"Colonel Lamb of West Point furnished the ammunition--but grudgingly, saying that firing at a ship with a four-pounder was, in his opinion, a waste of powder. As Lossing remarks, he little thought what an important bearing that cannonade was to have upon the destinies of America. It drove the _Vulture_ from her moorings, and was one of the causes of the fatal detention of Andre at Smith's house. The _Vulture_ was so seriously damaged that had she not got off with the flood tide she would have had to surrender to the Americans. Andre was anxious and troubled at sight of her retreat, but when the firing ceased his spirits revived. He and Arnold went on arranging their plot, and settled upon the day when it should be consummated. "Andre was to go back to New York; the British vessels, carrying troops, were to be ready to come up the river at a moment's notice, and Arnold was to weaken the post at West Point by sending out detachments among the mountain gorges under the pretence of meeting the enemy, as they advanced, at a distance from the works; and that the river might be left free for the passage of the British vessels a link from the great chain at Constitution Island was to be removed. So the enemy could take possession with very little resistance. "Also Arnold supplied Andre with papers explaining the military condition of West Point and its dependencies, asking him to place them between his stockings and his feet, and in case of accident to destroy them. He also gave him a pass; then bade him adieu and went up the river in his barge; probably feeling greatly satisfied with the thought that he had at last fully succeeded in carrying out his wicked scheme to betray his country. "Andre remained where he was until evening, then asked Smith to take him back to the _Vulture_. Smith refused, saying he was not well--had the ague. Probably, though, it had been caused by the firing upon the _Vulture_, as he was willing to go with Andre if he would take the land route. "To that Andre finally consented, as he had no other means of reaching the vessel. Arnold had persuaded him that in case of taking a land route he would better exchange his military coat for a citizen's dress, and that he did. Both that and the receiving of papers were contrary to the orders of Sir Henry Clinton; but Andre felt obliged to be governed by the unforeseen circumstances in which he was now placed. He and Smith started on the short journey together, Smith promising to conduct him as far as the lower outposts of the American line.