Implausible Historical Scenario: Southern Alexander Hamilton (pt 2: Washington's Version)

implausible historical scenario: southern alexander hamilton (pt 2: washington's version)

Part 1: Grows up with Lavien, tragic lams version

here's the second scenario that would make southern A. Ham a possibility:

The rumors are true and he actually is Washington's son - I know, I know, I can hear Hamilton rolling in his grave already. But there's a reason the rumors circulated, it's really fucking interesting!

We know for a fact that the real Washington was minding his business 1754-1757, far away from Nevis - but he did go to Barbados with his brother in 1751. Let's pretend that he went back in an impromptu trip or that Lawrence managed to eek out a few more years, so they actually went later than 1751 (Unrelated, but him catching smallpox there + being exposed to Lawrence's tuberculosis might be the reason he was potentially infertile. If so, then the timing works out and doesn't conflict with his inability to have kids with Martha.) Maybe their ship was blown off course or needed some supplies, and stopped at Nevis. For whatever reason (my entertainment), he makes a series of questionable choices. Some people speculate that Alexander might have been the son of Stevens. I personally don't find this likely, but I can switch Stevens with Washington. I can and I did.

There are two main pathways I can see.

The first one most closely matches historical rumors and reality: no southern Hamilton. Washington leaves the West Indies oblivious, Ham comes to NYC, everything plays out the same - but at some point they figure out that he's his dad. People have already written a lot about this, but musical based, and for good reason. There's a lot of angst you can get out of it. Does Washington watch silently as Hamilton courts Elizabeth and is welcomed into the Schuyler family? Does Washington know that his son only had one friend at his own wedding? Worse, does Alexander still view James Hamilton as his dad, and beg him to come while ignoring the general? Do they work together better or worse than they do in reality? The possibilities! Imagine a world where there isn't a Reynolds Pamphlet but there is a Washington Pamphlet where Alexander confesses that he is the illegitimate son of the president after the Democratic Republicans got hold of some information. All of this is extremely soap opera, and almost embarassing in its drama but idc, it's fun.

Second, more divergent one: Yes, Alexander is illegitimate, but they find each other way earlier. It certainly wasn't uncommon for men of Washington's status to have bastards, and some did acknowledge their illegitimate children. Here, he'd be acknowledged, and raised in Virginia with the Custis kids (assuming Martha still marries George in 1759). I find this scenario intriguing for both the personal and political repercussions.

Personal repurcussions: would Hamilton have less issues if he was Washington's kid? Certainly his environment would be more stable, and Washington (given his frustration with a lazy Jacky Custis) would've been proud of such an intelligent, promising boy. People would be less eager to criticize/demean Hamilton (at least to his face), and he wouldn't be insecure in his class or geographical origin. I can also see him learning more political finesse and control if he grew up in Virginian society and with a steady, dedicated father. Would he have worked better with Washington if they were actually an acknowledged father-son relationship? Would Washington have planned to give Mount Vernon to him, since the Custis children already have their inheritance?

Now, if we assume that Hamilton’s policies remain constant, then his opponents lose even more major weapons than the Lavien world: perceived preference for the north and background. But then it also complicates Washington's legacy as general and president. Some historians argue that Washington having no perceived biological heir had some role in the trust people placed in him. If people know that Hamilton is his son, illegitimate or not, who has followed him through the war and into government, that's going to cause uneasiness. Maybe even do more damage to Washington's reputation than any real-life accusations of monarchy ever did, because this one actually has some weight. Ironically, it could be that this forces Alexander to be out of the running for the Secretary of Treasury position - having to work in the shadows, because the country is suspicious of anything and everything that looks like a king. More resentment!

But what if his beliefs do change? We get to see a Hamilton with connections to the south, just like the Lavien universe, but on crack. Because now his guardian isn’t just any southerner, he’s George Washington. It’s likely that just like Washington, going through the war would end up with him being a nationalist. But economically? If he didn't get that experience as a clerk in the West Indies (the period he said was the most educational of his life), or as an assistant to his merchant half-brother, then would he have the knowledge/insight to create his financial plan? Washington was on the same page as Hamilton, but Hamilton was doing the actual system-building. Going further, maybe growing up at Mt. Vernon happily and having only faint, distasteful memories of his tragic childhood in the West Indies actually makes him rear away from reminders of that life - maybe he has a fondness for agrarian lifestyle and lounging by trees reading philosophy, and an inherent dislike of merchants, business opportunists like james hamilton, trading, commerce. Maybe, god forbid, he ends up thinking a lot like Jefferson.

