Officer, Poet, Spy: The Many Lives of John Andre

Authors

Brian Wages

Keywords

Switzerland, Swiss history, European history

Abstract

The story has characteristics worthy of a James Bond novel. It includes a spy discovered with secret military plans hidden in his boot. The incriminating documents , intended to guarantee safe passage, were complete with the traitor's signature. There is also a love triangle with r woman, her traitor husband, and the handsome spy. All of these events led up to the spy's capture, trial, and hanging. For students of the American Revolutionary War, these are the salient facts of the career of John Andre. However, there is a great deal more to this complex man than his ignominious demise.' In addition to being a highly respected military officer, he was a man of letters and refinement, of poetry and pencil sketching.

Recommended Citation

Wages, Brian (2013) "Officer, Poet, Spy: The Many Lives of John Andre," Swiss American Historical Society Review: Vol. 49: No. 2, Article 3.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/sahs_review/vol49/iss2/3