I find is detained a prisoner; my friendship for him leads me to fear he may suffer some inconvenience for want of necessaries; I wish to be allowed to send him a few, and shall take it as a favour if you will be pleased to permit his servant to deliver them. In Sir Henry Clinton's absence it becomes a part of my duty to make this representation and request.

I am. Sir, your Excellency's Most obedient humble servant, JAMES ROBERTSON, Lt. General.

His Excellency General Washington.

Tappan, Sept. 30, 1780.

SIR,

I have just received your letter of the 29th. Any delay which may have attended your flags has proceeded from accident, and the peculiar circumstances of the occasion,—not from intentional neglect or violation. The letter that admitted of an answer, has received one as early as it could be given with propriety, transmitted by a flag this morning. As to messages, I am uninformed of any that have been sent.

The necessaries for Major Andre will be delivered to him, agreeable to your request.

I am, Sir, Tour most obedient humble servant, G. WASHINGTON.

His Excellency Lieut. General Robertson, New York.

New-York, Sept. 30. 1780.

SIR,

From your Excellency's letter of this date, I am persuaded the Board of General Officers, to whom you referred the case of Major Andre, can't have been rightly informed of all the circumstances on which a judgment ought to be formed. I think it of the highest moment to humanity, that your Excellency should be perfectly apprized of the state of this matter, before you proceed to put that judgment in execution.

For this reason, I shall send His Excellency Lieut. General Robertson, and two other gentlemen, to give you a true state of facts, and to declare to you my sentiments and resolutions. They will set out to-morrow as early as the wind and tide will permit, and wait near Dobbs's ferry for your permission and safe conduct, to meet your Excellency, or such persons as you may appoint, to converse with them on this subject.

I have the honour to be, your Excellency's Most obedient and most humble servant, H. CLINTON.

P. S. The Hon. Andrew Elliot, Esq., Lieut. Governor, and the Hon. William Smith, Chief Justice of this province, will attend His Excellency Lieut. General Robertson.

H. C.

His Excellency General Washington.

Lieut. General Robertson, Mr. Elliot, and Mr. Smith came up in a flag vessel to Dobb's ferry, agreeable to the above letter. The two last were not suffered to land. General Robertson was permitted to come on shore, and was met by Major General Greene, who verbally reported that General Robertson mentioned to him in substance what is contained in his letter of the 2d of October to General Washington.

New York, Oct. 1, 1780.

SIR,

I take this opportunity to inform your Excellency, that I consider myself no longer acting under the commission of Congress; Their last to me being among my papers at West Point, you Sir, will make such use of it, as you think proper.

At the same time, I beg leave to assure your Excellency, that my attachment to the true interest of my country is invariable, and that I am actuated by the same principle which has ever been the governing rule of my conduct, in this unhappy contest.

I have the honour to be, very respectfully, Your Excellency's most obedient humble servant, B. ARNOLD.

His Excellency General Washington.

Greyhound Schooner, Flag of Truce,
Dobbs's Ferry, October 2, 1780.

SIR,

A note I have from General Greene, leaves me in doubt if his memory had served him, to relate to you with exactness the substance of the conversation that had passed between him and myself, on the subject of Major Andre. In an affair of so much consequence to my friend, to the two armies, and humanity, I would leave no possibility of a misunderstanding, and therefore take the liberty to put in writing the substance of what I said to General Greene.

I offered to prove, by the evidence of Colonel Robinson and the officers of the Vulture, that Major Andre went on shore at General Arnold's desire, in a boat sent for him with a flag of truce; that he not only came ashore with the knowledge and under the protection of the General who commanded in the district, but that he took no step while on shore but by direction of General Arnold, as will appear by the inclosed letter from him to your Excellency.

Under these circumstances I could not, and hoped you would not, consider Major Andre as a spy, for any improper phrase in his letter to you.

The facts he relates correspond with the evidence I offer; but he admits a conclusion that does not follow. The change of cloaths and name was ordered by General Arnold, under whose direction he necessarily was, while within his command. As General Greene and I did not agree in opinion, I wished, that disinterested gentlemen of knowledge of the law of war and nations, might be asked their opinion on the subject; and mentioned Monsieur Knyphaufen, and General Rochambault.

I related that a Captain Robinson had been delivered to Sir Henry Clinton as a spy, and undoubtedly was such; but that it being signified to him that you were desirous that this man should be exchanged, he had ordered him to be exchanged.

I wished that an intercourse of such civilities, as the rules of war admit of, might take off many of its horrors. I admitted that Major Andre had a great share of Sir Henry Clinton's esteem, and that he would be infinitely obliged by his liberation; and that if he was permitted to return with me, I would engage to have any person you would be pleased to name set at liberty.

I added, that Sir Henry Clinton had never put to death any person for a breach of the rules of war, though he had, and now has, many in his power. Under the present circumstances, much good may arise from humanity, much ill from the want of it. If that could give any weight, I beg leave to add, that your favourable treatment of Major Andre, will be a favour I should ever be intent to return to any you hold dear.

My memory does not retain with the exactness I could wish, the words of the letter which General Greene shewed me from Major Andre to your Excellency. For Sir Henry Clinton's satisfaction, I beg you will order a copy of it to be sent to me at New York.

I have the honour to be, your Excellency's Most obedient and most humble servant, JAMES ROBERTSON.

His Excellency General Washington.

New York, October 1, 1780.

SIR,

The polite attention shewn by your Excellency and the Gentlemen of your family to Mrs. Arnold, when in distress, demand my grateful acknowledgment and thanks, which I beg leave to present.

From your Excellency's letter to Sir Henry Clinton, I find a Board of General Officers have given it as their opinion, that Major Andre comes under the description of a spy; My good opinion of the candor and justice of those Gentlemen leads me to believe, that if they had been made fully acquainted with every circumstance respecting Major Andre, that they would by no