uiring for Arnold, the commanding officer told me that he had
not been there. I likewise inquired at the several redoubts, but no one
could give me any information where he was. The impropriety of his
conduct when he knew I was to be there, struck me very forcibly, and my
mind misgave me; but I had not the least idea of the real cause. When I
returned to Arnold's quarters about two hours after, and told Colonel
Hamilton that I had not seen him, he gave me a packet which had just
arrived for me from Col. Jemmison, which immediately brought the matter
to light. I ordered Colonel Hamilton to mount his horse and proceed with
the greatest despatch to a post on the river about eight miles below, in
order to stop the barge if she had not passed; but it was too late. It
seems that the letter which Arnold received which threw him in such
confusion was from Col. Jemmison, informing him that Andre was taken and
that the papers found upon him were in his possession. Col. Jemmison,
when Andre was taken with these papers, could not believe that Arnold
was a traitor, but rather thought it was an imposition of the British
in order to destroy our confidence in Arnold. He, however, immediately
on their being taken, despatched an express after me, ordering him to
ride night and day till he came up with me. The express went the lower
road, which was the road by which I had gone to Connecticut, expecting
that I would return by the same route, and that he would meet me; but
before he had proceeded far, he was informed that I was returning by the
upper road. He then cut across the country and followed in my track till
I arrived at West Point. He arrived about two hours after, and brought
the above packet. When Arnold got down to the barge, he ordered his men,
who were very clever fellows and some of the better sort of soldiery, to
proceed immediately on board the Vulture sloop of war, as a flag, which
was lying down the river; saying that they must be very expeditious, as
he must return in a short time to meet me, and promised them two gallons
of rum if they would exert themselves. They did, accordingly; but when
they got on board the Vulture, instead of their two gallons of rum, he
ordered the coxswain to be called down into the cabin and informed him
that he and the men must consider themselves as prisoners. The coxswain
was very much astonished, and told him that they came on board under the
sanction of a flag. He answered that that was nothi