Editing Aaron Burr (section)

===Revolutionary War===
[[File:The Death of General Montgomery in the Attack on Quebec December 31 1775.jpeg|thumb|''[[The Death of General Montgomery in the Attack on Quebec, December 31, 1775]]'', a 1786 portrait by [[John Trumbull]] depicting the [[Battle of Quebec (1775)|Battle of Quebec]] in 1775]]
During the [[American Revolutionary War]], Burr took part in Colonel [[Benedict Arnold]]'s [[Benedict Arnold's expedition to Quebec|expedition to Quebec]], an arduous trek of more than {{convert|300|mi|km}} through the northern frontier of the [[Province of Massachusetts Bay]] (now [[Maine]]). Arnold was impressed by Burr's "great spirit and resolution" during the long march.<ref name=worldhistory>{{Cite web|title=Aaron Burr|url= https://www.worldhistory.org/Aaron_Burr|date=October 10, 2024|access-date=March 2, 2025|via=[[World History Encyclopedia]]}}</ref> He sent him up the [[Saint Lawrence River]] to contact General [[Richard Montgomery]], who had taken [[Montreal]], and escort him to [[Province of Quebec (1763-1791)|Quebec]]. Montgomery then promoted Burr to captain and made him an aide-de-camp.<ref name=battlefields/> Burr distinguished himself during the [[Battle of Quebec (1775)|Battle of Quebec]] on December 31, 1775, where he attempted to recover Montgomery's corpse after he had been killed.{{sfn|Isenberg|2007|pp=22–28}} However, his attempts to rescue the body of his general was short-lived, as Burr gave up due to the harsh conditions of the snow and the dead weight of Montgomery's body.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Shelton|first1=Hal T.|title=General Richard Montgomery and the American Revolution|url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/General_Richard_Montgomery_and_the_Ameri/1BwUCgAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0|date=1994|access-date=March 21, 2025|publisher=[[New York University Press]]|ISBN=978-0-8147-8039-8|p=150}}</ref>

In the spring of 1776, Burr's stepbrother [[Matthias Ogden]] helped him to secure a position with [[George Washington]]'s staff in [[Manhattan]], but he quit on June 26 to be on the battlefield.{{sfn|Isenberg|2007|pp=33–34}} General [[Israel Putnam]] took Burr under his wing, and Burr saved an entire brigade from capture after the [[Landing at Kip's Bay|British landing]] in Manhattan by his vigilance in the retreat from [[Lower Manhattan]] to [[Harlem]]. Washington failed to commend his actions in the next day's General Orders, which was the fastest way to obtain a promotion. Burr was already a nationally known hero, but he never received a commendation. According to Ogden, he was infuriated by the incident, which may have led to the eventual estrangement between him and Washington.{{sfn|Lomask|1979|p=82}}{{sfn|Schachner|1961|p=37}} Nevertheless, Burr defended Washington's decision to evacuate New York as "a necessary consequence". It was not until the 1790s that the two men found themselves on opposite sides in politics.{{sfn|Isenberg|2007|pp=34, 36}}

Burr was briefly posted in [[Kingsbridge, Bronx|Kingsbridge]] during 1776, at which time he was charged with protecting 14-year-old Margaret Moncrieffe, the daughter of [[Staten Island]]-based British Major Thomas Moncrieffe. Miss Moncrieffe was in Manhattan "behind enemy lines", and Major Moncrieffe asked Washington to ensure her safe return there. Burr fell in love with Margaret, and her attempts to remain with Burr were unsuccessful.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/13/travel/new-york-city-american-revolution.html When New York City Was a (Literal) Battlefield] Retrieved September 20, 2020</ref>

In late 1776, Burr attempted to secure Washington's approval to retake fortifications on [[Staten Island]], which were then held by the British, citing his deep familiarity with the area. Washington said he wanted to defer such an action until later in the conflict, and ultimately chose not to pursue it. The British learned of Burr's plans and later took extra precautions.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Morris|first1=Ira K.|title=Morris's Memorial History of Staten Island, New York; Volume 1|url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Morris_s_Memorial_History_of_Staten_Isla/SX2NzwEACAAJ?hl=en|p=217–218|ISBN=978-1-0155-9874-4}}</ref>

In July 1777, Burr was promoted to lieutenant colonel and assumed virtual leadership of [[Malcolm's Additional Continental Regiment]].{{sfn|Isenberg|2007|pp=37–38}} There were approximately 300 men under Colonel [[William Malcolm]]'s nominal command, but Malcolm was frequently called upon to perform other duties, leaving Burr in charge.{{sfn|Isenberg|2007|pp=37–38}} The regiment successfully fought off many nighttime raids into central New Jersey by Manhattan-based British troops who arrived by water. Later that year, Burr commanded a small contingent during the harsh winter encampment at [[Valley Forge]], guarding "the Gulph", an isolated pass that controlled one approach to the camp. He imposed discipline and defeated an attempted [[mutiny]] by some of the troops.{{sfn|Parmet|Hecht|1967|p=42}}

Burr's regiment was devastated by British artillery on June 28, 1778, at the [[Battle of Monmouth]] in [[New Jersey]], and Burr suffered [[heatstroke]] and exhaustion.{{sfn|Isenberg|2007|p=46}}<ref name=Todd/> Washington denied Burr's request for medical leave without pay, and instead placed Burr in temporary command of the garrison at [[West Point, New York]], until his recovery.<ref name=Todd>{{cite book |first=Charles Burr |last=Todd |title=A General History of the Burr Family |pages=70–71 |edition=4th |publisher=The Knickerbocker Press |location=New York |year=1902 |url=https://www.cga.ct.gov/hco/books/A_General_History_of_the_Burr_Family.pdf }}</ref>
 
In January 1779, Burr was assigned to [[Westchester County, New York|Westchester County]], [[Province of New York|New York]], in command of Malcolm's Regiment, a region between the British post at Kingsbridge and that of the Americans about {{convert|15|mi|km|0}} to the north. This district was part of the more significant command of General [[Alexander McDougall]], and there was much turbulence and plundering by lawless bands of civilians and by raiding parties of ill-disciplined soldiers from both armies.{{sfn|Burr|1837|p=159}}

Due to continuing poor health, Burr resigned from the Continental Army in March 1779.{{sfn|Parton|1861|p=120}} During his recovery, Burr carried urgent messages to Washington and various officers at the request of Generals McDougall and [[Arthur St. Clair]].{{sfn|Burr|1837|pp=171–173}} On July 5, 1779, he rallied a group of [[Yale University|Yale]] students at [[New Haven, Connecticut]], along with Captain [[James Hillhouse]] and the Second Connecticut [[Governor's Guards]], in a [[Tryon's raid|skirmish with the British]] at the [[West River (Connecticut)|West River]].{{sfn|Parton|1861|pp=124–125}} The British advance was repulsed, forcing them to enter New Haven from nearby [[Hamden, Connecticut|Hamden]].{{sfn|Parton|1861|pp=124–125}}

In 1783, Burr became an Original Member of the New York [[Society of the Cincinnati]], an organization of officers who had served in the Continental Army and Navy during the Revolution.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Once in Every Three Years: The Triennial Meetings of the Society of the Cincinnati|url=https://www.societyofthecincinnati.org/once-in-every-three-years-the-triennial-meetings-of-the-society-of-the-cincinnati|access-date=February 26, 2025}}</ref>