TREASON OF ARNOLD-MAJOR JOHN ANDRE.

XXXVI

1780.

477 merits as an officer were great, but Congress evidently CHAP. took into consideration his private character. The members from Connecticut knew him well. He was proverbially dishonest in his dealings, disregarded the rights of others, indifferent as to what men thought of his integrity, and to those under him cruel and tyrannical. In consequence of these inexcusable faults many distrusted him. The question has been raised, Why did Washington trust Arnold? Evidently, because he knew him only as an efficient and brave officer. It is not probable any person took the liberty of whispering to the Commander-in-chief the defects of Arnold's private character. We know that during his whole life, Washington was governed by the principle of appointing to office none but honest men.

In the midst of his troubles, Arnold's selfishness became superior to his patriotism, and he opened a correspondence with Sir Henry Clinton, under the signature of Gustavus. For months this continued, when he made himself known. In the mean time, he applied to Wash- Aug ington and obtained the command of West Point, with the full intention of betraying that important post.

In the British army was a young man of pleasing address; accomplished in mental acquirements, and as amiable as he was brave. Disappointed in love, he had joined the army and made fame the object of his ambition; as capable of planning the amusements for a ball or a masquerade as of fulfilling the duties of his office-that of adjutant-general. He won many friends, and with Sir Henry Clinton was a special favorite. It devolved upon this young man, Major John Andre, to answer the letters of "Gustavus." This he did under the feigned name of "John Anderson." When Arnold revealed his true character, Andre volunteered to go up the Hudson on board the sloop-of-war Vulture, to have an interview with him, and make the final arrangements for carrying out the treachery.

3.

CHAP. XXXVI.

21.

The Vulture came to anchor a short distance below the American lines. Thence a flag was sent to Arnold, 1780. giving him the information. In the evening the latter Sept. sent a boat to bring Andre ashore. The night passed, however, before their plans were arranged, and Andre was compelled, though very unwillingly, to pass the next day within the American lines. During the day the Vulture attracted the attention of some American gunners, who began to fire upon her, and she dropped down the stream. For some unexplained reason, the man who had brought Andre ashore refused to take him back to the sloop, and he was forced to return to New York by land. He changed his uniform for a citizen's dress, and with a pass from Arnold, under the name of John Anderson, set out. Passing to the east side of the river, he travelled on unmolested until he came in the vicinity of Tarrytown. There he was arrested by three young men, John Paulding, David Williams, and Isaac Van Wart. They asked him some questions, and he, supposing them Tories, did not produce his pass, but said he was "from below," meaning New York, and that he was a British officer, travelling on important business. When he found his mistake, he offered them his watch, his purse, and any amount of money, if they would let him pass. Their patriotism was not to be seduced. Paulding declared that if he would give ten thousand guineas he should not stir a step. In searching his person, they found in his boots papers of a Sept. suspicious character. They brought him to Colonel Jamison, the commanding officer on the lines at Peekskill. He recognized the handwriting as that of Arnold. The paper contained a description of West Point, and an account of its garrison. But he could not believe that his superior officer was guilty of treason, and had it not been for the protests of Major Talmadge, the second in command, he would have sent the prisoner to Arnold; as it was, he sent him a letter giving an account of the arrest, and of

23.

TRIAL OF ANDRE-HIS EXECUTION.

479

the papers found upon his person. The papers he sent CHAP. by express to Washington, now on his way from Hartford.

XXXVI.

The letter came to Arnold while he was breakfasting 1780. with some officers, who had just returned from that place. Concealing his emotions, he rose from the table, called his wife out of the room, briefly told her he was a ruined man and must flee for his life. She fell insensible at his feet. He directed the messenger to attend to her, returned to the breakfast-room, excused himself on the plea that he must hasten to the fort to receive the Commander-inchief. Then seizing the messenger's horse, which stood ready saddled, he rode with all speed to the river, sprang into his boat, and ordered the men to row to the Vulture. Thence he wrote to Washington, begging him to protect his wife, who, he protested, was innocent of any participation in what he had done.

