Philip Hamilton

Early life

"…It is agreed on all hands, that he is handsome, his features are good, his eye is not only sprightly and expressive but it is fully of benignity. His attitude in sitting is by connoisseurs esteemed graceful and he has a method of waving his hands that announces the future orator. He stands however rather awkwardly and his legs have not all the delicate slimness of his fathers. It is feared He may never excel as much in dancing which is probably the only accomplishment in which he will not be a model. If he has any fault in manners, he laughs too much. He has now passed his Seventh Month.”

- Alexander Hamilton describing a 7-month old Philip Hamilton in a letter to Richard Kidder Meade

Philip Hamilton was born on January 22, 1782, to Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, and Alexander Hamilton. Philip spent the first years of his life in New York alongside his family. Since childhood, his parents had great expectations and hopes for the future of their eldest son. Alexander wrote that Philip's birth was "attended with all the omens of future greatness." This led Alexander to look for signs of success in his child, who was then just a baby. When Philip was 7 months old, Alexander wrote that Philip had "a method of waving his hand that announces the future orator." Observations like this continue in Alexander's writing into late childhood, until Philip is sent to boarding school. Many people shared in Alexander's opinion of Philip, as he continued to grow, an increasing amount of people joined in this opinion. A friend of the Hamilton family, Dr. David Hosack observed that "Young Hamilton was very promising in genius and acquirements, and Hamilton formed high expectations of his future greatness!”

Education

In 1791, at the age of nine, Hamilton was sent to attend a boarding school in Trenton, New Jersey, studying with William Frazer, an Episcopal clergyman and rector of St. Michael's Church. By 1794, his younger brother Alexander, then eight years old, joined him there.

During his stay at boarding school, he frequently wrote letters to his family. His father, Alexander Hamilton, would often write him letters of encouragement. His father wrote, "Your teacher also informs me that you recited a lesson the first day you began, very much to his satisfaction, I expect every letter from him will give me a fresh proof of your progress, for I know you can do a great deal if you please." As Philip continued to grow increasingly intelligent and charming, Alexander's hopes for a successful son and a worthy heir were growing.

Philip enrolled in Columbia College and chose to major in law. In order to ensure that Philip would grow into the brilliant man his father hoped for, Alexander set extremely rigorous study routines to be followed by Philip. Alexander forced his son to wake at 6 o'clock every day from the first of April to the first of October. the rest of the year, Alexander allowed his son to wake at 7 o'clock, and go on to study. Alexander wrote, "From the time he is dressed in the morning til nine o'clock (the time for breakfast excluded) he is to read law." The only time Philip would get to himself are holidays and weekend afternoons. The standards Alexander set on Philip aided Philip in his studies, as well as strengthened the bond between the father and son.

Philip graduated with honors from Columbia College in 1800 and went on to study law. As a pupil, University scholars were said to have compared his virtue and knowledge to that of his father, already a renowned alumnus.

Death

On July 4, 1801, George Eacker gave a speech at Columbia University, criticizing Alexander Hamilton. George Eacker was a supporter of Thomas Jefferson and therefore praised him in his speech. Eacker also made denigrating comments towards Alexander Hamilton, such as accusing Hamilton of wanting to return to monarchy. This speech was published in the newspaper, which led to it being read by Philip Hamilton. Philip, having a strong sense of pride and honor towards his family, was deeply insulted by this speech.

Four months later, on November 20, 1801, Philip Hamilton and a friend, Richard Price, went to see a play at Park Theater. Upon arrival, Philip saw George Eacker, and confronted him about the speech. The encounter was very hostile, the men screamed at each other, leading to a disturbance in the theater. Eacker eventually muttered that Philip Hamilton and Richard Price were "rascals". At the time, the word 'rascal' had a very strong negative connotation, due to this, Philip Hamilton and Richard Price challenged George Eacker to a duel for their honor, as customary at the time. Acquaintances claim his father, Alexander Hamilton, counseled Philip, telling him to engage in a delope, or to either throw away his bullet or not fire first. The duel took place in Weehawken, New Jersey, the same place his father, Alexander Hamilton, would later be killed in a duel by Aaron Burr.

