THE TOWN OF GREENBURGH. 277 



departed from Smith's house, he urged Smith to go back with Andre to 

 the Vulture as soon as it should be dark ; yet the matter seems to have 

 b>een undecided, for he wrote and gave to Smith two passports (dating 

 them ' Head Quarters,') one authorizing him to go by water, and the 

 other by land. 



" The former was in these words: 'Joshua Smith has permission to 

 pass with a boat and three hands, and a flag, to Dobb's Ferry, on public 

 business, and to return immediately. ' " a 



After the trial of Andre at Tappan, and his letters and those of Wash- 

 ington, as well as the proceedings of the board of examination, had been 

 received by Sir Henry Clinton, then in New York, it was resolved by 

 Clinton and a board of general officers, " That a deputation of three 

 persons should proceed to the nearest American out-post, furnished with 

 evidence to prove Major Andre's innocence, and to impart information 

 which Sir Henry Clinton thought would place the question in a different 

 light from that in which it had been viewed by the American board. The 

 persons delegated on this mission were General Robertson, Andrew 

 Elliot, and William Smith. They were accompanied by Beverly Robin- 

 son as a witness in the case ; and were, fortified in their estimation, but 

 weakened in reality, by a long explanatory and threatening letter from 

 Arnold to General Washington. The commissioners went up the river 

 in the Greyhound schooner, with a flag of truce, on the first of October. 

 Notice of the intended visit and its objects had been already communi- 

 cated by Sir Henry Clinton to Washington ; and when the vessel an- 

 chored at Dobb's Ferry, General Greene was there, having been deputed 

 by Washington to hold the interview on his behalf. The person sent on 

 shore by the British commissioners brought word back, that General 

 Robertson only would be permitted to land, and that General Greene 

 was then in readiness to receive him. 



The conference was opened by Robertson, who paid some compli- 

 ments to the American general, and expressed the satisfaction he had 

 in treating with him, on an occasion so interesting to the two armies and 

 to humanity. Greene replied, that it was necessary for them to know at 

 the outset on what ground they stood : that he was not there in the 

 character of an officer ; that he was allowed by General Washington to 

 meet him as a private gentleman, but that the case of an acknowledged 

 spy admitted of no discussion. Robertson said his design was to state 

 facts, which he hoped would have their due weight, in whatever character 

 he might be supposed to speak. 



a Sparks' Life of Benedict Arnold, 209 -JO. 



