Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1855-08-22
From the North American Review.
MAJOR JOHN ANDRE. "a bna

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|. The name of Major John Andre has ac-
quired an interest such as attaches itself to a
hero of romance. OF Swiss descent, born,in
1749. q skillful soldier and an accomplished
man, be was still in the very prime of his
youth While yet in a London counting room
l5he had become enamored of the beautiful
Honra Sneyd, who subsequently became the
step-mother of Maria Edgeworth Worldly
prudence pointed out clearly to her family the
advantages of a union with the wealthy Rich
ard Lowell Edgeworth. ovar that with the COM
paratively poor and obscure Andre; and the
young lady was obedient. Lord Mahon,. fol-
1uwIiE 1lss cew--1 tisal th :
desire of relief from the sorrow caused By the
marriage of his mistress to another that drove
Andre into the army, and this seems to fix the
date near the commencementof the war. The
fact is, that Andres FIRST commission bears
date March 4, iii; while Miss Sneyd was
not married until Jnly II, 1775, more than
two years later. His passion. however, for
his lost charmer long continued. In 1775,
when he was captured by Montgomery, at
ST. Johns, he writes: II have been taken
prisoner BY the Americans, and stripped Of
everything except the picture of Hcnora.
which concealed In my mouth. Preserving
that, think myself fortunate From Can
ada he was sent with other prisoners to be
confined on parole at Lancaster, Pennsylva-
MIA aud here his winning manners and grace
| full accomplishments soon gained the regards
not only of the neutral (and perhaps loyaD
portion of the population, but even of some
of the less austere Wings A taste for the
fine arts was distinguishing feature in his
character and with pencil be possessed un-
common proficiency. The hearts of many
parents were subdued by the pains he took
to cultivate the nascent talents of the chill
dren; and numerous drawings and water-color
sketches from his hand are still preserved by
the descendants of those who knew and loved
him we'll. But Lancaster not being deemed
| place of sufficient security, Andre was re-
moved to Carlisle, a still rcmoter village and
here his lodgings were. singularly enough.
shared by Arthur Despard, then military
| captive ike himself. and destined too to an
| fignominious des-th, being executed at London,
some years later for high treason. 1t is re-
/ membered as an instance Of Andres anliabil-
/ ity. that during all his Imprisonment he was
studiously careful to avoid the display Of any
| of that arrogance which SO many of the Brit
ish officers at this time not only felt, but mani
Tested in their intercourse with the people,
whom they regarded as malignant and wicked
! traitors. He never, for instance spoke the
Americans to their faces as rebelss the Colo
nists was the milder phrase to which he gave
the; preference. Il H..,s m sfaI, q .rsy 3
! At last, however Andre was exchanged.
and returned to the scene of his duties. 1t
is no slight tribute to his actual merit that we
! find him selected, on this ground alone, to be
aid.de-ramp, first of general Grey, and after
wards of Sir Henry Clinton Indeed SO SEN
sible was the latter of his worth, thathe made
hls promotion his special care; and Andre
was rapidly advanced. not only to a majority,
| but to. be adjutant- general of the army. Nor
did Clinton ever cease to bear honorable testi-
mony to the character Of (to use his own Lam
guage) 81 this most amiabie and valuable
| young man, who was adorned with the rarest
endowments of education and nature, and
| who, had he lived, could not but have attain
ed the highest honors of his profession"
With Howe. in Philadelphia, Andre passed
that season which was signalised by the at
stractiye fete of the Meschinaza. so often COM
memorated by aEnalists, and of which he was
the chief prcmoter. But when Sir Henry
| Clinton proceeded against Charleston, in the
spring of 1880, he entered into other and
| more dangerous lists. In Johnson's :. Life
of Green" we are told of the universal belief
In the British army, and, after its fall, In the
city Of Charleston that Andre had been in
that city as spy during the siege. And
there is irrefragable evidence that this impres
sion was correct, in the "reminiscences of the
amiable and respectable DIR. johnson, of South
Carolina. These are weighty and important
antecedents, that, in or opinion, have pow
erfal bearing on his subsequent career
Every reader is familiar With the circum-
stances of Andres capture and of Arnold's
fight, and it is not our purpose to repeat them
here. But the extent of the comprehensive
scheme that was then frustrated is perhaps not
SO generally appreciated nor Is it noticed by
Lord Mahon, otherwise than that it was TO be
effected :. in manner as to contribute ey-
cry possible advantage to hiE Majesty's arms.
We have before us the manuscript journal of
an English gentleman, an officer in the Cold
stream Guards, who at this time was serving
under Sir Henry Clinton, and whose social
position was such as to give weight 10 the
views he here expresses They are, moreovsf.
fully confirmed by the exceedingly intelligent
and well-informed author of the . Complot
d. Arnold, French work, published by the
elder Didot, in 1916; and therefore may. we
think, be received without hesitation. Our
Guardsmsn says, that on certain day, agreed
upon between Andre and Arnold Sir Henry
was to invest Fort Defanse. Arnold Has Ina
mediately to send for reinf6rcements to Wash
ington, holding out TO the latter such false
lights a. would, most probably induce him to
lead, in person, detachment for the relief of
the beleaguered fortress. and the capttre of
Clinton and his whole urmy. At suitable
juncture Arnold was to surrender the post, and
the British were 70 surprise and take as pris-
oners W Washington and his advancing troops.
Had thin scheme succeeded IL Was not doubted