Benedict+Arnorld

Picture from Wikipedia Benedict Arnold was one of the best generals and most accomplished leader in the Continental Army. WIthout Benedict, we might have well as lost the American Revolution. In December of 1774 a number of New Haven gentlemen gathered to form a militia. They were called the footguards. On March 15, 1775, Benedict Arnold was elected their captain. The very next month, news came that fighting had broken out in Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts,Benedict was eager to join the battle. The battle of Concord, Massachusetts was the beginning of the Revolutionary war. Benedict Arnold eagerly led his men toward the battle. Along the way Benedict Arnold heard reports of how the Americans had nothing to fight with. He went straight to the Committee of Safety in charge of military matters. There he offered to lead an expedition against Fort Ticonderoga, where the British had a number of weapons like cannons, guns, etc. To them, taking the fort would be considered an act of aggresion because no war had actually been declared. In the end, the committee decided to give Benedict 10 horses, 100 pounds, and permission to rise an army of 400 men to take over Fort Ticonderoga. In addition, he was promoted to colonel. As Benedict was searching for men, a captian in Conneticut had enlisted the help of the Green Mountain boys to do the same thing- take over Fort Ticonderoga. The Green Mountain boys were led by a huge fighting man, Ethan Allen. All of them hated "Yorkers" as they called the people from New York, so they thought it would be fun to take a fort from the New York area. Fort Ticonderoga was located at the southern end of Lake Champlain. Both the French and English had used this waterway and had built forts along it. When Benedict heard that someone else was trying to take the fort, he tried to take them. Benedict showed his legal papers to the Green Mountain Boys saying he was their new leader, but they said that they worked for one person, and that person was Ethan Allen. It turned out they both would take over the fort. Ethan Allen asked that the fort be handed over immediately. Fort Ticonderoga was taken without a single shot being fired. Fort Ticonderoga .Picture from Google

Early one morining, Benedict was roused from bed by General David Wooster, who told him the British were on the move and they were marching to Danbury. The two rode hard and fast, gathering militia as they went, but it was to late. When they arrived, Danbury was in flames. Benedict and Wooster quickly agreed on a plan to retaliate by attacking the British while they were on their way back from Danbury. They wanted to keep fighting but when British back up showed up, they had to retreat. Ammunition, food and supplies were destroyed by fire in Danbury. But Benedict was at last a hero. The congress made him a major General.Washington even wrote a commedation saying that Benedict was a brave officer. In spite of his sucess, Benedict was passed over for promotion by the Continental Congress while other general officers took credit for his many accomplishments. As his personal depts mounted, Congress investigated his accounts, and charges of corruption were brought by political adversaries. Frustrated, bitter, disaffected by the assaults on his honor and strongly opposed to the new American alliance with France, Arnold changed sides. In 1780, he looked for and got command of West Point in order to surrender it to the British. Benedict's scheme was discovered when American forces captured British Major John Andre carrying papers inside his coat that showed Benedict's plan. Upon learning of Andre's capture, Benedict Arnold got away down the Hudson River to the British Sloop-of-War "Vulture", narrowly avoiding capture by the forces of General Washington. Benedict Arnold died June 14, 1801 in London due to sickness at the age 60.

Picture from Google Benedict Arnold

__Little Facts of Benedict Arnold__ -Benedict Arnold was born on January 14th, 1741 in the town of Norwich, Connecticut - At the age of 16 he went out to fight in his first battle.