“I wish to return by way of the Jerseys, General. However, I may not be able to return at all.” Desiring to impress upon Washington the seriousness of his intentions, these were the concluding remarks of Barclugh’s important conversation.
After the exchange of a few civilities about Philadelphia people and the exchange of mutual compliments for the pleasant evening spent together, Roderick Barclugh arose and retired to his bed, determined to start early in the morning for New York,—a journey of sixty miles.
CHAPTER XXI
At sunrise, the next morning after the conversation with Washington, Roderick Barclugh started with his passport signed by Colonel Hamilton. He took up his journey on the road that leads south through the highlands on the east side of the Hudson to New York.
From Fishkill the road is hemmed in on both sides by steep hills. Glimpses of the river are obtained occasionally as a traveller reaches some vantage-point. An hour’s ride brought Barclugh to a view of a broad stretch of the Hudson, and there lay before him the object of all his travels and labors,—West Point in full view.
He leaped off his horse eagerly, and fastened him to a sapling. Then with spying-glass in hand, he found a seat which, in a commanding position on a high cliff, overlooked the scene like an amphitheatre below him.
Proceeding to sketch the redoubts, approaches and armament of West Point, Barclugh admired the location as a military stronghold and thought as he critically surveyed the situation:
“If that palladium of liberty can be assaulted and won with gold, General Washington may then admit that gold is mightier than either the sword or pen.”