John Laurens FanClub

The Break-Up Period

(Warning: This is VERY LONG, so you may as well get your pet to cuddle with, grab a few snacks and get comfortable)

So you know that John's and Alex's relationship was pretty angsty, even angstier is the fact that they actually broke up once.

1780 is what is called the Break-Up Period because, well, that's when it starts.

A lot of things happened that year, starting with John encouraging Alexander to go to be Ball, then continuing to Alex being denied leave to follow John south where the action of the war was shifting. Then Alex soon becomes romantically involved with our dear Eliza, followed by a long silence in John's and Alex correspondence, a failed attempt to visit John in Philadelphia, a possible recounter and relinking of John's relationship with Francis Kinloch (I know, scary), and a series of letters from Alexander to Betsey becoming gradually more genuine, and finishing with their marriage.

On winter of 1780 there is a emotional distancing from John's part that led Alexander to finding love somewhere else. It is possible that this distancing included encouragement for Alex to find a wife, and whatever it was, it was definitive enough for Alex to treat it as at least a temporary end to their romantic relationship but not an end to their friendship. Which could mean that, at least at first, Eliza was most likely a rebound relationship and that Alex wasn't actually "cheating" on John like is sometimes said.

(Good, because anyone who cheats on John will end up without a dick)

As the distance with John grew, his feelings for Eliza are tempered (meaning that he calms his forced infatuation and recognizes her genuine value to him). In the start, he had symptoms of infatuation with her, and may have out of loneliness and desperation, emphasized those feelings to impress her. Even after their relationship was true, I don't believe he ever told her the uglier things about himself.

And now, a definitely not short timeline of all of the events:

(I'm honestly going to copy and paste the time line and try to summarize it a bit because it's soooooo looooong)

Hamilton to Laurens 8 January 1780

Morristown, New Jersey. The first part of the letter written previous December in response to Laurens' letter of the 18th while he was en route to Headquarters- then "was called off. Some ruffian hand has treated it in the manner you see". He is grateful for John recommending him to be secretary to the minister in France, but "your partiality may have led you to overrate my qualifications that very partiality must endear you to me". He agrees with John's assessment that he deserves the post more than others but was unlikely to get it because he lacks the connections . He found and completed the letter in 1780 to say that he asked for leave to follow John south. Takes a very depressive tone "I am chagrined and unhappy but I submit. In short Laurens I am disgusted with every thing in this world but yourself and very few more honest fellows and I have no other wish than as soon as possible to make a brilliant exit. 'Tis a weakness; but I feel I am not fit for this terrestreal Country." Founders online says he 'incorrectly dated' the letter, but he simply never changed the date when he sent it after Laurens had departed.

Hamilton to Kitty and Elizabeth

January Morristown, New Jersey. Hamilton arranges for Tilghman to join him and Kitty Livingston and Elizabeth to drive the carriage since he's not a good driver (lmao).

Laurens to Hamilton 24 February 

John wrote two missing letters to Alex, the last dated 24 February. Alex mentions his 'expectations', so he likely gave an update about his proposal for the Black Battalion as well as information about the defense of Charles Town against Clinton.