The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1908-02-06
ALONG ARNOLD'S TRAIL
FROM MAINE TO CANADA.
BY FRANK W. GOWEN.
No. 1.

DI MANN W. Wv " NN>'
No. 1.
NV wanderings for pleasure and his
torical research have included the Ken
nebec, Dead River and Chaudlere.
Along these beautiful rivers. from the
sea at Bath to Canada, | have followed
the route of Arnold's terrible march
through the wilderness of Maine to
Quebec, jotting down in my note book
incidents and traditions of this Inflated
expedition. which occurred at the open
ing of the American Revolution. Every
school boy in the State of Maine is
more or less familiar with its history,
and this is chiefly due to the traditions
and romance which have come down to
us from several generations. The ex-
petition was one of the most fatal mill
tary mistakes in the annals OF our
nation. When our early Congress
raised Benedict Arnold-then brave
soldier and patriot, but later traitor
to his country-to the rank of colonel,
and Washington gave him the com
mand of LOO picked troops to march
through the wilds of Maine and attack
Quebec, it was near the end of Septem-
Der; too late in the season to send such
an expedition to the far North. 1t is
not nv intention, however, to crltlclse
Washington, for it is well known that
after he took command of the Cont
mental Army at Cambridge in July
1775. he was ha1assed by delays and
hindrances by Congress and the Co.
lonial governors. Only great man
and great general could have manag-
ed as well as he and overcome the
mighty difficulties which he faced
throughout the eight years OF the war
for independence. Washington fully
realized the political and military value
and far reaching Importance to the
country of this Canadian expedition, II
successful, but he was overwhelmed
F., with cares day by day in organizing an
! army, and at the same time stralnlng
every nerve to get together as soon as
possible picked army for Arnold.
! Would that he might have succeeded in
starting the army of invasion north
six weeks earlier, so that it might have
! escaped the terrible trials and hard
ships of the march. Arnold could have
! then have united his army with that OF
! General Montgomery after the fall OF
/ Montreal and Great Britain would
,, probably have lost her Canadian colo
, nv as well as her thirteen American
colonies.
On the 10Th of September, only a
short time after st. John and Montreal
had fallen under the generalship OF the
+ gallant Montgomery, General Arnold
sailed out of the harbor of NeWbury-
! port, Massachusetts,, with his troops on
! ten transports, and two days later ar
! rived with his army at Colonel Col
F.! burns shipyard, short distance below
| the village of South Gardiner on the
, Kennebec river. General Henry Dear
! born, who accompanied Arnold on this
| expedition, states i'll his Journal OF
! this invasion that Col. Colbun, who
: built these boats, was never paid tor
i them. nor were his heirs paid, although
| they urged Congress from time to time
, to settle the claim. Sometime during
! the day on the 21st of September,
| General Arnold and his principal Of
; ficers arrived at Fort Weston, and we
! are told were entertained at the Great
House" which was burned i'll 1866.
He remained there some time prepar-
| ing his army and stores for the tlnal
embarkation for Quebec. This fort
was erected in 1854 on beautiful tract
of land commanding fine view OF the
river between Augusta and Halloween.
While at the State Capitol recently L
visited this old fort and its surround
| ings, but only a part OF the original
| Fort Weston, which covered large
space Of land, remains. The old tort,
or rather that part of it now standing,
was converted into dwelling house
years ago Its cellar walls are well
preserved. but the big timbers are
beginning to decay. Only few years
more and this historic landmark will
1,,,1acs the citizens Nt A IL
gusta take steps 10 preserve if, which
! earnestly hope they will do before 1t Is
| too late.
From the stories or traditions which
! have come down 10 us we learn THAT
| Arnold and his soldiers had high times
while at Fort Weston, and quantities
of English rum, the curse OF man
kind" were drank. Arnold was then
80 years of age, with a naughty, com
i manding presence and possessed OF a
quick temper. He was "a man of
great courage and physical strength,
but lacked the cool Judgment and ster-
ling qualities of Washington. He was
accompanied on this expedition by
several brave and courageous young
men whose names became famous In
political and military life in later times.
| There was Aaron Burr, then lad OF
only 10 summers, afterwards a great
lawyer and Vice President Of our land.
His duel with Hamilton, who died
from his wounds, universally mourned,
lost him the respect of his fellowmen
and he went forth to engage in treason
against his country and died in distress
aud poverty. There was young Cap
tain Daniel Morgan, famous rit1eman,
who later became noted general OF
the Revolution and true friend to
Washington. Still another young cap
tain who toiled on day by day with
Arnold and his army in the wilderness,
became later in life great general and
Secretary of War under Jefferson S
administration. This was General
Henry Dearborn. Little did he realize
then that nearly 40 years later, III the
war of 1912, he would be in command
of great army, called the Army OF
the Center" to again invade Canada
on the Niagara Frontier. Soon after
the close of the Revolution in 1885,
General Dearborn bought large tract
of land in Gardiner, Name. and erected
a fine residence there. He was twice
sent to Congress from the cold Ken
nebec District and IN 1901 was appoin-
ned Secretary of War by jefferson.
He was also minister to Portugal In
1922. At the age of rs he passed away
in Roxbury, Massachusetts. FeWpub
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