born 1757, Calvert county, Md.
died Dec. 28, 1825, Mexico City, Mex.
American army officer and double agent.
He served in the American Revolution under Horatio Gates and was involved in the Thomas Conway cabal. He settled in Kentucky in 1784 and schemed to ally the Kentucky region with Spain, though he was in fact working against Spain. He served as governor of part of the Louisiana territory (1805–06). He allegedly planned to conquer the Mexican provinces of Spain and conspired with Aaron Burr to establish an independent government; when he betrayed Burr's plan, he was investigated but cleared. In the War of 1812 he commanded U.S. forces on the Canadian border, but his campaign against Montreal failed.
James Wilkinson, portrait by J.W. Jarvis; in the Filson Club Collection, Louisville, Ky.
By courtesy of the Filson Club, Louisville, Ky.