330 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



ter our lines, he observed that it could not affect the present case, as he 

 wrote it in New York under Clinton's orders: 



"The Board having interrogated Major Andre about his conception of his com- 

 ing on shore under the sanction of a flag he said that it was impossible far him 

 to suppose he came on shore under that sanction ; and added, that if he came on 

 shore under that sanction, he certainly might have returned under it. 



"Major Andre having acknowledged the preceding facts, and being asked 

 whether he had anything to say respecting them, answered, He left them to ope- 

 rate with the Board." 



It was probably in connection with this point of a flag that Greene 

 asked the question: — "When you came on shore from the Vulture, 

 Major Andre, and met General Arnold, did you consider yourself act- 

 ing as a private individual, or as a British officer ? " "I wore my uni- 

 form," was the reply, and undoubtedly esteemed myself to be what in- 

 deed I was, a British officer." It will be recollected that it was not as 

 an officer he was acting and clad when he was arrested." 



His personal examination being now concluded the prisoner was re- 

 manded into custody. 



"The Board having considered the letter from His Excellency General Wash- 

 ington, respecting Major Andre, Adjutant-General to the British army, the con- 

 fession, of Major Andre and the paper produced to them, Report to His Excel- 

 lency the Commander-in-Chief, the following fact which appear to them concern- 

 ing Major Andre. 



" First, That he came on shore from the Vulture, sloop-of-war, in the night of 

 the 21st September inst. on an interview with General Arnold, in a private and 

 secret manner. 



Secondly, That he changed his dress within our lines, and under a feigned name, 

 and in a disguised habit, passed our works at Stony and Verplanck's Points the 

 evening of the 22nd September inst. and was taken the morning of the 23rd Sep- 

 tember inst. at Tarrytown in a disguised habit, being then on his way to New 

 York, and, when taken, he had in his possession several papers, which con- 

 tained intelligence for the enemy. 



"The Beard having maturely considered these facts, Do also Report to His 

 Excellency General Washington, that Major Andre; Adjutant-General to the 

 British army ought to be considered as a spy from the enemy ; and that, agree- 

 able to the law and usage of nations, it is their opinion, he ought to suffer death." 



" Intelligence of the finding of the court and of his fate were com- 

 municated to Andre through two officers from Greene, one of whom was 

 his aide, Major Burnet. The sentence was listened to with a composure 

 that his informants vainly strove to emulate. The prisoner had steeled 

 himself to encounter death : " I avow no guilt," he said, " but I am 

 resigned to my fate." Yet he shrunk from the idea of the halter. " Since 



a I have this anecdote from Mr. Spark's, who received it from La Fayette himself. 



