An Artist in Treason: The Extraordinary Double Life of General James Wilkinson

by Andro Linklater

For almost two decades, through the War of 1812, James Wilkinson was the senior general in the United States Army. Amazingly, he was also Agent 13 in the Spanish secret service at a time when Spain's empire dominated North America. Wilkinson's audacious career as a double agent is all the more remarkable because it was an open secret, circulated regularly in newspapers and pamphlets. His saga illuminates just how fragile and vulnerable the young republic No fewer than our first four presidents turned a blind eye to his treachery and gambled that the mercurial general would never betray the army itself and use it too overthrow the nascent union-a faith that was ultimately rewarded.

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, American History, American Revolution, Biography Memoir, Espionage

400 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 29, 2009

Reviews

[Theo Logos · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Wilkinson is the most fascinating American historical figure you likely know nothing about. Americans nearly deify their heroes from the founding period (Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton), and even emphasize the infamy of their villains as larger than life (Benedict Arnold, Aaron Burr). But Wilkinson was a strange amalgamation of both these things. For that, as well as other issues, he has been largely forgotten despite the outsized role he played in the early history of America.

Wilkinson made his first marks on history during the Revolution. An aide to Nathanael Greene during the Siege of Boston, later personal aide to Benedict Arnold during the failed Canadian campaign, and finally personal aide to General Horatio Gates, Wilkinson was involved with some of the most significant men and events of the Revolution. After the Battle of Saratoga, Gates sent Wilkinson to officially inform the Continental Congress of the victory, and he used that opportunity to creatively embellish his own role in that victory, and was breveted a Brigadier General at the tender age of twenty. But through casual bragging at a dinner party he managed to entangle himself in the infamous Conway Cabal, which eventually resulted in his fighting a duel with General Gates and resigning from the army. By the age of twenty he had already established both his reputation for military competence and as a man of suspect character.

But it was Wilkinson’s career after the Revolution that is most fascinating. He moved to Kentucky, where he both failed as a businessman, and became a secret agent in the pay of the Spanish government. As part of what became known as the Spanish Conspiracy, Wilkinson attempted to influence Kentuckians to separate from the United States and join the Spanish Empire. Yet, despite being widely suspected of being an agent of Spain, he was once again made a brigadier general and made second in command to General Mad Anthony Wayne when Washington reorganized the army to fight the Northwest Indian War.

After the army’s victory at the Battle of Fallen Timbers which brought that war to an end, Wilkinson feuded with his commander, filing formal complaint against him with President Washington. Wayne, in turn, opened an investigation into the allegations that Wilkinson was an agent of Spain, and prepared to launch a court martial against him, but Wayne died suddenly, and instead of court martial, Wilkinson became the senior officer of America’s army. America’s top general was also the top secret agent for a competing foreign power.

But it was the Burr Conspiracy that brought Wilkinson to the apex of both glory and infamy. Originally collaborating with Burr, planning to use command of the army to help the conspiracy succeed, Wilkinson had a change of heart. Perhaps fearing that Burr could fail and that he himself would then be ruined, Wilkinson turned against him and informed President Jefferson of the conspiracy. After double crossing Burr (and thus saving his country) Wilkinson became entangled in the ugly and high profile trails of the former Vice President, and his act of subverting the conspiracy tarnished his reputation more than any of his actual intrigues with the Spanish power ever did.

In addition to these accomplishments, intrigues, double crosses and treasons, Wilkinson served as the first governor of the Louisiana Territory (during which time he tipped off the Spanish about the Lewis and Clark Expedition), was a United States Indian agent who negotiated several treaties with the Chickasaw and Choctaw, and was promoted to Major General during the War of 1812, where he gained control of the Mobile District of West Florida (the only territorial gains of the war), but his campaigns in Canada ended disastrously.

Wilkinson is, without a doubt, one of the most interesting figures in American history. His long career of service and treasons to his country, his uncanny ability to avoid being found guilty of his intrigues despite being widely suspected, the fact that the three first presidents all found it expedient to make use of his talents despite being aware of his reputation — all of this adds up to a fascinating story. It’s almost a crime that he is as forgotten as he is, but this excellent biography goes a long way toward amending that oversight. Highly recommended.

