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HAMILTON, Alexander (1757-1804), First Secretary of the Treasury. Manuscript document signed ("Alex Hamilton") and WITH HAMILTON'S AUTOGRAPH CORRECTIONS (totaling some 40 words in his hand), headed "Narrative of an Affair of Honour Between Generl Lee and Colonl Laurens," countersigned by Major Edwards, Lee's second. Philadelphia, 23 December 1778. 4 full pages, folio, old repairs at fold lines and margins, affecting a few letters in several words. -- LAURENS, John (1754-1782), South Carolina patriot, aide to General Washington. Two autograph letters signed ("John Laurens") both to Maj/sr General Charles Lee (1731-1782), Philadelphia, 3 December and 7 December 1778. Together 3 pages, 4to, each with integral address leaf, folds with old repairs.. The first letter formally challenging Lee to a duel, the second concerning arrangements for the meeting. The latter signed twice on address panel by Major Edwards. (3)
DEFENDING GENERAL WASHINGTON: THE FAMOUS LAURENS--LEE DUEL, WITH ALEXANDER HAMILTON AS SECOND, OVER LEE'S "ABUSE" OF THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
"...APPOINT YOUR TIME AND PLACE, AND NAME YOUR WEAPONS..." Laurens formally challenges General Charles Lee to a duel, accusing Lee of having "publicly abused General Washington in the grossest terms." Also included is the draft account of the duel--approved by the respective seconds. Both John Laurens and the 21-year-old Hamilton were at this date serving as aides-de-camp to Washington. Charles Lee, formerly an officer in the British Army, seemed dogged by dissension. After being taken prisoner by the British in December 1776 (and, it later turned out, having passed to the enemy certain vital information), he was exchanged and rejoined Washington's command. At the battle of Monmouth, though, he conspicuously disobeyed Washington's orders to attack the British column on its march from Philadelphia. Afterwards, in conversation and in private correspondence with fellow officers (especially General John Conway) Lee unwisely made insubordinate and insulting remarks about Washington and his military prowess. After remonstrating for months, in July 1778, Lee was finally granted a courts-martial, one of the articles being disrespect to his Commander-in-chief. At the trial in July and August, Hamilton and Laurens testified, as did Baron Von Steuben and Anthony Wayne, two field commanders who had worked to rally the American line after Lee's ill-timed retreat. Lee was found guilty on all counts. In Laurens's letter of 3 December, he tells Lee that "I am informed that in contempt of decency and truth you have publicly abused General Washington in the grossest terms. The relation in which I stand to him [as an aide-de-camp] forbids me to pass such conduct unnoticed. I therefore demand that satisfaction which I am entitled to, and desire as soon as you think yourself at liberty, you will appoint your time and place, and name your weapons...."
The "Narrative," manuscript is a corrected account of "the affair" (quite probably penned by Edwards, Lee's second), with careful corrections by Hamilton. It provides an extraordinary window on this historic duel: "Generl Lee attended by Maj Edwards and Colonl Hamilton met...in a wood situate near the four mile stone...Pistols having been the weapons previously fix'd on...Genl. Lee propos'd to advance upon one another and each fire at what time and distance he thought proper...They approch'd each other within about five or six paces and exchan'd a shot...as Colonl Laurens was preparing for a second discharge Generl Lee declared himself wounded. Colonl Laurens as if apprehending the wound to be more serious than it prov'd, advanc'd toward the Generl to offer his support, the same was done by Colonl Hamilton and Majr Edwards. Genl Lee then said the wound was...less than he had imagin'd at the first stroke of the Ball and proposed to fire a second time. This was warmly oppos'd both by Colonl Hamilton and Majr Edwards who declar'd...that the Affair should terminate as it then stood; but Generl Lee repeated his desire that there should be a second discharge and Colonl Laurens agreed....Colonl Hamilton observ'd that unless the Generl was influenced by motives of personal enmity he did not think the affair ought to be pursu'd any farther...." Edwards and Hamilton conferred and concurred that the duel should end without a second round of shots. Lee, it was discovered, had been slightly wounded on the right side.
