The Poems of Philip Freneau Volume II Part 4

_Maj. Andre._ I have been thinking Some time, Sir Henry, what we should be doing.

'Tis yet but early in the active season; The summer scarce has finished her career, And in this mild, this pleasing temperate climate Three months as yet are open for campaigns; But then our worn-out, dying, wounded soldiers Demand our pity. Those who came from Charlestown Have brought with them a lingering hectic fever Which hardly one survives. Our soldiers here Who do the duty of the garrison, With constant watching, unremitted labor, Cannot be spared from hence. Were we sufficient In horse and foot to combat with the foe, I forthwith would advise your Excellency Once more to try the force of Washington, That so, by killing and by captivating Him and his troops, we totally might ruin This only stay, this bulwark of rebellion.

But since our circ.u.mstances don't allow With open force t' attack the hostile lines, Let's try the witching power of bribery.

We read the Prince of Macedon declared That those strong gates his javelins could not pierce Nor battering ram effect a breach upon, Were open still to gold. [_Pauses_

_Sir Henry._ Speak on, my friend, For I approve the motion to my soul If any project likely to succeed, Or well-planned scheme thou canst impart to me, Gold shall not be deficient. Millions lie Appropriated to this very purpose, And often have I sent to sound some chiefs Whose qualities and influence are great In yonder hostile camp, but their stern souls Are so well armed with more than Spartan virtue That there corruption seems to have no power, And all my schemes and plans are come to nothing.

_Maj. Andre._ I know a man Who, wouldst thou think it, by his chieftain trusted, And even this moment placed in high command, And honoured to profusion by his country-- The Americans in truth almost adore him-- That I do correspond with daily. O Britain, Britain, That one descended from thy true-born sons Should plot against the soil that gave him birth, And for the value of a little gold Betray its dearest rights.

But traitors are the growth of every country And Arnold is our own!

_Sir Henry._ What say you? Arnold?

Can Arnold then be bought? I greet you now!

Arnold, in chief command at West Point fort?

Arnold, who galled our sides in Canada?

Arnold, who took and plundered Montreal?

Gold shall not here be scarce if gold can buy him; Ten thousand sterling pounds are at his service, And twice ten thousand more if he deliver This West Point fort with its dependencies Into the hand of Clinton.

_Maj. Andre._ If we can gain the fort we all things gain, The country round must at our mercy lie; Then may our shipping sail to Albany, Disbark the troops that march for Saratoga, Who, taking thence the route to Lake Champlain, May soon reduce the forts, and in a month Open a new acquaintance with the north, Communicated free to Canada.-- Another great advantage we shall gain: By being masters then of Hudson's river, We shall cut off all intercourse and pa.s.sage Between the eastern and the southern states, Which I conceive will be of consequence Toward the speedy ending of the war.

_Sir Henry._ And so you say that we can buy the fort; Then happy I--my fame and fortune sure; This service will be of such eminence That Britain never can requite Sir Henry.

_Maj. Andre._ I do report that you can buy the fort, For well I know the man I have to deal with; For just ten thousand guineas The troops, the fort, and Arnold are your own.

And to this man, altho' he be a rascal, You must consider we are obligated.

He quits his friends, his honour, and his country, The fame of all his great and brilliant actions, And the encomiums both of France and Spain, Perhaps all Europe, Britain not excepted, Sold for ten thousand guineas and to serve us.

_Sir Henry._ And obligated we confess ourselves.

This West Point fort--for this a long campaign I spent along the sh.o.r.es of Hudson's river, And failed at last with loss of Stony Point, The works, the stores, and twice three hundred soldiers, The prime of all my pack;--yes, powerful gold, I own thy aid in this extremity.

Tho' Britain be the greatest in the world In ships and men with genius for the sea, Yet cannot her stout navy take this fort By open force with all its weight of cannon.

It stands upon a craggy eminence, All fenced around with towers and battlements, The works of mighty nature.

To these subjoined the nicest aids of art-- Glacis and bastions, flanks and counter scarps, Horn works and moat, half moons and covert way, Trenches and mines, tenaille and battery, With guns of every size and every bore, And such a host of desperadoes there, Who to the last drop of their blood would hold it, That none but devils, I presume, can take it.

Beside, in sailing up the Hudson river, When from this fort you're yet a full mile distant, You turn a point at whose extremity So high the mountains swell above the flood That in a moment all your sails are lifeless; The southern breezes die that blew with vigor, And there you lie at mercy of the fort, Your ships raked fore and aft and ruin around you.

But all these difficulties cease if Arnold Betray the place, as you would fain a.s.sure me.

Now tell me, friend, the manner, how and when You did entice this champion from his duty.

_Maj. Andre._ From some connection I have had with him, I found the leading feature of his soul Was avarice. He could feign and counterfeit, Persuade you black was white or white was black, And swear, as interest prompted, false or true.

This known, I reasoned thus: If his base soul Can toil and fret and browbeat death itself, Endure the summer suns and winter snows In tedious route through hyperborean wilds, And sordid wealth alone incites him to it, Why may not British gold have some effect On such a slavish soul? I wrote him straight (Your pardon, sir, it was without your leave) And by a trusty lad I sent the letter, Sewed in a jacket, to the following import: That if he would forego his present station, Betray the fortress and the garrison, And he himself come over to our interest, He should be recompensed in such a manner That he might sit him down at ease in England, Up to the eyes in wealth and laugh at rebels.

_Sir Henry._ And, pray, what answer did he send to this?

_Maj. Andre._ One that almost outdid my expectation.

