And, Hamilton was basically the same. Monroe carried a letter from Ham to Laurens in 79 when he went to help the army in the south. Hamilton wrote “I shall be glad he may find some employment, that will enable him to get knocked in the head in an honorable way.” x
It’s actually unknown James Monroe’s initial feelings towards Alexander Hamilton after meeting him because we have no letters or writing diaries of him from the time period and his bunk mate and good friend John Marshall didn’t write anything of Monroe’s feelings about Hamilton in any of his documents either. There definitely wasn’t any hate between them during the war (you’ll have to wait a little later for that), brewing disdain but defiantly not hate considering also that Monroe willingly carried Hamilton’s letters to Laurens with him on his trip to the South. On this trip to the south that Monroe was taking because the Virginia Assembly ordered the formation of four new infantry regiments, James Monroe, was riding home to enlist, and was carrying several letters of recommendation–one of which came from Alexander Hamilton himself [x].
The full excerpt of the letter between Hamilton and Laurens on May 22nd 1779 reads:
“Monroe is just setting out from Head Quarters and proposes to go in quest of adventures to the Southward. He seems to be as much of a night errant as your worship; but as he is an honest fellow, I shall be glad he may find some employment, that will enable him to get knocked in the head in an honorable way. He will relish your black scheme if any thing handsome can be done for him in that line. You know him to be a man of honor a sensible man and a soldier. This makes it unnecessary to me to say any thing to interest your friendship for him. You love your country too and he has zeal and capacity to serve it.” [x]
Hamilton was a little warry of Monroe, calling his venture into the south “adventures” but he said his positives, and above we see “He seems to be as much of a night errant as your worship…” but of course he still faulted him, “but as he is an honest fellow, I shall be glad he may find some employment, that will enable him to get knocked in the head in an honorable way.” and thinks Monroe will relish Lauren’s “black scheme” only if would do him good. Hamilton then states that Lauren’s knows “him to be a man of honor a sensible man and a soldier.” and that it was unnecessary for him“to say any thing to interest your friendship for him.”because Laurens already recognized their traits in Monroe. He closes it off in more positive” You love your country too and he has zeal and capacity to serve it.”
Alexander Hamilton and James Monroe were not going to be the best of friends not ever or in the future but neither did they hate one another.
I just want to point out that Monroe had a habit of initially being on good terms with people and then somehow managing to royally screw it up. Dude caught beef with almost every “friend” he ever made.
