Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-04-25
A NEW FACT IN HISTORY.
"Reminiscences OF Gen. Washington
and Major Andre In We,tchester.

The Westchester County Historical
Society held meeting in the Common
Council Chamber, in Manor Hall, Yon-
kers, recently. The attendance was
large, and among those gathered to listen
to the addresses were many ladies and
Henry B. Dawson, the historian. Presi-
dent James Wood called the meeting to
order and announced the first speaker,
DR.. N. G. Hustled, of Tarrytown, who
read an interesting paper on ''The Case
Of Major Andre and a New Fact
The essay showed diligent research, and
the subject was treated in a thorough
manner. Dr. Hustled began by giving the
birth of Andre in London, his parentage
and their descent. Then he followed with
Andres boyhood, education and entry
into the British army, and his commits
sion to 20 to America. The circumstance
of his introduction to Arnold, their cor
respondence, and final plot were thor
Oughlv discussed. DR.. Hustled paid his
respects to Lord Mahon, who in bis pub
lished papers bitterly attacked Washing
ton for allowing Andre to be hanged,
falsely charging that he had not made
searching Investigation into his case.
Lord Mahon had stigmatized this execu-
blOu dS JuC RICdbCcb DlOb vi bllU CuHTAC-
ter of Washington. The paper dwelt at
some length on this subject, and fully
justified Washington for his action and
fairness to the prisoner. A short poem
written by Miss Annie Seward, who was
a warm friend of Andre, in which she
denounced Washington for allowing the
spy to be executed, and predicted the
final triumph of the British forces and
the punishment of Washington, was
read. But DR.. Hustled went on to show
the concurrent testimony of the British
officers subsequently acquitted Washing
ton of any blame, and declared him en-
tirely justified in his action. The New
Fact" mentioned in the title of his paper
and one which he declared had never
been published before, was this: The
original party that went out to guard the
spot where Andre was captured consisted
of seven men. Williams, Paulding and
Van Wart were down on the roadway
while the other four were up on an over
looking hill. Among these latter was
one John Dean. The Legislature subse-
quently gave each of the captors of An
Dire farm, but by some mistake Deans
name was used as one of them I'm place
of David Williams. About a week af-
terward the mistake was discovered and
rectifed. This was in October, 1880
The speaker had found this piece of in
formation while looking over some old
records in the library at Albany. The
address was listened to with great inter
est and attention by all present.
The Rev. Delos Lull, pastor of the
First Methodist Church, at Yonkers,
was introduced and read an interesting
paper on the Footprints of Washington
in Westminster. Westchester county is
all historic ground of the Revolution,
and nearly all of it was traversed by
Washington. Mr.. Lull paid particular
attention to the fact that Washington
had visited the very house and room in
which they were assembled, it being then
the old Phillipse Manor-house, and here he
had conducted his courtship. He visited
this house four times. It was in West
chester county that the grand strategic
movements preparatory to the taking Of
Yorktown were made, which dealt such
stunning blow to the British army.
The speaker, in talking of Washington
while in this neighborhood, said that he
one night slept in an old hollow oak tree
on 'HOg Hill, which is situated in the
northern part of the city, while one of
his body guard kept watch outside. One
of his principal camping grounds was
Valentines Hill, just east of Yonkers,
and be spent several weeks there. The
grand encampment of the American aud
French armies, he said, was between
Dobb's Ferry and the Bronx river. After
giving a vote of thanks to the speakers
the meeting adjourned.