Time Softens the Harsh Verdict of His
Contemporaries on an American Military
Genius Who Was Born Just 200 Years Ago
HIGH TIDE IN THE CAREER OF A MILITARY GENIUS?Benedict Arnold leads the successful attack on
the Hessian redoubt at the Battle of Saratoca, October 7, 1777.
By ELMO SCOTT WATSON
(Released by Wsstsrn Newspaper Union.)
ON THE battlefield of Saratoga in New York stands a monu
ment that is unique. One side of the simple marble slab is
adorned with a column, in bold relief, in the shape of a
cannon. Carved at its top are a wreath, an epaulet and?a boot!
But there is no word engraved there to indicate why anyone
should erect a monument to '
a boot.
Walk around to the other
side of the monument and you
will read on the smooth face
of the stone these words:
Erected by
JOHN WATTS de PEYSTER
Brer: MaJ: Gen: S.N.Y.
tad. V. Pres't Saratoga Mon't
Aaa't'e
In Memory of
the "moot brilliant soldier of the
Continental Army"
who was desperately wo ended
ea this spot, the sally port of
BURGOYNE'S "GREAT
(WESTERN) REDOUBT"
7th. October 1777,
winning for his countrymen
the Decisive Battle of the
American Revolution
and for himself the rank of
Major General
II, as this inscription says, the
monument was erected in memo
ry of the "most brilliant soldier
of the Continental Army" who
won for his countrymen "the De
cisive Battle of the American
Revolution," then why isn't his
name mentioned? The answer is,
of course, that if it were, this
would become a monument to
treason, also. For the name
which would be engraved here
would be "Benedict Arnold" and,
for a century and a half, that has
been synonymous with "treason."
As for the boot, it is a replica of
the one worn by Arnold on his
left leg which was wounded at
Quebec and at Saratoga. The
story back of this unusual monu
ment is this:
In 1177 when the Saratoga Mon
ument association was organized
to erect a monument on the aite
of battle which was the "Turning
Point of the Revolution," it
planned a monument with four
niches. In three were to be stat
ues of Generals Horatio Gates,
Philip Schuyler and Daniel Mor
gan of the American army, but
the fourth was left vactoit?a si
lent memorial to one of the heroes
of Saratoga who later turned
traitor to the Patriot cause.
But General de Peyster, one of
the vice presidents of (he battle
monument association, was net
satisfied with 'this negative ges
ture. He believed that even
though Arnold had been a traitor,
there sheuld be some recognition
of Ms services at Saratoga. Even
though he could not honor Arnold
by name, or the whole of him
in a statue, he could honor Ar
nold's leg which had received two
bullets in the cause of liberty. ,
So he commissioned George Ed
win Bissell, a noted American
sculptor, to carve the memorial
to Arnold and it was set up in
1877. At that time the land on
which it stood was private prop
erty and could be reached only
by a footpath across a swamp.
Consequently, few visitors to the
battlefield ever saw it < In 1929
this land was taken over by the
state of New York and incorporat
ed in the memorial park which
includes approximately 1,700 of
the 1,400 acres over which the
British and American armies
fought so desperately in 1777.
Today the Saratoga battlefield
is one of the best-known "shrines
of American liberty," visited an
nually by thousands. The Arnold
memorial, "touching in its sim
pliclty and symbolism" (as R. L.
Duffua of the New York Times
has phrased it) is one of the chief
points of interest on the battlefield
and many Americans who see it
are now inclined to think some
what differently of Benedict Ar
nold than to associate his name
always with the word "traitor" as
they learned from their school
book histories to do.
In fact, the passage of time has
softened the harsh verdict which
his contemporaries passed upon
this man who was born just 200
years ago (January 14, 1741).
Through the perspective of a cen
tury and a half Americans are
beginning to see more clearly the
real tragedy that was the life of
Benedict Arnold, and they are
learning to share Washington's
emotion?sadness that a brilliant
career should end so darkly?
rather than hatred for a man who,
with good reason for being disap
BENEDICT ABNOLD
pointed and embittered, betrayed
his trust. Without seeking in any
way to excuse his treason, they
can more readily understand why
he acted as he did and they can
recognize the tact that not even
his one great act of faithlessness
can obscure his greatness as a
military genius.
