A memorial in Tappan, New York, near the Hudson River, marks

the spot where André was hung and first buried.

DUPES OF THE PRETERNATURAL?

Some thoughts on André, Arnold, and Aaron Burr.

As some of you my esteemed and patient readers are or might be aware, in my sundry writings I
have written on spirit people, that is to say the unearthly; having in some measure alluded to the same in
my earlier Continental Army series pieces on Silas Deane, i.e., “Almost a Traitor -- The Strange Case of
Silas Deane,” and the one on Maj. Robert Rogers’ “Ponteach.” Although I take for granted that some do or
would look askance on such conjectures and view such with matter of fact skepticism, I nevertheless am
strongly convinced of the possibility that such claim can, when all is said and done, be empirically
established and proven. This said, although I would not belabor the subject of just here, I did think it worth
sharing, for purposes disinterested pondering purposes, some jottings and musings of mine on the ghosts or
specters who may have haunted the Revolution. I reproduce these vignettes then as they originated from my
personal journals; so that in any case you at minimum have the opportunity to judge for yourself. I’m sorry
(due to exigencies somewhat beyond my control) I could not do this article up as a more formally
developed composition. Yet since I have a mind to possibly adding to it at some later time, I thought it just
as well to defer attempting too much here; thereby leaving more room and energy for that as yet uncertain
eventuality. My assumptions are profuse and which I concede only makes the brief and perfunctory nature
of these sketches all the more to be regretted. Even so, I do write considerably more on the topic of spirit
people elsewhere, and which, if one is interested, can find be found at my website at
http://www.gunjones.com

~~~***~~~

A most engaging account of the Arnold treason plot and resultant execution of André is given in
Charles Stedman’s History of the Origins, Progress and Termination of the American War, vol. II, pp. 247-
253; the “what ifs” of that famous intrigue being no little stimulating of curious speculation. What if, for
instance, the Vulture, André contact and pre-arranged vessel for evacuation, had not been fired upon by the
Americans, and its retreat forced? It makes one think that if there were a spirit-person/devil who was
personally inimical and somehow jealously had it out for André, such might have indirectly brought about
the withdrawal of the Vulture to pass (say, by alerting the Americans.) Someone might object, even
granting your assumption, why would a supposed “devil” do that rather than assist Arnold and Clinton? To
which I would respond -- perhaps, it was seen at the last that that bringing about the scheme successfully
was too fraught with complications and risky ramifications. At the same time, doing-in a handsome and
dashing figure like André would or might be viewed as a great feather in a devil’s cap. Also, if we look for
who was most to blame for André’s ignoble capture, was it not after all Arnold for instructing him to act as
his prisoner? Perhaps, as something we might consider, Arnold originally obtained the idea and suggestion
from someone else. The very difficulties Arnold is described as having found himself beset with were as
likely as not fiendishly fomented or orchestrated taunts designed to get him to react -- certain such would
be very in keeping with a literal devil’s manner and mode of doing things.

As to André’s sentence, I personally don’t believe great fault, if any, can be found in it on
technical or legal grounds such as Stedman or others argue; all the less so given the gravity of the danger

1
his actions posed the Americans.1 Respecting Arnold, Washington himself in later years thought it no small
proof of the former’s aggravated perfidy that the former had taken prisoner the poor, deceived boatmen
who were only obeying the orders given them by an (one-time) American general.2 And yet, in fairness,
was Arnold’s villainy wholly of his own prompting and doing?

~~~***~~~

[Stedman] Whilst general Washington was absent from his army upon this service, a deep-laid
scheme was formed by one of his own officers, one of general for delivering up to sir Henry Clinton the
strong post of West Point, in the high lands upon the North River, the possession of which would have
nearly cut off all communication between the northern important post into the and middle colonies. The
officer engaged in this design was the hands of the famous general Arnold, whose services in the cause of
America had been of the most meritorious kind, and whose brilliant actions in the field justly raised him to
superior notice and regard. After the evacuation of Philadelphia by the British troops in the year 1778, he
was appointed to command the American garrison that took possession of it; and while he acted in that
capacity had the misfortune to disgust many of the inhabitants, and even to fall under the displeasure of
congress. He lived expensively, and, as was supposed, considerably beyond his stated income; but he was
at the fame time concerned in trading speculations, and had shares in several privateers; and upon the
profits expected from those adventures, he probably relied, as a means of enabling him to keep up the state
and style of life he had assumed. He had also claims against the public to a considerable amount; and upon
the payment of them he depended as a fund to satisfy the immediate demands of his creditors, who were
beginning to become importunate. But the trading speculations in which he had engaged proved
unproductive; his privateers were unsuccessful; and a considerable portion of his demand against the public
was cut off, by the commissioners appointed to examine his accounts. From the decision of the
commissioners, general Arnold appealed to the congress, who appointed a committee of their own

