The two duelists stood ten paces apart, pistols ready. Not a leaf stirred in the summer haze. Then, at the signal, a shot broke the silence sharply—the fatal shot which ended the life of one of America's greatest statesmen and ruined the career of another who might have been just as great. The men were Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr and their duel was destined to become one of the most famous in history.

Though the details of the duel are well known, few of us are aware of the whole fascinating story behind this tragic encounter. How could two such men, once the friendliest of neighbors, have turned into such bitter enemies?

Authors Anna and Russel Crouse answer this puzzling question in their engrossing and exciting book. Against the colorful background of the Revolutionary War, the turbulent days of our early Republic, and the bustling life of Old New York, they have traced the story of Hamilton and Burr from childhood to their final disastrous meeting.

It is a vivid re-creation of a lively period in our history and the reader will gain a better understanding of the founding of many of our political and government institutions and the part both Hamilton and Burr played in establishing them.

From the dust jacket