Norwich bulletin., 1909-12-09
A Word in Defense of Benedict Arnold

MT. Editor: One of your amusement halls has presented this week a series of moving pictures entitled Benedict Arnold, etc. In the preparation of matter in text or illustration the writer or illustrator allows his own feelings or prejudices to color his work. In the case above the general has been shown on his dark side, but not a word for the great work he did.
 Allow us to say the good word here:
 His first entrance into military life, as shown in his march from New Haven to Boston.
 2-His great service at Crown Point and Ticonderoga and his gaining there the first naval victory of the Revolu- tion.
 3-His Canadian expedition, his part of which has been conceded the most admirably conducted of any American expedition and never has been ex- celled since.
 4-His conduct in grasping the dy- ing Montgomery and carrying him off the field on his back is worthy of note. as well as his conducting the retreat back to the states.
 5-His great service about New York.
 6-The plan and advice which de- cided Washington to attack the enemy dl 1IClllOn anu 1IinCeIOlI DdS DSSl credited to him. The British annalists of the time concede him this honor. Had not this move been made, and had the British general crossed the Delaware and fought a battle, he would have crushed Washington and the cause he represented. Arnold there saved the army.
 7-The complete and utter rout of St Clair and his army before a battle is mo offar 0f bfctorv Tho nyarorol ic credited as being the only general of that war to have gained this honor.
 S-Saratoga has been credited by several eminent authorities with being the great decisive battle of the war Here was lighted the glorious Light of Freedom that led the way to York town. The generals charge in this gone against us, the fate of that struggle might have been different. Fate had fdecreed that this man should again save the army. In this charge the general was severally wounded and so for a year he hardly left his room His great nerve and will alone pulled him through a year of intense suffer ing.
 9-Congress placed him in charge of Philadelphia, where his great services was the means of again saving the cause.
 In brief, I believe we owe our ex- istence as a nation to this son of Norwich.
 So far in his career there is no mili- tary hero of that immortal struggle for independece that had performed so great, so signal a service. How was he rewarded for all his great service by congress? Yes, at the time when he was an invalid and yet suffering great pain and when his military life had sapped his iron frame and weakened his powers of endurance?
 It was at this time that congress took to do the blackest, most cruel and heartless deed that stains their record in that glorious struggle. It was then the most cowardly blow was struck which wounded the hero of Saratoga to the heart.
 Like all the rest of the race, Bene- dict Arnold was human, and his pow CTS of endurance had reached their limit
 Whatever he did from this time for, ward, the glory or the shame. with all its infamy, ought to rest more on the shoulders of those who caused it than the victim of such catastrophe.
 The general has been made the scapegoat of the Revolution. All the infamous deeds of that band of con- Splrators that so stain our annals at this period has been placed on his shoulders, and the pen has so taught the future nation. So long as this farce can be kept up, Gates, Conway, Lee and such ilk are safe from the discern- ing eye of history
 great vail has been set up over Andre. Had the plot succeeded. and hundreds of patriots lives had paid the penalty, why, then is Andre and his life sweeter CT dearer than anothers?
 Andre was conG mred as a spy, and he knew his medicine before he took it.
 Where has the enemy shown the sympathy like this for the gallant Hale, whom they hung in New York as a spy? Did Andre show more hero ism than this true Connecticut son, who said at the last: T only regret I have but one life to lose for my coun- try"
 I will contrast the great case of the Duke of Marlborough, whose last years of life was a perfect blotch. It cer- tainly is a contemptible mind that would hold up these years of the dukes life to ridicule and to infamy. Rather