I heard a great old story about Mark Twain being challenged to a dual. As Twain was the person who was challenged, he could choose the weapon. Twain chose cow crap at 10 paces. His opponent stood in disbelieve, then started laughing. They both laughed, shook hands and went to a bar, joked, laughed, and got drunk. I do not know if this story is true. However it is a very good story.
I would have accepted those terms and would have delighted in beaning him in the face five times because one clump of crap in the face would be far too few.
In later years, after he was President, Monroe (in financial difficulties later) lived with his daughter in Manhattan. Monroe (one day) decided to seek out Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton and did so, to apologize about his share in revealing the Reynolds affair. Elizabeth had long before forgiven Alexander, and now mourned him. She told off Monroe about what she thought of him, and he left her presence red faced.
The "hair trigger," is what is referred to a s set trigger. It was designed to give a softer trigger. It could be, that originally, both pistols had set triggers.. With a good set trigger, you don't put your finger on the trigger, before you are ready to fire. They fire with ounces of pressure, not pounds. If you are not ready for it, they will fire too soon.
Yes, most people don't know this. In fact most people in the shooting sports today don't know about set triggers, but they are often used by experienced target shooters. And from what I've read both pistols had set triggers.
@@doxasnike4789 have you read anything Hamilton wrote? He WAS the big all controlling federal government & high federal debt founding father. He was the first person to propose a central bank like the federal reserve. I think Aaron Burr should be posthumously awarded the medal of freedom.
@@joecombs7468 and? I agree with a lot of Hamilton’s viewpoints. Saying that burr should be awarded the medal of freedom is like saying lee Harvey Oswald or John Wilkes Booth should be awarded them by people who disagree with JFK or Lincoln-it was still a killing of an influential political figure
@@doxasnike4789 it was a duel initiated by Hamilton. Hamilton's views are diametrically opposed to everything in the constitution. The United States was intended to be a nation of, by, and for the people. Hamilton wanted the United States to be a top down authoritarian nation of, by, and for big banks. And if you haven't figured it out yet, high federal government debt causes inflation. If you really want to live in a nation like Hamilton envisioned you have many choices including several in South America. And Aaron Burr was the vice president. That position is a little bit more influential than Treasury Secretary. Like I said. Hamilton initiated that duel not Burr.
1. The Challenge, demand satisfaction. If they apologize no need for further action. 2. If not, grab a second. Your lieutenant when there's reckoning to be reckoned. 3. Negotiate a peace or negotiate a time and place. 4. If no peace, grab some pistols and get a doctor on site 5. Duel before the sun is in the sky. (pick a place to die where it's high and dry) 6. Leave a note for your next of kin. Hope that heaven or hell let you in. 7. Confess your sins. Ready for the moment of adrenaline when you finally face your opponent. 8. Your last chance to negotiate . Send in your seconds, see if they can set the record straight. 9. Look 'em in the eye, aim no higher . Summon all the courage you require. Then count. 10 paces FIRE!
Being a history buff, and enjoying little remembered events, I love this channel. Often when HG is building up to a climax I am always reminded of Paul Harvey saying, "and now, you know the REST of the story". :)
"Set Trigger" was and still is a common feature among single shot and precision firearms. The US Secret Service actually reviews that case in their academy. Since the Vice President was involved.
I am VERY pleased that the hair-trigger issue was mentioned. I recall reading about it in 1976 (a year of all things Bi-Centennial). I believe the article was in an "American Heritage" magazine. I have been wondering if I was the only person in the world still aware of the finding. That hair-trigger, coupled with the Hamilton's apparent familiarity with those pistols, casts some serious shade on Hamilton's reputation. His volatile history does nothing to return the shine. Thanks for another good peek into an historical alcove.
Hair triggers were extremely common on duelling pistols. That those pistols had hair triggers is NOT a new revelation because in the published statements of the duel (which were extensively published in almost every newspaper in the USA at the time) their existence was mentioned. Burr also read these statements when they were published. Nobody ever seemed to suggest that there was anything unusual or dishonourable about this. In some duels there were rules about whether they were allowed to be used, but in the rules set out and written down by Hamilton’s second, such a rule for hair triggers was never mentioned and so presumably they could use them if they choose to. Possibly, for entire fairness such rules ought to have been written down, since it’s at least possible that burr didn’t know those specific guns had duels (although he was far more adapt with a pistol than Hamilton was) but their existence is nowhere near as devious or scandalous as people make out in modern accounts of the duel.
My 10 year old granddaughter is fascinated with this man, reading books 3 inchs thick about him. A while back I introduced her to THG episode on the three duels. She added a few details to the story. LOL Thank you for these great family stories of our History. We Love History Now That THG and is team are such sharp shooters,
My great aunt had pistols that were used during duel between Hamilton and Burr. Her brother in law was an art collector for the Rockefellers. The story is he had the pistols and died in the bathtub in his New York apartment. My great aunt and her husband went to the apartment to get the pistols but the apartment was full of police. He also had a set of real nice ivory handled pistols in a nice case but the police already stole those pistols. The Hamilton/Burr dueling pistols were in a plan wooden case that is impossible to open unless you already new the secret way to open it. That is why the police couldn't open and know what was in it. So the police didn't steal it. My aunt and her husband got it and kept it under the bed we used to sleep on when we would visit her for many years. She got Alzheimer's and my father paid to keep her in an old age home for years. Some of her grand kids stayed in her home. One of her big oak trees fell and split the house into 2. They took everything of value and left without telling my father. There also was documentation with the pistols claiming they were used in the duel. This was almost 40 years ago. I do recall that there were notches craved into the brass bases of the pistol gripes.
David O. Stewart''s "American Emperor, Aaron Burr's Challenge to Jefferson's America" covers Burr well - especially from Burr's role as Jefferson's first vice-president, when his even-handed handing of Samuel Chase's impeachment trial in the Senate gave Burr what glory he earned off the battlefield, through his sad regress afterward. If. Had Jefferson the same equanimity as Burr had during the Chase impeachment, American history might have changed for the better. As it is, Marbury v. Madison's finding that the Senate's trial findings aren't justiciable, even by the Supreme Court, is something the country owes to Aaron Burr. Unfortunately Jefferson's inability to drop a grudge lost us the statesman Burr might have been after 1804. Or was it Burr's sense of entitlement, perhaps, to more than the world could could offer him?
I believe Hamilton threw the duel to spite Burr. In his letters, he wrote of such an elaborate scheme, spent his last weeks with his family, and was often depressed about the loss of his son. Hamilton wanted to leave a legacy behind and at the time, he was losing political favor; he was referred to as a glorified has-been. Hamilton didn't want to be remembered in such a sour note before he left, and devised the plan to frame Burr and paint himself as the martyr. That's why I believe Hamilton shot first and missed on purpose. I think his plan was two-fold because he expected Burr to shoot him down. And although his last few moments were extremely painful, his plan had succeeded. Burr could not hold office again, his political career in shambles. At the same time, Hamilton was praised as the martyr he had hoped to be.
