THE NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY QUARTERLY BULLETIN VOL. VII JULY, 1923 No. 2 CUSTOM HOUSE Corner Wall and Nassau Streets, 1850 NEW YORK: 170 CENTRAL PARK WEST PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY AND ISSUED TO MEMBERS ^fo^fefegs&fc^^a^ a, fiiii^iVit fh-hffrMnti fcM>&*&«i&*&*ft RHPB jf^J-ggW THE NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY, 170 CENTRAL PARK WEST (Erected by the Society 1008) Wings to be erected on the 76th and 77th Street corners . > OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY For Three Years, ending 1926 • PRESIDENT FOREIGN CORRESPONDING SECRETARY JOHN ABEEL WEEKES ARCHER MILTON HUNTINGTON FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT DOMESTIC CORRESPONDING SECRETARY WALTER LISPENARD SUYDAM THOMAS T. SHERMAN SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT RECORDING SECRETARY J. ARCHIBALD MURRAY WILLIAM RHINELANDER STEWART THIRD VICE-PRESIDENT TREASURER ARTHUR H. MASTEN ~ R. HORACE GALLATIN FOURTH VICE-PRESIDENT LIBRARIAN FRANCIS ROBERT SCHELL ALEXANDER J. WALL Robert H. Kelby, Librarian Emeritus RELICS COMMEMORATING THE CAPTURE OF MAJOR JOHN ANDRE ON SEPTEMBER 23, 1780 The silver watch bearing the inscription on the outer case "John Andre 1768" has recently become the property of the So-* ciety, through the kindness of Mr. Samuel V. Hoffman, who pre­ sented it. The history of the watch relates that it was presented to Isaac Van Wart, one of the captors, and in 1878 his son sold it. In 1887 it appeared in an auction sale of W. Elliott Wood­ ward's when it was sold to the person who recently disposed of the watch to Mr. Hoffman. Accounts of Major Andre's capture and the motives of the cap­ tors differ greatly and it is necessary to relate the varying accounts in connection with this relic. John Paulding petitioned Congress for an increase of the pension allowed him in consequence of his service in the capture of Andre. On January 13, 1817 the petition was reported unfavorably and an interesting debate arose on the question. Those in favor of the increased pension argued the im­ portance of the services of John Paulding and his companions, the magnitude of the virtue they displayed and the depreciation of money since the amount of the pension was established. Those opposing the increased pension argued the injustice of legislating on a single case of pension for services which were in fact, though important, but the common duty of every citizen, and in which no disability was incurred; whilst there were many survivors of the Revolution, whom the favor of the government had not distin­ guished, and who were languishing in obscurity and want, and to whom no relief had been or would be extended. Colonel Benjamin Tallmadge, of Connecticut, then a member of Congress, took part in the debate. At the time of Andre's cap­ ture he was commanding an advance guard in Westchester County and the day following, September 24th, took Andre to Salem and from there to West Point, thence down the Hudson to Haverstraw /filO^ to Headquarters at Tappan, N. Y. Colonel Tallmadge stated on the declaration of Major Andre made to him, that if Andre could have given to these men the amount they demanded for his re- 39 40 THE NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY lease, he never would have been hanged for a spy, nor in captivity on that occasion. That when his boots were taken off by them, it was to search for plunder and not to detect treason. That his captors were of that class of people who passed between both armies as often in one camp as the other and who, had he met with them, he should probably as soon have apprehended as Major Andre, as he had always made it a rule to do with these suspicious persons. This statement of Colonel Tallmadge was received with SILVER WATCH With inscription "John Andre, 1768." Found in his possession at the time of his capture, September 23, 17 surprise and incredulity and his point of view hotly contested but the petition for an increase of pension was not sustained. At the time of this action and debate in Congress, 1.817, a small volume was printed entitled "Vindication of the Captors of Major Andre" ascribed to Egbert Benson, first President of The New York Historical Society.. Besides a resume of the Congres­ sional action there is printed in this book'the affidavits of Isaac Van Wart and John Paulding describing the capture of Major QUARTERLY BULLETIN 41 Andre, also affidavits certifying to the good character of the depo­ nents and various correspondence and opinions relating to the af­ fair. Both the affidavits refer only to the gold watch which Andre offered his captors for his release and make no mention of the silver watch. Turning, however, to the statement of Ensign Samuel Bowman, of the Massachusetts Line, we learn that this officer was for twenty-four hours preceding the execution constantly with the prisoner with whom he discussed his capture and that Major Andre told him he was robbed "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." Here we have a direct contemporary reference to the silver watch, which is'of the "Bull's Eye" type and the hall-marks of which indicate that it was made in 1766. On the inner case is an inscription crudely engraved "James Oglethorpe, Febr'y 7, 1725" for which there is no plausible accounting. The present where­ abouts of the gold watch is unknown. It was exhibited at Phila­ delphia at the time of the Centennial in 1876 and later, 1879, the "Evening Post" refers to it as having been brought to that office / as a matter of interest, and that is the last record we have of it. Three days after Andre's capture, General George Washington wrote to the President of Congress, September 26, 1780, saying "I do not know the party that took Major Andre, but it is said that . it consisted only of a few militia, who acted in such a manner upon the occasion as does them the highest honor, and proves them to be men of great virtue. They were offered, I am informed, a large sum of money for his release, and as many goods as they would demand, but without any effect. Their conduct gives them a just claim to the thanks of their country, and I also hope they will be otherwise rewarded. As soon as I know their names, I shall take pleasure in transmitting them to Congress." On Octo­ ber 7, 1780, General Washington wrote: "I have now the pleasure to communicate the names of the three persons who captured Major Andre, and who refused to re­ lease him, notwithstanding the most earnest importunities and as­ surances of a liberal reward on his part. Their conduct merits our warmest esteem; and I beg leave to add, that I think the public will do well to make them a handsome gratuity. They have pre- 42 THE NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY vented in all probability our suffering one of the severest strokes that could have been meditated against us. Their names are John Paulding, David Williams, and Isaac Van Wart." On November 3, 1780, Congress adopted the following resolu­ tion: "Whereas Congress have received information that John Pauld­ ing, David Williams, and Isaac Van Wert, three young volunteer OBVERSE AND REVERSE OF THE DAVID WILLIAMS MEDAL, 1780. One of the three Congressional Medals awarded to the captors of Major Andre. militia men of the State of New York, did, on the 23d day of Sep­ tember last, intercept Major John Andre, adjutant general of the British army, on his return from the American lines, in the char­ acter of a spy; and, notwithstanding the large bribes offered them for his release, nobly disdaining to sacrifice their country for the sake of gold, secured and conveyed him to the commanding officer of the district, whereby the dangerous and traitorous conspiracy of QUARTERLY BULLETIN 43 Benedict Arnold was brought to light, the insidious designs of the enemy baffled, and the United States rescued from impending danger: Resolved, That Congress have a high sense of the virtuous and patriotic conduct of the said John Paulding, David Williams, and Isaac Van Wert. In testimony whereof, Ordered, That each of them receive annually, out of the public treasury, 200 dollars in specie, or an equivalent in the current money of these states, during life; and that the Board of War pro­ cure for each of them a silver medal, on one side of which shall be a shield with this inscription, "Fidelity," and on the other the fol­ lowing motto, "Vincit amor patriae," and forward them to the Commander in Chief, who is requested to present the same, with a copy of this resolution, and the thanks of Congress for their fidel­ ity and the eminent service they have rendered their country." John Paulding in 1817 stated "that the medals given to him, Van Wart and Williams, by Congress, were presented to them by General Washington, when the army was encamped at Verplanck's Point, and that they on the occasion dined at his table." The New York Historical Society is the fortunate possessor of two of these three medals; that given to David Williams was pre­ sented to the Society by Mrs. Eugene A. Hoffman and the John Paulding medal was presented by his grandson, James Paulding. The Society also possesses the gold watch worn by Judge Advocate John Lawrance, who presided at the trial by Court Martial of Major Andre, presented by J. L. and G. C. McWhorter, Jan.