[Brian DiMattia · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book! Linklater sets out to tell the story of one of the greatest traitors in American history, and ends up telling the story of a young America. This may look like a biography, but it's also a populist, setting-the-record-straight history, a manual for civil servants dealing with the whims of politicians, a study of military/government relations, and a look at the psychology of the narcissistic personality. And it does all of these things well in only 320 some odd pages!

As this is the story of a betrayer, I started reading with a disgust towards Wilkinson. But as Linklater examined the world in which he operated, and considered not just the treason but the incompetence, arrogance, political dogma and dumb luck that marked the first few decades of United States history, I ended up stunned. Despite the fact that he was a paid agent, regularly betraying the US to Spain and vice versa, Wilkinson still managed to be a major benefit to his nation. I can't guarantee that you'll root for this anti-hero, but upon realizing how badly America would have fallen apart without him I ended up admiring him despite myself.

Linklater writes the book well. His research seems exhaustive, and his conclusions are well defended. The first adjective I attributed to the book when describing it to friends was "Prosecutorial." But as the book progresses it goes from a case against one corrupt man to a study of a corrupt time with people like Burr, Dearborn, Madison, Jefferson and Armstrong all taking their turn at unbelieveable behaviours.

The question I'm left with is: "How have we forgotten this historical figure?" I've been checking the index pages of every early American history I've seen recently, and found only one mention of Wilkinson. How have we let ourselves as a nation forget this man and the lessons of his life and career?!? For me, this book will always represent a new chapter in the American history I thought I was well informed about.

[Steven Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had read small snippets here and there about General James Wilkinson. That he was in the pay of the Spanish. That he was in cahoots with Aaron Burr. But never anything in great detail. Thus, I was most intrigued when this book came out. At last, a chance to get to learn about the General in some detail.

James Wilkinson was born into a family with aristocratic pretensions. However, things did not work out so well--and his father ended up dying when James was quite young. At a young age, he began a profession as a doctor. However, with the British opening hostilities in Massachusetts, he joined the army and rapidly moved into the officers' rank, becoming a brevet Brigadier General at the age of twenty. He had some successes in the Revolutionary War as an officer and was involved in a number of battles. Here, he began to display his fastening on a father figure, only to turn on that person when disappointed (in this case, General Horatio Gates).

Wilkinson was rather cold to others--but one exception was his first wife, Ann Biddle, whom he married in 1778. After the war, he moved west to make his fortune. However, he enjoyed a high living style with his wife and was perpetually in debt. He tried to make money through land in Kentucky. He suffered from bad breaks over time. He reentered the military, and through a variety of breaks ended up being the senior military officer in the army (after the death of "Mad" Anthony Wayne). Too, he began to supply the Spanish with information and even plotted (apparently) to create favorable political situations for Spain--in return for a ready supply of Spanish money. Thus, he became, if you will, a double agent. He was the top American general--and in the employ of Spain. At one point, he alerted Spain to the Lewis and Clark expedition--and a Spanish force actually followed up by trying to find and destroy the expedition, based on Wilkinson's report.

In the end, though, he was caught up in the Burr conspiracy and had to make a choice. He chose to be loyal to the United States and ratted out Burr. This, itself, led to great difficulties for him, as Burr in his trial certainly raised the issue of Wilkinson's involvement.

Nonetheless, Wilkinson continued, although he faced more and more scrutiny and suspicion from the Madison Administration. After a military success in Florida, he lost his way with the government in his efforts to lead a portion of the American forces in combat in Canada. The sad denouement to his life is depicted (after the death of his first wife, he married a much younger woman and appears to have experienced a second happy marriage).

A well done work on someone who played both sides of the street, engaged in obviously improper behavior (to put it mildly), and served as the top officer in the American military. What a story!

[Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Call General James Wilkinson the original Number 9. Not as in the strange coda to the Beatles record from 1968, rather he was secret agent Number 9 in the pay of the Spanish government. And no, this is not a spoiler because it is a central weirdness in a life of extremes. General Wilkinson was an odd mixture of vainglory, extravagance, self-interest, military skills, charm and bluff. Presidents who distrusted him, found they could neither disgrace him nor operate the army without him. He would in several critical situations deliver military victory or insure the loyalty of a then distrusted professional Army.

The bald facts of history, especially when addressing one of the less famous figures of his time are rarely as convoluted as this biography. To his credit Andro Linklater author of An Artist in Treason manages to credit this general , where credit is due and to fault him on his many failings. It is rare for an autobiographer to avoid becoming smitten by his subject, but Linklater allows us to form our own judgments. Given his subjects petty and great failings, as well as his important services my regular reaction was: How can this General become stranger?

Rather than repeat here the various way General Wilkinson would manage to be a disloyal, treasonous back stabbing spy and a loyal important leader in the founding years of America, I shall mention a few highlights from early in the book with the promise that there are more:
Alternately taking up and extravagantly praising then working to ruin several of his revolutionary war commanding officers, even as his leadership and organizational skill garner him rapid promotions under the same officers

Engaging in a plot to deliver what is now Kentucky to the Spanish government then controlling commercial traffic on the Mississippi. In doing this he helped to open the Mississippi to commercial traffic, ultimately promoting his own economic ruin.

Along the way he would have a role in the Burr Conspiracy but in such a convoluted manner that even a close read of this section leaves the degree of his complicity uncertain.

General Wilkinson has receded into the background of America's post-colonial history. This is likely a good place for him. His story reads much like a novel. Linklater's biography is well research. His delivery is scholarly, but the facts of his subject insure a regular supply of plot twists. A worthy read for those seeking aspects of history rarely spotlighted.

For the record, my copy is a remaindered hard back edition found in the store where the price of everything is $1.00. As of this posting, Amazon is reporting problems with the formatting of the Kindle edition and has no new, from the publishers print editions. General Wilkinson is a small market topic and somehow all of this seems like a case of: "Serves him right".

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

General James Wilkinson, a largely forgotten today Army officer, is a maddening character. For several decades, he gained the trust of President's from Washington through Monroe, at times as the senior officer in the US Army. When well motivated, he could be a tremendous organizer of men and materials, for that was what the early army needed the most in the first years of the Republic.

As a reliable character, he was perhaps one of the worst men ever to have worn the uniform of the the US armed forces. There was next to nothing, in regards to state secrets, or even national territory, that he would not sell, simply for his own financial aggrandizement.

The author does a fine job of showing that General Wilkinson planned his poorly executed treasons largely through pure greed and slights to his pride. The General had won the trust of all the leaders of his time, and did have opportunity for wealth in the growing nation, but his own character flaws prevented him from taking advantage of much of anything good in his life, even to the abandonment of his own family. This is a sad story, that ends in early republic Mexico.

The narrative of this story is a bit plodding though, and at times things which should not be gone over in much detail, are told in tedious detail. The maps are not helpful at all, and considering that much of this story takes places in obscure places along the old western US frontier, good maps would have been helpful.

Still, as a character study of personal failings, this is useful. As an investigation into the haphazard way that the early republic organized the Army, this works sheds some useful light, and is recommended.

[Ian Racey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating and engaging, about a Founding Father who really should be better known, a secessionist and a traitor closely entwined with Benedict Arnold, the Battle of Saratoga, the founding both of Kentucky and the US Army, Thomas Jefferson and the Louisiana Purchase. And had a really thought-provoking thesis about the traitor Wilkinson's pivotal contribution to the cementing of civilian control of the American military and of the supremacy of the Federal Union.

