ed 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 pofts, to neutral ground; and be ing informed I was beyond all armed parties, and left to press 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 pofts. Having avowed myself a British officer, I have nothing to reveal but what relates to myself, which is true on the honour of an officer, and a gentleman. The requeft I have made to your excellency, and I am conicious that I addrefs myself well, is, that in any rigour policy may dictate, a decency of 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 requeft is, that I may be permitted to write an open let ter to Sir Henry Clinton, and another to a friend for cloaths and linen. I take the liberty to mention the condition of fome gentlemen at Charles-town, who, being either on parole, or under protection, were engaged in a confpiracy against us.. Though their fitua tion is not 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 generofity of your mind, than on account of your fuperior ftation, that I have chofen to importune you with this letter. I have the honour to be, with the greateft refpect, Sir, your excellency's most obedient, and moft humble fervant, JOHN ANDRE, Adj. Gen. His Excellency Gen. Washington, S.. He then faid, that he came on fhore from the Vulture floop of war, in the night of the twentyfirft of September inft. fomewhere under the Haverstraw Mountain; that the boat he came on fhore in carried no flag, and that he had on a furtout coat over his regimen. tals, 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 alfo faid, that when he left the Vulture floop of war, it was underflood he was to return that night; but it was then doubted: and if he could not return he was promised to be concealed on thore 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 folicitous to get back, and made enquiries in the courfe of the day, how he fhould 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 firft,notice he had of his being within any of our pofts, was, being challenged by the fen try, which was the firft night he was on the thore. He also faid, that the evening of the twentyfecond of September inftant, he paffed King's Ferry, between our pofts of Stoney and Verplank's Points, in the drefs he is at prefent in, and which he faid 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 Tarrytown, as he mentioned in his letter, on Saturday the 23d of September inftant, about nine o'clock in the morning. The following papers were laid before the board, and fhewn to Major Andre, who confeffed to the board, that they were found on him when he was taken; and faid they were concealed in his boot, except the país: A pafs from General Arnold to John Anderfon, which name Major Andrè acknowledged he affumed. Artillery orders, September 5, 1780. Eftimate of the force at WeftPoint and its dependencies, September 1780. Eftimate of men to man the works at Weft-point, &c. I AM told my name is made known to you, and that I may hope your indulgence in permit. ting me to meet a friend near your out-pofts. I will endeavour to obtain permiffion to go out with a flag which will be fent to Dobb's Ferry, on Monday next, the 11th, at 12 o'clock, when I fhall be happy to meet Mr. G- -t. Should I not be allowed to go, the officer who is to command the efcort, between whom and myfelf no diftinction need be made, can speak on the affair. Let me intreat you, Sir, to Left it fhould be fuppofed that Colonel Sheldon, to whom the above letter is addreffed, was privy to the plot carrying on by General Arnold, it is to be obferved, that the letter was found among Arnold's papers, and had been transmitted by Colonel Sheldon, who, it appears from a letter on the 9th of September to Arnold, which inclofed it, had never heard of John Anderson be. fore. Arnold, in his anfwer on the 10th, acknowledged he had not communicated it to him, though he had informed him, that he expected a person. would come from New York, for the purpose of bringing him intelligence. + It appears by the fame letter that Arnold had written to Mr. Anderson, under the fignature of Guftavus. His words are, "I was obliged to write with great caution to him, my letter was figned Guftayus, to prevent any difcovery, in cafe it fell into the hands of the enemy." favour a matter fo interefting to the parties concerned, and which is of fo private a nature, that the public on neither fide can be injured by it. I fhall be happy, on my part, in doing any act of kindnefs to you, in a family or property concern of a fimilar nature. I truft I thall not be detained: but should any old grudge be a caufe for it, I fhould rather risk that, than neglect the bufinefs in queftion, or affume a mysterious character to carry on an innocent affair; and, as friends have advifed, get your lines by stealth. I am, Sir, with all regard, Your moft obedient, Colonel Sheldon. Major Andrè obferved, that this letter could be of no force in the cafe in queftion, as it was written in New York, when he was under the orders of General Clinton, but that it tended to prove, that it was not his intentions to come within our lines. The board having interrogated Major Andre, about his conception of his coming on fhore under the fanction of a flag, he said, "that it was impoffible for him to fuppofe he came on fhore under that fanction; and added, that if he came on fhore under that fanction, he certainly might have returned under it." Major Andrè having acknowledged the preceding facts, and being asked whether he had any thing to fay refpecting them, an, fwered, he left them to operate with the board. The examination of Major An drè being concluded, he was remanded into cuftody. The following letters were laid before the board and read :-Benedict Arnold's letter to Gen. Washington, dated September 25, 1780; Colonel Robinfon's letter to General Washington, dated September 25, 1780; and General Clinton's letter, dated the 26th of September, 1780, (inclofing a letter of the fame date from Benedict Arnold) to General Washington. On board the Vulture, Sept. 25, 1780. SIR, THE heart which is confcious of its own rectitude, cannot attempt to palliate a ftep which the world may cenfure as wrong. I have ever acted from a principle of love to my country, fince the commencement of the prefent unhappy contest between Great Britain and her Colonies: the fame principle of love to my country