CHAPTER XIV.

Champe's Adventure-Indian Warfare-Fate of Huddy-Further History of Ethan Allen-New Hampshire Grants-Controversies with Vermont-British attempts to seduce Vermont-Independence of Vermont recognized.

SERGEANT CHAMPE's adventure, as told by Major Henry Lee,* seems to belong to the treason of Arnold:

While the fate of André was still in suspense, General Washington determined, if it was possible to get possession of Arnold, he would make him the victim, and use his influence to spare the life of the young officer who had placed himself in the situation of a spy. He sent for, and consulted Major Lee. The plan proposed was, for a trusty and intelligent man to present himself as a deserter to the enemy, and enlist in the corps that was then forming under Arnold's particular patronage; and then by the aid of certain persons in New York with whom Washington corresponded, to seize the traitor, and bring him off to a party on the west side of the Hudson, who should be ready to receive him. Lee mentioned the sergeant-major of his legion as being a man fit for the enterprize, but feared that his sense of honour, and the expectations he had of receiving a commission, would prevent his consenting even to appear in the character of a deserter. The general commissioned Lee to give assurances that he would stand between the sergeant and disgrace, and advanced every argument that could be suggested to engage him in the enterprize. Lee departed, furnished with full instructions, and letters to the agents in New York who were to join in the attempt. After a long conference with Champe, the major prevailed upon the sergeant to undertake the execution of the scheme; and as no time was to be lost, he immediately prepared himself and his horse for the perilous expedition. Champe entered into the plan, as it proved, with all his soul. That very night, having made himself master of Washington's instructions, (one of which was in no case to take the life of Arnold, as that would be interpreted assassination, whereas a solemn sacrifice of the criminal was the object to be attained,) he a little before

* Memoirs of the war in the Southern Department.

midnight withdrew his horse from the picket, and with his cloak, sword, valise, and orderly book, mounted to pursue his way to Paulus Hook, by such routes as his experience suggested to be best for avoiding patrol or scouting parties. Scarcely half an hour had elapsed, when Lee's lieutenant brought him information that a patrol had fallen in with a dragoon, who on being challenged had clapped spurs to his horse and escaped. The subaltern was all impatience for orders to send off men in pursuit, and the major tried by every device to delay such an unwelcome procedure. He feigned the dulness of a man awakened from sound sleep, although his anxiety had prevented any approach to that state; he affected to believe that it could not be a dragoon; or if one, that his intention was not desertion. The lieutenant pressed the matter-paraded the troop, and showed that one was missing, and that one Sergeant-major Champe. "I have ordered a party for pursuit," added the zealous officer," and they only await your orders." Lee delayed as long as possible; but orders must be given, and the dragoons were spurred on to overtake the supposed deserter by every motive which the honour of the corps could suggest. The leader of the pursuers was nominated by Lee; he was sent for and received his orders. This was a young cornet. Off the party dashed, leaving the major in a state of extreme anxiety. About three o'clock in the afternoon, Lee was called from his tent by the shouts of his soldiers, and he saw the cornet approaching with his party, one of the dragoon's leading the sergeant-major's well-known horse, with his cloak, sword-scabbard, and other accoutrements. That Champe was dead, and that he had occasioned his death, was the heart-rending thought this appearance suggested to Lee. The cornet reported that they had traced the deserter during the night by the marks of his horse's shoes, left on the road, owing to a recent shower of rain. (The shoes of the dragoon horses were unlike others.) That at daybreak he continued with more speed in the chase, and as he approached Bergen, gained sight of Champe, who likewise saw his pursuers. At the village of Bergen, the sergeant-major, after riding through several devious streets, took the road to the right, determining to make for some British galleys that he knew were stationed near the shore, and not approach Paulus Hook, as was at first intended. This change of course baffled the cornet for a time; but gaining information from a countryman who had seen a dragoon spurring out of the village, the party again pushed forward upon the track of the fugitive. When in sight of the galleys, Champe made a halt. tied his valise (which contained the orderly book, his clothes, money, etc.) to his shoulders, drew his sword, and again spurred for the shore. This momentary halt brought his pursuers within a few hundred yards of him. When near the marshy edge of the water, the sergeant dismounted, rushed

through the sedge, threw himself into the water, and called on the galleys for help. A boat was launched to receive the deserter, (as no one could doubt him to be,) and some guns were fired to keep off his pursuers. The report of the party who had returned with the sergeant-major's horse, cloak, scabbard, and accoutrements, eased Major Lee of his apprehensions for the safety of Champe.

The account given by the commander of the galleys of what he had witnessed, would be an ample credential for the sergeant. He was examined by Sir Henry Clinton, received with favour, found an opportunity to communicate with the agents of Washington, residing in New York; and to further the plan, enlisted in Arnold's legion.

One of those to whom Champe was introduced, prepared every thing for seizing and carrying off the traitor; Champe communicated his progress to Lee, who, by the general's orders, prepared to receive Arnold. In the mean time, André was condemned and executed. Therefore the only end in view by the capture of Arnold was his punishment. Champe gave notice to Major Lee, that being appointed one of the recruiting sergeants for Arnold's legion, he had every necessary opportunity for the execution of the plan. Adjoining to the garden of the house in which Arnold resided was an alley; and by removing some of the palings, and replacing them in apparent security, the conspirators were to enter, guided by Champe, seize their intended victim when he returned, as was his invariable custom, at midnight, from his visits of business or pleasure, and retire to the garden. They were to gag him, carry him off through the alley, and to a boat prepared and lying at a wharf on the north river. If questioned, they were to represent him as a drunken soldier whom they were conveying to the guard-house. Washington ordered Lee to be ready on the opposite shore to receive Arnold, and prevent any personal injury to him. The major repaired at night to the appointed place, with a party of dragoons. Hour after hour passed, but no boat approached. The day broke, and with the led horses prepared for Champe and his prisoner, Lee returned to camp. In a few days he was informed by the agent in New York, that on the day previous to the appointed night, Arnold had removed his quarters to be near the place of embarkation for the expedition to the Chesapeake; and that the legion, to which Champe was attached, had been shipped among the first of the troops, for fear of the men deserting. Thus the sergeant-major was entrapped, and instead of crossing the Hudson with his general as a prisoner, was carried off to Virginia, and employed in warfare against his countrymen. From this unwelcome service he found means to free himself, and when Lee's legion was acting against Cornwallis in the south, the sergeant-major most unexpectedly joined his old comrades; and the mystery of his flight,