The "Narrative" also records the exchange between Lee and Laurens after the duel. Responding to Hamilton's question as to whether he felt any personal enmity towards Laurens, Lee "declar'd he had none and had only met Colonl Laurens to defend his own honour...Laurens repli'd [that] Generl Lee was acquainted with the motives that brought him there..., that he had been informed from what he thought good authority, [that] Generl Lee had spoken of Generl Washington in the most opprobrious terms of personal abuse, which he...thought himself bound to resent, as well on account of the relation he bore to Generl Washington, as from motives of personal Friendship and respect for his [Washington's] Character. Generl Lee acknowledged he had given his opinion against Generl Washington's military Character to his particular friends and might perhaps do it again...but said he never had spoke of Generl Washington in the terms mention'd...." Lee declared that "every man had a right to give his sentiments freely of a military Character and that he did not esteem himself accountable to Colonl Laurens for what he had done in that respect." In conclusion, Hamilton and Edwards affirm that the duelists' "conduct was strongly marked with all the politeness, Generosity, coolness and firmness that ought to characterize a transaction of this nature."
Characteristically, after his court-martial, Lee made no secret of his low opinion of the testimony of von Steuben and General Anthony Wayne, and both officer's promptly challenged Lee to duel. Von Steuben withdrew his challenge after Lee made concilitary statements. Ironically, the wound inflicted by Laurens in their duel was serious enough to prevent his accepting the challenge of Wayne. Lee retired to his Virginia estate and continued to pen letters critical of Washington, Congress and his enemies. He was passed over for command and was eventually dismissed from the army in 1780.
The Laurens-Lee duel was the first affair of honor in which Hamilton was involved as either principal or second. Hamilton served as second in two later duels: once for a client, John Auldjo, in a duel with William Pierce (1787) and later, informally, as advisor to his son Philip before his fatal duel with George Eacker in 1801, three years before Alexander Hamilton's own fatal "affair of honor" with Aaron Burr. Provenance: Charles Hamilton, 29 October 1981, lot 128). (3)
DEFENDING GENERAL WASHINGTON: THE FAMOUS LAURENS--LEE DUEL, WITH ALEXANDER HAMILTON AS SECOND, OVER LEE'S "ABUSE" OF THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
"...APPOINT YOUR TIME AND PLACE, AND NAME YOUR WEAPONS..." Laurens formally challenges General Charles Lee to a duel, accusing Lee of having "publicly abused General Washington in the grossest terms." Also included is the draft account of the duel--approved by the respective seconds. Both John Laurens and the 21-year-old Hamilton were at this date serving as aides-de-camp to Washington. Charles Lee, formerly an officer in the British Army, seemed dogged by dissension. After being taken prisoner by the British in December 1776 (and, it later turned out, having passed to the enemy certain vital information), he was exchanged and rejoined Washington's command. At the battle of Monmouth, though, he conspicuously disobeyed Washington's orders to attack the British column on its march from Philadelphia. Afterwards, in conversation and in private correspondence with fellow officers (especially General John Conway) Lee unwisely made insubordinate and insulting remarks about Washington and his military prowess. After remonstrating for months, in July 1778, Lee was finally granted a courts-martial, one of the articles being disrespect to his Commander-in-chief. At the trial in July and August, Hamilton and Laurens testified, as did Baron Von Steuben and Anthony Wayne, two field commanders who had worked to rally the American line after Lee's ill-timed retreat. Lee was found guilty on all counts. In Laurens's letter of 3 December, he tells Lee that "I am informed that in contempt of decency and truth you have publicly abused General Washington in the grossest terms. The relation in which I stand to him [as an aide-de-camp] forbids me to pass such conduct unnoticed. I therefore demand that satisfaction which I am entitled to, and desire as soon as you think yourself at liberty, you will appoint your time and place, and name your weapons...."
The "Narrative," manuscript is a corrected account of "the affair" (quite probably penned by Edwards, Lee's second), with careful corrections by Hamilton. It provides an extraordinary window on this historic duel: "Gener
The "Narrative" also records the exchange between Lee and Laurens after the duel. Responding to Hamilton's question as to whether he felt any personal enmity towards Laurens, Lee "declar'd he had none and had only met Colon
Characteristically, after his court-martial, Lee made no secret of his low opinion of the testimony of von Steuben and General Anthony Wayne, and both officer's promptly challenged Lee to duel. Von Steuben withdrew his challenge after Lee made concilitary statements. Ironically, the wound inflicted by Laurens in their duel was serious enough to prevent his accepting the challenge of Wayne. Lee retired to his Virginia estate and continued to pen letters critical of Washington, Congress and his enemies. He was passed over for command and was eventually dismissed from the army in 1780.
The Laurens-Lee duel was the first affair of honor in which Hamilton was involved as either principal or second. Hamilton served as second in two later duels: once for a client, John Auldjo, in a duel with William Pierce (1787) and later, informally, as advisor to his son Philip before his fatal duel with George Eacker in 1801, three years before Alexander Hamilton's own fatal "affair of honor" with Aaron Burr. Provenance: Charles Hamilton, 29 October 1981, lot 128). (3)