Continental Missionary Style

I had a great history class this morning.
Then I had lunch at the methodist church outreach. (Taco Salad)

Look at a current 10 dollar bill. The man on it is Alexander Hamilton. Unless you were born prior to 1929 and marooned on an island for the last 78 plus years with a 10 dollar bill bearing the face of another person or building. At the age of 4 his mother taught him how to run numbers and keep books. At the age of 9 he was a sort of CFO (Chief Financial Officer) for a sugar plantation. By 16 he had his own law practice. He had a voracious appetite for reading and writing. As one would look through his journal they would see beautifull cursive handwriting, however, throughout the book there was one word that was written in bold capital block letters. FAME. He felt that his fame would come not through his brains or current accomplishments, but through battle. He wanted so badly to be a soldier that he recruited his own men, bought them uniforms and weapons, and made himself their leader and enlisted his group in the service of George Washington during the American Revolution.

Washington knowing of Hamiltons abilities in the area of finance asked him to be one of his advisors. This meant that Hamilton would not be in battle as he had hoped. So he declined Washingtons written request. It was then that Washington went to him personally and made his request and won Hamilton over. Hamilton and Washington developed a father son relationship of sorts. It has been said that they would finish each others sentences. Washington in his mid 40's and Hamilton barely 20 makes the ages right for a father and son. Also Hamilton's father had left him and his mother which labeled him a bastard and prevented him later in his political career from holding high offices.

So that is a little background (loosly remembered from this morning) for you and now we can get to the point.
The end of the was nearing and the war seemed to hinge on taking down a fort called redoubt #10. 2wice washington had tried to take it and 2wice he had been pushed back. Hamiliton asked washington to let him try. Hamilton rousted together a bunch of men like himslef, men who had been stationed further back from the hand to hand combat, who wanted a chance to kill some red coats. These men were not accoustomed to the standard classic or continental battle style. In this style men would line up shoulder to shoulder and march towards the enemy and the enemy towards them untill they met and killed eachother. Well, Hamilton and His men grabbed and borrowed whatever weapons they could find and ran at redoubt #10 like a bunch of screaming banshees. And they took it. The british troops inside saw them and heard them coming and tried to bail out. I think they were afraid to see such passion, especially in such a non traditional form.

So this brings us back to the top.
I had a great history class this morning. I was on the edge of my seat actually.
Then I went to the methodist campus ministry house for some free lunch. (Taco Salad)

Normally I just go in and eat and leave, but today they had their minister there and she gave a message and one of the others prayed. Personally I am most attracted to them when they give me extra chicken spaghetti, but today I stayed (I felt like I had to) to listen. She talked about all saints day a little and some other stuff, but I was struggling with day dreaming. Day dreaming about passionate people. I never experienced the war or met the people, but I was day dreaming about the story. A man who saw his destiny and went after it the only way he knew how...with fire...with zeal...excitement...mania...a diminshed sense of self....no sense of self preservation....etc. I heard 2 stories today. One was compelling.

My teacher loves hamilton and says that I will have Hamilton coming out of my nose and ears, but he also told me that Hamilton was both angelic and devil incarnate. I haven't seen the bad side yet. Right now I am just caught up on the friendship between him and George washington (who is bad ass) and how he counted all his amazing accomplishments as a loss compared to his destiny.

Adios