Did Hamilton Throw Away His Shot?

Hamilton did fire his weapon intentionally, and he fired first. But he aimed to miss Burr, sending his ball into the tree above and behind Burr's location. In so doing, he did not withhold his shot, but he did waste it, thereby honoring his pre-duel pledge.

Why did Hamilton throw away his shot?

Hamilton's world is first turned upside down by the Revolutionary War, but later overturned a second time by the death of his son, Philip. As a result, Hamilton loses his drive for gaining wealth and power and throws away his shot at killing his political rival Burr.

Did Burr regret killing Hamilton?

Mental Floss reports that his post-dueling plans included a large breakfast and dining with a friend. His actions post-duel suggest there may have been some regret from the sitting vice president, though it was not abundantly clear if he felt any remorse for killing Hamilton.

Marcus Vance

Marcus Vance

Cybersecurity & Digital Privacy Researcher

Marcus Vance is a cybersecurity auditor and technology writer dedicated to educating the public about online safety, data privacy regulations, enterprise security, and emerging cyber threats.