The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-03-23
La Cole Mill and Block-house

confused and unsolved mystery, although docu-
ments have been found in the Spanish archives
which seem to prove that Wilkinson was an
agent of the king of Spain, paid by him to inf1u-
ence Kentucky to secede from the Union and be-
come Spanish ally
If he was in the pay of Spain it evidently
wasn't enough to support his family for he went
back into the American army, was advanced to
colonel and within year to the rank of briga-
diergeneral. AS such he was second in command
to "Mad Anthony" Wayne in the campaign
against the Indians of the Old Northwest and
took part in the decisive Battle of Fallen Tim
bers. With his usual genius for making trouble,
Wilkinson tried to minimize the Importance of
Wayne's victory and severely criticized his SUI
periOrs conduct of the campaign The result was
friction between the two, recrimination, charges
and counter exchanges, talk of a court-martfal-all
of which came to an end when Wayne died in
December, 1885, and Wilkinson became COM
mander of the army
Then followed that amazing period in his career
when, holding the highest military office in the
land, he was still, there is good reason to be-
leve In the pay Of Spain Soon afterwards he
was involved in the Burr conspiracy. Like the
Spanish Conspiracy the Burr plot is still some
thing of mystery with many angles as yet I'M
explained. Recent historical research has uncov-
cred evidence which indicates that Wilkinson,
instead of Burr, was the arch-conspirator and
that Burr was only the tool of the INSCRIPTIONS
commander-in-chef According to one theory
Wilkinson was Jefferson's secret agent all along
giving Burr enough rope with which to hang
himself before exposing the plot. According to
another. Wilkinson used Burr for his own ends,
then double-crossed him at the last to save his
own skin.
In the light of his past career, 1t would seem
reasonable to believe that Wilkinson was up to
his old tricks playing both ends against the
middle and quite capable of betraying anyone
to further his own ambitious projects. But what
ever the truth of the matter, the fact remains
that although Wilkinson narrowly missed indict-
ment on a charge of treason he managed to come
through the whole affair without bearing his
Just share of the disgrace that engulfed poor
Aaron Burr and continued on his way of play
ing a part in important historical events.
AS commander of the army he sent Lieutenant
Pike off upon the exploring expeditions that
won fame for that young officer. He Of
the commissioners who received the Louisiana
Purchase from the French and at the outbreak
of the War of 1912 he won bloodless victory
by capturing Mobile and ousting the Spanish
garrison there. Then he went north to the Ca
madam border to add to his laurels. but succeed
ed only in wrecking what little military reputa-
ton he had left
Still the stormy petrol of the army, he became
involved in series of jealouses and chickering's
with other American generals who were if any,
thing. more incompetent than he. The result
was the utter failure of his proposed expedition
to capture Montreal, an expedition which had
every prospect of success had it been carried
through intelligently. Says Shreve: "Thus igno-
miniously ended the most ambitious project Of
the war. Wilkinson had thrown away opportu-
nifty such as comes to few generals"
In March, 1914 he launched another campaign
to "vindicate" himself But instead of success
and vindication. he achieved only inglorious de-
feat in the insignificant battle of La Cole MILL"
That was the end of James Wilkinson. He was
relieved of his command and ordered to Wash
ingtOn under arrest to await courtmartial. 1.-THE
wait was long The harassed administration at
tempting to wage war without money, without
ships. almost without soldiers and with gener-
ais who achieved disaster with monotonous reg
ularity, had not time to waste the trial Of one
of it's failures" Perhaps If he had been tried it
would have been with the usual result. For dur
ing his career he had been before three courts
of inquiry on charges ranging all the way from
neglect of military duty to treason and each time
he had managed to escape with coat of white
wash.
Instead of being tried he was allowed to slip
quietly into obscurity. He spent the next few
years writing his Memoirs" voluminous and
verbose alibi for all the things that had ever
been charged against him. and managing his
plantation on the Mississippi below New Orleans
Then find him in Mexico City also adjusting
claims of American citizens entrusted to him
and in trying to obtain grant Of land on what
is the site of Galveston, Texas, from the
Spanish lin recognition of services rendered"i
He died in 1925 and was buried beneath the
Church of San Miguel in the Mexican capital
The exact site of his grave is unmarked and
man who received so much from his country
and gave so little in return.