Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1835-02-13
CAPTURE OF MAJOR ANDRE.

a
resided near Hudson's River, on the neutral
Ground. agreed voluntarily to go out in compa-
5v armed watch tberoad and intercept any sus-
ncious stragglers or droves of cattle, that might
be seen passing towards New York Four OF
this party were stationed on hill, where they
had a view Of the road for considerable dis-
lance. The three others, named John Pauidlng,
David Williams, and Isaac Van Wart, were con
cealed in the bushes at another place and very
near the road.
About half mile north of the village of Tar
rytown, and a few hundred yards from the oanK
of Hudson's River, the road crosses smai
brook, from each side OF which the ground rises
into hill and it was at that time covered over
with trees and underbrush. Eight or ten RODS
south of this brook, and on the west side OF the
road. these men were hidden; and at that point
Andre was stopped, after having travelled from
Pines Bridge without interruption.
The particulars of this event shall here intro
duce. as they are narrated in the testimony CIV
EN- by Paulding and Williams at Smiths Tial,
written down at the time by the Judge aaVoca.e,
and preserved in manuscript among tne o'her
papers. This testimony having been taken on
" eleven days after the capture OF Andre, when
every circumstance must have been fresh IN the
recollection Of his captors it may be regarded as
exhibiting a greater exactness in its details, than
any account hitherto published. In answer TO
the question ofthe court, Pauldlng saio;
were living by the side Of the road about hall
mile above Kingsbridge, on Saturday morning,
between nine and ten O'Clock, the 23d Septem.
her We had lain there about q n hour and hal1,
as near as can recollect, and saw several per-
sons we were acquainted WITH whom We let pass.
Presently one the young men, VINO were WIN
me, said, 'There comes gentleman-llKe looking
man Who anpears to be we'll dressed, and has
boots on. and whom you had better step out and
stop. if YOU don't know him. On that got up,
and presented my firelock at the breast OF the
nerson. and told him to stand; and then asked him
which way he was going. Gentlemen said he, i
hope you belong to our party asked MIN what
party. He said, the lower party upon That
told him that did. Then he said, am Brl-
fish officer out in the country on particular pusl-
ness, and hope you will not detaln me mnu-
te;' and to show that he was British ofilcer he
pulled out his watch Upon which told him to
dismount. He then said, My God, | must do
any thing to get along and seemed to make
kind of laugh of it, and pulled out General Arm
ODDS pass, which was to John Anderson, pass
all guards to White Plains and below upon
that he dismounted. Said he, Gentlemen, you
had best let me go. or you will bring yourselves
into trouble, for stopping me will detain the Cen
erals business and said he was going 10 Dobbs
Ferry to meet person there and get intelligence
for general Arnold Upon that | told him l
hoped he would moi be offended, that we did not
mean to take any thing from him; and told him
there were many bad people, who were gong
along the road, and did not know but perhaps
he might be one."
When further questioned, Paulding replied,
that he asked the person his name, who told him
it was John Anderson; and that, when Ander.
son produced General Arnold's pass, he should
have let him go, ifhe had not before called him
self British officer. Pauding also said, that
when the person pulled out his watch. he un-
derstood it as signal that he was British OFF,
Ger, and not that he meaatto offer It TO nm as
present.
All these particulars were substantially con-
frmed by David Williams, whose testimony in
regard to the searching OF Andre, being more
minute than Paulding's, is here inserted.
"We took him in the bushes" said Williams,
and ordered him to pull ofhis clothes, which he
did; but on searching him narrowly we told
him 10 pull off his boots. which he seemed to DE
Indifferent about; but We got one boot on, and
searched in that boot, and could find nothing
But We found there were some papers In !he
bottom of his stocking next to his FOOT on which
we made him pull his stocking off, and found
three wrapped up Mr.. Paulding looked at the
contents, and said he was q spy. We then
made him pull off the other boot and there was
found three more papers at the bottom oil his
foot within his stocking.
"Upon this we made him dress HIMSELF and
asked what he would give us to let him 60: he
said he would give any sum of money. ask
ed him whether he would give us his horse, sad
die. bridle watch, and one hundred gulneas-
He said dyes" and told us he would direct
Them to any place, even if it was that very spot,
so that we could get them asked him whether
he would not give us more. He said he would give
us any quantity ofDry Goods, or any sum of
money, and bring it to any place that we might
pitch on. "No, If you was to give listen thousand
guineas, you should not stir one STEP" then
asked the who called himself lon II AIN hs
power eyes, would" l told him did not
intend he should. While taking him along, we
asked him few questions, and we stopped I'M
der the shade. He begged us not to ask him
questions, and said when he came to any Com
mander he would reveal all.
"He was dressed in blue over-cOat, and a
tight body coat that was Of kind ofclaret CO.
lor. thoug Oh rather deeper red than claret.-
The button-holes were laced with gold tnsel,
and the buttons drawn over with some kind of
lace. He had on round hat, and nankeen
waistcoat and breaches, with flannel waist.
coat and drawers, boots, and thread stockings"
Tho noaroSt military most was North Castle |