Zachary Taylor's Early Career

Source

Colonel Taylor destined his son William for the Army, while Zachary was to be a farmer. The former died soon after entering the service and Zachary, earnestly desiring a military career, received from President Jefferson a commission as first lieutenant in the Seventh Infantry. This commission was dated May 3, 1808, a few months before Zachary Taylor s relative, James Madison, was elected president of the United States.

The young officer reported to General Wilkinson at New Orleans, but was soon stricken with yellow fever and forced to return home to be nursed back to health. His marriage occurred about a year later and on November 30, 1810, he was promoted and became a captain. In 1811 his regiment, the Seventh, marched northward with the Fourth Infantry to serve under General Harrison, then governor of the Northwest territory, who was endeavoring to subdue the Indians.

The battle of Tippecanoe was fought November 7, 1811. The second war with Great Britain began in less than a year the act declaring war was dated June 18, 1812 and in September the young captain had his first real baptism of fire. In command of a single company of the Seventh, he was defending Fort Harrison when, on September 10, 1812, it was attacked by the Indians, who greatly outnumbered the little garrison, and there he displayed such bravery, skill, and resourcefulness in defense that he was warmly praised by his superior officers and was brevetted major by the President.

His service against the Indians of the North west continued until the close of the war, and on May 15, 1814, he received the full rank of major and was assigned to the Twenty-sixth Infantry. He then led
an expedition against the Indians and their British allies on Rock river and further distinguished himself. [Source]

Letter To Wilkinson

Archives Online At Indiana University, specifically War of 1812....with an example:

Excerpt Of Letter Described Below

1798 Apr. 6
McHenry, James, 1753-1816
Autographed letter draft 1 p. 26 cm.
View item(s)
War Department. To James Wilkinson. Deals with recruiting in Kentucky.
Purchased. Source unknown. 1944-1945
McHenry, James, 1753-1816, United States Secretary of War
Recruiting and enlistment
Wilkinson, James, 1757-1825, General

Delord House's Roll Of Carpet

Source

The Kent Delord House  was the British Headquarters during Murray's Raid.


Contents of the letter (referenced above):

George Davenport And Lundy's Lane

Source

George Davenport, who started his career aboard a British merchant ship, was injured during a shipwreck and left behind in America.  [He was] out of money and a stranger among strangers in a strange land. He had some friends at Carlyle, Penn., whither he went and soon attracted the attention of Gen. Wilkinson of the U.S. army who...offered him the position and pay of Sergeant in the regular army, which he accepted... .

The war of 1812-14 found Sgt. Davenport wearing the epaulets of a colonel in the regular army and July 25, 1814, he did gallant service at the terrible battle of the Niagara or Lundy's Lane. His regiment reached the battlefield from a distant point just in time to join Gen. Scott in his charge against the left wing of the British army, which turned the scale of battle and saved the day; but Gen. Scott was seriously wounded and Col. Davenport personally superintended the carrying of the hero of Lundy's Lane from the field.

Flotilla's Order Of Movement

Source - Page 138

General Wilkinson's Last Call Of Duty

Portrait At The NPS Site

 With these movements [at the Battle of Lacolle Mills on March 30, 1814] Wilkinson disappears from the scene of active life. On March 24 orders were received relieving him from duty under the form of granting his request for a court of inquiry and he made over the army to General George Izard and departed.

Once more he passed the ordeal of investigation which in reality was a sham once more he was acquitted but he never again was permitted to assume his command in the army and passed the closing years of his life in Mexico. Source

Pre-War Deaths At Fort Adams

Source

From the American state papers: ...(investigation as to why so many soldiers were dying at Fort Adams):

Previous to the embarkation, 3 companies, of the 6th infantry, under the command of Major Pike, were ordered to the garrison of Orleans, and between the 1st and 12th of September, the army embarked, and, making some delay nearly opposite the city, owing, I think, very probably, to a defect in one of the artillery boats, proceeded, on the 23d, up the river, under the command of Major Backus, of the light dragoons.  I had been taken sick...followed the army...the General being ill in Orleans.

...two hospitals were established, one at Point Coupee, and one at Fort Adams, where the weakest of the men were left.... .

A description of Fort Adams and the Natchez, Mississippi, area, from Cuming's Tour To The Western Country (1807-1809):

Source

General Wilkinson's Camp

Source

The camp was mentioned in David Kilbourn's petition:

"General Wilkinson,.....engaged to examine, secretly, the British posts in Canada, to procure accurate information of their numbers and position, and to communicate the result to the American commander; that he [David Kilbourn] executed this commission to the entire satisfaction of General Wilkinson...".

