ad gone to Hartford to consult with the French
general Rochambeau about making an attack on New York, returned sooner
than expected. Hamilton and Lafayette, of Washington's staff, went
forward to breakfast with Arnold, while Washington was inspecting a
battery. At the breakfast table Andre's letter was handed to Arnold. The
traitor perceived at once that discovery was inevitable, and excusing
himself to his guests as calmly as if going out on an ordinary errand, he
went to his wife's room, embraced her, and bade her farewell. Mounting a
horse of one of his aides, Arnold rode swiftly to the river bank. There
he entered his barge and was rowed to the Vulture.

Andre was tried by court-martial on the charge of being a spy, convicted
and executed October 2, 1780. The captors of Andre were rewarded with a
silver medal and $200 a year for life. Arnold received the reward for
which he had offered to betray his country. Washington, who was far from
being vindictive, made repeated attempts to get possession of Arnold in
order to punish him for his treason.

* * *

While the war was languishing in the North it was being carried on with
vigor in the South. Sir Henry Clinton, in the spring of 1780, captured
the city of Charleston, with General Lincoln and all his army. Clinton
then returned to New York, leaving Lord Cornwallis in command of the
British. Another American army, mostly militiamen and new recruits, many
of whom had never handled a bayonet, was formed in North Carolina, and
placed unfortunately under the command of the incompetent Gates. The
British met Gates at Sander's Creek, near Camden, and after a sharp
conflict the Americans were completely routed. British and Tories were
now more barbarous than ever in their treatment of patriots who fell into
their hands, and repeated executions of Americans on pretended charges of
violating compulsory oaths of allegiance, or no charges at all, excited
thirst for retribution among the friends of liberty. General Nathaniel
Greene, of Quaker birth, but one of the greatest soldiers of the
Revolution, was sent to command a new army of the South; with Daniel
Morgan, William Washington and Henry Lee--known as "Light-horse Harry"
and father of the Confederate commander, Robert E. Lee--as his
lieutenants. Morgan, at Cowpens, annihilated Tarleton's Legion, which had
committed many cruelties in South Carolina. Greene fought the British at
Guilfo