The Men: Alexander Hamilton and George Washington
George Washington was born in Westmoreland Country, Virginia on February 22nd, 1732. His father was a leading planter and a justice on the country court. When George was eleven, his father died leaving the young boy to assist his mother and older brothers in managing the family estate. He never received a formal education beyond basic instruction from either a private tutor or a local school. He worked first as a surveyor before joining the military, fighting in the French and Indian War. His service to the British military earned him name recognition and notoriety. In June 1775, he was commissioned to take command of the Continental Army. It’s important to note that even with his prior military experience, George Washington was about to take command of one of the most unlikely causes yet undertaken. To grasp even a whisper of hope, he’d need some help. 1
Alexander Hamilton hailed from a world of want. Born out of wedlock on January 11th, 1757, he grew up on the island of Nevis in the West Indies. His father James abandoned the family in 1766. In 1768, his mother Rachel died. At just eleven years old, Hamilton was effectively orphaned. He moved to St. Croix where his community recognized the opportunity underlying his intellect. On the generosity of neighborly donations, Hamilton set sail for the United States where he attended King’s College in New York City beginning in 1772. Caught up in the political fervor of his new country, he began to support patriot causes, penning numerous pamphlets attacking the Loyalist ideology. In 1775, he joined the New York militia. By March 1776, he was serving as captain of an artillery unit. It was this role that brought him to the attention of the man who would prove so vital to him–General George Washington. 2
1. “Biography of George Washington.” George Washington’s Mount Vernon, https://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/biography.
2. O’Keefe, Kieran J. “Alexander Hamilton,” George Washington’s Mount Vernon, https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/alexander-hamilton.