June 3. 1854.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



521 



They were close by the road side, and he had ap- 

 proached very near them before either party discovered 

 the other ; upon seeing him they instantly rose and 

 seized their rifles. They approached him and de- 

 manded who he was ; he immediately answered that he 

 was a British officer, supposing, from their being so 

 near the British lines, that they belonged to that party. 

 They then seized him, robbed him of the few guineas 

 which he had with him, and the two watches which he 

 then wore, one of gold and the other of silver. He 

 offered to reward them if they would take him to New 

 York ; they hesitated, and in his (Andre's) opinion, the 

 reason why they did not do so, was the impossibility 

 on his part to secure to them the performance of the 

 promise. 



" He informs also that it was an opinion too preva- 

 lent to admit of any doubt, that these men were of that 

 description of persons called ' cow boys, ' or those who, 

 without being considered as belonging to either party, 

 made it a business to pillage from both. He has fre- 

 quently heard this opinion expressed at that time by 

 several officers who were personally acquainted with 

 all these men, and who could not have been mistaken 

 in their general characters. 



" Andre frequently spoke of the kindness of the 

 American officers, and particularly of the attention of 

 Major Tallmadge ; and on the way to the place of 

 execution sent for that officer to come near him, that 

 he might learn the manner in which he was to die." 



Statement of Van Wart (from the National 

 Intelligencer of Feb. 25, 1817) : 



" Isaac Van Wart, of the town of Mount Pleasant, 

 in the county of Westchester, being duly sworn, doth 

 depose and say, that he is one of the three persons who 

 arrested Major Andre during the American revolu- 

 tionary war, and conducted him to the American 

 camp. That he, this deponent, together with David 

 Williams and John Paulding, had secreted themselves 

 at the side of the highway, for the purpose of detecting 

 any person coming from, or having unlawful inter- 

 course with, the enemy, being between the two armies ; 

 a service not uncommon in those times. That this 

 deponent and his companions were armed with 

 muskets, and upon seeing Major Andre approach the 

 place where they were concealed, they rose and pre- 

 sented their muskets at him, and required him to stop, 

 which he did. He then asked them whether they be- 

 longed to his party, and then they asked him which 

 was his party ? to which he replied the lower party. 

 Upon which they, deeming a little stratagem under 

 such circumstances not only justifiable but necessary, 

 gave him to understand that they were of his party, 

 upon which he joyfully declared himself to be a 

 British officer, and told them that he had been out 

 upon very particular business. Having ascertained 

 thus much, this deponent and his companions unde- 

 ceived him as to their characters, declaring themselves 

 to be Americans, and that he must consider himself 

 their prisoner. Upon this, with seeming unconcern, 

 he said he had a pass from General Arnold, which he 

 exhibited, and then insisted on their permitting him to 

 proceed. But they told him that, as he had confessed 



himself to be a British officer, they deemed it to be 

 their duty to convey him to the American camp ; and 

 then took him into a wood, a short distance from the 

 highway, in order to guard against being surprised by 

 parties of the enemy, who were frequently reconnoiter- 

 ing in that neighbourhood. That when they had him 

 in the wood they proceeded to search him, for the 

 purpose of ascertaining who and what he was, and 

 found inside of his stockings and boots, next to his 

 bare feet, papers which satisfied them he was a spy. 

 Major Andre now showed them his gold watch, and 

 remarked that it was evidence of his being a gentleman, 

 and also promised to make them any reward they 

 might name, if they would but permit him to proceed, 

 which they refused. He then told them that if they 

 doubted the fulfilment of his promise, they might con- 

 ceal him in some secret place, and keep him there 

 until they could send to New York and receive their 

 reward. And this deponent expressly declares, that 

 every offer made by Major Andre to them was 

 promptly and resolutely refused. And, for himself, 

 he solemnly declares that he had not, and he does 

 most sincerely believe that Paulding and Williams had 

 not, any intention of plundering their prisoner ; nor 

 did they confer with each other, or even hesitate 

 whether they should accept his promise, but, on the 

 contrary, they were, in the opinion of this deponent, 

 governed, like himself, by a deep interest in the cause 

 of the country, and a strong sense of duty. And this 

 deponent further says that he never visited the British 

 camp, nor does he believe or suspect that either Pauld- 

 ing or Williams ever did, except that Paulding was, 

 once before Andre's capture, and once afterwards, 

 made a prisoner by the British, as this deponent has 

 been informed and believes. And this deponent, for 

 himself, expressly denies that he ever held any unlaw- 

 ful traffic or any intercourse whatever with the enemy. 

 And, appealing solemnly to that omniscient Being, at 

 whose tribunal he must soon appear, he doth expressly 

 declare that all accusations, charging him therewith, 

 are utterly untrue. Isaac Van Wart. 



" Sworn this 28th day of January, 1 81 7, 

 before Jacob RadclifF. 



" We the subscribers, inhabitants of the county of 

 Westchester, do certify that during the revolutionary 

 war we were well acquainted with Isaac Van Wart, 

 David Williams, and John Paulding, who arrested 

 Major Andre ; and that at no time during the revo- 

 lutionary war was any suspicion ever entertained by 

 their neighbours or acquaintances, that they, or either 

 of them, held any undue intercourse with the enemy. 

 On the contrary, they were universally esteemed, and 

 taken to be ardent and faithful in the cause of the 

 country. We further certify that the said Paulding 

 and Williams are not now resident among us, but that 

 Isaac Van Wart is a respectable freeholder of the town 

 of Mount Pleasant, that we are all well acquainted 

 with him, and we do not hesitate to declare our belief 

 that there is not an individual in the county of West- 

 chester, acquainted with Isaac Van Wart, who would 

 hesitate to describe him as a man of a sober, moral, 

 industrious, and religious life, as a man whose integrity 

 is as unimpeachable as his veracity is undoubted. In 



