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History of Westchester County, New York — Passage 182 (part 2)

Frederic Shonnard & W.W. Spooner (1900) 231 words View original →

[Frederic Shonnard & W.W. Spooner (1900)] This was the post of honor, but still Arnold did not seem satisfied, and Washington, perceiving it, promised to meet him at his headquarters at the Birdsall house, Peekskill, and converse further on the subject. Finding Arnold's heart set on West Point, and having no suspicion of wrong, and believing, as Arnold claimed, that his wounded left leg unfitted him for service in the field, Washington complied with his request, and at Peekskill on Thursday, August 3, 1780, he issued an order giving to him the com-mand of West Point and its dependencies, in which were included both sides of the Hudson from Fishkill to the King's Ferry ( Verplanck's Point). On the next day Arnold established his headquarters at Colonel Beverly Robinson's house, at the foot of Sugar Loaf Mountain on the east side of the river nearly opposite West Point. From this plare he continued, in a disguised hand, and under the name of Gustavus, his secret correspondence with Major John Andre, adjutant-general of the British army, addressing him as Mr. John Anderson, merchant. Correspondence having done its part, a personal meeting was necessary between Arnold and Andre for the completion of the plan for the betrayal of West Point into the hands of the enemy and the adjustment of the traitor's recompense. Monday, September 11, at twelve o'clock noon, near Dobbs Ferry, was the time and place fixed.