After Andre's execution General Washington formed a plan
to seize Arnold and bring him to the Jersey shore, first to punish
him, second to exonerate from suspicions of treachery another
of his Generals, St. Clair. Major Lee persuaded Sergeant Major
John, Champe of Loudon, Virginia, to attempt to carry out the
plan. He was to desert to the British, join Arnold's American
Legion and if possible bring Arnold within reach of American
troops. About 11 o'clock on the night of October 20th, 1780,
he started upon his perilous adventure ; within half an hour his
absence was discovered and reported to Major Lee who
delayed the pursuit as long as he possibly could, but a little after
twelve, troops started after the supposed deserter. At Union
Hill Champe was only a short half mile ahead. Knowing that his
flight to Paulus Hook would be intercepted, he started for the
British, patrol boats lying in Newark Bay near Brown's Ferry
(near the Newark plank road). His pursuers were within two or
three hundred yards of him, when he dismounted and running
across the meadows plunged into the Bay and swam for the
boats, calling for help. The British sent a boat for him and fired
upon his pursuers. He soon established the innocence of the
other Generals and sent word to Lee to meet him at Hoboken
upon a certain night when he would deliver Arnold. But his
plan miscarried owing to the fact that Arnold moved his
headquarters to another part of the city. For a long time
Champe endured many hardships, and was unable to escape
and return to his comrades until serving under Lord Cornwallis
at Petersburgh, Virginia.
