Shaping Alexander Hamilton's Military Career

Hamilton’s Military Career and How it Helped to Shape His Political Career Many people know of Alexander Hamilton’s successful political career as the first Secretary of Treasury of the United States of America under George Washington, but how he got there in the first place is a somewhat unknown topic. After the hit Broadway show, Hamilton, written by Lin Manuel-Miranda, became and widely popular rendition of Hamilton’s life, the interest in the founding father and face of the $10 bill sparked. Many people further educated themselves on his political career and his creation of the first national Bank of America. However, the first act of the play, where Manuel-Miranda tells the story of a young Hamilton, seeking military fame and working
to secure his legacy, goes unstudied. During the time period the colonies had been overtaxed and underrepresented (you know the spiel) for quite some time. Hamilton lived on an island in the Caribbean, moving from home to home as a hurricane destroyed his home and he lost his family. Over the first years of his life he read and studied quite a lot to the point that he was placed in charge of a trading charter at the age of 12. He moved to the colonies, went through college and passed easily. The years to follow were filled with friendships, love, war and most importantly, politics. Alexander Hamilton’s military career was a driving factor in his successful political career due to the major experience writing to congress and leading men as George Washington's aide-de-camp as well as some crucial connections to George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette. One of the major influences and reasons for Hamilton’s success was his practice writing to congress. Hamilton’s letters have been documented and recorded online over the years on various websites as well as in the Library of Congress. In these letters Hamilton writes from the battlefield during the early stages of the war. Hamilton often requests a higher pay for the troops on his company, stating “a difficulty... arises respecting the quantity of subsistence which is to be allowed my men” (Hamilton... 26 July 1776). During the time, the militiamen were offered wages for their services. Often times the men did not receive the correct amount of money, sometimes even “almost a third less provisions than the whole army besides [them] receives” (Hamilton... 26 July 1776). Hamilton often advocated for the men in his battalion, discussing the wages of his men and was very studious and factual in his letters. He also used many means of persuasion, attempting to make the congressmen of New York feel the way he did about the matters they so frequently wrote about. At one point in a letter to the representatives of the state of New York he wrote “you will be easily sensible that such a difference should not exist,” while discussing, again, the amount of pay his men were receiving (Hamilton... 26 May 1776). Here, Hamilton was almost telling the men that they will see the situation from his point of view. As George Washington’s aide-de-camp he wrote even more to congress about supplies and men that the army needed to defeat the British. He was punctual and wordy in his writing, as well as very formal. Hamilton knew that, unlike many other men in the army, he was very well educated and liked to show it off in his writing. He, evidently, went on to become the first Secretary of Treasury for the United States of America, handling finances and even creating a new banking system in America. He proved what a single piece of paper and some ink could accomplish in early America and will always be remembered for his letters and the help that he provided during the very early stages of American politics and economy. Another contributing factor from Hamilton’s military career that aided in his political career was his knowledge of leadership and his bravery. In the play, Hamilton by Lin Manuel-Miranda, Aaron Burr, played by Leslie Odom Jr. states “Hamilton doesn’t hesitate, he exhibits no restraint... and he keeps winning anyway” (Manuel-Miranda; Wait For It). Hamilton was known by many to continuously push at the competition and even his allies to get what he wanted. He advocated on many people’s behalfs, working to secure more men and money during the time of the war, and even writing to persuade people to support the US Constitution. He saw an opportunity and he seized it, and unlike Aaron Burr, he was not “willing to wait for it” (Manuel-Miranda; Wait For It). As George Washington’s aide-de-camp Hamilton passed messages and even wrote to congress for the general. Washington trusted him to lead the men and when Hamilton wanted to fight instead of working for George Washington, he quit. He knew that he could rise above his station and be better than he currently was. After some time away, he got a letter for the general, asking for his return and telling him that he would be given command of his own battalion of men. This was good news for Hamilton and he happily accepted the offer. While leading men at the battle of Yorktown, he “[drilled] his men in full sight of the enemy”, as to taunt them (NWO Documentary Channel). Some men in his battalion wrote about this, knowing that Hamilton was extremely daring and a lot of them were shocked that the British didn't fire at them. Hamilton’s constant pressure that he put on his friends and enemies to get what he wanted was a major factor in his success. He would write and write and constantly be victorious in his endeavours, all while taking risks and making enemies. Hamilton exhibited a lot of skill and a lot of bravery when he was attempting to climb to the top but it wasn't all Hamilton, that made his life such a success. Hamilton had many connections to people in military and politics, one of those crucial connections being the general of the continental army and first president of the United States of America, George Washington.
George Washington and Alexander Hamilton were like a dynamic duo. It all started when Henry Knox and Nathanael Greene both tried hiring Hamilton as their secretary during the war. Hamilton preferred to fight and wanted to secure himself in the history books, so he declined the requests. Then both men recommended Hamilton to George Washington. Washington invited Hamilton to his camp and offered him the position of aide-de-camp. Realizing the opportunity that was being offered to him, he accepted. After that Washington and Hamilton were a dynamic duo. Washington had the connections and the positions and Hamilton had the brains and offered Washington lots of advice. When it came time for Washington to pick his first cabinet, who better to turn to than Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton advocated many times about his pay and knew a lot about finances. Also he was a very studious person and could write persuasively and formally. Washington invited the best person that he saw fit to be the Secretary of Treasury and work alongside
him. Another one of the various connections that Hamilton had was to the Marquis de Lafayette.
Originally, Hamilton met Lafayette in New York along with Aaron Burr, John Laurens, and Hercules Mulligan. The five of them discussed the revolution and advocated for it. When it came time for the war, Hamilton was asked by George Washington to be his aide-de-camp. Washington needed help training the common men that he was using for the military at the time. Hamilton’s connection to Lafayette, a famed general in France, led him to securing Lafayette as a commander and trainer of men in the army. Also, when Hamilton was the secretary of Treasury under George Washington he used his connection to Lafayette again. Hamilton knew Lafayette and also knew that he was a very capable man. He explained to Washington in a cabinet meeting that France didn't need help with the revolution and that Thomas Jefferson was wrong in his opinions that Lafayette needed help due to the fact that “before he was [Jefferson’s] friend he was [Hamilton’s]” (Manuel-Miranda; Cabinet Battle #2). Hamilton used this crucial connection to strengthen George Washington’s trust and to help him win arguments in
politics. To conclude, Alexander Hamilton was a very successful person in and out of politics and the military. His military success greatly contributed to the successes that he had in the political world. The connections he made to George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette and the experience he gained writing to congress and leading the people in the army were all crucial factors in his success. Thanks to these connections Hamilton was able to “fly above [his] station after the war” and become a huge success in early America (Manuel-Miranda; Meet Me Inside).