1 00:00:02,560 --> 00:00:05,760 Speaker 1: You're listening to American Shadows, a production of I Heart 2 00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:17,279 Speaker 1: Radio and Grim and Mild from Aaronmankey. America was in 3 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:22,320 Speaker 1: turmoil Britain's quest for territory. Britain's quest for territory and 4 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:27,120 Speaker 1: control prompted young George Washington to enlist. His formal education 5 00:00:27,240 --> 00:00:30,240 Speaker 1: immediately afforded him the title of major, though he had 6 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:34,040 Speaker 1: no experience and little training. The French had claimed both 7 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:37,479 Speaker 1: Canada and the Great Lakes, Britain controlled colonies along the 8 00:00:37,479 --> 00:00:41,159 Speaker 1: eastern seaboard. Both fought for control over the Upper Ohio 9 00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:45,840 Speaker 1: River Valley. Still knew and without large forces, the colonists 10 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 1: didn't farewell in territorial conflicts. By the time Washington was 11 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:54,280 Speaker 1: assigned to defend the area that now consists of Ohio, Pennsylvania, 12 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:57,920 Speaker 1: West Virginia, and Kentucky, the French and British both stood 13 00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:01,560 Speaker 1: their ground, waiting for the other side attack first. On 14 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:05,840 Speaker 1: May seventeen fifty four, Washington and a regiment of roughly 15 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:09,440 Speaker 1: a hundred and fifteen men left their encampment. Their orders 16 00:01:09,440 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 1: were to arrive in the Ohio Valley and assist in 17 00:01:12,040 --> 00:01:15,920 Speaker 1: building a stronghold at transfourt and the men found the 18 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:19,040 Speaker 1: only thing more miserable than traveling through the dense woods 19 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 1: under a pitch black sky was the unrelenting rain. But 20 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:27,319 Speaker 1: soon they would encounter worse. A messenger arrived with bad news. 21 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:31,119 Speaker 1: During their trip westward through the Appalachian Forest. The French 22 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:34,520 Speaker 1: had captured the fort. They had hundreds of soldiers and 23 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:38,440 Speaker 1: plenty of supplies. Washington and his troops were walking into 24 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:42,360 Speaker 1: a trap. Washington was young, just twenty one years old, 25 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 1: and he had never been in combat. Determined to take 26 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 1: back the fort, he ordered his men to press on. 27 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:51,480 Speaker 1: When the men finally reached an open clearing, the exhausted 28 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:55,120 Speaker 1: soldiers began setting up camp while Washington planned his attack. 29 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 1: They hadn't made camp long when Tana Grisson arrived. He 30 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 1: was the leader of the Ohio River Valley Hottnashawnee peoples 31 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 1: called the Iroquois by the French. During his fifty some 32 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:10,120 Speaker 1: odd years, Tanna Grisson had become a skilled warrior, and 33 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:13,040 Speaker 1: he was called the half King by the British. He 34 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:15,800 Speaker 1: warned young Washington that the French already knew he was 35 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 1: there and planned to attack. The French and British weren't 36 00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:22,799 Speaker 1: the only ones in conflict over the area. Several other 37 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 1: Native American groups were also looking to take over the valley. 38 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 1: Tanna Grisson offered a few men to lead the British 39 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 1: troops to a small glen near the mountain's crest, where 40 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:35,519 Speaker 1: the French search party made camp. Washington sent seventy five 41 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:38,280 Speaker 1: of the soldiers with the hon Na Shawnee, ordering them 42 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:40,960 Speaker 1: to stake out the area and await for their instruction. 43 00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:45,760 Speaker 1: Washington and the other forty soldiers hiked seven hundred feet 44 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:49,560 Speaker 1: up Chestnut Mountain. The unrelenting rain made the trek across 45 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:52,799 Speaker 1: the ridge treacherous. By the time they reached the crest 46 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:57,560 Speaker 1: on they had lost seven men. Washington spotted the French 47 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:00,799 Speaker 1: about the same time that they spotted him. The French 48 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 1: soldiers grabbed their muskets, but not fast enough. Within fifteen minutes, 49 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:08,880 Speaker 1: their corpses lay scattered through the camp. The hot Nashawnee 50 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:12,560 Speaker 1: warriors killed ten soldiers. One frenchman's head was placed on 51 00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:16,519 Speaker 1: a pole for Washington. The attack was a victory, but 52 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:19,240 Speaker 1: until then, the British and the French had only been 53 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:22,800 Speaker 1: involved in a Cold War. His attack started both what 54 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:25,240 Speaker 1: we've come to call the French and Indian War. Here 55 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:29,840 Speaker 1: and the Seven Years War in Europe. Washington became the 56 00:03:29,919 --> 00:03:34,400 Speaker 1: nation's first president and vowed to do better. Others followed 57 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:39,480 Speaker 1: a different plan. I'm Louren Vogelbaum. Welcome to American Shadows. 