XII.

1780.

General Ar

nold com

mands at

West Point.

At this time General Arnold held the command at West CHAPTER Point and other fortified posts in the Highlands. No officer in the American army had acquired higher renown for military talents, activity, and courage. He had signalized himself at the taking of Ticonderoga, by his expedition through the wilderness to Quebec, in a naval engagement on Lake Champlain, in a rencontre with the enemy at Danbury, and above all in the decisive action at Saratoga. When the British evacuated Philadelphia, he was appointed to the command in that city, being disabled by his wounds for immediate active service. Arrogant, fond of display, and extravagant in his style of living, he was soon involved in difficulties, which led to his ruin. His debts accumulated, and, to relieve himself from embarrassment and indulge his passion for parade, he resorted to practices discreditable to him as an officer and a man. Heavy charges were exhibited against him by the President and Council of Pennsylvania, which were referred to a court-martial. After a thorough investigation, the court sentenced him to receive a public reprimand from the Commander-in-chief. He had previously presented to Congress large claims against the United States on account of money, which he said he had expended for the public service in Canada. These claims were examined, and in part disallowed. In the opinion of many, they were such as to authorize a suspicion of his integrity, if not to afford evidence of deliberate fraud.

Arnold.

These censures, added to the desperate state of his Treason of private affairs, were more than the pride of Arnold could bear. At once to take revenge, and to retrieve his fortunes, he resolved to become a traitor to his country, and seek employment in the ranks of the enemy. This purpose was so far fixed in his mind fifteen months before its consummation, that he then began, and continued afterwards, a secret correspondence with Major André, adjutant-general of the British army. The more easily to effect his designs, he sought and obtained the command at West Point, where he arrived the first week in

CHAPTER August. From that time it was his aim, by a plan concerted with the British general, to deliver West Point and the other posts of the Highlands into the hands of the enemy.

XII.

1780.

Meeting be

tween Arnold and André.

Sept. 21.

Capture of Major André.

Sept. 23.

The absence of Washington from the army, on his visit to Hartford, was thought to afford a fit occasion for bringing the affair to a crisis. The Vulture sloop of war ascended the Hudson, and anchored in Haverstraw Bay, six or seven miles below King's Ferry. It was contrived that a meeting should take place between Arnold and André, for the purpose of making arrangements. André went ashore from the Vulture in the night on the west side of the river, where Arnold was waiting to receive him. They remained together in that place till the dawn of day, when, their business not being finished, Arnold persuaded him to go to the house of Joshua H. Smith, at some distance from the river, where he was concealed during the day. Arnold left him in the morning and went to West Point. It was André's expectation and wish to return to the Vulture; but, this not being practicable, he left Smith's house in the dusk of the evening on horseback, and crossed the river at King's Ferry with a written pass signed by Arnold, in which the bearer was called John Anderson. Before leaving Smith's house he exchanged his regimentals for a citizen's dress, over which he wore a dark, loose great-coat.

The next day while riding alone towards New York, he was suddenly stopped in the road by three armed militia-men, Paulding, Williams, and Van Wart, about half a mile north of Tarrytown. They searched him, and found papers secreted in his boots. From this discovery they inferred that he was a spy; and, taking him back to the nearest American outpost at North Castle, they delivered him over to Lieutenant-Colonel Jameson, who was stationed there with a party of dragoons. Jameson examined the papers, and knew them to be in the handwriting of Arnold. They were of a very extraordinary character, containing an exact account of the state of

XII.

1780.

things at West Point, and of the strength of the garrison, CHAPTER with remarks on the different works, and a report of a council of war recently held at the head-quarters of the army. Jameson was amazed and bewildered. He sent a messenger to Arnold with a letter, stating that a prisoner, who called himself John Anderson, had been brought to him and was then in custody, and that papers had been found upon his person, which seemed to him of a dangerous tendency. At the same time he despatched an express to General Washington, then supposed to be on the road returning from Hartford. This express was the bearer of the papers, which had been taken from André's boots.

writes to

Washington.

Sept. 24.

The next morning André was sent, under the charge André of Major Tallmadge, to Colonel. Sheldon's quarters at New General Salem for greater security. Being now convinced that there was no hope of escape, he wrote a letter to General Washington revealing his name and true character. this time no one about him knew who he was, or that he held a military rank. He submitted the letter to Major Tallmadge and other officers, who read it with astonishment.

