This day in #history (1825) James Wilkinson dies in Mexico City. He has been called the “most notorious American traitor you’ve probably never heard of.” Another historian has called him the “the most consummate artist in treason that the nation ever possessed.” /1 of X
He must have been! His questionable activities were not proven until decades after his death. /2 of X #history#America
Wilkinson had his finger in many pies. Early on, he found himself in trouble during the Conway Cabal, an effort to have George Washington replaced as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army. He even had to resign from the army for a period of time.
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After the war, he went to Kentucky, which was then attempting to separate from Virginia. He found himself in debt, and he brokered a deal with Spain.
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That country was then still hoping to salvage some lands in North America for itself. Wilkinson attempted to help this effort by feeding Spain information about American activities on the frontier. /5 of X #history#America
Among Spanish authorities, Wilkinson was known as “Agent 13.” He even swore an oath of loyalty to Spain! /6 of X #history#America
“Born and educated in America,” he swore, “I embraced its cause in the last revolution, and remained throughout faithful to its interest, until its triumph over its enemies..... " /7 of X #history#America
".....This occurrence has now rendered my services useless, discharged me of my pledge, dissolved my obligations, even those of nature, and left me at liberty, after having fought for her happiness, to seek my own....." /8 of X #history#America
"......circumstances and the policies of the United States having made it impossible for me to obtain this desired end under its Government, I am resolved to seek it in Spain.” /9 of X #history#America
Apparently, Wilkinson did not do too much damage to the United States in the end. The closest that he came to inflicting permanent harm was when he told Spain about the Lewis and Clark expedition & suggested that armed patrols be sent to intercept them. /10 of X #history#America
Spain did this, but (fortunately) was unable to find the two explorers. /11 of X #history#America
Through much of this time, Wilkinson remained in service with the U.S. Army. He served as Governor of the Louisiana Territory, and he even helped to expose Aaron Burr’s plot to set up an independent nation in the west. /12 of X #history#America
His contemporaries sometimes suspected that something was amiss, but no one could ever prove anything. /13 of X #history#America
His biographer explains: “[T]hey can’t find his code. They can’t break the code, they can’t prove that he got paid. He faced about four or five public inquiries, two or three court martials, and each time he was found not guilty.” /14 of X #history#America
When Wilkinson passed away, he was in Mexico City, attempting to get land grants. He wanted to be an empresario like Stephen F. Austin. He passed away before he received an answer on that score. /15 of X #history#America
His treason was not discovered for decades, when some documents were finally found in old Spanish archives. For all intents and purposes, this little-known traitor had gotten off scot-free. /16 of X #history#America
This day in #history (1777) General George Washington writes a letter from Valley Forge. The army was struggling, and Washington pled for help. A copy of Washington’s letter was delivered to nearly every state. /1 of X #America#AmericanRevolution
Would states think he was exaggerating the gravity of the situation? Was his story even believable? But clothes & other supplies were desperately needed. Nearly 3,000 of his 11,000 men were “unfit for duty by reason of their being bare foot and otherwise naked.” /2 of X #history
That didn’t even count the soldiers who had been “detained in Hospitals and crouded in Farmers Houses for the same causes.” /3 of X #America#history#AmericanRevolution
This day in #history (1776): General George Washington makes a harrowing trip across the Delaware River, in the dead of night. The tremendous feat came just when it was needed most. /1 of X #America
Washington’s army was reeling from a series of crushing defeats: The British had won important battles in New York and had chased Americans across New Jersey. Early in December, a defeated American army had narrowly escaped across the Delaware River. /2 of X #history#America
That river provided a barrier from further British attacks, at least for the moment, because Washington had ensured the destruction of every boat for miles around. /3 of X #history#America
"Christmas is also a time to remember the treasures of our own history. We remember one Christmas in particular, 1776, our first year as a nation..... /1 of X
"......The Revolutionary War had been going badly. But George Washington’s faith, courage, and leadership would turn the tide of history our way. On Christmas night he led a band of ragged soldiers..... /2 of X
"...across the Delaware River through driving snow to a victory that saved the cause of independence. It’s said that their route of march was stained by bloody footprints, but their spirit never faltered and their will could not be crushed...." /3 of X
This week in #history (1777) George Washington’s army marches into Valley Forge. When you think of Valley Forge, you probably think of half-clothed & starving men, suffering through a long winter, barely surviving.
But Valley Forge was so much more than that. /1 of X #American
For one thing, the mood in Valley Forge was significantly better than you might imagine. Yes, some men were not well-clothed and suffered hardships accordingly. But . . . . /2 of X #American#history#freedom
But the men who were more fully outfitted took the difficult outdoor tasks. And everyone pitched in, finding supplies in the area around them. Did you know that they built a small city of huts to house themselves? /3 of X #American#history#freedom
#MedalOfHonor Monday 🇺🇸 At about this time in 1944, a hero leads his men in a tough battle against the Japanese. Then-First Lieutenant Robert B. Nett would be wounded multiple times, even taking a shot to his neck. Amazingly, Nett survived..... /1 of X #history
He would go on to personally receive his Medal of Honor.
Nett was inspired by a family friend to join the military, originally joining the Connecticut National Guard in 1941. Unsurprisingly, his unit was activated in the wake of the attack on Pearl Harbor. /2 of X #history#Army
By 1944, he was serving with the U.S. Army in the south Pacific. He’d been in Guam that summer, but found himself in Leyte by the end of the year. / 3 of X