The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1781-10-23 00:00:00, page 1

ing to the relief of Bolton, after the battle of Lexington.
We before fpeke of his march form Cambridge to Quebec.
The honor be acquired bythis enterprize would have been
lifting, had he not fullie^ it in his return, by plundering the
town of Montreal. Under cover of an order from General
Washington to secure all the goods at Philadelphia, after
the British army evacuated it, in 1778, he committed the
most shocking depredations upon private property, and
amassed large quantities of goods, which he afterwards fold,
through his agents, at private sale, in Philadelphia nei
ther his rank nor command in the army could reftram trim a
moment fora schemes of (peculation. His lobby was
Crowded in a morning with partners in stores —.-letters or
marque—-privateers—and prizes. Simetimes be admitted
into his confidence 1 continental waggoner, in order to fa
cilitate the transportation of his goods at the public expence.
His success in the plunder of his country enabled him to exhri-,
bit feenes of dissipation and pleasure in his h^ufe, that vied
with those that had been just before exhibited by the princi
pal officersin the British army. The republican citizens of
Philadelphia exclaimed againtt his conduct, as highly inju
rious to the morals and manners ofthe people. At length
the executive council ofPennfylvania boldly impeached him
of all his Crimes, and mifdemeapors. He was brought be
fore a Court-Martial at Morriffown. There is a natural
prejudice in favour of a brave man, and soldiers are perhaps
the only people who admire and commend the quality they
Govet most. that is, bravery in other men. The light of a
brother foblier standing before a military tribunal, upon a
leg that had been broken and weakened by the mod gallant
services to his country, would haye palliated grosser crimes
than those with which he was. charged. Many of the evi
dences against him declined to appear at the court, while
many uncxpt&ed witnesses appeared in bis favour. There
was little doubt with the court of his being guilty of most
•ofthe charges that were brought against him ; but the de
grees ofthe evidence would admit of their convicting him
of only two outof eight of them. He was found guilty of
granting a pats contrary to general orders, to favour a
Schemeof fpecul'ation, and of making use of p.jplic waggons
at an improper time, to secure and trdnfport his private pro
perty. His punishment forthefe crimes (for in an' officer of
Lis rank they deserve no other narnt) was a reprimand Itohs'
Q^ commander in chief#
drugs, and return with them to, New-Haven, where he fey
up an apothecary's (tore. During his absence from home
he had contracted a love for pleasure and idle company.
This led him to.neglc& his peltle and morter, by which
means in a few years he became a bankrupt. Out of the
ruins of hisshop, he bought a share in a small shipper, and
went witha cargo of horses to the Weft-Indies, where, by
CoaSting along the different islands, he acquired a good deal
es money. After an : abfence of a year or two he returned to
his native country, and with the addition he had made to his
fortune built bimferfan elegant horde, and opened a large
dry good store. In this business he early discovered a grea
ter turn for {peculation that fcr fair trade. Upon hearing in
New-York, upon a certain occasion, that rum had rose four
pence per gallon, he fuddetfly mounted his horse, and rode
90 miles in one day, in order to buy up a large quantity of
rum which he knew had just before been lodged in and about
New-Haven. He fucceeddd to his wishes, and bpafted as & ,
forwards that ,he had made local. by this fingfe (peculation..
The war, in 1775, found him in easy circumftapces, and he
was one ofthe foremoft of the CAnne&icuc militia in march-
To-Morrow will be Published,#
An Agronomical Ephemeris, Calendar, or
ALMANACK,
For the Year of our L O R D,
1 7 8 2.
Containing all things necerfary to such a Composition.
The Aftroßomical parts performed by N. S.
Profeffor of Mathematics and Natural Philo
sophy in Yale-College, „.
The L IFE and CHARACTER of General
AR NO LD, extracted from the new
History of the American Revolution.
THIS man was born of reputable parents in CorinecJcut.
His grandfather had been Governor of Rhode-lfland^
His father died when he was about fourteen years of age,
which obliged his friends to take him from school, and to
put him apprentice to'an apothecary.; He behaved well in
his master's shop, and was admired by every one that fre
quented it, as an a&ive promising boy. At the age of 20
years he left his master and went to London, where he had
address enough to procure a credit for a large quantity of
WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER.
HARVFO R D : Printed BY H UDSON AND GOODWI N, near the Great Bridge.
TUESDA Y, October 23, 1781.
