Random late night thoughts:
"We almost died in the trench, while you were off getting high with the French."
With the type of character I've made Jefferson, adding in bits and pieces of historical accuracy to him, such as his anxiety disorder and the way that alone has shaped him into a character, I think he'd honestly be traumatized if he saw even a fraction of that war. Just because he's teetering off the edge constantly waiting for his next fall. If he saw a fraction of what Ham saw in the war, he'd be scared forever if he lived. Therefor... could Jefferson have even physically taken place in the war? Did Ham unintentionally hit a soft spot there?