I'd be giving in five stars were it not for two factual errors that, while small parts of the book itself, throw big questions on a historian's understanding of the Federalist period. The first (for which blame lies with the mapmaker rather than the author) was wildly misplacing St. Louis on a map of the Louisiana Purchase, putting it opposite Kentucky, some distance south of the mouth of the Ohio. The second is definitely the author's: describing Aaron Burr, an individual of critical importance to Wilkinson's life, as the Federalist presidential candidate in 1800, rather than the Democratic-Republican vice presidential candidate. Burr is one of only two men (FDR is the other) to end up having the Constitution amended so that no one could ever again do what he did, and not understanding what happened in 1800 really throws a historian's authority on the topic and make me wonder what other errors slipped by me.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Wilkinson played roles in the American Revolution, the settling of the frontier to the Mississippi River, the battles with the Native Americans in Ohio and Indiana, the Aaron Burr conspiracy, the War of 1812, and relations with Spain and Mexico. He commanded the U.S. Army for Adams, Jefferson, and Madison. What's remarkable is that many suspected that Wilkinson was a secret agent for the Spanish -- and he was -- "Agent 13". Yet Presidents Washington through Madison supported him. What's also remarkable is that Wilkinson went from one patron and friend to another, betraying almost every one to satisfy his ambition and hide his treason. Wilkinson's decision to betray Aaron Burr was a key event in American history. This is a very entertaining story. It's a good companion to the story of his contemporary, William Eaton, told in Richard Zacks' "The Pirate Coast".

[David Monroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was sent this book to blog, which I will very soon. I was excited to read it. I did my Thesis on the great American douche, General James Wilkinson. My thesis focused on his machinations to an attempt Kentucky's secession. He was on the payroll of Spain while simultaneously holding the position of Gen'l of the Armies, the same position Washington held. From the Burr conspiracy to piracy in Louisiana to fermenting small rebellions to attempting to create an empire in Mexico that would rival America; like a bizarro Forrest Gump of Zelig, Wilkinson wandered and plotted his way through every major early US scandal. Thus, a very interesting douche.

[Rex Hurst · Rating 4 out of 5]

Name one Revolutionary War hero who essentially betrayed everything for money who's name wasn't Benedict Arnold? Can't, can you? And why not? I have no idea. It wasn't until recently I came across the name James Wilkinson, General of the United States Army under the first four Presidents, and Agent 13 under pay to the Spanish Crown.

It's an interesting look at another side of American history. The same events occur, but the country looks so much more fragile than before. Wilkinson was a pompous, hystronic, arrogant man, but he knew his business. He first became a paid agent for the Spanish government in order to convince various peoples of Kentucky and various other territories to join allegiance to Spain, who still had sizeable holdings in North America at that time.

The gambit failed and Wilkinson spent the rest of his life defending himself - successfully that is. He went up against three official court-martials and six inquiries, always getting away with it. The Presidents put up with him, because he knew how to handle an army and was, usually, victorious. The press eventually branded him a criminal and he published two books to defend himself - the cost of which are most of his savings.

Essentially this is a profile of an arrogant, but capable man, who lived well above his means, who believed in very little beyond his own glorification. A fascinating look at how fragile our country was at it's beginnings and easily it could have gone another way.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite having read several books on Revolutionary War figures, and a few general US histories, I was completely unaware of Wilkinson, the second commander-in-chief of United States armed forces (and the last before the President was given that power), and a paid spy for the Spanish colonies bordering the United States during the first years of our Republic. An interesting figure, he - constantly in debt, a brilliant military strategist, a devoted husband, a frequent subject of trials which failed to prove what he actually did. It's interesting how little we remember of Spain's ruling over the Louisiana territory which includes my home town of St. Louis. It didn't last very long, but they were there at a time when the United States territory on their border was in some ways up for grabs. Wilkinson tried to get Kentucky to leave the U.S. and join Spain. He was also involved in Aaron Burr's Quixotic conspiracy to do something similar when the man who killed Hamilton wanted to become emperor of a western U.S./Texas/Mexico. Of course, Wilkinson had no problem betraying that betrayer who actually had little chance of actually succeeding. A fascinating read on a fascinating person and his times.

[Martin Lowery · Rating 3 out of 5]

An Artist in Treason was an interesting biography of one of the earliest generals, who, as the author claims, was also a Spanish informant.

The story at times dragged, especially where the author wanted to inundate his own personal ideas about what was going on independent of primary sources.

