History of Westchester County, New York, from its Earliest Settlement to the Year 1900
Paulding, Williams, and Van Wart were invited to meet General rs, on which ocWashington at Verplanck's Point at his headquarte casion the medals were presented to them with ceremony, and they had the honor of dining with him. The State of New York also gave a farm to each of the captors.
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CAPTURE
ANDRE
To the foregoing succinct narrative of the capture of Andre a variety of particulars of incidental importance and interest require to be added. It was by the merest chance that the complot of Sir Henry Clinton and Benedict Arnold was not brought to a successful issue on the 11th of September, the time first appointed for the interview of Arnold and Andre. Arnold came down the river on the afternoon of the 10th, spent that night at the Smith house near Haverstraw, and the next day went farther down and waited till night at a place opposite Dobbs Ferry. Andre did not come. Although the principals to the transaction were the British commander in New York and the American commander on the Hudson, it was not such an easy matter to bring about a meeting for purposes of treachery on the wellwatched shores of the river. Indeed the whole history of this affair shows that the simple object in view, that of exchanging understandings and substantial equivalents, was beset with great difficulties aud embarrassments. It was an ill-starred enterprise from beginning to end, the only lucky feature connected with it being the final
escape of Arnold from Washington's vengeance. From the 12th of September, after Arnold's return from his first before the secattempt to meet Andre, a period of nine days elapsed ond and successful endeavor. It is noteworthy that Andre came up through our county by land as far as Dobbs Ferry, preserving throughout the journey his true character of a British officer.