, 1876-07-08
FAMILIAR TALK.

CAPT. ASGTLL.
The story Of Nal. Andre-tliu young and nc
complshcl British officer who suffered tho cruel
fate Of death on'the gnlows for having pluyed
the part OF a spy within tho American lincs-is
familiar wherever tho history Of the Revolution
has bcen related; but the Incidents In tho cap-
turc of Capt. Asgil-wllich wero In every par
ticular except In their flnai tcrIntnaton as dts
trcssing as thoso Which bcfcll AIai. Andre, antl
at tho time excited as deep and universal
sy1npa.hy-layc been siugularly neglected In
thu records OK the historian, and aro now almost
forgotten.
Charles Afgisl--thc only son Of Sir Charles
ARs5ll, IN English noblcman Of wealth and
high station-liad Joined the British forycs II,
America, anl, though hut youth Of 10, cn-
joycd tho ruuk Of Captain. III was under tho
command Of Lord CORVALLIS wien that Gem
eral surrendered Ills army Mt Yorktown, In
October, 11Si, aud was Included ainong the
prisoneraof-war for whom spccul tcrms Of capt-
ulatton wure obtained Untll Mny Of the follow
ing year, lie shared tho captivity Of Ills comrncs-
tn-nr,ns, no Individual circumstances diatll.-
gushing Ills lot from theirs. Then, by a curious
chance of war, he wna appointed tn undergo one
OF thu sovcrest osdcala that fall to the experience
Of man.
1t happened early In 17s2 that party Of
American Royallsts, who had bcun wrought up
to statc Of intense excitement by thr suffer-
ings which, rs ncutrals In q country ravaged by
war, they must cntiuse In the Inevitable course
OF events lld determined 10 aveuge themselves
by some aignaf net OF retaliation. On The aitlt
OF Marcll, company Ut tlirse dtsaf1ectcd per-
soma, who Ind found protection III New York,
made ar' attaek upon tlle troops stationed in q
blocls-f'ouec on TOMS River, IN Monmouth
Of tho place, ,natle galnnt ttcfcssc; but, Ills
ammunition becoming exhausted lie was conf
pulled TO deliver his arms to tho enemy.
a ns Tss o tse' te @ is slei' 81 Sor Sonne"st; was
hanged " the heights II Mitidletown. On ti'u
breast of tllc condemned n.ns, was affixed lnbc(
rcalIng az follows: ave, the rcfngurs, having
with grief long belIeld tho cruel nlurtlors OF
our 6T.thFens and finding nothing hut such
therefore 1ctcrlnino not tosuilcr without taking
vcugchrce for the numerous crueltics, and thus
begln, tantl say, may, those lose their liberty
who do not fUl!ow onl, aud hive H.ntle tso Of
your view; and, further, determine to hang
ilan for man, while tllcrc Is refugee existinE.
Up goes IIuddy for Philip WhItc." On the 'Ath
Of Mare!!, st1 days afler tho capture of lIuldy,
oner In New Jersey, and killed by the guard On
attempting, to caesIpa during Ills nrogIcss to tho
}1!l: Il wis to 4ycngo this special orensc that
ltuday was hung.
Insd,se3 u "a Outrage perneatrat,e.l by n, ,ha
refugees Washington wrote To Sir Henry Clln-
ton, detnnnlIng TINT the leader Of the party,
Capt. Lipptncott, should bc delivered up 10 hin
for punlahment, ,-ald!ng tllat,. II Ills request
wcrn not complied witl!t lle should hc unuer
sent letter to Congress, accompanied with
documents explaining tlln enttre uffaIr; wll!rh
called forth resolution from TINT body, sanc-
tlonlng thu action Ut tho Communicating
On tho ID Of Nay, Washington dispatched u
colcl,ed in tho following terms: ''You will I'M
li,cdlately, IN tho fecciVt of this, designate by
lot, for the al'ov1 purpose (of rctalationl,.
Rritlal Captain who is IN unconditional 1,rts.
not, Lieutenant under the eamc circumstances,
FROM an.ong the prisollcra Ut my Of thv posts,
oither In Pennsylvania Or Maryland. 70 soon
ny yuu have fixed on tho lcrs0,l, you will send
not mention 10 you thu. every possible tendcr-
ness TINT IL consistent With tho security 0f hin,
should be shown to thu unfortunate person
whose lot Il !s to suffer-
Meantime, Sir Henry Clinton had causcd the
OF 1Iusldy, Uni! their tsta WIS ordered by Court
Martial. At tho conclusion, nf tile trial tho pro-
ceediuEs wero sent to Washington They con-
TUNED many remnnstranccs from Thy body Of
American Koyalists Hgainst tho punishment nf
LlpplrcotL forth tho outraEcs which
luz! been suffered from the Kcl,es, aud which
ustit'cd u their minds, this aeco Of retaliation
The result Of the Courl-hfartfal was summed M
In tho declaration that, "The Court having ct.n-
apd Il appearing that {nltfough Joahua ltuddy
vas executed without proper authority what
tho prisoner did WA not tue elect ot n'aca or
il-wt'l, but proceeded from conviction that T.
Directors of Associated luyalists, AID bis not
dnbtlng their having full authority to give
Hre!! orders, the Court 10 Of tho opinion tint ta
is not guilty Of thy murder laid to lila charge,
Sir Guy Carleton wns now In command o1 the
British forrcs i. America, md transmitted tho
verdict upon tho case 0f Capt. Lipplnrntt to
Washngtoa, wlth letter ,s;xI'ts;ssi'aF hs rrgrst
Isonrd of Associated Loya!ists, mud his deter
II ahs future Il F0sss sas a.1Sces ~ ts
which had Justly occaslonel 20 much
IBID frin IN hls .enand for L'ppiaeott, and
his threat OF reprisal. IT. ohctliencu to his COM
nanl, DriEatllcr IIazen lad sunt forward Capt.
Asgill to auswcr for tho crime of Ltpplncott.
On learning thu circumstances OF thia officer,
Who was not an unconditional prisoner, .Wuhing-
ton orde1el d substitute to be provided; but tho
order was, for sotlio unexplained reas0n, disrt-
gaIdtd. liz also gave c0MtnalltlA that Asgill
should 10 treated With TINT poltcncss and con
shlerattDn consistent with Als situation, which
his rahk demanded.
In ono Of Ills communications to Col. Dayton
no wroto; u wish to have the young gentleman
treated with all the telaerAess possible, coaist.
ent with llfs prcsent sltuatlon.n mud aguln he
declared: ~ am very willing, and, indeed, wish,
every indulgence to 10 gruntcd him TINT is not
lncoiis!stcRt'with hs perfect security" An ex-
Washington Expressed hls Appreciation Of this
kindness. "1n consequence OF your oldGFs,
Col Dayton WIS tles!r0us Of removing me- t.
caInp, but bctl.g Ill OF fever provaiea o. lllI
close confined, which Indulgence, l hops, will
not bs dlsapprovcd Of. cannot concluae th!,