The Papers taken from Andrè's Boot. "Artillery Orders." Forces at West Point. Villefranche's Estimate. plans being arranged, Arnold supplied Andrè with papers explanatory of the military condition of West Point and its dependencies.' These he requested him to place between his 1 These documents, with five of the passes given by Arnold on this occasion, are in the possession of a lineal descendant of Governor George Clinton. They were in my custody a few weeks, when I had the opportunity of comparing the following copies, previously made, with the originals, and found them correct. These manuscripts, though somewhat worn, are quite perfect. Those written upon one side of the paper only have been pasted upon thicker paper for preservation. preservation. They are documents of great interest, and ought to be in the possession of either our state or the Federal government. The following are true copies of the several papers: 66 "West Point, September 5th, 1780. Artillery Orders.-The following disposition of the corps is to take place in Case of an alarm : Capt. Dannills with his Comp'y at Fort Putnam, and to detach an Officer with 12 men to Wyllys's Redoubt, a Non Commissioned Officer with 3 men to Webb's Redoubt, and the like number to Redoubt No. 4. "Capt. Thomas and Company to repair to Fort Arnold. tr Captain Simmons and Company to remain at the North and South Redoubts, at the East side of the River, until further Orders. "Lieutenant Barber, with 20 men of Capt. Jackson's Company, will repair to Constitution Island; the remainder of the Company, with Lieut. Mason's, will repair to Arnold. Capt. Lieut. George and Lieut. Blake, with 20 men of Captain Treadwell's Company, will Repair to Redoubt No. 1 and 2; the remainder of the Company will be sent to Fort Arnold. "Late Jones's Company, with Lieut. Fisk, to repair to the South Battery. "The Chain Battery, Sherburn's Redoubt, and the Brass Field pieces, will be manned from Fort Arnold as Occation may require. "The Commissary and Conductor of Military stores will in turn wait upon the Commanding Officer of Artillery for Orders. "The artificers in the garrison (agreeable to former Orders) will repair to Fort Arnold, and there receive further Orders from the Command'g Officer of Artillery.. "S. BAUMAN, Major Comm't Artillery." This document gave the British full information of what would be the disposition of the Americans on the occasion; and as Sir Henry Clinton and many of his officers were acquainted with the ground, they would know at what particular points to make their attacks. This and the following document are in Arnold's handwriting : "Estimate of Forces at W'st Point and its Dependencies, September 13, 1780. A brigade of Massachusetts Militia, and two regiments of Rank and File New Hampshire, Inclusive of 166 Batteaux Men at Verplanck's and Stony Points 992 “On command and Extra Service at Fishkills, New Windsor, &c., &c., who may be called in occationally 852 "3 regiments of Connecticut Militia, under the com❜d of Colonel Wells, on the lines near N. Castle 488 t A detachment of New York levies on the lines.... 115 The following document is in the handwriting of Villefranche, a French engineer: “Estimate of the Number of Men necessary to Man the Works at West Point and in the Vicinity. Villefranche. Engenue “N.B.—The Artillery Men are not Included in the above Estimate.” ее Return of the Ordnance in the different Forts at West Point. Arnold's Description of the Works. stockings and feet, and in the event of accident, to destroy them. He then gave him a pass, a fac simile of which is printed on the next page, and bidding Andrè adieu, Arnold went The following table is in the handwriting of Bauman, Major Commandant of Artillery : RETURN OF THE ORDNANCE IN THE DIFFERENT FORTS, BATTERIES, &C., AT WEST POINT AND ITS DEPENDENCIES, SEPT. 5, 1780. Bauman Majn bim. The following description of the works at West Point and its dependencies is in the handwriting of Arnold, endorsed "Remarks on Works at West Point, a copy to be transmitted to his Excellency General Washington. Sep'r. 1780." "Fort Arnold is built of Dry Fascines and Wood, is in a ruinous condition, incompleat, and subject to take Fire from Shells or Carcasses. "Fort Putnam, Stone, Wanting great repairs, the wall on the East side broke down, and rebuilding From the Foundation; at the West and South side have been a Chevaux-de-Frise, on the West side broke in many Places. The East side open; two Bomb Proofs and Provision Magazine in the Fort, and Slight Wooden Barrack.-A commanding piece of ground 500 yards West, between the Fort and No. 4—or Rocky Hill. Arnold's Pass. up Smith's Refusal to take Andrè back to the Vulture. His insufficient Excuse. the river, in his own barge, to head-quarters, fully believing that no obstacle now interposed to frustrate his wicked scheme. Andrè passed the remainder of the day alone, and Head Quarters Robinsons Parnet Mr John Anderson to pops the as soon as evening came, he applied to Smith to take him back to the Vulture. Smith positively refused to go, and pleaded illness from ague as an excuse. If he quaked, it was probably not from ague, but from fear, wrought by the firing upon the Vulture; for he offered to ride half my on Patter BArnold M.Sind the night with Andrè, on horseback, if he would take a land route. Having no other means of reaching the vessel, Andrè was obliged to yield to the force of circumstances. He con "Fort Webb, built of Fascines and Wood, a slight Work, very dry, and liable to be set on fire, as the approaches are very easy, without defenses, save a slight Abattis. Fort Wyllys, built of stone 5 feet high, the Work above plank filled with Earth, the stone work 15 feet, the Earth 9 feet thick.