Taking theatre audiences on a journey centered on the nation's first Secretary of Treasury, Hamilton follows its titular hero as he begins formative relationships with several influential figures, including spy Hercules Mulligan, the anti-slavery John Laurens, and the French revolutionary Marquis de Lafayette. While the musical depicts the first meeting between Alexander Hamilton and this crew as happening all at once at a New York City pub in 1776, some Hamilton viewers might be surprised to learn no such meeting actually occurred.
When adapting Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda took a few creative liberties in order to create a tighter narrative, honoring the spirit of actual events while deviating from actual history. Hamilton displays a snapshots from Alexander Hamilton's life in a more interesting and compelling way - with help from a spirited assortment of characters. Perhaps no characters are more influential in Hamilton's early life than the rowdy comrades introduced in the play's opening minutes. Here'a how Hamilton really met Mulligan, Laurens, and Lafayette.
Hercules Mulligan
In real life, Alexander met tailor's apprentice-turned-spy Hercules Mulligan (Okieriete Onaodowan) soon after his arrival in 1773, three years before the musical's depiction of the introduction. There was a fairly large age difference between the two men; Mulligan was 33 with Hamilton only 19. The friendship began after being introduced by Mulligan's older brother Hugh and the two revolutionaries hit it off almost immediately. Despite being engaged at the time (and marrying shortly thereafter), Mulligan allowed Hamilton to move in with him while he studied at King's College in New York City. Ironically, no historical evidence exists confirming Mulligan ever even met Laurens or Lafayette.
John Laurens
The abolitionist John Laurens (Anthony Ramos) is established as one of Hamilton's most intimate friends, and indeed, according to history, both men were very close and confided in each other often. The specifics of their first meeting are largely unknown, it likely occurred in August of 1777 in Germantown, PA, as that's when both men started their military service under General George Washington, with whom they also forged a strong, impactful bond. Unlike Mulligan, Laurens interacted with Lafayette on multiple occasions during the war, but for that initial introduction, Lafayette was certainly absent.
Marquis de Lafayette
A tactically brilliant French revolutionary, Marquis de Lafayette (Daveed Diggs) could not possibly have met Hamilton in 1776, chiefly because he did not leave his home-country until the following year in April 1777. Joining the war effort and George Washington's employ shortly after Hamilton, the eventual friends likely met sometime that summer, although no concrete evidence outlines the specifics of that initial meeting, either. Lafayette, who had already established somewhat of a name for himself in France, was certainly drawn to Hamilton, who was a fellow orphan noted for his fluency with the French language.
The wild popularity of Hamilton has been widely covered and its reach extends far, especially considering just how many historical figures from the piece - previously forgotten - are now household names. With the addition of so many important figures, the show creators necessarily alter facts to streamline the story and allow for a more compelling version of events. Despite the real-life histories surrounding Hamilton and his interactions with Mulligan, Laurens, and Lafayette, Miranda and company plays up these friendships, effectively softening the audience to the show's supporting players and the Ten Dollar Founding Father, himself.