Hamilton was either born in 1755 or 1757 on the small Caribbean island of Nevis. His mother and father weren't married. Rachel, Hamilton's mother, was married to another man after her husband had spent much of her family's wealth and had had her imprisoned for adultery. Hamilton's father abandoned the family in 1766 and Hamilton's mother died just two years later.
Hamilton was later hired as a clerk for a trading company on St. Croix when he was just eleven. Hamilton gained wider after he published an eloquent letter describing a hurricane that had hit the island in 1772. Locals would then raise money to help send him to America to study and he arrived in late 1772, just as the colonies were gearing up for the Revolutionary War.
When the Revolutionary War began, Hamilton was commissioned to lead an artillery company in the Continental Army and fought bravely in the battles of Trenton and Princeton, among a few others. By 1777, he had caught the attention of the commander-in-chief, George Washington, who gave him a position on his staff.
Hamilton left his position on Washinton's staff for a short while so he could return to the army. That year, Washington gave him field command at the Battle of Yorktown. Hamilton did not disappoint. It was believed that the surrender of Lord Cornwallis was a direct result of Hamilton's planning and leadership at the Battle of Yorktown.
Fun Facts:
- It is believed that the reason Hamilton did not fire directly at Aaron Burr during their legendary duel is that Hamilton's son died in the same fashion and Hamilton himself was hesitant to perform the exact same practice that killed his son.
- Hamilton founded the New York Post.
- The reason for the date discrepancy in the first paragraph is probably because Hamilton lied about his age to get into college.
Alexander Hamilton:
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