An Artist in Treason: The Extraordinary Double Life of General James Wilkinson [Hardcover]

Andro Linklater (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 29, 2009

The first modern biography of the greatest traitor—and one of the most colorful characters—in American history.

Patriot, traitor, general, spy: James Wilkinson was a consummate contradiction. Brilliant and precocious, at age twenty he was both the youngest general in the revolutionary Continental Army, and privy to the Conway cabal to oust Washington from command. He was Benedict Arnold’s aide, but the first to reveal Arnold’s infamous treachery. By thirty-eight, he was the senior general in the United States army—and had turned traitor himself.

Wilkinson’s audacious career as Agent 13 in the Spanish secret service while in command of American forces is all the more remarkable because it was anything but hidden. Though he betrayed America’s strategic secrets, sought to keep the new country from expanding beyond the Mississippi, and almost delivered Lewis and Clark’s expedition into Spanish hands, four presidents—Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Madison—turned a blind eye to his treachery. They gambled that Wilkinson—by turns charming and ruthless—would never betray the army itself and use it to overthrow our nascent democracy—a fate every other democracy in the Western hemisphere endured. The crucial test came in 1806, when at the last minute Wilkinson turned the army against Aaron Burr and foiled his conspiracy to break up the U nion.

A superb writer and superlative storyteller, Andro Linklater captures with brio Wilkinson’s charismatic ability to live a double life in public view. His saga shows, more clearly than any other, how fragile the young republic was and how its strength grew from the risks its leaders faced and the challenges they had to overcome.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Anyone with a taste for charming, talented, complex, troubled, duplicitous and needy historical figures will savor this book. A Revolutionary War general at age 20, James Wilkinson (1757–1825), whom few now have heard of, knew everyone of consequence in the early nation, from Washington on down. But he squandered his gifts in repeated and apparently uncontrollable double dealing, betrayals (he spied for Spain), conspiracies and dishonesty in the decades following the war. Wilkinson seemed to pop up everywhere, always trying to make a deal and feather his nest. To those ends, he would as soon turn on those whom he had pledged to help as be traitor to the army he served. The only man he remained true to was Jefferson, who in the end spurned him. No one trusted him, as no one should have. Linklater (Measuring America) skillfully captures this sociopathic rogue who, for all his defects, still commands attention from everyone trying to understand the 50 years after 1775. His charisma reaches across two centuries to perplex and fascinate any reader of this fast-paced and fully researched work. 16 pages of b&w illus., 2 maps.(Oct.)
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Review

“Wilkinson may be the most unscrupulous character in all of American history…This biography of Wilkinson, who, writes Linklater, had ‘one of the most extraordinary careers as a secret agent in the history of espionage,’ is probably the best we have; it certainly is the most smoothly written.”—The New York Review of Books

“Anyone with a taste for charming, talented, complex, troubled, duplicitous and needy historical figures will savor this book....Linklater (Measuring America) skillfully captures this sociopathic rogue who, for all his defects, still commands attention from everyone trying to understand the 50 years after 1775. His charisma reaches across two centuries to perplex and fascinate any reader of this fast-paced and fully researched work.”—Publishers Weekly

 

"[A] gripping biography."—Boston Globe

 

"The central core of any sociopath's dark inner soul - be it an Adolf Hitler, a John DeLorean or a Bernard Madoff - is the desire to risk disaster, disgrace and punishment in the hopes of finding some final forgiveness. This is what makes them so dangerous, for in their wild thrashing about between the rush of taking the gamble and the frenzy of evasion, any bystander can become collateral damage. This tale of how the most powerful American general of his day almost destroyed the infant Republic is a real psychological thriller."—The Washington Times

 

"This fascinating and richly detailed book is a useful resource for studying America's early struggles with internal interference and external opposition."—Library Journal

 

“Andro Linklater combed Spanish, British and American records to tell this complex story in fascinating…detail.”—Carl Hartman, Associated Press

 

"The historian Frederick Jackson Turner called Wilkinson “the most consummate artist in treason the nation has ever possessed,” and historian Linklater (The Fabric of America: How Our Borders and Boundaries Shaped the Country and Forged Our National Identity, 2007, etc.) builds a strong case that he deserved that title... A well-wrought study of far-reaching treachery in the early years of the United States."—Kirkus Reviews

