Weekly Trinity journal., 1876-07-08
THE CAPToRs OF ANDRE.

w no VIII 60 next Ihe critical lnQus- .
try of students has robbed us of our beau
tiful Pochahontas, and dimmed the bright
fame of Capt. john Smith. And now
the three illustrious "miitia men " who
captured Maj. J ohm Andre, ard frustrated
the treason of Arnold, are threatened
1t is said they were marauders who retus-
ed Maj. Andres gold only because they
expected to get more for taking him than
for letting him go. Aftera long e4amin-
alton Of this case, hold fust to the i'm
mortal three. / still believe in the honor
md patriotism of John Paulding, Isaac
Van Wort and David Williams.
The lower hall OF Westche-ter County,
during most of the Revolutionary War,
was q kind of neutral ground, sirce it
Was situated between the British and the
American lines. Neutral ground, in war
time, generally means that portion Of the
country which is warred upon and plum
dered by both parties. Owing toits near
meas to New York and to its being the
residence OF half dozen very rich pro-
prietors, this country was better cultivated
and its habitstions were larger, more nu-
msrous and better furnished than perhaps
any other part of America, aud conse-
quently it presented an inviting field for
scouting. A majority Of its inhabitants,
too, were Tories, and the punder of
Tory's house and farm WAS not likely to
be considered a very heinous ofense, un-
less the commander of the American lines
happened to be good soldier, ms we'll as
. gentleman.
On the other hand, bands-of Tories fire.
quently trsversed the country, making
reprssls upon Wing farmers, driving
away their cattle and spoiling their crops.
The Tory scouters passed by the name Of
Cow Bows, from their practice Of driving
off the cattle of Wing farmers to New
York f; while the Wing plunderer7 were
called Skinners, from their habit Of Tux
ing everything they found upon their vic
tins, particularly the scarcer articles Of
his sttile, even to his boots ard shirt
Each party, in fact, stole what it wanted
most. The British party wanted meat
the Americans wanted everything except
meat.
As the war went on tho state Of things
grew worse until the farms were generally
abandoned, the best families moved away
and the people remaining were much de-
moralized. The soldiers of the army did
not escape corruption, nor even officers Of
considerable rank. When Col. Burr took
command of the lines at White Plains in
January, 1873, he found Il scouting party
of $50 men, under the command of a
Colonel, just setting out for New Rochelle
"to watch, ;" rs they said, 1.-THE enemy's
movements" The new Commander, un-
willing to begin his term of service by
issuing disagreeable order, let the party
go, bat enjoined upon the officers to respect
property Of friend and foe. Next morn
ing, to the wonder and disgust of Burr,
the troops returned loaded with plumber,
and an hour after the farmers began TO
come in, protecting that they were good
Wings and begging the restoration Of
their property.
Col. Burr was one of the most vigilant
of officers and he succeeded in putting a
stop TO this system but in doing so he
made such exertions, by night and day,
that his health, impaired by former hard
service, completely broke down he was
obliged to resign his commission and re-
manned an invalid for eighteen months.
After he left the post the country again
became the scene Of plumber and sola-
ton, and such was its condition when Maj.
Andre was TO pas, over it in 1850.
Atthat time the American headquarters
were st the village Of North Castle, six
miles north Of White Plains and thirty
three miles north of the City of New
York-Col. James in command. For
four days there had been louuging about
the camp tall, alert countryman, aged
twenty one, who had been much concern
ed in scouting during the war. Twice he
had been !sken prisoner and confined in
New York, and twice escaped to resume
his scouting. He had been back from
New York only four days, and he still
wore regimentS coat which he had
picked up in the city. This was John
Paulding, native of the county, whose
fathers farm had been laid waste early in
the war, and he was thus deprived of reg
ular employment. Neither st this time,
nor at any former period had he been a
regular soldier, or even militia man.
He belonged to no regiment or corps of
any description. An act of the Legisa-
ture, however, made it lawful for any man
or body Of men to seize and possess cattle
going to the enemy.
Isaac VanWert, another countrvman.
n native Of the county, was also idlng
about headquarters, and to him John
Paulding proposed that they should go on
a scouting expedition. Van Vert con
senting, they started toward Tarrytown,
Joined on the way by David Williams,
Van Wert's cousin, of the same occupa-
tlon and about the same age as themselves.
Williams had served under MONTGOMERY
in Csnads and, strange to say, be had as
sisted at the capture Of St. Johns, whore
Andre and his regiment were taken
prisoners. Neither OF the men at the
time belonged to the service, but al Of
them had occasionally joined in the pre-
datory warfare just described nor need
we suppose that, in their scouting expedi-
tions they had always kept within the
strict letter OF the law. On this occasion
they were Certainly mere adventures.
They were three young men out of en-
ploYment. irving to niclz LID snnaethino,