History of the Loyalists: the Dutch Become Enemies of Great Britain

Année
1893
Mois
8
Jour
30
Titre de l'article
History of the Loyalists: the Dutch Become Enemies of Great Britain
Auteur
James Hannay
Page(s)
1
Type d'article
Langue
Contenu de l'article
HISTORY OF THE LOYALISTS THE DUTCH BECOME ENEMIES OF GREAT BRITAIN. Arnold's Treason—Capture of Andre by A Band of Skinners—Character of Andre's Captors—He is Executed as a Spy. BY JAMES HANNAY. CHAPTER XXXIII. From the summer of 1780 until the end of the war all the operations of any importance took place in the south. These operations however much they may have illustrated the courage of the combatants were in the main without result, because Great Britain’s opportunity of conquering the colonies had passed. Both France and Spain were now arrayed against her, and Holland although she had not then become an open enemy, was secretly favoring the rebels by loaning then money, and had joined Prussia, Denmark, Sweden and Russia, in what was termed the armed neutrality, a movement inaugurated by that imperial strumpet the Empress Catherine of Russia, for the purpose of crippling the maritime power of England. The doctrines of THE ARMED NEUTRALITY were published in a manifesto which she issued in February 1780, in which it was declared that neutral states have a right to carry on their commerce unmolested, and even to carry from one port to another of a belligerent power all goods whatsoever, except what could be deemed contraband in consequence of previous treaties. By this a new doctrine in maritime law was promulgated, and adhered to by the northern powers, for the express purpose of interfering with Great Britain's right to blockade the ports of the rebellious colonies. Thus all Europe was arrayed against England, either actively or passively. Great Britain preferring to deal with an open enemy rather than a treacherous friend, had declared war against Holland on discovering that that nation was negotiating a treaty with the United States. The British people ought always to remember that in the crisis of their fate when it looked as if the British nation must be destroyed, and her territories divided up among her enemies in Europe, Holland was arrayed against England, and endeavored to assure her downfall. This fact affords an excellent reason why no British money should ever be expended in the future TO ASSIST THE DUTCH either to maintain their independence or to preserve their dominions. Holland which started on even terms with England in the race for commercial supremacy, has always been consumed with miserable jealousy, because the British have surpassed the Dutch in commerce and shipping, leaving them so far in the rear as to make any comparison absurd. The British not long after the treacherous conduct of Holland towards them had an opportunity of avenging themselves in a very practical form, and during the Napoleonic wars deprived them of a considerable portion of their colonial empire, including their colonies at the Cape of Good Hope, the nucleus of a vast South African empire, which in the future may rival Canada and Australia in political importance. During the trouble with the Boers of the Transvaal, some years ago, the Dutch showed A DISPOSITION TO INTERFERE on behalf of their relatives in South Africa should such a contingency ever occur again, it is to be hoped that Great Britain will indemnify herself by taking possession of the Dutch colonies in the East Indies, the loss of which would ruin that miserable kingdom, and which are now governed in the usual despotic fashion, which has always characterized the colonial operations of the Dutch nation. The numerous enemies arrayed against England made the position in the mother country almost desperate, for the first time for a century she had lost command of the seas. The fleets of France and Spain rode masters of the channel, and threatened a descent on the English coast. Gibraltar was besieged, and invested so closely by the enemies, fleets and armies, that, for nearly two years it was impossible for England to send it either provisions or reinforcements. Anyone who wishes to understand fully the hopelessness of the contest in America at this time, and the despair which had fallen upon the loyalists in England who had expected a favorable issue to the struggle, will find in Curwen’s diary a full statement of the condition of affairs in the mother country. ARNOLD’S TREASON. Before proceeding to deal briefly with the campaigns in the south it is necessary to refer to the Arnold episode, which produced such commotion among the alleged patriots of America in the autumn of 1780. Benedict Arnold, who took a leading part in the war of the revolution, was a native of Norwich, Connecticut, and was bred to the business of an apothecary. In 1763 at the age of 23 he began the business of druggist and bookseller to New Haven. He lived in such extravagant style however, that he soon became bankrupt, and