Few characters in history seem as subject to perpetual reinterpretation as does Benedict Arnold. We all learn about his treason early in school. Then more serious looks at history remind us how much of a hero he was early during the American Revolution.
In “God Save Benedict Arnold,” Jack Kelly revisits the story in compelling fashion. It’s quite remarkable to see how often Arnold manages to be the center of the struggle. He was with Ethan Allen at Fort Ticonderoga, marched through Maine during the ultimately failed attempt to storm the walled city of Quebec, came to Lake Champlain to build a rudimentary navy able to hold off the attacking British squadron at Valcour Island, and emerged as central to the patriots’ crucial victory at Saratoga in 1777.
That wasn’t all. Somehow Arnold managed to play a role in diverting British forces from their march along the Mohawk River by Fort Stanwix. He consulted with George Washington just before the latter’s famed crossing of the Delaware River. When the British attacked Connecticut, he led a contingent fighting at Ridgefield. One wouldn’t have been surprised to see him ringing the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia or spending the winter with Washington’s troops at Valley Forge.
Some components of Kelly’s story contradict bits of information I’ve garnered before, but that doesn’t detract from the well summarized, and often thrilling, episodes related in the book. We learn that Arnold was never perfect. Appearances mattered. He desired respect as a gentleman, not lumped with the guerilla descriptor that might have applied to Allen. He wanted the recognition to which he felt entitled, reacting strongly when perceiving a slight, and especially angry when passed over for expected promotions.
His leadership and strategic planning skills were extraordinary. He consulted other officers for opinions regularly, fought alongside soldiers on the field of battle, and used his own funds to help assure adequate provisions when the Continental Congress proved resistant. Not only in his eyes, but in that of others like George Washington, Arnold ranked as the Patriot among patriots.
Until he didn’t.
Had the story ended on page 229 of Kelly’s rendition, we’d remember Arnold’s name in the same pantheon as Washington, Lafayette, and Hamilton. But his worldview changed, and he concocted a plan to betray the young nation. The scheme, involving a plan to give the British control of West Point in 1780, seemed poorly conceived, indeed perhaps a bit harebrained.
When the betrayal was discovered, friends and colleagues were stunned, saddened, and outraged. Even today, reasons for his traitorous turn are argued. Kelly offers a concise summary of possibilities near the end of the book. Perhaps a quote from George Washington comes as close as any: “an unaccountable deprivation of Mind in a Man of the first abilities.”
Kelly’s strengths center upon his solid organization, which led me through Arnold’s sometimes breathtaking exploits smoothly. Some of the narration feels a bit simplified, and this may not be an encyclopedic work. Maps are helpful, though I’d have appreciated one more to guide me through the latter stages of fighting at Saratoga.
Many of these events took place in our region, so place names are familiar. History should be related as stories rather than exercises in memorization, and Kelly understands that. Personalities can be difficult to understand; Kelly grasps that, too. God Save Benedict Arnold is compelling reading, perhaps especially for those of us living in the North Country.
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Publish date : 2024-08-13 17:35:00
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