My biggest issue came towards the end, where General James Wilkinson was court martialed 3 times for being a Spanish agent and found innocent every time. Upon looking back, there never appears a clear reason why author Linklater connects General Wilkinson to this mysterious "agent 13" who is spoken about so much in 19th century Spanish colonial records.

The author does address encounters Spanish colonial officers had with Wilkinson, and does also utilize the documents used in Wilkinsons prosecution, he never fully shows that the two are one in the same.

I'm sure there are American military historians who would disagree with the premise of the biography.

[Donna Herrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having heard that Wilkinson was involved with Burr in the conspiracy to form a new country on the western edge of the early United States I have been eager to understand how this mysterious character worked. This book tells the story of General James Wilkinson's nefarious machinations with entertainingly, thoroughly, and factually - with documentation.

Wilkinson was largely uneducated, but he seemed to have a gift for military organization and leadership based largely upon pompous self-confidence. He lived his life on the edge, balancing is money-grubbing chicanery with actually serving the nation as a leader of the Army. It is nice to have a second example of an American public servant who was as venal, self-serving and treacherous as Donald Trump appears to me. But Wilkinson redeemed himself many times by giving really good military advice to Presidents, and by thwarting the Burr conspiracy when that conspiracy came to fruition.

[Christopher Lutz · Rating 4 out of 5]

On one hand I find myself despising James Wilkinson more than I did before, but on the other hand I can’t help but admire his skill at navigating the political landscape of the early years of the United States. I primarily knew Wilkinson from his rivalry with Anthony Wayne in the 1790’s and the rumors that he may have tried to have his rival murdered (an event that is never mentioned in the book surprisingly). I had no idea of his connections to other duplicitous events such as the Conway Cabal and the Burr Conspiracy and just how instrumental he was in shaping their outcomes. All in all I believe that Wilkinson deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Benedict Arnold as the most infamous traitor in American history. The truly astounding thing is just how deft he was at getting away with it.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting read about a largely forgotten figure from America's Revolutionary and Post-Revolutionary Periods. His name is not often mentioned with the other founders, but his story of living a double (or even triple) life is definitely worth the read. Also kudos to the author for pouring through hidden letters that spanned the Atlantic and were often written in cypher, and hidden away in museums and old trunks.

[Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent study of a truly compelling and complex character from American history. It is hard to comprehend how such a person could become the commanding general of the US Army, but Linklater successfully places Wilkinson in the context of his times, when American nationalism was an idea in its early development and where fear of the army interfering in politics led four presidents to give Wilkinson more trust than he deserved.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Linklater effectively lays out the always entertaining life of General Wilkinson, despite the many gaps in documentation caused by the General's secret lives. Some aspects of his life are brushed over (his ownership of slaves isn't mentioned until the last chapter and never discussed in detail) but the political intrigue and military career are very clearly and completely conveyed.

[Mehul Sheth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The value of having friends in high places. Wilkinson was able to provide value to the first three US presidents. In turn they refused to believe what today is so clear-his treason. Underlying this is the flexible commitment he shifted as needed between rising superiors. His story shows that you can succeed externally, but will always have to justify your double dealing internally.

[James Howard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bogs down in the middle.

Loses dramatic velocity in a legalistic depiction of events. Short on contemporary history of Spanish colonial situation in parts of North America now in the United States.

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book flows easily, yet I grew tired of it by the end. Also it’s difficult to say when facts end and speculation begins. It did provide information about Wilkinson and the situation early in the country’s history that I did not know, and I do not regret reading it.

[Sean Chick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very readable and fair account of America's most infamous and unsuccessful turncoat. It is a complicated story since Wilkinson did a lot of good but also quite a bit of bad in his long and colorful career. My favorite part was the discussion of his service during the Revolution.

[John Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent biography of a key figure in the early days of the U.S. The story of Wilkinson's career as head of the U.S. Army and Agent 13 to Spain is better than fiction. A must read for anyone interested in the period between the American Revolution and the War of 1812.

