washington and his comrades in arms-第26章

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o　but　to　wait。　The　French　preserved　an　admirable　discipline。　Against　their　army　there　are　no　records　of　outrage　and　plunder　such　as　we　have　against　the　German　allies　of　the　British。　We　must　remember；　however；　that　the　French　were　serving　in　the　country　of　their　friends；　with　every　restraint　of　good　feeling　which　this　involved。　Rochambeau　told　his　men　that　they　must　not　be　the　theft　of　a　bit　of　wood；　or　of　any　vegetables；　or　of　even　a　sheaf　of　straw。　He　threatened　the　vice　which　he　called　〃sonorous　drunkenness；〃　and　even　lack　of　cleanliness；　with　sharp　punishment。　The　result　was　that　a　month　after　landing　he　could　say　that　not　a　cabbage　had　been　stolen。　Our　credulity　is　strained　when　we　are　told　that　apple　trees　with　their　fruit　overhung　the　tents　of　his　soldiers　and　remained　untouched。　Thousands　flocked　to　see　the　French　camp。　The　bands　played　and　Puritan　maidens　of　all　grades　of　society　danced　with　the　young　French　officers　and　we　are　told；　whether　we　believe　it　or　not；　that　there　was　the　simple　innocence　of　the　Garden　of　Eden。　The　zeal　of　the　French　officers　and　the　friendly　disposition　of　the　men　never　failed。　There　had　been　bitter　quarrels　in　1778　and　1779　and　now　the　French　were　careful　to　be　on　their　good　behavior　in　America。　Rochambeau　had　been　instructed　to　place　himself　under　the　command　of　Washington；　to　whom　were　given　the　honors　of　a　Marshal　of　France。　The　French　admiral；　had；　however；　been　given　no　such　instructions　and　Washington　had　no　authority　over　the　fleet。


Meanwhile　events　were　happening　which　might　have　brought　a　British　triumph。　On　September　14；　1780；　there　arrived　and　anchored　at　Sandy　Hook；　New　York；　fourteen　British　ships　of　the　line　under　Rodney；　the　doughtiest　of　the　British　admirals　afloat。　Washington；　with　his　army　headquarters　at　West　Point；　on　guard　to　keep　the　British　from　advancing　up　the　Hudson；　was　looking　for　the　arrival；　not　of　a　British　fleet；　but　of　a　French　fleet；　from　the　West　Indies。　For　him　these　were　very　dark　days。　The　recent　defeat　at　Camden　was　a　crushing　blow。　Congress　was　inept　and　had　in　it　men；　as　the　patient　General　Greene　said；　〃without　principles；　honor　or　modesty。〃　The　coming　of　the　British　fleet　was　a　new　and　overwhelming　discouragement；　and；　on　the　18th　of　September；　Washington　left　West　Point　for　a　long　ride　to　Hartford　in　Connecticut；　half　way　between　the　two　headquarters；　there　to　take　counsel　with　the　French　general。　Rochambeau；　it　was　said；　had　been　purposely　created　to　understand　Washington；　but　as　yet　the　two　leaders　had　not　met。　It　is　the　simple　truth　that　Washington　had　to　go　to　the　French　as　a　beggar。　Rochambeau　said　later　that　Washington　was　afraid　to　reveal　the　extent　of　his　distress。　He　had　to　ask　for　men　and　for　ships；　but　he　had　also　to　ask　for　what　a　proud　man　dislikes　to　ask；　for　money　from　the　stranger　who　had　come　to　help　him。

The　Hudson　had　long　been　the　chief　object　of　Washington's　anxiety　and　now　it　looked　as　if　the　British　intended　some　new　movement　up　the　river；　as　indeed　they　did。　Clinton　had　not　expected　Rodney's　squadron；　but　it　arrived　opportunely　and；　when　it　sailed　up　to　New　York　from　Sandy　Hook；　on　the　16th　of　September；　he　began　at　once　to　embark　his　army；　taking　pains　at　the　same　time　to　send　out　reports　that　he　was　going　to　the　Chesapeake。　Washington　concluded　that　the　opposite　was　true　and　that　he　was　likely　to　be　going　northward。　At　West　Point；　where　the　Hudson　flows　through　a　mountainous　gap；　Washington　had　strong　defenses　on　both　shores　of　the　river。　His　batteries　commanded　its　whole　width；　but　shore　batteries　were　ineffective　against　moving　ships。　The　embarking　of　Clinton's　army　meant　that　he　planned　operations　on　land。　He　might　be　going　to　Rhode　Island　or　to　Boston　but　he　might　also　dash　up　the　Hudson。　It　was　an　anxious　leader　who；　with　La　Fayette　and　Alexander　Hamilton；　rode　away　from　headquarters　to　Hartford。

