in the course of the night, to halt
occasionally, dismount and examine the road, to guide themselves by
the horse's tracks. At daybreak they pressed forward more rapidly, and
from the summit of a hill descried Champe not more than half a mile in
front. The sergeant at the same moment caught sight of his pursuers,
and now the chase became desperate. Champe had originally intended to
make for Paulus Hook but changed his course, threw his pursuers at
fault, and succeeded in getting abreast of two British galleys at
anchor near the shore beyond Bergen. He had no time to lose. Cornet
Middleton was but two or three hundred yards behind him. Throwing
himself off his horse, and running through a marsh, he plunged into
the river, and called to the galleys for help. A boat was sent to his
assistance, and he was conveyed on board of one of those vessels.

For a time the whole plan promised to be successful. Champe enlisted
in Arnold's corps; was employed about his person; and every
arrangement was made to surprise him at night in a garden in the rear
of his quarters, convey him to a boat, and ferry him across the
Hudson. On the appointed night, Lee, with three dragoons and three led
horses, was in the woods of Hoboken, on the Jersey shore, waiting to
receive the captive. Hour after hour passed away--no boat
approached--day broke; and the major with his dragoons and his led
horses, returned perplexed and disappointed to the camp. It
subsequently proved that on the day preceding the night fixed on for
the capture, Arnold had removed his quarters to another part of the
town, and that the American legion, consisting chiefly of American
deserters, had been transferred from their barracks to one of the
transports. Among the troops thus transferred was John Champe: nor was
he able for a long time to effect his escape, and resume his real
character of a loyal and patriotic soldier. He was rewarded when he
did so, by the munificence of the commander-in-chief, and the
admiration of his old comrades in arms.

We have here to note the altered fortunes of the once prosperous
General Gates. The sudden annihilation of an army from which so much
had been expected, and the retreat of the general before the field was
absolutely lost, appeared to demand a strict investigation. Congress
therefore passed a resolution (October 5th), requiring Washington to
order a court of inquiry into the conduct of Gates as commander of the
Southern army, and to ap