George Canning Hill

“ André was punctual, but Arnold was kept away by an unforeseen occurrence; he was coming down the river in his barge, from the house of Mr. Joshua H. Smith, just below Stony Point on the western side, when the British guard-boats near Dobb's Ferry fired upon him and compelled him to return to the shore. He had no flag with him, and the guard were of course ignorant of his business. During the night he returned to the Robinson House, to make his arrangements all over again. André went back to the British vessel in the stream. ”

“ The Captain of the Vulture wanted one of his own boats to go out armed and escort this one; but both Smith and André objected to it, as more likely to attract attention. Besides, they were going under a flag of truce, and an armed boat would be quite out of character in company with such a flag. This was a reason subsequently offered by Sir Henry Clinton. The boat, thus freighted with secrets on which depended the life of a nation, glided silently over the water towards the western shore. Not a syllable was spoken by the watermen, and the few words exchanged by Smith and André were very low. ”

“ Arnold gave André a plan of the works at West Point, together with papers properly explaining them; these he told him to conceal between one of his stockings and his foot, and, in case he met with trouble, to destroy them. Arnold then got ready to go back to his quarters at the Robinson House, on the other side of the river. But before he left, he informed André that he had better return to New York by land, since the Vulture had gone further down the river, and it might not be so easy for him to get on board of her. ”

“ He was a native of Switzerland, but had been educated in a counting-room in London. At eighteen he had fallen in love, but the parents of the young lady broke off the match; and to his dying day he wore next his heart the portrait of her who shared his affections. ”

“ Washington was to be absent at Hartford, to confer with Count Rochambeau and other French officers in relation to the attack on New York; and then, thought Arnold, would be the time for the meeting with André. The British sloop-of-war Vulture came up the river and anchored just below Teller's Point, to be of service while the plot was hatching. Col. Beverly Robinson was on board, the same who once owned the "Robinson House" at which Arnold now made his head-quarters ”

“ Arnold had arranged with Smith, who still remained at home, to take André back to the Vulture as soon as it was dark; and André supposed that such an arrangement would be carried out. After his capture, he wrote as follows concerning it : "Arnold quitted me, having himself made me put the papers I bore between my stockings and feet. Whilst he did it he expressed a wish, in case of any accident befalling me. that they should be destroyed : which I said of course would be the case, as when I went into the boat I should have them tied about with a string and stone. ”

“ This was hardly worth the trouble; almost any other man of equal courage would answer just as well.
Seeing how the matter stood, and what was chiefly in his light, Arnold resolved to place himself in a position where his favor would be likely to command the price he demanded. Accordingly he importuned Washington for the command of West Point, till the latter, though greatly surprised at his request, gave him charge of the post. ”

“ I take it for granted Colonel Robinson will not propose anything, that is not for the interest of the United States as well as of himself." He wrote in this blind way about "Colonel Robinson" in order to guard against detection in case of an accident to the letter. ”