Amidst battling a cold and feeling physically drained, Commander-in-Chief John Adams, driven by a sense of duty, traveled from his hometown of Quincy to Trenton in 1799. There, he convened with his cabinet to deliberate on strategic options in the event of possible war with France.* At the time, American maritime trade was under constant threat from French warships at the Atlantic, provoked by the administration’s favorable stance toward Britain, a rival of revolutionary France. Adams believed in Peace Through Strength, thus he was interested in establishing a strong navy as a deterrent and a tool for leverage in future negotiations with France._†

Previously, Adams’ envoys faced a degree of humiliation at the hands of the French Directory, where they were largely dismissed and treated as subordinates. However, with Napoleon Bonaparte’s ascension to power, the dynamics shifted, offering renewed hope for a better relationship between the U.S. and France.

The newly established United States faced the delicate challenge of navigating alliances among the dominant European powers. Alexander Hamilton and the Federalists favored policies that aligned with Britain, while Republicans, led by Thomas Jefferson, sought closer ties with revolutionary France. John Adams, burdened with the responsibility of his office, despite being aligned with the Federalist camp, displayed political mastery by treading carefully between these two competing interests, ensuring a balanced approach for the young nation with a focus in developing industries and the navy.₁

Alexander Hamilton, a prominent Federalist renowned for his eloquence and energy, fervently advocated for war with France, perceiving President Adams’ reluctance as a direct challenge to his Federalist principles. Convinced that a war was necessary, Hamilton had previously persuaded George Washington to support the formation of a resource consuming standing army, with Hamilton himself appointed as its commander. At the time, Hamilton’s ambition was well-known, and it was rumored that he suffered from a type of “Napoleon complex,” a notion reinforced by Abigail Adams, who mockingly referred to him as “Hamilton Bonaparte.” in one of her letters.₂

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