A patriot of the Revolution

A historian named Jeptha R. Simms published a two-volume work, "The Frontiersmen of New York," in 1882 and 1883; a microfilm copy is kept in the Family History Library of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Simms had interviewed many sources, including (decades before the publication) Daniel Spencer.

In October 1780, an attempt was made to capture the traitor Gen. Benedict Arnold. After failing to deliver West Point to the British, Arnold had escaped to the English lines. Stationed in New York City, which was controlled by the enemy, Arnold commanded a regiment made up of American deserters.

Anxious to bring Arnold to justice, Gen. George Washington endorsed a plan by Col. Henry ("Light Horse Harry") Lee to capture him.

Arnold must be "brought to me alive," Washington wrote. "No circumstance whatever shall obtain my consent to his being put to death. The Idea which would accompany such an event would be that Ruffians had been hired to assassinate him. My aim is to make a public example of him. . . . "

Sgt.-Maj. John Champe volunteered to pretend to desert and join up with Arnold. On a certain night, Champe and a partner would overpower the traitor and drag him to the waiting Americans.

Believing Champe really was deserting, soldiers from his unit pursued him hotly and almost caught him. The narrow escape was convincing. Champe managed to get into New York and link up with Arnold.

But on the afternoon of the night set for the abduction, Arnold shifted his quarters and the plan fell through.

Meanwhile, Lee went to the rendezvous point with 30 men and two spare horses, one for Champe, the other for his prisoner.

To protect them in case the kidnapping was discovered and they were pursued, 900 infantrymen from the command of Maj. Gen. William Heath were "marched down from the American camp on the west side of the Hudson, to the vicinity of the British posts," Simms wrote.

If the plot failed, Champe might be able to try again. He certainly would be in danger. So to preserve secrecy, the troops could not be filled in on the expedition's purpose.

"They moved forward just at night-fall, and after a tedious march of some hours, the night being dark and rainy, they drew near the river not far from Hoboken. The troops were concealed in the woods beside the road, where they could distinctly hear the sentinels upon a British guard-ship anchored in the river, exclaim at each hour, 'all's well!' When the troops gained this position, sentinels were posted in pairs at short intervals, with arms ready cocked, and were enjoined not to speak aloud on penalty of death. The whole corps were in readiness for immediate action. . . ."