#john andre turn

[thelovely723]

Turn Week 2025

Day Six: A Memorable Action

Ben & Andre shaking hands

Bonus:

A historical quote from Tallmadge recounting the event:

"I became so deeply attached to Major Andre, that I can remember no instance where my affections were so fully absorbed in any man."

[majorandmarquis]

“He was perhaps the most accomplished officer of his age,he met his fate in a manner which did honour to the character of a soldier” Col. Alexander Scammell.

At noon on the 2nd October, 1780 Major André met his end at the hangman’s noose. Suited in his dress uniform, André was escorted and followed, its claimed, by a mass crowd up to what is now known as André’s Hill. Showing all manner of gentlemanly attitude, it’s said that André only faltered and blanched upon seeing the gallows. His final letter to Washington had been a request that he be shot as an officer. He had been unaware that his request had been refused until that moment. He paused, collected himself and was heard to say, “it will be but a momentary pang”.

Climbing up onto the back of the cart, he produced his own handkerchiefs that were fastened around his wrists and over his eyes. Refusing the executioners aid, he placed the noose around his own neck and tightened it behind his right ear. The presiding officer asked if André had any last requests. This is where the infamous phrase associated with André comes from. It’s said that he lifted the handkerchief covering his eyes, looked out at the crowd, and requested of them, “I pray you bear witness, I meet my fate like a brave man”

After that the cart was dragged back and André was left to hang for half an hour. His body was cut down and his face was reported by some as being blackened from the tightness of the rope. André was placed in a shallow grave on top of the hill where he was executed. Tragically, two days later Clinton responded to negotiations, unaware that André had been dead for two days. His remains would be brought back to his final resting place at Westminster Abbey in 1820.

[thelovely723]

My Favorite Letters from Founding Figures Pt 2.

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“In the course of the many long conversations I had with Mr Adams, he displayed, in general, kind feelings to Mr Jefferson, and an exalted admiration of his character, and appreciation of his services to his Country, as well during the Revolution as subsequently; frequently making complimentary allusions to them, and displaying friendly feelings for him, in such expressions as, I always loved Jefferson & still love him.” 

— Edward Coles to Henry S. Randall, 1857 

“Can you employ the succeeding summer better than by coming here? Suppose Congress rises in time for you to sail by the first of April, you may pass May, June, July, August, and September here, and still be at the meeting of the ensuing Congress. You shall find with me a room, bed, and plate, with a hearty welcome: and I do not think the other expences of your passage coming and going, out-fit of clothes, attending the theatres and other public places, will exceed 200 guineas. I have recommended the same measure to Mr. Madison. Perhaps you can make the voiage together.” 

 — Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 1784 

“Upon being told the final moment was at hand, and asked if he had any thing to say, he answered: “nothing, but to request you will witness to the world, that I die like a brave man.” Among the extra ordinary circumstances that attended him, in the midst of his enemies, he died universally esteemed and universally regretted.” 

— Alexander Hamilton to John Laurens (about Major John Andre), 1780 

“I intend to visit 727 [New York] before long and think by the assistance of 355 [a lady] of my acquaintance, shall be able to outwit them all.” 

— Abraham Woodhull to Benjamin Tallmadge, 1779 

“You ask if I would agree to live my 70 or rather 73 years over again? To which I say Yea. I think with you that it is a good world on the whole, that it has been framed on a principle of benevolence, and more pleasure than pain dealt out to us. There are indeed (who might say Nay) gloomy & hypocondriac minds, inhabitants of diseased bodies, disgusted with the present, & despairing of the future; always counting that the worst will happen, because it may happen. To these I say How much pain have cost us the evils which have never happened! My temperament is sanguine. I steer my bark with Hope in the head, leaving Fear astern.” 

— Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 1816 

“Was I in your condition … I think the more extensive Service would be my choice. Our holy Religion, the honour of our God, a glorious country, & a happy constitution is what we have to defend.” 

— Benjamin Tallmadge to Nathan Hale, 1775 

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[majorandmarquis]

On this day, 1780 at the age of 30, Major John André was hanged as a spy at Tappan, NY. Many reports state that his death effected people on both sides of the war, with notable individuals such as Alexander Hamilton and the Marquis de Lafayette, with the former writing to his wife to be Eliza, and detailing how he wished he could be more accomplished like André and wished there was some way to save him.

It’s reported that André was calm as he climbed up and onto the platform, placing the noose round his own neck and providing his own handkerchiefs to place round his eyes and wrists. His last words have become infamous, though not confirmed:

“I pray you bear me witness that I met my fate like a brave man”

Many have compared André’s hanging to that of another unfortunate soul, Nathan Hale whose close friend Benjamin Tallmadge would speak no more of him or André after the hanging. Tallmadge would later write in his journals how deeply attached he had grown to André in the short time he had spent with him during his capture and when asked about either Hale or André in later life, would begin to cry.

