Clinch River Antiques Festival presents Burr-Hamilton reinactment
The Clinch River Antiques Festival celebrated its ninth year on Oct. 9 and Oct. 10, in Clinton, Tenn. This year’s highlight was a reenactment of the Aaron Burr-Alexander Hamilton duel, after which Hamilton died of his injuries. Burr was later arrested and charged, but was acquitted. The city of Burrville was renamed Clinton — after George Clinton, a political rival and enemy of Burr’s — in 1809, due to the disgrace of the Burr-Hamilton duel.
By Jayne Andrews
CLINTON, Tenn. — If you missed this year’s Clinch River Antiques Festival, held Oct. 9 and Oct. 10, you didn’t get to see a slice of history come to life. For nine years, this festival has attracted antique lovers and history buffs. This year’s highlight attraction was a reenactment of the 1804 duel between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton. As a first term vice president under Thomas Jefferson, Burr shot Hamilton, who was serving as the United States Secretary of the Treasury. The duel was a culmination of many years of hatred and strife between the two men, who were not only political rivals, but also personal enemies.
It all started simply enough. Hamilton made some unkind remarks about Burr at a dinner party, and later refused to take any responsibility or apologize. Burr, on July 11, 1804, challenged Hamilton to a duel at the Heights of Weehawken in New Jersey. Hamilton died as a result of being shot by Burr, which made the event the most famous duel in U.S. history. Later, Burr was charged with the crime, and while the charges were eventually dismissed, his political career was considered over.
While Burr was in office, the small town of Burrville, Tenn., was founded in 1801 and named in his honor. Land was set aside for a courthouse, and Burrville was additionally named the county seat for the new Anderson County, which had been partitioned from both Grainger and Knox counties.
However, on Nov. 8, 1809, the Tennessee State Legislature declared that Burrville should be renamed, because Burr had disgraced himself in the duel with Hamilton. It is believed that the name Clinton was chosen to honor George Clinton or Hamilton’s nephew DeWitt Clinton. As another of Burr’s political rivals, George Clinton, with the aid of Alexander Hamilton, had been instrumental in dashing Burr’s bid for the governorship of New York. George Clinton served as vice president under Thomas Jefferson after Burr left office, and later served as vice president under James Madison, which made him the first vice president to serve under two presidents and the first vice president to die while in office.
DeWitt Clinton served as mayor of New York City, so it is most likely that the citizens of Burrville favored George Clinton over DeWitt Clinton when choosing a new name for their city. While there is no proof of this theory, it is generally agreed that Clinton, Tenn., was named after George Clinton rather than his nephew.
Due to rumors that Burr was attempting to lead a filibuster into Spanish possessions in Mexico in the event of a war with Spain, he was arrested and charged with treason in 1807. After being acquitted of the charges, Burr departed for Europe, where he remained in a self-imposed exile for many years. He later returned to New York City, where he practiced law, living alone and friendless until his death.