Who knows? A young Virginian Hamilton who has very close ties and pride connected to his country, meets an idealistic Thomas Jefferson and goes: "You are my role model and now I will emulate everything about you." People forget that Jefferson was 12 - 14 years older than Hamilton, it’s possible! The two didn’t hate each other right away! I can see them in this world bonding over Virginia and their intellect - perhaps, even if Hamilton veers towards being a nationalist, the lack of dispute on financial matters is enough for them to maintain a good relationship. There's even a possibility that Hamilton, like Madison, is a nationalist and writes the Federalist Papers but switches to the Jeffersonian side once Jefferson comes back. Certainly Madison and Jefferson would spend a lot of time trying to convince their wayward, fellow Virginian friend. Imagine a world where Washington is the biggest federalist and opposing his own son, who is in cahoots with a different Virginian in undermining his own presidency.

*Pats improbable scenario: this baby pumps out so much melodrama.

i just saw a really interesting tweet that basically said "look i don't know why people are blaming lin manuel miranda for manipulating the public into thinking hamilton was hot and rad. i live near his grave, and years before that musical came out, teenage girls were bringing flowers because they thought he was cute."

can anyone else confirm or deny? there was definitely a subset of history fans who were interested in him before the musical but i was too young to get into it back then so i have no reference.

the idea of random teen girls bringing flowers for a dead founding father because "you're better looking than franklin i guess" is hilarious though 😭

also @ashlamsms @gracehosborn @butoridesvirescens and like 3 other people, just wanted to say that i saw your asks and i'm working on them 😭 some of these responses are horrifically late but just pretend i'm the modern john laurens with chronic leaves you on read for a month syndrome -

this is super interesting to me as well, and i find hamilton's relationship with his west indian associates fascinating! (off topic but the thought that maybe ned stevens moved back to the west indies despite establishing himself in america and even having a governmental position as john adams' consul general because of hamilton's death??? crying.)

because record-keeping at that time can be so sketchy, we don't know for sure and it's frustrating. was it that ham didn't want any reminder of his west indian life? was he ignoring neddy specifically? did his letters get lost at sea?

i personally noted that in the same letter is this passage:

I am perfectly at a Loss I assure you, my Dr: Hamilton, to account for your Silence. I have written you frequently, and, as I know that you was at a Distance from New York, enclosed your Letters to some of our common Friends in that City, and requested them to transmit them to you. But I have not been able to collect the least Intelligence concerning you from any Quarter, untill very lately your Friend Dr: Knox informed me, that he had heard from you, that you was perfectly well, and that you had been exalted to the Rank of Col: and Aid de Camp to general Washington. You may be certain I received these Accounts with the most unfeigned Pleasure, especially as I was perfectly convinced that they were the Rewards of essential Services. Write me my Dear Hamilton by the first opportunity, and direct to me at this University.

so this means that hamilton did write and successfully deliver a letter to another st. croix associate - he's not cutting off everyone just yet, although he seems to lose contact/not mention it later on. this means that he was either specifically leaving only neddy on read, or was unable to get to stevens, for whatever reason.

also, although stevens managed to get the letters to their common american friends, they were unable (or maybe even refused?) to give him information about alexander. he only learned about alex's position through dr. knox, who was (i believe) on st. croix at that time. someone who has a better feel for the international response to the american revolution might be able to answer this: is it that neddy's location being edinburgh (again, scotland aka part of britain) played a role in the communication stop, unlike st. croix, which was a danish colony? i can see alexander, being zealous as usual, and being appointed as captain and then aide de camp to the commander in chief, not wanting to relay information that could potentially be intercepted - but this is entirely speculation on my end. it would be more clear if i knew whether other aide de camps wrote frequently to family/friends in britain during the war, whether that was common at the time, etc.

*also: he said "i learned you were exalted to colonel", but doesn't mention captain which makes me think he might've already known about that? i mean he knew that hamilton was fighting for the cause, but then he says he never got a response after coming to edinburgh (1775) so maybe he did get some info from some other source some time before this letter? then why didn't that source let him know that alex was now colonel and aide? augh so many questions always.

the only reasoning i can see for alexander choosing not to write to neddy for such a long period of time is him being scared of his disapproval, or feeling hesitant about sharing his new position in life compared to their childhood together. i do think that neddy goes to lengths in this letter, "You may be certain I received these Accounts with the most unfeigned Pleasure" to reassure him that he's really proud and happy with hamilton's military achievements. he even goes as far as to say "congratulate you...on successes...against tyrannical adversaries" which made me raise an eyebrow. that's a pretty bold statement followed up by even bolder claims, "glad that you humbled [Burgoyne's] pride...I hope to see America ⟨one of the⟩ most flourishing Republics in the World" and i wondered how much of that revolutionary fervor is due to loyalty to his new york friends on the side of the rebels. we'll never know for sure.

