Arnold then apprenticed himself to a cousin who was an apothecary an early word for a pharmacist or druggist in Norwich, but soon ran away to fight in the French and Indian War. His mother died in followed by his father in , at which point Arnold moved to New Haven and set up a store that sold books, drugs, and jewelry near Yale College.
They married on February 22, , and had three children. Arnold became a shrewd and prosperous trader in New Haven while also joining the local militia in and being named its captain soon thereafter. In April of , after learning about the conflicts at Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts, Arnold organized his men in preparation for a march to Cambridge to aid in the fight against the British.
After witnessing just how little firepower the colonials possessed in Cambridge, Arnold launched an attack to capture British artillery at Fort Ticonderoga on May 10, The following fall, Arnold led a grueling march through the Maine wilderness in an attempt to capture the Canadian city of Quebec.
The attack, on the final day of the year, ultimately failed and Arnold received a debilitating wound to his left leg.
After recuperating, he spent the remainder of withdrawing from Canada while preventing the British from advancing down the Hudson River. The victories at Saratoga influenced the French decision to join the war against the British. With his mobility significantly impaired by his shattered left leg —physicians at Saratoga wanted to amputate it, but Arnold refused and later suffered horrific infections and terrible pain—he requested an appointment as military commander of the city of Philadelphia in June of While there, colonists accused him of engaging in profiteering and socializing with Americans loyal to Great Britain.
Years of dedication to the patriot cause led to little recognition or reward for Arnold. He never received appropriate credit for his actions at Ticonderoga or Saratoga, the Continental Congress repeatedly overlooked him for promotion, and his temper and confrontational style made him many enemies in the army. In addition to being brave and hotheaded, Arnold often succumbed to vanity and greed. All of these factors may have played a part in his decision to commit treason.
Charged with corruption during his military command of Philadelphia and facing a court-martial, Arnold, through his wife, contacted the British command with an offer to turn the strategically valuable Hudson River defenses at West Point over to the British in return for money and designation as an officer in the British army.
Brown in response published a pamphlet that claimed of Arnold, "Money is this man's God, and to get enough of it he would sacrifice his country. After being passed over for promotion to the post of Major General, Arnold tendered his resignation.
George Washington, however, refused to accept the withdrawal. Soon after, Arnold participated in the Battle of Saratoga, where he was again wounded in his left leg, the same leg that had been injured previously. Soon after, Washington appointed Arnold military commander of Philadelphia, where his attempts to profit from his position ran afoul of local officials.
In and , Arnold expressed disappointment and pessimism about the prospects of the United States, and evidence mounted that he was conspiring with the British by exchanging sensitive military information for money. Although cleared of a court-martial, Arnold was rebuked by Washington, who called his conduct "imprudent and improper.
Arnold resigned his post in Philadelphia and eventually gained command at West Point where he entered into secret negotiations with the British. He transferred money to British forces and passed on information that would aid the British in capturing West Point, while weakening the fort's defenses and thinning out its supplies. John Andre , Arnold's British contact, was captured and ultimately executed for his role in the plot. Arnold narrowly avoided capture by the Americans and eventually fled to England.
Arnold served in the British army for the duration of the war, and then engaged in business in Canada and England until his death in Since then, his name has become synonymous with moral failure, betrayal, and sinister self-interest. Frustrated by the lack of recognition, he subsequently switched sides to the British and plotted the surrender of West Point.
When his traitorous plans came to light, Arnold escaped capture and eventually made his way to England. Arnold was born in Norwich, Connecticut, on January 14, His father was a successful businessman and young Arnold was educated in private schools. Following the deaths of three of his children from yellow fever, his father began to drink heavily and fell on difficult financial times.
Arnold left school and apprenticed at an apothecary. In , at age 16, Arnold enlisted in the militia and traveled to upstate New York to fight the French. His grieving father fell apart and was arrested repeatedly for drunkenness before his death in Arnold settled in New Haven, Connecticut, working as a pharmacist and bookseller. In , he formed a partnership with merchant Adam Babcock.
The pair bought three trading ships and established trade connections with the West Indies. Arnold became prosperous but grew frustrated with the British trade restrictions and taxes. The couple had three sons over the following five years. Arnold began the war as a militia captain. Following the fighting at Lexington and Concord, his company marched from Connecticut northeast toward Boston.
Returning home after the battle, he learned that his wife had died earlier in the month. On June 27, , the Continental Congress authorized the invasion of Quebec partly at the urging of Arnold. But Congress gave General Philip Schuyler the command. Arnold was passed over but not pacified.
0コメント