In retirement, Adams mused that if Burr had become a brigadier general in 1798, it might have tethered him to the Federalists and assured his own reelection in 1800. Indeed, Adams was right in one respect: Washington blundered by recruiting only Federalists to top military positions, while Adams had wished to include two Republicans-Burr and Frederick Muhlenberg-as brigadiers. Had the army taken on a more bipartisan complexion, it might well have been more popular.
( Ron Chernow )
[ Alexander Hamilton ]
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