Till

capes to the

Sept. 25.

Having finished his interview with the French com- Arnold esmanders, Washington returned from Hartford by the up- enemy. per route through Fishkill. Consequently the express, who was sent with the papers, and who took the lower route, by which Washington had gone to Hartford, did not meet him, but came back to North Castle. In the mean time Washington pursued his journey by the way of Fishkill to West Point. Two or three hours before he reached Arnold's house, which was on the side of the river opposite to West Point and at a considerable distance below, the messenger arrived there with the letter from Jameson, by which Arnold was informed of the capture of André. He read it with some degree of agitation, and, pretending that he was suddenly called to West Point, mounted a horse standing at the door, rode to the river, entered his barge, and ordered the men to row down

CHAPTER the stream.

XII. 1780.

André con

demned as

& spy by a

board of officers.

Sept. 29.

André exe

cuted.

October 2.

British gen

eral endeavors to procure André's

When the barge approached King's Ferry, he held up a white handkerchief, and the officer who commanded at Verplanck's Point, supposing it to be a flagboat, allowed it to pass without inspection. Arnold proceeded directly to the Vulture, which was still at anchor in the river near the place where André had left it.

Washington arrived at Arnold's house, and went over to West Point, without hearing any thing of Arnold. On his return, however, in the afternoon he received the abovementioned letter from André, and the papers found in his boots, which had been forwarded from North Castle. The plot was now unravelled. The first thing to be done was to secure the posts. Orders were immediately despatched to all the principal officers, and every precaution was taken.

André was first removed to West Point, and thence to the head-quarters of the army at Tappan. A board of officers was summoned, and directed to inquire into the case of Major André, report the facts, and give their opinion, both in regard to the nature of his offence, and to the punishment that ought to be awarded. Various papers were laid before the board, and André himself was questioned, and desired to make such statements and explanations as he chose. After a full investigation the board reported, that the prisoner came on shore in the night, to hold a private and secret interview with General Arnold; that he changed his dress within the American lines, and passed the guards in a disguised habit and under a feigned name; that he was taken in the same disguised habit, having in his possession several papers, which contained intelligence for the enemy; and that he ought to be considered as a spy, and, according to the law and usage of nations, to suffer death. General Washington approved this decision; and Major André was executed at Tappan on the 2d of October.

While André's case was pending, Sir Henry Clinton used every effort in his power to rescue him from his He wrote to General Washington, and endeavored

release. fate.

Connected

XII.

1780.

to show, that he could not be regarded as a spy, inasmuch CHAPTER as he came on shore at the request of an American general, and afterwards acted by his direction. with all the circumstances, this argument could have no weight. That he was drawn into a snare by a traitor did not make him the less a spy. As the guilt of Arnold was the cause of all the evils that followed, an exchange of him for André would have been accepted; but no such proposal was intimated by the British general; and perhaps it could not be done consistently with honor and the course already pursued. From the moment of his capture till that of his execution, the conduct of André was marked with a candor, self-possession, and dignity, which betokened a brave and noble spirit. There was no stronger trait in the character of Washington than humanity; the misfortunes and sufferings of others touched him keenly; and his feelings were deeply moved at the part he was compelled to act in consenting to the death of André; yet justice to the office he held, and to the cause for which his countrymen were shedding their blood, left him no alternative. *

A full and detailed account of the particulars relating to this subject is contained in SPARKS's Life and Treason of Arnold, being the third volume of the Library of American Biography.

Immediately after the capture of André, rumors went abroad, that other officers of high rank in the American army were implicated with Arnold. It was proved afterwards, that these rumors were set afloat by the enemy, for the purpose of exciting distrust and discord in the American camp. Till this fact was established, however, General Washington felt extreme anxiety, and omitted no effort to ascertain the truth. Secret agents were sent into New York to make inquiries and procure intelligence. The intercourse was managed chiefly by Major Henry Lee, who was stationed with his dragoons on the lines, and whose ability and address, as well as his energy and promptitude, peculiarly qualified him for such a service. A project was likewise set on foot for seizing the person of Arnold. The romantic adventures of Sergeant Champe, while engaged in this enterprise, as related in Lee's Memoirs, are well known. There is an error of some importance, however, in that narrative. Its chief interest arises from the supposed circumstance, that Champe was employed to bring away Arnold for the