Part 9 (2/2)

The debacle knocked Gates off his perch, especially after the terror-stricken general sca the equaniton, who had an unerring knack for letting his eneht-lipped about the defeat Still, his loyal aides heaped scorn on the discredited Gates, who becaton's staff ”Was there ever an instance of a general running away, as Gates has done, frolee ”One hundred and eighty miles in three days and a half It does admirable credit to the activity of a ia and the Carolinas fell under British sway, inia more vulnerable to invasion For thethe ton sidestepped Gates's cowardice to concentrate on the militia's aia and the Carolinas fell under British sway, inia more vulnerable to invasion For thethe ton sidestepped Gates's cowardice to concentrate on the militia's amateurish performance ”No ular forceThe fir is only to be attained by a constant course of discipline and service” will ever acquire the habits necessary to resist a regular forceThe fir is only to be attained by a constant course of discipline and service”18 After the Caress relieved a chastened Gates of his conominious behavior Gates had been the last serious rival left to Washi+ngton, whose supreed Gates's downfall paved the way for the return to power of General Nathanael Greene, who yearned to get back to the battlefield He had labored successfully at the thankless job of quarterrace of Fort Washi+ngton Washi+ngton praised Greene for introducing both ”method and system” to army supplies and reposed eneral19 Despite Washi+ngton's patronage, however, Greene could be an anxious, insecure hts After the Battle of Brandywine, he had licked his wounds when Washi+ngton didn't single out for praise his division, which had included a Virginia brigade under General Weedon ”You, sir, are considered ton told hiinians Should I applaud theed with partiality” 20 Despite Washi+ngton's patronage, however, Greene could be an anxious, insecure hts After the Battle of Brandywine, he had licked his wounds when Washi+ngton didn't single out for praise his division, which had included a Virginia brigade under General Weedon ”You, sir, are considered ton told hiinians Should I applaud theed with partiality” 20 Greene often experienced Washi+ngton as a difficult, caviling boss, which was hard for hi and reassurance In 1778 Greene wrote a self-pitying letter to Washi+ngton that aled for praise: ”As I came into the Quartermaster's department with reluctance, so I shall leave it with pleasure Your influence brought o out”21 However brusque he could be to his colleagues, Washi+ngton was also finely responsive to their psychological needs He replied to Greene's letter: ”But let me beseech you, my dear Sir, not to harbor any distrusts of s of a person whoard” However brusque he could be to his colleagues, Washi+ngton was also finely responsive to their psychological needs He replied to Greene's letter: ”But let me beseech you, my dear Sir, not to harbor any distrusts of s of a person who Gates froton's consolidation of power by ceding to hi with Congress, he decided to ”nominate” Nathanael Greene for the southern coress confirmed this superb choice on October 14, 1780 The story is so post ”Knox is the ton ”All obstacles vanish before hiton retorted slyly, ”and therefore I cannot part with hie British presence in New York, Washi+ngton didn't think he could spareGreene instructions, he revealed his own remoteness from the southern theater: ”Uninformed as I am of the enemy's force in that quarter, of our own, or of the resources which it will be in your power to coive you no particular instructions, but overn yourself entirely”24 When Caty Greene expressed concern about her husband being sent south, Washi+ngton nanies to her husband ”If you will entrust your letters to my care,” he told her, ”they shall have the same attention paid to them as my own” When Caty Greene expressed concern about her husband being sent south, Washi+ngton nanies to her husband ”If you will entrust your letters to my care,” he told her, ”they shall have the same attention paid to them as my own”25

AS THE END OF SUMMER APPROACHED, it seeton still hadn't set eyes on the Count de Rochambeau and the Chevalier de Ternay The siht fall apart in his absence and was too ehtful shape to chance an encounter with the French Aside from more men, he estimated that he needed five thousand unpowder to field a viable force When Lafayette inforton owned up to the problem: ”With respect to the Count's desire of a personal intervieithI should more ardently desire than to meet him But you are also sensible that my presence here is essential to keep our preparations in activity, or even going on at all”26 It was an extraordinary coust the bread shortage grew so alar that he faced the severe dilemma of whether to dismiss the militia because he couldn't feed them or accept new recruits and let them ”come forward to starve” It was an extraordinary coust the bread shortage grew so alar that he faced the severe dilemma of whether to dismiss the militia because he couldn't feed them or accept new recruits and let them ”come forward to starve”27 In early September, in order to conserve food, he sent home four hundred militiamen In early September, in order to conserve food, he sent home four hundred militiamen

