Shaping Alexander Hamilton's Military Career

Hamilton’s Military Career and How it Helped to Shape His Political Career Many people know of Alexander Hamilton’s successful political career as the first Secretary of Treasury of the United States of America under George Washington, but how he got there in the first place is a somewhat unknown topic. After the hit Broadway show, Hamilton, written by Lin Manuel-Miranda, became and widely popular rendition of Hamilton’s life, the interest in the founding father and face of the $10 bill sparked. Many people further educated themselves on his political career and his creation of the first national Bank of America. However, the first act of the play, where Manuel-Miranda tells the story of a young Hamilton, seeking military fame and working
George Washington and Alexander Hamilton were like a dynamic duo. It all started when Henry Knox and Nathanael Greene both tried hiring Hamilton as their secretary during the war. Hamilton preferred to fight and wanted to secure himself in the history books, so he declined the requests. Then both men recommended Hamilton to George Washington. Washington invited Hamilton to his camp and offered him the position of aide-de-camp. Realizing the opportunity that was being offered to him, he accepted. After that Washington and Hamilton were a dynamic duo. Washington had the connections and the positions and Hamilton had the brains and offered Washington lots of advice. When it came time for Washington to pick his first cabinet, who better to turn to than Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton advocated many times about his pay and knew a lot about finances. Also he was a very studious person and could write persuasively and formally. Washington invited the best person that he saw fit to be the Secretary of Treasury and work alongside
Originally, Hamilton met Lafayette in New York along with Aaron Burr, John Laurens, and Hercules Mulligan. The five of them discussed the revolution and advocated for it. When it came time for the war, Hamilton was asked by George Washington to be his aide-de-camp. Washington needed help training the common men that he was using for the military at the time. Hamilton’s connection to Lafayette, a famed general in France, led him to securing Lafayette as a commander and trainer of men in the army. Also, when Hamilton was the secretary of Treasury under George Washington he used his connection to Lafayette again. Hamilton knew Lafayette and also knew that he was a very capable man. He explained to Washington in a cabinet meeting that France didn't need help with the revolution and that Thomas Jefferson was wrong in his opinions that Lafayette needed help due to the fact that “before he was [Jefferson’s] friend he was [Hamilton’s]” (Manuel-Miranda; Cabinet Battle #2). Hamilton used this crucial connection to strengthen George Washington’s trust and to help him win arguments in