Sarah Orno Jewett, Thomas Nelson Page, George W. CabU', ami others who liave dealt with local scenes and types. Her characters rcpre- .sented, in the main, a lower social order than those of Miss .lowett, and were not so sympa- thetically but mcu'e foniljly depicted. Her chief works were: The Adventurrs of Ann (1886); A Humblr Romance (1887), which gave the author vogue; A New England Nun (1891); Young Lucretia (1802). for children; Jane Field (1892); Giles Corey (1893), a drama; Pembroke (1894); Madelon (1896); Jerome, a Poor Man (1897); Silence, and Other Stories (1898), containing some of her best work; and The Love of Parson Lord (1900). Later works were: The Portion of Labor (1901); Understudies (1901); and The Wind in the Rose Rush (1903). Much of Miss Wilkins's work appeared as short stories and serials in the leading magazines.
WIL'KINSBURG. A borough in Allegheny
County, I'a., adjoining Pittsliurg, of which it is
a residential suburb (.Map: Pittsburg). It
has the Home for Aged Protestant Women and
the United Presbyterian Home for the Aged.
Wilkinsburg was named in honor of William
Wilkins, Secretary of War under President Tyler,
and was incorporated as a borough in 1887. Be-
fore receiving its present name it was known first
as M'Nairville and then as RippeTilIe. Popu-
lation, in 1890, 4G62; in 1900, 11,880.
WIL'KINSON, Henry Spen.ser (IS.'jS— ).
An English journalist and writer on military
themes. He was born in Manchester, Slay 1,
1853 ; was educated at Owens CollegCj Manches-
ter, and at ilerton College, Oxford, and was
called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn in 1880. From
1883 to 1802 he was connected with the Man-
chester Guardian, and in 180:5 he joined the staff
of the London Morning Post. Becoming convinced
as early as 1874 that Great Britain was inade-
quately armed, he began to devote great atten-
tion to the subject of the national defense. Dur-
ing the early months of the Boer War ( 1899-1 900 )
Wilkinson won wide recognition by his extraordi-
narily accurate forecasts of the military move-
ments of both Boers and British, and of the re-
sulting battles. Besides his work as special
correspondent to the newspapers, his writings
include Essays Toward the Improvement of the
^'oluHtcer Forces (1880); Essat/s on the H'or
Game (1887) ; The Brain of an Army (1890), an
account of the German general staff; The Volun-
teers and the National Defense (1891); Im-
perial Defense (jointly with Sir Charles Dilke,
1892); The Great Alternative, a Plea for a
National Policy (1894); The Command of the
Sea (1894); The Brain of the Navi/^ (1895);
The Nation's Awakening (1890) ; British Policy
in South .ifrica (1899); Lessons of the War
(1899) ; and War and Policy (1900).
WILKINSON, James (1757-1825). An
American soldier, born in Benedict, Sid., of Eng-
lish ancestry. He was privately tutored and
studied medicine in Philadelphia (1773-75). In
September, 177:5, he enlisted in the American
Army, joining the army before Boston; the fol-
lowing year he was made captain and led a com-
pany northward, joining Arnold at La Chine in
the invasion of Canada. He became a colonel,
served on the staff of General Gates, and was pro-
moted by the latter to be deputy adjutant-general
of the Army of the Northern Department. He
served with .some distinction through the Sara-
toga campaign, and was delegated to bear to Con-
gress the news of the surreniler of liurgoyne. He
was brevetted brigadier-}*'neral in November,
1777; was implieiited in tlic Conway (':ibal
(q.v.) ; acted as seeretiiry to the Board of War
from January to March, 1778; and in .(uly, 1779,
was made elothier-general of the Contincaital
Army. He resigned in 1781, and in 1784 re-
moved to Kentucky, where he soon came to exert
considerable inlluencc. He jjlayed a conspicuous
part in the early [xdities of tlnit State; and even
went so far as to intrigue with the Spaniards in
Louisiana for the absorjition of the Western coun-
try by Spain. He was, however, spokesman for
but a small coterie of politicians and adven-
turers, his motive l)eing largely selfish. For the
role he played lu' receiveil v;ilnable tnule conces-
sions with Louisiana — he had come to be the larg-
est tobacco dealer in the West — and a pension
from the Spanish Government. His treasonable
conduct being unknown, he was appointed lieu-
tenant-colonel in 1791, and served with ability
in the Indian wars of the West, notably in An-
tliony Wayne's campaign. In March, 1792, he
was appointed brigadier-general, and in 1791) suc-
ceeded Wayne as commander-in-chief of the army.
In 1805, after the acquisition of Louisiana and
its division into two Territories, he was ap-
pointed by .Jefl'erson Governor of L'pper Louisiana
with liis capital at Saint Louis. At this time he
was already engaged with Aaron Burr in a scheme
tor the conquest of Mexico. During 1806, imder
cover of the Spanish War excitement, this scheme
took shape, but Wilkinson, seeing the opportunity
of driving a doul)le bargain, turned traitor, de-
nouncing the expedition to the President, and
applying to the Viceroy of Mexico for money to
compensate him for having saved that kingdom
to Spain. His treachery and guilty conduct,
however, were clearly exposed to some people
and he narrowly escaped indictment along with
P>urr at Richmond in 1807. Wilkinson's period of
impunity was ended. On December 31, 1807.
John Randolph introduced a resolution in Con-
gress to inquire into the conduct of Brigadier-
General James Wilkinson "in relation to his hav-
ing, at any time, while in the service of the
L'nited States, corruptly received money from
Spain or its agents." He was exonerated, but
of his guilt Randolph was certain, and early in
1810 two committees in Congress took up charges
against the General. On December 25, 1811. he
was again acquitted, and resumed command of
the array. In jlarch, 1813, during the second war
with Great Britain, he was raised to the rank of
major-general and placed in command of, the
Canada Expedition, but. proving incapable, he
was superseded in 1814, and in November a court-
martial was ordered for his trial on charges of
neglect of duty, drunkenness, conduct unbecom-
ing an officer, and of countenancing and encour-
aging disobedience of orders. In 1815 he was
again acquitted, and was honorably discharged
from the service. He removed to Mexico City
and took a small part in some of the revolution-
ary movements then afflicting that country. His ■
last years were spent in trying to collect from
Mexico a large smn of money due himself and
some of his friends for munitions and arms. He
was a brave officer, a fluent speaker, and a ready
