Complete Works. Hamilton Alexander
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give up your author. I stake my life and reputation upon the issue, and defy all the craft of malevolence, or of cabal, to support the charge. If you decline a discovery, I shall then not have it in my choice to make any other than one conclusion.
You have blended several matters foreign to the purpose, which might as well have been omitted. I shall only answer in general, that I religiously believe the officers of the army are among the best citizens in America, and inviolably attached to the liberties of the community; infinitely more so, than any of those splenetic patriots out of it, who endeavour for sinister purposes, to instil jealousies and alarms, which they themselves know to be as groundless as they are impolitic and ridiculous. But if any individuals have been imprudent, or unprincipled, let them answer for themselves. I am responsible only for my own conduct. Your fears for the injury which the indiscretion of such persons might do to the general, were kind, but I hope unnecessary. The decided confidence of Congress, and the hearts of the people of America, are the witnesses to his integrity. The blame of the unmeaning petulance of a few impatient spirits, will never rest upon him; for whoever knows his character, will be satisfied, that an officer would be ashamed to utter, in his hearing, any sentiments, that would disgrace a Citizen.
West Point, Sep. 5, 1779.
The Rev. Dr. Gordon, Esq.
Hamilton, when practising law in New York, was appealed to for advice by Lieutenant-Colonel Stephen Rochefontaine while the latter was in command at West Point. Rochefontaine had been a brilliant engineer officer, and had distinguished himself at Yorktown, but seems to have been unpopular with his comrades and, at times, hyper-sensitive. General Joseph Gardner Swift, the first graduate of the United States Military Academy, ambiguously said of him:
"It is to be admitted that whatever may have been the talents of Colonel Rochefontaine, he had occupied many good positions with his narrow redoubts, and also that such works were more commensurate with the views of Congress at the time, than in accordance with those of the Colonel." Quarrels at West Point seem to have been frequent, and as a rule were settled by a passage at arms. There probably was some friction between the French and American officers, and the fighting proclivities of one of the latter were notorious. This was Lieutenant William Wilson, then at West Point, who seems to have been a very disagreeable person. In 1795 he was tried by court-martial, ordered by Major Lewis Tousard, but escaped punishment.
A year later Rochefontaine had a quarrel with him growing out of the court-martial, and wrote two letters to Hamilton, but it is to be regretted that the responses of the latter are not available.
Lieutenant-Colonel Stephen Rochefontaine to Alexander Hamilton
WEST POINT, April 28th, 1796.
DEAR SIR: Give me leave to apply to you for advice in a very disagreeable case which happened to me here a few days ago, it perhaps has been misrepresented to you by those who form a party against me in the corps, but you may rest assured that my honor has not been stained in the least; and I hope that if you find me guilty, it will only be of imprudence, and of no dishonourable act.
The cause of dislike of the officers to me may be ascribed to their being collected at West Point, while I was absent, and altho' unknown to most of them, they took such a wrong turn against me, that I hardly did receive marks of common politeness when I first came to join them here last January; add to that the general antipathy of most of the individuals of this country for any sort of subordination, and you will know pretty near the principle of that great and most general dissatisfaction of the officers towards me. A Mr. Wilson, Lieut. in the Corps, as contemptible a character as can be found anywhere, was particularly charged with the honourable trust of provoking me. (Mr. Wilson has killed a Brother officer in a Duel about a 12 months ago.)
On the 21st of this month, two officers only were at Parade and 2 were absent without cause; instead of acting with the Rigidity of the Law, I sent from Parade a message to the absents, one only came, and the others refused to accede to the request.
After the Evening Roll Call, as I was returning home passing before Mr. Wilson's quarters, I saw him out of his window calling very loud to the Major who was also in sight, by the name of John, his christening name, adding some injurious expressions to it. At last my own name was pronounced with the epithet of Damned Rascal, and other expressions intended to be very provoking. I thought Mr. Wilson intoxicated, or at least out of his senses, two officers within the Room were exciting Mr. Wilson by loud fits of Laughing. I felt very much discontented, and for an hour I did remain uncertain about the part I should take; -- a court martial composed of officers contrary to me, would not find any proofs of my accusation against Wilson, and it would only be giving publicity to gross Insults, which an officer dared to offer without any punishment. I thought the mode of punishing him by a private Interview, which would deter other officers from further insults of that kind was preferable. As I was going to impart my resolution on that head to Major Rivardi, I met Mr. Wilson taking a Walk by himself -- he stopped at a little distance from me, expecting as I suppose, that he would be spoken to by me. I called on him and I Inquired of him if he was the man who an hour before that, had so loudly and so shamefully expressed himself in pronouncing my name; his answer was that he did not.
I told him that I was very glad that he did deny it, or else it would have been pronouncing himself a vilain and a scoundrell, -- that if had something against me he might call on me at any time, and may be assured that I would grant him any redress that a gentleman might wish from another gentleman & a brave man. Mr. Wilson had a Small Cane in his hands, and at the expression of Scoundrell, which I suppose he did think himself very deserving of, he lifted it up as to strike at me. I had a Sword Sheathed in the Scabbard, and raped over with a Large belt, provoked by the former Insult, by the shameful denial of Expressions intended to be very publick outrages, for I heard them 300 yards off, -- and they were issued out in presence of a Dozen of Servants or Waiters playing in front of the house, and Enraged at the Idea that he was going to strike me, I discharged once on his shoulder a Blow with the hilt of my Sword. I felt instantly that I had been imprudent, and to repair it as well as it lay'd in my power, I did offer him on the Spot the satisfaction that he might wish for, the moon shone very bright, and I observed that if he had had his Sword on as a Man who has Insulted another ought always be ready to give satisfaction, I would fight him. He called to his servant to bring him his Sword, but he did observe that he did not know how to make use of it. I proposed him then to fight him with any weapons he wished to propose, and pistols were agreed upon, and 15 minutes were required before we met with a Second on each side; the agreement after we met was, that in order to avoid the formality of a Duel, we should settle the dispute by a Rencounter with two loaded pistols each and a Sword. The fires were to be given at pleasure and the distance be such as it suited the two adversaries; the first fire went off almost at the same time on both sides. My second Pistol went off unaware and I remained against my antagonist who had yet a Loaded pistol against me. He came up to me within three steps and missed fire, it is a general rule in such occasions to lose the chance when the pistol has not gone off, yet my adversary cocked up and missed his fire a second time, in order to prevent his firing a third time, I fell on him to try to prevent him from cocking his piece, but he did it notwithstanding, and his pistol missed fire again, the muzzle touching my breast. The two wittnesses came up then and separated us, my noble adversary enraged at not assassinating me on the spot, was furiously asking powder of his second, to kill said he that S -- of a B --, this was his noble expression on that occasion.
It is to be remarked that that affair which among men of honour is generally kept a Secret, was known thro'out the garrison, and we were immediately surrounded by people whom Mr. Wilson had informed of it, the reason why would be impossible for me to guess at.
We all retired to our quarters, my second and myself persuaded that the Rencounter having taken place, it put a stop to all further proceedings, and had made up all difficulties agreeably to stipulation. Two days afterwards I received a written challenge from Mr. Wilson thro' his former second. I answered him that according to our agreement, we had made up for the Insults and that I requested he would not mention that matter any more.
Here begins the perfidious agency of the officers who form a Party against me. Mr. Wilson, tho' a man of a very contemptible character, has been pushed forward and promised the support