The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-05-16
mo. 81.
-

hey. intD this alley he intended ~ conway
his prisoner aidrd by his companion. ore
ut two assueiaies " ho had breli introduced
by the friend IT, nha,n Jhampe had bee
originally made kpown by letter froia
III, commander IN chef, aud with wbi4se
aid aud counsel he lad 40 far conducted
thu eniefprI2e. Ills olhtr assnciate WIS
with the boat prepared at one Of tie
whafyes on the Hudson river, to receifa
the party.
Champe and his friend intended To have
placed themselves each under ArnoIdi~
shoulder, aud 10 have thus borne him tbre'
the n,ost unIreqnenlcd alleys aud streets
To The boat, representing Arnold in case
Of being questioned as u drunken soldier,
whom they were conveying 10 The guard
hOnae.
When arrived at the boat, the difficulties
would be all snrmo,lntcd, there Being no
danger nor obstacle in passing 10 the JeI.
sey shore. These particulars, rs soon as
made known to Lee, were communicated
To the commander IN chief, who WIS high
| ~ gratfitd with the much desired intelli-
gence. lie desired Alaipr Lee 10 meet
ehampe,and to take care thai Arnold should
hot b, hurt.
The day arrived, and Lee, with purity
4 VI h'tbhfitN 7b=~bUt tUf Aff1nlu. Uf1B
for the sergeant, aud The third fot hrs Assoc /,
tiaie, who was to assist in securing Arnold.
lelt thecamp, never doubling the success
oi the enterprise, from the tenor of the
last received communication. The party
reached Ilobokcn about mplniglt, where
| they lay concealed in the adjoining wood
Lee With three Dragons siatiooing
| himself near the shore ef The river
Hour after hour passed but no boat up
preached.
| Al length the day broke, and the major
retired 10 his party, and with his led hof-
| SEES, retained 10 the ramp, where Ii. pre-
ceoded 10 head quarters to Inform the sen
efaI OF the mucl, l'inented disappointment,
rs mortiying nv inexpcable. Washing-&
ton having per,rcd Champe's plan aud
communication, had INDUCED the pre-
sumption, thu nj length The object OF MA
keen and constant pursuit was sure ofeA,-
eutOn, aud did not disWmble the Joy such
a eon, ieton produced. Iicwas chagrinci
ut the issue, aud appreIlended that hi4
faithful sergeant must have been detected
~ the last scene Of his tcdiDns aud dll.ult.
enterprise.
liza lew days, Lee received an anony-
nous letter from Gbampa's patron and
friend Informing linn, that on the day pre-.
ccdng The night fixed for the execution OF
The plot, Ainold had removed his quaiterss.
To another pnrt OF the town, 10 supcrintenH
the enbnrkation of troops preparing, ~
was rumored, for IN expedition 10 BE- di.
recied by himself; and that the American
legion, consisting chiefly OF American ,le-ss
scrtcrs, had BEEN transferred from their
barracks to one of the Transports, il b.ng
apprehended that II left ON shore, until the
expedition was ready, many Of them might
/ desert
Thus II happened that John Champe, in
stead Of crossing the Hudson that night,
was safely deposited on board one OF tile
lleet oil Transports from whence lr never
departed, until the troops under Arnold
landed in Virginia Nor was le able to es-
cape from The British army until after Tie
Junction OF CornwaIis II Pelersburgli
when he deserted aud proceeding hglfup
INTO Virginia, he passed into North Carr
lima, near the Saury towns, aud keeping
IN the friendly districts of chat state,
safely JOINED the army soon after IL had
passed the congaree, in pursuit Of Lord
Rawdcn. u,
His appearance excited extreme surprikn
among hts former comrades, which Was
not little increased when they saw The
cordial reception he met with from tho
late major, now lieutenant ,olonei Lee.
His whole story was soon known 10 the
corps, which reproduced the love aud re-s
spect OF both officer and sDdier, (her..
tpIore invariably entertained Tor the set.s
geant,) heightened by un,ersoI admiea~
lion OF his late daring and arduous al
tempt. stl -
Champe was introduced 10 G,oersd
Green, who VERY eleefi'ilIy complied with
the promise made by the comnafssEep 10
/, chief, so far as in his power and having
provided the sergeant with good horse
, and money for his Journey sestt him ~
Gen. Washington, who muDiicontly anti
cipated every desire Of the sergeant, and
presented him with 4 discharge frutn fspA
ther service, lest he might ~ the yitibsi-
tudes OF war falf into the hands of the enc
my, when II ecognized, he was sure 10 die.
on the gibbct.
We shall only add, respecting the afr,
>, life Of ihisinteresting advrnt,Irer thu who,
Gen. Washington was called b, Trcsidcni
, Adams, IN 1913, to the command OF m.
!. army prepared to defend the country AZ
. gainst French hostility, he sent. 10 ,,.ui
/ col. Lee, 10 inquire for Champs being
. determined 10 bring him into th,, 6,.la.at
me head OF y company of infantry. Leo
sent to Loudouq county, yispinii, where
: Champe settled after bis discharge nom
the army when he learnrd thai the gal
3 'ant soldier hod removed TO Kentucky,
' where he soon after died, -.
q s $3.50 -~ss0s---s ~ sss4
: Lord .North.--While he was enrageaSn
discussing one of the most srrio,,s points