58 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:53,080 Speaker 1: Aaron Burr Senior and his wife led a charmed life. 59 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 1: Esther Edwards Burgh was the daughter of an acclaimed theologian. 60 00:03:57,320 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 1: Aaron Burr Senior's place as a prominent Presbyterian minister and 61 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:03,760 Speaker 1: president of the College of New Jersey later known as Princeton, 62 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 1: also placed the couple in high standing. They had a daughter, Sarah, 63 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:11,840 Speaker 1: and welcomed their son into the world on February sixth 64 00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:16,680 Speaker 1: of seventeen fifty six. Great things were expected of Aaron Jr. 65 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:21,880 Speaker 1: Tragedy struck a year later when Aaron Sr. Died Prominent 66 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:27,000 Speaker 1: or not, His death left the family scrambling financially. Esther's father, 67 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:30,880 Speaker 1: Jonathan Edwards, took over as the college's president and moved 68 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:34,360 Speaker 1: in with the family for economic support. A year later, 69 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:39,760 Speaker 1: Esther passed away. Jonathan died not long after. The children's guardian, 70 00:04:39,839 --> 00:04:42,480 Speaker 1: William Shippin, took them in for a while before sending 71 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:45,520 Speaker 1: them to live with their uncle, Timothy Edwards in Philadelphia. 72 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:49,159 Speaker 1: Edwards was a successful lawyer and gave young Aaron the 73 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 1: best tutors when he was old enough to enter school. 74 00:04:52,440 --> 00:04:56,480 Speaker 1: That tutoring paid off. Aaron excelled in all his academics. 75 00:04:56,960 --> 00:05:01,359 Speaker 1: At thirteen, he applied to Princeton. The seventeen hundreds boys 76 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 1: attended college at an early age, though the most prodigious 77 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:08,600 Speaker 1: students didn't start until fourteen or fifteen. Some speculated that 78 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:11,640 Speaker 1: Aaron's family connections with the school had awarded him a spot, 79 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:14,040 Speaker 1: but he proved he could keep up with the best 80 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:18,960 Speaker 1: in his class. College suited him. At sixteen, Airing graduated 81 00:05:19,000 --> 00:05:21,560 Speaker 1: with a Bachelor of Arts and continued his education in 82 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:26,159 Speaker 1: theology before studying law. However, there were no law schools 83 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:28,840 Speaker 1: in North America until the end of the seventeen hundreds. 84 00:05:29,279 --> 00:05:33,200 Speaker 1: To become a lawyer, he had to serve as an apprentice. Eventually, 85 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:37,479 Speaker 1: Burr moved to Connecticut for his postgraduate studies. News of 86 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:41,839 Speaker 1: the revolution interrupted those plans for young men. War presented 87 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:45,599 Speaker 1: an opportunity if they survived. Burr saw the potential to 88 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:49,159 Speaker 1: make connections that would fast track his career. He put 89 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:51,960 Speaker 1: his studies on hold and enlisted in the Continental Army. 90 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:55,840 Speaker 1: Starting as a volunteer under Benedict Arnold, he rose through 91 00:05:55,839 --> 00:05:59,520 Speaker 1: the ranks, becoming General Richard Montgomery's aide de camp, a 92 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 1: position n akin to a senior officer and assistant. The 93 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:06,039 Speaker 1: troops marched to Quebec, though the invasion was not as 94 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:09,679 Speaker 1: successful as anyone had hoped. During a battle on December 95 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:13,640 Speaker 1: thirty one of seventeen seventy five, Montgomery was fatally shot 96 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:17,560 Speaker 1: and died in Burr's arms. The snow prevented Burr from 97 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:20,479 Speaker 1: dragging the general's body off the field for a proper burial. 