menu_book Chapter 4

CHAPTER III. THE CONSPIRACY OF AARON BURR There is a small island in the Ohio River, two miles below the town of Parkersburg, that is still haunted with the memory of a strange conspiracy. In 1805, the island, then some 300 acres in size, belonged to an Irish gentleman, Harman Blennerhassett, who had built a beautiful home there and planted fields of hemp.

For a time, he and his family lived there in great content. Blenner Hassett himself being devoted to science and to music, but presently he felt the need of increasing his small fortune and looked about for a suitable enterprise. Then there was introduced to him a gentleman from New York,

a very well-known man by the name of Aaron Burr. He also was seeking to make his fortune, and he took Blenner Hassett into his confidence. Together they plotted a conspiracy. They started to put their plans into action,

and many people called them patriots and many called them traitors. History does not know all the secrets of that small island, but it tells a curious story of the conspiracy. Aaron Burr was a very talented and fascinating man, but he was a born adventurer. At this time he was about 50 years old. He had fought in the revolution and practiced law in New York City, where he divided honors with Alexander Hamilton, the most brilliant attorney of the period. He had been elected a senator,

and then had become a candidate for President of the United States. In the election of 1800, the Electoral College cast 73 votes apiece for Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr, and these two candidates led all the others. As there was a tie, the choice of President was thrown into the House of Representatives, and there followed a long and bitter fight. Finally, Jefferson was chosen president and Burr vice president. In the long campaign, Burr made many enemies, chief among

whom were the powerful New York families of Clinton and Livingston. These men charged him with being a political trickster and won most of his followers away from him. When Burr became a candidate for governor of New York, he was beaten, and his defeat was made more bitter by the stinging attacks of his old rival, Alexander Hamilton. In that day, it was still the custom for gentlemen into subtle questions of honor on the dueling field. Burr, stung by Hamilton's criticisms,

challenged him, and the two met on the heights of Weehawken, overlooking the Hudson River. Here Burr wounded Hamilton so severely that the latter died a few days later. Hounded by Hamilton's friends, the luckless Burr now found himself cast out by both the Federalists and Republicans, and with no political future. Yet he knew that he had unusual talents for leadership, still filled with ambition and in great need of money,

he saw that there was little opportunity for him at home and began to turn his eyes outside of the Republic. The Western world was then a wonderful field for daring adventurers. Thirteen small colonies lying close to the Atlantic Ocean had less than twenty years before thrown off the yoke of a great European nation.

Men had already pushed west to the Mississippi and settled the fertile fields beyond the Alleghenies. Across the great mother of rivers lay a vast tract that men knew little about. To the south lay Spanish colonies and islands. The Gulf of Mexico was the home of freebooters and pirates.

In Europe, a man of the people named Napoleon Bonaparte was carving out an empire for himself, and stirring the blood of all ambitious men. Soldiers of fortune everywhere were wondering whether they might not follow in Napoleon's footsteps. It is hard to say in which direction Burr was tempted first. He wanted to hide his real plans not only from his own countrymen,

but from the English, French, and Spanish agents as well. He first pretended to Anthony Mary, the British minister at Washington, that he intended to join a conspiracy to start a revolution in the Spanish colonies, in the hope of turning them into a new republic. Mr. Mary told his government that it would be to the advantage of England

if Mr. Burr's plan succeeded. But even then, Burr was working on a different scheme. He thought that the people of Louisiana, a large territory at the mouth of the Mississippi River, which had only lately become a part of the United States,

might be induced to separate into a new nation of their own. He needed money for his plans, and so he kept pointing out to the British minister the many advantages to England if either the Spanish colonies or Louisiana should win freedom.

A third plan was also dawning in Burr's mind, the possibility of entering Mexico and carving out a kingdom there for himself. So he began by dealing with the agents of different countries, trying to get money for his own secret schemes. In the spring of 1805, Burr set out for the West.