"...that the enemy, having been informed of the petitioner's employment and acts, apprehended him, confined him in prison, treated him harshly, and proposed putting him to death, when he made his escape [twice]."

"...after his escape, he repaired to General Wilkinson's camp at the French Mills, who renewed to him his former promises, furnished him with money to defray his expenses to Sackett's Harbour, and recommended him to the Quartermaster at that port...".

Colonel Proctor's Brilliant Successes

Colonel [Henry] Proctor, whom he [Sir Isaac Brock] left in command in Michigan, had a brilliant series of successes in the winter of 1812-13. He also received the surrender of two American generals and their armies---Clay, in Ohio; Wilkinson, at the River Raisin. Gen. Wilkinson and his army were brought down to Newark. Gen. Clay and his force were paroled and allowed to return home. [Source]

Pre-War Proclamation And Complaints

An entry From Papers Of The War Department (Collection - Detroit Public Library: Timothy Pickering Papers):

October 12, 1797 Wilkinson's Proclamation and Related Documents Timothy Pickering James McHenry Pickering encloses General Wilkinson's proclamation [see below] at Detroit, John Askin's petition to General Wilkinson complaining about the proclamation, and Wilkinson's response to the complaint. Also included is Wilkinson's letter to the Justices of the British western district of Upper Canada and their answer.

Source

The Entire Want Of Preparation

Source

Mr. Henry Adams in his second volume of the " History of the United States" devotes two chapters to the events connected with the surrender of Detroit in 1812, in which he shows the entire want of preparation with which President and congress, under the influence of Henry Clay and others, rushed into a conflict with the veterans of England on land, and her thousand war-ships on the ocean; and the imbecility of the war
department, of its chief Dr. Eustis, and the poor organization of the small army which was scattered over an immense territory on garrison duty, while new regiments not yet raised were relied upon for the conquest of Canada. He says, " The senior major-general and commander-in-chief was Henry Dearborn, the other major-general was Thomas Pinckney. The brigadiers were James Wilkinson, Wade Hampton, Joseph Bloomfield, James Winchester, and William Hull."

General Wade Hampton

Source: Wikipedia

Wade Hampton III in the Civil War - Grandson Of War of 1812 General
South Carolina Confederate Military Museum

Wade Hampton was a type of the large slaveholders of the South. Nearly sixty years of age, self-important, fiery and over indulgent in drink, of large, imposing figure, of some reputed service in the Revolution, and with a record as Congressman and Presidential elector, he was one whose chief virtues were not patience and humility. In 1809 he had been made a brigadier-general and stationed at New Orleans; but in consequence of continual disagreements with his subordinates, was superseded in 1812 by Wilkinson, whom he consequently hated. In the spring of 1813 he received his Major-General's commission. Source

Battle Of Burnt Corn

Source

"The first definite act of armed warfare between the inhabitants of the Mississippi Territory and the Creek Nation was the battle of Burnt Corn on July 27, 1813.  The Creeks, numbering about 300 picked warriors, had gathered in camp at the Holy Ground according to information given out by General James Wilkinson, who was soon to leave for his new post in Canada."

The Battle of Burnt Corn has its own Facebook site and is on YouTube.

Court Martial Of Vindictiveness?

Such was the claim of the officer who was the subject of said court martial, General James Wilkinson.

Source

General Wilkinson's take on the reason for his court martial taken from his Memoirs of my own times, Volume 3, by James Wilkinson, Printed 1816:

"I [General James Wilkinson] had been arrested by President Madison, to gratify the personal policy, and vindictive passions, of his secretary of war, General Armstrong; but when I demanded Generals Scott and Macomb, as material witnesses in the cause, they were refused under pretexts of public duty..." .

A relevant document (from Fold3), "War Department, May 23, 1814," to General Wilkinson from Secretary of War Armstrong:

A list of witnesses from the same file:

General Flournoy And His Papers

Papers in the Clements Library include those of Thomas Flournoy:

Title: Thomas Flournoy papers

Inclusive dates: 1799-1827

Extent: 0.25 linear feet (105 items)

Abstract: The Thomas Flournoy papers consist of letters and documents of Flournoy, who was a lawyer, a general during the War of 1812, and a United States commissioner to the Creek Indians.