1
In a footnote, vol. I, pp.208-209, to his Life and Correspondence of Nathanael of Greene (1822), Judge William Johnson relates the
following concerning André:
“The following facts may be relied upon. Let them weigh with the reader for what they are worth.
“It was an universal belief, as well in the British army as in the city of Charleston after its fall, that Andre had been in the city in the
character of a spy, during the siege. There is now living in the place a respectable citizen, who acted in the commissary department in
the British army, during and after the siege; and another of equal respectability, and whose means of information were much greater,
who was in Charleston during the siege, and remained in it until the evacuation, who will testify to the truth of this assertion. And this
opinion is corroborated by the following fact. There were two brothers of the name of S. S. and E. S. both well known as men of
property and respectable standing in society. The former was, to the last, faithfully devoted to the cause of the country, the other was
disaffected. During the siege, S. S. being taken sick, was permitted to go to his brother’s house to be better attended. There, he was
introduced to, and repeatedly saw a young man, in a homespun dress, who was introduced to him by his brother as a Virginian,
connected with the line of that state then in the city. After the fall of Charleston, S. S. was introduced to Major André, at his brother’s
house, and in him recognized the person of the Virginian whom he had seen during the siege. This he remarked to his brother, who
acknowledged that he was the same, asserting his own ignorance of it at the time. S. S. related these facts to many persons in his
lifetime, and his veracity was unquestionable. Another citizen, Mr. W. J., at the time of André’s capture, a prisoner at St. Augustine,
also saw the supposed Virginian at the house of E. S. while S. S. lay sick, and his recollection of the fact was revived by S. S. soon
after he had made the discovery of his real character. It is also known that the life of E. S. was afterwards assiduously sought after by
Marion’s men, on the charge of his treachery.”
2
As recorded at Mount Vernon by his secretary Tobias Lear, in Lear’s diary entry for 22 Oct. 1786: “...—I orderd Col. Hamilton to
mount his horse & proceed with the greatest dispatch to a post on the river about <illegible>, papers found upon him [André] were in
his possession. Colo. Jemmisson [John Jameson], when Andre was taken with these papers, could not beleive that Arnold was a traitor
but rather thought it was an imposition of the British in order to destroy our Confidence in Arnold. he, however, immediately upon
their being taken, dispatched an express after me, ordering him to ride night & day till he came up with me. the express went the lower
road [(]which was the road by which I had gone to Connecticut) expecting that I should return by the same rout & that he sho’d meet
me, but before he had proceeded far he was informed that I was returning by the upper road. he then cut across the Country &
followed in my tract till I arrived at W[es]t Point. he arrived about 2 hours after & brot the above <paqe mutilated Arnold gave orders
illegible> he ordered his men (who were very cleaver fellows & some of the better sort of soldiery) to proceed immediately on board
the Vulture Sloop of war (as a flag) which was lying down the river, saying that they must be very expeditious as he must return in a
short time to meet me, & promised them 2 Gallons of rum if they wou’d exert themselves. they did accordingly; but when they got on
board the ship, instead of their two Gals. of rum, he ordered the Cockswain to be called down into the Cabin & informed him that he
& the men must consider themselves as prisoners. the Cocksman was very much astonished, told him that they came on board under
sanction of a flag. he answd that was nothing to the purpose—they were prisoners; but the Captain had more generosity than this
mean, pittiful scoundrel & told the Cocksman that he would take his parole for him to go on shore & get cloaths, & whatever else was
wanted for him & his compannions. he accordingly came, got his cloths &c. & returned on board; when they got to New York,
General Clinton, ashamed of so low & mean an action, set them all at Liberty.” For further, see: William Moultrie to Washington, 30
July 1786. The Papers of George Washington Digital Edition, ed. Theodore J. Crackel. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press,
Rotunda, 2008; Confederation Series (1 January 1784–23 September 1788), Volume 4 (2 April 1786–31 January 1787.

2
members to revise the sentence: But the committee of congress were even less favourable to his views than
the commissioners, from whose decision he had appealed. They reported that the balance already allowed
by the commissioners was more than general Arnold was entitled to receive.

So many disappointments could not fail to ruffle a temper less irritable than general Arnold’s:
Recollecting his former services, he gave full scope to his resentment, and complained of ill-usage and
ingratitude in terms better calculated to provoke than to mollify, and such as were peculiarly offensive to
congress. His enemies availed themselves of his indiscretion to swell the tide of popular clamour which
already ran strongly against him. A court-martial was appointed to examine into his conduct during his
command in Philadelphia, and by the sentence of that board it was in general terms reprehended, and
himself subjected to the mortification of receiving a reprimand from general Washington.

From this moment it is supposed that Arnold formed the design of quitting the American service
and joining the British; and only delayed the execution of his purpose until an opportunity should offer of
performing some essential service to the power which he was about to join, that might render his accession
of more importance. A correspondence was opened with sir Henry Clinton: The a delivering up the post at
West Point, where Arnold, now commanded, was the service he proposed to perform; and the interval of
general Washington’s absence, when he went to confer with the French commanders, was the time
appointed for finishing the negotiation. To facilitate the means of carrying on the previous correspondence,
the Vulture sloop of war was stationed in the North River, at such a distance from West Point as to excite
no suspicion, but near enough to serve for the intended communication; and as general Arnold required a
confidential person to treat with, major André, aid-du-camp to sir Henry Clinton, and adjutant-general of
the British army, undertook to confer with him, and bring the British negotiation to a conclusion. For this
purpose he repaired on board the Vulture sloop. At night, in pursuance of a previous arrangement, a boat
from the shore carried him to the beach, where he met general Arnold; and day-light approaching before
the business on which they had met was finally adjusted, major André was told that he must be conducted
to a place of safety, and lie concealed until the following night, when he might return on board the Vulture
without the danger of being discovered. The beach where the first conference was held was without, but the
place of safety to which major André was conducted to lie concealed during the day, was within the
American out-posts, against his intention, and with out his knowledge. Here, however, he remained with
general Arnold during the day; and at night, the boatmen refusing to carry him on board the Vulture,
because she had shifted her position during the day, in consequence of a gun being brought to bear upon
her from the shore, he was reduced to the necessity of endeavouring to make his way to New York by land.
Laying aside his regimentals, which he had hitherto worn, he put on a plain suit of clothes; and receiving a
pass from general Arnold, under the assumed name of John Anderson, as if he had been sent down the
country on public business, he set out on his return to New York. His pas port secured him from
interruption at the American out-posts; and he had already passed them all, and thought himself out of
danger, when three American militia-men, who had been sent out to patrol near the road along which he
travelled, suddenly springing from the woods, seized the bridle of his horse and stopped him. The
suddenness of the surprise seems to have deprived major André of his wonted presence of mind; and,
although a man of the greatest address, he was entrapped by the rude simplicity of clowns. Having inquired
from whence they were, and being answered, ‘From below;’ ‘And so,’ said he, ‘am I.’ It was not long
before he discovered his mistake; but too late, it would appear, to remove the impression which his first
answer had made. The men who had made him prisoners searched him for papers, and having taken from
his boot a packet, in the hand-writing of general Arnold, determined to carry him without delay to their
commanding officer. It was in vain that he offered them a purse of gold and his watch, to suffer him to
pass: His promises of an ample provision, and getting them promotion, if they would accompany him to
New York, were equally unavailing. The unfortunate André, after these efforts to regain his liberty, seems
to have been regardless of what might be his own fate, and was only anxious to save general Arnold.
Before the commanding officer of the militia he continued to perforate the supposed John Anderson, and
requested that a messenger might be sent to general Arnold to acquaint him with his detention. A
messenger being accordingly dispatched, and sufficient time having elapsed for general Arnold to make his
escape, he no longer disguised his real name, and avowed himself to be major André, adjutant-general of
the British army: He also wrote a letter to general Washington, in his real name, acquainting him that he
was his prisoner, and accounting for the disguise which necessity had obliged him film to assume. The
message sent to general Arnold, announcing the detention of John Anderson, was sufficient notice to him to

3
provide for his own safety: He quitted West Point without delay, got on board the Vulture sloop, and in her
proceeded to New York.