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Walker & Company; 1 edition (September 29, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802717209
• ISBN-13: 978-0802717207
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #599,963 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant and Engrossing, July 29, 2009

By 

Hrafnkell Haraldsson (Indiana) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: An Artist in Treason: The Extraordinary Double Life of General James Wilkinson (Hardcover)

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I have a degree in history and I have a liking for well-written and well-researched works on historical subjects. Andro Linklater's "An Artist in Treason" is both. Encompassing the life and activities of General James Wilkinson (1757-1825), officer in the American Revolution, commander of the American army and governor of Louisiana Territory, Andro's sweeping work touches upon many major events in the early development of the United States. This is due not only to Mr. Linklater's obvious interest in the subject, but because of Wilkinson's far-reaching roles as senior U.S. general, explorer, and spy in the pay of Spain.

Wilkinson's is a cautionary tale in many respects. It is also by far the best example I've seen in historical biography of the old pagan Norse concept of creating one's own fate. General Wilkinson could have had it all. That he did not was due not to the vagaries of fortune, divine intervention or predestination. It was due entirely to his own actions, for he created the landscape upon which he was forced to operate when, faced by British invasion, he should have been at the height of his powers and most importantly, the right man in the right place at the right time. If the definition of hero is someone who can rise above their fate, then Wilkinson fails the test, for he did not.

Despite some of the positive results of his military career (keeping the army loyal to the civilian government is no small thing), it is difficult to find anything good to say about a man like Wilkinson, who betrayed not only his country but most of those who, at one time or another, had come to trust or befriend him (Thomas Jefferson being the sole exception outside of his family). But Mr. Linklater does not indulge in vilification and instead lets the story tell itself. He makes no excuses for the conduct of those who participated in the great drama of Wilkinson's life. It is impossible to argue with the facts as they are known. In this case, thanks to General Wilkinson's own efforts at preserving his prodigious correspondence, and to the records found in Spanish official archives of his treasonous correspondence, we have a great many facts and Mr. Linklater's handling of them is masterful.

I did note with interest that Mr. Linklater did not mention the death (or alleged assassination of) Meriwether Lewis. Stephen E. Ambrose, in his "Undaunted Courage", dismisses the idea, but in "The Death of Meriwether Lewis", James E. Starrs and Kira Gale accuse General Wilkinson of killing the great explorer. Whether Linklater dismisses the idea out of hand or simply thought it irrelevant for some reason, I would like to know. It is a shame that he did not at least mention the allegations. I am left to ponder the question based on what I now know of Wilkinson's character. He was certainly a ruthless individual and thought nothing of sending men to their deaths (for example, sending a party off into Spanish territories and then alerting the Spanish they were coming) but I do not know if the Wilkinson in Mr. Linklater's account was the sort who would actually arrange an assassination, and if he was, if he had (or thought he had) sufficient cause in this case. I can only stress that it is a great pity Mr. Linklater did not see fit to discuss the matter.

The true charm of this book is in the author's engaging style of writing. Seldom have I found a work of nonfiction as difficult to put down as a good novel, but this can honestly be said of "An Artist in Treason." Mr. Linklater's style is reminiscent of Robert K. Massie with the difference that Mr. Linklater let's you know where he got the information. All in all, a brilliant piece of historical writing and highly recommended to anyone interested in this period of American history.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Traitor General Who Just May Have Saved The Country, August 7, 2009

By 

J. Moran (Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: An Artist in Treason: The Extraordinary Double Life of General James Wilkinson (Hardcover)

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James Wilkinson's name pops up constantly in the history of the first twenty-five years of the American Republic, seldom in an edifying way. Rumors (and accusations) abounded at the time that Wilkinson was for years a spy for Spain, which for much of the period was still a powerful presence across what is now the southern United States from Florida through Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. Later he was said to have been a co-conspirator with Aaron Burr in his alleged attempt to carve an empire for himself by combining these territories with some of the old southwestern states such as Tennessee and Kentucky. Although Wilkinson hotly and effectively denied these accusations, it is now clear that he did spy for Spain while serving as the senior officer in the US Army and even swore personal loyalty as a subject of the king of Spain.