On November 22, 1801, George Eacker faced Richard Price in a duel, with neither party being injured. The following day, George Eacker faced Philip Hamilton. At the duel, Philip took his father's advice and refused to raise his pistol to fire at the command to shoot. Eacker, following suit, did not shoot either. For the first minute, both men stood there, doing nothing, both of whom refused to shoot. After one minute, Eacker finally raised his pistol, and Philip did the same. Eacker shot his pistol and struck Philip above his right hip, the bullet went through his body and lodged in his right arm. In what may have been an involuntary spasm, Philip also shot his pistol before he hit the ground, but this bullet did nothing.

As Philip was laying on the ground, bleeding, he displayed, as described by both sides, exemplary poise and dignity. “His manner on the ground was calm and composed beyond expression,” the Post reported. “The idea of his own danger seemed to be lost in anticipation of the satisfaction which he might receive from the final triumph of his generous moderation.” Philip was then rushed across the river to Manhattan.

Upon arrival on shore, near the state prison, all the doctors in the town were been called for, and the news spread like wildfire, Philip Hamilton had been shot. Upon hearing of the events, Alexander rushed to the home of Dr. David Hosack, the same man that would later tend to Alexander Hamilton following his fatal duel in 1804. Alexander wished to inform him that they may need his medical services. Hosack claims that when Hamilton arrived at his family home he “was so much overcome by his anxiety that he fainted and remained some time in my family before he was sufficiently recovered to proceed.” Dr. Hosack's family told Hamilton that Hosack, having already heard about the duel, had already left to the home of John and Angelica Church (the aunt and uncle of Philip), where Philip was being kept. Alexander Hamilton then rushed to the home of his sister-in-law to see his son.

When Hamilton arrived at the house of his sister-in-law, he looked at the pale, ashen look on his son's face and tested his pulse. "Then, Hosack related, “he instantly turned from the bed and, taking me by the hand, which he grasped with all the agony of grief, he exclaimed in a tone and manner that can never be effaced from my memory, ‘Doctor, I despair.’” Then, Philip's mother, Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, came in. She had been three months pregnant during this ordeal. Alongside Alexander, they hugged their son through the night. After professing faith in Christ, Philip died at five o'clock in the morning, 14 hours after the initial wound. He was buried on a storming day, with many mourners surrounding his grave. Some report that as Alexander approached his grave, he had to be held up by friends and family, due to grief. As reported by those at the funeral, Alexander was very brave in the face of the death of his son. Angelica Schuyler Church wrote, "His conduct was extraordinary during this trial".Philip was buried in an unmarked grave near the churchyard of Trinity Church in New York City where his father and mother would also be laid to rest in their respective tombs in the following years.

Aftermath

Following the death of Philip Hamilton, his family fell into disarray. After the death of Philip, his sister Angelica Hamilton became mentally ill. At the time of the duel, Angelica was 17 years of age. Before the duel, she was described as being "a lively, sensitive, musical girl who resembled her beautiful aunt." Before the death of her brother, she would often go dancing, or play the piano with her father. However, she was extremely close to her older brother, and therefore suffered a mental breakdown following his death. After her mental condition started deteriorating, her father, tried to improve her state at the family estate. He asked a friend, Charles Pinckney, to send her watermelons and three or four parakeets because Angelica was always fond of birds. However, nothing could improve her mental state. Angelica Hamilton never recovered from the death of her brother. She wound up in the care of Dr. Macdonald. Her mental state continued to deteriorate until she became only intermittently lucid, and sometimes could not even recognize family members. She spent the rest of her life trapped in her childhood, often talking to her brother as if he was still alive. Until her death, she would sing the songs she played with her father on the piano. Her sister, Eliza, said Angelica had "lost to herself half a century". Her brother's duel took her life away from her.

In addition to Angelica, Philip's parents never fully recovered from the ordeal. After Philip's death, Alexander Hamilton suffered, alongside Philip's mother, Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton. Friends of the family say that neither of them ever went back to their old selves after the death of their son. The year following the duel, on June 2, 1802, Elizabeth gave birth to the child she was pregnant with during the death of Philip. Alexander and Elizabeth decided to name their final child, Philip Hamilton, in memory of the son they had lost.

In popular culture

In the 2015 Broadway musical Hamilton, the role of Philip was originated by Anthony Ramos.