98 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:25,720 Speaker 1: The skirmish also left Benedict Arnold injured. Without commanding officers, 99 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:28,919 Speaker 1: Burr found a new assignment with George Washington as his 100 00:06:28,960 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 1: aide de camp. The two didn't get along well, and 101 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:35,960 Speaker 1: Burr was transferred to assist General Israel Puttnam. Under Putnam, 102 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:40,159 Speaker 1: Burr distinguished himself, becoming known for his leadership. He saved 103 00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:43,120 Speaker 1: his entire brigade from capture in New York City. George 104 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:46,680 Speaker 1: Washington noted his bravery and promoted Burr to lieutenant colonel 105 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:50,640 Speaker 1: in seventeen seventy seven, placing three hundred men under his command. 106 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:53,320 Speaker 1: At the time, he was just twenty one years old, 107 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:56,840 Speaker 1: Burr and his men defended themselves against a British led 108 00:06:56,920 --> 00:06:59,920 Speaker 1: raid in New Jersey, and during the winter of seventeen 109 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:03,800 Speaker 1: seventy seventeen seventy eight they protected a pass leading into 110 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:08,560 Speaker 1: Valley Forge. All was not victorious, though BurrH and his 111 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 1: men suffered a defeat in the Battle of Monmouth in 112 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:16,320 Speaker 1: June of seventeen seventy eight. Burr readily supported General Charles Lee, 113 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 1: which would end his military career. Lee had retreated from 114 00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:25,160 Speaker 1: the battle, drawing ire and a reprimand from Washington. Burr 115 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:27,800 Speaker 1: cited health issues when he resigned from his command in 116 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:31,960 Speaker 1: March of seventeen seventy nine. He retained his hero status 117 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:35,559 Speaker 1: when he returned to studying law, though in seventeen two 118 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 1: Burr was admitted to the Albany, New York bar. The 119 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:43,360 Speaker 1: year was busy and Burr made one more life change marriage. 120 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:47,480 Speaker 1: He had met Theodosia Bartow Prevost five years earlier in 121 00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:51,480 Speaker 1: September of seventeen seventy seven. During the war, Burr had 122 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 1: just led his men to victory against the British on 123 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:57,800 Speaker 1: the outskirts of Hackensack, New Jersey. Theodosia was busy raising 124 00:07:57,800 --> 00:08:01,200 Speaker 1: her children while her husband, a British soldier, was stationed 125 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:04,200 Speaker 1: in Jamaica. Burr rented a room for her until he 126 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:06,400 Speaker 1: received orders to go to Valley Forge for the winter. 127 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:09,960 Speaker 1: The following year, they met again and engaged in a 128 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:13,920 Speaker 1: heated affair. When Burr left the military and returned to 129 00:08:13,920 --> 00:08:18,120 Speaker 1: his studies, Theodosia kept up correspondence with both Burr and 130 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:31,080 Speaker 1: her husband. In Theodosia received a letter notifying her of 131 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:34,520 Speaker 1: her husband's death. She was now free to marry Burr. 132 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:38,360 Speaker 1: Their affair only became more scandalous when they announced plans 133 00:08:38,360 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 1: to marry. Burr was ten years younger than Theodosia. The 134 00:08:42,840 --> 00:08:46,360 Speaker 1: age difference didn't bother him, though his wife had experience 135 00:08:46,559 --> 00:08:49,640 Speaker 1: and was highly intelligent. They moved to Albany to start 136 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:53,400 Speaker 1: Burr's legal career. As with everything he had done in life, 137 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:57,520 Speaker 1: Burr excelled at his new profession. Along with his success, 138 00:08:57,679 --> 00:09:01,520 Speaker 1: he earned substantial fees. He in Theodosia furnished their home 139 00:09:01,559 --> 00:09:05,600 Speaker 1: and style for the most fashionable clothes, and through lavish parties. 140 00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:09,319 Speaker 1: By seventeen eighty three, the couple moved to New York City, 141 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:12,800 Speaker 1: where Burr became interested in politics. He was elected to 142 00:09:12,840 --> 00:09:16,559 Speaker 1: the New York Assembly that same year. By seventeen eighty nine, 143 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:20,240 Speaker 1: he became New York's Attorney General. He also met another 144 00:09:20,280 --> 00:09:24,920 Speaker 1: former soldier turned lawyer, Alexander Hamilton's, For a short time, 145 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:29,319 Speaker 1: they shared a law practice. Afterward, the two became adversaries 146 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:33,320 Speaker 1: both in and out of court. Though they remained cordial 147 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:37,920 Speaker 1: and professional, neither man liked the other. Then Burr won 148 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:40,720 Speaker 1: a seat in the U. S. Senate from one Phillips Skylar, 149 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:46,280 Speaker 1: pushing Hamilton's quiet dislike to open contempt. Skylar happened to 150 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:50,200 Speaker 1: be Hamilton's father in law, and Hamilton's considered Burr's victory 151 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:54,400 Speaker 1: an act of war. Even more irritating to Hamilton's was 152 00:09:54,520 --> 00:09:59,160 Speaker 1: Burr's habit of alternating between the Republican Democrats to the Federalists. 