Alexander Hamilton died on this date in 1804, a day after suffering a gun shot wound in a duel.
Born out of wedlock and orphaned as a child, Hamilton was somewhat influential in his 47 years:
One of the Nation’s Founding Fathers, chief staff aide to George Washington, founder of the Nation’s financial system, first Secretary of the United States Treasury, founder of the Federalist political party, founder of the U.S. Coast Guard, as well as The New York Post newspaper. Serving in the Continental Army, Hamilton commanded a New York light infantry battalion, which took Redoubt No. 10 in the battle for Yorktown. Of the 85 articles in The Federalist Papers, Hamilton wrote 51 of them.
Alexander Hamilton in the New York Artillery uniform. Painting by Alonzo Chappel
“When shall unspotted faith and naked truth ever find
his equal? He dies lamented by many.”
—Horace