The circumstances which led to the arrest of the spy were as follows :

Major John Andre had been long negotiating with the American general, Arnold, to put the British general, Clinton, in possession of West Point. " This post, says Major General Greene, (who. it must be remembered, was president of the court that tried Andre,) is a beautiful little place lying on the west bank of the Hudson, a little below where it breaks through the chain of mountains called the highlands. Its form is nearly circular, in half of its circumference defended by a precipice of great height, rising abruptly from the river, and on the other by a chain of rugged, inaccessible mountains. It is accessible by one pass only from the river, and that is narrow and easily defended, while on the land side it can be approached only at two points by roads that wind through the mountains and enter it at the river bank

Vol. I. ^ 26

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202 HISTORY OF THE

on the north and soutli. Great importance had always bepn attached to this post by the Ainerirans, and irreat labor and expense bestowed npoii fortify ini^ it. It has heen well called the Gibraltar of America. The North river had long lieen the great vein that snpplied life to the American army, and had theenemy obtained possession of this post, besides the actual loss in men and stores, the American army would have been cut oiF from their principal resources in the ensuing' winter, or been obliged to fall back above the Highlands, and leave all the country below open to conquest, while the communicaiion between the eastern and western states would have been seriously interrupted if not wholly excluded. Arnold therefore well kiiew the bearing of this post upon all the operations of the American army, and afterwards avowed his confident expectation, that had the enemy got possession of it, the contest must have ceased, and America been subdued.