153 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:02,840 Speaker 1: Burr had long been a mediator between the parties and 154 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:07,080 Speaker 1: found that changing sides benefited his career. Theodosia was proud 155 00:10:07,160 --> 00:10:09,520 Speaker 1: of her husband and worked as hard as he did. 156 00:10:10,280 --> 00:10:13,280 Speaker 1: She managed not only his law practice, but their affluent 157 00:10:13,360 --> 00:10:15,640 Speaker 1: home in New York City and a summer residence in 158 00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:19,600 Speaker 1: Westchester County where she could be closer to relatives. They 159 00:10:19,640 --> 00:10:24,240 Speaker 1: had four children together, Sadly, only one survived, a daughter. 160 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:28,160 Speaker 1: Burr insisted share her mother's name. He noted on his 161 00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:31,080 Speaker 1: daughter and ensured that she had an education equal to 162 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:34,360 Speaker 1: any man. Young Theodosia could read and write by her 163 00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:37,920 Speaker 1: sixth birthday and remained a voracious reader throughout her youth, 164 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:40,920 Speaker 1: and Burr asked his daughter's governess to help establish a 165 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 1: school that offered the same level of education to other girls. 166 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:49,920 Speaker 1: In sevente the elder Theodosia died from stomach cancer. Lost 167 00:10:49,960 --> 00:10:52,440 Speaker 1: without the woman he considered his equal in all ways, 168 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:57,200 Speaker 1: Burr grieved deeply. Then father and daughter threw themselves into 169 00:10:57,200 --> 00:11:01,680 Speaker 1: their work and promoted their ideals. Aside from women's education, 170 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:05,200 Speaker 1: Burr pushed to eliminate slavery and changed voting laws to 171 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:08,679 Speaker 1: allow those without land the right to vote. He also 172 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:11,160 Speaker 1: opened a bank that offered credit to the middle class, 173 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:15,280 Speaker 1: not just society's elite. Burr also fought for the freedom 174 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:18,960 Speaker 1: of the press, immigrants, and for non English descended citizens 175 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:23,040 Speaker 1: to run for office. In eighteen hundred, he returned to 176 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:28,400 Speaker 1: practicing law, taking on America's first murder trial. Perhaps surprisingly, 177 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:31,800 Speaker 1: he partnered with Hamilton on the case. Their client Levi 178 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:35,800 Speaker 1: Weeks had been accused of killing one, Elma Sands. The 179 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:39,120 Speaker 1: two had had a passionate relationship that raised a few eyebrows. 180 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:43,360 Speaker 1: To salvage their reputations, Levi told Alma's cousin that they 181 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:47,439 Speaker 1: were eloping. On December twenty second, the two left town. 182 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:52,440 Speaker 1: Elma's body was found on January second. The court room 183 00:11:52,559 --> 00:11:55,920 Speaker 1: was packed during the two day trial. Burr and Hamilton 184 00:11:56,080 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 1: destroyed Alma's reputation, and the jury took less than five 185 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:03,720 Speaker 1: minute to return a not guilty verdict. Burr decided to 186 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:07,800 Speaker 1: return to politics and run for president. Elections worked differently 187 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:11,160 Speaker 1: in the early eighteen hundreds. Whoever received the most votes 188 00:12:11,240 --> 00:12:14,640 Speaker 1: became president. The candidate who received the second most votes 189 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:17,320 Speaker 1: became vice president, even if the two were members of 190 00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:23,199 Speaker 1: different parties. Burr and Thomas Jefferson tied, leaving Congress to decide. 191 00:12:24,040 --> 00:12:27,600 Speaker 1: An informant told Jefferson that Burr intended to steal the presidency. 192 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:32,359 Speaker 1: Though berb seemed content to become vice president, when Jefferson 193 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:37,000 Speaker 1: took office, he gave Burr little authority or power. Hamilton's 194 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:41,079 Speaker 1: reveled in Jefferson's distrust of Burr and happily recounted how 195 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:43,560 Speaker 1: the vice president had once stolen a political office in 196 00:12:43,559 --> 00:12:47,760 Speaker 1: the Senate years before. In eighteen o four, Burr chose 197 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:51,319 Speaker 1: to run for governor of New York, but Hamilton's slander 198 00:12:51,559 --> 00:12:54,400 Speaker 1: and rumor that Burr had run against Jefferson again for 199 00:12:54,440 --> 00:13:00,400 Speaker 1: president caused Burr's popularity to fall. Burr was furious. He 200 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:03,960 Speaker 1: had dedicated years to service and study, and, in his opinion, 201 00:13:04,280 --> 00:13:08,200 Speaker 1: Hamilton's pettiness had all but ended his political career. The 202 00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:11,360 Speaker 1: tension brewing between the two men had come to a 203 00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:26,160 Speaker 1: breaking point. The two adversaries exchanged angry letters. Burr accused 204 00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:30,679 Speaker 1: Hamiltons of slander. Hamilton's tried to defend himself against the accusations, 205 00:13:30,679 --> 00:13:34,439 Speaker 1: though he refused to stop publishing articles about Burr's shortcomings. 