The Minnesotian. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1851-1852, 1851-10-29
Incidents of Arnold's Treachery.

Incidents OF Armour Ireachcry.
The lighthouse near Caldwell's Land
ing is seen to great effect by the passcn-
gers in the evening boat from New York
TO Ncwburg. Leaving the city at five in
a summer afternoon, she makes the inter-
vening forty miles between that hour and
twilight; and while the last tints of the
sunset are still in the sky, the stars Just
beginning 10 twinkle through the glow of
the west, the bright light of this lofty
beacon rises up over the bow of the
boat, shining apparently OH the very face
of the new stared heaven. As he ap-
proaches, across the smooth and still pur-
pied mirror of the silent river is drawn
long and slender line of light: broken at
tie loot of the beacon by the wild shrub
berry Of the rock on which it stands and
as he rounds the point, and passes it, the
light brightens and looks clearer against
the darker sky of the east, while the
same line of reflection follows him on his
way, and is lost to sight as he disappears
among the mountains.
The waters Of the river at this point
were the scene of the brief and tragic
drama enacted so fatally to poor Andre.
Four or five miles below stands Smiths
house, where he had his principal inter-
view with Arnold, and where the latter
communicated to him his plans for the de-
livery Of West Point into the hands Of
the English, and gave him the fatal pa
pcrs which proved his ruin.
At Smiths house Mrs. Arnold passed
night on her way to join her husband
at West Point, soon after he had taken
command. The suiierings of this lady
have excited the sympathy of the world,
as the first paroxy Of her distress moved
the kind but firm heart Of Washington.
There seems to have arisen doubt, how
ever, whether her long and well known
correspondence with Andre had not so
far undermined her patriotism, that she
was rather inclined to further than impede
the treason Of Arnold; and consequently
could have suffered but little after Wash
ington generously made every arrange
mcnt for her to follow him. In the" Lie
Of Aaron Burr lately published are
some statements which seem authentic on
the subject. 1t is we'll known that
Washing on found Mrs. Arnold apparant-
ly frantic with distress at the communi-
cation her husband had made to her the
moment before his flight. Lafayette,
and the other officers in the suite of the
commander in chief, were alive with the
most poignant sympathy; and passport
was given her by Washington, with
which she Immediately left West Point
to join Arnold in New York. On her
way she stopped at the house of Mrs.
Provost, the wife of British officer, who
subsequently married Col. Burr. Here
1.-THE frantic scenes Of West Point were
renewed" says the narrative Of Burr's
biographer, and continued olong as stran-
gers were present. As soon as she and
Mrs. Provost were left alone, however,
Mrs. Arnold became tranquilizea, and
assured Mrs. Provost she was heartily
sick of the thrcatrics she was exhibiting.
She stated that she had correspondcd with
the British commander, that she was dis
gustcd with the American cause, and those
who lad the management of public affairs ;
and that, through great persuasion and
unccasing perseverance, she had ulti-
mateIy brought the General into an ar
rangemcnt 10 surrender West Point to
the British. Mrs. Arnold was a gay,
accomplished, artrul, and extravagant W O.
man and there is no doubt, therefore, that
for the purpose Of acquiring the means
of gratifying her vanity, she contributed
greatly to the utter ruin Of her husband
and thus doomed to everlasting infamy
and disgrace all the fame he had acquired
as gallant soldier, at the sacrifice Of his
blood"
1t is not easy to pass and repass the
now peaceful and beautiful waters of this
part of the Hudson, without recalling to
mind the scenes and actors in the great
drama Of the Revolution, which they not
long ago bore on their bosom. The busy
mind tancics, the armed guard boats,
slowly pulling along the shore; the light
pinnacle ofthc Vulture plying to and fro
on its errands Of conspiracy; and not the
least vivid picture 10 the imagination, is
the boat containing the accomplished, the
gallant Andre and his guard, on his way
10 his death. 1t is probable that he first
admitted to his own mind the possibility
of fatal result, while passing this very
spot. A late biographer of Arnold gives
the particulars of a conversation between
Andre and major Tallmadge, the officer
who had him in custody, and who bro't
him from West Point down the river to
Tappan, the place of his SUBSEQUENT exc
cutIon.
"Beforc we reached the Glove" Ga
landing Just below the beacon,) "Major
Andre became very inquisitive to know
my opinion as to the result of his capture.
When l could no longer evade his i'm
portunity, remarked to him as follows
81 had a much loved class mate in Yale
! Cnlleoe hu the name of ualc who en-,