The Execution of Major Andre

This book achieved a very important objective of nonfiction writing which is that it caused me to reexamine my understanding of Andre's character and his role in the events leading up to and after the discovery of Benedict Arnold's attempt to turn over West Point to the British. In other words, it made me think pretty seriously about what I believe about Andre.There are many conclusions and arguments in this book that I disagree with. I don't agree that Andre was so selfserving and so manipulative that everything he did was for effect. Evangelist did not make a persuasive case for me. I was not pursuaded to conclude that it was solely due to Andre's manipulation that his three captors are routinely disparaged by historical writers. I still don't know what to think about the captors.I don't think the author made his case that Washington's views did not affect the outcome of the trial.Subsequent actions of Washington lead me to believe that he had lost his usual clear thinking when it came to Benedict Arnold's treason.However, the author made me seriously think about all of these issues, and more. This is not the best revolutionary war history of the year and it is unlikely to win any awards. I recommend it because it raises questions and provokes serious thinking. At least it did so for me.

An intene look at the capture, trial and execution of Major John Andre, Benedict Arnold's British contact. This story will have you contemplating Washington's action and the outcome of the American Revolution. Specifically, one will be surprised how three young militia men may have saved the whole Contenental Army from certain defeat. John Walsh does a great job of keeping this story alive and keeping the question of Andre's sentence at the forefront of debates. A must for revolutionary war readers.