John Henry (spy)
Encyclopedia
John Henry was a spy and adventurer of mysterious origins. It is reputed that he was born in Dublin, Ireland
, probably between 1750 and 1775, although 1776 is the more accepted year.
Henry came to Philadelphia
about 1793, edited Brown's Philadelphia Gazette, and afterward was commissioned a captain in the United States Army
, on June 1, 1798, during the Quasi-War
with France
. Henry commanded an artillery
company under General Ebenezer Stevens
of the New York Miltia, while he served as commanding officer at Fort Jay
, on Governor's Island in New York Harbor.
Henry was re-assigned to Fort Wolcott
in Newport, Rhode Island and was the first commander of Fort Adams
, also in Newport
, when the fort was opened on July 4, 1799. He later served at Fort Sumner in Portland, Maine
and resigned from the army at the end of 1801. He settled on a farm in northern Vermont
, and also studied law. Here he remained five years, occasionally writing articles for the press against the republic
an form of government
.
These attracted the attention of Sir James Craig
, then Governor-General of Canada
, who employed him in 1809 to find out the extent of the reported disaffection to the national government in New England
. Henry spent three months in Boston in this employment, reporting constantly to Craig by letter, and at one time thought that in the event of war between Great Britain
and the United States, Massachusetts
would take the lead in establishing a northern confederacy, which might, in the end, ally itself with Great Britain. Craig promised Henry office in Canada, but died soon afterward, and the spy's efforts to obtain his reward in London meeting with no success, he returned to the United States and, on February 2, 1812, divulged the whole matter to President
James Madison
, who paid him $50,000 for his information. Henry left for France
immediately after payment was made to him.
His disclosures were made the subject of a special message to Congress
, and created much excitement throughout the country, especially among the opponents of the administration. Some of those opponents alleged that it was all a political trick that had been devised by the President to cause war with Great Britain, and the Henry letters
did indeed help create the outrage which led to the declaration of the War of 1812
on June 12.
Henry sailed from New York City
for France on 9 March, 1812. He used all of his reward but $1,000 to purchase an estate in Languedoc
from a "Count de Crillon", but Crillon proved to be an impostor, and it is probable that Henry lost his money.
The last report of Henry was that he was employed in 1820 by King George IV
to spy on his wife, Caroline of Brunswick
, while she was living in Rome. Details of Henry's later life are few, but he is believed to have died in Paris
in 1853.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, probably between 1750 and 1775, although 1776 is the more accepted year.
Henry came to Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
about 1793, edited Brown's Philadelphia Gazette, and afterward was commissioned a captain in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, on June 1, 1798, during the Quasi-War
Quasi-War
The Quasi-War was an undeclared war fought mostly at sea between the United States and French Republic from 1798 to 1800. In the United States, the conflict was sometimes also referred to as the Franco-American War, the Pirate Wars, or the Half-War.-Background:The Kingdom of France had been a...
with France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Henry commanded an artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
company under General Ebenezer Stevens
Ebenezer Stevens
Ebenezer Stevens was a Major General in the United States Army.He was born on 11 Aug 1751 in Roxbury, Massachusetts, the son of Ebenezer Stevens and Elizabeth Weld. His first wife was Rebecca Hodgden - they married in Providence, Rhode Island on October 11, 1774. He married secondly on 4 May 1784...
of the New York Miltia, while he served as commanding officer at Fort Jay
Fort Jay
Fort Jay is a harbor fortification and the name of the former Army post located on Governors Island in New York Harbor. Fort Jay is the oldest defensive structure on the island, built to defend Upper New York Bay, but has served other purposes...
, on Governor's Island in New York Harbor.
Henry was re-assigned to Fort Wolcott
Fort Wolcott
Fort Wolcott was a fortification on the small Goat Island in Newport Harbor of Narragansett Bay less than 1 mile west of the city of Newport, Rhode Island...
in Newport, Rhode Island and was the first commander of Fort Adams
Fort Adams
Fort Adams in Newport, Rhode Island, was established on July 4, 1799 as a First System coastal fortification. Its first commander was Captain John Henry who was later instrumental in starting the War of 1812.-History:...
, also in Newport
Newport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
, when the fort was opened on July 4, 1799. He later served at Fort Sumner in Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
and resigned from the army at the end of 1801. He settled on a farm in northern Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, and also studied law. Here he remained five years, occasionally writing articles for the press against the republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
an form of government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
.
These attracted the attention of Sir James Craig
James Craig
-Public officials:*James Henry Craig , British soldier and colonial administrator*James Craig , British politician*James Craig , Canadian politician...
, then Governor-General of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, who employed him in 1809 to find out the extent of the reported disaffection to the national government in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. Henry spent three months in Boston in this employment, reporting constantly to Craig by letter, and at one time thought that in the event of war between Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and the United States, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
would take the lead in establishing a northern confederacy, which might, in the end, ally itself with Great Britain. Craig promised Henry office in Canada, but died soon afterward, and the spy's efforts to obtain his reward in London meeting with no success, he returned to the United States and, on February 2, 1812, divulged the whole matter to President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
James Madison
James Madison
James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...
, who paid him $50,000 for his information. Henry left for France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
immediately after payment was made to him.
His disclosures were made the subject of a special message to Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, and created much excitement throughout the country, especially among the opponents of the administration. Some of those opponents alleged that it was all a political trick that had been devised by the President to cause war with Great Britain, and the Henry letters
Henry letters
The Henry Letters were created by a fraudster named John Henry. The letters reflected that the British government operating in Canada had employed him to try to persuade the New England states to leave the United States and join Canada. A bundle of letters was sold to President James Madison for...
did indeed help create the outrage which led to the declaration of the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
on June 12.
Henry sailed from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
for France on 9 March, 1812. He used all of his reward but $1,000 to purchase an estate in Languedoc
Languedoc
Languedoc is a former province of France, now continued in the modern-day régions of Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées in the south of France, and whose capital city was Toulouse, now in Midi-Pyrénées. It had an area of approximately 42,700 km² .-Geographical Extent:The traditional...
from a "Count de Crillon", but Crillon proved to be an impostor, and it is probable that Henry lost his money.
The last report of Henry was that he was employed in 1820 by King George IV
George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
to spy on his wife, Caroline of Brunswick
Caroline of Brunswick
Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel was the Queen consort of King George IV of the United Kingdom from 29 January 1820 until her death...
, while she was living in Rome. Details of Henry's later life are few, but he is believed to have died in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1853.