A Hamilton Chronology

Year	Date	Event
1753		James Jr. born
1755 or 1757	Jan 11	Alexander born Nevis, British West Indies, son of Rachel Faucitt Lavien and James Hamilton
1766		Apprentice clerk, mercantile firm of Nicholas Cruger
1768	19 Feb	Death of Rachel Faucette Lavien at St. Croix, Virgin Islands
1771		¨ Met Rev Hugh Knox (College of NJ graduate), introduced AH to learning and to North America ¨ Fall 1771, Cruger leaves AH in charge of business for 4 months due to bad health. AH is 14
1772	3 Oct	“Hurricane Letter (dated 6 Sep) in Royal Danish-American Gazette of St. Croix.First publication describes hurricane that killed 30 and drove ships 100 yards inland
1773	Summer	Sailed on Thunderbolt for Boston en route to New York
1773	Autumn	Entered King’s College, now Columbia, as student with special status
1774	15 Dec	A Full Vindication, first pamphlet
1775	5 Feb	The Farmer Refuted. Tory Samuel Seabury claimed Parliament had right to tax colonies, AH makes his most explicit statements on natural rights
	10 May	Gave speech on Dr. Cooper’s steps to delay mob, Cooper escaped tar and feathering
	15 June	First of two letters in Holt’s Journal on Quebec Act
	23 Aug	As member of militia company “Corsicans” (later called “Hearts of Oak”) first saw action in rescue of cannon at the Battery; under direct bombardment from HMS Asia. Green coats, leather caps (with Liberty or Death on them), drilled in churchyard
1776	14 March	Appointed captain in command of the Provincial Company of Artillery
	27 Aug	Fought in Battle of Long Island
	16 Sep	Harlem Heights, NY, first meeting (perhaps) with Washington First and last time AH would meet someone greater than himself
	28 Oct	Repulsed Hessian battalion at White Plains with his artillery
	25 Dec	Fought at Trenton and Princeton Orders final artillery barrage on Nassau Hall (only building of College of New Jersey)
1777	3 Jan	At Princeton the first round of Hamilton’s battery of two 4-pounders crashed into Nassau Hall
	1 March	Morristown, N.J.; appointed aide-de-camp to Washington with rank of Lt Col first of 32, basically chief of staff. Aaron Burr only lasted 10 days on staff
	Mid year	Began using blank pages of pay book of former artillery company to note readings. Favorite was Plutarch — not visionary but historical journalist purveying observations and anecdotes. Also copied Athenian orator Demosthenes. “where should Athens attack? “war, war itself will discover to you his weak sides, if you seek them.”
1777	Fall	Howe’s fleet in Chesapeake Bay, goal Philadelphia. AH warned Congress to flee, horse shot from under him
1778	30 Oct	Sent by Washington on mission to Gates
1778	28 Jan	Drafted Washington’s report to Congress on reorganization of the Army
1778	28 Jun	With MG Charles Lee at Monmouth Court House “let us all die here, rather than retreat!”
	19 Oct	Publication of first Publius letters deploring the weakness of Congress
1777-78		Valley Forge Met Schuyler family. Liked all sisters, fell in love with Elizabeth (Eliza, Betsey)
1779		Ltr to Congressman James Duane “The Confederation itself is defective, neither fit for war nor peace.” Proposed a constitutional convention with new government with taxing powers and “proper executive”
1779	14 March	Morriston, N.J., recommended raising of Negro troops
1779-80		Submitted to a “member of Congress” his first plan to stabilize the public finances
1780	3 Sept	Liberty Pole, Bergen County, N.J., Letter to James Duane expounding his views on government
	25 Sep	Verplanck’s Point, N.Y. Unsuccessful pursuit of the traitor Arnold
	14 Dec	Married Elizabeth, daughter of General Philip Schuyler Both 23 years old
	Children	1. Philip Jan 22, 1782 2. Angelica Sep 25, 1784 3. Alexander May 16, 1786 4. James 14 April, 1788 5. John Aug 22, 1792 6. William Aug 4, 1797 7. Eliza Nov 20, 1799 8. Philip June 2, 1802
1781	30 April	Morristown, N.J. Resigned as aide-de-camp to Washington
	12 July-4 July 82	Publication of six Continentalist essays
	31 July	Dobb’s Ferry, N.Y. Given command of battalion of light infantry
	14 Oct	Yorktown, Va. Commanded and personally led the assault and capture of Redoubt No. 10
1782	2 May	Appointed Receiver of Taxes for New York
	22 July	Albany, N.Y. admitted to practice after three months’ intensive study of the law James Duane’s law library By 1786, only 35 lawyers in NYC, 1/12th the number of prostitutes