He took coach for the journey over the mountains to Pittsburgh, where he had arranged by letter to meet General James Wilkinson, the governor of the new territory of Louisiana. Wilkinson was delayed, however, and so Burr embarked in an ark that he had ordered built to sail down the Ohio River. After several days on the water, he reached Blenner-Hassett Island early in May. The owner of the island was away from home, but his wife invited Burr to their house,

and he learned from her that her husband was looking for a way to mend his fortunes. Next day, Burr continued his journey in the ark. He reached Cincinnati, then a very small town of 1,500 people, where he talked over his plans with several friends. From Cincinnati he went to Louisville, and from there rode to Frankfurt.

At Nashville, he was the guest of Andrew Jackson, who was Major General of the Tennessee Militia. Word spread about that Aaron Burr was plotting to free Florida and the West Indies from Spanish rule, and the liberty-loving settlers welcomed him with open arms. Leaving Andrew Jackson, Burr floated in an open boat to the mouth of the Cumberland River, where his ark, which had come down the Ohio, was waiting for him.

The ark made its first stop at a frontier post called Fort Massick, and there Burr met General Wilkinson of Louisiana. These two men were real soldiers of fortune. They had fought side by side at the walls of Quebec, and Wilkinson, like many another, had fallen under the spell of Burr's charm.

They probably discussed the whole situation, how a small army might seize Florida, how a small navy could drive the Spaniards from Cuba, how a daring band of frontiersmen could march from Veracruz to the city of Mexico. Wilkinson seemed delighted with Burr's schemes,

and when he left he provided his friend with a large barge manned by ten soldiers and a sergeant. In this imposing vessel, Burr sailed on down the Mississippi to New Orleans, and on June 25, 1805, landed at that quaint old city. It was already a place of much importance.

Sea-going ships and thousands of river flatboats docked at its levees, for it was the chief port for sending goods to Mexico and the other Spanish colonies. Burr brought letters to many prominent people, and a public dinner was given in his honor. The visitor had been Vice President of the United States, and was said to be the leader of a band of mysterious patriots.

Enthusiasm ran high in New Orleans when their guest said, as he had already announced in Tennessee, that he intended to devote his life to overthrowing all Spanish rule in America. Day after day the soldier of fortune was busy with his plans. When he started north on horseback he carried with him the fame of a great patriot.

Wherever he stopped, at cabins, at villages or cities, the frontiersman wanted to shake his hand. He rode 450 miles through the wilderness from Natchez to Nashville, where he again visited Andrew Jackson, who promised him Tennessee soldiers for a war on Spain. At St. Louis, he learned that General Zebulon Pike was exploring the best route over the plains to Santa Fe, and many letters told him that the time was ripe to settle old grudges with the borderers of Mexico. Everything seemed favorable to his adventure, but had only to decide where he would strike first.

He was back in the East by the middle of November 1805, having filled the whole country with rumors of wild plots and insurrections. He was a figure of mystery. People whispered that Aaron Burr was to be the Washington of a new republic in the West, or the king of a country to be carved out of Mexico.

By the summer of 1806, Burr knew that he could not get money from England to further his plans. He would have to depend on his own countrymen in any attack on Mexico or Spain. His journey had showed him that many of them were eager to follow his lead. Troubles were daily increasing along the borders of Florida and Mexico. It looked easy to take an army into Florida,

but there would be more profit in the rich country to the southwest. His friend, General Wilkinson, had just been sent to drive the Mexicans across the Sabine River, the western boundary of Louisiana, and Burr thought this was a good chance to go west again, and perhaps call the settlers to arms.

Men he trusted started west early in the summer of 1806, and Burr, with his daughter and a colonel de Pester, who had fought in the French Revolution, and a few friends and servants, set out in August for their meeting place on Blenner Hassett Island.

