Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1875-07-10
WHOLE NO. s,Isl.

"
But unhappily noae Of these precsu
| tons we're observed; on the contrary
FGeneral Arnold, for reasons which b,
| jadged important or perhaps (which i
the most probable) losing at the mo
Eaent his presence Of mind, though
proper to drop the design of sen9in,
Major Andre back by water, and pre-.
vailed upon him Cor rather compelled
him. as would appear BY that unforta,
nate otheer's letter TO nae, to part with
his uniform, and under borrowed dis
gnise to take circuitous route to
New York through the posts Of the
enemy under the sanction of his pasS-
port The consequence was {as might
be expected) that he was stopped at
Tarrytown and searched, and certain
papers being found about him con-
eealed he was (notwithstandinehis pass
port) carried prisoner before Mr..
Washington, to whom he candidly ac-
knowledged his name and quality.
Measures were Of course immediately
taken upon this to seize Gen. Arnold;bSt
that officer, being fortunate enough to
receive timely notice of Major Andres
fate, affected his escape to~a Kings
sloop lying of TalieT's point. and
! came the next day to New York.
was exceedingly shocked by this
very Unexpected accident which not
only ru;a.d a most-important project,
which hail all the appearance Of being
IN q happy train of success, bus in
VOWED an danger aad distress D conf
dental friend for whom i had livery
deseivedly) the warmest esteem. Not
immediateiy knowing, however, the
full extern of the misfortune. I did
not then imagine the enemy eouid
have any motive for pushing matters
to extremity, as the bare detention of so
valuable an officers person might have
given him a great power eud advant-
age over me |; and was accordingly In
hopes that an official demand from me
for his immediate release, as having
been under the saction of fse OF
truce when he landed within his posts.
might shorten his captivity or at least
stop his proceeding with rigor against
him. But the cruel and unfortunate
catastrophe convinced me that / was
much mistaken in my opinion Of both
his policy and humanity. For deliy-
ering himself up (as it should seen)
to the rancour excited BY the near sc-
complishment of plan which might
have effectually restored the Kings
authority, and tumbled him from his
presentexalted situation, be burnt With
desire of wreaking his vengeance On
the principal actors in Il; and eonse-
quentiy regardless Of the eackaowledged
worth and abilities Of the amisble
young man who had thus fallen into
his hands, and in opposition to every
principle Of policy and call Of human
ity, heswithout remorse, put him 10 .
most igneminious death, and this, ut G
moment when one of his generals was
by MS own appointment in actual con-
ference with commissioners whom ! had
sent TO treat with him for Major An
DIRE , release. 49, ts ssaa-
The manner in which Major An
DIRE was drawn TO the enemy's shore
(manifestly at the instance aud ander
the sanction of she General officer
who had the command of the distriet),
and his being ayowedly compelled BY
that officer to change his dress and
name, and return under his passports
by land, were circumstances which, as
they much lessen the. imputed crimi-
nality of his ofense, ought at least 10
have softened the severity of the ceun-
ell Of wars opinion respecting it. rot
outstanding his imprudenee of having
possessed himself Of papers which they
found on him; which, though they led to
a discovery Of she nature Of the bust
ness that drew him to conference
with Gen. Arnold, we're not wanted
Gas they must have known for my in
For they were not ignor-
ant that l had, myself, been over every
part of the ground on which the forts
stood, and had, OF course, made my
self perfectly acquainted with every
thing necessary for facilitating an at
tack Of them. Mr.. Washington ought
also 10 have remembered that / had
never. in one instance. punished the
disaffected Colonists within my pew
er) with death, but on the contrary,
had in several, shown the most humane
attention to his intercession even in
favor of avowed spies. His acting
therefore in so cruel a manner in eppo-
sition to my earnest solicitations could
but excite in me the greatest surprise;
as no advantage whatever
could be possibly expected to his
cause by putting the object Of them to
death. For could he be insensible
(had he the smallest spark Of honor
in his own heart) that the example
(though ever so terrible and ignomious)
would never detera British officer frcm
treading in the same steps, whenever
the service of his country would re-
quire his exposing himself TO the Ike
danger in such war. But the sub
iect affects me too deeply to proceed
nor can my heart cease to bleed whea-
ever / reflect no the very unworthy
fate of this most amiable and valuable
young man, who was adorned with the
rarest endowments of education and
nature, and chad he hved) could not
but have attained to the highest hon
ors Of his profession"