America’s Greatest Traitor, Also Its Savior?

Benedict Arnold has been branded as America’s greatest traitor. His known is synonymous in North America with the greatest acts of treason in antiquity. What many American’s forget however, is that they owe perhaps the very establishment of their country to his efforts on their behalf.

Benedict Arnold was born in Norwich Connecticut in January of 1741. Arnold was very intelligent as a child and as he grew up recognized for being excessively proud and sensitive, as well as being extremely strong and brave. At the age of fifteen Arnold ran away from home and joined the Connecticut army to resist the incoming French Invasion of Albany and Lake George. By the year 1776 and the beginning of the Revolutionary War, Arnold had become a Brigadier General. Arnold had taken part in numerous battles including Fort Ticonderoga, and Quebec. Despite his many successes, much of the next year and a half of Arnold’s life were a sad mixture of frustration and hurt pride as Arnold felt very displeased with the Continental Congress and what he considered a complete lack of respect for both his person and his abilities. Twice between 1776 and the Battle of Saratoga, did Arnold send letters of resignation to General Washington attempting to relieve himself of command.

The Battle of Saratoga took place in the fall of 1777 as a result of British General Burgoyne’s attempt to divide the New England States from the southern states. The battle was an incredible success for the American’s, but it was based significantly on the actions of Benedict Arnold. There were two main skirmishes that took place and after the first one, the higher ranking General Horatio Gates actually stripped Arnold of his command. Against Gates’ orders however, Arnold went back into the fray during the second battle and rallied the Americans at the critical moment, enabling them to win the day and seal the fate of Burgoyne’s army.

The victory resulted in not only significant casualties to the British, but also the capture of the vast majority of the survivors. It was the greatest American success up to that point, and came at an extremely important time. Moral was low in the Continental army, and had Burgoyne succeeded at the battle of Saratoga, the British would have likely been able to split the colonies in half, a conclusion that would have been nothing sort of disastrous. Instead however, the Americans were able to destroy an entire British army, and most importantly, as a result of Saratoga, the French decided to make an alliance with the Americans against the British. The French began sending the Continental army equipment, troops, and money; not to mention forcing the British to send vast amounts of all three to their far flung colonies throughout the world, as well as back to Europe.

The significance of the battle of Saratoga cannot be overstated, nor can Arnold’s being the key to the American victory. Without Arnold’s assistance, it is not far fetched to imagine that the Revolutionary War would have turned out very differently.