Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1877-02-21
The ArtIst-SOldier

IL ltltS vi tlit VI hisee
he was, how he looked, how he dressed
and what he said and did.
We read of him as the spy. He was
one at the time of his death, but that
he believed his military duty: he tried
to serve his king as well as he could,
and perhaps we cannot blame him so
very much, even if we did punish him
SO sadly. He was something else than
a mere spy. and it is more agreeable to
think of him as an artist than soldier.
He did not love war as some soldiers
do, and while in this country he many
times tried to soften the hardships and
troubles of the times. Once he found
poor little boy who had been cap
tuIed by the British soldiers in West
chester County, and brought TO New
York to be put into the dreadful pris-
ons the British then kept in our city.
Such little fellow could do no harm,
and Andre took him away from the
soldiers and sent him back to his mo-
ther in safety.
Besides painting and drawing, Andre
could sing, and make charming verses,
and cut out portraits IN silhouette.
Many of his letters and pictures are
well preserved, and could You read the
letters, you would see that he was
genial, lively and entertaining man.
While he was in this country he kept
journal, and it is said, it was full OF
pictures of plants and insects and AMI
mails, people and places, bits of scenery
and plans of cities and towns. He
used often TO give his pictures away as
presents to his friends and once, when
he was a prisoner in our hands, and
was sent to Lancaster, Pennsylvania,
for safety, he taught the children OF
the village to draw. One of the Lam
caster boys pleased him so much, and
displayed SO much talent, that Andre
offered to make an artist of him, and to
take him to England when the war was
at an end. The boys father wonld not
consent to this, though he was pleased
to think the English officer should take
so much interest in his son. The pTis-
oners were afterward removed to Car
Isle, and Andre had TO leave hispupil.
He did not forget him, for he after
ward wrote letter to the boys father.
in which he said that the boy must
take particular care in forming the
features 10 faces. and in copying the
hands exactly. He should now and
then copy things from life, and then
compare their proportions with what
prints he may have, or what rnles he
may rememb bcr.
All this was during the war, and An
DIRE himself was an enemy but we can
hardly think of him in that way. He
regretted all the troubles of the times,
and, unlike his brother officers, he ne
yer called us 1.-The rebels, bat the col
onists. Even to TINS day, his letters
and little pictures, his silhouette pcr-
traits, and sketches aud verses are
preserved in some families in remem-
of the kind, merry, and cultivated
English gentleman whom we now call
Major Andre, the spy.
When he was exchanged, he went
back TO the British army stationed at
Philadelphia, aud there again he dis
played his many talents, He painted
a drOp-scene for the theatre which
was thought to be very fine, and they
said of it that the foliage was uncom-
monty spirited and graceful" He also
wrote verses to he recited in the thea
tire, and even took part in the plays.
Once there was a grand pageant IN
| Philadelphia water processson on
the Delaware, with gayly trimmed
! boats, and bands of music, and ladies
in fancy costumes-all ending in a
grand ball. Andre took an active part
In all these pleasurings, designed the
costumes for the ladies, wrote verses
and helped TO put up the decorations.
All this happened when our poor and
| discouraged troops We're having a sad
time of il, waiting and watching for a
chance to strike blow for the country
At last the British were obliged IL
leave Philadelphia. Andre went away
with them to New York, and it was
there that he received the commission
to treat with Arnold for the capture OF
West Point, and that only ended Ii
his capture and sad death.
On the last day of his life he drew
his cwn portrait from memory with 3
pen,-that is without the aid of a mir
ror,-and the picture is still in exist
ance. While in New York. just befor,
he went up to see General Arnold. be
made several silhouette portraits of la
dies who then lived there, ana all wer'
said to be remarkably correct likeness
es, and were, of course, greatly prize {
afterward as the work of the young
genial and light hearted British officer
Those Revolutionary days are nos
very old, and the handsome English
gentleman has been dead long. Ion!
years. We can forgive his efforts ag
ainst us now, and perhaps it will b
more agreeable to think of him as tn
artist-soldier rather than the spy a
West Point.-St. Nicholas.