Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1855-07-25

was ordered by Washington to lead a pro
ject for the invasion Of Canada-it hav-
ing been resolved TO penetrate the wilder
ness of the then . District of Maine"-to
surprise and take the city of Quebec, aud
reduce the Provinces The whole force
selected for this hazardous enterprise was
eleven hundred men, Arnold being com
manderin-ch with the rank of colonel.
The accomplishment of this perilous and
extremely difficult march was credita Bile
in the highest degree to the military gen
ius and skill of its leader and furnishes
evidence that, could the good character
istics of his disposition have predomina-
ted, the name of Benedict Arnold, now
scoffed and spit at by the honest and vir-
tuous of all countries, might have been
enrolled on the highest scroll of fame
Deep must have been his remorse when,
In after years, conscience, no doubt, ever
goaded him with the consequences of his
degradation and infamy. Ia reference to
this march through the wilderness. Head
ley remarks, g La few days, the army
arrived, having accomplished one of the
most remarkable marches on record =
The world renowned passage of San Ber-
nard, by Bonaparte with twenty thous
and men, will not compare with it. He
had an open path, short distance, and
provisions in abundance. The great diff
fculty was IN the transportation of artil
lery. There was no uncertainty about
the way nothing. indeed, to daunt the
soldier but hard work True, it was
large army but he could subdivide it in
as many portions as he pleased, leaving
each TO pass by itself The boldness Of
the undertaking is its greav attractive
feature. But San Bernard is only few
miles over, and the soldiers, leaving the
rich valley of Martigny in the morning,
could sleep in the hospice on the top at
night; while here was an army of more
than thousand men, marching for over
forty days, through fearful solitudes, wad-
ing streams, climbing mountains, scaling
precipices, drenched with rains, and vast
ed with toll enduring hunger, cold and
famine, and all to place forest Of two
hundred miles in extent between them
and safety. That army of a thousand
men. in the heart of that wilderness, toll
ing slowly yet resolutely on, is one of the
sublimest sights our history furnishes =
Men in retreat may do such things
Bonaparte fleeing from Moscow, Julian
retreating across the desert, Suwarrow
over the Alps, are wonderful events in
human history, but the wonder would
have been ten-fold greater had they en-
countered these perils and hardships in
marching after an enemy instead Of fee
ing before one. Men will dare any peril
in their path, if less than the one that
Al Ill IL -
other thing to enter voluntarily upon it !;
and that march to Quebec is standing
monument of the hardihood and boldness
of the American soldiers, aud of the
amazing energy and firmness of Arnolds
character"
The battle of Valcour Island, on Lake
Champlain, was a queer episode in the life
of a military cbieftain, and further evil
dence of the brute courage of Arnold !;
but like most of his previous efforts, was
without benefit to the cause. The rank
of maior-general which he had coveted
for long time, was eventually conferred
on him, principally for great bravery dis
played at Ridgefeld, Connecticut where
he acted as a volunteer under Generals
SiIliman and Wooster
ed the reckless daring of his character in
the highest degree although he commenc-
ed operations in his usual way, viz by a
quarrel with his superior officer but 1T is
now generally admitted that his alterca-
tion with General Gates was anything but
creditable to the latter No doubt, from
what Arnold considered the injustice of
Congress, and other causes, that prevent
ed the accomplishment of his ambition, he
had become perfectly reckless, and at the
last mentioned battle had determined to
sacrifice his life on the sacred altar of his
country. His rashnesS on this occasion
knew no bounds; he rushed in the most
dangerous positions, regardless of conse-
quences Once, wishing to 60 from one
extremity of the line to the other, instead
of passing behind his troops, he wheeled
in front and galloped the whole distance
through the cross-fre of the combatants-
in fact, one of his biographers says, G. be
fought like the devil incarnate," and had
the grape shot, by which be was severely
wounded in the leg, selected his head, his
sun would have gone down in glory, and
his memory been embalmod in the hearts
of grateful millions
THIS was his last active service III the
cause of American freedom. After the
evacuation of Philadelphia, he was ap-
pointed to the command of that city where
hewas only distinguished for his debauch
cry and dishonest extrayagance. Whilst
here, he became enamored with and mar
ried the daughter of one of the citizens,
Mr. Edward Shippen. After some time,
becoming pressed down with pecuniary
and other misunderstanding, of course,
the usual amount of quarrels on hand
be devised the act that branded his name
with infamy. Owing to tie friendship Of
Washington, he succeeded in obtaining
command of West Point, but not in deliv-
ering that important station over to Gen.
Clinton ard the British Government
8 He at first corresponded with Clinton
at New York, under feigned name, but,
the latter suspecting, from the inform
atiou given, that it was no common man
to whom he was indebted, began to cast
about for the author, and soon came to
Al . oonol,,eTop tbaf ;t Ynr1st he Arnafd =