A maker of America
HE GAZES out proudly from every $10 bill, and most Americans know him as their country's first treasury secretary. Most Americans also know that Alexander Hamilton's political enemy, Aaron Burr, mortally wounded him in a strange duel fought on the banks of the Hudson river. Far fewer know that Hamilton fought valiantly at the battles of Monmouth and Yorktown, established the United States customs service and coast guard, and ghost-wrote most of George Washington's farewell address.
This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “A maker of America”
From the May 8th 2004 edition
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