[Pharmboy]

He was an heroic battlefield fighter...but not a nice guy...Washington tried to protect him as much as he could, and then Arnold sold out the General and the nascent Nation.

[Pharmboy]

I took the photo from a non-AP site.

[Political Junkie Too]

Count the Green Mountain Boys among the former. Angry at Arnold for his orders forbidding them from looting their British captives...

From what I recall, the leader of the Green Mountain Boys, Ethan Allen, claimed all the credit for himself, which was the initial act that put Arnold on his path to turn against the Revolution.

-PJ

[muir_redwoods]

Somewhat unrelated but if you’re ever at the corner of 66th and 3rd in NYC, look around. That’s the spot where Nathan Hale was hanged.

[Pharmboy]

The RevWar/Colonial History/General Washington ping list...

[muir_redwoods]

Somewhat unrelated but if you’re ever at the corner of 66th and 3rd in NYC, look around. That’s the spot where Nathan Hale was hanged.

[what's up]

We visited Saratoga 2 years ago. Fascinating spot.

Also visited Ft. Ticonderoga which was definitely worth a visit. Missed out on the nearby Ft. William Henry so will have to do that in the future.

There is a good movie about Benedict Arnold and George Washington starring Aidan Quinn and Kelsey Grammar. Excellent if you get a chance to view it.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

At Ticonderoga, the May 19 restaging of the fort's capture is the first nighttime re-enactment at the privately owned tourist attraction since the one held on May 10, 1975, the raid's 200th anniversary.

BTTT

[MomofMarine]

Today, May 10th, is the anniversary of “America’s First Victory,” when Benedict Arnold, Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys took Fort Ti. Like you, I don’t have much use for Benedict Arnold...or Ethan Allen for that matter (although I try to hide that fact when discussing the fort’s history with Vermonters).

[ProtectOurFreedom]

A few of my favorite books:

1. “Saratoga: Turning Point of America’s Revolutionary War,” by Richard M. Ketchum largely about Arnold at Saratoga.
2. “Arundel” by Kenneth Roberts. Focuses on Arnold’s incredible expedition to Quebec through the swamps of Maine and the Battle of Quebec.
3. “Rabble in Arms” also by Kenneth Roberts. This is about Arnold and the Battle of Valcour Island, the Saratoga campaign and the Battles of Saratoga. The stories of how the British disassembled their ships and carried them to Lake Champlain, how the Americans built a small fleet, at the battle at Valcour are amazing.

He was a man of amazing energy and fought Gates at Saratoga to take the fight to the British at a quick tempo.

[DeaconBenjamin]

While Major Andre' was awaiting his execution, he seems to have given serious thought to eternal matters. Doubtless he recalled his early training given him by his Huguenot parents who had found spiritual refuge in England. Until he faced death, Andre' had lived the usual social life of an army officer -- one continuous whirl of gay functions, but his capture and trial changed all of that. Death for him was but a matter of days.

In repentance and faith, he turned to that blessed One who had long before said, "Him that cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out." -- John 6:37 Major Andre' found there was amazing grace even for him, and he tasted the fruits of conversion -- joy and peace in believing after full repentance. This is set forth wonderfully in his own words in a poem, "My Hiding Place," found in his pocket after he was hanged at Tappan, New York, October 2, 1780. Here is the poem.

Hail, sovereign love, which first began
The scheme to rescue fallen man!
Hail, matchless, free, eternal grace,
Which gave my soul a Hiding Place

Against the God who built the sky
I fought with hands uplifted high --
Despised the mention of His grace,
Too proud to seek a Hiding Place.

Enwrapt in thick Egyptian night,
And fond of darkness more than light,
Madly I ran the sinful race,
Secure -- without a Hiding Place!

But thus the eternal counsel ran:
Almighty love, arrest that man!
I felt the arrows of distress,
And found I had no Hiding Place.

Indignant Justice stood in view;
To Sinai's fiery mount I flew;
But Justice cried with frowning face,
This mountain is no Hiding Place!

Ere long a heavenly voice I heard,
And mercy's angel soon appeared:
He led me, with a beaming face
To JESUS as a Hiding Place.

On Him almighty vengeance fell,
Which must have sunk a world to hell!
He bore it for a sinful race,
And thus became our Hiding Place.

Should sevenfold storms of thunder roll,
And shake this globe from pole to pole,
No thunderbolt shall daunt my face,
For Jesus is my Hiding Place.

A few more setting suns at most
Shall land me on that glorious coast,
Where I shall sing the song of grace,
And see my glorious Hiding Place!

[bunkerhill7]

`At Ticonderoga, the May 19 restaging of the fort’s capture is the first nighttime re-enactment at the privately owned tourist attraction since the one held on May 10, 1975, the raid’s 200th anniversary`

Nope- there was a pre-dawn reenactment in 1950 with the Ti National Guard along the road from the gate to the fort complete with machine gun nests and bazookas. I was there as a young boy. I guess it was a combination reenactment and Russian invasion maneuvers coz they had a machine gun also set up in front of the bank and a half-tracked 105mm parked a block away.

[The_Media_never_lie]

Ping for later.

[NonValueAdded]

From what I understand, the early histories, those written closer to the events in question, were not kind to Arnold. Benedict's main claim to fame was that he wrote the reports about the action and yes, claimed the fame. He did have a knack for showing up at the right place and the right time. He ignored orders and did turn the tide during the Battle of Saratoga so we can all be glad it turned out as it did - in spite of "Granny" Gates. However, sooner or later a rogue operator could just as easily invite disaster when he undermines the plan.

One way to test this theory is to compare Arnold's written report about the "fleet" he built on Lake Champlain and compare it to what was actually found when that fleet was actually inspected.

As to Benedict Arnold vs Ethan Allen, perhaps Arnold's position could best be summed up as "the Green Mountain Boys are 'fighting on my behalf.'"

[2sheds]

It’s threads like this that made me join the RevWar ping list. Thank you everyone for the historical tidbits and please keep up the good work!