John Armstrong (US war secretary)

John Armstrong 1758-1843, American army officer, U.S. Secretary of War (1813-14), b. Carlisle, Pa.; son of John Armstrong, "hero of Kittanning." In the American Revolution he was on the staff of Horatio Gates. In 1783, Armstrong wrote the "Newburgh Addresses," or "Newburgh Letters" ; these anonymously issued appeals urged the restive Continental officers to force Congress to pay salary arrears and adjust other grievances. General Washington denounced the appeals, and the officers soon followed his lead. After marriage (1789) to Alida, sister of Robert R. Livingston , Armstrong moved to Red Hook, N.Y., and became a political supporter of George Clinton and De Witt Clinton . He was U.S. Senator (1800-1802, 1803-4), minister to France (1804-10), and then Secretary of War. In the War of 1812 he was held responsible for the disasters of 1813-14, notably the failure of the expedition to Canada and the British capture of the city of Washington. He resigned in public disfavor. Armstrong wrote Notices of the War of 1812 (1836-40), biographies of Richard Montgomery and Anthony Wayne, and other books.

Armstrong, John, Jr. (1758–1843) soldier, senator, and secretary of war, born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Armstrong was the son of John Armstrong, the “hero of Kittanning.” During the Revolutionary War, Armstrong wrote anonymously the controversial “Newburgh Addresses,” intended to pressure Congress into redressing the army's grievances, especially concerning the lack of pay, which were perceived as challenging George Washington's authority, but he was eventually forgiven. As a brigadier general, he was assigned the defense of New York harbor in 1812. As war secretary during the War of 1812, Armstrong infused new energy into the department, but treated his officers imperiously, was known to interfere in matters belonging to the commanders, failed to coordinate his activities with President James Madison, and was blamed for insufficient defense of Washington, D.C., that led to its burning by British troops after the Battle of Bladensburg in 1814. He resigned that year.