@@atmaillumina Hamilton's letter in which he stated he would throw the duel to a man he hated and sought to destroy for years would likely never have seen the light of day had Hamilton won. He claimed that he had no desire to kill Burr, and made no mention of trying to salvage his supposed loss of "political favor." It is difficult to imagine the man who challenged so many others to duels as a pacifist sacrificing himself to the pistol ball of a man he hated.
@@killcancer6499 You have to see it a different way. Hamilton was old and was already close to dying. Burr was en route to gaining political power and position. Hamilton killed two birds with one stone. You're currently thinking with the knowledge and possibly wisdom of a 21st century individual. Indeed to understand why Hamilton did this, you'll have to discard what you know and subscribe to the school of thought that Westerners had in those older times.
Additionally, the guns used had hair triggers, that Burr may not have known about: aaronburrassociation.org/duel%20description.htm www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a21083805/hamilton-dueling-pistols/
A duel _"something that could've cost either of them their lives."_ It also could have resulted in costing both men their lives; the August 27, 1831, Biddle Pettis duel, as an example.
Hamilton is my great, great, great, great, great grandfather via his first-born daughter, born by Hamilton’s mistress who lived in Philadelphia. After her birth she was taken to live with an otherwise childless couple who lived near Poughkeepsie, NY. All this is according to my grandmother who kept her family genealogy all the way back to the Mayflower. According to the family letters she had from that time Burr had egged on Hamilton numerous times in an effort to destroy him and his family. He eventually succeeded in ending Hamilton as a perceived threat to Burr’s successes as a businessman and a politician. I guess one could say Hamilton had the last laugh. As an aside, my grandmother said one of the letters she had was from an observer to the duel and it stated Burr fired first, and too early, the hit thus causing Hamilton to fire high. Probably too much family pride biasing an accurate observation of what happened. I too love history and really enjoy your presentations.
Is the landg name came to USA via chinese prisoners during the opium war ) mr.lang /2 did hamilton wanted to stop business man take over the country . like something oligarch especilite commer to be used for profit
Thanks for this great examination of the Weehawken duels. I lived in Weehawken until I was 3 and visited grandparents there almost every weekend while growing up. The view of the NY skyline from the palisades is especially beautiful at night. I'd love to know more about the race to build the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building. The Empire State Building has an interesting history of it's own (not just because of Kong, an airplane crashed into it once).
Thank you for the video. I believe both pistols have "Set Triggers" and their purpose wasn't to increase the speed of the shot, rather it was to enable an extremely light trigger press which is less likely to disturb one's sight picture when discharging the pistol.
This period of American history is fascinating. Pundits of our age have no idea of what scoundrels our beloved early "politicians" were. They were excellent spin doctors and libel suits were rare. I appreciate the revealing of the connections of the Burr & Hamilton families. More please.
Can't argue that the prospect of a duel likely made for a more polite society. Imagine how confused these men would be if they saw modern twitter "battles" between famous people.
There's a Robert Heinlein novel (the "Dean of science fiction") that depends on social dueling. The basis is that the human race is willingly allowing itself to be molded on accepted genetic principals, but not in a lab. Dueling eliminates the rude, stupid, and those with poor physical characteristics. Sorry, don't remember the title of the book. As is almost always the case in Heinlein's books, at the midpoint of the novel there's a twist changing the apparent plot to something else.
I believe that bringing back dueling would create greater unity politically. Politicians would be much less prone to hyperbole if they knew that might bring about a duel. ;)
When the distinguished firearms periodical, "Guns", magazine, took The Hamilton pistols to Italy, to have them reproduced, the artisans at the factory found device, known today as a set trigger. This device is often seen as a second trigger in front of the first, on Kentucky (Pennsylvania) longrifles. The point that the set trigger was hidden has a lot more to do with Hamilton's brother-in-law, who was almost a "professional", duelist. The added edge for the owner was that both weapons in the set had set triggers, because the challenged party had choice of weapons. The owner would be the only one who knew how to set it, in case the challenger chose either one. This was also the reason Hamilton's brother-in-law carried them with him. He wanted them on the spot so other pistols were needed, and also so that they could not be thoroughly examined. If possible, research Guns Magazine. Fascinating. Wonderful site! I almost camp on it! Thanks!
Hair triggers were very common on duelling pistols generally, and their existence on those guns were well known in 1804 because the statement of the Hamilton’s second at the Hamilton-Burr duel (published in pretty much every newspaper of the day) mentioned their existence and that he asked Hamilton if he wanted them set, to which he replied not this time. Sometimes there were rules for whether a hair trigger could be used but the rules for that duel (also set out and written down by Hamilton’s second) made no mention of any rules for that.
You have shaken my confidence in you. ""Set triggers"" were common on fine firearms of that day and also of the present day. I am quite certain that both participants of the duel were quite familiar with set triggers. The purpose of set triggers was to enable the shooter to fire a shot without flinching over a hard trigger pull.
That is a matter of some historical discussion. The pistols were custom made, and the hair trigger was unusual in 1796, when the pistols were purchased. The mechanisms were certainly hidden, and actually not discovered until the pistols were disassembled in 1976 as part of a process to replicate them. Some historians write off the hair triggers as irrelevant, and argue that likely both Burr and Hamilton knew of them. Others, however, suggest that Burr was likely not informed of the "trick trigger." As evidence, they note that Hamilton chose to use Church's dueling pistols rather than his own standard English pair. That position was advanced in Smithsonian magazine in 1976: aaronburrassociation.org/Smithsonian.htm I don't pretend to know the facts of the matter, but certainly the controversy could not be excluded from the discussion.
It would perhaps be an effective way to weed out many career politicians. If so, it would most likely tone down the fiery rhetoric , if they knew it may result in their own death. Also, perhaps insulting Tweets could be added to Dueling ........... I have been to the spot where the famous Hamilton / Burr duel took place. Very good video. Keep up the good work History Guy!
Yes, With all his faults, I am certain that Mccain would duel with someone he was pissed off at. Which may have led him into a duel where the other was a better shot. Perhaps long ago. His temper is legendary ........ that often is a trait that leads to an early death, or downfall. Karma often has the last laugh.
Your description of the purpose of a hair trigger is totally inaccurate. It has nothing to do with the speed of the shot. A lighter trigger pull usually equates to a more accurate shot. A more historically correct term for the hair trigger is, "set trigger," a feature often found on hunting firearms, and certainly firearms used for target shooting.
I agree totally 1967, these " set triggers" were really designed for target work and are found on many fine arms. We have the old Dueling grounds outside DC in maryland. Much history there. The purpose of the set trigger mechanism is to remove the mechanical " trigger creep" ( removing the trigger slop, or mechanical slop of the firing parts) thus affording the most accurate shot. Common on well made weapons.
If Hamilton provided the pistols for the duel honor would demand that Burr be given his choice of pistols , there is no way that Hamilton could know which pistol he would end up with .
Ah, but knowledge is power! Just knowing which pistol would misfire, would give an advantage. In this case, it's clear that Hamilton was counting on Burr to miss deliberately. This is speculation, but it's the only reasonable conclusion, as Burr was known to be too much a gentleman to kill in cold blood.