He wrote me back that if I would adventure To trust myself within the Americ lines, He would, by means of secret friends and pa.s.sports, Gain me admittance to his residence; Or meeting close in personal interview In some lone place hereafter to be fixed on, Confer with me upon the fittest means Of rendering up his charge. He further added That he was weary of this d.a.m.ned rebellion, For ten thousand guineas would be yours, That doing thus he meant his country's good, And would pursue it to his utmost power.

_Sir Henry._ Upon a lucky hour you thought of Arnold.

But, friend, I charge you, if this scheme succeed, Take not the merit of it to yourself; But let the world imagine it was Clinton Who schemed, who plotted, and seduced the villain; That by this deed more honour I may gain Than if I had defeated Washington By dint of blows on yonder Jersey plain.

Your recompense shall not be wanting, Andre; My trusty friend, go make haste toward the highlands.

A frigate shall be ready to convey you.

Accept the proffered conference, and bring Plans of the fort and all its avenues, The number of the soldiers that defend it, And whate'er else may be of service to us; That tho' if by chance his treason be discovered, And his designments lose their consummation, We may have somewhat to facilitate-- Some bold attack that may hereafter be Upon this proud and self-sufficient fortress.

_Maj. Andre._ But, sir, consider. If I undertake So bold a stroke as this, I risk my life, Perhaps may meet an ignominious death.

When once I pa.s.s the British lines, that instant Do I become a spy. That character Ever belongs to common, vulgar men, To suttlers and to pedlars, desperate wretches, The rubbish and the scourings of the world; Can I descend to so desperate an office?

_Sir Henry._ But, then, your country!-- Consider what it is you owe your country.

Distressed she combats with revolted nations, And can't by force reduce them to subjection; a.s.sist her while you can, and take my word, You need not fear an apprehension.

I charge you, be not found within their lines; Remember still to keep on neutral ground, Unless a flag of truce be sent from Arnold That will secure your person and the plot.

But if by chance you should be questioned By any scouting parties of militia, A purse of shillings scattered to the wretches Will soon procure a pa.s.sage unmolested.

I long to hear the upshot of this meeting, The _Vulture_ man-of-war is at your service, And shall to-morrow take you up the river As far as she with safety may adventure.

_Maj. Andre._ Then for the sake of Britain and of you Will I to Arnold haste away, Sir Harry.

If things succeed, as I expect they shall, Within three days will I be back to tell you The means we fall upon to gain the fort.

ACT II.

SCENE I.--_Enter an aide-de-camp from_ GENERAL WASHINGTON _to_ ARNOLD.

_Scene, West Point Fort. Time, midnight._

_Aide D. C._ Sir, I am sent by our renowned general To let you know that in his best opinion Five hundred men in reason are too few To man the works of this important post.

Three thousand, he informs, are at your service, Lying at camp, with stores and baggage ready, Whene'er you send a requisition for them.

_Arnold._ Five hundred are too few! Why, sir, what means he?

I do a.s.sert, and do insist upon it, That with the aid of scant two hundred men I could defend this fort and all its outworks (Its strength is so prodigious in defence) Against ten legions of the boldest Britons, With Clinton at the head to lead them on, Whether he choose to come by sea or land.

_Aide D. C._ Well be it so. I have discharged my duty In bringing you our n.o.ble general's message.

Pray, sir, have you commands to send from hence?

My time to stay is short; I must be going.

_Arnold._ Tho' I am steady to my sentiment, That these five hundred men are full sufficient, Yet, to comply with the spirit of his meaning, You may inform the general, two hours' warning Will bring me in four thousand of militia.

They are as rugged and as hardy fellows, As bold and desperate in the works of war, As skilled to hit the mark or push the bagnet, As any of the choicest continentals.

Pray tell the general this, and I am sure, I'm satisfied, he'll be of my opinion. [_Exit Aide D. C._

_Arnold_ (_solus_). This is the time for dark and dangerous action; This is the time that thieves and murderers choose To execute their desperate designs.

But art thou, Arnold, less than murderer, Who thus prepare to stab thy bleeding country?

And can I then descend to be a traitor!

By honest toils a name have I acquired, Great and unequalled in the rolls of fame; And shall that name to infamy be doomed By one base act that mars and cankers all?

For this have I in winter's joyless reign Explored the naked wilds of northern clime, When mid the snows and frosts and chilling winds Cold earth has been my bed. Ambition, rise And fire my soul to n.o.bler purposes.

To-morrow Major Andre comes to meet me, And I am to consult on ways and means To give this fort up to my country's foes.

Shall I repent of my unjust proceedings, Admit this daring Briton to my portal, And say I did thus to entrap the man Who is grand vizar to Sir Henry Clinton?

Whose scheming head doth hurt our country more Than all their host beside?

But that would be ungenerous--more than that, Ten thousand guineas are the offered price Of my desertion--more than that, perhaps I shall henceforward be caressed by kings And bear a generalship that may reduce These states revolted back to Britain's sway.

* * * * * For now I do imagine They have no rights, no claims to independence.

Born were we all, subjected to a king, And that subjection must return again.

The people are not dull republicans, By nature they incline to monarchy.

How glorious should I be to have a share In bringing back my country to allegiance.

Can France uphold them in their proud demand, That race of puny, base, perfidious dogs?

Sooner shall all the house of Bourbon sink Their Rochambault, D'Estang and La Fayette, And Spain confederate cease to be a nation, And all their allies dwindle into atoms, Ere Britain will withdraw her righteous claim Or yield a jot of her dominion here To any people living. Then, Andre, come, The sooner Britain gains this fort the better.

SCENE II.--MAJOR ANDRe, LUCINDA. _Parlor._