256 
of the Revolution. We visited Washington’s head- 
NOTES AND QUERIES. 
} 
quarters at the little village of Tappan ; the ‘ Seventy-six | 
House,’ where André was confined, the place where he 
was executed, the grave where he was buried, and whence 
he was exhumed. We conversed with a venerable lady 
who gave him four beautiful peaches on the morning in 
which he went forth to die. ‘He thanked me with a 
sweet smile,’ she said; 
didn’t seem to have no appetite. He only bit one of ’em.’ 
“ Standing by his grave, we could see, across the broad | 
Hudson, the very place where he was arrested by Van 
Wart, Williams, ind Paulding, and the gleaming of the | 
[2nd S, No 13,, MAR. 29. °56, 
| eyes, and drew from his pocket a second handkerchief, 
which he gave to the executioner. Having again bandaged 
his eyes, the executioner tied his arms just above the 
| elbow, and behind his back. The rope was then made 
fast to the pole over head. The wagon was very sud- 
| denly drawn from under the gallows, which, together 
‘but somehow or ’nother, he | 
white monument erected to their memory: the place | 
where Washington stood when André went forth to die, 
and the stone-house whence he was taken to die upon a 
gallows. 2 
“« The following account of Major André’s execution is 
one of the most minute and interesting that we have 
ever read. It was furnished to Mr. William G. Haesel- 
barth of Rockland County, the history of which he is 
engaged in writing. It was taken down from the lips of 
a soldier in Colonel Baldwin’s regiment, a part of which 
was stationed a short distance from where poor André 
suffered ; — 
“« One of our men, whose name was Armstrong, being 
one of the oldest and best workmen at his trade in the 
regiments, was selected to make his coffin; which he did, 
and painted it black, as was the custom at that period.’ 
“¢ At this time André was confined in what was called 
the Old Dutch Church, a small stone building with only 
one door, and closely guarded by six sentinels. When 
the hour appointed for his execution arrived, which was 
at two o’clock in the afternoon, a guard of 300 men were 
paraded at the place of confinement. <A kind of proces- 
sion was formed by placing the guard in single file on 
each side of the road. In front were a large number of 
American oflicers of high rank on horseback. These were 
followed by the wagon containing André’s coffin; then a 
large number of officers on foot, with André in their midst. 
The procession wound slowly up a moderately rising 
ground, about a quarter of a mile to the west. On the 
top was a field, without any enclosure; and on this was a 
very high gallows, made by setting up two poles, or 
crotchets, and laying a pile on the top. ‘The wagon that 
contained the coffin was drawn directly under the gallows. 
In a short time André stepped into the hind end of the 
wagon, then on his coffin, took off his hat and laid it 
down; then placed his hands upon his hips, and walked 
very uprightly back and forth, at the same time casting 
up his eyes to the pole over his head. He was dressed in 
a complete British uniform. His coat was of the brightest 
scarlet, faced and trimmed with the most beautiful green. 
His under clothes, vest and breeches, were of bright buff; 
he had a long and beautiful head of hair, which, agreeably 
to the fashion, was wound with a black ribbon, and hung 
down his back. 
“*Not many minutes after, he took his stand on the 
coffin; the executioner stepped into the wagon with a 
halter in his hand, on one end of which was what the 
soldiers in these days called a hangman’s knot, which he 
attempted to put over the head and around the neck of 
André, but, by a sudden movement of his hand, this was 
prevented. André now took off the handkerchief from 
his neck, unpinned his shirt collar; and deliberately took 
the cord of the halter, put it over his head, and placed 
the knot directly wnder his right ear, and drew it 
very snugly to his neck. He then took from his pocket 
a handkerchief, and tied it before his eyes. This done, 
the officer who commanded spoke in rather a loud voice, 
and said, “ his hands must be tied.” André at once pulled 
down the handkerchief which he had just tied over his 
with the length of the rope, gave him a most tremendous 
swing back and forth, but in a few minutes he hung en- 
tirely still. During the whole transaction he seemed as 
little daunted as John Rogers, when he was about to be 
burned at the stake, although his countenance was rather 
pale. He remained hanging from twenty to thirty 
minutes, and, during that time, the chambers of death 
were never stiller than the multitude by whom he was 
surrounded. Orders were given to cut the rope, and take 
him down without letting him fall. This was done, and 
the body carefully laid on the ground. 
“ «Shortly after the guard was withdrawn, and spectators 
were permitted to come forward to view the corpse; but 
the crowd was so great, that it was some time before I 
could get an opportunity. When I was able to do this, 
his coat, vest, and breeches had been taken off, and his 
body laid in a coffin covered by some under-clothes. The 
top of the coffin was not put on. I viewed the corpse 
more carefully than I had ever done that of any human 
being before. His head was very much on one side, in 
consequence of the manner in which the halter had drawn 
up his neck. His face appeared to be greatly swollen, 
and yery black, resembling a high degree of mortification. 
It was indeed a most shocking sight to behold. There 
were at this time two young men of uncommon short 
stature, standing at the foot of the coffin. They were not 
more than four feet high. Their dress was extremely 
gaudy. One of them had the clothes just taken from 
André hanging on his arms. I took particular pains to 
learn who they were; and was informed they were his 
servants, sent wp from New York to take care of his 
clothes, but what other business I did not learn. 
“¢] now turned to take a view of the executioner, who 
was still standing by one of the posts of the gallows. I 
walked near enough to him to have laid my hand upon 
his shoulders, and looked him directly in the face. He 
appeared to be about twenty-five years of age; his beard 
of some two weeks growth ; and his whole face covered with 
what appeared to me to have been taken from the out- 
side of a greasy pot. A more frightful looking creature - 
T never beheld. His whole countenance bespoke him to 
be a fit instrument for the business he had been doing. I 
remained upon the spot until scarcely twenty persons 
were left; but the coffin was still beside the grave, which 
had previously been dug. I returned to my tent with 
my mind deeply imbued with the shocking scene which I 
had been called to witness.’ ” 
In the above extract, we find an interesting and 
truly painful description of the last moments and 
death of a most gallant and unfortunate officer. 
But it should be remembered that he had a fair 
trial for his life before a court martial, and was 
not condemned ‘on any doubtful authority. The 
papers and drawings found concealed in his boots, 
at the time of his capture, but too certainly proved 
his crime, and sealed his fate. He is sent on a 
desperate service who acts as a spy in the time 
of war. Any one engaging in it well knows, 
whether he be a civilian or soldier, that if he suc- 
ceeds in his object, his fortune is made; if he fails, 
he goes to his grave. Major André failed, and 
perished; and a brave young American officer, 
— 
