ed in command at Philadelphia, while recovering from the
wounds received at Saratoga. He married a Tory lady, and his misconduct
caused his trial by court-martial, which sentenced him to be reprimanded
by the commander-in-chief. Washington performed the unpleasant duty with
delicacy, but its memory rankled and was increased by his anger against
Congress for its refusal to allow his claims for expenses in the
Canadian expedition. Influenced also, no doubt, by the Tory sentiments
of his wife, he determined to take the step which has covered his name
with everlasting infamy.

On the plea that his wounds were not yet healed, he induced Washington
to place him in command at West Point, the most important post in the
country and the principal depot of supplies. He opened a correspondence
with Sir Henry Clinton at New York, and agreed for a stated sum of money
and an appointment in the British army to surrender the post to a force
which Clinton was to send against it. When a point in the negotiations
was reached where it was necessary to send a trusted agent to meet
Arnold, Clinton dispatched Major John Andre, who went up the Hudson in a
sloop, and, September 22, 1780, met Arnold at the foot of Long Clove
Mountain. Everything being agreed upon, Andre started to return to the
sloop, but found that, owing to its having been fired upon by a party of
Americans, it had dropped down stream. Obliged to make his way to New
York by land, he assumed the dress of a civilian, and, furnished with a
pass by Arnold, he set out on horseback.

[Illustration: THE CAPTURE OF MAJOR ANDRE

Much sympathy was felt in America for Andre, but the justice of his
being hung as a spy was never questioned. His three captors, Paulding,
Van Wart and Williams, were honored with medals and $200.00 a year each
for life, and monuments were erected to their memories by our
Government.]

When near Tarrytown, he was stopped by three Americans, Isaac Van Wart,
John Paulding, and David Williams, who demanded his identity and
business. One of the three happened to be wearing a British coat, which
he had exchanged for one of his own while a prisoner of war, and the
fact led Andre to think they were friends. Before he discovered his
mistake, he had made known that he was a British officer, and he was
ordered to dismount and submit to a search. The fatal papers were found
on him, and, seeing his business was known, he offered everything he
had, besides the promise of