[Nick Crisanti · Rating 3 out of 5]

General James Wilkinson led a very interesting and eventful life, but this book just wasn't written very well. This could have been great had it been in the hands of say, David McCullough - the story was there, the plot, the intrigue. I applaud the attempt, but I'm disappointed in the execution.

[Bill Sleeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-researched and an engaging history of a familiar name from America's Founding Era. I have seen Wilkinson's name in many a history and in documentary record but this was the first time I had read in any detail about his double life.

[Craig McGraw · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but at times the author gives too many details about this "Unfounding" Father of the USA

[Tom Griffiths · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a fascinating exploration of treason in early America. it reminds me of the differentvabalysis that hindsight creates.

[Jerome Otte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meet James Wilkinson, whose colorful and eventful life spans from Benedict Arnold’s invasion of Canada during the Revolution to the Aaron Burr conspiracy to the War of 1812. Along the way, he betrays everyone who strays into his path.

Linklater crafts an elegant portrait of man active at what he did best: commit treason. Wilkinson was fully capable of disloyalty on a personal level. Many a business partner found himself stiffed and Wilkinson's ability to shift his loyalty successfully from one military superior to another as career advancement seemed to require was awe inspiring. Among other things his charm, personality and ability to flatter were powerful. So far as his military career went, moreover, Wilkinson was good with troops, a strong disciplinarian, brave and effective in combat and a good leader. Over the course of his career he convinced every president from Washington through Madison (and even to some extent Monroe) that it was in their political interest to ignore, at least publicly, his questionable activities (of which they had ample evidence). Throughout his colorful career, Wilkinson found himself the subject of three court-martials and four congressional investigations, and was never found guilty.

I had first read of Wilkinson in connection with the Aaron Burr conspiracy, during which was part of Aaron Burr’s plot to establish his own empire in the Louisiana territory. At the same time, he was a spy for the Spanish (“Agent 13”), making him essentially a triple agent. As I began to read books on the War of 1812, Wilkinson popped up again, as did his underhanded reputation.

As the story progresses, Wilkinson is supremely, even hilariously unlikeable. The book is well-written and although Wilkinson looks pretty villanous, in a sense it was the fragility of the early union (as demonstrated by a constant secessionist threat) that allows Wilkinson's treacherous machinations with Spain to exist in the first place. The wretched treatment of the army as a source of political patronage make some of the divisive politics of our day seem overblown by comparison. His ability to remain in the military throughout from the administrations of Washington to Monroe, all extremely able and intelligent men, is a testament to Wilkinson’s political skill in making himself the indispensable man in the military no matter who was in office. As an aside, every president he served (if “served” is the right term to use) actually was aware of most of Wilkinson’s activities, but had various reasons for keeping them under wraps. Wilkinson’s Spanish handlers jealously guarded the intelligence that Wilkinson provided, while treating his real name with a carelessness bordering on negligence.

Wilkinson’s life is colorful, fascinating, and could have lead, had the general been successful in his endeavors, to a radically different country than the US later developed into. His allegiance was constantly shifting, based on who could provide him the most money, power, and ego-stoking. Wilkinson would repeatedly befriend someone of power and then betray that person in an instant when another could help him more. Despite allegations of treason, he served under the first four presidents, who gave him power to shape the nation. He undoubtedly had military abilities, but they were often used unwisely in times of war, and, of course, against his own country in times of peace

