1. The Election of 1800 and the 73-Vote Tie: Kingmaker Hamilton's Choice In 1800, the U.S. presidential election was fiercely contested between the Federalists, led by John Adams and Charles C. Pinckney, and the Democratic-Republicans, led by Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr. The Federalists ran a smear campaign, warning that if Jefferson and his followers seized power, a Reign of Terror akin to the French Revolution would unfold. In return, the Republicans accused Adams of plotting to restore the monarchy and destroy civil liberties.
The race was neck-and-neck, coming down to a decisive battle in New York. Burr mobilized a network of Revolutionary War veterans, successfully securing the state for the Republicans. At the time, the Electoral College allowed electors to cast two votes—one for their party’s presidential candidate and another for the vice-presidential candidate, without distinction. However, both Jefferson and Burr received exactly 73 votes, throwing the final decision to the House of Representatives.
Alexander Hamilton, the chief strategist of the Federalist party, intervened. He concluded that Burr was "a dangerous monster without reliability, principle, or morals, driven only by a thirst for power," and successfully persuaded Federalist lawmakers to block Burr. After 36 exhausting ballots, Jefferson became the 3rd U.S. President, with Burr as his Vice President. From that moment, a deep and terrifying hatred for Hamilton began to take root in Burr's heart.
2. A Gun Aimed at a Founding Father: The Tragedy of Hamilton vs. Burr Jefferson later won re-election, but Burr was cast aside. Meanwhile, desperate Federalists plotted to secede from the Union and form a "Northern Confederacy." For this plan to succeed, they needed New York alongside New England and New Jersey. Federalist secessionists approached Burr, urging him to run for Governor of New York, which he accepted.
Once again, Hamilton publicly attacked Burr, calling him a "despicable" man—a remark that made the front page of newspapers. Burr ultimately lost the gubernatorial race. Consumed by extreme hatred, Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel. Fearing he would be branded a coward if he refused, Hamilton accepted.
The two men crossed state lines to Weehawken, New Jersey, and fired at each other. Hamilton was fatally wounded and died the following day. Tragically, it was the exact same spot where his eldest son had died in a duel just three years prior.
3. The Future President's Bullet of Revenge: Andrew Jackson vs. Charles Dickinson Decades before becoming the 7th U.S. President, Andrew Jackson engaged in a heated argument with a young lawyer, Charles Dickinson, over a trivial horse-racing bet. Dickinson publicly insulted Jackson's wife, Rachel, calling her a "bigamist." Rachel had married Jackson mistakenly believing the divorce papers from her first marriage were fully finalized. Enraged, Jackson immediately challenged Dickinson to a duel.
Dickinson was known as the best marksman in the state, making Jackson's defeat seem certain. As expected, Jackson took the first bullet to the chest. Yet, he did not fall. He stood his ground, aimed carefully, and fired at Dickinson. Dickinson was struck in the abdomen and died hours later. Jackson lived the rest of his life—and served his presidency—with that very bullet lodged in his chest.
4. An Unending History of Blood: Naval Heroes and Senators The bloodshed did not stop there. Naval hero Stephen Decatur, famous for his victories in the War of 1812 and the Barbary Wars, was killed in a duel over a reinstatement dispute with a fellow naval officer. Thomas Hart Benton, who would later serve 30 years as a U.S. Senator, also engaged in two rounds of dueling with a rival lawyer, eventually killing him. This bloody history repeated itself time and again.
5. A Fatal Letter Delivery and the 1839 Anti-Dueling Act The final tragedy born of this dark tradition occurred in early 1838 among members of the House of Representatives. Rep. Jonathan Cilley harshly criticized a prominent newspaper editor, James Watson Webb, accusing him of bribery. Outraged, Webb asked his friend, Rep. William J. Graves, to deliver a formal duel challenge to Cilley.
When Graves presented the letter, Cilley refused to accept it, reiterating that Webb was an immoral man. Paradoxically, Graves took offense, claiming Cilley had insulted his friend and damaged his own honor—and decided to challenge Cilley himself. Pressured by the political culture of the time, where "avoiding an insult makes you a coward," Cilley accepted the absurd challenge.
During the duel, both men missed their first two shots. Despite bystanders urging them to stop, Graves fired a third time, severing Cilley's femoral artery. The 35-year-old congressman, who left behind a wife and three children, bled to death on the spot.
Washington politics and the entire American public were turned upside down. "Does it make sense that lawmakers, the representatives of the people, shoot a man to death over a mere letter delivery?"
This senseless and tragic death finally moved Congress. On February 20, 1839, the U.S. Congress passed a bill strictly banning dueling within Washington, D.C. The barbaric practice, long disguised under the name of honor, finally came to an end.
Reference: "The Unfinished Nation" by Alan Brinkley
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