Arnold proved that he was a
great soldier many a time before
that fatal day in 1780 when his
plot to hand the stronghold of
West Point over to the British
was foiled. At the outbreak of the
Revolution he led a company of
militia from hla native state of
Connecticut to Cambridge to Join
Washington's army. But, tiring of
the inactivity of the siege of Bos
ton, he obtained permission to en
list men for an expedition against
Crown Point and Ticonderoga on
Lake Cham plain.
This resulted in his first frus
tration. For another spirit as
bold as himself?Ethan Allen with
his Green Mountain Boys from
Vermont?was ahead of him. 80
Arnold took part in the capture of
Ticonderoga as a simple volunteer
with Allen but he did lead an ex
pedition which pushed forward
and captured St. John's. How
ever, when a committee came
from Massachusetts, it was not to
praise him for his feat but to in
quire into his conduct. Disgusted
at this, Arnold resigned from the
service and returned to his home.
This inauspicious start to his
military career was prophetic of
the suspicion and jealousy that
was to pursue him from that time
forward. Far Benedict Arnold al
ways had enemies and his hot
temper, his arrocance and his im
patience with less impulsive men
were responsible for most of them.
They prevented his winning the
recognition due him for one of the
most brilliant exploits soon aft
erwards. That was his epic
march to aid Gen. Richard Mont
gomery in the attack on Quebec
late in 1175. Though the expedi
tion was a failure, Arnold succeed
ed in bringing the remnants of his
command back by way of Lake
Champlain, beat off an attack
by a British fleet and, although
he had to beaoh his boats and
burn them, he saved his army.
"Surely a more active, a more
spirited and sensible officer fills
no department of the army" was
Washington's praise of Arnold aft
er this exploit. But it did not save
him from the machinations of his
enemies, who spread false reports
about him. So when congress, in
February, 1777, promoted five
brigadier generals to major gen
erals, Arnold's name was omitted
from the list.
That fall he was sent to aid
Gen. Philip Schuyler in resisting
Burgoyne's invasion. Then Gen.
Horatio Gates replaced Schuyler
as commander of the army of the
north and the two armies came
to grips at Saratoga on September
19. Arnold, commanding the left
wing, distinguished himself while
Gates was showing all the inepti
tude that characterized his whole
career. There was a furious quar
rel between the two generals
which ended in Arnold's sending
his resignation to Washington. He
was replaced by General Lincoln
but remained with the army.
On October 7 came the final
great battle at Saratoga and when
the tide seemed to be running
against the Americans Arnold
could no longer remain sulking in
his tent. Mounting his horse, he
rushed into the battle "with the
fury and impetuosity of a tiger,"
led his men in a successful as
sault on the Hessian camp, and
went down with a bullet through
his leg. This was the turning
nnint nf thu Ha til a.
Although Gates and his friends
tried to disparage Arnold's great
contribution to that victory, con
gress *m ad e him a major-general,
Washington presented him with a
"pair of elegant pistola" and he
was named commander of the
American forces in Philadelphia.
Then the hatred of his enemies
began to dog him again. Eight
charges of personal and official
misconduct were brought against
him and although he was virtual
ly acquitted by a court martial,
he was sentenced to be repri
manded by Washington, who car
ried out the distasteful duty as
considerately as possible.
But this wli the last straw for
the embittered, disappointed man.
Soon afterwards followed his ap
pointment as commander at West
Point, his plotting with the British
to hand that post over to them, the
exposure of the plot, the capture
of Maj. John Andre, adjutant
general of the British army and
Arnold's fellow-conspirator, and
Arnold's fligfH to the British.
After the war was over Arnold
went to London to live. Although
the king received him graciously
he found that the English had lit
tle admiration or liking for the
"American traitor." When he
walked the streets, he was always
conscious of their sneers as much
as he was of the undisguised hos
tility of Americans in the British
capital. Later he engaged in
trading in the West Indies, then
lived for a time in St. John, New
Brunswick, where many Ameri
can Loyalists had settled. But
they had little more use for. him
than the English and eventually he
went back to London, where he
died June 14,1S01, a broken-heart
ed, poverty-stricken old man.
.
Law in the Making
With the turn of the year a new Congret*?the 77th?began it* fob of
determining what thai! be the law* if thi* nation. If* a long and *ome
timet rough road between the introduction of a bill in one of the haute*
of Congret* and it* enactment into law. Theie picture* take you over
that road. Thi* particular bill it the Vinton bill, authorising the "con
struction or acquisition of naval aircraft," We take it a* an example.
