The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

342 LIFE OF WASHINGTON. [1780.
acter. Till this time no one about him knew who he
was, or that he held a military rank. He submitted
the letter to Major Tallmadge and other officers, who
read it with astonishment.
Having finished his interview with the French commanders, Washington returned from Hartford by the
upper route through Fishkill. Consequently the express, who was sent with the papers, and who took the
lower route, by which Washington had gone to Hartford, did not meet him, but came back to North Castle.
In the mean time Washington pursued his journey by
the way of Fishkill to West Point. Two or three
hours before he reached Arnold's house, which was on
the side of the river opposite to West Point and at
a considerable distance below, the messenger arrived
there with the letter from Jameson, by which Arnold
was informed of the capture of Andre. He read it with
some degree of agitation, and, pretending that he was
suddenly called to West Point, mounted a horse standing at the door, rode to the river, entered his barge, and
ordered the men to row down the stream. When the
barge approached King's Ferry, he held up a white
handkerchief, and the officer, who commanded at Verplanck's Point, supposing it to be a flag-boat, allowed it
to pass without inspection. Arnold proceeded directly
to the Vulture, which was still at anchor in the river
near the place where Andre had left it.
Washington arrived at Arnold's house, and went over
to West Point, without hearing any thing of Arnold.
On his return, however, in the afternoon, he received
the abovementioned letter from Andr6, and the papers
found in his boots, which had been forwarded from
North Castle. The plot was now unravelled. The first
thing to be done was to secure the posts. Orders
were immediately despatched to all the principal officers,
and every precaution was taken.