When Andre heard that Arnold was safe, he wrote to Washington, confessing the whole affair. He was immediately brought to trial under the charge of being within the American lines, as a spy. Though cautioned to say Sept. nothing to criminate himself, he confessed the whole, and 29. on his own confession he was found guilty. The commission to try him was presided over by General Greene. Lafayette and Steuben were also members of it. Andre protested that he had been induced to enter the American lines by the misrepresentations of Arnold. Clinton made every effort to save his favorite. The amiableness of Andre's private character enlisted much sympathy in his behalf. And Washington wished, if possible, to spare him; but a higher duty forbid it. Inexorable martial law denied him his last request, that he might be shot as a soldier, and not hanged as a spy.

Oct. 2.

Cornwallis at length commenced his march toward North Carolina. His army was in three divisions; one Sept. of which, under Colonel Patrick Ferguson, was to move

XXXVI.

CHAP, to the west near the mountains, to intimidate the Whigs, and enroll the numerous Tories said to be in that region. 1780. The cavalry, and a portion of the light troops, under Tarleton, were to move up the Catawba, while the main body, under Cornwallis himself, was to take the route by way of Charlotte, Salisbury, and Hillsborough, through the region in which the Whigs were very numerous. This was with the expectation of forming a juncture with troops sent to the lower Chesapeake from New York. As soon as the British army began its march, the Whigs sprang into activity, and harassed them; scarcely did an express sent from any division of the army escape being shot or taken. Cornwallis declared Charlotte "the hornet's nest of North Carolina."

Ferguson, the son of a Scotch judge of eminence, had entered the army from the love of military life, had seen service in Germany, and was deemed by Cornwallis an excellent officer. He excelled in the use of the rifle, and in training others to the use of that weapon. He was generous and humane; in any enterprise persevering and cool. Over his company of light-infantry regulars he had control, and restrained them from deeds of violence; but he was joined by a rabble of desperadoes and rancorous Tories. As they passed through the country, these Tories committed outrages upon the inhabitants. He met with scarcely any opposition. But information of these outrages and of his approach had spread rapidly throughout the region. Little did Ferguson think that at this time, when he neither saw nor heard of an enemy-for all his expresses were cut off-that from the distant hills and valleys of the Clinch and the Holston, and from the eastern spurs of the mountains, companies of mounted backwoodsmen-their only baggage a knapsack and, blanket, their only weapon a rifle-were passing silently through the forests to a place of rendezvous in his front. The most formidable of these were from Tennessee and Kentucky,

BATTLE OF KING'S MOUNTAIN.

481

under Colonels Sevier and Shelby,-afterward first gov- CHAP ernors of those States.

XXXVI

Rumors stole into his camp that these half-farmers 1780. and graziers and half-hunters were assembling; but he scouted the idea that they could oppose him; though, when he received more correct information, he began to retreat as rapidly as possible. He had not been long on his way when this motley host, three thousand strong, came together. They held a council; they were not to be baffled; about nine hundred mounted their fleetest horses and started in pursuit. They rode for thirty-six hours, part of the time through a drenching rain, dismounting but once. Ferguson was astonished at their perseverance. He pushed for a strong position on King's Mountain, near the Catawba. This mountain rises almost like a cone; its top was sparsely covered with tall forest trees, while at the base they were more dense. On the level space on the top he arranged his men, saying, with an oath, that the "rebels" could not drive him from his position.

The backwoodsmen approached, reconnoitred, held a council, then dismounted to attack the enemy in three divisions-in front, and on the right and left flanks. The battle soon commenced, the Americans crept up the sides of the mountain, and with deliberate aim poured in their deadly bullets. Ferguson, on a white charger, rode round and round the crest of the hill, and cheered his men. No impression was made on the assailants. He ordered the regulars to charge bayonet, and they drove the left division. down the side of the mountain-for the backwoodsmen had no bayonets. Presently the regulars were taken in flank, and they retreated to the top, where, by this time, the second division had clambered up. This they drove back also; but before the regulars, now almost exhausted, could regain their position, the third division was on the plain. Thus it was, as often as a division retired before

Oct

9.