[Gutenberg 41398] • Generals of the British Army / Portraits in Colour with Introductory and Biographical Notes

Winthrop Sargent (1825–1870) was an American lawyer and historical writer. He lived in New York City, and wrote largely for the press on historical subjects. He wrote ‘History of an Expedition against Fort Duquesne in 1755 under Gen. Braddock’ (1855); ‘The Loyalist Poetry of the Revolution’ (1857); and the ‘Life and Career of Major John André’ (1861).

John André (1750 – 1780) was a British Army officer hanged as a spy by the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War for assisting Benedict Arnold's attempted surrender of the fort at West Point, New York to the British.

Americans have been most generous in their sympathies for the fate of "poor Andre." He was a spy, sought the ruin of the colonial cause, risked the danger which fixed his fate, in an attempt to give the cause of American independence a vital wound. Perhaps the success of the revolution hinged upon the capture of Andre. Yet he seems to have won the love of the American people. They never speak of him except with a sigh for his melancholy doom. Washington deeply regretted the necessity which compelled him to order his execution. We view his designs against our liberty without heat, because he was a Briton; while his daring, which was heroic, kindles our admiration. The book before us, giving the details which do not appear in the general history, will be welcomed by all American readers, alike for the interest they feel in the fortunes of its hero, and the new light it sheds upon a dark place in our early history. We can say that it has the appearance of a laborious and thorough presentation of the youth, manhood, and fate of the real hero of West Point.

There has been ever a romantic interest attending the fate of ANDRE, who, young, accomplished, rich and admired, died a felon's death, in accordance with the inexorable martial law which punishes the spy with death. The fate was the more regretted that the arch-traitor escaped by the point of honor that forbade the delivery of Arnold, to expiate his crime of treason and the fault of ANDRE. Mr. SARGENT, in the present volume, has brought together all that can be discovered in relation to ANDRE, his family and career; and has, so to speak, “set", the information in a collection of very agreeable gossip of the men and times in which ANDRE moved. The fashions, customs and manners of Philadelphia and New-York during their occupation by the officers of Britain, are pleasantly brought before us, throwing an additional interest around the fate of the young officer who, from amidst those scenes was translated to the gallows, which, claiming a victim, took him in fault of Arnold.

Sargent writes:

"THE romantic nature of the circumstances which connect the name of Major Andre with the history of our Revolution induced me some time ago to inquire more closely into the details of a character that seems to have inspired so warm an interest in the minds of all who have had occasion to observe it. In this undertaking, I am free to confess that my success in obtaining information has been commensurate neither with my labors nor desires. No pains indeed were spared to procure intelligence concerning Andre" himself. Every repository that could be heard of was examined; and the old-world tales of those who "mumble their wisdom o'er the gossip's bowl" have been carefully gathered and sifted. Thus, much curious matter more or less relevant to his story has been brought together from one quarter or another; and by joining what has hitherto scarcely been known at all with what every one knows, something like a connected sketch of his career has been compiled."