James Wilkinson

James Wilkinson (March 24, 1757 – December 28, 1825) was an American soldier, politician, and double agent who was connected with several scandals and controversies.^[1]

James Wilkinson
6th and 9th Senior Officer of the United States Army
In office June 15, 1800 – January 27, 1812
President	John Adams Thomas Jefferson James Madison
Preceded by	Alexander Hamilton
Succeeded by	Henry Dearborn
In office December 15, 1796 – July 13, 1798
President	George Washington John Adams
Preceded by	Anthony Wayne
Succeeded by	George Washington
1st Governor of Louisiana Territory
In office 1805–1807
President	Thomas Jefferson
Preceded by	William Henry Harrison (as Governor of the District of Louisiana)
Succeeded by	Meriwether Lewis
United States Envoy to Mexico
In office 1816–1825
President	James Madison James Monroe John Quincy Adams
Preceded by	John H. Robinson
Succeeded by	Joel Roberts Poinsett
Personal details
Born	March 24, 1757 (1757-03-24) Charles County, Province of Maryland
Died	December 28, 1825 (1825-12-29) (aged 68) Mexico City, Mexican Republic
Resting place	Iglesia de San Miguel Arcangel, Mexico City, Mexico
Political party	Democratic-Republican[2]
Spouse(s)	Ann Biddle Wilkinson ​ ​ (m. 1778; died 1807)​ Celestine Laveau Trudeau ​ ​ (m. 1810)​
Children	6
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	United States of America Spain
Branch/service	Continental Army United States Army
Battles/wars	American Revolutionary War War of 1812

He served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, but he was forced twice to quit. He was twice the Senior Officer of the U.S. Army, selected to be the first Governor of the Louisiana Territory in 1805,^[3] and commanded two unsuccessful campaigns in the St. Lawrence River theater during the War of 1812. He died while posted as a peacekeeper in Mexico City.

In 1854, following long archival research in the Spanish archives in Madrid, Louisiana historian Charles Gayarré exposed Wilkinson as having been a highly paid spy in the service of the Spanish Empire.^[4] In the years since Gayarré's research became public, Wilkinson has been terribly strongly criticized by American historians and politicians. According to President Theodore Roosevelt, "In all our history, there is no more despicable character."^[5] However, he has been defended, especially in breaking up the Burr conspiracy.^[6]

1. ↑ Linklater, Andro (2009). An Artist in Treason: The Extraordinary Double Life of General James Wilkinson. Walker Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-8027-1720-7.
2. ↑ Montgomery, M.R. (2000). Jefferson and the Gun-Men: How the West Was Almost Lost. New York, NY: Random House. p. 284. ISBN 978-0-609-80710-1.
3. ↑ Bell, William Gardner (2005). "James Wilkinson". Commanding Generals and Chiefs of Staff: Portraits and Biographical Sketchs. United States Army Center of Military History. pp. 64–65. Archived from the original on 2021-04-10. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
4. ↑ "The Man Who Double-Crossed The Founders". Morning Edition. NPR. Retrieved 2017-04-04.
5. ↑ Stewart, David O. (2011). American Emperor. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster. p. 299. ISBN 978-1-4391-5718-3.
6. ↑ John Thornton Posey, "Rascality Revisited: In Defense of General James Wilkinson." Filson Club Historical Quarterly 74 (2000): 309-52.