In all, a thorough and enjoyable biography.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have never heard of James Wilkinson, and you probably have not, I recommend you read An Artist in Treason: The Extraordinary Life of General James Wilkinson by Andro Linklater. He is probably the most interesting figure from the revolutionary era that no one has ever heard of.[return][return]James Wilkinson served in the Continental Army during the early part of the Revolutionary War before being forced to resign. In 1783, he moved to Kentucky where he advocated Kentucky’s separation from Virginia and established trade relationships with the Spanish in New Orleans. In 1791, he returned to federal military service and was promoted to brigadier general and fought in the Battle of Fallen Timbers. He became the senior officer of the United States Army in 1796 until 1798 when George Washington replaced him. In 1800, he again became the senior officer in the Army, a position he maintained until 1812. Throughout his career he faced three Court Martials and four congressional investigations, it was said that, “He had never won a battle but never lost an inquiry” (312).[return][return]Throughout his career, Wilkinson was accused of being in the pay of the Spanish and working against the interests of the United States. At the time, many people believed he was involved in the Burr Conspiracy to seize the western portion of the country and parts of Mexico, but he betrayed Burr by revealing his plot to Jefferson and denying all involvement in the conspiracy.[return][return]At the time of his death in 1825, he was considered a distinguished soldier. History would have remembered him as a somewhat minor member of the founding generation. Or it least that is how he would have been remembered. In 1888, 200,000 documents from the Spanish American empire were sent from Havana to Madrid and historians began to go through them in the early part of the 20th century. Amongst these documents, historians found confirmation of the old allegations. Wilkinson, or as he was known to the Spanish, Agent 13 had been on the Spanish payroll. Amongst the documents were hundreds of letters, reports, and assessments exchanged between Wilkinson and his handlers in New Orleans, their supervisors in Havana, and Imperial officials in Madrid.[return][return]General Wilkinson not only passed on his country’s strategic secrets, he sought to detach Kentucky from the Union and ally it with Spain, and wrote detailed plans advising the Spanish authorities on the best way to prevent American expansion beyond the Mississippi river. He alerted Spanish authorities to the expedition mounted by Lewis and Clark to explore the American west. Spanish cavalry patrols were dispatched to intercept the expedition but were unable to locate it. [return][return]Mr. Linklater has written a compelling book about an interesting character and has made good use of the many sources available. Highly recommended to anyone with an interest in early American history, the early U.S. Army, or a good story. [return][return]I received this book as an ARC from Walker Books.

[Oldroses · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andro Linklater has written a fabulous book. It is incredibly detailed. It took me more than a month to read because I could only digest it in small chunks. Thirty or forty pages a day were all that I could take in before having to put it down. Yet, at no time did I feel that I was slogging through it, pushing myself to just finish the darn book. It was truly a joy to read.

BUT

It’s a big “but”. My problem with this book is the misleading marketing. The book is heavily marketed as the story of a colossal traitor who somehow fooled everyone including the military and four presidents. What an exciting story! I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it.

But that’s not this story. This is the story of a Southern gentleman who was raised to be very courtly, very conscious of his place in society, to run a plantation and live a very wealthy life. However, his meager inheritance was not enough to support his lifestyle. He was fortunate that the American Revolution occurred right after his graduation from medical school. He had a knack for the military life. But once the war was over, he was forced to engage in business, something at which he was an enormous failure.

The rest of his life was a story of continuous debt. He was always having fallings out with business partners after borrowing monies that he couldn’t repay. His off and on military career couldn’t support his lifestyle that grew more and more lavish.

He agreed to spy for Spain as just another source of income. As Mr. Linklater makes abundantly clear, General Wilkinson never intended to destroy America. When his back was finally against the wall during the Burr Conspiracy and he had to make a decision, America or Spain, he chose America. Most importantly, everyone knew that he was taking money from the Spanish. Everyone. Including the military and the four presidents for whom he worked.

The men who founded this country were not fools. They would never have knowingly employed anyone who was seeking the destruction of America. They knew that Wilkinson was brilliant militarily but couldn’t handle his personal finances well. So they continued to employ his services which were acutely needed by the young country and overlooked the thinly veiled payoffs from Spain.

Once I got over the hype surrounding this story, I genuinely enjoyed this book. General James Wilkinson was an important figure in American history. He seemed to go everywhere and to know everyone. He was also quite a character, even a scoundrel in some cases. He gleefully smeared the reputation of anyone he viewed as a threat, he regularly betrayed his superiors and friends but at the same time was a loving and attentive husband.

Mr. Linklater has done an excellent job of bringing to life a colorful figure from our past who played an important role in the founding of our country.

[J.S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone knows the infamous traitor Benedict Arnold. Some may even know of Benjamin Church's spying for the British during the siege of Boston in the early part of the Revolution. Other's might even know of Aaron Burr's conspiracy (after his duel with Alexander Hamilton destroyed his political career) to create his own western empire. But few know of General James Wilkinson, who may have caused more trouble than all of them.

