The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-09-30


New York Line,) and, being bTigaded with
troops raised just across the line In Connec-
cut got into Arnold's division and was ct
headquarters as an aide during the battles Of
Bemis' Heights. He stated long after the
Revolution that Immediately subsequent
to the first battle Gates determined to
fall back to the Mohawk, that q
stormy interview occurred between Gates
and Arnold, In which the latter threatened to
put Gates under arrest II he attempted to
Issue such an order, and declared that he
would assume the command Of the army him
self and fight Burgoyne again On that same
ground III he had to do 1t with rope around
his neck" Gates consulted some Of his inti-
mates and ascertained that the temper Of the
army would not tolerate an order to retreat,
that Morgan and Winslow would both side
with Arnold in case of such an emergency,
and Chat he would incur great danger of as
sassination II he attempted to fall back.
Gates thereupon changed his programme,
gave the orders that led to
THE SECOND BATTLE OF BEMIs' HEIGHTS,
and contented himself with relieving Arnold
from his command upon pretext, the flimsi-
ness of which has been most ably exposed by
Headley,
The battle was fought. Gates kept his tent.
Arnold, as soon as he heard the rattle of the
mtsketry, ignored the order relieving him,
flew TO the field took command Of his division
and. in the light Of the best data that are ac-
cessible gained the day as incontestibly as
Napoleon gained Marengo. The surrender OF
Burgoyne followed; but the official report of
Gates had no mention Of Arnold. And from
that moment, said my great-great-uncle, Ar
mold was subjected to persecution at the
hands of the cabal which surrounded Gen.
Washington sufficient to drive a much less
telnpestuous soul than his to madness, sui
eide or treason. That Arnold chose the latter
was due probably to the fact that his mind
was too strong to be wrecked and his bosom
too brave for self-murder But his treason
may safely be charged up to the joint account
of
THE INfMEAsURABIE MEANNEss OF GATES,
and the solemn, punctilious weakness of
Washington, both of which combined to con-
fer odium and obscurity upon Arnold as a re-
ward for forcing Burgoyne to surrender.
Thus 1t seems that in order to most fully con-
serve the equities Of history, Gates niche
ought to be left empty too-a suggestion
which presume will find echo in the South
for the memory Of Camdenl
GATES WAS FRAUD.
Between Arnold at Saratoga and De Kalb at
Camden, he managed to steal considerable
reputation. It is high time he was stripped
of the fruits of his larcenies and set down In
history where he belongs as the general who
never won battle except in his tent, and
who never wrote an official report that was
not lie The men who serve under COM
mander are the best judges Of his worth as q
man and soldier. Who ever heard reyolu-
tionary veteran speak affectionately of
Gates? But, spite of all Arnold's treason
and infamy, the men Of his old division, gray
haired and lettering away along into
the present century, used to speak
of him with the reverence Of
trembling voices and fearful eyes. My great
great-uncle lived to a rare old age, and when
he got 50 feeble that he had to be protected
from excitement, the subject OF Arnold was
tabooed in his presence by those who took
care of him. because, If anybody said any
thing derogatory to his old commander In
his presence, the veteran Of Bemis Heights
would defend Arnold and assail Gates with
such vehemence as to PROSTATE his nerves
for days thereafter. Such facts tell their own
story. A. @. b.