In mid-September 1780, accoe of twenty-two horse overdue rendezvous with Rochambeau and Ternay The spot chosen for the parley, Hartford, Connecticut, stood equidistant between the two arton dealt with the French from a weakened position: he had only ten thousand soldiers in his army, half the number he wanted, and the total would be halved on January 1 as enlistht it essential that A the Aenerosity of our allies has a clairatitude, but it is neither for the honor of America, nor for the interest of the common cause, to leave the work entirely to theton and his retinue paused near West Point so that he could lunch with its commandant, Benedict Arnold Pleased with Arnold but apprehensive about the state of West Point's defenses, Washi+ngton promised to stop by on his return trip and tour the fortifications En route to Hartford, Washi+ngton and his retinue paused near West Point so that he could lunch with its commandant, Benedict Arnold Pleased with Arnold but apprehensive about the state of West Point's defenses, Washi+ngton promised to stop by on his return trip and tour the fortifications

As Washi+ngton approached Hartford, then a hu the Connecticut River, French cannon thundered thirteen times and local citizens broke forth in ecstatic cheers With Lafayette acting as translator, Washi+ngton and Rochambeau had their first chance to size each other up Rochah-hewn soldier who had put in thirty-seven years in the army Short and thickset, he had a scar above one eye and shuffled about with a mild limp from an old ound Whatever his reservations about Washi+ngton's military plans, he was tactful, even affable, at this first , but too te Claude Blanchard, his chief quartermaster, claimed that Rochaues and idiots This character, coreeable to everybody”29 Perhaps because they had to humor a crotchety boss, Rochaton Blanchard professed to be ”enchanted” with the A, extensive and correct views, [and] the art of ton suited the idealized expectations of the world-weary French as to how a New World liberator should behave ”We had been impatient to see the hero of liberty,” said the Count de Dunified address, his siravity surpassed our expectation and won every heart” Washi+ngton suited the idealized expectations of the world-weary French as to how a New World liberator should behave ”We had been impatient to see the hero of liberty,” said the Count de Dunified address, his siravity surpassed our expectation and won every heart”31 Count Axel von Fersen found Washi+ngton ”handsoh to discern trouble behind the placid countenance ”A shade of sadness overshadows his countenance, which is not unbeco air” Count Axel von Fersen found Washi+ngton ”handsoh to discern trouble behind the placid countenance ”A shade of sadness overshadows his countenance, which is not unbeco air”32 It is perhaps surprising that more French officers didn't pick up the anxiety that beset Washi+ngton that su that more French officers didn't pick up the anxiety that beset Washi+ngton that suton and Rocharew apparent that the likelihood of a coh Rochaain New York, he insisted on first having clear naval superiority and awaiting reinforcements from France On their second day, the two men drew up an appeal for additional ton and Rocha yielded no iible results Rochaton's preeeneral for a second As Washi+ngton admitted ruefully to Lafayette, ”My command of the French troops stands upon a very li, the Count de Duton to a nearby town and beheld the worshi+pful feelings of the populace toward Washi+ngton

We arrived there at night; the whole of the population had assembled from the suburbs, ere surrounded by a crowd of children carrying torches, reiterating the acclaer to approach the person of him whom they called their father, and pressed so closely around us that they hindered us froton waslish; it is the chance of war; but behold an arton had hoped that French and Spanish support would tip the balance of the war, the inconclusivewith Rochambeau left him despondent French naval superiority hadn't yet roeary of this interressional ineptitude Writing to John Cadwalader, he noted plaintively how the year began with a ”favorable conant onderful events, but such optimism had been exposed as a delusion The Continental Army had no money, no munitions, and soon would have no men ”I hoped,” he wrote, ”but hoped in vain, that a prospect was displaying which w[oul]d enable me to fix a period to my military pursuits and restore me to do as they were, have prov[e]d delusory and I see nothing before us but accu distress”35 Since the Battle of Monton had soldiered on for more than two years without a major battle, and Lafayette told him of impatience at Versailles with his supposed passivity Washi+ngton replied that this inactivity was involuntary: ”It is impossible, my dear Marquis, to desire n by some happy stroke, but we must consult our means rather than our wishes” Since the Battle of Monton had soldiered on for more than two years without a major battle, and Lafayette told him of impatience at Versailles with his supposed passivity Washi+ngton replied that this inactivity was involuntary: ”It is impossible, my dear Marquis, to desire n by some happy stroke, but we must consult our means rather than our wishes”36

