the suspicious circumstances at once impressed him. However, perhaps because of General Washington’s advice he betrayed no hint of this in his reply to Arnold. In fact he agreed to conduct Mr. Anderson to West Point. Had he later insisted upon Jameson permitting him to do so Arnold might have been captured as well as André. Extracts from Major Tallmadge’s letter to Arnold read:
Lower Salem, Septr. 21, 1780.
Sir. I had the Honor last evening to receive your favor of the 13th inst. It arrived here in due season, and as I was absent on Command by special Directions of His Excellency Genl. Washington, the letter was opened and the instructions therein contained I trust have been duly attended to.... I expect to join Col. Jameson immediately, and should Mr. Anderson come to my Qrs. I will do the needful, and shall be very happy to wait on him to Hd.Qrs.... I have also just received an accurate return of the Enemy, so far as respects their Corps and the Posts they occupy. If you have not the present distribution of the Enemies forces, I can give it to you from the best authority, and taken on the spot. The Express is now waiting. I have no time to add, save that I am, with Every Sentiment of Esteem, Sir, your most Obedt. Servt.
Benj. Tallmadge.
Major Tallmadge was on tour, endeavoring to discover the intentions of the enemy when Paulding and his companions brought a man to Headquarters they declared to be a spy. John Jameson, of the Second Regiment, Light Dragoons, was commanding officer at that time, and promptly dispatched the prisoner under guard to Benedict Arnold at West Point. He was well on his way when Major Tallmadge returned that evening, but, learning that the prisoner’s name was Anderson and that he had information from West Point, he insisted upon Jameson ordering his return. Reluctantly he consented, but would not recall the messenger that was carrying the information to Arnold.[34] That “John Anderson” acknowledged his real name to be Major André, Adjutant-General to the British Army, and that on the 2d of October, 1780, he was hanged as a spy, are facts well known to all. Major Tallmadge’s comment in his “Memoirs” is:
“I might enlarge greatly in anecdotes relating to this momentous event in our revolutionary war. Some things relating to the detention of André, after he had been sent to General Arnold, are purposely omitted.... I have deliberately concluded never to disclose the circumstances which relate to that interesting event.”
General Greene, in announcing the discovery of Arnold’s treason[35] on September 24, 1780, stated:
“The Providential Train of Circumstances which led to it affords the most convincing Proofs that the Liberties of America are the Object of Divine Protection.”
FOOTNOTES to “SPIES AND SPIES”:
[28] About ninety years ago a remarkable letter was written by a prominent member of the Townsend family, then residing in Albany. It was addressed to another member of the family and was not to be made public. The writer had journeyed to Oyster Bay to interview Mrs. Elizabeth Titus, who had seen Washington three times and knew every member of the Townsend family. There had been two attempts made to destroy this letter, before it reached the Long Island Collection, by parties who did not know its value. Once it had actually been thrown into the fire, but other letters surrounded it so compactly that it would not burn. A rag-picker put the package in his bag and later disposed of those letters that were not scorched. It overthrows some family traditions, but helps to confirm the Culper documents. Extracts from it follow: