From the first tendency the men were not apt to refer to John Dean, a man who himself did not want to be associated with the capture of a spy, and from the second they were most apt to ignore the claims of the one who might, had he been so disposed, have given them in his report the credit that they wished. The fact seems to be that Dean had a golden opportunity of advancing himself, and knowingly rejected it, as he did his share of Andre's effects, which the others divided. As the ranking officer of the party, and the senior in years of most, if not all, of them, he might have forwarded his own interests to the degree perhaps of securing a captaincy, if he had been so disposed. He might, at least, have shown that from the time of the capture till the time the prisoner was safely delivered to Jameson, the responsibility had been his; that Andre was not retaken or had not secured his escape through bribery was due to his care as the commanding officer; that the great importance of the concealed papers was first really recognized by him at a time when Andre was pleading for his release and making promises which Dean, if not the others, had a very strong suspicion that the British officer both could and would fulfill. All this is leaving out of account the question as to whether the actual placing of the captors had been the work of Sergeant Dean. Dad he been disposed to press his claims he could certainly have brought forward a strong case, none the less so that he was a man of considerable education for his day and was supported by his excellent record as a subaltern. And there is no doubt that in this event he could have counted on the warm support, of his father, Thomas Dean, long time