The last ]}ro])osition was met by a gravely advanced argument in favour of dro]^ping the Van from the last name and sim])ly calling the place " Warton-the-Hudson." For a short time, Greenburgh was accepted as a compromise, and Dol:)bs Ferry became Greenburgh to the ])Ost-office authorities, but as a cjuiet after-thought the old name was finally restored. There are at this place numerous shell-heaps, and other indications that at one time the Indian population was a large one, but there is no record of any particular event connected with its history till the dark days of 1776, when its situation in relation to the Palisades brought it for a time into prominence. From no nearer point above Spuyten Duyvil could a landingplace upon the opposite side of the river be secured, owing to the precipitous cliffs. For this reason we find that the dispatches of both the British and American commanders bear frequent references to Dobbs Ferry. After the battle of White Plains the British force encamped here for eight days. From here. Lord Corn-

228 The Hudson River

wallis crossed the river into New Jersey. Here are the remains of several redoubts and a fort, though there was no land engagement at Dobbs Ferry. When Arnold arranged his first interview, relative to the betrayal of West Point, with Andre, he was to meet him at Dobbs Ferry, but as the name seems to have applied equally to the eastern and western landings, it is uncertain which side of the river was indicated. We know that the plan miscarried, and the treacherous American general was so closely pursued by a British gunboat that he narrowly escaped capture. After the condemnation of Andre, General Greene met Sir Henry Clinton at Dobbs Ferry to discuss the possibility of ameliorating his sentence. Here, in 1777, General Lincoln's division of the Continental army camped for a short time.