206 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:39,200 Speaker 1: Hamilton's insisted that Burr was both dangerous and opportunistic. He 207 00:13:39,280 --> 00:13:43,000 Speaker 1: adamantly proclaimed that ending Burr's career was his moral and 208 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:47,160 Speaker 1: religious duty. Dueling is a way to resolve disagreements, was 209 00:13:47,240 --> 00:13:51,439 Speaker 1: falling out of favor and had become illegal. However, Burr 210 00:13:51,559 --> 00:13:55,800 Speaker 1: challenged Hamilton's, who readily accepted both men had been involved 211 00:13:55,800 --> 00:13:59,200 Speaker 1: in duels in the past. They settled on July eleven, 212 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:01,959 Speaker 1: eighteen o four, are and met in the early hours 213 00:14:02,040 --> 00:14:06,280 Speaker 1: of the Common Dueling Grounds in Weehawken, New Jersey. There 214 00:14:06,280 --> 00:14:08,720 Speaker 1: are multiple accounts as to the events that took place, 215 00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:13,360 Speaker 1: and some my witnesses claimed that both men fired. Others 216 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:17,199 Speaker 1: say that only one shot was fired that day. Hamilton's 217 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:20,840 Speaker 1: dueling assistant said that as the two faced off, Hamilton's 218 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:23,720 Speaker 1: cided that a duel was morally wrong after all, and 219 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:27,840 Speaker 1: intentionally missed. It was a common dueling practice to fire 220 00:14:27,840 --> 00:14:31,160 Speaker 1: a shot into the ground or another location, preserving the 221 00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:35,280 Speaker 1: men's honor while ending the duel, But Burr's dueling assistant 222 00:14:35,400 --> 00:14:39,080 Speaker 1: said that Hamilton's simply missed, and that Burr returned fire. 223 00:14:39,560 --> 00:14:43,400 Speaker 1: Either way, the bullet penetrated Hamilton's stomach and lodged near 224 00:14:43,440 --> 00:14:48,640 Speaker 1: his spine. He died the following afternoon. Burr was charged 225 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:52,800 Speaker 1: with murder. The charges didn't stick, though his political allies 226 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:55,920 Speaker 1: pushed to have them all dropped. Burr's former title of 227 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:59,640 Speaker 1: vice president offered him immunity from prosecution until his term 228 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:03,600 Speaker 1: ended in eighteen o five. Fighting the charges took a toll, 229 00:15:03,720 --> 00:15:07,640 Speaker 1: though Burr's reputation was in tatters and the legal fight 230 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:11,840 Speaker 1: had strained his finances, so Burr headed to the newly 231 00:15:11,880 --> 00:15:15,520 Speaker 1: acquired U. S. Territory from the Louisiana Purchase, where he 232 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:19,000 Speaker 1: met with James Wilkerson, the U. S. Armies commander in chief, 233 00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:23,320 Speaker 1: and the territories governor. Together, the men planned to take 234 00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:26,000 Speaker 1: over the land and turn it into their own personal 235 00:15:26,040 --> 00:15:30,240 Speaker 1: empire separate from the United States. As the army's commander, 236 00:15:30,520 --> 00:15:33,480 Speaker 1: Wilkerson agreed to provide the manpower needed to seize the 237 00:15:33,560 --> 00:15:36,960 Speaker 1: territory from the US and the indigenous peoples who actually 238 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:40,880 Speaker 1: lived there. Burr wrote to and met with contacts for support. 239 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:45,240 Speaker 1: While he was still the Vice President, Burr secretly contacted 240 00:15:45,240 --> 00:15:49,120 Speaker 1: Anthony Mary, Britain's Minister to the US, and floated the 241 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:52,560 Speaker 1: idea that he could help them conquer the US Western Territory, 242 00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:56,200 Speaker 1: but the British weren't interested in cooperating in this act 243 00:15:56,240 --> 00:15:59,520 Speaker 1: of treason. When Burr's term as Vice president ended in 244 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:03,080 Speaker 1: eighteen five, he resumed visiting towns and cities to gain 245 00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:07,200 Speaker 1: endorsement for his plans, including Bayan from a former U. S. Senator. 246 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:11,600 Speaker 1: One Herman Blenner Hassett, a wealthy lawyer and plantation owner, 247 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:16,200 Speaker 1: signed on becoming one of Burr's most trusted allies. Several 248 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:19,560 Speaker 1: influential and prominent New Orleans business owners wanted to take 249 00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:23,520 Speaker 1: over Mexican Territory and add it to the Louisiana Territory. 