When he arrived there, he was warmly welcomed by the owner. Burr showed Blenner Hassett how he could make his fortune in Mexico, because if the conspiracy were successful, they could take a large part of that country for themselves. Fired by Burr's story,

the men on the island immediately began preparations. They sent to the town of Marietta for 100 barrels of pork, and contracted to have 15 boats delivered at the island the following December. A kiln was built under Blennerhasset's house for drying corn, which was then ground into meal and packed for shipping. All sorts of provisions were purchased, and the Blennerhasset family prepared to send their household goods down the river. Word of the plan spread, and men in

various towns near the Ohio made ready to join the expedition. When the leader should send out his messengers, recruits would come pouring in. In the meantime, Burr himself had left the little island and covered a wide stretch of country. He wanted to be sure of Andrew Jackson's aid, and he found that the fiery warrior is ready as ever to fight Spaniard or Mexican in the cause of liberty. The general still thought that his friend Burr's only object was to free all of

North America. Eager in that cause, Jackson sent word to the Tennessee militia, urging them to be ready for instant duty against the Spaniards, who, he said, had already captured several citizens of the United States, had cut down our flag, had driven our explorers away from the Red River, and had taken an insulting position on the east bank of the River Sabine, in the territory of Orleans. He wrote to President Jefferson, offering to lead his Tennessee militia against the troops

of Spain. A large part of the country expecting war at once. Burr, for his own purposes, did all he could to inflame this warlike feeling. In October, the chief conspirator met his daughter, Theodosia Alston, her husband, in Blennerhassett, at Lexington, Kentucky. He now arranged to buy a tract, known as the Bastrop Lands, which included nearly a million acres in northern Louisiana on the Washita River. This purchase he meant to use as a blind, intending to settle there only

in cases other plans failed. If the United States government should suspect the conspirators of plotting against Mexico, they could pretend to be merely settlers, armed to defend themselves in case the Spaniards should overrun their borders. The tract would be valuable in any case, because of the rich bottomlands and vast forests, and made a splendid base for a raid into the Spanish provinces. Recruits were added daily to Burr's forces. He told them as much or as little of his

schemes as he thought advisable. To some he said that he was a secret agent of the government, to others that he only meant to start a new pioneer settlement. If there should be war with Spain, the men who followed him would share in the spoils, if victorious. If there was no war, they would be ready to protect the border against invaders. There were some people, however, who could not get over their distrust of Burr because of what he had done. The mysterious preparations

at Blennerhasset Island caused some uneasiness in the neighborhood, and on October 6th a mass meeting of the people of Wood County, Virginia was held, and the military preparations on the island were denounced. Blennerhasset was away at the time, but his wife, hearing of the meeting, grew uneasy, and sent her gardener, Peter Taylor, to tell her husband this news. Taylor found the conspirators at Lexington and gave them Mrs. Bunner Hassett's message.

The gardener was evidently taken into his master's confidence, because he said later that the plan was to take Mexico, one of the finest and richest places in the whole world. He added, Colonel Burr would be the king of Mexico, and Mrs. Austin, daughter of Colonel Burr, was to be the queen New Mexico, whenever Colonel Burr died. Colonel Burr had made fortunes for many in his time, but none for himself, but now he was going to make something for himself. He said that he had

a great many friends in the Spanish territory. No less than 2,000 Roman Catholic priests were engaged, and all their friends would join, if once he could get to them. The Spaniards, like the French, had got dissatisfied with their government and wanted to swap it. President Jefferson could no longer overlook the adventures of Burr and his friends. He knew that very little was needed to kindle the flame of war on the Mexican border, but he had had his hands

full with foreign affairs. England was making trouble for American sailors, and Napoleon was setting the whole world by the ears. So the busy president wrote to his agents in the West and urged them to keep a secret watch over Colonel Burr and Blanarhasset Island. War with Spain almost came that summer. There were many disputed boundary lines between the United States and the Spanish colonies. The Spanish troops in Florida, Texas, and Mexico were prepared for an attack from the

