#david hosack

[lanfykins]

According to Parton, the doctor who attended Burr during the last few months of his life was a 'Dr Hosack'. Recognise the name?

Dr David Hosack, who attended Alexander Hamilton's deathbed, had died in 1835. But his son Alexander Hosack had taken over his practice. And isn't Alexander an interesting name for a boy born in 1805?

Thirty years after one of them was dead, those men's lives were still inextricably entwined.

[sweetmaggie]

"Doctor, I despair!"

[herawell]

Just now found out that Dr David Hosack, the doctor who attended to Philip and Alexander Hamilton after their fatal duels, was a friend of both Hamilton and Burr. He was a pallbearer at Alexander’s funeral and loaned money to Burr when he escaped to Europe following the Mexico conspiracy trial. He also supported making medical education more easily accessible and providing care to poor woman and children.

[yr-obedt-cicero]

HISTORY DADD

is it true Hamilton didnt know about Philip's duel??

Catchy.

Nope, he very much was aware of the whole thing by many accounts.

As he was the one to demand that Philip delope and aim for the sky;

“On Monday before the time appointed for the meeting between E, & H, General Hamilton heard of it and commanded his Son, when on the ground, to reserve his fire—”

(source — Thomas Rathbone to sister from New York [November 21, 1801]; Historical Magazine: And Notes and Queries Concerning the Antiquities, History, and Biography of America, Volume 1)

Even Hosack, the doctor that attended to both Hamilton and Philip after their respective duels, confirms he was aware of it all. But it is possible he didn't know when exactly Philip was planning on rowing over to Paulus Hook and dueling;

“Although the General had been apprised of the nature of the dispute and the progress of the negotiations to reconcile the parties, when he learned that accommodation was at an end, and that his son had actually gone to New Jersey to call at my house with the view of informing me that my professional assistance might be required, 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.”

(source — Dr. David Hosack to John Church Hamilton, [January 1, 1833]. Check footnotes)

[aswithasunbeam]

During the night, he had some imperfect sleep; but the succeeding morning his symptoms were aggravated, attended however with a diminution of pain. His mind retained all its usual strength and composure. The great source of his anxiety seemed to be in his sympathy with his half distracted wife and children. He spoke to me frequently of them—“My beloved wife and children,” were always his expressions. But his fortitude triumphed over his situation, dreadful as it was; once, indeed, at the sight of his children brought to the bed-side together, seven in number, his utterance forsook him; he opened his eyes, gave them one look, and closed them again, till they were taken away. As a proof of his extraordinary composure of mind, let me add, that he alone could calm the frantic grief of their mother. “Remember, my Eliza, you are a Christian,” were the expressions with which he frequently, with a firm voice, but in pathetic and impressive manner, addressed her. His words, and the tone in which they were uttered, will never be effaced from my memory. At about two o’clock, as the public well knows, he expired.

Excerpt from David Hosack to William Coleman, 17 August 1804

A description of Hamilton’s last night and final hours from his friend and physician, David Hosack, who attended him on his death bed.

[thefederalistfreestyle]

doing everything he can

[46ten]

AH’s Art of Blessed Dying

The deathbed accounts written by ministers and friends about AH are valuable because they are early attempts at crafting a narrative about Alexander Hamilton for posterity. His friends were well aware of this - most of these accounts were very quickly published*.   

But there’s another purpose to these beyond entertaining a morbidly curious public. His friends are witnessing to AH having a “Good” or “Blessed Death,” informing a worried public that he died as a pious Christian. It was probably of grave concern to members of the public, especially those opposed to dueling, that AH had died engaged in an activity in which he possibly intended to take the life of another man. These accounts address that his intent was never to harm Burr, and they confirm that AH held common Christian beliefs about the nature of death. These accounts also witness to AH as a follower of the Ars moriendi and place him more firmly in the Christian milieu of the early 19th century. 

The scarcity of priests to minister the final sacraments to the numerous dying during the era of the Black Death created a crisis that the Roman Catholic Church sought to address at the Council of Constance (1415-1418) by advocating for the creation of a text that would provide the laity with instructions for a holy death. The first Catholic Ars moriendi (The Art of Dying) devotionals were published in 1415 and 1450.  This type of literature became very popular and was widespread throughout Europe by the 17th century. In 1651, Bishop Jeremy Taylor, one of the Caroline Divines, published The Rule and Exercises of Holy Dying (he published The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living the year before). This became one of the most popular Christian devotionals on death. Taylor provides meditations and prayers for a Christian to say “in their sickness." Taylor's texts were inspirational to John Wesley, one of the founders of Methodism, but even more so they seeped into the Christian public consciousness of a "Good Death."  

