7
We may now return to onr traveller for a brief retrospect of his career.
Having been captured at St. John's in 1775,1 and imprisoned successively at
Lancaster and Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Andre was not unfamiliar with the
American character—in fact, by 1780 he had probably been longer in the country
than most of his companions in arms. It was to Clinton's esteem he owed the
personal request to the War Office, in the previous August, which had secured
his promotion to the rank of Major (in the 54th Regiment), and the appointment as Adjutant-General. That same esteem had won his Chief's consent when
Arnold asked that he be sent as the British representative; but, in spite of his
personal attractions and professional attainments, his course in the important business now entrusted to him clearly shows him to have lacked the prudence and readiness vital to success under such conditions. It was a fortunate choice, for the patriot cause, for, as I shall have occasion to show, Arnold's treason was
several times almost successful, failing only because of trifles which a cooler head
than Andre's might have easily foreseen and as easily overcome. This leads me
to call these three weeks the crisis of the Revolution. Clinton remembered that
the capture of Fort Washington, the first great success of the British arms—if we except the battle of Long Island—was achieved by the liberal use of gold,
securing the defection of the | first American traitor,"2 Demont (or Dement), and
he naturally looked for much greater success in Arnold's case, for the stake was
greater, and he was as ready to buy at any cost as Arnold to sell. The time was
opportune, for the colonies had had five years' ceaseless fighting, Continental
money was practically worthless, and the future was very dark. Kven Washington wrote that he had | almost ceased to hope." The plan was simple enough, and, so far as Arnold was concerned, was carried out—the fatal weakness lay with
Andre.8 West Point once in British hands, what might not have been the change
in our national history? Could independence have been achieved—and at how
much greater cost of time, blood and money ?4
8 In the view from the south showing Haverstraw in the distance. The other view shows Teller's Point, nearly
opposite. 1 He was quartermaster of the post. His first commission was as Second Lieutenant in the Royal Fusiliers
(7th Foot), March 4, 1771. The regiment was sent to Canada by way of Philadelphia, in 1773, so that he
was in the future capital of the Colonies while the first Congress was in session. Lossing (Two Spies)
says he did not arrive until September, 1774, and that he wore citizen's dress, visited New York and
Boston, and reached Quebec in November. He. thinks Sir Guy Carleton directed him to do this, to gain
information of the patriots' plans, etc.
After the battle of Long Island he was exchanged, and soon made Captain in the 26th Regiment—the
" Cameronians." While in Philadelphia during its occupation by the British, his fondness for social and
theatrical affairs brought him into the circle of acquaintance with Miss Shippen, who became Arnold's
second wife.
2 See W. R. Benjamin's chapter in the S. A. R.'s pamphlet, Fort Washington (N. Y., 1897). -
Strictly speaking, he was not the first, for Dr. Church and Major Zedwitz preceded him and General De j
Fermoy followed them. Church was head of the army hospital at Boston, 1775, Zedwitz was Major of
McDougalPs—First—New York Regiment, and was cashiered for a treasonable correspondence with Tryon
after the battle of White Plains. De Fermoy set fire to his house on Mount Independence, at Ticonderoga,
in 1777, thereby revealing to the enemy the evacuation in progress. Had Andre 1 exhibited a presence of mind worthy of his reputation for sagacity, the die had been cast which
sealed the fate of the Highland passes.—Leake. * In the first place, page 8.
*
