300 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



wounds, and some other causes, the pretext for declining it — as the 

 negotiations for the surrender of West Point had already commenced. 

 Soon after the relinquishment of the enterprise against New York, a 

 meeting was concerted to take place between the American commander- 

 in-chief and the French military and naval commanders. Hartford, on 

 the Connecticut river, was the place assigned for their meeting; the 

 object was to consult on their future joint operations. Upon the depar- 

 ture of Washington for this meeting, Greene was placed in command of 

 the main army. This was on the 17th of September, 1780. On the 

 eighteenth, Admiral Rodney arrived in New York with such an over- 

 whelming reinforcement to the British navy as must have set the con- 

 sultations at Hartford all at nought. From that time Greene's communica- 

 tions to the President of Congress are full of the hurried preparations 

 going on at New York for some important enterprise ; little did he, or 

 any other person suspect to what point that enterprise was directed. 



It appears that General Greene had established a regular communi- 

 cation for obtaining intelligence from the city by spies ; and his corres- 

 pondents in that place were at loss whether the expedition was intended 

 for Rhode Island or Virginia. To one or other of these places the 

 enemy had been careful to throw out hints, or exhibit appearances, that 

 the expedition was directed. 



Yet Green was not deceived; for in a letter on the 21st (just two days 

 before the discovery of. the plot) to General Washington, he writes, 



* Colonel ■ communicated the last intelligence we have from 



New York ; since that, I have not been able to obtain the least inform- 

 ation of what is going on there. Though we have people in from three 

 different quarters, none of them returning, makes me suspect some 

 secret expedition is in contemplation, the success of which depends alto- 

 gether upon its being kept a secret." 



The British commander had now become sensible that no time was 

 to be lost ; as, most probably, on the return of Washington from Hart- 

 ford, he would assume the command in person at West Point, or confide 

 it to Greene. The present, therefore, was the most favorable time that 

 would ever present itself* 



Andre was, accordingly, dispatched in the Vulture, sloop of war, to 

 hold a personal conference with General Arnold. The Vulture ascended 

 the Hudson river on the 20th, as far as Teller's Point, and came to 

 anchor at the mouth of the Haverstraw bay. Here Andre eagerly awaited 

 some opportunity to acquaint Arnold with his arrival. An occasion for 

 so doing presented itself the next day. A white flag was displayed at 

 a See Barnum's Spy Unmasked. 