In a duel on May 30th, 1806, Andrew Jackson was struck by his foe's pistol ball, but stood and took his shot, killing his foe. Jackson carried that ball in his chest the rest of his life. The injury caused him chronic pain for the rest of his life, and probably shortened his life. Don't know if Hamilton used the hair trigger on the pistol, but hair triggers are temperamental. Better to do as Jackson did, take your time and AIM carefully. Gunfighters often said the same thing. Thanks for another great episode of history, History Guy!
Your snippet here remains me of the Doors song "People are Strange". Had no idea of the depth of background that's behind Hamilton's dual. As always thanks for the history lesson.
I believe the dueling pistols mentioned here were made by Robert Wogdon of London. Wogdon is credited with being the father of the dueling pistol as mentioned in a poem starting with the opening line. "Hail Wogdon, father of the leaden death". At the time of manufacture of these dueling pistols 'set triggers' were the norm on the finest duelers made in London by all the best makers, Twigg, Nock, D Egg, Mortimer, Griffin and the Mantons. A misconception that is popular today is both principles of the duel used pistols from the same set. Actually each principal was expected to bring and use his own pair of dueling pistols. As these pistols were custom made to the customers specific requirements including the fit in the hand of the owner there is the possibility that the principal who is not the owner of the set could be at a disadvantage by a pistol that did not fit properly in his hand. The reason for two pistols was if there arose the need for a second shot to settle the affair. Just some general info here, thanks. Dueling pistols have always been of interest to me and I am currently hand making a pair of duelers in the case with all accessories influenced by Robert Wogdon.
I am a fan of duelling--it is a way to clearly cut to the heart of any disagreement. It makes one consider the gravity of one's lies. It forces one to take seriously the consequences of loose words. It makes a man careful of offending another. It would serve us well in these unsettling times.
Hamilton didn’t really lie about Burr in 1804 though. He expressed his opinion of Burr’s political conduct at a time when Burr, by standing for the most important office in New York State, had opened himself up to such criticism. Under such circumstances, Hamilton might not have felt himself obliged to behave with ‘decorum’. I mean yes, there was a degree of logic to it and it did have some affect on restraining people’s conduct, but plenty of people at the time also complained about how tyrannical (by suppressing free speech) and irrational the practise was (nobody changed their mind about Burr’s political conduct after the duel because only proof and evidence could have changed their mind).
Thank you for speaking slowly and distinctly. Very well presented. Hamilton did very well for himself being born on Nevis and assuming so prominent a role in the U.S.
Callie Masters. Good question. More than you think. Andrew Jackson fought about 109 duels in that era. Was shot a few times. Only killed one man, Charles Dickinson who had called Rachel a slut. Killed him calmly after Dickinson had fired a shot directly into Jackson's chest. From a Remi biography I recall: Reflecting on the duel, the doctor remarked to Jackson, “I don’t see how you stayed on your feet after that wound.” To which Jackson responded, “I would have stood up long enough to kill him if he had put a bullet in my brain.” He fought the entire Creek War and defeated the British below New Orleans with a recent dueling bullet in his chest. Damned that wormey man from SC and Tenn was tough. You may or may not like him, but that was one strong will.
Callie Masters most duels were just a matter of formality. Most of the time the duelists would simply fire a shot in the air. Both men would have saved face by not backing out. Duels that were lethal were actually more rare than one would think.
@@mercator79 Charles Dickerson was another. He was known for killing his opponents, not just couping them with token wounds, firing in the air with satisfaction only. He was a murderer using the code to cover his work, which he was said to relish. He's the one that called Rachel a slut. Alex Hamilton's duel was a complex story of the same pistols being used for their sons' duels and their seconds' duels. Hamilton/Burr was a bigger family fight than just the two men. Interesting reading. We think it has never been so bad in politics. What, our guys just write a mean tweet that hurts your feelings..... Poor baby. These guys shot each other over politics.
Sir as someone who has no interest in Hamilton mainly due TO the musical. I found this episode of five minutes to be totally fasinating. And the part about the hair trigger on the pistol wow. You sir are a master, thank you. I eagerly await your next video .Yes I know that this is a older one but I am trying to catch up,and I will. Thank you again.
I would like to point out that the “advantage” mentioned is a very slim one. While being struck by a bullet certainly could throw off someone’s aim, and one shot can stop a fight, the percentages are slim (around 1-2% depending on caliber) and there are a lot of videos of modern day gunfights in which participants aren’t aware they have been shot until after the event and adrenaline levels start to decline. It that case the advantage would be nonexistent. Furthermore there are also a lot of videos showing someone who has been shot, even fatally so, continuing to fight or continuing to make conscious movements etc. That would also mean a lesser advantage. All I’m arguing is that it’s a very slim advantage, if at all, to be counting on to save your life. But the moral of the story is clearly that you need to get your dueling pistols from a trustworthy third party and not the guy you're dueling? Some of these videos can be seen on the Advanced Self Protection channel here on TH-cam.
I have a Browning Mountain Rifle with that sort of trigger methodology. First time I fired it, guess what? It went off prematurely and the ball missed the target high! Fortunately, my target was an empty milk jug and not another musketeer. I've had the same sort of thing happen with T/C Patriot pistols, which are percussion target pistols. Very accurate... I have a one-hole three shot group target on display, but the same thing can happen with those before you become used to the light pull weight. I guess that even back in the day an honest politician was a rare bird!
Dale Raby My ancient Kentucky squirrel rifle had a set trigger screw which I lost. I’ve been thinking about getting another. Hope it has the same threads as a modern screw. Who know but I might have won the turkey I came in second by 1/32” to modern reproductions had I been able to “set” the trigger. Any kin to VW type 4 and 911 guru Jake Raby?
If it was made in England or the US, it will have English system threads, regardless of age. Now, what condition they might be in is another question. Hardware store should be able to help you get something compatible, though you may end up having to cut it to length and/or reduce the size of the screw head. You can do all this with a mill file. So far as I am aware, I have no relative named Jake, but likely we are all related in some way. Our family made the mistake of backing Mary Queen of Scots. Didn't work out so well and we came to America, from what I gather, mostly as bond servants. I had relatives in Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas and Texas. Had relatives fighting on both sides of the Civil War, or so I am told, and supposedly am related to Jesse James the outlaw through the Howard family. You can choose your friends but not your relatives!
Our forefathers were incredible people, had to be deal with the political landscape, craft a nation & to simply stay alive. What history & once again told so well with such rich detail. Thanks for the ride.
This are some wild facts, Hamilton's family really had a duelling issue haha. I really enjoyed watching this! You did really well at explaining everything in ways that made sense and the facts were all super interesting
Alas that would not apply today as dueling was a gentleman's last resort, when people in that era still believed in honor . People nowadays get shot just for looking the wrong way.
