Aaron Burr, who famously killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel, and then later resumed his duties as Vice President

Without a doubt, the duel between former Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton and Vice President Aaron Burr on July 11, 1804, stands as the most famous duel in American history.

Hamilton succumbed to his wounds the following day, while Burr soon returned to his duties as Vice President after murder charges in New York and New Jersey were eventually dropped.

After leaving office in 1805, Burr was tried for treason for allegedly plotting to establish an independent nation in the American West, but he was acquitted. He later lived in Europe before returning to New York in 1812 to resume his law practice.

This letter, dated September 28, 1823, was written during Burr’s later years as he assisted his friend and client Martha Bradstreet with a series of complex legal matters.