the principles that actuated me, as well as with my condition of life.

It is to vindicate my fame that I speak, and not to folicit fecurity.

The perfon in your poffeffion is Major John Andre, Adjutant-general to the British army.

The influence of one Commander in the army of his adverfary is an advantage taken in war. A correspondence for this purpose I held, as confidential (in the present inftance) with his Excellency Sir H. Clinton.

To favour it, I agreed to meet upon ground not within pofts of either army, a perfon who was to give me intelligence; I came up in the Vulture man of war for this effect, and was fetched by a boat from the shore to the beach: being there, I was told that the approach of day would prevent my return, and that I must be concealed until the next night. I was in my regimentals, and had fairly risked my perfon.

Against my ftipulation, my intention, and without my knowledge before hand, I was conducted within one of your pofts. Your Excellency may conceive my fenfation on this occafion, and will imagine how much more I must have been affected, by a refufal to re-conduct me back the next night as I had been brought. Thus become a prifoner, I had to concert my efcape; I quitted my uniform, and was paffed another way in the night without the American polts to neutral ground; and informed I was beyond all armed parties, and left to prefs for New-York. I was taken at Tarry-Town by fome volunteers.

Thus, as I have had the honour to relate, was I betrayed (being Adjutant-general of the British army) into the vile condition of an enemy within your posts.

Having avowed myfelf a British Offi. cer, I have nothing to reveal but what relates to myself, which is true on the honour of an Officer and a Gentleman.

The request I have made to your Excellency, and I am conscious that I addrefs myfelf well, is, that in any rigour policy may dictate, a decent conduct towards me may mark, that though unfortunate, I am branded with nothing difhonourable; as no motive could be mine, but the fervice of my King, and as I was involuntarily an impoftor.

Another request is, that I may be permitted to write an open letter to Sir H. Clinton, and another to a friend for cloaths and linen.

I take the liberty to mention the condition of fome gentlemen at CharlesTown, who being either on parole or under protection, were engaged in a con fpiracy againit us. Though their fituation is no fimilar, they are objects who may be sent in exchange for me, or are perfons whom the treatment I receive might affect.

It is no lefs, Sir, in a confidence in the generosity of your mind, than on account of your fuperior ttation, that I have chofen to importune you with this letter. I have the honour to be, with great refpect, Sir, &c.

JOHN ANDRE, Adj. Gen.' His Excellency Gen. Washington, &c.' Then he came on fhore from the Vulture loop of war in the night of the 21ft of September inftant, somewhere under the Haverstraw Mountain. That the boat he came on shore in carried no flag, and that he had on a furtout coat over his regimentals, and that he wore his furtout coat when he was taken. That he met General Arnold on the fhore, and had an interview with him there. He also faid, that when he left the Vulture floop of war, it was understood he was to return that night; but it was then doubted, and if he could not return, he was promised to be concealed on fhore in a place of safety, until the next night, when he was to return in the fame manner he came on fhore; and when the next day came, he was follicitous to get back, and made enquiries in the courfe of the day how he should return, when he was informed he could not return that way, and he must take the route he did afterwards. He also faid, that the first notice he had of his being within any of our pofts was, being challenged by the centry, which was the firft night he was on fhore. He also faid, that on the evening of the 22d of September inft. he palled King's Ferry, between our pofts of Stoney and Verplank's Points, in the dress he is at prefent in, and which he said was not his regimentals; and which drefs he procured after he landed from the Vulture, and when he was within our poft; and that he was proceeding to New-York, but was taken on his way at Tarry-Town, as he mentioned in his letter, on Saturday the 23d of September inft. about nine o'clock in the morning.

The following papers were laid before the Board, and thewed to Major Andre, who confessed to the Board, that they were

found

to be more explicit on this subject; I am perfuaded of your Excellency's goodness.

I receive the greateft attention from his Excellency General Washington, and from every perfon under whofe charge I happen to be placed.

I have the honour to be, &c.
JOHN ANDRE.

Copy of a Letter from his Excellency Ge neral Washington, to his Excellency Sir Henry Clinton.

Head Quarters, Sept. 30, 1780.

SIR,

IN anfwer to your Excellency's letter of the 26th inftant, which I had the honour to receive, I am to inform you, that Major Andre was taken under fuch circumitances, as would have juftified the the most fummary proceedings against him. I determined, however, to refer his cafe to the examination and decifion of a Board of General Officers, who have reported, on his free and voluntary confeffion and letters, That he came on fhore from the Vulture floop of war, in the night of the eift of September,' &c. &c. as in the re port of the Board of General Officers.