Wilkinson was one of Washington's generals and intimately involved in Burgoyne's surrender at Saratoga, an early American victory. But he was also involved in the so-called Conway Cabal, being the member who drunkenly let slip some inside information exposing it, seemingly ending his military ambitions. He married and moved to Kentucky, where he struggled in business and became a spy for Spain, known as Agent 13. As he was put in charge of the Kentucky militia, he promised to separate the territory from the United States and join with Spain, but events went a different direction and separatist ambitions among the settlers cooled. He even betrayed the Lewis & Clark expedition to Spain, although Spain failed to catch them. But his real talents were always military, and as he rose in the ranks of a post-Revolution American military he found other opportunities to make money and extend his influence. Possessed of ample charm and an uncanny sense of foresight, he was always one step ahead of his suspicious accusers. Eventually, he became the supreme commander of the army and involved in Burr's conspiracy before shrewdly exposing it.

Wilkinson is a strange character indeed. It seems he was only ever loyal to himself (and his beloved wife), but was always willing to use his position for personal gain. He cuts a sympathetic figure as the struggling Kentucky business man, but his double-dealing throughout his life was despicable. Nevertheless, Linklater produces a stunning biography of the man who was responsible for so much during the dangerous and formative years of the nation (even keeping the army loyal to a civilian gov't). He also explains how Wilkinson was able to continue his double-dealing through 3 presidents (Washington, Adams, and Jefferson), and the strange relationship he developed with Jefferson was truly interesting. I can't quite put my finger on why, but at times the language feels a bit confusing and I frequently had to reread passages from the book (there was never anything wrong with them, but...?). Linklater never vilifies Wilkinson, but presents the history in a very straightforward way, with only occasional judgment, and it constantly sent me digging to other books I've read (McCullough, Ferling, Langguth, Ellis, Ambrose) to compare accounts. A great read for those looking for the deeper story.

[Keith Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What if the top-ranking general of the United States Army was actually a traitor in the employ of our country's greatest enemy? Well, from 1797 through 1812, he was! Documents found in Havana after the Spanish-American War prove that James Wilkinson, commanding general of the U.S. Army during those turbulent years when America was expanding westward into Spanish territory, was in fact a paid agent of the Spanish Crown, and his story is well-documented and engagingly told in Andro Linklater's "An Artist in Treason".

Wilkinson is one of the most fascinating characters in American history. He was the subject of my Master's Thesis and at one time I planned on writing a biography of Wilkinson myself. Unfortunately, the man was so good at covering his tracks that it is difficult to come up with any hard evidence about many of his nefarious activities, and one can only speculate about all the fascinating things Wilkinson MIGHT have done--such as his role in the capture of Washington's second-in-command, General Charles Lee, during the Revolution, and the death of Meriwether Lewis in 1809. (I eventually opted for an approach where speculation would not be a liability but an asset, and wrote a semi-satirical novel supposedly culled from Wilkinson's secret memoirs). [SCOUNDREL! http://www.scoundrel1776.com/] Mr. Linklater wisely avoids the pitfalls inherent in such speculation when writing a scholarly biography, and he concentrates on the things Wilkinson was known to have done. His research, I can say with some authority, is impeccable, and his writing style is accessible to the casual reader as well as the professional historian. I differ with him on a few points--he thinks Wilkinson was sincere in his efforts on behalf of the Spanish (at least at first), while I believe Wilkinson was simply playing them for suckers, selling them useless information at the same time that he and Burr were conspiring to seize Mexico and set themselves up as kings--but after reading Mr. Linklater's arguments, I'm not so sure that he isn't right and I'm wrong.

If you have any interest in our nation's early history, you should really enjoy this book. It explores a number of issues and events that are rarely covered in other histories of the period, and I suspect will be a real eye-opener even to some historians of the era. If Mr. Linklater has not written the definitive biography of this fascinating figure, it is only because so much about Wilkinson remains unknown that a definitive biography can never be written. Scoundrel