Good Reads / Community Library Notes
My Dear Hamilton
Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie
Review by Priscilla Comen
My Dear Hamilton
Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie
Review by Priscilla Comen
My Dear Hamilton, by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie, is a wonderful novel about Eliza Schuler Hamilton. She tells the story of her life and this country. As she works in her garden, James Monroe waits in her parlor. She is silent, the best weapon women have, she says. This is in 1825. She goes back in her mind to 1777 as the daughter of a disgraced general ministering to wounded soldiers of both sides. Her older sister, Angelica, has run off to marry her lover, and Peggy, her younger sister, loves pretty clothes. Her mother calls her "Betsy." There are four other children in the family, and a maid, Jenny. Prince is their butler.
Betsy goes to the hospital with her Papa and greets Benedict Arnold, a hero at that time. They are told to expect Papa’s replacement as the head of the troops, General Lafayette. When Lafayette arrives he’s angry at the lack of provisions and the raggedness of the troops. Lafayette talks with Papa, the General, and General Arnold. He trusts them, but fears a traitor among them. Lafayette will go to the meeting of the treaty convention with the Six Nations Indians, and Betsy will go with him as she speaks their language. Monroe watches her carefully. Papa pledges his friendship and protection. Lafayette says they have the right to be free. This meeting changes Betsy’s life.
In 1780, she carries a letter to General Washington, and Kitty Livingston travels with her. Martha Washington answers the door in homespun and apron, looking like the maid. Washington puts on a winter ball that evening with over sixty gentlemen and only sixteen ladies. Betsy has a wonderful time dancing with a handsome Hamilton and a jealous Colonel Tilghman who remembers her fondly from a few years before.
The following day she goes to the hospital, and Hamilton is surprised to see her there. He walks her home and tells her they are losing the war because of mutiny among the troops and the decreased value of their currency. If France will help them they might have a chance. Hamilton is impressed with her intelligence. He admits he’s from the West Indies and has no property in America. Betsy doesn’t care. Angelica tells her Hamilton is ambitious. But she takes the two of them into her storage room and stands guard as they meet together. Betsy wants to elope but Hamilton wants to ask her father for her hand. He wins and they wait. He gives her a gift: a box of carved Mahogany and inside a locket with a circle of General Washington’s dark blond hair under glass. She keeps this with her always.
After their wedding they receive a letter from Lafayette. He has returned from France with supplies: money, and a fleet of ships. It could turn the war. However, when they go to headquarters, mutiny is in the air because Congress has claimed no legal power to tax and raise funds for the army. Tension is in the camp. Benedict Arnold has joined the Red Coats and captured Richmond, Virginia, for the British. Betsy learns from Mrs. Washington that it’s good for a wife to advise her husband without his realizing it. So instead of Hamilton resigning his commission, Washington gives him his own battalion to command in New York, a light infantry. After he leaves in the morning, Betsy realizes she is pregnant. He’s ecstatic and the next day, when he leaves for the battle, he puts her in a carriage to return to her father’s home. When enemies invade their home, Peggy tells them help is on its way and they leave. She learned from Betsy.
In winter of 1781, Betsy meets Aaron Burr and likes him. He tells her Hamilton had led his troops to victory at Yorktown. Burr calls him a hero. She gives birth to a baby boy and Hamilton studies to become a lawyer and vows to build a stronger America. In 1783, Eliza is a Congressman’s wife, living in Philadelphia. James Madison often comes to the back door to discuss their ideas in private to accomplish tasks in Congress, such as the debt of the war and the solution of a federal tax. Eliza and Hamilton move to New York where Hamilton sets up a law practice and Angelica goes to Paris where her husband, will be an envoy to France. The Treaty of Paris has been signed making America independent. The British sail out of New York harbor, then Washington and his army retake New York. The American flag is raised to cheers. Hamilton refuses to go to Washington’s farewell party because he can’t bear to say goodbye. All his service friends are gone, he has no family, no friends. But Lafayette returns and calls Alexander “My dear Hamilton.”
Theodosia, Burr’s wife, is a good friend to Betsy. But Betsy is shunned and stared at for being a Royalist. By 1786, Betsy has three children and Hamilton is paid with whole hams in place of worthless money. He and James Madison work in secret every night to write the Federalist Papers to create a unified country under a ratified constitution. Betsy is proud to act as courier of their papers to the publisher. Finally Virginia and New York ratify the new constitution and Hamilton, as the main author, is feted by New Yorkers at last.
As treasurer, Hamilton proposes a tax on whiskey and a Bank of the United States. They build a bigger, more majestic house across from the president’s mansion in Philadelphia. Hamilton has become a more important, powerful person in the new government. But one night, a woman comes to their door and tells Betsy her husband has slept with her and has paid the woman’s husband to be quiet about it. Betsy is mortified. Had he never loved her? He begs her forgiveness.
When yellow fever strikes them, they send the children to Betsy’s father’s home with eleven-year-old Philip in charge. They fear they will die but vow their eternal love to one another as autumn leaves fall around them. When Burr’s wife Theodosia, dies, Eliza (as she wants to be called now), goes to pay her sympathies, Burr tells her he knows of Hamilton’s infidelity with Mrs. Reynolds. She had retained Burr to administer her divorce. Burr promises not to bring up Hamilton’s name in court. Eliza is aghast. Mrs. Reynolds will only accuse her husband of adultery. Eliza helps Hamilton write the farewell speech Washington will give that will re-unite the country. He has decided not to run again. Hamilton is denounced for having continued relations with Mrs. Reynolds, and Eliza goes to see James Monroe who has saved the letters Hamilton wrote to Mrs. Reynolds. Somehow the newspapers have printed them for the world to see. Angelica tells Eliza she has married the greatest man of our age, and not to condemn him too much. Washington comes out of retirement to lead the army and wants Hamilton as second in command. The French are giving trouble. Washington dies soon after, and an election is held. Jefferson becomes President.
Eliza and Hamilton’s first born, Philip, dies in a duel. He had shot at the sky and the other man killed him. This is the saddest scene in the book. Philip died defending Hamilton’s name. Eliza meets again her old friend, Dolly, who was a Quaker and married James Madison. Dolly promises to get Eliza the pension she deserves.
In 1804, a young man comes to Eliza’s door with a carriage to take her to Hamilton’s bedside. He’s dieing of a gun shot wound as Philip had. He has been shot by Aaron Burr and she vows to bring Burr to trial. The coroner’s jury declares Burr guilty of murder and Eliza will never allow him in New York again. She plans to build a small house with a library with Hamilton’s papers and essays, articles, speeches and ideas. She helps to found the Orphan Asylum Society to help poor, hungry orphans of New York.
When Lafayette returns to see Eliza, he brings his son Georges with him. Lafayette is old and stooped, but Eliza’s daughter, Lysbet, swoons over the son. Eliza and Lafayette go to Hamilton’s grave and Lafayette tells her to forgive her husband’s transgressions. He says the sum of a person’s deeds, good and bad, is how he should be judged.
Most of this story is true, based on the extensive research the authors have done at the various sites of this historical piece. Although the musical “Hamilton” is about the same subject, this novel goes into more depth and detail of this extraordinary woman, Eliza. The authors have created a major character whom we need to recognize and respect. Find this excellent novel at your Mendocino Community Library.
Betsy goes to the hospital with her Papa and greets Benedict Arnold, a hero at that time. They are told to expect Papa’s replacement as the head of the troops, General Lafayette. When Lafayette arrives he’s angry at the lack of provisions and the raggedness of the troops. Lafayette talks with Papa, the General, and General Arnold. He trusts them, but fears a traitor among them. Lafayette will go to the meeting of the treaty convention with the Six Nations Indians, and Betsy will go with him as she speaks their language. Monroe watches her carefully. Papa pledges his friendship and protection. Lafayette says they have the right to be free. This meeting changes Betsy’s life.
In 1780, she carries a letter to General Washington, and Kitty Livingston travels with her. Martha Washington answers the door in homespun and apron, looking like the maid. Washington puts on a winter ball that evening with over sixty gentlemen and only sixteen ladies. Betsy has a wonderful time dancing with a handsome Hamilton and a jealous Colonel Tilghman who remembers her fondly from a few years before.
The following day she goes to the hospital, and Hamilton is surprised to see her there. He walks her home and tells her they are losing the war because of mutiny among the troops and the decreased value of their currency. If France will help them they might have a chance. Hamilton is impressed with her intelligence. He admits he’s from the West Indies and has no property in America. Betsy doesn’t care. Angelica tells her Hamilton is ambitious. But she takes the two of them into her storage room and stands guard as they meet together. Betsy wants to elope but Hamilton wants to ask her father for her hand. He wins and they wait. He gives her a gift: a box of carved Mahogany and inside a locket with a circle of General Washington’s dark blond hair under glass. She keeps this with her always.