United States, and Spanish agents were urging Indian tribes to rise against the white men. Men protested in western cities and towns. The people of Orleans' territory were afraid that Spain was going to try to win back their country by force of arms. On the 4th of July 1806, the people of New Orleans held a great patriotic celebration, and in the evening a play called Washington, or the Liberty of the New World, was acted to a huge audience. Even the Creoles,

who were more Spanish than Anglo-Saxon, were eager to fight against the old tyranny of Spain. In the midst of this war, excitement word came that a man born in Venezuela named Francesco Miranda had sailed from New York to free his native country from Spanish rule. Miranda was looked upon as a hero and patriot by many people in the United States, and this encouraged Burr and his friends. There were in 1806 about 1,000 soldiers in Texas, which was then a province

of Mexico. These troops were ordered to cross the Sabine River, which formed a part of the disputed boundary, and as soon as they did cross, the governor of Louisiana called for volunteers, and the people of Mississippi territory prepared to march to the aid of New Orleans. The meeting place of the volunteers was Natchitoches, and there hundreds of countrymen came flocking, armed and eager to defend Louisiana. Everything seemed ready for Aaron Burr to launch

his great adventure. But at this point, Burr's former friend, General James Wilkinson, the governor of Louisiana, changed his mind as to the wisdom of Burr's schemes. He would not give the order to the volunteers to march to the Mexican border, but waited, hoping that President Jefferson would prevent the war by diplomacy, or that the Spanish troops would decide to retreat. On September 27th, a great crowd in Nashville hailed Colonel Burr as the deliverer of the Southwest, and Andrew

Jackson proclaimed, millions for defense, not one cent for tribute, and at the same time, the Mexican General Herrera ordered his troops to retreat from the River Sabine. Danger of war was over, and the moment the flag of Spain left the Louisiana shore, Burr's dream of an empire for himself and his friends vanished. General Wilkinson knew that the government in Washington was suspicious of Aaron Burr's plans, and he thought that his name was included among those of Burr's friends.

Some newspapers had even linked their names together, and the general, knowing perhaps the treachery of his own thoughts, now decided to prove his patriotism by accusing Aaron Burr and the others of treason. All the time that he was making a treaty with the Mexican general on the Texan frontier, he was also working up a strong case against Burr. He saw to it that the agents put all suspicion on the shoulders of the others, and made him appear as that one man who

had tried his best to protect his country. He intended to show that not only was he not a traitor, but that he was able to unmask traitors by having pretended to join with them earlier. In his sudden eagerness to prevent war with the Mexicans, General Wilkinson made terms of peace with them, which proved the great disadvantage to the United States at the later date, but which pleased the peace party of the day. He met the Mexican general at the very time when Burr and

his allies were ready to launch their fleet of boats on the Mississippi River. Then Wilkinson made haste to raise the cry of treason in the West, which was to echo through the United States for months and ruin the reputation of many men. President Jefferson trusted Wilkinson, and when he heard the latter's charges against Burr, he sent a special messenger to see what was happening at Blenarhassen Island. Before the messenger reached the Allegheny Mountains,

however, another man had accused Burr in the court of Frankfurt, Kentucky, of having broken the laws of the country and starting an expedition against Mexico. Burr said that he could easily answered these charges and sent a message to Blannerhassett telling him not to be disturbed. He went to the court at Frankfurt, and when the man who had accused him could not bring his witnesses, the matter was promptly dropped. Burr was more a hero than ever to the people of Frankfurt.

They agreed with the leading newspaper that said, Colonel Burr has throughout this business conducted himself with the calmness, moderation, and firmness which have characterized him through life. He invents an earnest desire for a full and speedy investigation, free from irritation or emotion. He excited the strongest sensation of respect and friendship in the breast of every impartial person present. Burr then went back to Lexington and continued raising money to buy a

fleet of boats. Andrew Jackson had already received $3,000 in Kentucky for this purpose. Blenner Hossett went on enrolling volunteers. It looked as if Burr's conduct at Frankfurt had put an end to the rumors of treason. General Wilkinson, however, was still anxious to make a name for himself as a great patriot, and he kept sending alarming messages to Washington. He accused his former friend of all sorts of treason. It was also perfectly clear that a large number of boats were

being gathered on the Ohio under orders of Burr and his friends, and so President Jefferson sent word to the officers at Marietta to post 150 or 200 soldiers on the river to prevent Burr's fleet sailing. With the news of this order, people in the West began to suspect their former hero, and even some of his old allies grew doubtful of his patriotism. Wilkinson increased the alarm by orders he gave in New Orleans as governor of Louisiana territory.

