[Sidenote:  Treason and escape of Arnold.]

The time when General Washington met the Count de Rochambeau at Hartford was selected for the final adjustment of the plan; and, as a personal interview was deemed necessary, Major Andre came up the river, and went on board the Vulture.  The house of a Mr. Smith, without the American posts, was appointed for the interview; and to that place both parties repaired in the night—­Andre being brought under a pass for John Anderson, in a boat despatched from the shore.  While the conference was yet unfinished, day light approached; and, to avoid discovery, Arnold proposed that Andre should remain concealed until the succeeding night.  He is understood to have refused peremptorily to be carried within the American posts; but the promise to respect this objection was not observed.  They continued together the succeeding day; and when, in the following night, his return to the Vulture was proposed, the boatmen refused to carry him because she had shifted her station during the day, in consequence of a gun which was moved to the shore without the knowledge of Arnold, and brought to bear upon her.  This embarrassing circumstance reduced him to the necessity of endeavouring to reach New York by land.  To accomplish this purpose, he reluctantly yielded to the urgent representations of Arnold; and, laying aside his regimentals, which he had hitherto worn under a surtout, put on a plain suit of clothes, and received a pass from General Arnold, authorizing him, under the name of John Anderson, to proceed on the public service to the White Plains, or lower if he thought proper.

With this permit, he had passed all the guards and posts on the road unsuspected, and was proceeding to New York in perfect security, when one of three militia men who were employed between the lines of the two armies, springing suddenly from his covert into the road, seized the reins of his bridle, and stopped his horse.  Losing his accustomed self-possession, Major Andre, instead of producing the pass[43] from General Arnold, asked the man hastily where he belonged?  He replied “to below;” a term implying that he was from New York.  “And so,” said Andre, not suspecting deception, “am I.”  He then declared himself to be a British officer on urgent business, and begged that he might not be detained.  The appearance of the other militia men disclosed his mistake, too late to correct it.  He offered a purse of gold, and a valuable watch, with tempting promises of ample reward from his government, if they would permit him to escape; but his offers were rejected, and his captors proceeded to search him.  They found concealed in his boots, in Arnold’s hand writing, papers containing all the information which could be important respecting West Point.  When carried before Lieutenant Colonel Jameson, the officer commanding the scouting parties on the lines, he still maintained his assumed character, and requested Jameson to inform his commanding officer that Anderson was taken.  Jameson despatched an express with this communication.  On receiving it, Arnold comprehended the full extent of his danger, and, flying from well merited punishment, took refuge on board the Vulture.