170 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



rules of honor. Arnold replied, that all this was nothing to the purpose ; 

 that they were prisoners and must remain on board. Capt. Sutherland, 

 disdaining so pitiful an action — though he did not interefere with the posi- 

 tive command of Arnold — told the man that he would take his parole and 

 he might go on shore and procure clothes and whatever else was wamted 

 for himself and his companions. This was accordingly done the same 

 day. When these men arrived in New York, Sir Henry Clinton, hold- 

 ing in just contempt such a wanton act of meanness, set them all at 

 liberty." 1 * 



As soon as Washington had 'solved the mystery, "and the whole ex- 

 tent of the plot was made manifest, Hamilton was immediately ordered 

 to mount a horse and ride to Verplanck's Point, that preparations might 

 be made for stopping Arnold, should he not already have passed that 

 post." " But Col. Hamilton's mission proved too late. It could hardly 

 have been otherwise, for Arnold had got the start by six hours. He left 

 his house about ten o'clock in the morning, and his treachery was not 

 known to Washington till nearly four o'clock in the afternoon. When 

 Hamilton arrived at Verplanck's Point, a flag of truce was coming, or 

 had come from the Vulture to that post with a letter from Arnold to 

 Washington." 6 



" The case of Col. Livingston is worthy of notice. He commanded 

 at Verplanck's Point, and from the proximity of his post to the enemy, 

 and several concurring circumstances, might be very fairly presumed to 

 have been either directly or indirectly concerned in Arnold's manoeuvres. 

 By a very laconic letter, Washington ordered that officer to come to him 

 immediately. Livingston expected, at least, a severe scrutiny into his 

 conduct ; being fully aware, though conscious of his innocence, that 

 circumstances were unfavorable. But Washington made no inquiries 

 into the past, nor uttered a syllable that implied distrust. He told 

 Col. Livingston that he had sent for him to give him very special orders, 

 to impress upon him the danger of his post and the necessity of vigilance, 

 and to communicate other particulars, which could only be done in a 

 personal interview. In conclusion he said it was a source of gratification 

 to him, that the post was in the hands of an officer, whose courage and 

 devotedness to the cause of his country afforded a pledge of a faithful 

 and honorable discharge of duty. Let the reader imagine the grateful 

 emotions of Col. Livingston, his increased esteem for his commander, 

 and the alacrity with which, under such an impulse, he went back to 

 his station of high trust and danger." 



a Sparks' Life of Arnold, p. 241, 2-3. 

 b Sparks' Life of Arnold, 249. 

 c Sparks' Life of Arnold, p. 253. 