Despite this being a highlighted event in the Revolutionary War, little is known of André outside of the war. Some speculation surrounds what happened to his letters, writings and correspondence with suggestions made they were burnt after his death.

His remains, firstly buried at the site of his hanging, were exhumed and now reside in Westminster Abbey. He was consider as one of the first gentleman spies who charmed all that he met in his short life time.

The portrayal in TURN: Washington’s Spies by JJ Feild is so well done, heartbreaking and sincere and demsontrating the effect the war had on officers, but the everyday people as well. I recommend it, perhaps even for that scene alone.

[majorandmarquis]

I got to visit the resting place of the real André. Such a pleasing thing to know that he’s resting in a place where kings, queens and infamous poets and writers, people who have shaped a land are also resting.

[majorandmarquis]

Welcome, welcome

Welcome to Major André’s personal quarters, nothing is off limits. Whether it be intelligence in the form of written word or displayed in a diagram form, any and all creative discussion and submissions are welcome. Some may say, the more informative; the better.

[majorandmarquis]

In the End - Prelude

Known only as Pitch, one woman's journey begins the night an English Major enters the playhouse and inquires of her services. Falling deeper than she ever expected, Pitch will come face to face with more danger than she has ever known and find herself conflicted over a Major and Marquis

Warnings: mentions of death, injury etc

The truth was never a simple fate.

In a web of lies and deception, the truth often became lost or confused. Forgotten, as it became weaved with falsehoods and reality became distorted.

Truth was danger.

Truth was the man hanging before you, the biting cold wind a burn against your paled skin, watching as his lifeless form continued to hang limply before the crowd and be pushed by the same breeze, his body swinging in its bitterness. Truth was seeing the woman draped in her finery holding the severed braid of his hair within her hand, eyes filled sorrow and longing for the man that had been a lover to you both. Truth was this; John Andre was dead.

Andre was dead and yet you felt the eyes of another watching you, watching your reaction with intimacy that caused your breath to catch suddenly as you turned your eyes away and through the crowd to where they stood. Lined with the General of the continental army himself, his eyes finding you among the spectators and waiting for you to acknowledge him. It was only a simple glance, a shared moment before you turned away once more and pulled the hood round your face and hid away. You would not let others see, you would not turn away as she had and cry your sorrow for the world. He deserved more than that.

Now you would watch as the spectators would form an orderly line, remove their tricorns and bow their heads in an act of respect as if they had known the man personally. A social expectation and sign of civility after so brutal a moment as hearing the snap of a neck. Yet one by one, orderly and under the eye of a guard they marched past the still hanging body. Watching from the side, having not moved from your spot you saw the Dragoon, Tallmadge you were sure his name was, approach her, the one that had owned the majority if not all of your Major’s heart. No doubt he was sharing a warning with her, a fleeting moment before the normalities of war resumed and sides were drawn once again. Yet which side were you now left? The side of the deceased or the side of the living and danger once more a looming threat? Your employment was surely as dead as the man before you, your life was to simply return as it had been those years ago? Yet as your feet stilled, bringing you to stand before the corpse all thought ceased. Your eyes met the stillness of the twirling Major, so elegant even in death that it seemed his body was dancing as it had once done long ago in the ballrooms. Yet there was no music, no dancing or laughter, simply the cold and silence as you lifted your eyes to the hidden face behind the handkerchief, the fluttering ends lifting and beneath lay his handsome face. Horror pierced your heart as you saw the bruising already rising from his broken neck, darkening his skin and the bloodshot eyes of a man whose life was choked from his lungs. Still the handkerchief lifted and you were aware of the shouts from beside you, a plea to quickly lower the guard once more so that no one else saw the horror that lay beneath. But it was too late, you had seen it, you had looked into his empty eyes and seen what had been done and felt the heaviness descend upon you. Those same dead eyes watched you as your own body fell to the cold ground, sending your head falling back as the heaviness fought to overwhelm you. This was your warning, the eyes of your employer and lover gazing lifeless at your rapidly cooling skin as darkness pricked at your eyes and you felt the thud of your heart matched by the running boots of the soldiers around you. There was no escape for you, this was your life and he was the one who had made it so.

[majorandmarquis]

Hangin' in the Wind (TURN Ep. 310 "Trial and Execution")

"Hangin' in the Wind" - Featured song in TURN Season 3 Episode 10 This is not the studio version of the song, which has not been released. The audio was take...