Map Of Creeks Nation

From The Pictorial Field-book of the War of 1812: Or, Illustrations:

"...General Flournoy, who succeeded General Wilkinson in command of the Seventh Military District, persuaded by Colonel Hawkins, Indian agent, of the civilization and friendly disposition of the Creeks, would not their prayer."

This source reflected on the efficiency (or lack thereof) of General Flournoy:

"Georgia and Tennessee very actively seconded the efforts of Mississippi and had General Flournoy been a more efficient commander, much effusion of blood and waste of property would have been spared." 

The General's Wife:

Battle Of Lacolle Mills

Source

Pending the reply to his request for a court martial, [General] Wilkinson determined to strike a blow at Montreal as a last proof of his military ability. The road to the city was barred by small garrisons at St Johns and Isle Aux Noix and by outposts at Lacadie and Lacolle.

On March 30, Wilkinson crossed the boundary and made his way through the deep snow to the mill.

While the Americans were making this assault, two companies of British troops arrived from Isle Aux Noix whereupon the British commander made a vigorous sortie against Bissel and Smith, but after several desperate charges the British were repulsed.

General Ripley's Testimony...

...regarding the preliminary activities to the Battle of Crysler's Farm, from Memoirs of my own times, Volume 3,  By [General] James Wilkinson.


"That in September and October 1813 he [Eleazar W. Ripley] was colonel of the 21st regiment of infantry, stationed at Sackett's Harbour, and left that place on the 16th of October, to accompany the expedition, down the St Lawrence. Previous to this, he thinks, there had been no embarkation of his regiment; but a battalion of the 11th regiment of infantry, attached to his command, under Lieutenant-colonel Upham, had embarked a few days before, whether for the purpose, of proceeding on the expedition, or simply to change position, he cannot tell. They landed about a mile from their former position and encamped."

Due to "a sudden squall, many of his boats were dispersed and driven ashore, and three or four days elapsed before they reached Grenadier Island. ...they arrived at French Creek about the 2d or 3d of November.  Whether there was any unnecessary delay, at Sackett's Harbour, he could not answer without knowing the state, of the several staff departments of the army. But there was no delay at Grenadier Island, for which a commanding general could be accountable, owing to the variable and tempestuous state of the weather."

Homage To Agent 13

Not only was General James Wilkinson the U.S. Army's commanding officer, he was also "Agent 13 in service to the Spanish Crown."  

A scholastic work entitled "Agent 13 In The North Country, mentioned that the author "...entered the archives with some previous knowledge of Agent 13’s malfeasance [and was]...astounded by the fact that several of General Wilkinson’s letters of correspondence were among its [the archives's] contents.  An exhibit was designed that highlighted General Wilkinson and his activities in the War of 1812.

More about that colorful character, James Wilkinson can be found here. 

Colonel Joseph Wanton Morrison

Source

From The Gentleman's Magazine:

"Colonel J.W. Morrison, Feb 15, died at sea (1826)...This distinguished officer was born at New York May 4, 1783, and was the only son of John Morrison, esq. at that time Deputy Commissary General in America.  He entered the army in 1793."

"In 1811 he was removed to his former regiment, the 89th, and the following year embarked with the second battalion for Halifax. In the spring of 1813 the battalion proceeded to Upper Canada; and in Nov. of that year, Col. Morrison was entrusted with the command of a corps of observation to follow the movements of the American army under Maj.-Gen. Wilkinson, descending the River St Lawrence, and which having landed on the Canadian territory, below Fort Wellington, a division of that force under Brig.-Gen. Boyd, amounting to between 3 and 4,000 men, was on the 11th defeated by the corps of observation* at Chrystler's Farm, Williamsburgh; and after the action the Americans retired to their shores.

*This corps consisted, according to the official dispatch of Sir George Prevost, of the remains of the 49th regiment, the 2d battalion of the 89th, and three companies of Voltigeurs (comprising in the whole not more than 800 rank and file), with a division of gun boats."

"In July 1814, during the engagement Lundy's Lane near the Falls of Niagara, he was so severely wounded that 1815 he returned with his battalion to England... . "

General James Wilkinson

Wilkinson was commissioned as a Major General in the War of 1812.  He was acquitted at a court martial.

Source

18 Nov 1814 court martial

General Wilkinson, ever the ambitious master of intrigue....duplicitous...