“B. Arnold.”
Sheldon’s reply to Arnold’s above was prompt. It is dated Lower Salem, 12 September, 1780.
“Dear General, In your favor of the 10th instant, you desired to know, through what channel I received Mr. Anderson’s letter. It was by a flag that came to our lines, and forwarded to me by Lieutenant-Colonel Jameson. It came to me sealed. The person, so often mentioned, has returned from New York, where he was detained ten days before he could obtain permission to return. He was not suffered to leave his quarters, unless escorted by some person appointed by the Commanding Officer for that purpose; by which means he had no opportunity of gaining any intelligence of consequence. He will be at your quarters within a few days. His name is Elijah Hunter. General Parsons had not arrived at North Castle yesterday at twelve o’clock. I am to inform you that I have been in arrest two or three days, on a complaint exhibited to head-quarters by a villain by the name of Darius Stoddard, for defrauding the public, together with sundry other charges. I have the honor to be, &c.
“E. Sheldon.”
General Washington momentarily expected the British boats to ascend the Hudson, as is evident by his letter to Arnold preparing for that emergency. Answering it from Headquarters at Robinson’s House on September 12, 1780, Arnold in a paragraph saves the barge crew for himself and enables us to record the regiment to which they belonged. He says:
“... The order, contained in the postscript of your Excellency’s letter of the 7th, to send the eight bargemen of Colonel Putnam’s regiment to join their regiment, I conceive to be on a supposition of their being idle at West Point. I beg leave to observe, that they are now employed as my bargemen; that all the militia oarsmen had, previous to the receipt of the order, been drafted, and sent to different commands, at King’s Ferry and elsewhere, so that it is out of my power to procure a proper crew for my barge; for which reason I have thought proper to detain them until I receive your Excellency’s further orders on the subject.[41]
“Benedict Arnold.”
Arnold now started to meet John Anderson, as appointed in his letter of September 7th. For this purpose he set out in his barge on Sunday afternoon; passed the night at Joshua Smith’s house, and on the morning of the 11th of September descended nineteen miles to Dobbs’ Ferry. There is every reason to believe that André was nearby, expecting him, but as Arnold’s barge drew near some British gun boats opened such a fire that Arnold was put in peril of his life and obliged to fall back. In the hope of being followed he retired to an American post on the west shore, above the ferry, where he remained until sundown, but no flag came. That night he returned to West Point and André went back to New York.
Simcoe Wished to Capture Washington
During the first week in September Major André had arranged that Colonel Simcoe and the Rangers were to take an active part in the surrender of West Point. Word now reached the Colonel that he was to be ready to embark upon the arrival of Sir George Rodney’s fleet, and it was rumored for an intended expedition into the Chesapeake. This so upset Colonel Simcoe that he hastily and in great distress appealed by letter to Major André. Immediately upon his return from Dobbs’ Ferry the Major answered him, as follows: