[York County, PA near Emigsville]

This is a remarkable spot in the history of Alexander Hamilton—because it’s a place he very nearly died.

In fact, Hamilton was erroneously reported to have been killed here. This development aggrieved George Washington and other aides for several grim hours until Hamilton surprised them all by showing up, rattled and wet, but alive.

In the summer of 1777, during the American Revolution, the British were preparing to capture the city of Philadelphia. The American side had been too disorganized to make use of a cache of bread flour sitting neglected at a mill some 18 miles northwest of the city.

George Washington dispatched Hamilton as well as Captain Henry “Light Horse” Lee (father of Robert E. Lee, who, years later, in 1794, would also accompany Hamilton on the Whiskey Campaign). Their mission was to burn the mill to keep the flour and other supplies out of Redcoat hands.

Evidently, however, some local Loyalist spy tipped the British off to Hamilton’s mission and his whereabouts. Hamilton, Lee, and their accompanying small commando of Americans were bushwhacked by a force of British dragoons.

Hamilton made a by-the-skin-of-his-teeth escape into the rain-swollen Schuylkill River. Hamilton’s horse—and the man next to him in a boat—were both shot dead. Hamilton, however,  lived to fight another day.