From thefe proceedings, it is evident, Major Andre was employed in the execution of measures very foreign to the objects of flags of truce, and fuch as they were never meant to authorife or countenance in the most diftant degree; and this gentle man confeffed, with the greatest candour, in the courfe of his examination, That it was impoffible for him to fuppole, he came on there under the fanction of a flag.*

I have the honour to be, &c
G. WASHINGTON.
New-York, Sept. 30, 1780.

Ferry for your permiffion and fafe conduct, to meet your Excellency, or fuch perfons as you may appoint, to converfe with them on this subject.

I have the honour to be, &c.
H. CLINTON.

P. S. The Hon. Andrew Ellict, Efq. Lieutenant-governor, and the Hon. William Smith, Chief Juftice of this province, will attend his Excellency Lieutenant-general Robertfon. H. C.

His Excellency General Washington.

Lieutenant-general Robertson, Mr. Elliot, and Mr. Smith came up in a flag veffel to Dobbs's Ferry, agreeable to the above letter. The two laft were not fuffered to land. General Robertfon was permitted to come on fhore, and was met by Major-general Greene, who verbally reported that General Robertfon mentioned to him in fubftance what is contained in his letter of the second of O&ober to General Washington.

Greyhound fchooner, Flag of Truce, Dobbs's Ferry, Oct. 2, 1780.` SIR.

A NOTE I have from General Greene leaves me in doubt if his memory had ferved him to relate to you, with exactness, the substance of the conversation that had paffed between him and myself, on the fubject of Major André In an affair of fo much confequence to my friend, to the two armies, and humanity, I would leave no poffibility of a misunderstanding, and therefore take the liberty to put in writing the fubftance of what I faid to General Greene.

I offered to prove, by the evidence of Colonel Robinton, and the Officers of the Vulture, that Major Andre went on fhore at General Arpold's defire, in a boat fent for him with a flag of truce; that he not only came on fhore with the knowledge and under the protection of the General who commanded in the dif trict, but that he took no ftep while on fhore, but by the direction of General Arnold, as will appear by the inclosed letter from him to your Excellency. Under thefe circumflances I could not, and hoped you would not confider Major André as a fpy for any improper phrafe in his letter to you.

The facts he relates correspond with the evidence I offer; but he admits a conclufion that does not follow. The change

of

of clothes and name was ordered by Genéral Arnold, under whofe direction he neceffarily was while within his command.

As General Green and I did not agree in opinion, I wished, that disinterested gentlemen of knowledge of the law of war and nations might be asked their opinion on the fubject, and mentioned Monfieur Knyphausen and General Rochambault.

I related that a Captain Robinson had been delivered to Sir Henry Clinton as a fpy, and undoubtedly was fuch; but that, it being fignified to him that you were defirous that the man should be exchanged, he had ordered him to be exchanged.

I wished that an intercourfe of fuch civilities as the rules of war admit of might take off many of its horrors. I admitted that Major André had a great fhare of Sir Henry Clinton's esteem, and that he would be infinitely obliged by his liberation; and that, if he was permitted to return with me, I would engage to have any perfon you would be pleafed to name fet at liberty.

I added, that Sir Henry Clinton had never put to death any perfon for a breach of the rules of war, though he had, and now has, many in his power. Under the present circumstances, much good may arife from humanity, much ill from the want of it. If that could give any weight, I beg leave to add, that your favourable treatment of Major André will be a favour I should ever be intent to return to any you hold dear.

My memory does not retain, with the exactness I could wish, the words of the letter which General Green fhewed me from Major Andre to your Excellency. For Sir Henry Clinton's fatisfaction, I beg you will order a copy of it to be fent to me at New-York.

I have the honour to be, &c. JAMES ROBINSON. His Excellency General Washington.

SIR, New-York, Oct. 1, 1780. THE polite attention fhewn by your Excellency and the gentlemen of your family to Mrs. Arnold, when in diftrefs, demands my grateful acknowledgment and thanks, which I beg leave to prefent.

From your Excellency's letter to Sir Henry Clinton, I find a Board of General Officers have given it as their opinion, that Major André comes under the defcription of a spy: my good opinion of the candour and juftice of thofe gentlemen

leads me to believe, that, if they had been made fully acquainted with every circumftance refpecting Major André, they would by no means have considered him in the light of a spy, or even of a prifoner. In juftice to him, I think it my duty to declare, that he came from on board the Vulture at my particular request, by a flag fent on purpose for him by Joshua Smith, Efq; who had permiffion to go to Dobbs's Ferry to carry letters, and for other purpofes not mentioned, and to return. This was done as a blind to the fpy-boats. Mr. Smith at the fame time had my private directions to go on board the Vulture, and bring on shore Colonel Robinfon, or Mr. John Anderson, which was the name I had requested Major André to affume: at the fame time I defired Mr. Smith to inform him, that he should have my protection, and a safe passport to return in the fame boat, as foon as our business was completed. As feveral accidents intervened to prevent his being fent on board, I gave him my paffport to return by land. Major André came on fhore in his uniform (without disguise) which, with much reluctance, at my particular and preffing inftance, he exchanged for another coat. I furnished him with a horfe and faddle, and pointed out the route by which he was to return. And, as commanding Officer in the department, I had an undoubted right to tranfact all these matters, which, if wrong, Major André ought by no means to fuffer for them.

