James Wilkinson: Military Hero or Traitor?

From the September 21, 2021, We  Are the Mighty "4 American traitors more destructive than Benedict Arnold" by Team Mighty.

James Wilkinson was one of the most trusted soldiers in American history, serving in both the American Revolution and the War of 1812.  He took on the role of governor of the newly acquired Louisiana Territory and became  one of the Army's most senior officers.

There were many problems with Wilkinson's service, but the foremost among them was that he had been spying for the Spanish most of the time.

When his role in Aaron Burr's own treason was discovered, he placed New Orleans under martial law and imprisoned anyone who might be able to prove Wilkinson was complicit in the plot.

Wilkinson was never caught in his own lifetime, but his papers were discovered in 1854, leading  Theodore Roosevelt to say, "In all our history,  there is no more despicable character."

--Brock-Perry

Disappearance of the Patriot and Theodosia Burr Alston-- Part 1: About the Schooner Patriot

From Mark Jones Books site  "Today in Charleston History:  January 2, 1813--  Deaths."

I haven't been able to find out much about the Patriot other than it was a schooner and had been a recent privateer in the Caribbean Sea area.

1813--  Deaths.  Today in Charleston, January 2

Mist scholars agree that at some time on Jan. 2, 1813, that the Patriot schooner was wrecked somewhere off Cape  Hatteras, North Carolina.  Among those lost was the wife of South Carolina's governor and daughter of Aaron Burr, Theodosia Burr Alston.

She left Georgetown, S.C., to visit her father.  Her ship, the Patriot was known to be a fast sailer and had been a former pilot boat recently employed as a privateer.  Her captain, William Overstocks, was anxious to make a fast run up to New York to sell his captures.

--Brock-Perry

Eight Facts About Theodosia Burr Alston-- Part 6: The Theda Bara Connection

8.  SHE CONTINUES TO INSPIRE TODAY.

And, considering that a month ago, I had no idea who this woman was.  Never even heard of her name.  And, it is all because of a French privateer captured in early 1800s by the British ship HMS Nimrod, taken into the Royal Navy with the name HMS Venturer, later changed to the HMS Theodosia which is how I came across the name.

**   The musical "Hamilton" isn't the  only  reminder of the disappeared Theodosia's legacy.

Her name has lived on through others.

**  Silent film star Theda Bara's (1885-1955) real name was Theodosia Burr Goodman, named after the daughter of former Vice President Aaron Burr.  She was a famous silent film star known for her vamp roles, but never appeared in a "talkie."

--Brock-Perry

Eight Facts About Theodosia Burr Alston-- Part 5: Her Disappearance

7.  IN 1813 SHE DISAPPEARED FOREVER.

Aaron Burr had experienced some very difficult years in his life, but nothing like he did  between 1812 and 1813.

First, his ten-year-old grandson, Theodosia's son, Aaron Burr Alston, died of malaria in June 1812, just a month after he returned from Europe.  A few months later, Theodosia boarded the schooner Patriot, which had been used a s a privateer during the War of 1812, for passage to New York to visit her father.

But, the ship never reached its destination, taking along with crew ad passengers, the 29-year-old Theodosia.

To this day, no one knows what happened.  Many stories abound to answer this question, with the best one seeming to be the ship was captured by pirates.  But, most likely, her end will never be known.

This hit her father hard who was quoted as saying t felt like he "was severed from the human race" because of it.

What Happened To Her?  --Brock-Perry

Eight Facts About Theodosia Burr Alston-- Part 3: Queen Theodosia? and Getting Dad Back

4.  IF THINGS HAD GONE HER FATHER'S WAY, SHE COULD HAVE BEEN A QUEEN.

In 1805, one year after his famous duel with Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr hatched quite a plan.  He was going to annex a part of North America and declare himself monarch of it.

This would have made Theodosia next in line to be Queen of Mexico/Florida and then, her son, born in 1802, would have inherited the throne.

But, Burr's plan didn't work out and he was tried for treason.

5.  SHE WROTE LETTERS TRYING TO GET HER FATHER OUT OF EXILE.

In 1808, after being found not guilty of treason, Burr went to Europe in self-imposed exile partly to escape creditors and also to get away from the American public which was beginning to turn against him.