Wilkinson's connection with the "Burr conspiracy" is slightly more obscure. Wilkinson clearly corresponded with Burr during the earlier stages of the conspiracy and Burr certainly thought that Wilkinson would support him. With his support would come the support of the US Army which, while quite small by both contemporary and modern standards, was by far the most powerful force in what was then the West. Wilkinson later pointed to the danger of war between Spain and the US that seemed quite likely at the time and claimed that his dealings with Burr were aimed at using Burr and his supporters to assist the Army should war occur. Wilkinson argued that he did not realize that Burr was seeking to break up the United States. It may even have been true since Burr himself seems to have been confused (and certainly less than forthcoming) about his ultimate goals.

In the end Wilkinson stuck with the United States, helped to reveal the conspiracy and kept the Army loyal. Wilkinson's decision certainly derailed whatever Burr's plans were. With the knowing complicity of the Jefferson administration, Wilkinson was acclaimed as one of the country's saviors.

These were the high points of his career in treachery, but Wilkinson was fully capable of disloyalty on a personal level. Many a business partner found himself stiffed and Wilkinson's ability to shift his loyalty successfully from one military superior to another as career advancement seemed to require was awe inspiring. Among other things his charm, personality and ability to flatter were powerful. So far as his military career went, moreover, Wilkinson was good with troops, a strong disciplinarian, brave and effective in combat and a good leader. Over the course of his career he convinced every president from Washington through Madison (and even to some extent Monroe) that it was in their political interest to ignore, at least publicly, his questionable activities (of which they had ample evidence).

Wilkinson has often been the subject of professional historical writing, much of it in history journals, monographs and other professional historical literature. I, at least, am unaware of a significant biography aimed at a general audience in recent times. Linklater has done the General justice. He seems to have consulted the relevant contemporary materials (including Wilkinson's multivolume memoirs) and certainly seems quite conversant with the historical work done since. His writing style is engaging and clear. Linklater sympathizes to a degree with Wilkinson but his book is no mere hagiography. He amply describes the General's many flaws as well as his more positive attributes. Linklater, to his credit, also abstains from what must have been a powerful temptation to psychoanalyze Wilkinson's complex personality.

Linklater's book seems to be reliable, well-researched and is certainly highly readable. It also shows clearly how chancy history is. Had a few things or people jumped in a different direction than they did -as they certainly could have--the history of this country and of the world would have been quite different. Highly recommended.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Charming, Ruthless and Self-serving, September 14, 2009

By 

Michael Meredith "e-Mike" (St. Louis, MO United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: An Artist in Treason: The Extraordinary Double Life of General James Wilkinson (Hardcover)

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At first glance, one might wonder as to why James Wilkinson is not as infamous as Benedict Arnold and Aaron Burr. After all, while serving as one of the highest ranking generals (and indeed THE highest ranking for a time) during the first decades of our democracy, he was also on the payroll of Spain as an informant. But once you read An Artist in Treason, you might reach the conclusion that he was little more than a scheming opportunist, skilled at ingratiating himself to the agents of the Spanish king, while making turning American friends into enemies and back again. Most traitors create harm to their country or cause. Foiled by his enemies, fate or his own flexible backbone, Wilkinson accomplished little more than paying his debts (which given his spending habits was no mean feat. The man was essentially a world class brown noser.

That's not to denigrate Andro Linklater's complex profile of a complex man, and the sheer number of enemies that he made would mark him as an accomplished careerist (had he been born 200 years later, I'm sure he would have given Ken Lay a run for his money at Enron). But I am a little ambivalent about this book. Wilkinson crossed paths (and virtual swords) with most of our Founding Fathers, which might alone make him worthy of a serious biography like this. But Linklater's story telling left me feeling a little flat. At times, the narrative becomes a little disjointed, and the author does little to disguise his intense distaste for his biographee.

What Linklater does best is to illustrate how an American Brigadier General could receive payments from the Spanish Crown, contrary to his nation's interests, and still have the grudging support of George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison; surviving not one but three boards of inquiry and innumerable published charges. This is a selection for serious historians, not for the novice.