The　officer　in　command　at　West　Point　was　Benedict　Arnold。　No　general　on　the　American　side　had　a　more　brilliant　record　or　could　show　more　scars　of　battle。　We　have　seen　him　leading　an　army　through　the　wilderness　to　Quebec；　and　incurring　hardships　almost　incredible。　Later　he　is　found　on　Lake　Champlain；　fighting　on　both　land　and　water。　When　in　the　next　year　the　Americans　succeeded　at　Saratoga　it　was　Arnold　who　bore　the　brunt　of　the　fighting。　At　Quebec　and　again　at　Saratoga　he　was　severely　wounded。　In　the　summer　of　1778　he　was　given　the　command　at　Philadelphia；　after　the　British　evacuation。　It　was　a　troubled　time。　Arnold　was　concerned　with　confiscations　of　property　for　treason　and　with　disputes　about　ownership。　Impulsive；　ambitious；　and　with　a　certain　element　of　coarseness　in　his　nature；　he　made　enemies。　He　was　involved　in　bitter　strife　with　both　Congress　and　the　State　government　of　Pennsylvania。　After　a　period　of　tension　and　privation　in　war；　one　of　slackness　and　luxury　is　almost　certain　to　follow。　Philadelphia；　which　had　recently　suffered　for　want　of　bare　necessities；　now　relapsed　into　gay　indulgence。　Arnold　lived　extravagantly。　He　played　a　conspicuous　part　in　society　and；　a　widower　of　thirty…five；　was　successful　in　paying　court　to　Miss　Shippen；　a　young　lady　of　twenty；　with　whom；　as　Washington　said；　all　the　American　officers　were　in　love。

Malignancy　was　rampant　and　Arnold　was　pursued　with　great　bitterness。　Joseph　Reed；　the　President　of　the　Executive　Council　of　Pennsylvania；　not　only　brought　charge　against　him　of　abusing　his　position　for　his　own　advantage；　but　also　laid　the　charges　before　each　State　government。　In　the　end　Arnold　was　tried　by　court…martial　and　after　long　and　inexcusable　delay；　on　January　26；　1780；　he　was　acquitted　of　everything　but　the　imprudence　of　using；　in　an　emergency；　public　wagons　to　remove　private　property；　and　of　granting　irregularly　a　pass　to　a　ship　to　enter　the　port　of　Philadelphia。　Yet　the　court　ordered　that　for　these　trifles　Arnold　should　receive　a　public　reprimand　from　the　Commander…in…Chief。　Washington　gave　the　reprimand　in　terms　as　gentle　as　possible；　and　when；　in　July；　1780；　Arnold　asked　for　the　important　command　at　West　Point；　Washington　readily　complied　probably　with　relief　that　so　important　a　position　should　be　in　such　good　hands。

The　treason　of　Arnold　now　came　rapidly　to　a　head。　The　man　was　embittered。　He　had　rendered　great　services　and　yet　had　been　persecuted　with　spiteful　persistence。　The　truth　seems　to　be；　too；　that　Arnold　thought　America　ripe　for　reconciliation　with　Great　Britain。　He　dreamed　that　he　might　be　the　saviour　of　his　country。　Monk　had　reconciled　the　English　republic　to　the　restored　Stuart　King　Charles　II；　Arnold　might　reconcile　the　American　republic　to　George　III　for　the　good　of　both。　That　reconciliation　he　believed　was　widely　desired　in　America。　He　tried　to　persuade　himself　that　to　change　sides　in　this　civil　strife　was　no　more　culpable　then　to　turn　from　one　party　to　another　in　political　life。　He　forgot；　however；　that　it　is　never　honorable　to　betray　a　trust。

