80 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[No. 24». 



the theatre in 1821. It would have been a precious relic 

 at the present day for its very interesting associations. 



" Poor Andr^ little thought while he was painting that 

 scene, that a few short years afterward it would be used 

 in a natural play, written on the subject of his capture 

 and death. It was so used in the summer of 1807, on the 

 4th of July, at the ' Old South,' as a representation of tlie 

 pass on the banks of the Hudson river where he was taken 

 by the three militiamen ; it being the only scene in the 

 house which might answer for the locality, without 

 painting one expressly for it. The piece had no merit as 

 a drama, and was only concocted for holiday occasions, 

 being a sort of hybrid affair, abounding with fulsome 

 dialogue and pantomime — full of Yankee notions and 

 patriotic clap-trap ; but incessant laughter and applause 

 I well remember rewarded the company's efforts." 



There was in Peall's Museum in this city, a few 

 years ago, a MS. poem by Major Andre, entitled 

 The Cow Chase. I presume that Serviens is 

 familiar with the composition ; it has been printed, 

 but I do not now know where to find it. If 

 Serviens has no copy of this squib, which was in 

 reference to the exploits of a foraging party 

 under the command of the American General 

 Wayne, I have no doubt but that I can procure a 

 copy for him from New York, where I presume 

 the original poem now is. Our museum was 

 broken up some years ago, and most of the stock 

 bought by P. T. Barnum, of New York. If the 

 latter has the verses I can procure a copy. I 

 would refer Seeviens for an interesting account 

 of Arnold's treason and Andre's fate, with illus- 

 trations to Lossing's Field Book of the Revolution, 

 vol. ii., in which he will find a fac-simile of a pen- 

 and-ink portrait of Andre by himself. 



In conclusion, I inclose a newspaper clipping 

 which has been published in New York Journal, 

 since I thought of preparing this communication for 

 " N. & Q." It is by a correspondent who, judging 

 from his former writings, has devoted some at- 

 tention to historical points, and I think it may be 

 relied upon as correct. The relation throws an 

 additional light upon the sad story of Andre's 

 detection. 



" Arnold's treason. 

 " Application was made in the year 1 825 for assistance in 

 making out the necessary documents for a pension by one 

 of the bargemen in the barge that conveyed General 

 Arnold to the sloop of war ' Vulture.' He was bow-oars- 

 man in the boat, next in rank to the coxswain, whose 

 name was James Larvey. His memory was remarkably 

 accurate, and his veracity unquestionable. 



" The day before the flight of Arnold, the barge brought 

 him with Major Andre from Lawyer Smith's, below 

 Stoney Point, to the general's head-quarters. Thej' con- 

 versed very little during the passage. The general told 

 his aid, who was at the landing when they arrived, that 

 he had brought up a relation of his wife. Arnold kept 

 one of his horses constantly caparisoned at the door of his 

 quarters, and the next morning, soon after breakfast, he 

 rode down in great haste with the coxswain just behind 

 him on foot. The coxswain cried out to the bargemen to 

 come out from their quarters that were hard by, and the 

 general d:i«-hed down the footfall instead of taking a cir- 

 cuit, the usual one for those who were mounted. 



" The barge was soon made ready, though the g meral, 

 in bis impatience, repeatedly ordered tlie bow-man to 

 push off. before all the men had mustered. The saddle 

 and upholsters were taken on board of the barge, and 

 Arnold, immediately after they pushed off, wiped the 

 priming from the pistols and primed them anew, cocked 

 and half-cocked them repeatedly. He inquired of Collins, 

 the bow-man, if the men had their arms, and was told 

 that they came in such haste that there were but two 

 swords, belonging to himself and the coxswain. They 

 ought to have brought their arms, he said. He then tied 

 a white handkerchief to the end of his cane for a flag in 

 passing the forts. On arriving alongside of the Vulture, 

 he took it off and wiped his face. 



" The general had been down in the cabin about an hour, 

 when the coxswain was sent for, and by the significant 

 looks and laughing of tlie officers, the men in the barge 

 began to be very apprehensive that all was not right. 

 He very soon returned and told them that they were all 

 ' prisoners of war.' The bargemen were unmoved, and 

 submitted to the fortunes of war, except two Englishmen 

 who had deserted, and who were much terrified and wept. 

 The bargemen were promised good fare if thev would 

 enter on duty aboard the Vulture, but they declined, and 

 were handcuffed, and so remained for four days. General 

 Arnold then sent for them at New York. In passing 

 from the wharf to his head-quarters, the two Englishmen 

 slipped aboard a letter of marque, then nearly ready to sail. 



" The others, five in number, waited on Arnold, who 

 told them that they had always been attentive and 

 faithful, and he expected they would stay with him — he 

 had, he said, command of a regiment of horse, and Larvey 

 and Collins might have commissions, and the rest should 

 be non-commissioned officers. Larvey answered that he 

 could not be contented — he had rather be a soldier where 

 he was content, than an officer where he was not. The 

 others expressed or manifested their concurrence in 

 Larvey's opinion. Arnold then gave the coxswain a 

 guinea, and told him that they should be sent back. At 

 night they were conveyed to the Vulture, and the next 

 day set ashore. 



" This worthy and intelligent applicant was a native of 

 Plymouth, and belonged to an old and respectable family 

 of that place by the name of Collins. He remembered 

 perfectly well the dress of Major Andre when thej' took 

 him up in the barge from Lawyer Smith's house to Ar- 

 nold's quarters — ' blue homespun stockings, a pair of 

 wrinkled boots not lately brushed, blue cloth breeches 

 tied at the knee with strings, waistcoat of the same, blue 

 surtout buttoned by a single button, black silk handker- 

 chief once round the neck and tied in front, with the ends 

 under the waistcoat, and a flopped hat.' 



" Andr^, it will be remembered, was executed in Oc- 

 tober, 1780, at Tappan, in Rockland county, in this state 

 (New York). His body was buried on a farm near the 

 place of execution, where it remained undisturbed until 

 the 10th of August, 1821, when, by order of the Duke of 

 York, Mr. Buchanan, the then British Consul residing in 

 this city, caused the remains of the unfortunate j'et brave 

 and accomplished youth to be disinterred and placed in a 

 sarcophagus, with the view of being conveyed to Eng- 

 land, and deposited near the monument erected to his 

 memory in Westminster Abbey. In proceeding to dis- 

 inter the remains, the coffin was found about three feet 

 below the surface of the earth ; the lid was broken in the 

 centre, and had partly fallen in, but was kept up by rest- 

 ing on the skull. On raising the lid the skeleton was 

 found entire, without a vestige of any other part of hi^ 

 remains, except some of his hair, which appeared in small 

 tufts ; and the only part of his dress was the leather string 

 which tied the hair." 



