Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors]

torily infifted with his companions, upon their examining him more ftrictly. This recollection was decifive and fatal. André was not used to, nor prepared for fuch encounters. Or, as he said himfelf in his letter to Washington, "I was too little verfed in deception, to practise it with any degree or hope of fuccefs." He offered the captors a confiderable purfe of gold, and a very valuable watch, for letting him pass; and it would appear from the American accounts, and indeed feems confirmed by the very high praises which they bestowed, upon the virtue and patriotifm, as they called it, of three fimple young men, in the humbleft walks of life, who nobly difdained, befides the immediate temptation, the very fafcinating offers of permanent provifion, and even of future promotion, which were made them, on condition of their conveying and accompanying the major to New York.

Upon Andre's firft examination, he ftill fupported the name and fuppofed character of Anderfon, a real or imaginary inhabitant of New York; and though the papers that were found in his boot, fubjected him to inftant execution, in the ufual fummary way practifed with fpies, yet he nobly chofe to encounter that immediate danger, and ignominious fate, rather than let any thing come out which could involve Arnoid, until he had time to provide for his fafety. The papers were all in Arnold's hand-writing, and contained exact returns, of the state of the forces, ordnance, and defences, at West Point, and its dependencies, with the artil,

lery orders, critical remarks on the works, an estimate of the number of men that were ordinarily on duty to man them, and a copy of fome very interefting matters, which had been lately laid before a council of war by the commander in chief.

Several circumstances attending this tranfaction were highly fortunate to Arnold. Particularly the delay occafioned by its happening at a distance from the camp; as well as through the indecifion, which fo new and extraordinary a cafe, that feemed beyond their reach and authority, neceffarily produced in thofe inferior officers or country magiftrates, by whom André was first examined.

General Washington returned from Connecticut, about noon on the 25th; André having been then full 48 hours in cuftody, without any knowledge of the tranfaction having yet reached the camp. At Arnold's quarters, the general was informed that he had been out for fome hours, and was fuppofed to be gone to West Point, whither he accordingly went, and difcovered to his furprize that he had not been there that day; this was, however, increased upon his return, when he found that he was ftill abfent from quarters. But every thing now was upon the point of being cleared up. A packet arrived, with an account of the capture of John Anderson, and enclofing the papers which were found upon him; accompanied likewife, with a letter from the prisoner himself to the general. He was now alfo informed, that Arnold had received a letter, which threw him into

fome

fome vifible degree of agitation, just before his departure from quarters in the morning. Wafhington immediately iffued orders, to prevent, if poffible, his escape; but it was then too late; for Arnold, upon the discovery of his danger, without even waiting to fecure or destroy his papers, had abandoned every thing; and proceeding down the river, under the cover of a flag, was then fafe on board the Vulture ship of war.

The vindication of his honour, and not the prefervation of his life, was the great object with Andre, in his letter to Washington; in which he avowed his name and character. The imputation of treachery, and the dread of being confidered in the bafe condition of a fpy, were worfe to him than death. He accordingly laboured to fhew, that he did not properly come within that defcription; that he had held a correfpondence with a perfon under the orders of his general; that his intentions went no farther, than the meeting of that perfon on neutral ground, for the purpose of intelligence; but that he was circumvented or betrayed, within the American pofts; and that being then in fact a prifoner, he was obliged to fubmit to fuch measures as were concerted for his escape, by quitting his uniform; and thus was forced into the condition of an enemy in difguife. His only folicitation was, that to whatever rigour policy might devote him, a decency of treatment might be obferved, which would mark, that though unfortunate, he was branded with nothing difhonourable, and that he was involuntarily an impoftor. In a word, his enemies

[ocr errors]

acknowledged, that the letter was conceived, in terms of dignity without infolence, and of apology without meannefs.

Washington had immediate mea, fures to take, in order to protect his camp and works from the unknown, but poffible confequences of General Arnold's defertion nor could he be entirely free from apprehenfion, that the treachery had spread farther than he was yet aware of. It foon appeared, however, that he had no party in the army to fupport his defign; and that if he had any confidents or affociates, they were few in number, and men of no great confequence. But though the defign was defeated, the idea was alarming in point of precedent; and the contagion of example was ftill to be dreaded.

