JTrainDavis
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2006
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I came up with this concept when browsing findagrave.com, and found that people were prohibited from posting memoriams on Benedict Arnold's page, due to a large amount of abusive posts.
Needless to say, i was pissed off. Those that simply call him a 'traitor' need to learn the facts, although the end result WAS Arnold betraying the young Nation, it surely pained him deeply to do so. General Arnold was an early supporter of American Independance, when the 'famous' types like John Adams, Washington, Francis Lee, et al, were initially in favor of reconciliation with the crown after April 19th, Arnold was leading Connecticut Militia to the outskirts of Boston to join the siege of Gage, Burgoyne, and others.
He played a major role in the expedition to take Ticonderoga, and bring the heavy guns there to Boston to aid the rebel cause.
Arnold came up with a bold plan to take the British Fortress of Quebec via an overland march through Maine, and despite total lack of supply, and many men lost to the bitter cold, held the City in check for 2 months, putting a big scare into the Royal forces in Canada.
After the withdrawel from Canada, he commanded a small navy on lake Champlain, delaying Burgoyne's movement down the river on the Rebel forts and Army.
After this, he successfully defended the Rebel supply base at Danbury, CT, and fought heroically at Saratoga, leading the army to Victory, while his superior officer, and an inferior commander, Gates, took credit.
For all Arnold gave the the nation, and the fact that he never got any credit in the reports, it is just sad to think that he WAS the best we had. Had Congress judged promotions by generalship rather than political connections, there is a good chance that Ben Arnold would have been out first President.
Sorry for the rant.
Needless to say, i was pissed off. Those that simply call him a 'traitor' need to learn the facts, although the end result WAS Arnold betraying the young Nation, it surely pained him deeply to do so. General Arnold was an early supporter of American Independance, when the 'famous' types like John Adams, Washington, Francis Lee, et al, were initially in favor of reconciliation with the crown after April 19th, Arnold was leading Connecticut Militia to the outskirts of Boston to join the siege of Gage, Burgoyne, and others.
He played a major role in the expedition to take Ticonderoga, and bring the heavy guns there to Boston to aid the rebel cause.
Arnold came up with a bold plan to take the British Fortress of Quebec via an overland march through Maine, and despite total lack of supply, and many men lost to the bitter cold, held the City in check for 2 months, putting a big scare into the Royal forces in Canada.
After the withdrawel from Canada, he commanded a small navy on lake Champlain, delaying Burgoyne's movement down the river on the Rebel forts and Army.
After this, he successfully defended the Rebel supply base at Danbury, CT, and fought heroically at Saratoga, leading the army to Victory, while his superior officer, and an inferior commander, Gates, took credit.
For all Arnold gave the the nation, and the fact that he never got any credit in the reports, it is just sad to think that he WAS the best we had. Had Congress judged promotions by generalship rather than political connections, there is a good chance that Ben Arnold would have been out first President.
Sorry for the rant.