After awhile he attempted to return, but didn't have a passport and couldn't get back in.    Theodosia wrote letters to those in power to get him back.  The letters didn't succeed, but it became apparent that the government wouldn't stand in his way returning so he came back in 1812.

--Brock-Perry

Eight Facts About Theodosia Burr Alston-- Part 1: A Remarkable Woman

From July 11, 2016, Mental Floss "8 facts about Theodosia Burr Alston" by Chloe Arnold.

1.  SHE WAS CONSIDERED A PRODIGY  Aaron Burr raised a very educated and well-rounded daughter.  She studied Greek, Latin and reportedly had read all of  "the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" by the time she was ten.  She had a very progressive education for the time.

She was possibly the first woman in America to have what was considered a college education.  According to Felton Pidgin in his 1908 biography on Theodosia:  "Her personal charm, her amiability,  her moral heroism,  and her educational acquirements entitle her to he designation which we have given  her THE FIRST GENTLEWOMAN OF HER TIME."

--Cooter

Theodosia Burr and Philip Hamilton-- Part 2: Dear Theodosia" / "Oh Phillip"

Like I said in the last post, I did not know Theodosia was one of the characters in the play.

Here are some lyrics from the song "Dear Theodosia" from the musical Hamilton.

The first are sung by Aaron Burr to his daughter Theodosia:

"Dear Theodosia, what to say to you?
You have my eyes
You have your mother's name.

When you came into the world, you cried and it broke my heart."

*********************

These words are sung to Philip by his father, Alexander Hamilton:

"Oh Philip when you smile I am undone
My son
Look at my son
Pride is not the word I am looking for.

There is so much more inside me now.

Fatherly Love.  --Cooter

Theodosia Burr and Philip Hamilton, the Children-- Part 1

From the July 11, 2016, Mental Floss "8 facts about Theodosia Burr Alston" by Chloe Arnold.

I was unaware until just now about the connection of the name Theodosia to the popular play "Hamilton."  Well, I didn't see it, so that's my excuse.  In the play, Aaron Burr sings "Dear Theodosia" to his daughter Theodosia and Alexander Hamilton to his son Philip.

It is song 22 in Act One.

Philip died in a duel in 1801 and Theodosia was lost at sea in 1813.  He was 19 when he died and she was 33.

So, a Hamilton Connection as Well.  --CootHam

Disappearance of the Patriot and Theodosia Burr Alston-- Part 5: Never Made it to New York

The journey to New York City normally took five or six days.  After two weeks, there was no sign of the Patriot.  Her husband John Alston and Aaron Burr became desperate.  Finally, Burr gave up hope that his daughter was still alive.

Theodosia Burr Alston, her fellow passengers, the crew and the ship were never seen again.  The Patriot had disappeared without a trace.  Later it was learned that the British fleet had stopped the Patriot off  Cape Hatteras on January 2, but Gov. Alston's letter worked and they released the ship.

Later that night a gale hit and dispersed the British fleet.  Beyond that, there was no clue as to what had happened to the ship.  Burr sent people looking for her who went to Nassau and Bermuda, but to no avail.  It is a mystery why he didn't send them to the Outer Banks.

So, What Happended to Theodosia and the Patriot?  --Brock-Perry

Disappearance of the Patriot and Theodosia Burr Alston-- Part 4: Preparations and a Privateer

As her health continued to deteriorate, and with rumors of pirates operating along the North Carolina coast, Theodosia was still determined to visit her father.  Her husband, John Alston, wrote a letter to the British blockading fleet to allow passage for his wife.  Aaron Burr sent his trusted friend and doctor, Timothy Green to make the voyage with his daughter.

On December 30, Theodosia, her maid and Green climbed aboard the schooner Patriot which lay moored in Charleston Harbor.  It sailed out of the harbor bound for New York City under the command of Captain William Overstocks.

The Patriot had just returned from several months in the Caribbean where it had done privateering on the behalf of the U.S. government.  It was filled with booty from that.  To disguise his ship, the guns had been stowed below and the name had been painted over.

Some stories had Theodosia taking along a recently completed painting of herself that she intended to give her father as a Christmas gift.

--Cooter

Disappearance of Schooner Patriot and Theodosia Burr Alston-- Part 3: A Duel, Conspiracy Then a Disappearance

From the February 9, 2012, North Carolina Shipwrecks blog  "Schooner Patriot and  the Mystery of Theodosia Burr Alston by Judi Heit.