250 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:27,720 Speaker 1: They agreed to support Burr's plan. If they succeeded, Burr 251 00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:32,360 Speaker 1: would become the territories leader, perhaps emperor. But all his 252 00:16:32,480 --> 00:16:36,040 Speaker 1: travels and meetings hadn't gone unnoticed, and by the end 253 00:16:36,080 --> 00:16:39,440 Speaker 1: of eighteen o five, rumors of a revolution had spread 254 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:43,840 Speaker 1: to the East coast. A Philadelphia newspaper speculated that Burr 255 00:16:43,880 --> 00:16:46,920 Speaker 1: and British allies planned to use military might to take 256 00:16:47,040 --> 00:16:51,720 Speaker 1: Mexican Territory. They weren't far from the truth. Bird dismissed 257 00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:54,280 Speaker 1: the rumors, though it wasn't long before he left for 258 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:57,680 Speaker 1: Blenner Hassett's private island in the Ohio River, where he 259 00:16:57,840 --> 00:17:01,040 Speaker 1: and fellow co conspirators met in early eighteen o six. 260 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:05,280 Speaker 1: With the plan moving along just as expected, Burr wrote 261 00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:09,600 Speaker 1: to Wilkerson in August. When he received that letter in October, 262 00:17:09,760 --> 00:17:14,160 Speaker 1: the commander reconsidered his part and backed out. The consequences 263 00:17:14,200 --> 00:17:17,840 Speaker 1: outweighed the rewards. A knowing Burr planned to go forward 264 00:17:17,840 --> 00:17:21,960 Speaker 1: with treason, Wilkerson made his own plan to save himself 265 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:25,640 Speaker 1: from the fallout. Rumors of treason spread over the country 266 00:17:25,720 --> 00:17:29,680 Speaker 1: and Europe. Courts in Kentucky, where Burr had been actively 267 00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:33,840 Speaker 1: raised in support and supplies, charged Burr with treason three times, 268 00:17:34,080 --> 00:17:38,320 Speaker 1: but he was acquitted in each instance. Then, on December nine, 269 00:17:38,520 --> 00:17:41,920 Speaker 1: the militia found supplies that backed up the rumors aboard 270 00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:45,240 Speaker 1: Burr's ships. By the time the militia descended on Blenner 271 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:49,159 Speaker 1: Hassett's Island mansion, the remaining co conspirators had already fled. 272 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:53,159 Speaker 1: After ransacking the home and not finding what or whom 273 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:56,639 Speaker 1: they had come for, they left confident that the scheme 274 00:17:56,720 --> 00:18:00,800 Speaker 1: could still work. Burr arrived at Blenner Hassett's in late December. 275 00:18:01,520 --> 00:18:05,000 Speaker 1: They had planned for a massive army. Instead, only a 276 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:09,240 Speaker 1: hundred men came. Undeterred, Bird led the men down river 277 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:13,480 Speaker 1: to buy you Pierre. There, Bird learned that Wilkerson had 278 00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:18,040 Speaker 1: betrayed him, had written to Jefferson detailing Burr's plan. The 279 00:18:18,080 --> 00:18:20,520 Speaker 1: local paper had even printed the letter he had written 280 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:24,040 Speaker 1: to Wilkerson. Though Burrd tried to flee, he was caught 281 00:18:24,119 --> 00:18:27,480 Speaker 1: in Mobile, Alabama and returned to Richmond to stand trial 282 00:18:27,520 --> 00:18:31,800 Speaker 1: for treason in eighteen o seven, but months later Burr 283 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:34,879 Speaker 1: was acquitted and walked out of court a free man. 284 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:48,920 Speaker 1: The verdict and Burr's actions and intentions are still discussed 285 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:54,399 Speaker 1: among scholars today. On January of eighteen o seven, Jefferson 286 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:57,439 Speaker 1: maintained that he believed Burr was guilty and announced that 287 00:18:57,480 --> 00:19:01,919 Speaker 1: opinion to Congress. Burr and Jefferson didn't get along, but 288 00:19:02,040 --> 00:19:06,160 Speaker 1: then Jefferson and Chief Justice John Marshall were also at odds. 289 00:19:06,680 --> 00:19:11,040 Speaker 1: Marshall's subpoena President Jefferson insisting he delivered documents that Burr 290 00:19:11,080 --> 00:19:14,080 Speaker 1: and his lawyers needed to prepare for the case. Jefferson's 291 00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:17,520 Speaker 1: refusal to acknowledge the subpoena and sending of only a 292 00:19:17,560 --> 00:19:22,520 Speaker 1: fraction of the requested documents hurt the prosecution worse. Witnesses 293 00:19:22,560 --> 00:19:25,200 Speaker 1: for the defense testified that Burr was at least a 294 00:19:25,280 --> 00:19:28,960 Speaker 1: hundred miles away from Glenner Hassett's mansion when troops first gathered. 295 00:19:29,520 --> 00:19:32,800 Speaker 1: Marshall limited testimony to focus solely on the events on 296 00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:36,280 Speaker 1: the island, no other letters, meetings, or evidence that the 297 00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:41,480 Speaker 1: prosecution had was permitted. Treason was punishable by hanging, though 298 00:19:41,480 --> 00:19:44,119 Speaker 1: the evidence collected and the letter that Burr had written 299 00:19:44,119 --> 00:19:48,080 Speaker 1: to Wilkerson were damning. Supreme Court Justice John Marshall chose 300 00:19:48,119 --> 00:19:50,920 Speaker 1: to stick to a more specific definition of treason, as 301 00:19:50,960 --> 00:19:55,040 Speaker 1: stated in the Constitution. The clause reads, treason against the 302 00:19:55,119 --> 00:19:58,320 Speaker 1: United States shall consist only in levying war against them, 303 00:19:58,520 --> 00:20:01,400 Speaker 1: or in adhering to their enemies giving them aid in comfort. 304 00:20:02,040 --> 00:20:04,840 Speaker 1: No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the 305 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:08,480 Speaker 1: testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or 306 00:20:08,600 --> 00:20:12,760 Speaker 1: on confession in open court. Marshall interpreted that, since no 307 00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:15,480 Speaker 1: two witnesses could attest the Burr was present when the 308 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:18,679 Speaker 1: troops gathered, he had not declared war on the United 309 00:20:18,680 --> 00:20:23,439 Speaker 1: States and was innocent. Jefferson moved to have Marshall impeached. 