Captors' Monument - Tarrytown, NY - U.S. Revolutionary War Memorials on Waymarking.com

The Captors' Monument commemorates and important event of the Revolutionary War, the capture of British Major John André, the head of British secret intelligence, a spy in the service of the British forces, and an adjutant-general in the British Army. He was captured by three militiamen from Tarrytown: John Paulding, David Williams, and Isaac Van Wart. His capture, on September 23, 1780, helped thwart a plot to purchase the surrender of West Point from its commander, General Benedict Arnold. The surrender of West Point would have given the British control of the Hudson River Valley thus isolating New England from the colonies to the south.

A monument depicts one of the militiamen, John Pauling. A 6' by 3' by 3' bronze statue of John Pauling stands on a 12' by 6' by 8' marble base. John Pauling is shown wearing a vest, wide-lapel double breasted coat and a broad brimmed hat. He holding a musket rifle vertically by the barrel in his right hand. His left arm is down by his side and the fingers of his left hand a spread out. He stands on top of a tall marble base. The face of the base has a relief plaque illustrating the Major John André, by the three militiamen from Tarrytown, John Paulding, David Williams, and Isaac Van Wart.

The marble base was installed on October 7, 1853. The bronze sculpture was created 27 years later by William Rudolf O'Donovan and Theo Bauer. It was cast at the M. J. Power Bronze Foundry and dedicated on September 23, 1880.

Below the statue is the inscription:

THIS STATUE THE GIFT OF
JOHN ANDERSON
A CITIZEN OF TARRYTOWN
WAS PLACED HERE SEP. 23, 1880

The south face of the marble base is inscribed:

ON THIS SPOT
THE 23RD OF SEPTEMBER 1780
THE SPY
MAJOR JOHN ANDRE
ADJUTANT GENERAL OF THE BRITISH ARMY
WAS CAPTURED BY
JOHN PAUDING
DAVID WILLIAMS
AND ISAAC VAN WART.
ALL NATIVES OF THIS COUNTY
HISTORY HAS TOLD THE REST

THE PEOPLE OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY HAVE ERECTED
THIS MONUMENT AS WELL AS TO COMMEMORATE A
GREAT EVENT AS TO TESTIFY THEIR HIGH ESTIMATION
OF THAT INTEGRITY AND PATRIOTISM WHICH REJECT-
ING EVERY TEMPTATION RESCUED THE UNITED STATES
FROM MOST IMMINENT PERIL BY BAFFLING THE
ARTS OF A SPY AND THE PLOTS OF A TRAITOR.

DEDICATED OCT. 7, 1853

On the lower front of marble base, below the relief a plaque repeats the marble inscription:

ON THIS SPOT
THE 23RD OF SEPTEMBER 1780 THE SPY
MAJOR JOHN ANDRÉ
ADJUTANT GENERAL OF THE BRITISH ARMY
WAS CAPTURED BY
JOHN PAULDING DAVID WILLIAMS
AND ISAAC VAN WART
ALL NATIVES OF THIS COUNTY
HISTORY HAS TOLD THE REST

THE PEOPLE OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY HAVE ERECTED THIS MONUMENT AS WELL
AS TO COMMEMORATE A GREAT EVENT AS TO TESTIFY THEIR HIGH ESTIMATION
OF THAT INTEGRITY AND PATRIOTISM WHICH REJECTING EVERY TEMPTATION
RESCUED THE U.S. FROM MOST IMMINENT PERIL BY BAFFLING THE ARTS OF A
SPY AND THE PLOTS OF A TRAITOR.
DEDICATED OCT. 7, 1853

and adds the following explanatory inscription:

THIS PLAQUE WAS PLACED HERE UNDER THE ARTICLES OF THE
BICENTENIAL CELEBRATION COMMITTEE. TO PRESERVE FOR
POSTERITY THE TEXT OF THE ORIGINAL CARVED IN STONE.

UNVEILED SEPTEMBER 6, 1980

Type of Memorial: Statue

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