actuates my prefent conduct, however it may appear inconfiftent to the world, who very feldom judge right of any man's actions. I have no favour to aik for my. felf. I have too often experienced the ingratitude of my country to attempt it; but from the known humanity of your excellency, I am induced to ask your protection for Mrs. Arnold, from every infult and injury that a miftaken vengeance of my country may expofe her to. It ought to fall only on me: fhe is as good and as innocent as an angel, and is incapable of doing wrong. I beg the may be permitted to return to her friends in Philadelphia, or to come to me, as the may chufe. From your excellency I have no [Bb] 3 fears fears on her account, but the may fuffer from the miftaken fury of the country. I have to request that the inclofed letter may be delivered to Mrs. Arnold, and the permitted to write to me. I have alfo to ask that my cloaths and baggage, which are of little confequence, may be fent to me; if required, their value fhall be paid in money. I have the honour to be, with great regard and efteem, your excellency's moft obedient fervant, B. ARNOLD. His Excellency Gen Washington. N B. In juftice to the gentlemen of my family, Colonel Warwick, and Major Franks, I think myfelf in honour bound to declare, that they, as well as Jofhua Smith, Efq; (who I know is fufpected) are totally ignorant of any tranfactions of mine, that they had reason to believe were injurious to the public. Vulture, off Sinfink, Sept. 25, 1780. SIR, I AM this moment informed, that Major Andrè, Adjutant-general of his majesty's army in America, is detained as a prifoner by the army under your command. It is therefore incumbent on me to inform you of the manner of his falling into your hands: he went up with a flag, at the requeft of General Arnold, on public bufinefs with him, and had his permit to return by land to New York. Upon thefe circumftances, Major Andrè cannot be detained by you, without the greatest violation of flags, and contrary to the cuftom and ufage of all nations; and as I imagine you will fee this in the fame manner as I do, I muft defire you will order him to be fet at liberty, and allowed to return immediately. Every step Major Andrè took, was by the advice and direction of General Arnold, even that of taking a feigned name, and of courfe not liable to cenfure for it.. I am, Sir, not forgetting our former acquaintance, your very humble fervant, BEY. ROBINSON, Col. Roy. Americ. His Excellency Gen. Washington. New York, Sept. 26, 1780. SIK, BEING informed that the king's Adjutant-general in America has been ftopt, under Majorgeneral Arnold's paffports, and is detained a prifoner in your excellency's army, I have the honour to inform you, Sir, that I permitted Major Andrè to go to Majorgeneral Arnold, at the particular request of that general officer. You will perceive, Sir, by the inclosed paper, that a flag of truce was fent to receive Major Andrè, and paffports granted for his return. I therefore cannot have a doubt but your excellency will immediately direct, that this officer has permiffion to return to my orders at New York. I have the honour to be, your excellency's moft obedient, and most humble fervant, H. CLINTON. His Excellency Gen. Washington. SIR, New York, Sept. 26, 1780. IN answer to your excellency's meffage, refpecting your Adjutantgeneral, Major Andrè, and deli vering my ideas of the reafon why he is detained, being under my paffports, I have the honour to inform you, that I apprehend a few hours must return Major Andrè to your Excellency's orders, as that officer is affuredly under the protection of a flag of truce, fent by me to him, for the purpose of a converfation, which I requested to hold with him relating to myself, and which I wifhed to communicate, through that officer, to your Excellency. I commanded at the time at Weft-point, and bad an undoubted right to fend my flag of truce for Major Andrè, who came to me under that protection; and having held my converfation with him, I delivered him confidential papers in my own hand-writing, to deliver to your Excellency. Thinking it much properer he should return by land, I directed him to make ufe of the feigned name of John Anderson, under which he had by my direction come on fhore, and gave him my paffports to go to the White Plains, on his way to NewYork. This officer cannot, therefore, fail of being immediately fent to New York, as he was invited to a converfation with me, for which I fent him a flag of truce, and finally gave him paffports for his fafe return to your excellency; all which I had then a right to do, being in the actual fervice of America, under the orders of General Wafhington, and commanding-general at Weftpoint, and its dependencies. I have the honour to be your excellency's most obedient, and obedient, and very humble fervant, B. ARNOLD. His Excellency Sir Henry Clinton. The Board having confidered the letter from his Excellency General Wathington refpecting Major Andrè, Adjutant general to the Britifh army, the confeffion of Major Andrè, and the papers produced to them, report to his Excellency the Commander in Chief, the following facts, which appear to them relative to Major Andrè : First, That he came on fhore from the Vulture floop of war, in the night of the zift of September inftant, on an interview with General Arnold, in a private and secret manner. Secondly, That he changed his drefs within our lines; and under a feigned name, and in a disguised habit, paffed our works at Stoney and Verplank's points, the evening of the 22d of September inftant, and was taken the morning of the 23d of September inftant, at Tarry-town, in a disguised habit, he being then on his way for New-York; and when taken, he had in his poffeffion feveral papers, which contained intelligence for the enemy. The Board having maturely confidered these facts, do alfo report to his Excellency General Washington, that Major Andrè, Adjutant-general to the British army, ought to be confidered as à Jpy from the enemy, and that, agreeable to the law and ufage of nations, it is their opinion, he ought to fuffer death. Nathaniel Green, major-general, prefident; Stirling, majorgeneral; La Fayette, major-general; Ar. St. Clair, major-general; R. Howe, major-general; Steuben, major-general; Samuel H. Parfons, brigadier - general; James Clinton, brigadier-general; Henry [Bb] 4 Knox; |