Louisiana capitolian., 1880-09-11
BENEDICT ARNOLD AT SARATOGA
New York Herald.

definitely settled by the production OF
an abundance of unpublished testimony.
1t is well known to all students OF
American history, and is now scarcely
contested by any writer, that Benedict
Arnold was the real hero Of the princi-
pal battle of Saratoga, fought on Octo'
Der I, III, which determined the sur
render of Bnrgoyne, and was, in fact,
the Gettysburg of the revolutionary
war.
1t is also admitted that the laurels Of
Arnold aroused the intense jealousy Of
the nominal commandcr-in-chiefo Of that
campaign, Gen. Horatio Gates, a fussy,
vain officer of the dress-parade variety,
and led to deliberate efforts to obscure
or ignore the importance of Arnolds
immense services. A cabal was formed,
directed not only against Arnold, but
against Schuyler as well, and with the
ultimate object of overthrowing Wash
innton himself. who was TO be replaced
by Gates, as "yictor vt Saratoga As
against Arnold and Schuyler this d;ts
taYdJy plot vas only too Successful. Ihe
generous and patriotic Schuyler retired
into younta!y1obscurity, but the iicry
Arnold, chahng against injustice, was
precipitated upon the series of inipru-
slences which embroiled him with Wash
ingtou and eliminated in lis treason.
II is in respect to the tqrlier battle Of
Saratoga, which was fought on Septem-
Der 10, III, thar a controversy has
long existed as 10 Arnold's participation.
The accounts of the time unheSitatlngIy
represented Arnold as not only present,
bnt as the actual commander, the soul
Of the whole operation while Gates WaS
certainly some miles in the rear. and
did not see the battle ut all. Neyerthe-
less, Wilkinson, the aid-decamp OF
Gates and his active co-worNef III the
Po; against Arnold, SehnyseE, and
Washington ventures % "'!'o III HIS
M2;1ol'S thirty years !a'er, mat no
gonela'otiicer was On me leid.
This miS,e,. Chief Justice Marshall,
-. 1.,t
who, htll3s III HIS AFSj e"i'l"hl "i DIS
: "Liie.M washington @N"s"e'e4'@''' Az
n"id as '.!@ c:i'ei he'" "i 'iie Gay "''H-
Grew ~!at ''"''''ich' ""t''eHN.3 o.: "''-
kil!s"as 5 aN'hoE!|E' III MS H@eo.i'' 1"!,'"i
The JOIN "a'IoElE oi -haFS!'H'i "h'
NHEinsan was Uni"ItNAaIe.E accep1eh
by Mt Bancroft "ho says WITH e'hp'ia-
saS, "Anoid was iot Oh tAe hrId,
Mr.. Isaac \. Arnold, in H.. .4re?e> In.
monographs upon Gen. Aluo.d'> military
career, published last year, sAawe'| l%
numerous references the decisive CHAR
aa;er of the latrer's services il the hat
BE OF September lath. HIS StateiAsntS
have been generally admitted as accu-
rate, tut Mr. JolM Austin Stevens, e',i-
tn. oT the Na.azn" of American HiSto-
~, a.; March tool, ~ the c;ll-"'s j"
behalf OF Gates and Wilkinson. ,ir.
bancroft. TOO, in a friendly corvcspon-
deuce with Mr. Arnold. declined to be
convinced OF lis mistake, citing Mar
snail, ana especially Il passage in letter
of Chancellor Livingston TO Washington
Of .laeYayv H. IT'S, in which Arnold is
oprayen-Iy referred to as not having
been present AZ the battle of September
Iath.
80 ;i.e>e arguments Mr.. Arnold has
reuliel IL the United Service for Sep
tember. successfully showing that the
reference OF Chancellor Livingston was
merely to the portion Of the field Of bat
tie Where his kinsman, Colonel
James Livingston was in command ct Il
regiment. The decislye.points made by
Mr.. Arnold. however, are III the presen-
taton Of extracts from newly discovered
Thomas Wakefield, Samuel Poppieton
and me i:ey. Dr.. iezekiah smith-ail
whom are explicit in their accounts of