Arnold wrote a letter to Wash

ington, from on board the Vulture, on the very day of his escape. In this, he does not enter much into any defence or explanation of his conduct, but feems to reft fatisfied in an internal confciousness of rectitude. He declares, that the love of his country, which had been the ruling principle with him through the whole conteft, had operated equally upon him in his present conduct, however inconfiftent it might appear to the world, who, (he obferves) very feldom judge right of any man's actions. But the great object and design of his letter, was to intereft Washington's humanity in the protection of Mrs. Arnold, from the mistaken vengeance of his country; that, he faid, ought to fall only upon himself; for fhe (he exclaimed in the language of passion)

is as

good

[ocr errors]

good and as innocent as an angel, his paffports and otherwife, and and is incapable of doing wrong. to return him, by fuch way, and in fuch manner, as fhould, to himself, appear most convenient or proper.

On the fame day, Col. Robinfon, who was likewife on board the Vulture, and feems fo far to have accompanied André on this enterprize, fent a letter to Washington, reclaiming him on the following grounds, yiz. That he had gone under the protection of a flag, upon public bufinefs with Gen. Arnold, and at his particular request; that he likewife had his licence and paffports for returning to New York; that every step he had taken, and even that of affuming a feigned name, had been under the direction of Arnold, which of course freed him from any cenfure in the tranfaction; and that, under thefe circumstances, his farther detention, would be a grofs violation of the fanction due to flags, and contrary to the established military cuftoms and ufages of all nations.

The following day brought a letter from Sir Henry Clinton, reclaiming André upon the fame grounds, of a flag, paffports, his own permiffion, and Arnold's requeft. It likewife contained an inclofure from Arnold to Sir Henry, ftating the circumftances, as he wished them to be understood; affuming to himfelf the whole guidance and direction of André's conduct, and confequently, as being only refponfible for thofe parts of it that appeared moft unfavourable in his prefent fituation; and ftrongly afferting his own right at that time, as acting in the American fervice, and being commanding general of West Point and its dependencies, to fend his flag of truce for André, to afford him protection by

In the mean time, Washington had appointed a board of fourteen general officers, of whom were the two foreign majors general, the Marquis de la Fayette, and the Baron de Steuben, with the affiftance of Laurence, the judge advocate general, to examine into, and to report, a precife ftate of André's cafe; to determine what light he was to be confidered in, and to what punishment he was liable.

This excellent young Sept. 29th. man, difdaining all fubterfuge and evafion, and only ftudying, by the magnanimity which he fhould now difplay, and the intrepidity with which he would encounter the expected fentence, to throw fuch a luftre over his character, as might prevent the fmalleft fhade of that imputation which he fo much dreaded, voluntarily confeffed more than he was afked; and fought not to palliate any thing that related to himfelf, whilft he concealed with the moft guarded and fcrupulous nicety, whatever might involve others. He acknowledged,-that the boat in which he came on fhore carried no flag;-that he wore a furtout coat over his regimentals;-that although it was underflood when he left the Vulture, that he fhould return that night, it was afterwards doubted; but that he was promised to be concealed on fhore, in a place of fafety, until the following night, when he was to return by the fame way that he came. He like

wife acknowledged his change of drefs in the camp; with all or most of the other circumftances which we have already ftated; as well, as that Arnold's papers were found concealed in his boot; and that a letter from New York, figned John Anderfon, was his own hand writing. Being interrogated by the board, with reIpect to his conception of coming on fhore under the fanction of a flag, he, with a noble franknefs faid, that it was impoffible for him to fuppofe he had come on fhore under that fanction; adding, that if he had, he certainly might have returned under it.

The board were exceedingly ftruck with his candour and magnanimity; and fufficiently fhewed how much they felt for his fituation. Befides every poffible mark of indulgence, and the utmoft attention and politeness, they treated him with fo fcrupulous a delicacy, as to defire at the opening of the examination, that he would not anfwer any interrogatory whatever, which could at all embarrafs his own feelings. André, was himself, deeply fenfible of the liberality of their behaviour, particularly in this laft inftance; and declared to a gentleman, (who we'll fuppofe to be an American officer) that he flattered himself he had never been illiberal; but that if there were any remains of prejudice in his mind, his prefent experience must obliterate them.