After their wedding they receive a letter from Lafayette. He has returned from France with supplies: money, and a fleet of ships. It could turn the war. However, when they go to headquarters, mutiny is in the air because Congress has claimed no legal power to tax and raise funds for the army. Tension is in the camp. Benedict Arnold has joined the Red Coats and captured Richmond, Virginia, for the British. Betsy learns from Mrs. Washington that it’s good for a wife to advise her husband without his realizing it. So instead of Hamilton resigning his commission, Washington gives him his own battalion to command in New York, a light infantry. After he leaves in the morning, Betsy realizes she is pregnant. He’s ecstatic and the next day, when he leaves for the battle, he puts her in a carriage to return to her father’s home. When enemies invade their home, Peggy tells them help is on its way and they leave. She learned from Betsy.
In winter of 1781, Betsy meets Aaron Burr and likes him. He tells her Hamilton had led his troops to victory at Yorktown. Burr calls him a hero. She gives birth to a baby boy and Hamilton studies to become a lawyer and vows to build a stronger America. In 1783, Eliza is a Congressman’s wife, living in Philadelphia. James Madison often comes to the back door to discuss their ideas in private to accomplish tasks in Congress, such as the debt of the war and the solution of a federal tax. Eliza and Hamilton move to New York where Hamilton sets up a law practice and Angelica goes to Paris where her husband, will be an envoy to France. The Treaty of Paris has been signed making America independent. The British sail out of New York harbor, then Washington and his army retake New York. The American flag is raised to cheers. Hamilton refuses to go to Washington’s farewell party because he can’t bear to say goodbye. All his service friends are gone, he has no family, no friends. But Lafayette returns and calls Alexander “My dear Hamilton.”
Theodosia, Burr’s wife, is a good friend to Betsy. But Betsy is shunned and stared at for being a Royalist. By 1786, Betsy has three children and Hamilton is paid with whole hams in place of worthless money. He and James Madison work in secret every night to write the Federalist Papers to create a unified country under a ratified constitution. Betsy is proud to act as courier of their papers to the publisher. Finally Virginia and New York ratify the new constitution and Hamilton, as the main author, is feted by New Yorkers at last.
As treasurer, Hamilton proposes a tax on whiskey and a Bank of the United States. They build a bigger, more majestic house across from the president’s mansion in Philadelphia. Hamilton has become a more important, powerful person in the new government. But one night, a woman comes to their door and tells Betsy her husband has slept with her and has paid the woman’s husband to be quiet about it. Betsy is mortified. Had he never loved her? He begs her forgiveness.
When yellow fever strikes them, they send the children to Betsy’s father’s home with eleven-year-old Philip in charge. They fear they will die but vow their eternal love to one another as autumn leaves fall around them. When Burr’s wife Theodosia, dies, Eliza (as she wants to be called now), goes to pay her sympathies, Burr tells her he knows of Hamilton’s infidelity with Mrs. Reynolds. She had retained Burr to administer her divorce. Burr promises not to bring up Hamilton’s name in court. Eliza is aghast. Mrs. Reynolds will only accuse her husband of adultery. Eliza helps Hamilton write the farewell speech Washington will give that will re-unite the country. He has decided not to run again. Hamilton is denounced for having continued relations with Mrs. Reynolds, and Eliza goes to see James Monroe who has saved the letters Hamilton wrote to Mrs. Reynolds. Somehow the newspapers have printed them for the world to see. Angelica tells Eliza she has married the greatest man of our age, and not to condemn him too much. Washington comes out of retirement to lead the army and wants Hamilton as second in command. The French are giving trouble. Washington dies soon after, and an election is held. Jefferson becomes President.
Eliza and Hamilton’s first born, Philip, dies in a duel. He had shot at the sky and the other man killed him. This is the saddest scene in the book. Philip died defending Hamilton’s name. Eliza meets again her old friend, Dolly, who was a Quaker and married James Madison. Dolly promises to get Eliza the pension she deserves.
In 1804, a young man comes to Eliza’s door with a carriage to take her to Hamilton’s bedside. He’s dieing of a gun shot wound as Philip had. He has been shot by Aaron Burr and she vows to bring Burr to trial. The coroner’s jury declares Burr guilty of murder and Eliza will never allow him in New York again. She plans to build a small house with a library with Hamilton’s papers and essays, articles, speeches and ideas. She helps to found the Orphan Asylum Society to help poor, hungry orphans of New York.
When Lafayette returns to see Eliza, he brings his son Georges with him. Lafayette is old and stooped, but Eliza’s daughter, Lysbet, swoons over the son. Eliza and Lafayette go to Hamilton’s grave and Lafayette tells her to forgive her husband’s transgressions. He says the sum of a person’s deeds, good and bad, is how he should be judged.
Most of this story is true, based on the extensive research the authors have done at the various sites of this historical piece. Although the musical “Hamilton” is about the same subject, this novel goes into more depth and detail of this extraordinary woman, Eliza. The authors have created a major character whom we need to recognize and respect. Find this excellent novel at your Mendocino Community Library.