H
children had been sent, to have them out of the way while Arnold's mysterious
visitor should be at " Belmont," and Smith now proposed to take them back with
him. On Monday,1 the twenty-fifth, he rode to Poughkeepsie on business, and
returned in time to be present at the dinner given by General John Morin Scott
in honor of Washington. He is said to have had a seat at the same table with
the Chief.3
We will now return to Yorktown. Andre continued on the road which
passes Underbill's to Pine's Bridge, which then spanned the Croton river about
half a mile further up stream than the present structure.8 Crossing it, he turned
to the right and followed the highway down the south bank about a mile, to Hog
Hill. Then turning to the left he ascended the hill to Underbill's Corners, where
Henry C. Allen now lives, about three miles from the bridge.4 Here the road
extends nearly north and south, and at its intersection with the Chappaqua road,
becomes Kipp Street. In the angle between the two on the east side of Kipp
Street, is the dwelling of Mr. Allen. In 1780 the house6 then existing was
occupied by Stevenson Thorne, a member of the Society of Friends. The fugitive
reached the spot about ten o'clock,6 when the fog had changed to a fine, drizzling
rain. In doubt as to whether he ought to keep on the road, or take that to
Chappaqua, southeast, he checked his horse, and seeing Jesse Thorne, a twelve-
year old boy who was standing on the wood-pile near the front of the house, asked
his way to Tarrytown.7 Jesse jumped from the wood-pile and went to the house-
door to call his father, who came out. A brief colloquy ensued between them, the
way to Tarrytown was pointed out, the stranger touched his horse with the
spur" and galloped away southwards on Kipp Street.0
Jesse, with the curiosity of a country boy, watched him whilst he spoke
with his father, and many years afterwards described him accurately, as " very
genteel in his manners and intelligent, wearing a wide-brimmed hat, military cape
overcoat, high boots with spurs, and riding a brown horse branded U.S.A. on the
shoulder, and having one white forefoot and a white star on his forehead."
Andre pursued his journey down Kipp Street to the Hardscrabble road.
So far, no obstacle had arisen, and the way to safety seemed open, if he could
but follow Smith's directions for reaching either White Plains or Dobbs' Ferry.
1 Smith's Narrative.
2 Another authority"says he called on Washington that day, at the house of Dr. McKnight, where the Chief was
quartered, and where the dinner was probably given. If Smith is to be believed, he and Colonel Hay
dined with General Knox that day at "Dr. McKnight's, where General Scott also lived."
After supper, he says, Washington came out and stayed a few moments with them.
3 The old abutments were visible until the recent raising of Croton Dam increased the depth of water.
* Dykman.
6 Marked S on the map.
• Jesse Thorne to his grandson, Rev. C. C. Thorne, of Windham, N. Y., who is my informant.
T That inquiry was fatal. Had he taken the Chappaqua road he would almost certainly have reached the
British lines.
8 This spur, of silver, was in 18S2 preserved in Washington's Headquarters at Newburgh.
» The road shown in the centre, ascending the hill.
