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.