having married the daughter of the sheriff of New Haven, the latter employed him as supercargo to the West Indies, where he sold horses, hogs and cattle, and brought back sugar, molasses and rum. Part of his time was employed to peddling and purchasing horses in Canada. When the war broke out Arnold at once took part in it, and was noted for his activity and bravery. After the evacuation of Philadelphia in 1778, Arnold was appointed military governor of that city, and lived to a very extravagant style. While there he was accused of great abuses of power for the purpose of filling his own purse, his accusers being the president and councillors of Pennsylvania. He was tried on these charges before a military tribunal in January 1780, and instead of being triumphantly vindicated as he expected, HE WAS FOUND GUILTY on some of the charges and reprimanded. He had been severely wounded at the battle of Stillwater, and disabled from active service, but he solicited and obtained the command of West Point, which had a considerable garrison, and was looked upon as the key of the Hudson river. Arnold’s feelings had been so much aroused by the censure of the court martial, and he felt the need of more money so keenly, that he made up his mind to deliver up his post to the British for a consideration, and for that purpose commenced a correspondence with Sir Henry Clinton, and an agreement was soon arrived at. It was arranged that Clinton was to send a strong force up the Hudson and that Arnold was to surrender the fort on being summoned, on the ground that his garrison was too weak to resist. West Point derived additional importance from the fact that it contained a great quantity of artillery and stores. MAJOR ANDRE, the adjutant-general of the British army, became the medium of communication between Arnold and Clinton. The British sloop of war Vulture was stationed in the North river as near Arnold’s posts as possible without exciting suspicion. On the night of the 21st of September a boat was sent from the shore to fetch Major Andre, and Arnold met him at the beach outside the posts of both armies. The business not being finished until near morning Arnold objected to his returning until the following night, and undertook to conceal him within one of the American posts in the meantime. The Vulture, however, changed her position, so that the boatmen refuted to take him to her, and it became necessary for him to return to the British lines by land. While on his way to New York, he was intercepted by THREE CATTLE THIEVES, who expected to find money on his person, and on being disappointed in that expectation gave him up to the nearest American post, in the hope of obtaining a reward. The capture of Andre, who have passed into history as great patriots, simply belonged to those bands of marauders, which under the name of cowboys and Skinners infested the neutral ground between the lines of the two armies. The cowboys were mostly refugees, belonging to the British side, and engaged in plundering the people near the lines, of their cattle and driving them to New York. The skinners generally professed attachment to the American cause, and lived chiefly within the rebel lines, but they robbed both sides with great impartiality, and American writers say that they were really more detested by the Americans than their avowed enemies the cowboys. One American writer, Benson J. Lossing, SAYS OF THE SKINNERS, "They were treacherous, rapacious and often brutal. One day they would be engaged in broils and skirmishes with the cowboys; next day they would be in league with them in plundering their own friends as well at enemies. Oftentimes a sham skirmish would take place between them near the British lines. The skinners were always victorious, and then they would go boldly into the interior with their booty, pretending it had been captured from the enemy while attempting to smuggle it across the lines. The proceeds of sales were divided between the parties." It is easy to understand how the cowboys obtained their name, but how did it happen that Skinner became the title of a band of thieves? Arnold learned of the capture of Andre on the day following that occurance, and at once fled to the Vulture, sloop of war. The unfortunate Andre, although he had landed under the protection of the flag of truce, was treated as a spy and condemned to death. His execution took place on the 2nd of October. A great deal has been written pro and con, as to whether the execution of Andre was or was not contrary to the laws of war. The fact that Andre landed under a flag of truce proves conclusively that it was, but the treatment of Major Andre was quite in keeping with the character of Washington, whose nature was compounded ol’ fetchery and cruelty in equal proportions. It was quite fitting that a man who could sell his own offspring as slaves, should decree the death by hanging of a British officer who had fallen into his hands. (To be continued).