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.

The British general, Clinton, also appears to have appreciated the value of this post, and it is probable that the purchase of it had been arranged with Arnold some months prior to the detection of the plot. It was when Washington marclied to Kingsbridge, with a view to the attempt on New York, and when he had mustered under him every man who could carry a musket, that he placed Arnold in command of a corps of invalids at West Point.

The commander-in-chief had offered him a command suitable to his rank and reputation in the army, but he niade the unhealed state of his wounds, and so;ne other causes, the pretext for declitiing it, as the negotiations for the surrender of West Point had already commenced. Soon after the relinquishment of the enterprize against New York, a meeting was concerted to take place between the American commander-in-chief and the French military and naval commanders. Hartford, on the ( onnecticut river was the place assigned for their meeting; the object was to consult on their future joint operations.