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WILKINS. 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