	Dec	In congress until July 83
1783	25 Nov	Brits finally leave NY and AH sets up law practice and home at 57 Wall Street
	4 Dec	Washington’s farewell to officers in Fraunces Tavern (Hamilton not in audience)
1784	24 Feb	Founded and became a director of Bank of New York
1785	10 Feb	Founding of the New York Society for Promoting the Manumission of Slaves
1786	14 Sep	As NY delegate to Annapolis Convention, drafted resolution calling for new convention to enlarge powers of fed government
1787	12 Jan	Took seat in NY state Assembly
	25 May- 17 Sep	Federal Convention in Philadelphia NY delegation AH, Albany mayor John Lansing, Judge Robert Yates (both Clintonites)
	18 June	5 hour address to Const Conv on federal government. President and Senate elected for life, Pres. with power to appoint governors, and reduce states to “mere administrative units.” Only thus could America guarantee the order and discipline needed to achieve greatness
	27 Oct	First Federalist published. Publius Valerius helped overthrow Rome’s last king and establish the Roman Republic
1788	22 Jan	Re-appointed a delegate to Cont. Congress from NY
	17 June- 26 July	Led fight in NY to ratify in Poughkeepsie, NY. 19 pro delegates, 47 anti Melancthon Smith, most able anti debater, publicly admitted AH had swayed him with arguments. Quoted Federalist so much, Gov. Clinton asked if he was coming out with 2nd edition.
	23 July	Broadway parade with 27-foot ship, The Hamilton, manned by 30 seamen and pulled by 10 horses.
1789	30 April	Washington takes oath. Government meets in NYC. Supreme Court meet on Broad street, above a sheep market.
	11 Sep	Appointed first Sec of Treasury, age 32
1790	14 Jan	First Report on Public Credit, assumption of debts at full. “States, like individuals, who observe their engagements are respected and trusted, while the reverse is the fate of those who pursue an opposite conduct.”
	21 July	Agreed to locate capital on Potomac in return for Jefferson’s support on assumption bill, moved to Philadelphia in fall to placate Pennsylvania
1790	December	Plan for national bank delivered, with capital of $10 million (sum of all other banks at time = $2 million). Madison supported in Federalist, but flopped in congress and opposed. Arguments used by AH to support (need to finance nation) underlie McCullough v Maryland 28 years later
1791	Jan	Elected to American Philosophical Society
	22 Nov	Charter for The Society for Establishing Useful Manufactures, develop 700 acres in NJ, near Passaic River, power of waterfall to run large production machines (straw hats to iron wire)
	Summer	Begins Reynolds affair She was 23, of respectable family
	Summer	Jefferson hires Philip Freneau as translator at DOS, does National Gazette
	Dec	James Reynolds demands $1000 to mollify his bruised sensibilities
1792	Jan	JR writes AH that he may see wife again
	15 Dec	Visit of 3 congressmen (Sen. Monroe, Rep. Venable, Speaker of House Muhlenberg)
1793	Jan	Attacked by Rep. William Giles (TJ helped draw up resolutions) charging irregularities at Treasury, demanded 3.5 years worth of records and explanations. Congress to adjourn 1 March (TJ could claim AH had time to cook books if no data before autumn). AH produced 60,000 words in 4 weeks, all resolutions failed.
1794	30 Sep	Takes to field to suppress the Whisky Rebellion
1795	31 Jan	Resignation as Sec of Treasury
1796	15 May- 25 Aug	Prepared drafts of Washington’s Farewell Address, delivered 19 Sep
	25 Aug	Publication of Reynolds pamphlet
1797	5 July	Disclosure by Hamilton of Reynolds Affair
1798	25 July	Appointed Maj Gen and Inspector-General of Army
1799	3 June	Death of father, James Hamilton, at St Vincent, BWI
1800	2 June	Retires from Army
	Oct	Criticism of character and public conduct of John Adams
1801	17 Feb	Responsible for Jefferson’s election as President over Burr by a majority of the states in the H of R on the 36th roll call
1801	16 Nov	Founded New York Evening Post
	23 Nov	Philip killed by George Eacker, for attack on AH supporting Burr
	17 Dec	First of 18 articles analyzing and criticizing Jefferson’s policies
1804	13 Feb	Counsel in People vs. Croswell
	11 July	Mortally wounded by Burr at Weehawken, NJ
	12 July	Died in home of William Bayard, NYC
	14 July	Buried with full military honors in Trinity Churchyard NYC
		Debts total $54,722 (over $500K today)