He began to make military arrests, locking up all those he distrusted, and all those who were admirers of Aaron Burr. He had gunboats stationed in the river, and they were ordered to fire on Burr's fleet, if it ever got that far. And he refused to allow any boats to ascend the Mississippi without his express permission.

All this preparation caused great excitement in New Orleans, which spread through the neighboring country. It seemed as if General Wilkinson was trying to force the people to believe there was some great conspiracy on foot. The colonel and his allies tried to explain that their fleet of boats was simply to carry settlers, arms, and provisions into the Bastrop tract of land that they had bought, but by now nobody would believe them. On December 9, 1806, the boats that Blenner Hassett had been gathering on the Muskingum River

were seized by order of the governor of Ohio. Patrols were placed along the Ohio River, and the militia called out to capture Blennerhasset and the men with him. The next day, the Virginia militia declared that they meant to find out the secret of Blennerhasset Island. The owner and his friend, Comfort Tyler, had word of this, and at once prepared for flight. At midnight, they left the island and started down the Ohio by boat. The Virginia troops arrived to

find the place deserted, and, leaving sentinels there, started in pursuit of Blennerhasset. The next day, the sentries captured a flat boat with 14 boys on board, who were coming from Pittsburgh to join Burr. People along the Ohio began to expect attacks from Burr's recruits. Cincinnati was especially alarmed.

One of the newspapers there stated that three of Burr's armed boats were anchored near the city, which they meant to attack. That night, some practical joker exploded a bomb, and the people thought the Burr's army was firing on them. The citizens armed, and the militia was called out,

but when they came to inspect the boats on the river next day, they found that those they thought belonged to Burr, were vessels of a Louisville merchant loaded with dry goods. No story was now too wild to believe when it was attached to the name of Burr or Blenner Hassett. Burr now only intended to sail down to his own lands. On December 20th, he sent word to Blenner Hassett that he would be at the mouth of the Cumberland River on the 23rd.

Two days later, he put a number of horses on one of his boats, and with a few men to help him, floated down the Cumberland River to its mouth, where Blenner Hassett and the rest of their party were waiting for him. They joined their seven boats to his two vessels and had a fleet of nine ships with about 60 men on board.

On December 28th, they sailed down the Ohio and the next night anchored a little below Fort Massick. Country people along the river saw the flotilla pass and sent word of it to the nearest military post. The captain there stopped all ships, but found nothing suspicious on any of them.

Colonel Burr, late Vice President, the officer reported, passed this way with about ten boats of different descriptions navigated with about six men each, having nothing on board that would even suffer a conjecture more than that he was a man bound to market. He has descended the river towards Orleans. On the last day of 1806, the fleet reached the broad waters of the Mississippi River.

Four days later, they dropped anchor at Chickasaw Bluffs, now the city of Memphis. Again, officers boarded the boats, and after examining the cargoes, allowed them to go on their voyage. On January 10th, they reached Mississippi territory, and here they found the excitement intense. The fleet was now in territory that was under the charge of General Wilkinson, and he immediately sent 375 soldiers from Natchez to prevent Burr's further progress.

On January 16, two officers rowed out to the boats, and were received pleasantly by Colonel Burr, who laughed at General Wilkinson's suspicions, and, pointing to his peaceful flotilla, asked if it looked as if it were meant for war. When he was told that the soldiers had orders to stop him, he answered that he was willing to appear in court at any time.

This satisfied the two officers, who asked him to ride next day to the town of Washington, which was the capital of Mississippi Territory, and appear before the court there. Burr agreed, and early next morning rode to Washington with the two officers who had called on him. There he was charged with having conspired against the United States government. His friends on the river remained on their boats, waiting for his return.

