Mrs. Prevost subsequently became the wife of
Colonel Burr, and repeated to him these confessions of Mrs. Arnold.
The preceding statement is confirmed by the following anecdote. Mrs.
Arnold was the daughter of Chief-justice Shippen, of Pennsylvania. She
was personally acquainted with Major Andre, and, it is believed,
corresponded with him previous to her marriage. In the year 1779-80,
Colonel Robert Morris resided at Springatsbury, in the vicinity of
Philadelphia, adjoining Bush Hill. Some time previous to Arnold's
taking command of West Point, he was an applicant for the post. On a
particular occasion Mrs. Arnold was dining at the house of Colonel
Morris. After dinner, a friend of the family came in, and
congratulated Mrs. Arnold on a report that her husband was appointed
to a different, but more honourable command. The information affected
her so much as to produce hysteric fits. Efforts were made to convince
her that the general had been selected for a preferable station. These
explanations, however, to the astonishment of all present, produced no
effect. But, after the treason of Arnold was discovered, the family of
Colonel Morris entertained no doubt that Mrs. Arnold was privy to, if
not the negotiator for, a surrender of West Point to the British, even
before the general had charge of the post.
In the autumn of 1781 Colonel Burr left Haverstraw and went to Albany,
with a determination to make an effort to be admitted to the bar.
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