About a week ago I wrote a post on the Louisiana Purchase. Following the general theme of that post I decided to write a follow up on Aaron Burr’s alleged conspiracy to take over the Southwest in 1806. Aaron Burr was Vice-President of the United States from 1801 to 1805 under Thomas Jefferson. In the early years of the nineteenth century he allegedly attempted to carve out his own personal empire in the Southwest and secede from the United States.
In 1804, Burr began meeting with the British minister Anthony Merry, requesting British aid in a move to conquer Louisiana. He promised the British land in the American west in exchange for supplies, arms, funds and British naval support in the Gulf of Mexico. The British did not express any interest in supporting Burr and Merry was recalled back to Great Britain in 1806.
Burr began to establish a team of co-conspirators. These included James Wilkinson, the Governor of Indiana and Harman Blennerhasset, who provided Burr with headquarters along the Ohio River and funds. Burr also contacted the Spanish minister and attempted to persuade him to donate to the campaign. The Spanish government, much like the British, was uninterested but the Spanish minister personally gave Burr funds.
Burr had attempted to keep things quiet but eventually word had seeped out. Ohio militia raided Blennerhasset Island and seized all of Burr’s supplies. Blennerhasset escaped and linked up with Burr and his men. The secessionist party headed down the Mississippi River towards New Orleans. James Wilkinson, who had been in on the plot, was certain that the conspiracy was doomed to fail so he spilled the beans. Burr and his men were intercepted at Bayou Pierre, Louisiana, just 30 miles north of New Orleans.
Burr was tried for treason but found not guilty. He went to Great Britain and then France but he was disregarded everywhere he went. Blennerhasset fled with his family to Mississippi. Burr’s hopes for empire disintegrated.