Haverstraw near Stoney Point
2d Oct 1780.Dear Sheel
I am confident that the perfidy of Genl. Arnold will astonish the multitude—the high rank he bore—the eclat he had obtained (whether honestly or not) justified the world in giving it him.
But there were a few Gentlemen who at a very early period of this war became acquainted with his true character! when you asked my opinion of that officer I gave it freely & believe you thought it rather strongly shaded.
I think I informed you that I had the most despicable Idea of him both as a Gentleman & a Soldier—& that he had produced a conviction on me in 1776 that honor & true Virtue were Strangers to his Soul and however Contradictory it might appear—that he never possessed either fortitude or personal bravery—he was naturally a Coward and never went in the way of Danger but when Stimulated by liquor even to Intoxication, consequently Incapacitated from Conducting any Command Committed to his charge.
I shall not dwell upon his Military Character or the measures he had adopted for the surrender of West Point—that being already fully Elucidated but will give you a small specimen of his peculate talents.
What think you of his employing Sutlers to retail the publick Liquors for his private Emolument & furnishing his Quarters with beds & other furniture by paying for them with Pork, Salt, Flour &c. drawn from the Magazine—he has not stopped here, he has descended much lower—& defrauded the old Veteran Soldiers who have bled for their Country in many a well fought field—for more than five Campaigns among others an old Sergeant of mine has felt his rapacity by the Industry of this man's wife they had accumulated something handsome to support them in their advanced age—which coming to the knowledge of this cruel Spoiler—he borrowed 4500 dollars from the poor Credulous Woman & left her in the lurch.
The dirty—dirty acts which he has been capable of Committing beggar all description—and are of such a nature as would cause the Infernals to blush—were they accused with the Invention or Execution of them.
The detached & Debilitated state of the Garrison of West Point—Insured success to the assailants—the enemy were all in perfect readiness for the Enterprise—& the discovery of the treason only prevented an Immediate attempt by open force to carry those works which perfidy would have effected the fall of, by a slower & less sanguine mode.—Our army was out of protecting distance the troops in the possession of the Works a spiritless Miserabile Vulgus—in whose hands the fate of America seemed suspended in this Situation his Excellency (in imitation of Cæsar & his tenth legion) called for his Veterans—the summons arrived at one o'clock in the morning & we took up our line of March at 2.
Hugh A. Sheel to General Wayne.
Phila Oct. 22, 1780
My dear General
... the character you gave me in confidence of Arnold several months ago made a strong impression on my mind it has been verified fully—his villany & machinations never could have been carried on but through the medium of his Tory acquaintance in this place....
APPENDIX.
A very valuable map of the Province of New York, by Claude Joseph Sauthier, drawn for Major-general William Tryon in 1779, is found in "The Documentary History of New York," showing the Mohawk Valley grants, old forts, etc.
Fort Paris, Dec. 19, 1776, Captain Christian Getman's Rangers, Tryon County militia, were stationed at Stone Arabia, and were ordered, when not ranging, to cut timber for building a fort, under direction of Isaac Paris, Esq. (Mr. Paris was in Provincial Congress and later in State Senate.) It was a palisaded enclosure of stone and block-houses for a garrison of from two to three hundred (200-300) men. Begun in December, 1776, it was completed in the spring of 1777. It was situated on a most beautiful plain three or four miles north-east of Fort Plain, one-half a mile north of Stone Arabia churches, twelve (12) rods from the road. North of it water would run into the Sacondaga, and thence into upper waters of the Hudson; south into Mohawk waters. It is easily reached from Palatine Bridge, and is nearly one thousand feet above sea-level. In the fall of 1779, Colonel Fred. Fisher (Visscher), of Third Regiment, Tryon County militia, was at Fort Paris.
May 12, 1780, Colonel Jacob Klock, Second Regiment of Tryon County men, was there.
June 24, 1780, General Robert Van Rensselaer, of Second Brigade of Albany militia, was ordered to Fort Paris.