Even if one did not read the devotional texts, familiarity with the concepts were widespread among Anglo-Protestants through the 19th century. The "art of dying" became a deeply enmeshed tradition, a ritual whereby loved ones could be convinced of the eternal salvation of their beloved dead.  Some of the concepts of the good death included the dying person demonstrating repentance, resignation to the will of God, and confidence in the mercy of God (signs of despair and impatience were seen as lack of Christian belief). One's last words (focused on holy thoughts?) signified the eternal state of one's soul. Even one's countenance (at peace?) at the very moment of death could be read by loved ones and confirm in them the hope of salvation. 

As Taylor wrote: 

He is patient that calls upon God; that hopes for health or heaven; that believes God is wise and just in sending him afflictions; that confesses his sins, and accuses himself and justifies God; that expects God will turn this into good; that is civil to his physicians and his servants; that converses with the guides of souls, the ministers of religion; and in all things submits to God’s will, and would use no indirect means for his recovery; but had rather be sick and die than enter at all into God’s displeasure. Rules and Exercises of Holy Dying

AH was clearly familiar with the precepts that constituted a good death.  One of his most frequent deathbed exhortations to his wife, “Remember, my Eliza, you are a Christian,” is a paraphrase of Taylor's text: 

Remember that thou art a man and a Christian: as the covenant of nature hath made it necessary, so the covenant of grace hath made it to be chosen by thee, to be a suffering person: either you must renounce your religion or submit to the impositions of God and thy portion of sufferings. So there here we see our advantages, and let us use them accordingly. The barbarous and warlike nations of old could fight well and willingly, but could not bear sickness manfully. The Greeks were cowardly in their fights, as most wise men are; but because they  were learned and well taught, they bore their sickness with patience and severity. The Cimrians and Celtiberians rejoice in battle, like giants; but in their diseases they weep like women. These according to their institution and designs had unequal courages and accidental fortitude. But since our religion hath made a covenant of  sufferings, and the great business of our lives is sufferings, and most of the virtues of a Christian are passive graces, and all the promises of the gospel are passed upon us through Christ’s cross, we have a necessity upon us to have an equal courage in all the variety of our sufferings; for without an universal fortitude we can do nothing of our duty. Rules and Exercises of Holy Dying, x

AH exhorted EH on several occasions to practice Christian resignation, opines that Philip’s death was the “will of heaven,” and advises a friend of the following: 

Arraign not the dispensations of Providence—they must be founded in wisdom and goodness; and when they do not suit us, it must be because there is some fault in ourselves, which deserves chastisement, or because there is a kind intent to correct in us some vice or failing, of which, perhaps, we may not be conscious; or because the general plan requires that we should suffer partial ill. In this situation it is our duty to cultivate resignation...

On both Philip’s deathbed and his own, AH’s friends and family record that he followed the precepts of Christian dying: Philip Hamilton’s death, Moore’s account of AH’s death; Hosack‘s account of AH’s death, Mason’s account of AH’s death.  They surely took comfort that he had, as they believed, performed the duties of a Christian and felt secure in their hope for his eternal salvation, and were ensuring the public of the same.  

As AH wrote to EH: “I charge you to remember that you are a Christian. God’s Will be done. The will of a merciful God must be good.”

*They also seem to have been effective. Looking through genealogy charts, there’s a definite uptick in the number of boys named “Alexander Hamilton [surname]” in 1804 and 1805, who have no relation at all to the Hamiltons or the extended family. It seems a lot of people found this a worthy name to give their sons. 

P.S. I don’t recall it mentioned that when AH states, in Hosack’s account of Philip’s death, “I despair,” he’s making a serious statement about his trust in God’s will. “Despair” was a very serious thing for a Christian, as Taylor wrote: “Despair sins against the reputation of God's goodness, and the efficacy of all our old experience...”

