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In their 25-year relationship, George Washington and Alexander Hamilton didn’t disagree on very many things. But the differences they had were pronounced. Over time, we’ll look at a couple of them. Today, we’ll look at one.
The disposition of Major John André.
If you recall, André had been found with plans to the fort at West Point which had been given him by Benedict Arnold. And once the Continental Army’s leadership discovered that it indeed was Arnold who committed treason and eluded capture, there was a combined feeling of intense sadness and rage at his actions.
But André was the guy they had captured, not Arnold himself. A letter, likely originating from Hamilton’s pen, was quietly sent to the British requesting a trade of the popular André for Arnold, but that was refused. Benedict Arnold probably heaved a sigh of relief, as he probably would have been lynched before he ever went to trial.
The disagreement between Washington and Hamilton had nothing to do with Major André’s fate…his execution was certain. It had everything to do with its implementation. If John was considered a spy, he would hang. If he was categorized as an officer, he would be shot…a much more honorable death.
Hamilton argued that the Major had been lured behind enemy lines by Arnold against his wishes, and had not intended to take on the role of a spy. Washington argued that John André had come ashore secretly, crossed enemy lines, worn civilian clothes, and used a pseudonym, all traits of a spy.
Washington won the argument.
Major André, for his own part, had little doubt of his fate. He considered himself a loyal officer and preferred to die as one, but death is death, and he faced it like a man.
At 5:00pm, the prisoner was led from Yoast Mabie’s Tavern in Tappan, and mounted the wagon under the scaffold. He placed the noose around his own neck and donned his own handkerchief. When asked if he had anything to say, André reportedly replied, “Nothing but to request you will witness to the world that I die like a brave man.”
The wagon pulled away and, a short time later, Major John André was dead. More than one Continental officer was impressed with André…his rapid ascent in the British Army surprised few that met him.
Alexander Hamilton would later recall his disagreement with the future First President with a certain amount of resignation when he wrote, “The death of André could not have been dispensed with, but it must still be viewed at a distance as an act of rigid justice.”
Recommended Reading: Alexander Hamilton