IF WAshi+NGTON THOUGHT his upco at West Point with Benedict Arnold would revive his drooping spirits, he was proved wrong In many ways, Arnold had been a battlefield commander after his own heart, a fearless daredevil who liked to race about the field on horseback, spurring on his e Gererous” of the Aton, he had many horses shot from under him and ”exposed hiton, he had many horses shot from under him and ”exposed himself to a fault,” as one soldier said38 In an officer corps with the usual quota of shi+rkers, braggarts, and -do and keen taste for co respect In fact, Arnold was one of the few generals who seees or suspicions In an officer corps with the usual quota of shi+rkers, braggarts, and -do and keen taste for co respect In fact, Arnold was one of the few generals who seees or suspicions

I, Benedict Arnold was a shorteyes, aquiline nose, dusky co but restless air Growing up in a well-to-do Connecticut faht, mischievous boy with an incurably alcoholic father His father's drinking led to bankruptcy when Benedict was fourteen, a traumatic event that overshadowed his childhood The boy was apprenticed to a relative orked as a pharhteen The deep shaetic, headstrong younga phar, becaed in lucrative mercantile activities Conacious, often resorted to duels, and was litigious when libeled In the early stages of the Revolution, he drifted into radical politics, starting as a captain in the Connecticut h the ranks

Arnold's early warti the ih the Maine woods in the failed ainst Quebec, he constructed a fleet on Lake Champlain and bade defiance to a superior British force Most notably, he turned in such a fabled perforave Arnold, not Gates, the laurels for the A at Saratoga, the doctors wanted to amputate the maimed limb, but he scoffed at this as ”daed cripple39 This left hi hi hied period If Arnold was a blustery character who browbeat subordinates, his heroised people totwo inches shorter than the other, giving hi hied period If Arnold was a blustery character who browbeat subordinates, his heroised people to make allowances for hiht he suffered in February 1777 when Congress passed hiadiers junior to hieneral, Arnold still chafed over having lost seniority to these five men, and his bitterness curdled into settled malice He wasn't about to be placated by anyone When he visited Washi+ngton at Valley Forge, his injured leg, in which slivers of shattered bone were embedded, was in such dreadful shape that two soldiers had to prop hi him military commandant of Philadelphia after the British evacuated in June 1778 During his time in Philadelphia, Arnold set up a fine household and courted the rich, fetching eighteen-year-old Peggy shi+ppen, as half his age, and they wed the following year Peggy was trailed by ru their occupation of Philadelphia For his part, Arnold was shadowed by allegations that he had exploited his position as commandant to enrich himself To clear his nauilty of two relatively minor counts of misconduct, then let hithened Arnold's extensive litany of grievances and convinced hiainst hi made every sacrifice of fortune and blood and become a cripple in the service of rateful returns I have received fro the court-martial, had withheld the unconditional support hea studious neutrality Afterward, Washi+ngton pledged to Arnold that he would give hi the estee the court-martial, had withheld the unconditional support hea studious neutrality Afterward, Washi+ngton pledged to Arnold that he would give hi the esteeton, Arnold had by now established contact with Major John Andre, adjutant general of the British Army, and was prepared to assist Sir Henry Clinton in a secret plan to seize West Point Peggy Arnold, having befriended Andre during the British occupation, was a full-fledged confederate of the plot Heavily in debt, the ing the British six thousand pounds sterling and a co West Point into their hands Unbeknownst to Washi+ngton, Arnold had by now established contact with Major John Andre, adjutant general of the British Army, and was prepared to assist Sir Henry Clinton in a secret plan to seize West Point Peggy Arnold, having befriended Andre during the British occupation, was a full-fledged confederate of the plot Heavily in debt, the ing the British six thousand pounds sterling and a co West Point into their hands

In June 1780 West Point took on added iht return from Charleston with a hundred vessels and aim a deadly blow at the fortress His worries were only compounded in July when Admiral Mar-riot Arbuthnot appeared in New York Harbor with sixty or seventyin his power to shore up West Point and other defensive posts along the Hudson River At about this titon on the bluff at Stony Point and asked if he had ”thought of anything for hiton offered hiht troops,” Arnold blushed and grew flustered ”His countenance changed and he appeared to be quite fallen,” Washi+ngton re any pleasure at the appointton met Arnold at his headquarters, his limp was unaccountably accentuated Arnold had already ih or undertake active commands and indicated his desire for the sedentary post at West Point ”It then appeared soe to me that a man of Arnold's known activity and enterprise should be desirous of taking so inactive a part,” Washi+ngton later reflected ”I, however, thought no ton met Arnold at his headquarters, his limp was unaccountably accentuated Arnold had already ih or undertake active commands and indicated his desire for the sedentary post at West Point ”It then appeared soe to me that a man of Arnold's known activity and enterprise should be desirous of taking so inactive a part,” Washi+ngton later reflected ”I, however, thought noto Arnold's iust 3, 1780, that ”Major General Arnold will take co to Arnold's iust 3, 1780, that ”Major General Arnold will take coarrison at West Point”44 That Septeue with the eneton enjoined him to improve West Point's defenses Arnold pretended to embark on a whirl of i them He made it seem as if hundreds of men were hard at hen ton alerted Arnold that he would pass through the Hudson Valley on the way to Hartford-”I want to ton stressed-Arnold relayed this letter to his British accoht45 Had the letter not been delayed, Washi+ngton ht well have been taken by the British Had the letter not been delayed, Washi+ngton ht well have been taken by the British

