Benedict Arnold

A Benedict Arnold Letter That Changed History

August 15, 2019 by Editorial Staff 2 Comments

On October 9th, 1777, Nathaniel Bacheller, a militia adjutant from New Hampshire, wrote a letter to his wife, Suzanna. It was discovered by historians when it appeared on the auction site eBay this past winter and was sold to an unknown buyer for $2,925. A digital copy was downloaded and a transcript of the letter was made before it went to join the buyer’s private collection.

What the letter holds is a first-hand, historically unbiased account of the conversations, command decisions and field actions of General Horatio Gates and General Benedict Arnold during the ongoing 1777 Battle of Saratoga. [Read more…] about A Benedict Arnold Letter That Changed History

An 1880 Bio of Benedict Arnold, By A Sympathetic Relative

July 28, 2019 by Editorial Staff 1 Comment

Was Benedict Arnold a real “Benedict Arnold?”

His distant realtive, Isaac N. Arnold, has a different take on the famous traitor in the book Benedict Arnold: His Patriotism and His Treason. Now republished by HVA Press, the defense of Arnold had not been available in bookstores for over a hundred years.

Isaac Arnold describes the man behind the myth. Until his attempted betrayal — which ended in failure — Arnold was recognized as “The bravest of the brave,” by George Washington, and many others.

Author Isaac Arnold was a two-term Congressman who introduced the first resolution in Congress proposing a constitutional amendment to abolish slavery in the United States. He wrote a general history of Lincoln’s abolition of slavery in 1867, and the biography of Benedict Arnold in 1880. [Read more…] about An 1880 Bio of Benedict Arnold, By A Sympathetic Relative

Benedict Arnold and the Crisis of American Liberty

May 22, 2019 by Liz Covart Leave a Comment

Benedict Arnold is an intriguing figure. He was both a military hero who greatly impacted and furthered the American War for Independence with his bravery on the battlefield and someone who did something unthinkable: he betrayed his country.

In this episode of Ben Franklin’s World, Stephen Brumwell, an award-winning historian and the author of Turncoat: Benedict Arnold and the Crisis of American Liberty (Yale University Press, 2018), joins us to explore the life and deeds of Benedict Arnold and Arnold’s stunning metamorphosis from hero to traitor. [Read more…] about Benedict Arnold and the Crisis of American Liberty

Turning Points of the American Revolution

October 24, 2018 by Liz Covart Leave a Comment

2018 marks the 241st anniversary of the American victory at the Battle of Saratoga and the 240th anniversary of the Franco-American Alliance. But was the victory that prompted the French to join the American war effort, truly the “turning point” of the War for Independence?

In this episode of Ben Franklin’s World: A Podcast About Early American History, National Book Award-winner Nathaniel Philbrick joins us to explore the two events he sees as better turning points in the American War for Independence: Benedict Arnold’s treason and the French Navy’s participation in the war. You can listen to the podcast here: www.benfranklinsworld.com/208

Benedict Arnold Road Table At Siena College Nov 13th

October 23, 2018 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

The American Revolution Round Table: Hudson/Mohawk Valleys and Siena College’s McCormick Center for the Study of the American Revolution are set to present, “Benedict Arnold at Saratoga: How a Newly Discovered Letter Changed History” by Eric Schnitzer, on Tuesday, November 13, 2018.

The event starts at 6:30 pm, with time for socializing and networking followed by the program at 7 pm. The event will be held at Siena College, 515 Loudon Rd, Albany, in the Roger Bacon Building, Room 202, also known as Key Auditorium. [Read more…] about Benedict Arnold Road Table At Siena College Nov 13th