John Armstrong was born at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in 1758. He was
an aid on General Gates’ staff, and served with him through the
campaign against Burgoyne. On the 1st of March, 1776, he was appointed
brigadier-general in the Continental service. In February, the
following year, he received the appointment of adjutant-general of the
Southern army, but in consequence of ill health was obliged to retire
from the army for a time. After the war Armstrong was secretary of the
State of Pennsylvania. In 1787 he was sent to Congress; from 1800 to
1802 he was United States Senator, and again in 1803–1810. From 1813 to
1814 he was Secretary of War. He was censured for his lack of success
in preventing the British from sacking Washington City in 1814–15, and
became very unpopular. He resigned in 1814, retiring to Red Hook, New
York, where he died April 1, 1843.