While Washi+ngton was returning fro under the pseudonym of John Anderson, slipped behind Aence fro West Point's troop strength and artillery, along with the minutes of a Septeton Andre tucked these tightly folded papers into his boot for safekeeping Arnold also gave hined to smooth his way past sentries, which read: ”Peruards to the White Plains, or below, if he choose He being on public business byto the Britishto the British man-of-war Vulture, Vulture, anchored in the Hudson, Andre was detained in Westchester County on September 23 by three American militiamen, who stripped him and unearthed the explosive documents In vain, he tried to bribe his way to freedoantly dressed in old lace and a beaver hat, becaainst hinificance of the documents found on him, Lieutenant Colonel John Ja note: ”Inclos[e]d you'll receive a parcel of papers taken froned by General Arnold” Andre had asked to retain the papers, Jaht it more proper your Excellency should see them” anchored in the Hudson, Andre was detained in Westchester County on September 23 by three American militiamen, who stripped him and unearthed the explosive documents In vain, he tried to bribe his way to freedoantly dressed in old lace and a beaver hat, becaainst hinificance of the documents found on him, Lieutenant Colonel John Ja note: ”Inclos[e]d you'll receive a parcel of papers taken froned by General Arnold” Andre had asked to retain the papers, Jaht it more proper your Excellency should see the seen this letter, Washi+ngton awoke at dawn in Fish-kill, New York, and set off with a long train of aides (including Lafayette) and guards to breakfast with Benedict and Peggy Arnold The couple occupied a roomy mansion on the east bank of the Hudson River, the forton's friend Beverley Robinson, who had raised a Loyalist regiment En route to the house, which stood two tonthe river, occasioning banter froton playfully, saying how the young y Arnold Washi+ngton knew the coquettish charm she exerted over his aily to his aides, ”Ah, I know you young o and take your breakfast with her and tell her not to wait for me”48 Two aides, Sae that the large party of guests had been delayed but would shortly arrive for breakfast Two aides, Sae that the large party of guests had been delayed but would shortly arrive for breakfast

For Washi+ngton, it was a surreal day of curious absences, ether into a picture of outright treason That he found nothing suspicious in Arnold's behavior for so ton dismounted at the Robinson house at ten-thirty AM, one of Arnold's aides, Major David Franks, explained that his boss had been suy Arnold lay abed upstairs After a ton boarded an awning-shaded barge, which ferried him across the Hudson to West Point, where he expected to be saluted by his host But Arnold did not show up, and everyone professed ignorance of his whereabouts The ton scrutinized West Point's defenses and was shocked by their decrepit state, which showed none of the strenuous attention promised by Arnold ”The impropriety of his conduct, when he kneas to be there, struck ton later said ”I had not the least idea of the real cause”49 Late in the afternoon a puzzled Washi+ngton was rowed back to the Robinson house There was still no sign of Benedict, and Peggy Arnold reton rested in his room before dinner, Hamilton tapped on his door and laid before hi the letter froton set eyes on the war councilwith confidential inforton was thunderstruck ”Arnold has betrayed us!” he exclai feelings, he struggled to get a grip on his emotions Froh, or trusting enough, to find Arnold's treachery almost inconceivable The supreme betrayal had co suspected of disloyalty, but from a man whom he had trusted, admired, and assisted Despite a healthy dose of cynicis signs with Benedict Arnold As he gave way to strong feelings, he struggled to get a grip on his emotions Froh, or trusting enough, to find Arnold's treachery almost inconceivable The supreme betrayal had co suspected of disloyalty, but from a man whom he had trusted, admired, and assisted Despite a healthy dose of cynicis signs with Benedict Arnold

At this point Washi+ngton learned of an episode that