It's not American History but I would love to see your take on the Ferrari and Lamborghini rivalry. Like the Aaron Burr story, it has a lot of plot twists
love it HG....have heard it said that "dueling pistols" looked identical traditionaly - but that one was flawed in some way, such as the trigger mechanism like you said or possibly the barrel was known for slinging balls off center - anyway, the duelists knew this going in to the duel and it was all in the chance of choosing the right pistol, like flipping a coin, only a much more "real man type" of confrontation, one that puts real life on the line as opposed to just talk, and we all know talk is cheap, and all men know that the pride and honor of rich powerful men in all times are guaged by what other men believe their resolve to be about things, and when men see other men put their lives in the balance for what they believe in, then they are satisfied of any doubt of the resolve of greater men in believing in the truth of that resolve, and there are many reasons, some sound and unsound, it goes beyond any and all logic, anyway, loved your vid, like an open window to a past that few can understand today, Thank you again so much.
Alexander had advised his son Phillip to fire high. that choice Phillip made resulted in his death. I can't imagine a man like Alexander Hamilton that lived by his own rules of honor would have any internal choice but to shoot high himself.
Maybe you could do a short piece on the time (1798) Richard Somers challenged the entire wardroom of USS United States to fight him in succession. Somers' friend Stephen Decatur had jokingly called Somers a fool during some casual banter, both being midshipmen assigned to the ship. Somers was astonished when the wardroom refused to seat him because they felt no gentleman would allow the insult to pass unchallenged. Somers' and Decatur's attempt to explain no serious insult was meant fell on deaf ears, and Somers eventually challenged the whole wardroom. He exchanged fire with three of the wardroom members in succession, and was seriously wounded. After the third exchange, Somers firing from a sitting position because he could no longer stand, the rest of the wardroom agreed Somers' courage was adequately proven and the duel was ended. There are of course many other odd examples of duels fought in U.S. history, so if you want to do a longer video you could string several together.
(UPDATED COMMENT. Having problems with comment input on my end. Text may scramble): Nothing Burr did surprises me. Especially, when you consider the dummy actually tried to form his own breakaway republic (of which he was going to be leader of). He recruited the assistance of, a Mr. Harman Blennerhassett, of Parkersburg, West Virginia. Mr. Blennerhassett, was none too happy to provide both moral, financial, and physical support to Mr. Burr for the purposes of this endeavor. He even went so far as to allow the use of his island property in, Parkersburg, West Virginia as a ‘safe house’ if you will. His property was used for the hiding of supplies and men. Think he was successful at that? Yep......you guessed it. Failed at this, too. You know you'd think that after a while he'd get the hint that the 'scheeming' lifestyle just isn't for him. But no.......he had to go and tempt fate, again. It’s sad he just never learned his lesson. Please consider doing a “History Guy” episode on the Blennerhassett Incident. Thanks for the consideration. I enjoy watching your show. Your interesting, thoughtful, and thoroughly researched episodes are always a joy to watch. I especially like the fact you bring such little known facts to the table. Keep bringing on the history !!
Fascinating. By the way I am not a musical show fan but since it was free I watched the play on Disney+. I was really surprised by it. It was actually really good, Totally unexpected. Some bits were a bit ehh, but overall I am glad I watched it. The historical aspect of it was very engaging and although I am not into rap or hip hop I never felt turned off by it. Very well done and the performances excellent. Definitely recommend it to anyone else who might be on the fence. Love your channel, awesome topics and engaging narrations. Keep up the good work!!!
That finding about the hair trigger adds a whole new meaning to “I watched as he methodically fiddled with the trigger...”
Unsure of the definite veracity of the statement, but Encyclopedia Britannica states that Hamilton chose not to set the feature.
I heard a great old story about Mark Twain being challenged to a dual. As Twain was the person who was challenged, he could choose the weapon. Twain chose cow crap at 10 paces. His opponent stood in disbelieve, then started laughing. They both laughed, shook hands and went to a bar, joked, laughed, and got drunk. I do not know if this story is true. However it is a very good story.
Lol
It was Abraham Lincoln not Mark Twain. Lincoln ended up picking broadswords and when the challenger realized Lincoln had crazy reach, he backed down.
Jester 117 thats a completely different story.
I had heard this, but the challenged was Abraham Lincoln, not Mark Twain.
I would have accepted those terms and would have delighted in beaning him in the face five times because one clump of crap in the face would be far too few.
“They came dangerously close to calling each other... liars”
Bruh imagine
Ah. thanks. I needed that.
Doesn't compare with modern politicians namecalling.
@@phillipstoltzfus3014 i would have killed to see hilary and trump duking it out in a duel
@@k90sas-choppu46 Hillary would have someone get him in the back and then say he committed suicide.
Right?! The duels just from TH-cam comments alone would wipe out a significant fraction of our population...
"Qualifications?"
"Duels, revolution, diplomacy, and duels."
"You said duels twice."
"I like duels."
(to plagiarise Blazing Saddles...)
Alexander Hamilton had a dueling problem.
Duely noted
Yeah, sounds like he was a duelaholic! 😂
@@boringopr4369 LOL good one
(laughs in Andrew Jackson)
@Ari Renzi-Surprenant
LOL!
In later years, after he was President, Monroe (in financial difficulties later) lived with his daughter in Manhattan. Monroe (one day) decided to seek out Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton and did so, to apologize about his share in revealing the Reynolds affair. Elizabeth had long before forgiven Alexander, and now mourned him. She told off Monroe about what she thought of him, and he left her presence red faced.
1:32 A visit from the Cat over the speaker's left shoulder. Cat wants to duel.
Cats have better sense.
The "hair trigger," is what is referred to a s set trigger. It was designed to give a softer trigger. It could be, that originally, both pistols had set triggers.. With a good set trigger, you don't put your finger on the trigger, before you are ready to fire. They fire with ounces of pressure, not pounds. If you are not ready for it, they will fire too soon.
Yes, most people don't know this. In fact most people in the shooting sports today don't know about set triggers, but they are often used by experienced target shooters. And from what I've read both pistols had set triggers.
@@ATINKERER which would make a lot more sense, as the challenged would have his choice of weapons, but would probably not know about the set trigger.
I love this program
"Leave the gun, take the cannoli." That's Jersey for you.
Not only did the duel end Burr's career, it also undoubtedly ended Hamilton's as well...
The one good thing about that duel is the end of Hamilton's political career & influence.
@@joecombs7468 what makes you say that?
@@doxasnike4789 have you read anything Hamilton wrote?
He WAS the big all controlling federal government & high federal debt founding father.
He was the first person to propose a central bank like the federal reserve.
I think Aaron Burr should be posthumously awarded the medal of freedom.
@@joecombs7468 and? I agree with a lot of Hamilton’s viewpoints. Saying that burr should be awarded the medal of freedom is like saying lee Harvey Oswald or John Wilkes Booth should be awarded them by people who disagree with JFK or Lincoln-it was still a killing of an influential political figure
@@doxasnike4789 it was a duel initiated by Hamilton.
Hamilton's views are diametrically opposed to everything in the constitution.
The United States was intended to be a nation of, by, and for the people.
Hamilton wanted the United States to be a top down authoritarian nation of, by, and for big banks.
And if you haven't figured it out yet, high federal government debt causes inflation.
If you really want to live in a nation like Hamilton envisioned you have many choices including several in South America.
