dre could not find a boatman to take him to the _Vulture_, and was
forced to set out for New York by land. He had a pass from Arnold made
out for John Anderson, he changed his uniform for a civilian dress, and
passed the American lines in safety. On the 23rd he fell into the hands
of some American cattle-stealers; Arnold's papers were found in his
boots, and his captors handed him over to a militia officer. Arnold
received tidings of his capture and made his escape on board the
_Vulture_.

Andre was tried by a court-martial consisting of fourteen general
officers, and was sentenced to death as a spy. Clinton made every effort
to obtain his pardon; Washington was inexorable, and would not even
grant Andre's request that he might die a soldier's death. He was hanged
on October 2, and met his fate with dignity and courage. Inexpressibly
sad as his end was, he was not treated unjustly; he entered the enemy's
lines while attempting to assist their commander to betray his post, he
was within their lines in disguise, and he was taken with papers upon
him arranging the details of the betrayal. Washington would have been
held to have acted with generosity if he had treated him as a prisoner
of war, or even if he had granted his pathetic request that he might be
spared the ignominy of the gallows. But an officer in command should not
allow any consideration to hinder him from doing what he believes to be
best for his army, provided it is not contrary to the usages of
civilised warfare. That Washington was guided by this principle in
sending Andre to the gallows may fairly be inferred from all we know of
his character, and of the condition of the American army at the time.
His conduct needs no other defence.[150] The traitor Arnold received
L6,300 from the British government, and, it is painful to remember, a
commission in the army, which he entered with a brevet of
brigadier-general.

[Sidenote: _RODNEY AT ST. EUSTATIUS._]

As soon as war was declared with the Dutch, orders were sent to Rodney,
who returned from America to the Antilles at the end of 1780, to capture
St. Eustatius. From a mass of barren rock this Dutch island had suddenly
become a place of first-rate commercial importance. In order to supply
our West India planters with food for their slaves, parliament allowed
trade to be carried on there with the Americans. In St. Eustatius the
goods of all nations were bought and sold; and British and French
planters, Americ