Hamilton had already lost a son to a duel, and was still grief-stricken over the incident. Yet with his political career at a frustrating end (and his hopes of rebuilding it largely dashed), Hamilton agreed to face Burr in order to preserve his honor. The events following that decision have become matters of intense debate between descendants of Hamilton and Burr for decades ever since. Did Hamilton deliberately throw away his shot? Did Burr murder Hamilton? What about those hair-trigger mechanisms that Hamilton had on his pistols? Many questions. Not many answers. The exact events of the 1804 encounter remain the makings of one of history's unsolved mysteries.
Fleming takes us into that history, and pulls back the veil on the minds of both protagonists, Hamilton and Burr. In reading Fleming's book, one can really understand and feel the frustration, anxiety, and emotions that drove both men to that fateful point in their lives. It is a highly informative, often entertaining look at one of the most important and controversial episodes in American history. While the actual events of the duel may never be fully understood, the outcome is no mystery. Both men were destroyed at Weehawken. Hamilton lost his actual, physical life. Burr lost his reputation, and his political career was finished. In fact, he would later be tried for treason in an ill-fated scheme to lead a possible secessionist conspiracy in the Southwestern United States.
Duel by Thomas J. Fleming is well worth your time.
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