But if, after this juft and candid reprefentation of Major André's cafe, the Board of General Officers adhere to their former opinion, I fhall fuppofe it dictated by paffion and resentment; and, if that gentleman fhould fuffer the feverity of their fentence, I fhall think myself bound, by every tie of duty and honour, to retaliate on fuch unhappy perfons of your army as may fall within my power, that the reSpect due to flags, and to the law of nations, may be better understood and obferved.

I have farther to observe, that forty of the principal inhabitants of South-Carolina have justly forfeited their lives, which have hitherto been fpared by the clemency of his Excellency Sir Henry Clinton, who cannot in justice extend his mercy to them, any longer, if Major André fuffers; which, in all probability, will open a fcene of blood at which humanity will revolt. Suffer me to intreat your Excellency, РР

for

for your own and the honour of humanity, and the love you have of juftice, that you fuffer not an unjuft fentence to touch the life of Major Andre,

But if this warning fhould be difregarded, and he fuffer, I call heaven and earth to witnefs, that your Excellency will be juftly answerable for the torrent of blood that may be fpilt in confequence.

I have the honour to be, &c. B. ARNOLD. His Excellency General Wafhington.

SIR, Tappan, Oct. 1, 1780. BUOY'D above the terror of death, by the confcioufnefs of a life devoted to honourable pursuits, and ftained with no action that can give me remorfe, I trust that the request I make to your Excellency at this ferious period, and which is to foften my last moments, will not be rejected.

Sympathy towards a foldier will furely induce your Excellency and a military tribunal to adapt the mode of my death to the feelings of a man of honour.

Let me hope, Sir, that if aught in my character impreffes you with efteem to wards me, if aught in my misfortunes marks me as the victim of policy, and not of refentment, I fhall experience the operation of these feelings in your breaft, by

being informed that I am not to die or gibbet.

a

I have the honour to be

Your Excellency's most obedient And most humble fervant, JOHN ANDRE, Adjutant General to the British Army. His Excellency General Washington.

The time which elapfed between the capture of Major Andre, which was the 23d of September, and his execution, which did not take place till twelve o'clock on the 2d of October; the mode of trying him; his letter to Sir Henry Clinton, K. B. on the 29th of September, in which he faid, I received the greatest attention from his Excellency General Washington, and from every person under whofe charge I happen to be placed; not to mention many other acknowledgments which he made of the good treatment he received; muft evince, that the proceedings against him were not guided by paffion or refent'ment. The practice and ufage of war were against his requeft, and made the indulgence he folicited, circumstanced as he was, inadmiffible.

Published by order of Congress,
CHARLES THOMSON, Sec.

A

Bachelor is a fort of whimfical being, which Nature never intended to create. He was formed out of all the odds and ends of what materials were left after the great work was over. Unluckily for him, the finer paffions are all mixed up in the compofition of thofe creatures intended for focial enjoyment. What remains for the Bachelor is hardly enough to rub round the crufty mould into which he is thrown. Some feafoning, that he may not be quite infipid, muft be fubftituted in the ftead of more valuable ingredients; fo in Dame Nature toffes felf-love without weight or measure, a kind of underftanding that is fit for no other ufe; a fprinkling of wisdom, which turns acid from the four difpofition of the veffel in which it is contained; and the whole.compofition is concluded with an immoderate portion of oddities. Thus formed, thus finished, a Bachelor is popt into the world, -mere lumber, without a poffibility of be ing happy himself, or effentially contri

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His

buting to the happiness of others. only bufinefs is to keep himself quiet. He gets up to lie down, and lies down to get up. No tender impreffions enliven his waking hours: no agreeable reveries difturb his dronifh flumbers. If he ever fpeaks the language of fenfibility, he speaks it on the excellence of fome favourite dif, or on the choice liquors with which his cellars abound.” On such subjects he feels the raptures of a lover. The pace of a Bachelor is fuch, he would hardly mend it to get out of a storm, tho' that form were to threaten a déluge; but fhew him a woman who is entitled to the compliment of his hat, and he will fhuffle on, as if he were walking for a wager. His houfekeeper, or his laundrefs, he can talk to without referve; but any other of the fex, whole condition is above an useful dependent, is his terror. A coffee-houfe is His fanctum fanctorum against bright eyes and dazzling complexions; here he lounges out half his days. At home he fits alone

to