In the mean time general Washington returned from his interview with the French commanders,
and being informed of what had patted during his absence, together with Arnold’s escape, he reinforced the
garrison of West Point with a strong detachment from his army, and appointed a board of general officers,
to inquire into and report upon the cafe of major André. The candid, open, manly, and ingenuous
explanation of his conduct, given by major André, before the board of officers, impressed with admiration
and esteem even his enemies who were about to shed his blood. Dismissing from his thoughts all personal
considerations of danger, he was only anxious that the transaction in which he had been engaged, shaded as
it was by the intervention of unfortunate circumstances, might be cleared from obscurity, and appear in its
genuine colours, at least with respect to his intention, which was incapable of swerving from the paths of
honour. But the board of officers fixing their attention upon the naked fact of his being in disguise within
their lines, without perhaps duly considering the unfortunate train of incidents which unexpectedly, and
almost unavoidably, led him into that situation, were of opinion that he came under the description, and
ought to suffer the punishment, of a spy.

The concern felt at New York, in consequence of the capture of major André, was in the mean
time inconceivably great: His gallantry as an officer, and amiable demeanour as a man, had gained him not
only the admiration, but the affection, of the whole army; and the uncertainty of his fate filled them with
the deepest anxiety. Sir Henry Clinton, whose esteem and regard he enjoyed in an eminent degree,
immediately opened a correspondence with general Washington, by means of a flag of truce, and urged
every motive which justice, policy, or humanity, could suggest, to induce a remission of the sentence.
Finding his letters ineffectual, he sent out general Robertson, with a flag, to confer upon the subject with
any officer that should be appointed by general Washington. An inter-view took place between general
Robertson and general Green[e], who had been president of the court-martial. But all efforts to save the
unfortunate André were unavailing: His doom was irrevocably fixed. The greatness of the danger which the
American army had escaped by the discovery of Arnold’s plot before it was ripe for execution, seems to
have extinguished in the breath of the inexorable Washington, every spark of humanity that remained.
Although entreated by a most pathetic letter from major André, written on the day previous to his
execution, to change the mode of his death from that of a common malefactor to one more correspondent to
the feelings of a soldier, he would not condescend to grant even this inconsiderable boon to the supplication
of his unfortunate prisoner: And on the second day of October this accomplished young officer met his fate,
in the manner prescribed by his sentence, with a composure serenity, and fortitude, which astonished the
beholders, and excited those emotions of sympathy that would have been more honourably and humanely
exercised in averting than lamenting his fate.

