Major John Andre

“You are a man who makes his own fate and I wish to be a part of it.”

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1) I, mod, am in my mid-twenties, but I see no reason to restrict interaction to a certain age range!

2) NSFW content is allowed (and considering the character, encouraged) but both mod and muse MUST be 18+ to participate in NSFW RP, no exceptions.

3) One-off asks, anon or not, are welcome and encouraged! I love receiving little comments or questions, and they help me develop the character voice even more as well.

4) I am a history nerd, and so appreciate historical accuracy. I'm not gonna be a huge stickler, but things like historically accurate clothing and jobs are appreciated. I'm not opposed to AUs, but my default and the place I'm most comfortable will be canon era.

5) I am open to shipping, however it cannot be forced. I'm all about letting the characters go and see what happens, and if something develops naturally, then I'm absolutely on board.

6) If you have any ideas or specific plans for things you'd like to RP, please feel free to message me so we can chat about it! I won't be following any explicitly planned storylines, as I want the freedom to RP how I like, but I'm always down to discuss a starter or intended outcome!

7) No godmodding. I control my character, you control yours. As above, if you have any specific ideas, please feel free to reach out in DMs.

8) While it shouldn't need to be said, this is a character I am playing, and therefore views may differ from my own. Mod and character are different people, and I don't necessarily condone the actions of the character!

9) I will get to responses when I get to them! I'll do my best to be punctual and not keep you waiting too long, but I like to take my time with my RP and give you the best writing I can.

Blythe Baird, from If My Body Could Speak; “Concerns from a hot-boxed jeep”

And so it had come to this.

How could Washington even be considering a firing squad? How could he be so blind as to the ways of warfare? Although Benjamin believed in gentlemanly conduct as much as the next soldier, the bloody redcoats had certainly not considered this while tending to Hale. His friend had died like a dog. Lost.

Alone.

Limbs quivering, Benjamin spun about for the umpteenth time, then drew a breath through his nose, recomposing himself. Andre was being held there in headquarters, where most of their meetings were conducted. He'd been granted permission to interview his infamous counterpart, but he was no longer rife with eagerness. He couldn't help it. Nothing but bitter resentment burned from within, explosive as a powder keg, and fueled by the unfairness and cruelty of the other side towards those he loved.

It would all end now. He'd be certain of that.

--

Tucking a leather-bound notebook underneath his arm, Benjamin slowly entered the room Andre occupied, his steps measured and his gaze calculating as he assessed the other major. Despite his fate, Andre carried himself as a brave man -- collected -- even while staring death in the face. Benjamin wondered if this was how he, himself, looked out on the battlefield, screaming war cries not only for the sake of morale, but for all the times he'd just yearned to shout and cry himself hoarse for all he'd lost -- for all he continued to lose.

"Major Andre." Benjamin offered him a clipped bow, his expression stiff and unsmiling. "I presume I don't need an introduction? We already met when you were Mr. Anderson, after all."

Closing the door behind him with a loud and final click, Benjamin crossed the room and claimed the seat across from Andre's, the scrape of chair legs rather stark and grating there within the quiet room. After setting his notebook onto the table, he leaned forward and folded his hands.

"Where should we begin?" he asked. "Contacts? Plans? Anything you wish to get off your chest, perhaps?" Benjamin's chin remained stiff and tense. "You are a smart man, Major. Regardless of your pending trial, I think you know full well what's coming. Your side failed to spare Nathan Hale of the noose -- they failed to give him compassion -- so you, at the very least, will die with a shred of dignity."

To expect Major Tallmadge's presence had been announced to him not even half an hour before, and thus far he had proved himself rather prompt. Andre watched him cross the room, limbs stiff and a roughness to his gait; embers smoldering in his eyes, yet gaze clearly taking in every piece of information he could unearth from Andre's person and demeanor. What was going through his mind, he wondered. A mind likely as sharp as his own, at that, hidden behind icy eyes that currently boiled.

Bitterness should not have been particularly surprising, yet somehow needles still rippled along his skin. Methods did not make the man; if they had, vitriol for this man should be seeping from Andre's every pore. Passionate for his cause, perhaps to a fault.

And every man had his failings.

He blinked at Major Tallmadge, watching him cross the room and settle in his place across from him. Where to begin? Well.

Andre refrained from the urge to relax and lean back in his chair, instead choosing to lean slightly forward.

Major John Andre and Abigail

to literally no one’s surprise, yall know who i had to go with. making this was fun as hell and im happy i finally got to use this song w my two favs 💕

the journal dates from 1777-1778, while andre was charles grey’s aide-de-camp. the front cover is barely a few inches wide, and clearly saw a fair amount of wear and tear during its use.

the inside cover design is pretty cool, but it isn’t an original part of the book. w.k. bixby (you can see his name near the bottom of the illustration) was the former owner of andre’s journal. it was in his possession during the nineteenth and early 20th centuries. 

inside, the most immediately eye-catching thing are the maps, and there are a lot of them! andre clearly took the time to make them neat, detailed and correctly scaled. on some, he even uses watercolors to create the illusion of mountains.

wartime accounts make up the largest portion of the journal. andre witnessed a few major conflicts during the time he was writing in it, including monmouth and brandywine, so his accounts are actually really important to understanding how the battles went down. most of it’s pretty technical, explaining exactly how the army moved and in which locations they encountered the enemy. he does complain a few times about the hessians constantly “employing the use of strong liquor,” though, which is pretty funny lmao. 

sections of the journal are taken up by catalogues and organization, which andre evidently used to keep track of british numbers and supplies.

andre even stuck a printed declaration into the journal! you can see that it’s dated august 27th, 1777, approved by general howe, and deals with the safety and protection of loyalist civilians living in pennsylvania, maryland, delaware and the chesapeake bay. it also offers to pardon any former patriots willing to admit that their participation in the rebellion was wrong and join the king’s cause instead. 

and finally, one of the parts i found most interesting… a list of british ships, including their names! hannah, brilliant, aurora, nancy, clementina, archer, and stag are some of my favorites. 

(under the cut is just a citation and more resources, in case you’re interested! :3)