Hitherto he had pleaded the bad state of his wounds as an excuse for inaction ; now they healed rapidly. He appeared anxious to join his old companions in arms; and to General Schuyler, and other influential men, then in Congress, he expressed an ai'dent desire to be in the camp or in the field. They believed him to be sincere, and rejoiced. They wrote cheering letters to "Washington on the subject ; and, pursuant to Arnold's intim"ation, they suggested the pro-

THE HUDSON. 291

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priety of appointing him to the command of "West Point, the most important post in the country. Aj."nold visited "Washington's camp at the same time/and, in a modest way, expressed a desire to have a command like that of West Point, as his wounds would not permit him to perform very active service on horsebackj

The change surprised AVashingtou, yet he was unsuspicious of wrong. He gave Arnold the command of ""West Point and its dependencies," and furnished him with written instructions on the 3rd of August, 1780. Then it was thatTArnold made his head-quarters at Beverly, and worked vigorously for'thP consummation of his treasonable designs. There he was joined by his wife and infant son. He at once communicated, in his disguised writing and commercial phraseology, under the signature of Gusfavus, his plan to Sir Henry Clinton, through Major Andre, whom he addressed as "John Anderson. '1 That plan we have already alluded to. Sir Henry was delighted with it, and eagerly sought to carry it out. He was not yet fully aware of the real character behind " Gustavus," although for several months he had suspected it to be General Arnold. Unwilling to proceed further upon uncertainties, he proposed sending an oificer to some point near the American lines, who should have a personal interview with his correspondent.