George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 10

[390] kept the love of independence alive. To seek

Chap. XVIII.} 1780. Sept. 25.

security by a threat of retaliation on innocent men was an unworthy act which received no support from Sir Henry Clinton. Andre was without loss of time conducted to the headquarters of the army at Tappan. His offence was so clear that it would have justified the promptest action; but, to prevent all possibility of complaint from any quarter, he was, on the twenty-ninth, brought before a numerous and very able board of

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officers. On his own confession and without the examination of a witness, the board, on which sat Greene, second only to Washington in the service; St. Clair, afterwards president of congress; Lafayette, of the French army; Steuben, from the staff of Frederic the Second; Parsons, Clinton, Glover, Knox, Huntingdon, and others, all well known for their uprightness,—made their unanimous report that Major Andre, adjutant-general of the British army, ought to be considered as a spy from the enemy and to suffer death. Throughout the inquiry Andre was penetrated with the liberality of the members of the court, who showed him every mark of indulgence, and required him to answer no interrogatory which could even embarrass his feelings.¹ He acknowledged their generosity in the strongest terms of manly gratitude, and afterwards remarked to one who visited him, that if there were any remains in his mind of prejudice against the Americans, his present experience must obliterate them.²

On the thirtieth the sentence was approved by Washington, and ordered to be carried into effect