The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-05-17

I'LL oCALlu1CAl OF lAC IlLuCS AOl lAC Ad.
ton instantly caught the spirit Of the
opening lines
Oh, Aaron Burr, what have you done9
You've killed great General Hamilton
and drove the scheming adventurer
into exile. Hamilton was canonized
and his name enrolled among the i'm
mortal few mot born to die"
OF the two men Burr and Hamilton,
If blood counts for anything in shaping
human destiny, Hamilton should have
been the adventurer and Burr the high
statesman. One account of
Hamilton's birth and parentage states
that he was the legitimate son Of di-
vorced Frenchwoman who had mar
ried Scotchman and another that he
was the natural son of young Eng
lish woman. Whatever his parentage
1t awaited him little in life, for he was
thrown upon the world at 10 years of
age and began his struggles as mer-
chants clerk.
The boy Hamilton was ambitious,
but not dreamer. He worked hard in
a counting house in the island of Nevis,
West Indies. Having the scribbling
habit, he one day wrote up hurricane
visit which devastated the island and
with that bit of literary success to
speak for him sailed for the American
and with the aid Of a private tutor en-
tered Kings college, as Columbia was
then called. Two years later the immi-
grant STRIPPING leaped unasked to the
platform Of patriot meeting and
made burning speech for colonial
rights. That was the debut of Hamil-'
ton, the statesman and one of the au-
thors Of the American constitution. The
actual outbreak Of war found him
equally ready for the work of the hour.
While the colonists were talking
young men of military spirit began to
get ready to fight. Hamilton, the
schoolboy, formed company of artil-
lery among his fellows, and when the
troops were needed in the field the
New York convention accepted the
body for active service, with its boy
leader as captain. The battery was a
model of discipline and attracted the
attention Of Washington. On his re-
treat from Long Island he gladly took
it along to swell his little army. For
tune favors the bold. The troops were
drawn up at White Plains to fight a
hopeless battle. Swarms of British
attacked the patriots, but when their
main column attempted to climb the
slopes where the Americans lay in
trenched Hamilton's guns swept them
away by platoons. General Greene
told Washington Of the boy artillerist,
and Hamilton was transferred to army
headquarters, where he became the
confidential aid of the commander in
chief. For youth of 20 Hamilton's
swift rise to place was enough to turn
his head. In five years the poor immi-
grant had reached the top. He was
not only the aid but the spokesman
of the greatest man in America. Wash
ington used Hamilton's pen not as an
annalist merely, but as an advocate.
Talent and dash are not so rare in
young men that Hamilton can be set
up as marvel in this respect. But his
courage was timely, his capacity ex-
haustless. One Of the times that tried
Washington's soul was after Saratoga.
when the American army in the north
had no foe to face. But the British,
under Howe, were marching up the
Delaware. Washington had given aid
to Gates at Saratoga, and now that
his own depleted army was hard press
ed he sent one request upon another
asking him to return the troops. with
others as he could spare them. Finally
Hamilton, then colonel, went to AL
bany to urge Gates to act. The gen
eral proposed to return Morgan's corps
to Washington, along with few worn.
out brigades, but Hamilton refused to
be put off with that. He was indig-
nant and talked back to Gates in terms
which brought the re-enforcements. On
the way down the Hudson the column
crossed the lines of Israel Putnam, a
semi-independent commander, who wa.
ambitious to recapture New York. Put
nam actually detached part of the
Washington re-enforcements to help or
his plans. Once more the young aid
| took the matter In his own hands
Said he to Putnam. IT now, sir, in the
most explicit terms, by his excellen
cy's authority. give it as positive or
der from him Washington that all the
Continental troops under your com
mand be Immediately marched to re
enforce the army under him." Veteran
though he was, a major general and 6
personal power in the colonies, Putnam
dared not oppose the beardless boy
because the boy had right on his side.
Hamilton's physical bravery was
equal to every crisis. At Monmouth
when others were shaky and doub
hung over the leaders, he rode to the
side Of his chief and cried out, "Let u.
die here rather than retreat!" Tha
was the spirit for Monmouth, but OF
another occasion he did retreat, ant