The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-04-27


house is yet standing, and the STYLE Of its
interior then has been preserved to this
day.
The holding Of the post at West Point
was of the first Importance to the Amcri-
cans. From the beginning of the war
capital plan OF the British government had
been to acquire military possession of the
Hudson River region between Lake Cham
plain and the sea, hold it by line of mil
itary post, land so separate New England,
the accorded head of the rebellion from
the rest of the provinces To prevent this
strong military works had been erected in
the highlands, through which the river
flows in narrow and sinuous course. I'M
mense supplies had been gathered there
and the works were regarded as impreg-
nable to an army of twenty thousand men.
Sir Henry Clinton knew that he could not
conquer the post with any force at his
command, so he bargained to have it de-
llvered into his hands for the consideration
of a rigadier-gen commission in the
British army and fifty thousand dollars in
gold. The king and the ministry approv-
ed the conspiracy and refugee loyalists in
England promoted it,
1t became necessary for the contracting
parties to have a personal interview -
settle definitely the terms of the bargain
and the details of the proposed military
operations for achieving the grand object.
The correspondence had been carried on
in we understood commercial phrases.
In letter to Sir Henry Clinton, SO dis
guised, written on the 3Uth of August, Ar
mold demanded a personal interview with
Andre (.'John Anderson to which the
baronet agreed. Then Arnold tried to
have that interview at his own quarters
in the Highlands, to which he invited An
DIRE to come in disguise, and directed Col
onel Sheldon, in command OF an outpost
on the lower lines, to forward to him
person from New 1ork-a valuable ennis
sary-who might appear. Andre would
not consent to assume the position of a
spy, 50 he wrote to Colonel Sheldon. over
| the signature of John Anderson, saying:
| 81 am told that my name is made known to you,
| and that may hope your indulgence in permitting
me to meet friend near your outposts. will en-
deayor to obtain permission to go cut with flag
which will be sent to Dobbs Ferry on Monday next
the 1lth instant [September 17s0,l at u o'clock
when shall be happy to meet Mr. c.. Should
not be allowed to go, the officer who is to command
the escort-between whom and myself no distinction
| need be made-can speak in the affair. Let
treat you Sir to favor matter so interesting to the
parties concerned, and which is Of SO private ma
ure that the public ON neither side can be injured
| BY it,"
| heard of John Anderson' Supposing
him to be Arnold's emissary," he sent the
letter to the general. 1t puzzled the trait
or too, for he found it difficult so to ex-
! plain it as to satisfy Sheldon that the af-
fair was an entirely innocent one. Arnold
prepared to meet Andre at Dobbs's Ferry
| On the 10th he went down to the Kings
Ferry in his barge and passed the night
with Joshua Hett Smith, a prominent cit
izen living near Haverstraw. and the next
morning he proceeded toward Dobbs's
| Ferry, where Andre and Colonel Beverly
| Robinson Gin whose house Arnold had his
| head-quarters) were waiting for him. He
! bore no flag, and guard-boats on the river
at Dobbss Ferry fired on him, and pursued
| him closely as he fled across the river to a
place of concealment He returned to his
head quarters the same night. Having
| gone down the river toward the enemy's
| post, he felt it necessary to write an eX-
| planatory letter to Washington, in which
! he falsely stated that his object was to cs-
| tablish signals as near the enemy's lines
as possible
| Washington was now about to make a
journey to Hartford, in Connecticut, with
Lafayette and Colonel Hamilton and 9TH
er aids, to hold personal conference
with Rochambeau there. When he arrived
at the Kings Ferry, Arnold was there
with his barge to convey the party across
the Hudson to Peekskil The British soop-
of-war Vulture lay in full sight below
While viewing her with his glass, Wash
! ington spoke to his officers in a low tone,
which made Arnold uneasy At that time
the Count De Guichen was expected on
our coast with French squadron, and the
conversation dwelt upon that topic, when
Lafayette, turning to Arnold, said, "Gen-
eral, since you have correspondence with
| the enemy, you must ascertain as soon as
possible what has become of Guichen.n
Arnold was Disconnected for a moment,
and demanded what he meant; but he
soon recovered his composure, and no
more was said on that point Arnold be-
lieved that his plot was discovered or sus
pected and he resolved to bring matters
| to head while Washington was in Con-
necticut.
Arnold had received an open letter.
written to General Putnam by Colonel
| Robinson, asking a personal interview
| COIGSIIlUS lHC ldlu VI INT idlltl III tuc
| highlands. 1t was recovered by one to
Arnold, asking him to hand it to Putnam
Arnold understood its covered meaning,
and showed it to Colonel Lamb and others
at West Point He frankly laid it before
| Washington, who, after reading it, said
only the civil authorities could act in the
matter, and that he did not approve of
personal interviews with the enemy. At
ter this expression of opinion, Arnold dar-
ed not so for disregard it as to meet Rob-
inson so he informed him that on the
night of the goth he should send person
on board the Vulture who would be fur
nished with boat and flag of truce. To
disarm suspicion, and to let the enemy
know at what time the commander-in-
chief would return from Hartford, he add
ed, in postscript, Il expect General
Washington to lodge here on Saturday
next, and will lay before him any mat
ter you may wish to communicated
Robinson sent this letter to Clinton, with
the assurance that he would remain on
board the Fulture. not doubling that Ar
| mold himself was the "person' who would
come to the vessel. Clinton dispatched
| Andre in a tlag-boat to the Vulture, i'll
structed not to change his clothes, receive
papers, 60 within the American lines, or
in any way assume the character Of spy.
He too expected Arnold on board the Vul-
ture; but the traitor took course less
dangerous to his own person. He had
again passed a night at the house of Josh
ua Hett Smith, near Haverstraw, where
he was joined by his wife and child. who
were on their way from Philadelphia to
headquarters. There he made arrange
ments with Smith to go to the Vulture in
a small boat on the night Of the goth, and
bring ashore a British officer for consulta-
ton on an important subject, and in the
event of the conference being protracted,
to furnish a room at his house wherein it
might be completed. Smith took his fam
lily on visit to Fishkill, and SO secured
an empty house for the use Of the conspir-
ators. How far Smith was intrusted with
a knowledge of the conspiracy will never
be known. He was tried for completely in
the treason, but declared his ignorance of