The Portland daily press., 1895-11-16
Andre,s Execution.
(London Spare Moments y

l
There are few monuments in Westmin-
ster Abbey which have attracted more
attention than that which commentaries
the sad fate of Major Andre. Perhaps
no event of the American Revolution
made more aching hearts on both sides
of the Atlantic. Great Britain lost two
armies, and thousands Of her brave sold
iers were slain upon the field of battle,
but it may be doubted if SO many tears
were shed for them all as for the young
soldier who died upon the gallows.
John Andre was born in London, the
son of a Genevese merchant, in 1851. He
was sent to Geneva to be educated. but
returned to London at the age of IS, and,
| his talents having introduced him to a
| literary coterie, he became enamored of
Miss Honora Sneyd, young lady of sin
gular beauty and accomplishments. AS
both were very young, the marriage was
postponed, and Andre was induced to
engage in trade. But he was ambitious,
and at the age of 20 entered the army.
| At the outbreak of the American war he
was sent to Canada, and taken prisoner
at St. Johns, but, being exchanged, he
became the favorite of that gay and gal
liant officer, General Sir Henry Clinton,
| who appointed him his aide-de-camp. and
soon his adjutant general.
Young, handsome, clever, full of taste
and gayety, an artist and a poet, he wa
the life of the army, and the little vicere
gal court that was assembled around its
chief The British occupied the Ameri-
can cities, and while the troops Of Wash
ington were naked and starving at VAL
ley Forge. Sir Henry was holding series
Of magnificent revels at Philadelphia,
which were planned and presided over by
the gallant Major Andre. Philadelphia
was evacuated, Sir Henry returned to
New York, and Major Andre, who had
known the wife of the American general,
in Philadelphia, entered into correspond
ence with him, and was thu agent
through whom the British general bar
gained, under promise Of large reward,
for the surrender of West Point, the key
of the highlands of the river Hudson.
Andre visited Arnold within the Amer
clan lines to carry out this treachery he
was captured on his return by three
American farmers, who refused his
brides; the papers proclaiming Arnold's
treason were found upon him, and, by
his own frank confession, he was con-
victed as spy and sentenced to be
hanged. Arnold, by the blunder of an
American officer, got warning, and es-
capped on board the Vulture Sir Henry
Clinton, by the most urgent representa-
tions to General Washington, tried to
save his favorite adjutant, but in vain.
There was but one way-thei surrender of
Arnold, to meet the fate decreed to
Andre That was impossible, and the
young adjutant, then in his twenty-ninth
year, after vain appeal to Washington,
that he might die a soldiers death, was
hanged on the west bank of the Hudson,
almost in sight of the city hsld by the
British army, October 2, 1880.
If his life had been undistinguished, he
died with heroic frmnegs. The whole
British army went into mourning, and
after the close of the war, his body was
deposited near his monument in West
minister Abbey. Even IN America, where
the name of Arnold is synonym of
treason, the sad fate of Major Andre ex-
cited. and still excites universal COM