They now took up the march in silence, leading the horse which carried their prisoner, bootless and sockless, on the saddle. Their journey led Barclugh to Newburg, the headquarters of Colonel Brinkerhoff, who at once ordered the important prisoner with his papers to the headquarters of General Washington. The Commander-in-Chief received the papers and went at once to his office, whither Roderick Barclugh had been conducted, and very graciously returned the bills and gold after reading the letter from R. FitzMaurice, the financier, with no remark except: “I am very sorry, Mr. Barclugh, that you were handled so roughly yesterday by our outpost, but you will understand that they have orders to stop all travellers and search everybody that they do not know personally. The road is much used by the Tories and British going to and from Canada.” “Our Colonel Hamilton has told me that he has met you at dinner at Mr. FitzMaurice’s and we would be pleased to have you stop over night with us. Our fare is plain, but we shall be pleased to make you as comfortable as possible.” “I shall take great pleasure in accepting your kind offer, General, yet I shall be compelled to be away soon in the morning, since my business is urgent,” replied Barclugh as he looked squarely into the eyes of General Washington in order to drink in every word that this great and good man uttered. “You shall be at your own pleasure, Mr. Barclugh. Colonel Hamilton will furnish you passports. “Please excuse me further at present; Colonel Hamilton will be here to take you to our quarters. I will see you later on,” were the simple words of the Commander, as he left Barclugh and mounted his Virginia-bred horse for a review of a new battalion from Connecticut. The town of Fishkill was one of those sleepy little settlements during the Revolutionary War, nestling in the shadow of a high promontory projecting into the Hudson. However, in a military way it was of great importance, since the great highway between New England and the Western States crossed the Hudson here; and an important depot of supplies was maintained there to furnish the needs of the northern army. The prison, strongly palisaded, the workshops for casting shot and cannon and the mills for making powder were maintained at this convenient spot. The headquarters of General Washington and his staff while on a tour of inspection were generally assigned to one of the commodious farmhouses of the time on the highroad skirting the Hudson north of Fishkill. Washington and his military family were finely quartered. A short distance from the activities of the camp stood the commodious Colonial residence of Colonel Hay, on high ground overlooking a most wonderful scope of surrounding country. There was Newburg across the broad river; Storm King and Crow’s Nest loomed up in the vision out of the Hudson; and tier upon tier of the hazy blue Catskills rose in the northwest to soothe a soul’s longing for enchantment.