, 1873-08-24

o,lmstanoos under which 1t was written, II soeme
odd to obBorvo In tho water mark Of tho original
4 great crown, with tho 1ottera " G. Il" In heavy
Sass %se psor s ses omos S1 raqo aeSsx sn sss Wss
ington and h(s follow-robolu did not soruplc to
mako uao Of tho supply thAt'1lad bocn imported
hoforo tho commencement Of hostllltioss albeit
It Ioro tho insignia Of King George.
Tho anDjoct-lnattcr OF this letter rofcrH to ono
of tho most interesting and romantic epsodca
Of tho American Iovolution-an episode
aeoond IN romantic intorost to TINT OF John
Andre only bocauac circumstance prevented
hu III hto t'e' Il Washington" os 2o. T w. pp. p n to
But lnciusivo), aud gives . statement Of the
facts connected with tho affair, though ho vaH
donbtleBs ignorant Of tho oxistonoo Of any auch
lottor as tho above. The Capt. Huddy rcforrod
to was gallant officer of tho Continental Army,
who was captured after IN obstinate, dofcnee Of
n block-houso In Monmouth County, Now
Joraoy. Tho Britieh commander nppeara to have
allowed party Of Tory refugees under him to
wreak tloir diabolical hatred upon tho unfort,,,
without accusation or trial on tho ;heIghts OF
nfddlotovn. whore tho body WAS loft awina.:
Ing, with. an insnting label fastonod
to tho ,breast. Tho Wings ot tho
dor, aid tho affair was apeolily brought to tho
attention Of CongreHa aud Of tho Commander
in-Chiof. Tho determination manifested by
Washington tn this roply WIS illustrated BY, his
subsequent action, which waB fully approved by
Congress. Sir Horny Clinton refused to COM
ply with tho demand mado upon him for tho
murder Of Capt. Huddy; md II pursuance Of his
purpose, tho C0mMnilder-in.C .Chiof caraed Gap
tain to be designated by lot for retaliation from
tho British prisoners Of that rank: Tho victim
thus solocted for execution wnB Capt. Charles
ABgill, Bciou, OF tho British ariatocracy, only
10 yearB OF ago. Tho most oaraoat efforts
Wore mado by the Drittal commander to save
him, but they we're entirely unhvatlinR. With
tho fnto Of Andre md tho lrmneBB of WaBhing"
ton on that occasion Trash In thoir minds, 1t
must have aoemed to Sir Horny Clinton aud tho
friends Of Capt, ABgill that his doom was hxel
It may vol bo beloved that tho great heart Of
Washington was profoundly stirred by tho mis-
oranlo fate awaiting tho unfortunate yonth; but
as that contained in this letter. Tho execution
was delayed for . long time, probably with hope
that Sir Henry Clinton would comply with tho
demand made by Washington, and tic Victim waa
at last savod by aid from Ill unexpected quarter
Upon learning Of the peril OF her son, Lady Asgil
with rare fominino foresight, made her way to
tho King and Queen OF Franco and implorod
their iutcrpoaitlon, Touched by tho grief Of tho
mother aud tho harlBhips Of tie caso, these
royal poraonagcs consented, and tle result waB
fottor to Washington from Count do Vergen-
nes, French Minister Of Btatc, asking tho ro-
loaao Of Capt. Asgi1. Tho Commandor-tu Chief,
probably not aorry for such sufficient preto1t
Us this for tho exercise Of mercy, referred It to
and. ns tho wishes Of our aliey were potential III
those days, tho request WAS granted, and Capt.
Asgiil liberated The story, "a hnH boon re-
marked, is not 80 tragic as that Of Andre, but
1t posseBaes quite aa many elononts OF The dra-
matte ...