-No Bomb Proofs, the Batteries without the Fort. "Redoubt No. 1. On the South side wood 9 feet thick, the Wt. North and East sides 4 feet thick, no cannon in the works, a slight and single Abattis, no ditch or Pickett. Cannon on two Batteries. No Bomb Proofs. "Redoubt No. 2. The same as No. 1. No Bomb Proofs. "Redoubt No. 3, a slight Wood Work 3 Feet thick, very Dry, no Bomb Proofs, a single Abattis, the work easily set on fire-no cannon. "Redoubt No. 4, a Wooden work about 10 feet high and fore or five feet thick, the West side faced with a stone wall 8 feet high and four thick. No Bomb Proof, two six pounders, a slight Abattis, a commanding piece of ground 500 yards Wt. The North Redoubt, on the East side, built of stone 4 feet high; above the Stone, wood filled in with Earth, Very Dry, no Ditch, a Bomb Proof, three Batteries without the Fort, a poor Abattis, a Rising piece of ground 500 yards So., the approaches Under Cover to within 20 yards.-The Work easily fired with Faggots diptd in Pitch, &c. "South Redoubt, much the same as the North, a Commanding piece of ground 500 yards due East―3 Batteries without the Fort." The “Artillery Orders" of September 5, 1780; the estimate of forces at West Point; estimate of men to man the works, by Villefranche; the "Return" of Bauman; the description of the works at West Point and vicinity, and a copy of a council of war held at Washington's quarters, September 6, 1780, are the papers which were taken from Andrè's stocking. The latter document, which set forth the weakness, wants, and gloomy prospects of the American army, was a statement made by Washington to the council. It is too long for insertion here. Preserved among these papers are five passes, signed by Arnold, a memo Andre's Exchange of Coats. He and Smith cross the Hudson. Smith's Letter to his Brother. Ambiguous Memorandum. sented to cross King's Ferry to Verplanck's Point, and make his way back to New York by land. He had been prevailed upon by Arnold, in the event of his taking a land route (which had been talked of), to exchange his military coat for a citizen's dress. This act, and the receiving of papers from Arnold, were contrary to the express orders of Sir Henry Clinton, but Andrè was obliged to be governed by the unforeseen circumstances in which he was placed. Smith agreed to attend him on the way as far as the lower outposts of the American lines. A little before sunset, on the evening of the 22d, accompanied by a negro servant, they crossed King's Ferry. At dusk, they passed through the works at Verplanck's Point, and turned their faces toward White Plains. While they are pursuing their route toward the Neutral Ground, let us consider events at the Robinson House, and then resume our own journey. We shall overtake the travelers presently, when the concluding portion of the narrative of Arnold's treason will be given. September, 1780. randum, which, from its ambiguity, is unintelligible,* and the following letter from Joshua Smith to his brother Thomas, after his arrest on suspicion of being an accomplice with Arnold : "Robinson House, Sept. 25th, 1780. DEAR BROTHER,-I am here a prisoner, and am therefore unable to attend in person. I would be obliged to you if you would deliver to Captain Cairns, of Lee's Dragoons, a British uniform Coat, which you will find in one of the drawers in the room above stairs.† I would be happy to see you. Remember me to your family. "I am affectionately yours, Joshua H. Smith * Copy of the memorandum: "Hennisut Elijah Hunter Mr. I. Johnson, B. R―r Mr. J. Stewart, to the care of Joshua Smith, Esq., to be left at Head Q'rs. Isaac Adams, 5 5 5." † This was Major Andrè's coat, which that officer exchanged with Smith for a citizen's dress-coat, as mentioned in the text. Arnold's Composure in Presence of his Aids. Washington's Return from Hartford. His Approach to Arnold's Quarters. CHAPTER VII. "Here onward swept thy waves, When tones, now silent, mingled with their sound, Of hunter chief or lover's gentle strain. ELIZABETH F. ELLET. ITH such consummate art had General Arnold managed his scheme of villainy thus far, that not a suspicion of his defection was abroad. He returned to his quarters at the Robinson House, as we have observed, toward evening, and after passing a half hour with his wife and child, and one or two domestics, he conversed freely with his aids-de camp, Majors Varick' and Franks, concerning the important information he was expecting to receive from New York, through a distinguished channel which he had just opened. This was on Dav : S. Frankes September, 1780. the 22d; the 24th was the day fixed upon for the ascent of the river by the British, and the surrender of West Point into the hands of the enemy. Yet, with all this guilt upon his soul, Arnold was composed, and the day on which his treason was to be consummated, no change was observed in his usual deportment. Washington returned from Hartford on the 24th, by the upper route, through Dutchess county to Fishkill, and thence along the Highland road by Philipstown. Soon after leaving Fishkill, he met Luzerne, the French minister, with his suite, on his way to visit Rochambeau. That gen tleman induced the com SIGNATURES OF ARNOLD'S AIDS. mander-in-chief to turn back and pass the night with him at Fishkill. Washington and his suite were in the saddle before dawn, for he was anxious to reach Arnold's quarters by 1 Richard Varick, who, before the close of the war, was promoted to colonel, was a sterling patriot. He admired Arnold as a soldier; and when that officer's defection became known, Varick was almost insane for a day or two, so utterly contrary to the whole life of Arnold appeared the fact. Varick became one of Washington's military family near the close of the war, as his recording secretary. He was mayor of the city of New York from 1791 to 1801. On the death of John Jay, he was elected president of the American Bible Society, which office he held until his death, which occurred at Jersey City, July 30th, 1831, at the age of seventy-nine years. |