack says: ellis lcountenance iof
! death j shall never forget. y he had at
that instant Just strength enough to say:
This is a mortal wound, DOCTOR when
he sank away and became to all appear
ances lifaless. His pulses were, not to be
felt, and upon laying my Hand upon bis
heart and perceiying, NO motion there,
considered him as rrevocably gone. /
however, observed to Mr.. Pendleton that
!. the, only chance for his reyiying was aim-
imediately forget him upon the water.
We therefore lifted him up and carried
him ont of the woods to the margin of
the bank where the .bargemen aided us
',in conveying him into the boat, which
Immediately put out, /" ~ ''ee ''''i.,n !,
..a Before they reached the opposite shore
he revived, and from q remark he made
seemed apparently unconscious that his
pistol had been discharged He Was
taken to the house ofafiend, Mr.. Bay
ard, at Greenwich, and survived until the
next day about 2 p. M, when he died in
the forty-eighth year of bis ags. . Han
ilton's town residence Ias iat No.g %
Cedar street, and his family were at the
Gfaflge, Bht hi @asS sSbufi@ in Trinity
church yard, fSom the tesidence of Mr..
Church, his brother-in-law, in Robinson
street, now Park place.
An examination the next day; ass to
the direction iof Hahilton'sb ball, showed
. that it had passed through the limb ,of
the cedar tree, about, four feet wide Of
the direct line between him and Burr.