And Aaron Burr was the vice president. That position is a little bit more influential than Treasury Secretary.
Like I said. Hamilton initiated that duel not Burr.
1. The Challenge, demand satisfaction. If they apologize no need for further action.
2. If not, grab a second. Your lieutenant when there's reckoning to be reckoned.
3. Negotiate a peace or negotiate a time and place.
4. If no peace, grab some pistols and get a doctor on site
5. Duel before the sun is in the sky. (pick a place to die where it's high and dry)
6. Leave a note for your next of kin. Hope that heaven or hell let you in.
7. Confess your sins. Ready for the moment of adrenaline when you finally face your opponent.
8. Your last chance to negotiate
. Send in your seconds, see if they can set the record straight.
9. Look 'em in the eye, aim no higher
. Summon all the courage you require. Then count.
10 paces FIRE!
Being a history buff, and enjoying little remembered events, I love this channel. Often when HG is building up to a climax I am always reminded of Paul Harvey saying, "and now, you know the REST of the story". :)
"Set Trigger" was and still is a common feature among single shot and precision firearms. The US Secret Service actually reviews that case in their academy. Since the Vice President was involved.
People: Politics is really nasty today
Me: The Vice President once killed the former Secretary of the Treasury in a duel
Maybe things would be better that way. More duels, less rhetoric.
Nowadays, we just have keyboard warriors.
A member of the House of Representatives beat a Senator nearly to death one day on the Senate floor.
Here's a bunch more from the 1850s: www.history.com/news/charles-sumner-caning-cilley-duel-congressional-violence
Sharon Mullins talk less, pew more😂😂😂
I am VERY pleased that the hair-trigger issue was mentioned. I recall reading about it in 1976 (a year of all things Bi-Centennial). I believe the article was in an "American Heritage" magazine. I have been wondering if I was the only person in the world still aware of the finding. That hair-trigger, coupled with the Hamilton's apparent familiarity with those pistols, casts some serious shade on Hamilton's reputation. His volatile history does nothing to return the shine. Thanks for another good peek into an historical alcove.
Hair triggers were extremely common on duelling pistols. That those pistols had hair triggers is NOT a new revelation because in the published statements of the duel (which were extensively published in almost every newspaper in the USA at the time) their existence was mentioned. Burr also read these statements when they were published. Nobody ever seemed to suggest that there was anything unusual or dishonourable about this. In some duels there were rules about whether they were allowed to be used, but in the rules set out and written down by Hamilton’s second, such a rule for hair triggers was never mentioned and so presumably they could use them if they choose to. Possibly, for entire fairness such rules ought to have been written down, since it’s at least possible that burr didn’t know those specific guns had duels (although he was far more adapt with a pistol than Hamilton was) but their existence is nowhere near as devious or scandalous as people make out in modern accounts of the duel.
My 10 year old granddaughter is fascinated with this man, reading books 3 inchs thick about him. A while back I introduced her to THG episode on the three duels. She added a few details to the story. LOL
Thank you for these great family stories of our History.
We Love History Now That THG and is team are such sharp shooters,
My great aunt had pistols that were used during duel between Hamilton and Burr. Her brother in law was an art collector for the Rockefellers. The story is he had the pistols and died in the bathtub in his New York apartment. My great aunt and her husband went to the apartment to get the pistols but the apartment was full of police. He also had a set of real nice ivory handled pistols in a nice case but the police already stole those pistols. The Hamilton/Burr dueling pistols were in a plan wooden case that is impossible to open unless you already new the secret way to open it. That is why the police couldn't open and know what was in it. So the police didn't steal it. My aunt and her husband got it and kept it under the bed we used to sleep on when we would visit her for many years. She got Alzheimer's and my father paid to keep her in an old age home for years. Some of her grand kids stayed in her home. One of her big oak trees fell and split the house into 2. They took everything of value and left without telling my father. There also was documentation with the pistols claiming they were used in the duel. This was almost 40 years ago. I do recall that there were notches craved into the brass bases of the pistol gripes.
I strongly recommend "Fallen Founder" a recent and excellent biography on Burr. Another great episode. Lover your stuff H.G.
I recomend found flounder a great fishing Guide.
David O. Stewart''s "American Emperor, Aaron Burr's Challenge to Jefferson's America" covers Burr well - especially from Burr's role as Jefferson's first vice-president, when his even-handed handing of Samuel Chase's impeachment trial in the Senate gave Burr what glory he earned off the battlefield, through his sad regress afterward. If. Had Jefferson the same equanimity as Burr had during the Chase impeachment, American history might have changed for the better. As it is, Marbury v. Madison's finding that the Senate's trial findings aren't justiciable, even by the Supreme Court, is something the country owes to Aaron Burr.
Unfortunately Jefferson's inability to drop a grudge lost us the statesman Burr might have been after 1804. Or was it Burr's sense of entitlement, perhaps, to more than the world could could offer him?
I’m not saying Aaron Burr was a monster, but Fallen Founder goes way too far in the other direction. A good book on Aaron Burr remains to be written.
I've been watching through a bunch of your videos after finding one a week or two ago. I love your excitement about this stuff! Great video!
Ian Neubert Nothing more interesting than history. You can't make this stuff up!
@@winnifredforbes8712 . . . yes i can .
Pappy Okey dokey!
“1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
It’s the ten challenges of Hamilton”
You never cease to amaze me with history ! Please Keep'em coming as I love learning more about history ! Thank you Sir !
I believe Hamilton threw the duel to spite Burr. In his letters, he wrote of such an elaborate scheme, spent his last weeks with his family, and was often depressed about the loss of his son. Hamilton wanted to leave a legacy behind and at the time, he was losing political favor; he was referred to as a glorified has-been. Hamilton didn't want to be remembered in such a sour note before he left, and devised the plan to frame Burr and paint himself as the martyr. That's why I believe Hamilton shot first and missed on purpose. I think his plan was two-fold because he expected Burr to shoot him down. And although his last few moments were extremely painful, his plan had succeeded. Burr could not hold office again, his political career in shambles. At the same time, Hamilton was praised as the martyr he had hoped to be.
That sounds pretty ridiculous to me.
@@killcancer6499 You're right. It is ridiculous, but if you read into Hamilton's story, you'll see that I'm not making it up.
@@atmaillumina Hamilton's letter in which he stated he would throw the duel to a man he hated and sought to destroy for years would likely never have seen the light of day had Hamilton won. He claimed that he had no desire to kill Burr, and made no mention of trying to salvage his supposed loss of "political favor." It is difficult to imagine the man who challenged so many others to duels as a pacifist sacrificing himself to the pistol ball of a man he hated.
@@killcancer6499 You have to see it a different way. Hamilton was old and was already close to dying. Burr was en route to gaining political power and position. Hamilton killed two birds with one stone. You're currently thinking with the knowledge and possibly wisdom of a 21st century individual. Indeed to understand why Hamilton did this, you'll have to discard what you know and subscribe to the school of thought that Westerners had in those older times.
Additionally, the guns used had hair triggers, that Burr may not have known about:
aaronburrassociation.org/duel%20description.htm
www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a21083805/hamilton-dueling-pistols/
A duel _"something that could've cost either of them their lives."_
It also could have resulted in costing both men their lives; the August 27, 1831, Biddle Pettis duel, as an example.
Kowboy USA : Indeed, any wound could be fatal in the days before antisepsis and antibiotics.
I am from West Virginia, and would love to see a story on Harmon Blennerhasset and Aaron Burrs conspiracy. It has always seemed incomplete and vague.
West Virginiaaaa mountain mamaaaaa
I’ve seen at least 100 of your videos and this was my favorite by far
I had always heard about the duel but I did not know about the circumstances that brought it on. A very interesting tutorial. Thanks for sharing this.
"That man totally besmirched me, and I demand satisfaction from him."
From 1792? Lol
@BM 20 yeah that's the joke. From a show called it's always Sunny in Philadelphia.
I came across your channel about a week ago, since then it has consumed practically all my free time and I couldn’t be happier about that.
Thank you!
Hamilton is my great, great, great, great, great grandfather via his first-born daughter, born by Hamilton’s mistress who lived in Philadelphia. After her birth she was taken to live with an otherwise childless couple who lived near Poughkeepsie, NY. All this is according to my grandmother who kept her family genealogy all the way back to the Mayflower. According to the family letters she had from that time Burr had egged on Hamilton numerous times in an effort to destroy him and his family. He eventually succeeded in ending Hamilton as a perceived threat to Burr’s successes as a businessman and a politician. I guess one could say Hamilton had the last laugh. As an aside, my grandmother said one of the letters she had was from an observer to the duel and it stated Burr fired first, and too early, the hit thus causing Hamilton to fire high. Probably too much family pride biasing an accurate observation of what happened. I too love history and really enjoy your presentations.
what ever happened to the letters your Grandmother had? I would think they would be very valuable both historically and financially.
Cool story 😒
Is the landg name came to USA via chinese prisoners during the opium war ) mr.lang /2 did hamilton wanted to stop business man take over the country . like something oligarch especilite commer to be used for profit
Doug In Texas Kool.
Very interesting!
It's odd to think of these things from that long ago! That's many many grandfathers ago, seems unreal...
Thanks for this great examination of the Weehawken duels. I lived in Weehawken until I was 3 and visited grandparents there almost every weekend while growing up. The view of the NY skyline from the palisades is especially beautiful at night. I'd love to know more about the race to build the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building. The Empire State Building has an interesting history of it's own (not just because of Kong, an airplane crashed into it once).
Thank you for the video. I believe both pistols have "Set Triggers" and their purpose wasn't to increase the speed of the shot, rather it was to enable an extremely light trigger press which is less likely to disturb one's sight picture when discharging the pistol.
This period of American history is fascinating. Pundits of our age have no idea of what scoundrels our beloved early "politicians" were. They were excellent spin doctors and libel suits were rare. I appreciate the revealing of the connections of the Burr & Hamilton families. More please.
One of the best episodes yet! So many coincidences I wasn't aware of. Thank you!
Amazing how you are able to connect the historical dots into a compelling narrative.
Can't argue that the prospect of a duel likely made for a more polite society. Imagine how confused these men would be if they saw modern twitter "battles" between famous people.
There's a Robert Heinlein novel (the "Dean of science fiction") that depends on social dueling. The basis is that the human race is willingly allowing itself to be molded on accepted genetic principals, but not in a lab. Dueling eliminates the rude, stupid, and those with poor physical characteristics.
Sorry, don't remember the title of the book.
As is almost always the case in Heinlein's books, at the midpoint of the novel there's a twist changing the apparent plot to something else.
I believe that bringing back dueling would create greater unity politically. Politicians would be much less prone to hyperbole if they knew that might bring about a duel. ;)
I hope you are being facetious.
at least it would end repeated lying by politicians.... at least on the part of those who lost the duel
They would simply find new ways to cheat.
How about a duel between President Trump and Hilary Clinton? Can you imagine that?
@Jay Smith She used a repeating rifle, not a muzzle-loading dueling pistol.
Awesome episode, blown away by all the duels and twists, well done !
I found this fascinating and had to keep rewinding to keep the names straight. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
When the distinguished firearms periodical, "Guns", magazine, took The Hamilton pistols to Italy, to have them reproduced, the artisans at the factory found device, known today as a set trigger. This device is often seen as a second trigger in front of the first, on Kentucky (Pennsylvania) longrifles. The point that the set trigger was hidden has a lot more to do with Hamilton's brother-in-law, who was almost a "professional", duelist. The added edge for the owner was that both weapons in the set had set triggers, because the challenged party had choice of weapons. The owner would be the only one who knew how to set it, in case the challenger chose either one. This was also the reason Hamilton's brother-in-law carried them with him. He wanted them on the spot so other pistols were needed, and also so that they could not be thoroughly examined. If possible, research Guns Magazine. Fascinating.
Wonderful site! I almost camp on it! Thanks!
Hair triggers were very common on duelling pistols generally, and their existence on those guns were well known in 1804 because the statement of the Hamilton’s second at the Hamilton-Burr duel (published in pretty much every newspaper of the day) mentioned their existence and that he asked Hamilton if he wanted them set, to which he replied not this time. Sometimes there were rules for whether a hair trigger could be used but the rules for that duel (also set out and written down by Hamilton’s second) made no mention of any rules for that.
I always enjoy your snippets of history.
Smh
How does Alexander duel like he’s running out of time?!
You have shaken my confidence in you. ""Set triggers"" were common on fine firearms of that day and also of the present day. I am quite certain that both participants of the duel were quite familiar with set triggers. The purpose of set triggers was to enable the shooter to fire a shot without flinching over a hard trigger pull.
That is a matter of some historical discussion. The pistols were custom made, and the hair trigger was unusual in 1796, when the pistols were purchased. The mechanisms were certainly hidden, and actually not discovered until the pistols were disassembled in 1976 as part of a process to replicate them.
Some historians write off the hair triggers as irrelevant, and argue that likely both Burr and Hamilton knew of them. Others, however, suggest that Burr was likely not informed of the "trick trigger." As evidence, they note that Hamilton chose to use Church's dueling pistols rather than his own standard English pair. That position was advanced in Smithsonian magazine in 1976:
aaronburrassociation.org/Smithsonian.htm
I don't pretend to know the facts of the matter, but certainly the controversy could not be excluded from the discussion.
.......Amazing story Mr. History Guy. Thank you.
Very informative - I learned many things I did not know
None of our current politicians have the guts to engage in dueling. I would love to see it though.
TheTruth LOL I am not convinced that bringing back dueling would a good idea.
It would perhaps be an effective way to weed out many career politicians. If so, it would most likely tone down the fiery rhetoric , if they knew it may result in their own death. Also, perhaps insulting Tweets could be added to Dueling ........... I have been to the spot where the famous Hamilton / Burr duel took place. Very good video. Keep up the good work History Guy!
I don’t know about that I feel like John McCain would have no problem dueling with someone if he was in better health.
