Year: 1876

-Ahdoiloil Nlttl I)itloio' 1HcJ Nole ldHu-
ed near the mouth of a small creek on the
western shore of Haverstraw Bay, near
the foot Of Long Glove Mountain, almost
five miles from Smiths house, where Ar
mold was waiting for them in a thicket Of
tir-trees. He had ridden horse from
Smiths house, accompanied by a colored
servant with another. To this retreat
Smith led Andre. when Arnold requested
his accomplice to return to the boat and
leave the two conspirators alone.


1t was serene. star-lit night. and lit
tie freshness was in the air. The confer
ence lasted long, and was not ended when
Smith came and warned them that the day
was about to dawn. Andre reluctantly
plete the arrangements. They mounted
the horses brought for the purpose by
Arnold, and in the gloom they rode
through the hamlet of Haverstraw to the
house of Arnolds half-trusted assistant,
yet standing on an emnence known as
Treason Hill. At Haverstraw the voice of
n sentinel startled Andre, for it was the
first intimaton he had received that he
was within the American lines. He COM
pretended his perilous position, for he was
without a pass or a flag; but it was too
late to recede. They reached the mansion
just as daylight appeared breaking over
the Van Cortlandt manor At that moment
the booming of a cannon down the river
was heard, and in the gray morning twi-
light they saw the Fulture weigh anchor
and drop down the stream. Colonel Liv-
ingslon, stationed at Nerplanck's Point,
had been told that this vessel lay in such
shallow water. within cannon-shot of the
shore, that her bottom rested on the mud
at low tide. He sent some men to Teller's
that she was compelled to weigh anchor
to escape destruction OF capture.


During that morning the whole plot
was arranged in an upper room of Smiths
house Andre was to return to New York
with information, and on certain day
that was fixed the British troops, which
were already embarked in the fleet of Ad-
miral Rodney for a pretended expedition
to the Chesapeake, were to be ready at a
moments warning to ascend the Hudson.
Arnold was to weaken the posts at Vest
Point by dispensing the garrison When
the British should appear, he was to send





gorges at a distance from the works, under
the pretense of meeting the enemy on
their approach, and so allow his troops to
be slaughtered or captured in detail. Fort
Putnam, that commanded all the works,
was to be weakened The boom and chain
that were stretched across the river from
West Point to Constitution Island were to
be SO weakened also that slight concus-
sion from vessel in motion would break
them and make free passage for the Brit
ish fleet up the Hudson. When all was ar
ranged, Arnold handed to Andre reports
which explained the military condition of
West Point and its dependencies, and re-
quested the major to place them in his
stockings under his feet, Fatal mistake /!
Clinton had instructed Andre not to go
within the American lines nor receive any
papers He had done both, and so had
woven web Of difficulty out OF which he
could not escape.


Arnold left Andre toward noon and re-
turned to West Point, where he prepared
to finish the wicked work OF treason. I'M
der the pretext of its needing repairs, one
Of the links Of the great chain (each weigh
ing over two hundred pounds) was re-
moved, and its place was supplied tenn
porarily by stout ropes which would snap
like threads at the heavy touch of the bow
of Il vessel under full headway. He pre-
pared Fort Putnam so that an enemy could
easily enter it, and made such disposition
OF the troops as to weaken their strength.
Then he waited with anxiety for the ap-
pearance of the British armament at the
lower entrance to the Highland.


Andre spent the day uneasily at Smiths,
Toward evening he asked Smith to take
him back to the Vulturc that night The
latter who was greatly alarmed by the
firing on that vessel, refused to do so,
pleading illness as an excuse, but Offering
to ride half the night on horseback with
his guest if he would take land route.
This alternative had been talked of in the
morning, and Arnold had left an order for
John Anderson to pass the guards to the
White Plains or below"


Andre was compelled to yield to circum-
stances, and at dusk that evening he and
Smith, accompanied by q negro servant,
had crossed the Kings Ferry and were
passing through the works at Eerplanck' s
Point. The major had been persuaded to
exchange his uniform for citizens dress
another fatal violation Of Clinton's in
structions. They pressed forward on the
road toward White Plains without inter-
ruption until they were stopped by a SEN
tinel near Crompond, about eight miles
from the ferry, Captain Boyd. in COM
mand there, was satisfied by Arnold's pass
that all was right, and persuaded them to
remain in that neighborhood until morn
ing, much against the judgment and will
of Andre, who passed sleepless night.
Before sunrise on the 22d they were again
in the saddle, and at Pines Bridge, that
spanned the Croton, they parted company.
Smith assuring Andre that he was on
neutral ground and past all danger. With
a light heart the major pursued his jour
ney alone.


That neutral ground was infested by
pluDderers, who had impoverished the
whole region from the Croton to the Spuyt
den Duyvel Creek. At the hour when An
Dire was approaching Tarrytown, seven
young men of that neighborhood, who
had banded for the purpose of Wrestling g
spoil from the plunderers while on their
way toward the British camp. were watch
ing for that game near the road where it
crosses the creek that flows out of Sleepy
Hollow-the scene of the encounter of Ich-
abod Crane and the head!ess horseman,
already mentioned They knew that their
business was unlawful. and they feared ar
rest by the patrols of Sheldon's Light
Horse: SO four Of the young mer watched
for them on a hilltop, while the other
three-John Paulding, Isaac Van Wart,
and David Williams lay concealed in
bushes near the road watching for the
plunderers. At about nine o'clock in the
morning. while they were playing at cards
they observed horseman approaching the
little bridge near the ancient Sleepy Hol-
low church. ale looks like a trader from
New York" said one of the young men to
Paulding, who seems to have been the
leader of his party. Another said. "He ap-
pears like a gentleman, we'll dressed, and
with boots on you had better step out and
stop him if you don't know him." As An
Dire ascended the gentle slope on the south
side of the bridge, the three young men
stepped from the thicket into the road.
and Paulding, presenting his musket, Or
dered him to halt "Gentlemen." he said,
II hope you belong to our party" seeing