but neddy certainly seems chiding in the letter and interprets hamilton's silence as a personal, intentional move. he goes to lengths to flatter him and the cause as he pleads for him to write. so maybe he thinks that insecurities along the lines of "omg is neddy going to be happy about this, will he be on my side, will he approve" might've caused the ghosting?

whether or not that's true is uncertain. hamilton has habits of ghosting so it wouldn't be crazy to say he just did it again. but i can also see why logistical situations due to the war and neddy's location might've caused the block. what a long way to say idk man, someone resurrect them so we can figure this shit out.

Super Random Food For Thought:

@icarusbetide’s Edward Stevens AU post earlier got me to reread Stevens’ earliest surviving letter to Hamilton from December of 1777. Every time I reread this letter (and often, which I shall explain), I’m always struck by this one portion:

Why have you not written me a single Line since our Separation? Has your Anxiety for publick Affairs entirely eradicated from your Mind all remembrance of your private Concerns? Or have you forgotten those Vo⟨ws⟩ of eternal Friendship, which we have so often mutually exchanged? I am perfectly at a Loss I assure you, my Dr: Hamilton, to account for your Silence. I have written you frequently, and, as I know that you was at a Distance from New York, enclosed your Letters to some of our common Friends in that City, and requested them to transmit them to you.

“To Alexander Hamilton From Edward Stevens [23 December 1777],” The Papers of Alexander Hamilton, Volume I: 1768-1778 Ed. Harold C. Syrett, Columbia University Press, 1961, pp. 369-371. [Founders Online Link]

All I’m left to always ask is: what happened here? Did Hamilton in fact write to Stevens and his letters just miscarried across the Atlantic? Did Hamilton intentionally not write to Stevens? If so, why? Stevens left for Edinburgh after graduating from King’s College in 1774 to pursue further education, so this places this letter about three years later. That’s a significant amount of time and explains Stevens’ emphasis on Hamilton’s silence as seen above. We have later letters that Stevens wrote to Hamilton, but beyond Hamilton’s initial surviving letter to him (the famous “I wish there was a War” letter), there are no other letters written from Hamilton to Stevens that were printed in The Papers of Alexander Hamilton (see here).

The reason I’ve read this letter so many times is due to TAI which may be a bit silly. This letter is grouped with a couple of others in what I like to personally refer to as the “pillar letters” that have informed my creative decisions for the main arc of Volume I and to that end, part of the larger arc for the rest of the series. A few of these include the previously mentioned war letter, Hamilton’s letter to Laurens of April 1779, a letter Hamilton wrote Robert Troup in 1795, and some others but this is besides the point.

Of course, The American Icarus is fictional and thus I’ve decided that Hamilton simply ignoring Stevens is an interesting take to explore and build part of a character arc from, but historically speaking, I just have too many questions.

The fact that Stevens (more than once) addresses Hamilton as “my dear Hamilton” in this letter I s also interesting to note, but there’s not really much to conclude there. This post in its entirety is inconclusive, but as I said at the top this is just my food for thought.

hamilton dies in schuylkill river au (but also role reversal: laurens)

are you normal or did you feel melancholy when you realized that the historical figures you think of as the "young generation" due to the time period you engage with, were one day the old ones? because i saw art of lafayette and washington's aides de camp right above art on henry clay's generation and it hit me like a sucker punch.

yes they are all dead white men from over a century ago but damn. alexa, play the times they are a-changin.

that's hilarious! both hamiltons coexist in my brain because i spent 50% on the actual war era and then 50% on the 1780s-1790s, probably because i've read a lot on the development of hamilton and washington's partnership. but i'm also not too interested in the hamilton kids so when i learned that some of the boys ended up being jacksonians? i was like...shut up you are a baby and your father is writing letters to your mother going "if i do not see you and the kids in the next five minutes i will physically implode" and you will STAY that way.

are you normal or did you feel melancholy when you realized that the historical figures you think of as the "young generation" due to the time period you engage with, were one day the old ones? because i saw art of lafayette and washington's aides de camp right above art on henry clay's generation and it hit me like a sucker punch.

yes they are all dead white men from over a century ago but damn. alexa, play the times they are a-changin.