with the whole story, being soon known, he was received by the corps with applause and welcome.

After the treason of Arnold, the military transactions of the war were principally transferred to the south. General Gates, at Camden, lost an army and his reputation. Daniel Morgan became a general, and famous for the defeat of Tarleton, at the Cowpens, and Washington terminated the war, in fact, by the surrender of Cornwallis and his army, at York, in Virginia. General Greene took the place of Gates, who was doomed to a court of enquiry, which was never held; but General Washington restored him to his command and rank, as oldest major-general.

1780

At midsummer, in 1780, Brandt, the Indian chief before mentioned, with a body of tories and Indians, laid waste the district of Canajoharie, at a time when the militia were on service at Fort Schuyler. Sir John Johnson wreaked his vengeance on Schoharie, which he burnt, and with his savages on the 18th of October, laid Caughnawaga in ruins, sweeping with the besom of destruction the valley of the Schoharie Creek. Johnson passed up the north side of the Mohawk, burning all in his course. General Van Rensselaer, who commanded in this district, ordered out Colonel Brown with his militia; but they were not in sufficient force to withstand the enemy, and the colonel, and thirty of his men, fell in the attempt. Johnson took post near the Mohawk castle, or village, and fortified the spot, by a breastwork thrown across a neck of land, in part surrounded by the Mohawk River. Here he placed his regiment of regulars and tories. His Indians occupied an elevated wood, in his neighbourhood. General Van Rensselaer attacked the Indians, drove them from their cover, and they fled towards the Susquehanna. Johnson's troops resisted until night, and under its cover they escaped from the intended attack of the next day.

Johnson and his tories, Indians, Canadians, and Englishmen, in October, 1780, left the vale of the Schoharie Creek, strewed with the wrecks of a happy population, notwithstanding the brave resistance of the inhabitants, who in many encounters with these savages displayed a courage worthy of the cause they fought in the cause of humanity.

1781

Early in 1781, while yet the country was covered with snow, the enemy succeeded in capturing several of the garrison of Fort Schuyler, and Major Nicholas Fish, one of our very worthy citizens, but lately deceased, by great efforts succeeded in relieving the garrison. In July, Colonel Marinus Willet commanded at this fort. A party of three hundred Indians and tories, led by one John Doxtader, were scouring the Mohawk valley, and had even burned a village within a short distance of Schenectady, when Willet, ever prompt, and active, having by his scouts learned their number and situation, marched with one hundred and six men, during a dark night, to the vicinity of the enemy's camp, which was

in a thick swamp near Cherry Valley. Major McKean joined Willet with thirty men; and they came in sight of the swamp about daybreak. Colonel Willet drew up his party in two parallel lines, and ordered them to conceal themselves behind trees. Major McKean occupied the right, and Willet, with one hundred men, the left of the line. Two men were sent to pass over an open piece of ground as a decoy, with orders when discovered by the enemy, to run in between the two lines. The plan succeeded. The Indians raised their war cry and pursued the fugitives; but as they approached the ambush they were received by a deadly fire from right and left. They retreated, and betook themselves to trees for shelter but Willet now ordered a charge with the bayonet, and, waving his hat with a hurrah, led on his men, driving the savage foe through the encampment, which, with all their recently accumulated plunder, fell into the hands of the victors. The enemy was pursued toward the Susquehanna.

Marinus Willet was for a time mayor of the city of New York; and when in advanced life he could be induced to speak of Indian warfare, the old man would say, "there is nothing like encouraging your men with a hurrah; I was always good at a hurrah:" and he was a soldier that not only cheered his men, but led them. About a month after this, a party of British, Indians, and tories, penetrated from Canada, and encamped in the neighbourhood of Johnson Hall. It was about a mile from the village of Johnstown, to the north. Colonel Willet marched from his garrison with three hundred men, on the 22d of August, determined to attack the invaders, although they amounted to at least six hundred, under the command of Major Ross, and the savage, Walter Butler. Ross advanced from his encampment with all his force, and met Willet with only two hundred men, he having detached Colonel Harper to make a circuit through the woods, and fall on the enemy's rear. At the first fire from this superiour force, Willet's men gave way, and fled to the hall, where he endeavoured to rally them, but in vain. They retreated to the village, and here he was joined by a body of two hundred militia. In the mean time, Harper had gained the rear of the enemy, and commenced an attack. Willet now advanced, and routed the barbarians, who were pursued through the wilderness for miles. The murderer of Cherry Valley, Walter Butler, was killed by an Oneida Indian during the pursuit. A party of this tribe (which had been uniformly on the American side) had joined in pursuing the routed enemy; and Butler, on horseback, reached the West Canada Creek, and swam his horse over. One of the Oneidas was on the bank opposite to Butler, when he turned and defied his pursuers. The Indian discharged his rifle, and the murderer fell. "Throwing down his rifle and blanket," says Mr. Campbell, "the Indian plunged into the