Title: Burr
Rating: 5 Stars
This is an outstanding example of historical fiction. The characters are clearly drawn and are interesting. George Washington is a military mediocrity yet his implacable stolidness is the face that a young America needs. Thomas Jefferson is an eloquent sphinx. Alexander Hamilton is a vivacious cherub.
At the center of it is Aaron Burr. At the end of his life, he is considered by all good Americans to be the devil incarnate. Even now, in his late seventies, he is still scheming to make his fortune. The fact that he is, once again, doomed to fail is acknowledged by even him, but that in no way stops him from trying.
He has brought a young clerk named Charles Schuyler under his wing. Schuyler, studying to be a lawyer but desperately wanting to be a writer, thinks he has a golden opportunity in capturing Burr’s reminiscences. In the midst of the 1836 presidential campaign, there are political operatives hoping to use this memoir to slander the candidate Martin Van Buren. Burr is using this as an opportunity to clear up what he sees as the many slanders that have been slung at him.
Many famous historical characters pop up throughout the book. In addition to obvious people like Andrew Hamilton, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson, there are quick character studies of William Cullen Bryan, Washington Irving, Benedict Arnold, James Madison, James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, and oh so many more.
I think the novel is excellent. Given the subject matter, in the hands of a talented novelist it would seem to be difficult to write a dull novel. If nothing else, Aaron Burr lived a full life. In fact, he’s one of the most interesting characters in American history.
Here is a partial list of notable facts from Aaron Burr’s life:
- His father was one of the founders of Princeton University.
- His grandfather was Jonathon Edwards. Yes, the Puritan minister Jonathon Edwards that wrote the most awesome sermon of all times, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. If you haven’t read it, it’s pretty amazing. First of all, the fact that you can get from Puritans to the Founding Fathers in two generations shows again how young our country is. Secondly, to go from the Puritan era of harsh judgment to Burr’s libertine habits in two generations is hilarious.
- He had a daughter named Theodosia. First of all, she was that rarity in that she was very highly educated (fluent in multiple languages). Secondly, she was lost at sea. One theory is that the boat that she was on was captured by pirates and she was made to walk the plank.
- He enlisted in the Continental Army at the age of nineteen. He took part in Benedict Arnold’s ill fated attempt to capture Quebec. By twenty one, he was a lieutenant colonel. He wintered at Valley Forge. He took part in the Battle of Monmouth. Ultimately, he was invalided out of the army.
- He was the third senator ever for the state of New York.
- He was a candidate for President in both 1796 and 1800.
- In 1800 he tied Thomas Jefferson in the Electoral College. This threw the election to the House of Representatives. Since it was the Federalist dominated lame duck House that would choose the President, there was a real chance that their fear and hatred of Jefferson would drive them to choose Burr. Although Burr knew that the people (or at least the small percentage of Americans eligible to vote then) wanted Jefferson, he was conspicuous in his silence. Jefferson was ultimately chosen and a clarifying constitutional amendment was hastily rushed through to separate voting for President and Vice President. How many people can claim to be responsible for a constitutional amendment?
- Through his actions, he managed to become the enemy of both the republican Thomas Jefferson and the Federalist Alexander Hamilton. That is quite the feat.
- While Vice President, most famously he fought and killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel.
- He founded the Manhattan Company, a New York bank. After some mergers, it became Chase Manhattan and now is JP Morgan Chase & Co. Yes, Burr’s fingerprints are on one of the largest banks in the world.
- After serving as Vice President, he decided, in a complicated scheme, to try to get the US into a war with Spain. Under that subterfuge, he planned to overthrow Mexico and set up himself up as king.
- There are theories that as part of that operation he was also trying to peel away parts of the Western United States.
- It was this action that got him arrested on charges of treason. It was here that he had an encounter with another slippery character from the Revolutionary era, James Wilkinson. At the time, James Wilkinson was the head of the US army. And oh, by the way, simultaneously he was an active secret agent in the pay of Spain. Wilkinson tried to forge letters proving Burr’s treason. The forgery was easily discovered, Wilkinson was discredited, and Burr was acquitted.
- Although acquitted, his reputation was in ruins. He escaped for a while to Europe. After a couple of years, he returned back to America. From that point forward, he quietly practiced law.
He wasn’t quite done.
In his late seventies, he married a woman that was one of the richest widows in the country. He promptly tried to use her money to carve out a territory in Texas. Seeing her fortune rapidly begin to disappear, she instituted divorce proceedings within months of her wedding. The divorce was finalized quite literally on the day of Burr’s death.
And the name of her divorce lawyer? Alexander Hamilton Jr.
dorkenstein 