From Diary of the American Revolution, Vol II. Compiled by Frank Moore and published in 1859.
During Benedict Arnold’s military speculations in Virginia, he took an American captain prisoner. After some general conversation with the captain, he asked him what he thought the Americans would do with him if they caught him? The captain at first declined giving him an answer, but upon being repeatedly urged to it, he said: “Why, sir, if I must answer your question you must excuse my telling you the plain truth; if my countrymen should catch you, I believe they would first cut off that lame leg, which was wounded in the cause of freedom and virtue, and bury it with the honors of war, and afterwards hang the remainder of your body in gibbets.”1
1 New Jersey Journal, August 1.