"Whereas, Congress have received information that John Paulding, David Williams and Isaac van Wart, three young volunteer militia men of the State of New York, did, on the 23d day of September last, intercept Major John Andre, adjutant general of the British army, on his return from the American line in the character of a spy; and notwithstanding the large bribes offered them for bis release, nobly disdaining to sacrifice their country for the sake of gold, secured and conveyed him to the commanding officer of the district, whereby the dangerous and traitorous conspiracy of Benedict Arnold was brought to light, the insidious designs of the enemy baffled, and the United States rescued from impending danger :
Resolved, That Congress have a high sense of the virtuous and patriotic conduct of the said John Paulding, David Williams and Isaac van Wart. In testimony whereof, Ordered, that each of them receive anuually out of the public treasury two hundred dollars in specie, or an equivalent in current money of these States, during life, and that the board of war procure for each of them a
after they had left, one returned and said, ' Aunt Polly, can you keep a secret for an hour? ' She thought she could. He then replied, 'We have a spy ; but don't mention it to any one for an hour, and then we shall l>e sale away.' As soon asthey were gone, she felt an intense longing just to tell Sirs. Col. Hammond, living about a mile away. So she hurried about, caugnt the old horse, and gave him a feed of oats, to consume the time; and then thought that by the time she was dressed, the hour would would have expired. But long before it had, she was ready ; and, mounting on the old horse, with a large poke bonnet, went living to Col.