Treacherous Aaron Burr

"He is a dangerous opportunist; I feel it is my religious duty to oppose his career!" - Alexander Hamilton

Aaron Burr is best known as the American Vice President who got away with murder. Serving under Thomas Jefferson from 1801-1804, he shocked the nation by mortally wounding his prominent political opponent Alexander Hamilton in a duel; Hamilton died a few days later.

Hamilton detested Burr. When Burr ran against Jefferson in 1800 for the presidency, it was Hamilton's vote that cost Burr the victory. The two vehemently disagreed with one other over many topics, but it was Hamilton's unfavorable statements to the public that ignited Burr's fury.

Insulted, Burr demanded restitution. Their encounter, which could have ended with a simple apology, escalated to tragedy. Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel.

A sad irony was the fact that the ground chosen for the "affair of honor" happened to be the exact same place where Hamilton lost a son two years before. Burr shot Hamilton in the stomach; the bullet lodging next to his spine. Although undeniably guilty of murder, Burr remained untouchable by the law as long as he was serving as Vice President.

After yet again losing a bid for the presidency, Burr plotted to create an independent empire out of the Louisiana Territory...whereas he would immediately assume the role of emperor. But before he could put his traitorous plan in to action, he first had to find a powerful ally to back him. He looked to the British Empire.

When England denied him assistance, Burr found a co-conspirator in Col. Wilkerson, the leader of the U.S. Army. Wilkerson led a band of rebels toward New Orleans, but soon thought better of it. Attempting to save his own skin, Wilkinson turned on Burr exclaiming, "it was all his idea."

Burr was captured in the Louisiana Territory and sent to Virginia to be placed on trail. Miraculously, Burr was acquitted of all the charges due to a technicality and was subsequently set free. He then fled to Europe where he continued to solicit support for his self-righteous revolution.

With no one to back him, Burr eventually returned to New York and resumed his occupation as lawyer. And although all the charges against him had been dropped, including Hamilton's death, his reputation remains forever tainted.

His greatest sadness, however, was the death of his daughter Theodosia whose ship had been lost at sea. From that time forward Burr said he felt "severed from the human race."