It　is　almost　certain　that　Arnold　received　a　large　sum　in　money　for　his　treachery。　However　this　may　be；　there　was　treason　in　his　heart　when　he　asked　for　and　received　the　command　at　West　Point；　and　he　intended　to　use　his　authority　to　surrender　that　vital　post　to　the　British。　And　now　on　the　18th　of　September　Washington　was　riding　northeastward　into　Connecticut；　British　troops　were　on　board　ships　in　New　York　and　all　was　ready。　On　the　20th　of　September　the　Vulture；　sloop　of　war；　sailed　up　the　Hudson　from　New　York　and　anchored　at　Stony　Point；　a　few　miles　below　West　Point。　On　board　the　Vulture　was　the　British　officer　who　was　treating　with　Arnold　and　who　now　came　to　arrange　terms　with　him；　Major　John　Andre；　Clinton's　young　adjutant　general；　a　man　of　attractive　personality。　Under　cover　of　night　Arnold　sent　off　a　boat　to　bring　Andre　ashore　to　a　remote　thicket　of　fir　trees；　outside　the　American　lines。　There　the　final　plans　were　made。　The　British　fleet；　carrying　an　army；　was　to　sail　up　the　river。　A　heavy　chain　had　been　placed　across　the　river　at　West　Point　to　bar　the　way　of　hostile　ships。　Under　pretense　of　repairs　a　link　was　to　be　taken　out　and　replaced　by　a　rope　which　would　break　easily。　The　defenses　of　West　Point　were　to　be　so　arranged　that　they　could　not　meet　a　sudden　attack　and　Arnold　was　to　surrender　with　his　force　of　three　thousand　men。　Such　a　blow　following　the　disasters　at　Charleston　and　Camden　might　end　the　strife。　Britain　was　prepared　to　yield　everything　but　separation；　and　America；　Arnold　said；　could　now　make　an　honorable　peace。

A　chapter　of　accidents　prevented　the　testing。　Had　Andre　been　rowed　ashore　by　British　tars　they　could　have　taken　him　back　to　the　ship　at　his　command　before　daylight。　As　it　was　the　American　boatmen；　suspicious　perhaps　of　the　meaning　of　this　talk　at　midnight　between　an　American　officer　and　a　British　officer；　both　of　them　in　uniform；　refused　to　row　Andre　back　to　the　ship　because　their　own　return　would　be　dangerous　in　daylight。　Contrary　to　his　instructions　and　wishes　Andre　accompanied　Arnold　to　a　house　within　the　American　lines　to　wait　until　he　could　be　taken　off　under　cover　of　night。　Meanwhile；　however；　an　American　battery　on　shore；　angry　at　the　Vulture；　lying　defiantly　within　range；　opened　fire　upon　her　and　she　dropped　down　stream　some　miles。　This　was　alarming。　Arnold；　however；　arranged　with　a　man　to　row　Andre　down　the　river　and　about　midday　went　back　to　West　Point。

It　was　uncertain　how　far　the　Vulture　had　gone。　The　vigilance　of　those　guarding　the　river　was　aroused　and　Andre's　guide　insisted　that　he　should　go　to　the　British　lines　by　land。　He　was　carrying　compromising　papers　and　wearing　civilian　dress　when　seized　by　an　American　party　and　held　under　close　arrest。　Arnold　meanwhile；　ignorant　of　this　delay；　was　waiting　for　the　expected　advance　up　the　river　of　the　British　fleet。　He　learned　of　the　arrest　of　Andre　while　at　breakfast　on　the　morning　of　the　twenty…fifth；　waiting　to　be　joined　by　Washington；　who　had　just　ridden　in　from　Hartford。　Arnold　received　the　startling　news　with　extraordinary　composure；　finished　the　subject　under　discussion；　and　then　left　the　table　under　pretext　of　a　summons　from　across　the　river。　Within　a　few　minutes　his　barge　was　moving　swiftly　to　the　Vulture　eighteen　miles　away。　Thus　Arnold　escaped。　The　unhappy　Andre　was　hanged　as　a　spy　on　the　2d　of　October。　He　met　his　fate　bravely。　Washington；　it　is　said；　shed　tears　at　its　stern　necessity　under　military　law。　Forty　years　later　the　bones　of　Andre　were　reburied　in　Westminster　Abbey；　a　tribute　of　pity　for　a　fine　officer。

The　treason　of　Arnold　is　not　in　itself　important；　yet　Washington　wrote　with　deep　conviction　that　Providence　had　directly　intervened　to　save　the　American　cause。　Arnold　might　be　only　one　of　many。　Washington　said；　indeed；　that　it　was　a　wonder　there　were　not　more。　In　a　civil　war　every　one　of　importance　is　likely　to　have　ties　with　both　sides；　regrets　for　the　friends　he　has　lost；　misgivings　in　respect　to　the　course　he　has　adopted。　In　April；　1779；　Arnold　had　begun　his　treason　by　expressing　discontent　at　the　alliance　with　France　then　working　so　disastrously。　His　future　lay　before　him；　he　was　still　under　forty；　he　had　just　married　into　a　family　of　position；　he　expected　that　both　he　and　his　descendants　would　spend　their　lives　in　America　and　he　must　have　known　that　contempt　would　follow　them　for　the　conduct　which　he　planned　if　it