Yes, With all his faults, I am certain that Mccain would duel with someone he was pissed off at. Which may have led him into a duel where the other was a better shot. Perhaps long ago. His temper is legendary ........ that often is a trait that leads to an early death, or downfall. Karma often has the last laugh.
None of our current politicians have the guts to engage in doing their jobs.
Your description of the purpose of a hair trigger is totally inaccurate. It has nothing to do with the speed of the shot. A lighter trigger pull usually equates to a more accurate shot. A more historically correct term for the hair trigger is, "set trigger," a feature often found on hunting firearms, and certainly firearms used for target shooting.
dotri 1967 yes, and single set triggers were fairly common
You are not right.
Haven’t you ever been surprised by the gun going off when you’re firing a light trigger, when you are used to a heavier pull??
I agree totally 1967, these " set triggers" were really designed for target work and are found on many fine arms. We have the old Dueling grounds outside DC in maryland. Much history there. The purpose of the set trigger mechanism is to remove the mechanical " trigger creep" ( removing the trigger slop, or mechanical slop of the firing parts) thus affording the most accurate shot. Common on well made weapons.
dotri 1967
Ya beat me to it, Brother.
Sco/ire America BRASS as taught by USMC - Breathe- Relax - Aim - SLACK -Squeeze
Always rivetting narration! Thanks!
If Hamilton provided the pistols for the duel honor would demand that Burr be given his choice of pistols , there is no way that Hamilton could know which pistol he would end up with .
Ah, but knowledge is power! Just knowing which pistol would misfire, would give an advantage. In this case, it's clear that Hamilton was counting on Burr to miss deliberately. This is speculation, but it's the only reasonable conclusion, as Burr was known to be too much a gentleman to kill in cold blood.
"and he wrote it down right there, damn " - the Reynolds pamphlet
The amount of respect given back then will forever be lost.
Historical coincidence at its best, incredible juggling act H guy.
In a duel on May 30th, 1806, Andrew Jackson was struck by his foe's pistol ball, but stood and took his shot, killing his foe.
Jackson carried that ball in his chest the rest of his life. The injury caused him chronic pain for the rest of his life, and probably shortened his life.
Don't know if Hamilton used the hair trigger on the pistol, but hair triggers are temperamental. Better to do as Jackson did, take your time and AIM carefully. Gunfighters often said the same thing. Thanks for another great episode of history, History Guy!
That was an excellent explanation of how the two pistol triggers were modified. Very enjoyable episode.
Super interesting, thanks for these fascinating historic tidbits!
Your snippet here remains me of the Doors song "People are Strange". Had no idea of the depth of background that's behind Hamilton's dual. As always thanks for the history lesson.
That set of dueling pistols were well used!
I believe the dueling pistols mentioned here were made by Robert Wogdon of London. Wogdon is credited with being the father of the dueling pistol as mentioned in a poem starting with the opening line. "Hail Wogdon, father of the leaden death".
At the time of manufacture of these dueling pistols 'set triggers' were the norm on the finest duelers made in London by all the best makers, Twigg, Nock, D Egg, Mortimer, Griffin and the Mantons.
A misconception that is popular today is both principles of the duel used pistols from the same set. Actually each principal was expected to bring and use his own pair of dueling pistols. As these pistols were custom made to the customers specific requirements including the fit in the hand of the owner there is the possibility that the principal who is not the owner of the set could be at a disadvantage by a pistol that did not fit properly in his hand. The reason for two pistols was if there arose the need for a second shot to settle the affair.
Just some general info here, thanks.
Dueling pistols have always been of interest to me and I am currently hand making a pair of duelers in the case with all accessories influenced by Robert Wogdon.
I am a fan of duelling--it is a way to clearly cut to the heart of any disagreement. It makes one consider the gravity of one's lies. It forces one to take seriously the consequences of loose words. It makes a man careful of offending another. It would serve us well in these unsettling times.
Hamilton didn’t really lie about Burr in 1804 though. He expressed his opinion of Burr’s political conduct at a time when Burr, by standing for the most important office in New York State, had opened himself up to such criticism. Under such circumstances, Hamilton might not have felt himself obliged to behave with ‘decorum’. I mean yes, there was a degree of logic to it and it did have some affect on restraining people’s conduct, but plenty of people at the time also complained about how tyrannical (by suppressing free speech) and irrational the practise was (nobody changed their mind about Burr’s political conduct after the duel because only proof and evidence could have changed their mind).
How can people dislike your videos? This is one of my favourite TH-cam channels
Wow! History Guy, this was one of your best!
This is so crazy! Thanks for doing this video for us
A video w a deeper and thorough view of Hamilton is essential.
You have a gift for storytelling!
Thank you for speaking slowly and distinctly. Very well presented. Hamilton did very well for himself being born on Nevis and assuming so prominent a role in the U.S.
My wife enjoyed this one especially and now she is a big fan also.
Love. Love History. Am so happy I found your channel!!!!
How many times could you participate in dueling before your luck ran out?! Anybody who did that a lot obviously had a death wish.
Callie Masters. Good question. More than you think. Andrew Jackson fought about 109 duels in that era. Was shot a few times. Only killed one man, Charles Dickinson who had called Rachel a slut. Killed him calmly after Dickinson had fired a shot directly into Jackson's chest. From a Remi biography I recall:
Reflecting on the duel, the doctor remarked to Jackson, “I don’t see how you stayed on your feet after that wound.”
To which Jackson responded, “I would have stood up long enough to kill him if he had put a bullet in my brain.”
He fought the entire Creek War and defeated the British below New Orleans with a recent dueling bullet in his chest. Damned that wormey man from SC and Tenn was tough. You may or may not like him, but that was one strong will.
Callie Masters most duels were just a matter of formality. Most of the time the duelists would simply fire a shot in the air. Both men would have saved face by not backing out. Duels that were lethal were actually more rare than one would think.
Seems like Mr. Hamilton is at least one data point.
@@mercator79 Charles Dickerson was another. He was known for killing his opponents, not just couping them with token wounds, firing in the air with satisfaction only. He was a murderer using the code to cover his work, which he was said to relish. He's the one that called Rachel a slut.
Alex Hamilton's duel was a complex story of the same pistols being used for their sons' duels and their seconds' duels. Hamilton/Burr was a bigger family fight than just the two men. Interesting reading. We think it has never been so bad in politics. What, our guys just write a mean tweet that hurts your feelings..... Poor baby. These guys shot each other over politics.
Watch the movie The Big Gundown Starring Lee Van Cleef
Absolutely astonishing! So informative and enjoyable!
As always I am fascinated by the story. Love that tie.
Hamilton: I will serve my best and make sure I leave this earth greatly
Burr: Well...
Sir as someone who has no interest in Hamilton mainly due TO the musical. I found this episode of five minutes to be totally fasinating. And the part about the hair trigger on the pistol wow. You sir are a master, thank you. I eagerly await your next video .Yes I know that this is a older one but I am trying to catch up,and I will. Thank you again.
