The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-12-18
JOHN ANDRE, PRISONER.
How Major Tallmadge Described
Him I'm u Letter to Jared sparks.

JOHN ANDRE, PRISONER.
How Major Tallmadge Described
Him I'm u Letter to Jared sparks.
[The Magazine of American History.]
From the time I first reed Major
Andre into Custody until I deliv'd him
at Tappan he was cloathed in plain
Countryman's Dress, with Surtout
overall (ratber shabby, which ] think
he told me was j. Smiths, at Haver-
straw, where he was concealed. Soon
after we reached Tappan bis Regimentals
were sent out from New York, in which
he constantly appeared, in which he
walked TO the gallows, & was executed,
& in which l saw him laid in his Coffin
From the moment Major Andre made
the Disclosure of his name 4 true char
acter, in his Letter to the Commander
in-Chief, dated Sepr. Oath, 1880, which
he handed to me as soon as he had writ
ten it, to the moment of his Execution,
l was almost constantly with him. The
Ease and affability of his manner, pol
ished by the refinement of good Society
& finished Education, made him a
most delectable Companion. 1t often
drew tears from my Eyes to him find 80
pleasant and agreeable in Conversation
on different Subjects, when l reflected on
his future fate & that, too, as believed,
so near at hand,
Since you ask for Private Anecdotes, l
would remark that soon after Acquaint-
ance, being mutually disposed to have
the most unreserved & free conversation,
and both being soldiers of equal rank in
the two armies, we agreed on cartel, by
the terms of which each one was permit
ted to put any Question to the other, not
involving a third Person. This opened a
wide field for two inquisitive young Off
GERS, & we amused ourselves on the march
to Head Quarters not little. My prin-
cipal object was to learn the late plot.
On every point that I enquired, v hen
any other person was concerned, he main
tained most rigidly the rule; so that even
where that most infamous Traitor Ar
mold was concerned e. he out of our con-
trol), 50 nice was his sense of honour,
that he would disclose nothing. "A
l soon began to make enquiries about
the expected capture of. our fortress &
begged him to inform me whether he was
to have taken part in the military at,
tack, if Arnold's plan had succeeded. He
Instantly replied in the affirmative &
pointed me to table of Land on the
West Shore, which he said was the spot
where he should have landed at the head
of select Corps, He then traversed in
idea the course up the mountain into the
rear of Fort Putnam, which overlooks
the whole Parade of West Point, & with
much greater exactness than could have
done; & as the Traitor Arnold had SO dis
posed of the garrison that little or no op-
position could have been made by
our troops, Major Andre supposed
he should have reached that i'm
portant Eminence without difficulty.
Thus that important key of our country
would have been theirs & the GLORY Of
so splendid an Achievement would have
been his. The Animation with which he
gave the Account I recollect perfectly
delighted me, for he seemed as if he were
entering the fort, sword in hand. To
complete the Climax, enquired what
was to have been his reward, if he
had succeeded. He replied that military
Glory was all that he sought, & that the
thanks Of his General and the approba-
ton of his King. was a rich reward for
such an undertaking. I think he further
remarked that if he had succeeded, e.,
with the aid of the opposing General,
who would doubt of success2) he was to
have been promoted to the rank OF
Brigade General.
As we progressed on our way to Tap.
pan, before we reached the Glove, where
we dined, Major Andre was very inquisi-
tive to know my Opinion as to the result
of his Capture. In other words, he wished
me to give him my Opinion as to the light
in which he would be viewed by Genl
Washington & Military Tribunal, if
one should be ordered. / endeavored to
evade the Question, unwilling to give
him true answer. When l could no
longer ovade this Importunity, / said to
him that had a much loved class-mate
in Yale College by the name of Nathan
Hale, who entered the Army with me in
the year 1776, after the British Troops
had entered N. York.
Genl Washington wanted information
respecting the strength, position and
probable movements Of the Enemy. Capt.
Hale rendered his services, went into N
York, & was taken just as he was pass
ing the out posts of the Enemy. said l.
with Emphasis, do you remember the Sc
quel of this Story; Yes, said Andre; HI
was hanged as Spy; but you surely Dc
not consider his Case and mine alike. ]
replied, precisely similar & similar viii
be your fate. He endeavored to answer
my remarks, but it was manifest he wal
more troubled than l had ever seen hin
before.
| We striped at the Glove to dine h tt
let the Horse Gu "a refresh; while there
Andre kept reviewing his shabby Dress
& finally remarked to me that he wa,
positively ashamed to go to- the Head
Qrs. of the American Army in such q
plight. I called my Servant, & directed
him to bring my Dragon Cloak. which
presented to Andre. This he refused
10 take for some time, but I insisted or
| it, & he finally put it on d rode in it to
/ Tappan. Tho catastrophe, which eHsued