No consoling word, no pitying or respectful look, cheered the dark hour of his doom. He was met with insult at every turn. The sacred consolations of the minister of Cod were denied him; his Bible was taken from him; with an excess of barbarity hard to be paralleled in civilized war his dying letters of farewell to his mother and sister were destroyed in his presence; and, uncheered by sympathy, mocked by brutal power, and attended only by that sense of duty, incorruptible, un-

CAPTURE

ANDRE

defiled, which had ruled his life, finding its fit farewell in the serene and sublime regret that he " had but one life to lose for his country," he went forth to meet the great darkness of an ignominious death.

As the centenary of the capture of Andre approached a widespread interest was felt, and it was decided to hold a grand celebration at Tarrytown. With great propriety, the monument was first remodeled. The original base was retained, but a bas-relief, depicting the capture, was inserted in one of its sides. The gravest one-like shaft was removed and a bronze statue (the gift of Mr. John Anderson, of Tarrytown), resting upon a neat pedestal, was substituted. This statue represents Paulding. The ceremonies, held on the 23d of September, 1880, were presided over by the Hon. Samuel J. Tilden, of Yonkers, and the oration was by the Ron. Chauncey M. Depew. It was one of the most characteristic efforts of that distinguished son of our county. The crowd in attendance was estimated at seventy thousand. There was an imposing procession. General James W. Hasted, of Peekskill, acting as grand marshal. The inscriptions on the Tarrytown monument are as follows: [Inscription on the south side.~\ On this Spot, the 23d day of September, 1780, the Spy, Major John Andre, Adjutant General of the British Army, was captured by John Paulding, David Williams and Isaac Van Wart, all natives of this County.