There is a fafeinatiotf in military exploits, that bewitches
the minds of men, and proves anapology fora thousand a^s
of folly and indiferetion. 'Like charity, they cover a mul
titude of fins. This sentence of the Court-Martial, and the
general clamour ag.ninft General Arnold's condud, did not
invalidate his military reputation, or destroy his influence
in the army. While every body detested the (peculator,
they'admired and honored the foldier.',
Hitherto avarice had been the leading principle of Arnold s
foul; but now a degree of refinement was added to it for
his supposed ill treatment by his countrymen: It was soon
after nis trial that his correspondence with Major Andre be
gan; but it was not until the Summer of 1.780 that he received
any direct offers from Sir Henry Clinton. Gold was the
loadftone of his heart. He did not deliberate a moment
whether he should accept the bribe. He was of no country
of no party and of no religion—and therefore he had
no objedion to closing wick Sir Henry's bargain.. He deli-,
berated only what facrifice heshould make. By General
McDougall's accepting a feat in Congress, the command of
the fortrefs at Weft-Point, on Hudson's riv^r, became va
cant.—This post immediately attracted his attention. It was
the key of the North-River, the link of the Eastern and
Southern States, and the passage of communication between
New-York and Canada. The British knew its importance,
but confeffed, by their conduct, that it was inifyegr^ble by
arms. Arnold, by intrigue and felicitation, obtained the
command of this fortrefs from General Washington. It
was now he felicitated himfeff upon the accomplishment of
his schemes of treachery, and enjoyed in profpe&the splen
did reward which awaited it. , /•
- [ Here followsd particular account of^rneld c detention arid
defeMon to the enemy, and of Major ^nd~e's execution, which be
ing recent events, and authentically recorded in sane late news
papers, are omitted in this place. Our author concludes his ac
count of this event as follows.):
Thus was America delivered from one of the greatest ca-
taflrophes that ever impended her. All ranks of people
(poke with horror of this unparalled instance of treachery.
The streets of every city and village in the United States for
many months rung with the crimes of General Arnold. He
was burnt in effigy in Philadelphia. But what fix d the enor
mity ofhis wickedness most in the minds ofthe people, was
a proclamation which the Congress published immediately
afterwards, recommending a day of thanksgiving to the ru
ler of the universe, for this great deliverance from the pow
er of the enemy.
There appears,in contemplating the conduct of General
Arnold' in this aft of treachery, a gradation in ,his crimes
that adds much to their malignity. He betrayed his native
country-—he deferred a caufeto which;he had (wore allegi
ance—-he had turned his back upon a power that had given
him honor and command —he attempted to ruin a people
who had generously absolved himof the vices ofhis private
life, from the grateful sense they cherished ofhis military
services to their country. But the highest offence he conr
mittert'was agiinft himfelf. He had acquired the firft mili
tary reputation in America.. He had fought and bled often
in defence of her liberties and independence— he shared
largely in the glqry of conquering Burgoyne —all Europe
was filled withhis name. The King <,f Pruffii (poke hand
fomelf of his military genius and exploits. Even the ene
mies of the United States were forced to acknowledge the
warrior in the reputed rebel. General Burgoyne attributes
one ofhis defeats entirely to the impeiuofity and fi.moefs of
a body of troops headed by General Arnold. # Ina word;
painters, poets and hiftori'ans, crowded about him to ensure
immortality to their performances, by fixing upon General
Arnold as the fubjed of them.
His name was emblamed with the firft heroes of America,
and was consigned for its full tribute of praise to the grati
tude of posterity. But even this reputition, for which a ge
nerous mind would have paid millions, and Sacrificed a
thousand lives, was basely fold for about five thousand
pounds. 'Arnold, the champion of liberty-—the pride of
his country —one ofthe conquerors of Burgoyne---the ad
miration of Europe—and the terror and (courge of Britain,
ends in a traitor and a deserter. An bißorian must %e more
or less than man that can mention these things, and not
pause a few minutes to bewail the folly and wickedness of
human nature. Ifevery record ofthe inhabitants of our globe
should be loft, except* the history of Arnolds defection, it
would be fufticient to show other beings the extent and de
grees of the depravity of man.
America has fomecimes blushed for a moment, upon re
ft^bng that in the infancy of her existence, and'in the mpft
fople date ofher manners, she gave birth to this monger
efiniouity. But she soon found consolation in the recollec
tion that he was firff contaminated by the atmosphere of
London, and that after his vices had acquired their maturity,
the foil of America could afford them no more nourishment
He was, compelled to feck for food for them within the li
' inks ofthe British goYanmena
General Arnold was received with open arms in New-
York. He was invited immediately to the tables of all the
General Officers. For a while he. amused them with the
expectations of large ^fe&ions from the American army,
and'figned his name to a proclamation composed for that
purpose. Burin this they were egregiously difappginted;
It is remarkable that scarcely a centinel left his poll for near
three months after Arnold's defection took place. His con
daft had ftampedan infamy upon defection, more terrible to
the common soldier than the gallows.