310 00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:28,280 Speaker 1: Burr's acquittal came at a cost, though his reputation followed 311 00:20:28,359 --> 00:20:32,560 Speaker 1: him and his political career was over. Several states brought 312 00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:37,000 Speaker 1: additional charges against him. Burr left the United States, claiming 313 00:20:37,040 --> 00:20:39,800 Speaker 1: that he feared for his life. While in Europe, he 314 00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:43,200 Speaker 1: unsuccessfully tried to persuade Britain and France to take part 315 00:20:43,240 --> 00:20:46,320 Speaker 1: in more plots to seize land in North America. In 316 00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:50,399 Speaker 1: eighteen twelve, another war with Britain seemed inevitable. Burr returned 317 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:53,720 Speaker 1: to New York and resumed his legal career. Though he 318 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:56,960 Speaker 1: found clients, he had become debt ridden. He lived a 319 00:20:56,960 --> 00:21:00,600 Speaker 1: solitary life for years until meeting the wealth best widow 320 00:21:00,640 --> 00:21:05,959 Speaker 1: in America. Burr courted and hastily married Eliza Bowen Jumal 321 00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:11,360 Speaker 1: in three Four months later, Jumal filed for divorce, claiming 322 00:21:11,400 --> 00:21:14,960 Speaker 1: adultery and that her husband had mismanaged and frivolously spent 323 00:21:15,119 --> 00:21:18,600 Speaker 1: much of her inheritance. Jumal hired the best lawyer from 324 00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:21,719 Speaker 1: a prominent family of lawyers. The young man was more 325 00:21:21,760 --> 00:21:24,200 Speaker 1: than happy to take her case, and he and Burr's 326 00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:28,480 Speaker 1: attorney battled out the divorce for nearly three years. Burr 327 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:33,119 Speaker 1: died shortly after hearing the verdict on September eighteen thirty six, 328 00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:36,840 Speaker 1: and though he never said it, that young lawyer had 329 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:39,320 Speaker 1: to have felt some sense of justice in winning that 330 00:21:39,480 --> 00:21:42,480 Speaker 1: case against the man who had shot and killed his father, 331 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:49,679 Speaker 1: Alexander Hamilton Sr. Many years before. There's more to the story. 332 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:52,520 Speaker 1: Stick around after this brief sponsor break to hear all 333 00:21:52,560 --> 00:22:07,520 Speaker 1: about it. Life for farmers is often hard, and conditions 334 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:11,000 Speaker 1: in the seventeen eighties in western and central Massachusetts didn't 335 00:22:11,040 --> 00:22:15,040 Speaker 1: make it any easier. They lived in isolation and suffered 336 00:22:15,040 --> 00:22:17,720 Speaker 1: from the lack of assistance when their crops failed or 337 00:22:17,800 --> 00:22:22,560 Speaker 1: falling prices cut into their already meager profits. Jefferson's forward 338 00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:26,320 Speaker 1: facing picture of near utopia in the United States didn't 339 00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:30,920 Speaker 1: match reality. While other state governments passed pro debtor laws 340 00:22:30,960 --> 00:22:35,639 Speaker 1: that forgave debt in some instances, Massachusetts did not. Without 341 00:22:35,720 --> 00:22:39,400 Speaker 1: such protection, the government seized farmers land and threw them 342 00:22:39,440 --> 00:22:44,160 Speaker 1: into debtors prisons. Under the article's confederation, the central government's 343 00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:47,119 Speaker 1: power was limited. At the time of its writing, the 344 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:49,840 Speaker 1: American colonists were in the midst of a war against 345 00:22:49,880 --> 00:22:53,000 Speaker 1: a country that they believed ruled unfairly than with tyranny, 346 00:22:53,760 --> 00:22:57,480 Speaker 1: so the documents creators ensured that the new central government 347 00:22:57,560 --> 00:23:02,879 Speaker 1: could not directly tax its citizens, but states could. A 348 00:23:02,960 --> 00:23:08,120 Speaker 1: Massachusetts raised property taxes to pay its creditors farmers, most 349 00:23:08,119 --> 00:23:12,760 Speaker 1: of them revolutionary veterans, had very little currency, and mostly 350 00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:16,480 Speaker 1: they bartered with other locals for goods and services, and 351 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:19,199 Speaker 1: most of the veterans had been stiffed for their amount 352 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:22,760 Speaker 1: of work and service during the war. Some weren't paid 353 00:23:22,760 --> 00:23:26,160 Speaker 1: at all. Unless they were wounded. They didn't get a pension. 354 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:29,800 Speaker 1: The increase in taxes was more than they or their 355 00:23:29,840 --> 00:23:34,160 Speaker 1: farms could stand. In August of seventy six, a band 356 00:23:34,200 --> 00:23:37,840 Speaker 1: of farmers drafted a document detailing their grievances and sent it, 357 00:23:38,119 --> 00:23:43,359 Speaker 1: along with suggestions to Boston's legislature. The letter was promptly ignored. 358 00:23:44,160 --> 00:23:48,879 Speaker 1: In Northampton, Captain Joseph Hines took a different approach. He 359 00:23:49,040 --> 00:23:52,840 Speaker 1: led hundreds of farmers to the local court house in protest. 