In this letter to Christopher Arms, Rodolphus Dickinson tells his friend of an incident involving both violence and mischief that occurred while he was attending Yale University in Connecticut. This type of rowdy (and sometimes dangerous) behavior was common in the world of the college undergraduate in the early republic. Dickinson also reports on hearing news of the duel between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton, remarking that Hamilton was the greatest “law character” in America. It is interesting to note that the two political parties celebrated the Fourth of July separately, rather than jointly. Dickinson’s reference to the navy of the Isle of Deerfield must be a private joke.
Dickinson, Rodolphus. Letter to Christopher Tyler Arms from Rodolphus Dickinson on Independence and duel between Burr and Hamilton. July 12, 1804. Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, American Centuries. https://americancenturies.org/collection/l07-048/. Accessed on May 17, 2025.
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