Thus fell the unfortunate André. If intention is necessary to constitute guilt; and if guilt alone
merits punishment, some doubt may be entertained with respect to the sentence of the board of officers.
Major André did not, at first, knowingly enter within the American lines: He was then also in his
regimentals: And when he actually found himself within those lines, contrarily to his intention, whatever he
afterwards did, in order to extricate himself, by assuming a disguise, and using a feigned passport, ought
rather to be ascribed to the imposed necessity of his situation than to choice. But, even if the sentence
pronounced against him should be found agreeable to the letter of the law of nations, so unsuitable is the
exercise of extreme justice to our imperfect state, that we turn with disgust from those transactions, in
which the finer feelings of humanity have been sacrificed to its rigour. Bright as the fame of Washington
shall shine in the annals of America, as one of the most illustrious supporters of her independence, the sons
of freedom will lament the cold insensibility, that did not suffer him to interpose, in order to rescue from
his fate so gallant an officer, and even could withhold from him the poor consolation of meeting death like
a soldier; whilst a glance of indignation shall dart from the eyes of her fair and compassionate daughters,
softened only by the tear of pity for the fate of the accomplished André.

~~~***~~~

Without question Aaron Burr stands as one of the most enigmatic and strangest characters in early
United States history, and it is somewhat of a marvel why he was both so lionized and vilified in his time,

4
and yet in retrospect did not accomplish anything as a public office holder that was especially noteworthy;
while, outside of hearsay, was actually found guilty of palpably little. True, we learn later that according to
the then British ambassador, Anthony Merry, he reportedly sought British aid in his scheme to betray the
United States3 -- but was this his real intention? And yet if betraying the United States was his goal, i.e., as
the result of founding a breakaway kingdom in the west, how could he have imagined the United States
would sit idly by and be so rudely used and insulted? Likewise (and based on what we read), Burr’s
incomprehensible foolishness revealed itself most glaringly in that his scheme relied so heavily on
Wilkinson as the commander of American forces at New Orleans, whether to assist him in attacking
Florida, Mexico, or else founding a new state. And yet Wilkinson, as it turned out, was in the secret pay of
the Spaniards. What then was it that made him think Wilkinson could be relied upon in so crucial a role?
To compound the distortion and nonsense, some have tried to come to Burr’s defense by defaming
Hamilton or Jefferson, but this seems a poor explanation of the former’s seemingly mad and mysterious
actions.

In perusing a diversity of materials on Burr, one is inclined to think he (and also the perhaps
overly condemned, or at least misunderstood, Wilkinson) was a target of spirit people hoodwinking and
using him as the object of what amounted to a grandiose practical joke. Respecting the famous Weehawken
duel, it seems not at all implausible that both Burr and Hamilton were in some ways victims of the same
shadowy personage. The trick pistol, for instance, Hamilton (is said to have) brought to the duel may have
been planted by someone else (whether before or after the event), and which seems more likely than to
assume Hamilton would be such roguish cheat. And not least fiedishly of all, not merely Hamilton but Burr
himself was done in by the duel.4

Burr’s hounded life, including the very cruel views others had of him, despite the subsequent
sympathy he received from such as John Adams and Washington Irving and the Irving brothers generally,
and the bizarre and almost occult-like disappearance and loss of Burr’s daughter, further possibly suggest
that he was in some manner persecuted by spirit people (and their henchmen.) This is by no means to say
that Burr was a complete innocent, but that a very little he was truly guilty of may have been extravagantly
spun out by someone else to trip him up to his ruin.5 Probably and more than anything else, it was his
womanizing that was his chief undoing; a weakness an envious devil predictably delights in tormenting,
exploiting, and charging for. In respect of his alleged conspiracy to seize power in the West, he seems more
to blame for being ridiculous than malevolent. Although there is much circumstantial evidence, there is
simply not enough conclusive proof as to his ultimate motives there.

That he was a grandson of Jonathan Edwards may also have been a contributing factor; insofar as
that well-meaning divine, some of whose views -- such as predestination;6 a favorite doctrine of devils;
insofar that by means of it they can plausibly argue they are divinely impelled to do wrong – perhaps
bordered, albeit unintentionally, on the diabolical, as a result drew mischievous spirit people to him, and
plausibly in turn to some of his family. Alternatively, we might also say some of his family was beset and
afflicted because Edwards himself was such a champion for good. Either way or both, I offer such
comments as mere speculation, not irrefragable fact, yet speculation not perhaps without its potential as,
ultimately, verifiable truth.7

3
See Henry Adams’ History of the United States during the Administration of Thomas Jefferson, pp. 571, 576.
4
We still don’t know with certainty what caused the Burr-Hamilton feud. However two facts which stand out in the controversy is that
1) Hamilton cost Burr the presidential election of 1800, and 2) the Federalists turned their back on Hamilton to support Burr in the
New York gubernatorial election, probably because Hamilton, although avowedly anti-democratic, was adamantly pro-Union in the
face of the then nascent New England secession movement, and Burr by contrast, and in his antipathy toward Jefferson and the
Virginia dynasty, was perhaps more malleable and open-minded towards the New England confederates.
5
During the Revolutionary War, Burr’s own men “thought him a kind of necromancer, or magician.” James Parton, The Life and
Times of Aaron Burr (1888), vol. 1, p. 100.
6
Edwards’ ideas on predestination were of a qualified sort; by which he said, in effect, that man has free will, but that God knows a
man’s choices in advance. Such an interpretation of the question is a more than reasonable compromise; so that if, as I hypothecated
when this was originally written by me, devils were encouraged by him due to his views on predestination, they were encouraged in
error.
7
In a letter to his son-in-law, Gov. Joseph Alston of South Carolina, written from New York on 20 Nov. 1815, Burr made these
illuminating, albeit not a little politically motivated, comments regarding James Monroe; which provide unusual insight into some
notable Revolutionary War figures (Burr himself included.)
“Independently of the manner of t