Why Aaron Burr history? Why is Aaron Burr interesting?
Well, Burr killed a previous Treasury Secretary in a duel when he was the sitting Vice President. Does that make him interesting?
Aaron Burr was an ambitious man; he was a man who wanted to turn the Western portion of this country, which included Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, and the Louisiana Purchase, into his own empire. That has to make him interesting.
To top it all off, Burr was a Colonial Army officer during the American Revolution.
Aaron Burr History: How It Ended
On a February morning in 1807, American soldiers captured Aaron Burr. A man who had been an American Vice President was sent to stand trial for treason.
At Burr’s trial, evidence against him was curbed by the Constitution.
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall was a stickler for the Constitution. Burr’s actions did not meet the strict Constitutional definition of treason and Burr was acquitted.
The general public considered Burr a traitor.
Aaron Burr History: How It Started
Aaron Burr, who had been a Colonial Army officer, a U.S. Senator, and Thomas Jefferson’s Vice President, had great political hopes but they were fading. After Burr’s 1804 duel with Alexander Hamilton, his dreams of a political future in the United States had evaporated.
Burr decided to make a name for himself in the West. Actually, he wanted more than to just make a name for himself; he wanted control of a vast area. Part of that area happened to be American States.
Burr was an intelligent and rather charming man, and a womanizer. He traveled West and attempted to cultivate alliances. One man he cultivated and who became a fellow conspirator was General James Wilkinson. At the time, Wilkinson served as the General-in-Chief of the United States Army.
Money Helps
Burr, in dire need of financial aid, went so far as to offer Britain part of United States territory if they would aid him. He even tried Spain. But neither nation would support him.
Blennerhassett Island
Harman Blennerhassett owned Blennerhassett Island, on the Ohio River, near Marietta, Ohio. He was a wealthy man who was born in England and attained adulthood in Ireland.
Harman Blennerhassett built an extremely elegant mansion on the island.
Aaron Burr needed a wealthy backer and he made arrangements to meet Blennerhassett in 1805.
Blennerhassett liked Burr’s plans of conquest and he decided to get in cahoots with Burr.
Harman Blennerhassett and his wife, Margaret, not only funded Burr, they also allowed Burr to use Blennerhassett Island as his military headquarters.
Burr amassed some supplies and a small army.
Aaron Burr Starts Running Into Trouble
In 1806, General James Wilkinson, who was slated to become Burr’s second-in-command, decided to go against Burr, and make himself an American hero. Wilkenson warned President Jefferson of Burr’s conspiracy.
In 1806, a U.S. Court in Kentucky charged Burr with treason but he was acquitted.
In late 1806, the Ohio militia captured Burr’s boats and supplies in Marietta, Ohio.
Around the same time, the Virginia militia ransacked the mansion on Blennerhassett Island.
Most of Burr’s “army” deserted and floated downstream on the Ohio River.
In other words, Aaron Burr’s dream of an empire would remain a dream.
Read more:
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1142&context=madrush
