Who was the British officer executed for espionage in 1780?

The British officer executed for espionage in 1780 was John André. André served as a British Army officer and became a trusted aide to General Henry Clinton, the British commander-in-chief in North America. During the Revolutionary War, he was involved in secret communications with American general Benedict Arnold, who had secretly offered to help the British.

Arnold proposed surrendering the strategically important fort at West Point, New York. André met Arnold near the Hudson River in September 1780 and received documents describing the fort’s defenses. While returning to British lines in civilian clothes, André was captured by American militiamen near Tarrytown. The papers were discovered hidden in his boot.

A military board led by George Washington concluded that André had acted behind enemy lines in disguise and therefore qualified as a spy. André admitted his identity but argued that he had been acting under orders. Washington respected André’s conduct and considered exchanging him for Arnold, but the exchange failed because Arnold had already escaped to British lines. André was hanged on October 2, 1780, at Tappan, New York.