John Paulding

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John Paulding (October 16, 1758 – February 18, 1818) is famous for the capture of the British spy Major John André in 1780 during the American Revolution.

Paulding was born in Peekskill, New York in 1758. He served throughout the war of the Revolution and was three times taken prisoner by the British.

1 The Capture of André
2 Problems with the Official Version of Events
3 The Hanging of André and Aftermath
4 References

[edit] The Capture of André

According to one popular version of the events, André was on a mission carrying secret papers from Benedict Arnold when he was stopped by an armed patrol consisting of Paulding, David Williams, and Isaac Van Wart. Believing them to be Tories because one wore a Hessian coat, André told them he was a British officer who must not be detained, when, to his surprise, they said they were Americans, and that he was their prisoner. He then told them that he was an American officer, and showed them his passport. But the suspicions of his captors were now aroused, and they searched him and found Arnold's papers in his stocking. André offered them his horse, watch, and 100 guineas, if they would let him go, but they were not to be bribed.

General George Washington sought out the three men who, "leaning only on their virtue and an honest sense of their duty," could not be tempted by gold. On his recommendation the United States Congress gave Paulding and each of his compatriots a farm in West Chester County, valued at $2500, in addition to a pension of $200 a year and a silver medal, known as the Fidelity Medallion. Paulding was also honored in the name of Paulding County, Ohio, Paulding County, Georgia, Paulding, Michigan, Paulding, Mississippi, Paulding, Missouri, Paulding, New Jersey, Paulding, Ohio, and by an 1853 monument erected at the place of the capture (which is now called Tarrytown, NY). Across from his erected monument, an elementary school also bares his name. The neighborhood adjacent to Tappan, Sparkill, New York, named their fire department in Paulding's honor, also.

[edit] Problems with the Official Version of Events

That the three men captured Major André (at least in the official version) is in itself somewhat unbelievable. Paulding, Van Wert, and Williams were all Dutch, speaking English poorly, and with a heavy accent and would be unlikely sympathizers to the British crown. However, Paulding was wearing a Hessian coat that he had acquired during his second escape from British capture only days before. Despite this, André carried papers from General Arnold showing him to be a Continental officer named John Anderson, but he was wearing a round hat, blue surtout, crimson coat with pantaloons and vest of nanking. The three were supposedly on patrol, but Howe's Historical Collections of Ohio has the three playing cards in the bushes beside the road on September 23, 1780, when they heard the galloping of a horse. Andre claimed to be going down to Dobbs Ferry to get information. That two patrols on the same side were going in opposite directions may have provoked questioning. Though the three found the plans to West Point when they removed his boots, it is somewhat unclear what reason they had to remove his boots in the first place. André had been riding a large brown horse with USA branded on his shoulder. Would such a horse be useful as a bribe? You couldn't sell it and you couldn't use it without being branded as a horse thief. The standard version has Andre offering 100 crowns for his freedom, but Henry Howe has him upping the ante to 1000 crowns, and then to 10,000 crowns.

When the captors petitioned for an increase in their granted pensions, a battle over their story ensued in congress. Those that had lingering criticism of the handling of the war and the expenses that the young country had incurred called into question the character of the three captors. An article in the July 2, 1971 Paulding (Ohio) Observer reports a folk history which has young Paulding, Van Wert and Williams (Williams just having had his 23rd birthday, was the oldest of the three) being unhappy with their military life. They deserted, drank up their funds, and decided to waylay a traveler to replenish their assets - who just happened to be Major Andre. One of the three - presumably Paulding - decided to steal not just Andre's cash but his boots as well. (At his trial, Andre said they aimed to rob him.) Once the plans to West Point were discovered, the three decided that capturing a spy was not only more reputable than being drunken thieving deserters, but surely more profitable as well. The three delivered him to the nearest military station, Newcastle, twelve miles distant. Of the three, only Paulding could read, and even the officers to whom they presented Andre did not suspect Arnold, instead sending Arnold a letter informing him that they had captured someone with plans to the fort.

Scholars have suggested that, like many events of history, the facts of the true story are somewhere in between the extremes. The land between the two armies was routinely pillaged by rogue bands of men from both sides. There were two main groups called the "Cowboys" and the "Skinners". Each was sympathetic to one side of the fight, but operated mostly of their own accord raiding farms and businesses that they suspected to be affiliated with the opponent army. Congress, seeking to encourage citizens to help in their cause, had enacted new laws providing that if a citizen captured a bona fide enemy then that citizen might be entitled to keep the horse and bridle of that prisoner. This created a great allure to the loose militia groups operating in the territory between the armies. Paulding, Van Wert and Williams were part of a larger group of militia working that area. They split off to take the task of watching the road and the small bridge in Tarrytown while the rest of the squad stationed elsewhere. Hours passed without incident and the men sat near the road playing cards. When Andre was stopped, he was tired and surprised. His immediate response was confusing and most likely caused by Paulding's Hession coat. He inquired whether they were with the "upper or lower party". Paulding muttered a response which Andre took to mean the "lower party" which was a reference to the British that were encamped to the south in New York City. He began to identify himself as being on British business. Soon after hearing the captors further speak, he realized that they were indeed neither Hession nor allied with the British. At that point it was too late to change his story without suspiscion. The three militiamen were then faced with the allure of either accepting a bribe, taking a chance on being able to keep the horse as citizens that had taken an enemy, or to honor duty as military men. A search of Andre's person revealed that Andre's bribes were not really an option, since he did not have the claimed bribe with him. Once Paulding saw the plans and drawings of the West Point fortification, he realized that this was no ordinary situation and that the decision would need to be made by someone with more knowledge and standing than any of the three captors. Debate has continued as to whether the three men were motivated by honor, greed or unsure luck.

[edit] The Hanging of André and Aftermath

Williams, Paulding and Van Wert stood within the ring when Andre was hung. When an officer informed him that his time was nearly expired and inquired if he had anything to say, he answered, “Nothing for them but to witness to the world that he died like a brave man.” The hangman, who was painted black, offered to put on the noose. “Take off your black hands,” said Andre. Then, putting on the noose himself, took out his handkerchief, tied it on, drew it up, bowed with a smile to his acquaintances and died.

Paulding died in Staastburg, Dutchess County, New York in 1818. Paulding's son Hiram Paulding became a Rear Admiral in the United States Navy.