Scottish Merchant

Alexander Hamilton was born in Charlestown, Nevis, in the West Indies on January 11, 1757, to James Hamilton, who was a Scottish merchant of St. Christopher, and to his mother’s name was Rachel Fawcett. Rachel’s father was a Huguenot physician and planter.

While very young, she had been married and divorced After her divorce, the court had said she couldn’t get remarried. Her marriage to James Hamilton was accepted in the West Indies,but anywhere else it wasn’t.She ended up giving birth to two sons, but less than ten years later the couple were living apart. Rachel and her boys lived on St. Croix,and there she depended on her relatives. She had sadly in 1768. But his father had lived up until 1799. But the boys were already orphans before they were close to being teenagers. By the time Hamilton was twelve he had began work as a clerk in a general store. But he had some keen intellect and ambitious goals.

He was also and excellent writer, in both English and French. In 1772, his aunts saved up to be able to send the young intellectual to New York for a formal education. But by 1773 Hamilton was entered at King’s College, which is now Columbia. Even when he was a young man he had a strong hold on political issues concerning the British and American government. He was on seventeen when he exhibited in a series of anonymous pamphlets, they were also attributed to John Jay. But in 1775 he founded a volunteer military company, so Hamilton quit his college studies.

But obviously he was good at it cause on March 14, 1776, he was commissioned Captain of the New York Company of Artillery. Nathanael Greene noticed that Hamilton had great skills and intelligence in his duties with artillery.He was asked to serve on the staff of Lord Stirling,but he said no and continued on with his career with artillery at Long Island,also along with other places such as Harlem Heights, and White Plains. Then he saw some action at Trenton and Princeton in the New Jersey campaign.

Another person realized how extraordinary Hamilton was it was Washington, but it was for a different reason this time. It was for his leadership abilities, also his extraordinary talent for writing. Then on March 1st, 1777, Hamilton got promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, and made a aide-de-camp. And he was just twenty years old and he has made so many accomplishments.

In the winter of 1777-1778 Hamilton stayed with Washington and the Continental Army at Valley Forge. During this winter is when Brigadier General Horatio Gates tried but failed to incriminate Hamilton during the Conway Cabal. Then finally Alexander Hamilton married Elizabeth Schuyler on December 14, 1780, she was the daughter of Philip Schuyler, who was a Revolutionary War general, and her mothers name was Catherine Van Rensselaer Schuyler. Both families were very wealthy and prominent New York families. That marriage was very happy and they made eight children out of that marriage.

But on February 16, 1781, Hamilton and Washington had a quarrel which soured their relationship. He had told his father-in-law in a letter that was dated He describes the incident in a letter that was dated February 18, 1791. His letter he wrote explained what happened. ?’Two days ago, the General and I passed each other on the stairs. He told me he wanted to speak to me. I answered that I would wait upon him immediately.

I went below, and delivered Mr. Tilghman a letter to be sent to the commissary, containing an order of a pressing and interesting nature. Returning to the General, I was stopped on the way by the Marquis de Lafayette, and we conversed together about a minute on a matter of business. He can testify how impatient I was to get back [. . .] I met him [Washington] at the head of the stairs, where, accosting me in an angry tone, “Colonel Hamilton,” said he,  you have kept me waiting at the head of the stairs these ten minutes. I must tell you sir, you treat me with disrespect. I replied without petulancy, but with decision: “I am not conscious of it, sir, but since you have thought it necessary to tell me so, we part.” “Very Well, sir,” said he, “if it be your choice,” or something to this effect, and we separated. I sincerely believe my absence, which gave so much umbrage, did not last two minutes.” But any attempts for reconciliation was not an option. In Moses Hazen’s Brigade in July, Hamilton was given command of the battalion of Lafayette Division. And the he contributed in the final American victory there, Hamilton led a successful attack at Yorktown.

And when he was made Colonel in Sep 30, 1783,he continued with the military. But by the end of that year he left the service. Hamilton represented the state of New York and appointed to the Congress of the Confederation. But in 1783 he set up a law practice and resigned from Congress. Then he found the Bank of New York and continued an influence in national politics. He also found and led the Federalist Political Party, and was co-authoring the Federalist Papers along with John Jay, and Madison.Hamilton was a big reason the Articles were replaced in 1787, cause he played a key role in creating the Constitution. In 1789-1795 he served as a first Secretary of the Treasury in George Washington’s ,and that led to the establishment of our national monetary system.