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 l