What did Alexander Hamilton do in the Revolutionary War?

Answer 1

Hamilton, with James Monroe, Henry Knox, Aaron Burr and Washington were the few among the "founding fathers' to truly put their lives on the line for their beliefs, and to serve in Washington's Continental Army, fighting the British for independence. Hamilton was a student at King's College (today Columbia University) in New York City when the war began and joined a volunteer company with other students, who called themselves the Hearts of Oak. Hamilton was made a lieutenant and led a successful raid on The Battery at the southern tip of Manhattan Island to capture British cannon. With these cannon the Hearts of Oak converted into an artillery battery. Hamilton commanded this artillery battery from New York, and was in the fighting around New York City in 1776, and at White Plains, and was prominent at the Battle of Trenton, where his battery at the top of the street kept the Hessians pinned down in their barracks. Hamilton soon replaced Aaron Burr as Washington's military secretary. Burr had held this position about two weeks, but did not like the stuffy atmosphere around headquarters and craved a more active role as a commander in the field. Hamilton remained Washington's secretary for the rest of the war. On taking the job Hamilton was promoted to lieutenant colonel and functioned as Washington's Chief of Staff, though that title was not in use at the time. When Washington's army went to Yorktown, Virginia to trap Cornwallis, Hamilton persuaded Washington to allow him to lead an assault on a British strong point, Redoubt #10, which had to be taken before the Americans and French could begin digging their siege lines around Yorktown. Hamilton successfully led this bloody, early morning attack and captured the Redoubt.