I would like to point out that the “advantage” mentioned is a very slim one. While being struck by a bullet certainly could throw off someone’s aim, and one shot can stop a fight, the percentages are slim (around 1-2% depending on caliber) and there are a lot of videos of modern day gunfights in which participants aren’t aware they have been shot until after the event and adrenaline levels start to decline. It that case the advantage would be nonexistent. Furthermore there are also a lot of videos showing someone who has been shot, even fatally so, continuing to fight or continuing to make conscious movements etc. That would also mean a lesser advantage. All I’m arguing is that it’s a very slim advantage, if at all, to be counting on to save your life.
But the moral of the story is clearly that you need to get your dueling pistols from a trustworthy third party and not the guy you're dueling?
Some of these videos can be seen on the Advanced Self Protection channel here on TH-cam.
I have a Browning Mountain Rifle with that sort of trigger methodology. First time I fired it, guess what? It went off prematurely and the ball missed the target high! Fortunately, my target was an empty milk jug and not another musketeer. I've had the same sort of thing happen with T/C Patriot pistols, which are percussion target pistols. Very accurate... I have a one-hole three shot group target on display, but the same thing can happen with those before you become used to the light pull weight.
I guess that even back in the day an honest politician was a rare bird!
Dale Raby My ancient Kentucky squirrel rifle had a set trigger screw which I lost. I’ve been thinking about getting another. Hope it has the same threads as a modern screw. Who know but I might have won the turkey I came in second by 1/32” to modern reproductions had I been able to “set” the trigger.
Any kin to VW type 4 and 911 guru Jake Raby?
If it was made in England or the US, it will have English system threads, regardless of age. Now, what condition they might be in is another question. Hardware store should be able to help you get something compatible, though you may end up having to cut it to length and/or reduce the size of the screw head. You can do all this with a mill file.
So far as I am aware, I have no relative named Jake, but likely we are all related in some way. Our family made the mistake of backing Mary Queen of Scots. Didn't work out so well and we came to America, from what I gather, mostly as bond servants. I had relatives in Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas and Texas. Had relatives fighting on both sides of the Civil War, or so I am told, and supposedly am related to Jesse James the outlaw through the Howard family. You can choose your friends but not your relatives!
I believe the CZ centerfire rifles all have set trigger which can also be activated by pushing the trigger forward.
Great presentation, thank you!
Our forefathers were incredible people, had to be deal with the political landscape, craft a nation & to simply stay alive. What history & once again told so well with such rich detail. Thanks for the ride.
Whole video in a nutshell: "small world..." . Yet another brilliant video, also.
This are some wild facts, Hamilton's family really had a duelling issue haha. I really enjoyed watching this! You did really well at explaining everything in ways that made sense and the facts were all super interesting
Love American history and your channel.
Great videos, glad I found them, should keep me busy a while. Hang in there, you're channel will catch on eventually
I wish more than anything to return to dueling. Want to return honor ? A duel does not mean death. If you are wrong say it and walk away.
Alas that would not apply today as dueling was a gentleman's last resort, when people in that era still believed in honor . People nowadays get shot just for looking the wrong way.
Another great moment in history.
It's not American History but I would love to see your take on the Ferrari and Lamborghini rivalry. Like the Aaron Burr story, it has a lot of plot twists
love it HG....have heard it said that "dueling pistols" looked identical traditionaly - but that one was flawed in some way, such as the trigger mechanism like you said or possibly the barrel was known for slinging balls off center - anyway, the duelists knew this going in to the duel and it was all in the chance of choosing the right pistol, like flipping a coin, only a much more "real man type" of confrontation, one that puts real life on the line as opposed to just talk, and we all know talk is cheap, and all men know that the pride and honor of rich powerful men in all times are guaged by what other men believe their resolve to be about things, and when men see other men put their lives in the balance for what they believe in, then they are satisfied of any doubt of the resolve of greater men in believing in the truth of that resolve, and there are many reasons, some sound and unsound, it goes beyond any and all logic, anyway, loved your vid, like an open window to a past that few can understand today, Thank you again so much.
This was absolutely fascinating
I love history and your channel!
Enjoyed and learned something new thank you, Mr. History Guy, for this intriguing yet unanswered question upload video . Good evening.
All your videos are well researched and very interesting.
excellent snippet! and extra +1 for brief cat appearance.
His name is Pookie.
Incredible, thx for uploading this video. So many interesting connections & info here
Once again a great presentation of little known facts. My seconds and I would like to take our hats off to you sir.
Alexander had advised his son Phillip to fire high. that choice Phillip made resulted in his death. I can't imagine a man like Alexander Hamilton that lived by his own rules of honor would have any internal choice but to shoot high himself.
Maybe you could do a short piece on the time (1798) Richard Somers challenged the entire wardroom of USS United States to fight him in succession. Somers' friend Stephen Decatur had jokingly called Somers a fool during some casual banter, both being midshipmen assigned to the ship. Somers was astonished when the wardroom refused to seat him because they felt no gentleman would allow the insult to pass unchallenged. Somers' and Decatur's attempt to explain no serious insult was meant fell on deaf ears, and Somers eventually challenged the whole wardroom. He exchanged fire with three of the wardroom members in succession, and was seriously wounded. After the third exchange, Somers firing from a sitting position because he could no longer stand, the rest of the wardroom agreed Somers' courage was adequately proven and the duel was ended.
There are of course many other odd examples of duels fought in U.S. history, so if you want to do a longer video you could string several together.
Thank you. Awesome stuff.
Very well done again, trying to get to all of your videos. Love the history, really enjoy American History one of my favorite subjects in High School.
Wow! That business with the pistol is crazy if true. Amazing how you can always learn something new. :)
(UPDATED COMMENT. Having problems with comment input on my end. Text may scramble):
Nothing Burr did surprises me. Especially, when you consider the dummy actually tried to form his own breakaway republic (of which he was going to be leader of). He recruited the assistance of, a
Mr. Harman Blennerhassett, of Parkersburg, West Virginia. Mr. Blennerhassett, was none too
happy to provide both moral, financial, and physical support to Mr. Burr for the purposes of this
endeavor. He even went so far as to allow the use of his island property in, Parkersburg, West
Virginia as a ‘safe house’ if you will. His property was used for the hiding of supplies and men.
Think he was successful at that? Yep......you guessed it. Failed at this, too. You know you'd think
that after a while he'd get the hint that the 'scheeming' lifestyle just isn't for him. But no.......he had
to go and tempt fate, again. It’s sad he just never learned his lesson.
Please consider doing a “History Guy” episode on the Blennerhassett Incident. Thanks for the consideration.
I enjoy watching your show. Your interesting, thoughtful, and thoroughly researched episodes are always a joy to watch. I especially like the fact you bring such little known facts to the table. Keep bringing on the history !!
Great episode sir!
Bring back duels immediately!
I'm glad you make videos
Fascinating. By the way I am not a musical show fan but since it was free I watched the play on Disney+. I was really surprised by it. It was actually really good, Totally unexpected. Some bits were a bit ehh, but overall I am glad I watched it. The historical aspect of it was very engaging and although I am not into rap or hip hop I never felt turned off by it. Very well done and the performances excellent. Definitely recommend it to anyone else who might be on the fence. Love your channel, awesome topics and engaging narrations. Keep up the good work!!!