Wife of South Carolina governor John Alston and daughter of former U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr, but the 1804 duel between her father and former Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton that led to the latter's death, complicated her life. During Burr's murder trial, Theodosia traveled several times to New York to support her father.

He was acquitted, but still politically intriguing and next got in trouble when he tried to get several western states/territories to secede and make him leader.  In 1807, he defended himself against conspiracy allegations.  He was acquitted, but went into exile in Europe.  Theodosia defended him in this as well.

After return to South Carolina from the conspiracy trial, Theodosia's health became worse and then she lost her ten-year-old son.  In the meantime, Aaron Burr had returned from Europe and in 1812, was living in New York and convinced his daughter to come see him there during the holidays.  At this time, Great Britain and the United States were at war, so her husband couldn't come with her because he was governor of S.C..

--Brock-Perry

The Disappearance of the Schooner Patriot and Theodosia Burr Alston in 1813-- Part 1

From the August 5. 2016, Mental Floss "7 ships that disappeared without a trace" by Claire  Cock-Starkey.

While looking up the HMS Theodosia after the last several posts, I came across this article.  It wasn't about the HMS Theodosia but definitely had a War of 1812 connection.

Theodosia Burr Alston (1783-1813) was the daughter of the third U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr.  She had a privileged upbringing and was well-educated.  In 1801, she married wealthy landowner  Joseph Alston who went on to become South Carolina's governor (1812-1814, so, the war years).

Sadly in 1812, she lost her only son and, stricken with grief, boarded the schooner Patriot in South Carolina to visit her father in New York.

After it sailed, it was lost to history.

What Happened to the Patriot and Theodosia?  --Brock-Perry

Stokely Donelson Hays-- Part 1: Along With Aaron Burr

From Genealogy Trails.

1788-1831

First son of Col. Robert Hays and his wife Jane Donelson, daughter of Nashville pioneer John Donelson.

Robert hays was a close and personal friend and brother-in-law of Andrew Jackson.  Stokely spent his time growing up between his parents' plantation and Andrew Jackson's Hermitage with his aunt and uncle.

In 1806, Andrew Jackson permitted his nephew to accompany Aaron Burr to Louisiana to keep an eye on him and report anything suspicious that Burr might do.  This led to Burr's arrest for treason.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Hawkins-- Part 5: Built by the 2nd U.S. Infantry Regiment

From the Explore Southern History site.

Construction on the fort began in 1806 by the 2nd U.S. Infantry Regiment.

It is thought that in 1807, former U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr may have been incarcerated at the fort before he was accused of treason.  He was later acquitted.

The fort never faced a serious attack during the War of 1812 or the 1813-1814 Creek War.  But during these wars, the fort was occupied by Georgia militia troops and U.S. regulars.

--Brock-Perry

The Colin Kaepernick War of 1812 Connection-- Part 2: "The Hireling and Slave"

There is some disagreement as to what Francis Scott Key meant by "hireling and slave."  He can't answer himself as he died in 1843.  His poem, "The Defence of Fort M'Henry,"on which the National Anthem is based, was written during the War of 1812 at the September 1814 Battle of Baltimore.  he was so happy to see the U.S. flag still flying defiantly over Fort McHenry after the night before's British bombardment.

But, what did Key mean by "the hireling and slave?"

Francis Scott Key was a Baltimore-born lawyer practicing in Washington, D.C..  He is noted for having participated in the conspiracy trial of Aaron Burr. and his many arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court.

More to Come.  --Brock-Perry

Edmund P. Gaines-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

I mentioned that Gen. Edmund P. Gaines ordered Duncan Clinch to attack Negro Fort which resulted in the July 27, 1816, battle.

Edmund P. Gaines (March 20, 1777 to June 6, 1849) was an American Army officer who fought in the War of 1812, the Seminole Wars and the Black Hawk War.

Born in Virginia, he enlisted in the Army in 1799 and was a first lieutenant by 1807.  He surveyed the Mississippi Territory and helped lay out the Natchez Trace.  While commander of Fort Stoddert, he arrested Aaron Burr in Wakefield, Alabama.  After that he took leave from the Army and practiced law.

--Brock-Perry