THE LIFE OF JOHN ANDRE: The Redcoat Who Turned Benedict Arnold

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John Andre was head of the British Army's Secret Service in North America as the Revolutionary War entered its most bitter and, ultimately, decisive phase. In 1780, he masterminded the defection of a high-ranking American officer-General Benedict Arnold.

Arnold-his name for ever synonymous with treason in American folklore-had recently been appointed commander of West Point and agreed, through Andre, to turn over to the British this strategically vital fort on the upper reaches of the Hudson River. Control of the fort would interrupt lines of communication between New England and the southern colonies, seriously impeding military operations against the British. The plan was also to simultaneously kidnap General George Washington, Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army. By these two masterstrokes, the British believed they could end rebel resistance. Includes 15 black and white and 15 color illustrations.