360 00:23:52,960 --> 00:23:57,240 Speaker 1: They blocked the doors, preventing judges from entering. Before long, 361 00:23:57,480 --> 00:24:01,399 Speaker 1: several hundred more people gathered in solid air. Judges and 362 00:24:01,440 --> 00:24:04,879 Speaker 1: Worcester met the same resistance. The judges called in the 363 00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:08,879 Speaker 1: militia to disband the rebels. To their surprise, many of 364 00:24:08,920 --> 00:24:12,439 Speaker 1: the soldiers joined in on the protest. Their new leaders 365 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:14,840 Speaker 1: had employed the same method of government that they had 366 00:24:14,840 --> 00:24:19,960 Speaker 1: fought to escape. In Pelham, farmer Daniel Shay was fed up. 367 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:23,440 Speaker 1: He had bravely fought at bunker Hill and others, and 368 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:25,760 Speaker 1: now he couldn't afford the taxes on the land that 369 00:24:25,800 --> 00:24:29,480 Speaker 1: he had worked hard to buy. He joined the farmer's Rebellion. 370 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:35,560 Speaker 1: Shea's reputation and bravery earned him respect from the other farmers. Initially, 371 00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:39,320 Speaker 1: he refused to lead them, but eventually agreed. He and 372 00:24:39,359 --> 00:24:42,280 Speaker 1: the others marched to the courthouse, beating drums and waiting 373 00:24:42,320 --> 00:24:45,720 Speaker 1: weapons until midnight. He also led a group of six 374 00:24:45,800 --> 00:24:50,320 Speaker 1: hundred to Springfield in September of seventeen. He wanted to 375 00:24:50,320 --> 00:24:53,920 Speaker 1: negotiate with General William Shephard to allow the protest and 376 00:24:54,080 --> 00:24:56,840 Speaker 1: in return the group would allow the courts to stay open, 377 00:24:57,240 --> 00:24:59,399 Speaker 1: But as it turned out, the court was still forced 378 00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:03,280 Speaker 1: to close due to the lack of willing jurors. While 379 00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:07,040 Speaker 1: there were other factions of the rebellion, Boston's elite believed 380 00:25:07,119 --> 00:25:11,600 Speaker 1: Daniel Shay had orchestrated and led the entire thing. Attentions 381 00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:16,080 Speaker 1: began to rise. Former artillery commander Henry Knox wrote to 382 00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:20,240 Speaker 1: George Washington with his concerns over the growing revolution. Samuel 383 00:25:20,280 --> 00:25:22,360 Speaker 1: Adams said that they should do what England had done 384 00:25:22,400 --> 00:25:26,359 Speaker 1: to rebels, execute them. Still, the farmers had allies in 385 00:25:26,480 --> 00:25:30,840 Speaker 1: high places. Chief Justice William Whiting claimed that members of 386 00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:33,399 Speaker 1: the state legislature were building their wealth off of the 387 00:25:33,440 --> 00:25:38,879 Speaker 1: impoverished farmers. Realizing the protesters would not stop the legislation 388 00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:42,560 Speaker 1: offered leniency to those struggling to stay afloat. They also 389 00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:46,800 Speaker 1: offered rebels amnesty. There was a catch, though, the rebels 390 00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:49,480 Speaker 1: had to take an oath of loyalty. A few might 391 00:25:49,520 --> 00:25:52,800 Speaker 1: have known that a recently passed bill allowed sheriff's immunity 392 00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:56,080 Speaker 1: if they happened to kill rebels, and called for stricter 393 00:25:56,119 --> 00:25:59,760 Speaker 1: punishment for anyone arrested. When the dust settled, the courts 394 00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:02,560 Speaker 1: at at another bill ordering the death penalty for any 395 00:26:02,600 --> 00:26:08,880 Speaker 1: militiamen who joined forces with the rebel farmers men. In January, 396 00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:14,200 Speaker 1: Boston business owners funded Governor Bowden's private army. The army's 397 00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:17,680 Speaker 1: mission was to end the rebellion. The governor called upon 398 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:20,000 Speaker 1: the public to join the mission to end the treason 399 00:26:20,080 --> 00:26:24,480 Speaker 1: US protests. In response, Say and the other factions elected 400 00:26:24,480 --> 00:26:28,000 Speaker 1: to raid Springfield's arsenal on September twenty five of that year. 401 00:26:29,160 --> 00:26:32,479 Speaker 1: General Shepherd believed that the rebels wanted to overthrow the government. 402 00:26:32,520 --> 00:26:36,280 Speaker 1: At this point, he anticipated their arrival and called General 403 00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:39,920 Speaker 1: ben Lincoln from Worcester to assist. When the General saw 404 00:26:40,119 --> 00:26:43,760 Speaker 1: the one thousand, two hundred approaching rebels, they opened fire, 405 00:26:44,280 --> 00:26:48,800 Speaker 1: killing two and injuring another twenty. The insurgents fled, but 406 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:51,520 Speaker 1: sent a message to the army demanding the bodies of 407 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:56,400 Speaker 1: their fallen comrades. The generals remained unrelenting, forcing the rebels 408 00:26:56,400 --> 00:26:59,920 Speaker 1: to retreat. Shay and his wife took refuge with Revolutionary 409 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:05,600 Speaker 1: War leader Ethan Allen. Later in new Governor John Hancock 410 00:27:05,760 --> 00:27:11,320 Speaker 1: pardoned most of the rebels. He pardoned Daniel Shay, and 411 00:27:11,720 --> 00:27:15,480 Speaker 1: new legislation put a cap on debts, cut taxes, and 412 00:27:15,560 --> 00:27:28,000 Speaker 1: eased the farmers economic burdens. American Shadows is hosted by 413 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:32,840 Speaker 1: Lauren Vogelbaum. This episode was written by Michelle Muto, researched 414 00:27:32,880 --> 00:27:36,440 Speaker 1: by Ali Steed, and produced by Miranda Hawkins and Trevor Young, 415 00:27:36,760 --> 00:27:40,920 Speaker 1: with executive producers Aaron Mankey, Alex Williams, and Matt Frederick. 416 00:27:41,880 --> 00:27:44,160 Speaker 1: To learn more about the show, visit Grim and Mild 417 00:27:44,240 --> 00:27:47,560 Speaker 1: dot com. From more podcasts from iHeart Radio, visit the 418 00:27:47,560 --> 00:27:52,000 Speaker 1: iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.