The board did not examine a fingle witnefs; but founded their report merely upon his own confeffion. In that, after a recital of a few of the principal facts, particularly his paffing, under a feigned name, and in a difguifed

habit, their works at Stoney, and Verplanks Points, on the evening of the 22d, they then declare, that Major André, adjutant general to the British army, ought to be confidered as a spy from the enemy; and, that agreeable to the law and ufage of nations, it is their opinion, he ought to suffer death.

Washington wrote a fhort anfwer to Sir Henry Clinton, on the day after the fentence, in which he ftated, that although Major André had been taken under fuch circumftances, as would have justified the moft fummary proceedings against him, he had, however, determined, to refer his cafe to the examination and decifion of a board of general officers, whofe report, founded on his free and voluntary confeffion, and letters, was enclofed. That from thefe proceedings it was evident, that Major André was employed in the execution of meafures very foreign to the objects of flags of truce, and fuch as they were never meant, in the most diftant degree, to authorize or countenance; and that gentleman himfelf, had with the greatest candour confeffed, it was impoffible for him to fuppofe, that he came on fhore under the fanction of a flag.

This drew another letter from Sir Henry Clinton; who, under a prefumption, that the board of general officers could not have been rightly informed of all the circumitances on which their judgment ought to be founded, propofed to fend Lieut. Gen. Robertfon, the governor of New York, and two other gentlemen, as well to give his excellency a

true

true fate of facts, as to explain and declare to him his own fentiments and refolutions upon the fubject. The gentlemen were to be at Dobb's Ferry on the following morning, to wait for Gen. Washington's permiffion and fafe conduct, and to meet himself, or whoever elfe he should appoint, in order to converfe upon the fubject. He particularly urged it, as a matter of the higheft moment to humanity, that the general fhould fully understand the whole ftate of the bufinefs, before he proceeded to carry the judgment of the board into execution. Gen. Greene, the prefident of the late board, was appointed to meet Robertson; but his companions, Mr. Elliot, the lieutenant governor, and Mr. Smith, the chief justice of the province, were not permitted to come on fhore. Gen. Robertfon used his utmo ingenuity in this conference, upon the grounds which we have already feen, to fhew, that André did not come within the character and defcription of a fpy; dwelling particularly on his going ahore under the fanction of a flag; and that being then in Arnold's power, and in effect a prifoner, he was not accountable for his fubfequent actions, which were all compulsory.

As Greene was far from admitting either his facts or conclufions, Mr. Robertfon wished, that in an affair fo interefting to humanity, and of fo much confequence to both armies, as well as to his friend, who was fo immediately concerned, the opinions of difinterested gentlemen, who were verfed in the laws of war and na,

tions, might be taken on the fubject; and he propofed Gen. Knyphaufen, and the French General Rochambeau, as proper perfons to whom the business might be referred.

Humanity was the laft ftring touched; but on which more hope feemed to be refted than any other. He said, he wished an intercourfe of fuch civilities between the contending parties, as might leffen the horrors of war; quoted inftances of Sir Henry Clinton's merciful difpofition, and faid that he had never put any perfon to death for a breach of the laws of war, although he now had, as well as at former times, many labouring under that predicament in his power. He held out, that Major André poffeffed a great fhare of the general's efteem; and that he would be infinitely obliged for his liberation; and he offered, if the former was admitted to return with him to New York, to engage, that any perfon whatever who was named, fhould be fet at liberty in return, He obferved,

that under the prefent circumftances, much good might arife from humanity, and much evil from the want of it.

Previous to this meeting, Arnold had written a fecond letter to Gen. Washington; which contained a declaration, that he confidered himself no longer as acting under the Congrefs; and that his commiffion, which lay among his papers at West Point, might be difpofed of as he thought proper. In this, as in the former, he took no fmall pains to convince that commander, of the

fince

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »