▁general , ▁but ▁decl ined ▁it , ▁and ▁then ▁res igned ▁from ▁the ▁army ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 8 6 2 . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁war , ▁he ▁became ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁propriet ors ▁and ▁editor - in - ch ief ▁of ▁the ▁Philadelphia ▁Age , ▁and ▁retained ▁that ▁position ▁for ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁his ▁life . ▁His ▁literary ▁work ▁was ▁conf ined ▁mainly ▁to ▁editor ial ▁contributions ▁to ▁the ▁columns ▁of ▁this ▁journal . ▁His ▁only ▁separate ▁publication ▁was ▁The ▁Case ▁of ▁Major ▁André , ▁a ▁carefully ▁prepared ▁ess ay ▁read ▁before ▁the ▁Historical ▁Society ▁of ▁Pennsylvania , ▁which ▁v ind ic ated ▁the ▁action ▁of ▁George ▁Washington . ▁The ▁immediate ▁occasion ▁was ▁a ▁passage ▁in ▁Lord ▁Mah on ' s ▁History ▁of ▁England ▁that ▁den ounced ▁the ▁execution ▁of ▁André ▁as ▁the ▁greatest ▁bl ot ▁upon ▁Washington ' s ▁record . ▁By ▁an ▁authority ▁so ▁high ▁as ▁the ▁London ▁Crit ic , ▁this ▁ess ay ▁was ▁subsequently ▁pron ounced ▁a ▁fair ▁ref ut ation ▁of ▁Lord ▁Mah on ' s ▁charge . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁ ▁Notes ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁– ▁section ▁at ▁the ▁bottom ▁of ▁his ▁father ' s ▁bi ography ▁ ▁Further ▁reading ▁ ▁The ▁Political ▁Gra vey ard ▁ ▁Category : 1 8 1 9 ▁birth s ▁Category : 1 8 7 3 ▁death s ▁Category : Pr inc eton ▁University ▁al umn i ▁Charles ▁John ▁Category : American ▁military ▁personnel ▁of ▁the ▁Mexican – American ▁War ▁Category : M embers ▁of ▁the ▁Az te c ▁Club ▁of