P.P.S. Some more from The Rules and Exercises of Holy Dying: 

Against [despair]; hope is to be opposed; and its proper acts, as it relates to the virtue and exercises of patient are, 1. Praying to God for help and remedy; 2. Sending for the guides of souls; 3. Using all holy exercises and acts of grace proper to that state, which whoso does hath not the impatience of despair; every man that is patient hath hope in God in the day of his sorrows.  

2. Our complaints in sickness must be without murmur. Murmur sins against God's providence and government; by it we grow rude, and, like the      falling angels, displeased at God's supremacy; and nothing is more unreasonable      - to talks against God, for whose glory all speech was made; it is proud and fantastic,hath better opinions of a sinner than of the Divine justice, and would rather accuse God than himself.  

Against this is opposed that part of patience which resigns the man into the hands of God, saying with old Eli, ‘It is the Lord, let him do what he will;' and, ‘Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven;' and so by admiring God's justice and wisdom does also dispose the sick person for receiving God's mercy, and secures him the rather in the grace of God. The proper acts of this part of     patience are, 1. To confess our sins and our own demerits; 2. It increases and exercises humility; 3. It loves to sing praises to God, even from the lowest abyss of human misery.  

3. Our complaints in sickness must be without peevishness. This sins against civility and that necessary decency which must be used towards the ministers and assistants. By peevishness we increase our own sorrows, and are troublesome to them that stand there to ease ours. It hath in it harshness of nature and ungentleness, wilfulness and fantastic opinions, morosity and incivility.  

Against it are opposed obedience, tractability, easiness of persuasion, aptness to take counsel. The acts of this part of patience are, 1. To obey our physicians; 2. To treat our persons with respect to our present necessities; 3. Not to be ungentle and uneasy to the ministers and nurses that attend us, but to take their diligent and kind offices as sweetly as we can, and to bear their indiscretions or unhandsome accidents contentedly and without disquietness within, or evil language or angry words without; 4. Not to use unlawful means for our recovery. 

[schuylerful-blog]

(Not so fun) fun story thing about Philip Hamilton

So I added this to a post when I re-blogged it but I wanna post it again. If you want more history anecdotes let me know cause I just really really love history :))))) (I know that no ones gonna 'let me know' so I'll probably just post more anyways)

FUN FACT/STORY: Eacker didn’t actually shoot at 7, but both Philip and Eacker just kinda stood there for like a minute after the count of 10. Then Eacker raised his arm (so did Philip) and shot. As Philip fell he fired his gun, probably as a involuntary response, but didn’t hit Eacker. Eye-witnesses said Philip was quite calm. (“His manner on the ground was calm and composed beyond expression" “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.”)He was taken back to Angelica and John Church’s house. Hamilton arrived, and then fainted. It took him awhile but he got back up. Hamilton tested Philip’s pulse. The physician, Dr David Hosack said “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.’” Later, 3 month pregnant Eliza arrived (she was carrying the son who would later be named Philip and referred to as ‘Little Phil’). Hamilton and Eliza sat at Philip’s side through the night. Henry Dawson wrote: “On a bed without curtains lay poor Phil, pale and languid, his rolling, distorted eyeballs darting forth the flashes of delirium. On one side of him on the same bed lay his agonized father, on the other his distracted mother, around [him] his numerous relatives and friends weeping and fixed in sorrow.” Philip died on the 24th of November at 5am, fourteen hours after the bullet entered above his right hip, slashed through his body, and stuck in his left arm. He was buried on a rainy day, and there were lots of people at the ceremony. Hamilton had to be held up by friends as he approached Philip’s grave. Angelica later wrote that he was very brave, "His conduct was extraordinary during this trial”. Eliza was in a terrible state, and hardly spoke or ate for months. People feared she would have a miscarriage, but she gave birth to the eighth and final Hamilton-Schuyler at the Grange (the Hamilton’s home) on June 2, 1802 (Philip). Philip Schiller wrote a letter to Eliza, and said this about the second Philip: “May the loss of one be compensated by another Philip".

ANOTHER FUN FACT: The day before the Philip/Eacker duel (23rd November 1801) on the 22nd of November, Eacker dueller Philip’s friend Richard Price, and no one was injured. (Philip and Price both challenged Eacker over what he had said about Hamilton)

SORRY THAT WAS LONG I JUST REALLY LOVE HISTORY. I probably could have added more details but I didn’t want to bore anyone whoops

EDIT:

So I'm kinda tryna turn this into a series? Idk. Here's the link to (kind of?) part 2