Soon after the news of Arnold's treachery reached theCon
grefs, they (buck his name our of the lift of their Major
General's. The resolution for this purpose was a short one.
It contained no commentary upon his crime. This was of
Io atrocious and new a nature, that even that August body,
so much admired for their original and just compositions,
could find no words to convey t o 'hw world, anduo posterity,
their ideas of its peculiar euqnuitv.
Immediately after his nafidw«s extirpated froffl the calen
dar of American officers, he received a Colohefs commie
on with the rank of (brigadier General from Sir Rtnry Clin
ton. No remonstrances were made by the, officers of bag
British army against this outrage upon decency, and viola
tion of the rules of promotion. A number of them embark-
ed with him upon a plundering expedition to Virginia.
Here he made military duty and fervicc yield to the low pur
poses of speculation. He directed the arris of Britain only
againSt Stores of tobacco, plate, feather beds and negroes,
all of which he fold at an immense. profit. For these ex
ploits, he received the approbation cf the.King of Great-
Britain, in a letter from Lord George Germain to Sir Henry
Clinton. It was said that Lord Cornwallis had lefufedto do
duty with General Ainold,apd that Qtis was the reason of the
General's sudden departure to New-York after Cornwallis'^
arrival in Virginia : But his Lordship had been too well e
ducated in tbe school of despotism, to shew the reaft mark of
dilrefpe^to one whom bis Sovereign had honored with %
commrilion and with hrs royal approbation. If this British
officer, together with the other British Generals who have
Served in America during the revolution, had acquired tl ri
smallest share of glory for skill and bravery in battle,or for
their, perseverance in long and difficult marches, under the
rnQff unpromising appearances of success, they have juSH,
forfeited it, by fullering then names ap'd corumiffrons ans
services to be ranked with General Arnold's.
For the gratification of every class of renders it may pop
be improper to add, chat Arnold's person was small but well
made : His eye was piecing, and his whole face agreablc.
His manner was that of a gentleman's ifrhile be was Silent,'
but his conversation betrayed a vulgar education. His pro
nunciation was improper, and he feldoni connected a fen
tenet of grammar, together- He was a Stranger ro books,
and made but a trifling figure upon the most ordinary fubje&v
of cohverfation. His talents in every thing were modcrate,
except in that species of business to which he had devoted the
gieateft-.part of his life. In making a bargain no abilities
or ties of nature ever overcame him. As an officer bis capa
city qualified him only for the command of a company. Im
order to do justice to his character as a soldier, it will be
necessary to introduce a diftlnftion between courage ar.J
bravery. The firft is Seated io the mind and 5 equally the
offspring oi principle and redie&ion. The second is seated in
the blood, and is exceed by exercise, b, mutic, and by fpLir
ons liquors,'By habit it ma^ be so far improved as to rm-
dace the clkds of cordage. It exists in tne.fodiery of ?U
armies,and it is sometimes found in die worst chara&ert that
erer difecaced human nature, General Arr<ud was destitute
of courage, but pol^fied the highest degree of.brave%
There are authentic documents'to prove that he Was drunk
at the time he received hi~wounJin attack mg Generalßur
goyne's lines. Whether he was intoxicated in the battles of
Quebec, on the Lakes and at Danbury does not appear, but
it is certain he difeovered in each of those engagements, an
impetuosity that Seemed ro arifemore from a fermentation of
animal spirits than from principle or re^e&ion. It may ap
pear difficult to some people to reconcilctb.it military charac
ter of General Arnold with hh uncommon military reputa
tion. But it mult be considered that toe wo 4 l dis more eafry
deceived with appearancesin this Species of character than
in any other. Success, anda wound, often .Constitute a mili
tary hero,whereas it is well known many Generals have d
ferved the thanks of their country for their defeats,and r^u
more have defetved ro be broke for their v. ; &orie c . Acci
ddntand necefil, gave Arnold rank and reputation in the
American arrof, and extraordinary attainments in villai; ,
alone gave him both, in the army of the King of Great-
Britain...
We have already established the fa&' sos General Arnold §
dishonesty and fjahood in private life. To compleat the ch
talouge of his private vices, it is only necessary to add, that
he was unfaithful to the bed of an amiable young wife, the
daughter of ri tcalchy ^nd refyestable citizen of PhiSadeb
(No. 874.)