Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1883-08-31
OLD PISTOLS.
A Description Of the Weapons Used by
Hamilton and Burr.

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Rochester Democrat
One Of the great historical events of
the opening of tho present century
was the duel between Aaron Burr and
Alexander Hamilton, which occurred
July II, 1904, at Wehawken. Ham
llton was wounded at the first fire and
died on the following day. Yester.
day, more than 70 years after the
tragic event, Democrat and Chroni-
Gle reporter ascertained the fact that
the weapons used on that memorable
occasion arc in possession of citizen
OF Rochester. For more than so
years they were IN possession of the
descendant of Hamilton, who gave
them to the mother of the present
possessor, also descendant of Ham.
llton. Naturally the owner Of these
sinister relics, much as he values them,
has given the fact of their possession
very little publicity. That the re.
porter should be curious to see those
ancient weapons goes almost without
saying. In appearance they are very
formidable. They are ''horse pistols"
of English manufacture, and are ex.
actly' alike, so far as an ordinary OBJ
server can discover. The one from
which Burr fired the fatal missile is
marked by a cross filed under the
lower part of the barrel. They do
not IN any respect resemble any mod
ern arm. In handling them one is
forcibly impressed with the idea that
they were evidently intended for use
IN duels where the participants ''shot
to KILL" and not to obtain newspaper
notoriety without the dlsagreeable
shedding of blood. Although they
evidently could no. be manipulated SO
rapidly as the modern double- acting,
self:cocking pistol, they are capable o.!
fatal execution, as they carry a bull
let of fiftysix caliber. They are 1G
inches long, and are in reality small
guns rather than pistols. The barrels
appear to be of the best steel then
manufactured, and the weapons
throughout are heavily mounted with
brass. They are very carefully fin
ished in all their parts, and they were
evidently very expensive. A curious
feature of these pistols, unknown to
the present generation, but remem.
bered by some Of the old readers who
have handled their grandfathers'
is the nint-locks. These. with
ilnts in position, are intact. 1t seems
almost incredible to-day, in view of
the advance Of everything pertaining
to gunnery, that me should risk their
lives on the spark from the flint and
steel. 1t is evident, however, from an
examination Of these weapons, that
the tllnts were cut with the precision
ot the face of diamond and it is
probable that there was as little likeli
hood of their missing fire as there
would be with the most finished cart
'idge weapon Of the present day. The
pistols are "si GIFTED" with Il view to
he purpose for which they were made,
md III tie hands Of Il man with Il
teady nerve and strong arm, would I.
,rove very dangerous weapon.
laced beside one of these heavy
'uellng weapons, an ordinary revol.
'er appeared dwarfed into tov pis.
Of, and one OF its cartridges was
lmost lost when dropped into its
pacous muzzle. Aside from the
,reat historical interest attached to
he weapons, this comparison OF the
lmost perfect weapon Of TODAY with
hat of eighty years ago, doubtless tie
most pc rfect of that day, was startling.
he interval marks the transition and :
.rowth OF weapons Of defence, from
he clumsy machines of flint and steel
nd powder and ball to the weapon
Which is capable Of being DISCHARGED
TX times IN as many seconds. and re-
oaded in a few additional seconds.
he increase in certainty of aim and $
over OF execution is not, however, SO !
bvlous. The pistols are in remark. i
BILE state Of preservation. and are ap- a
arently in as good condition as when e
sed for tie last time that fatal morn !,
'g on the banks of the Hudson, hav.
'g been carefully preserved and :
lred for these seventv-nne years
UGH, In brief, is description OF these
'teresting relics, the mementoes of = n
r'at tragedy which had much to do
18th moulaing the political events of b
he century in the United States.
Very few, and those only family
lends, have been aware of the exis.
nee OF these reminders of the dark u
agedy in the family, and it is only
IN great reluctance that the posses {
" permits any present reference to v
em--a reluctance which is easily APP r,
1t is The intonti,, ,f H. $!