John Laurens' 'Black Battalion,' Hercules Mulligan's Smuggling Skills and Other Historical HAMILTON Facts Explained

Ron Chernov's 2005 biography of founding father Alexander Hamilton packs a lot of history into its 832 pages, and in his smash hit musical Hamilton, inspired by Chernov's book, composer/lyricist Lin-Manual Miranda uses the rapid-fire speed of hip-hop to include a wealth of information about characters that most Americans only know as names in textbooks and faces in paintings.

The release of the musical's original cast recording has prompted many to brush up their American history, searching Miranda's lyrics for fascinating factoids about Hamilton, Burr, Washington, Jefferson and company and becoming enlightened with further research.

Erin McCarthy of Mental Floss writes a fun and informative article expanding on 22 interesting references contained within Miranda's lyrics. Here are a couple of examples.

Take this lyric from "My Shot," delivered by Anthony Ramos' John Laurens:

But we'll never be truly free
Until those in bondage have the same rights as you and me
You and I. Do or die. Wait till I sally in
On a stallion with the first black battalion...

Lauren was a devoted abolitionist who not only urged Washington to free his slaves but came up with the idea of recruiting slaves into the Continental Army, with the promise of freedom when their service was done. The idea was considered by the Continental Congress, but ultimately rejected.

In "Yorktown (World Turned Upside Down)," Okieriete Onaodowan raps this of his character, Hercules Mulligan:

A tailor spyin' on the British government!
I take their measurements, information and
then I smuggle it!

At his New York tailor shop, Mulligan would eavesdrop on his Tory customers for any valuable information, then place messages in clothing packages delivered by his slave, Cato. He gave up on this method when Cato's frequent trips out of the city made the British suspicious. McCarthy cites Stephen F. Knott's book "Secret and Sanctioned," that suggests Mulligan may have informed Washington that the British plotted to kidnap him, prompting the general to change his travel route on his way to meet with Rochambeau.

Click here for the entire article, with 20 more examples.

The new musical Hamilton has book, music and lyrics by Tony and Grammy Award-winning composerLin-Manuel Miranda, who also plays the title role. The musical is directed by Thomas Kail, with choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler and music direction and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire. Hamilton is inspired by Ron Chernow's biography "Alexander Hamilton."

The cast of Hamilton is comprised of Lin-Manuel Miranda (Alexander Hamilton), Daveed Diggs(Marquis De Lafayette,Thomas Jefferson), Renée Elise Goldsberry (Angelica Schuyler),Christopher Jackson (George Washington),Jonathan Groff (King George), Jasmine Cephas Jones (Peggy Schuyler, Maria Reynolds), Javier Muñoz (Hamilton alternate), Okieriete Onaodowan(Hercules Mulligan, James Madison), Leslie Odom, Jr. (Aaron Burr),Anthony Ramos(John Laurens, Philip Hamilton) and Phillipa Soo (Eliza Hamilton).

Tony nominee Andrew Rannells fills in for Jonathan Groff as King George from October 27 to November 29.

HAMILTON is the acclaimed new musical about the scrappy young immigrant Alexander Hamilton, the $10 Founding Father who forever changed America with his revolutionary ideas and actions. During his life cut too short, he served as George Washington's chief aide, was the first Treasury Secretary, a loving husband and father, despised by his fellow Founding Fathers and shot to death byAaron Burr in their legendary duel.