Talk:John Laurens

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Okay guys Bhaskar here, I think that the article needs more depth, this is kind of an overlooked figure however, the excerpted letter below should NOT be posted, because it implies that it was a short love letter, in the SAME text, Hamilton asked him to look for a wife for him in Carolina and listed chararistics he looked for in a woman. Also i don't like how he said it was a useless skrimish, in hindsight yes it wasnt significant but he went to go intercept the british force in his sector, it was significant given his proximity to the british so he engaged..

In regards to John Laurens being a homosexual, perhaps this excerpt from a letter to him from Alexander Hamilton might shed some insight

The following letter, which will be quoted in pertinent part, was written by Hamilton when he was twenty-two years of age. It was written to his friend colonel John Laurens, who was a few years older than Hamilton. Laurens was the son of the President of the Continental congress, Henry Laurens, the dating of the letter was made by scholars, based on internal evidence: April, 1779:

Cold in my professions, warm in my friendships, I wish, my Dear Laurens, it might be in my power, by action rather than words to convince you that I love you. I shall only tell you that 'til you bade us Adieu, I hardly knew the value you had taught my heart to set upon you. Indeed, my friend, it was not well done. You know the opinion I entertain of mankind, and how much it is my desire to preserve myself free from particular attachments, and to keep my happiness independent of the caprice of others. You should not have taken advantage of my sensibility to steal into my affections without my consent. But as you have done it,and as we are generally indulgent to those we love, I shall not scruple to pardon the fraud you have committed, on condition that for my sake, if not for your own, you will always continue to merit the partiality, which you have artfully instilled into me.

Intellectual Integrity?

 I for one was surprised when I read the letter from Hamilton to Laurens,

and I was even more surprised that I had never heard of the letter before. This article blithely ignores the letter from Hamilton to Laurens, and attributes the suggestion of homosexuality to the existence of a statue.

I believe the suggestions of homosexuality should be presented in an unbiased manner or left out entirely. I lean towards full disclosure rather than excision of the information.

I believe it is deceptive to imply that the homosexual suggestion is a result of idiots drawing absurd conclusions from a statue. I have noticed selective presentation of facts in other articles on the Wiki; ultimately this damages Wiki's credibility. Users should exercise caution in using the information provided here.

[edit] Letters

I'm glad someone added something about the letters to the entry. I had been meaning to do that but, I guess, forgot. Further examination of the letters can be found here, and two of Hamilton's letters to Laurens can be found in the Library of America's Hamilton: Writings. I've not seen the full text of any other letters, though. Excerpts can be found in Ron Chernow's Alexander Hamilton and James Thomas Flexner's The Young Hamilton. If anyone knows where copies of these letters can be found (especially electronic versions), I'd appreciate it if one would let me know. Erekrose 19:53, 15 January 2006 (UTC)

We should remember, however, that this was an age of sentiment; Hamilton got equally lush letters from his sister-in-law. Septentrionalis 23:35, 1 September 2006 (UTC)

What about Laurens' duel with General Lee??

From Bob P. -- I could be wrong, but didn't Laurens duel with -- and severely wound -- the notorious General Charles Lee in a duel? And if true (it is) wouldn't that be a fact to include, oh I dunno, at the TOP of any article about him???? Instead of OMITTING IT ENTIRELY?? I quote from the Wiki article on Lee:

>>>>>> Colonel John Laurens, an aide to Washington, challenged him to a duel, in which Lee was wounded in the side.<<<<<<<

Just wondering... 69.118.234.2 (talk) 15:15, 2 January 2008 (UTC)