Major Andre, a very brave and accomplished officer as Washington noted, was captured on September 23, 1780. He would be executed on October 2, 1780, Washington being praised for giving Andre a trial, something not usually accorded spies caught in civilian clothes. The contrast to our capitol prosecutions spanning decades could not be more striking. I would note that all the Continental officers who came into contact with him liked and respected Andre. Lafayette wept at his execution. However, they understood the difference between sentiment and justice, an insight our morally chaotic times lack.
Swift Justice
- Donald R. McClarey
Donald R. McClarey
Cradle Catholic. Active in the pro-life movement since 1973. Father of three, one in Heaven, and happily married for 43 years. Small town lawyer and amateur historian. Former president of the board of directors of the local crisis pregnancy center for a decade.
As I recall, the issue of whether Andre had been operating as a spy turned on the fact that he had worn a civilian topcoat to hide his red uniform while traveling on horseback through Continental territory. Upon conviction, Andre requested that he be shot as a combatant rather than hanged as a spy, but Washington refused, noting that if Andre had not fit the definition of a spy, he would not have been executed at all.
He was also traveling under a false identity. All this was suggested by Arnold and Andre was rightly uneasy about it.
In those days men could treat a fellow man with dignity, even if he was an enemy. No rabid dolts screaming “Nazi” or “MAGA” at every political opponent. They understood why Andre acted as he he did, and he knew they were only doing what he would have done were circumstances reversed.
It should also be noted that Washington offered to exchange Andre for the traitor Benedict Arnold but the British declined. Their reasoning was they would get no more cooperation from their Tory spies if they did so. As it turned out, they got little real intelligence from the Tories as most of the British sympathizers were known and the few that were not were unable to get much information that would have been valuable to the British. On the other hand, Washington’s “Secret Six” were quite valuable as they were in positions that allowed them to acquire much information of use to the Patriots. This allowed Washington to offset the advantage the British had in troop strength and equipment.
“However, they understood the difference between sentiment and justice, an insight our morally chaotic times lack.”
Should be on a billboard everywhere.
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