The expedition never went any farther. Burr promised to stay in the territory until the charges against him were cleared. His charm of manner won him many friends, and people would not believe him a traitor. When the grand jury met, they decided that Aaron Burr was not guilty of treason. The judge, however, would not set him free, and Burr realized that General Wilkinson was

using all his power against him. He thought that his only chance of safety lay in defying the court, and taking the advice of some friends, fled to a hiding place near the home of Colonel Osmond, an old acquaintance. He meant to leave that part of the country, but the severe weather blocked his plans. Heavy rains had swollen all the streams, and he had to change his route.

He set out with one companion, but had to ask a farmer the road to the house of Colonel Hinson. The farmer suspected that one of the horsemen was Aaron Burr, and knew that a large reward had been offered for his capture. He carried his news to the sheriff, and then to the officers at Fort Stoddart. A lieutenant from the fort with four soldiers joined the farmer,

and, mounting fast horses, they rode after the two men. Early the next morning, they came up with them. The lieutenant demanded in the name of the government of the United States whether one of the horsemen was Colonel Burr. Aaron Burr admitted his name and was put under arrest. He was taken to the fort and held there as a fugitive from justice.

The cry of treason in the West had been heard all over the country. The great expedition against Mexico had dwindled to a small voyage to settle certain timberlands. The formidable fleet was only nine ordinary riverboats. The army of rebels had shrunk to less than 60 peaceful citizens, and the store of arms and ammunition had been reduced to a few rifles and powder horns.

Moreover, Aaron Burr had neither attempted to fight nor to resist arrest. He had merely fled when he thought he stood little chance of a fair trial. Yet the cry of treason had so alarmed the country that the government found it necessary to try the man who had so nearly defeated Jefferson for the presidency.

Orders were sent to bring Aaron Burr east. After a journey that lasted 21 days, the prisoner was lodged in the Eagle Tavern in Richmond, Virginia. Here, Chief Justice Marshall examined the charges against Burr, and held him in bail to appear at the next term of court. The bail was secured, and on the afternoon of April 1st, Burr was once more set at liberty.

From then until the day of the trial, interest in the case grew. Everywhere people discussed the question whether Aaron Burr had been a traitor to his country. By the time for the hearing of the case, feeling against him ran high. When court met on May 22nd, 1807, Richmond was crowded with many of the most prominent men of the time, drawn by the charges against a man who had so lately been vice president.

It was not until the following August that Colonel Burr was actually put on trial. The question was simply whether he had planned to make war against the United States. There were many witnesses, led by the faithless General Wilkinson, who were ready to declare that the purpose of the meetings at Blennerhasset Island was to organize an army to divide the Western country from the rest of the Republic.

Each side was represented by famous lawyers, and the battle was hard fought. In the end, however, the jury found that Aaron Burr was not guilty of treason. No matter what Burr and Blennerhassett and their friends had planned to do in Mexico, the jury could not believe they had been so mad as to plot a war against the United States. Burr, although now free, was really a man without a country.

He went to England and France, and in both countries engaged in plans for freeing the colonies of Spain. But both in England and in France, the people looked upon him with suspicion, remembering his strange history. At the end of four years, he returned to the United States. Here he found that some of his early plans were coming to fulfillment. Revolves were breaking out in Florida, in Mexico, and in some of the West Indies.

He was allowed no part in any of these uprisings. Florida became a part of the United States, and in time Burr saw the men of Texas begin a struggle for freedom from Mexico. When he read the news of this, he exclaimed, There! You see, I was right. I was only 30 years too soon.

What was treason in me 30 years ago is patriotism now. Later he was asked whether he had really planned to divide the Union, when he had started on his voyage from Blenarhasset Island. He answered, No, I would as soon have thought of taking possession of the moon,

and informing my friends that I intended to divide it among them. Such is the story of Aaron Burr, a real soldier of fortune, who wanted to carve out a new country for himself, and came to be a man without a country.

End of Section 4 Recording by Greg Giordano New Port Ritchie, Florida