Debut of a Bill . . . Rep. Carl
Vinton of Georgia, chairman of
House Naval Affairt committee,
drop* a resolution into the "hop
per," at the Speaker's table in the
House of Representatives?the first
step in the making of a law.
HR-9848. William J. McDermott
Jr., bill clerk of the House, puts a
number on the resolution?HR
9848. The "H. R." is for "House
Resolution." Resolutions indicate
legislation of temporary nature.
Bills become continuing laws.
Sext milestone on the hilts journey is at the desk of Lewis Deschler,
parliamentarian of the House, an encyclopedia of legislative procedure,
who sits at the Speaker's table during sessions. Mr. Deschler decides
which House committee will get the resolution.
And now HR-9848 is delivered to
Robert H. Harper, a clerk of the
House Naval Affairs' committee.
Many copies are run off.
Chairman Vinton, having de
cided to call a hearing, checks the
resolution with Commander I. C.
Bogart.
Debate ... In due course hear
ings are heard on BR-984S. Here
Rep. L. B. Johnson of Texas, mem
ber of the Nuotd Affairs committee,
is hatting his say.
1
Read in Session ... After making
a feu changes, the committee re
ported favorably on HR-9848.
Roger Calloway, reading clerk,
reads it in session.
CMali. 1809
-?3=" H. R 9848
DiDaunvmnnsiuTi
iilrt i M atwIiifcOa ?[???llll.i
*?? ffrfia M.*-?*???
AN ACT
?aMla |Ma ?! hr dbr
I Hi
I 1hii?f>^arfi?Mri>Whhrty iiitnl
1
Author-Booster . , . After the
Vinton measure trot given the
green light in committee, it went
to the House, where its muthor mid
hit piece in its fovor.
For De/eiue . . . And here it the
first page of HR-984&, calling for
the construction or acquisition of
naval aircraft. It teas a long route,
but it is the democratic way.
The public is privileged to listen to committee arguments.
kmmmkUl d IMPROVED
UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
Sunday i
chool Lesson
(lUtou^d to ViMn N.w?p?p?r Union.) ,
1
Lesson for January 19
&pr2&!MZ?r3rS
pennlMion,
THE SLIGHTED INVITATION
T menu TEXT?Lukt U:lUi
GOLDEN TEXT?Come; lor all thlngi are
now ready.?Luke M:17.
Actions speak louder than words.
What a man says is important, but
it is his life which determines wheth
er we accept his words as true. In
spiritual things men have too often
professed to follow Christ but failed
to do His will. It is the business
of the church to press home the
necessity of an acceptance of Christ
as Saviour which also makes Him
the Lord of our life.
I. Pious Words (v. 18).
We do not know whether the man
who said, "Blessed is he that eateth
bread in the kingdom of God," was
expressing the sincere longing of his
heart or merely making a bit of
pious conversation. Jesus had just
been dealing with some rather dis
concerting matters (w. 1-14). On
such occasions there is usually
someone on hand to spoil the effec
tiveness of the admonition by utter
ing some religious platitude which
will direct conversation into more
comfortable channels.
Even though the man was sincere,
he had evidently not made any prep
arations to be present at that great
feast. This appears from the story
Jesus related in response to his
woras.
n. Poor Excuses (w. 18-20).
It is not enough that we know
that God has prepared a place of
blessedness, nor does it suffice to
speak approvingly of God's invita
tion to come; we must accept. God
graciously bids all men to come; but
all too many, while willing to admit
the desirability of coming and ad
miring it as the ideal thing to do,
begin to make excuses.
Observe that the men- gave ex
cuses, not reasons. There is a great
difference. Note also that the ex
cuses were poor ones. One had a
new possession?a field?which be
"must go out and see." The second
had a business matter to care tor
trying out oxen he had bought. The
third had a personal affection he
wanted to foster?a new wife whom
he could not leave.
The fact is that none of them
wanted to come, and these were but
excuses. What man buys a field
without seeing it, or oxen without
trying them? And we agree with
Dr. Morgan that the one who had
married a wife "was the most fool
ish of all. Why didn't he take her
with him? Just excuses." Reader,
what excuse is keeping you from
accepting God's invitation?
111. Urgent Invitations (w. 21-24).
Those who reject God's invitation
hurt only themselves, for He will
find guests to fill the banquet hall
at the marriage supper of the Lamb.
Let us not fail to observe that it
is the duty of the Lord's servants
(and that means every born-again
Christian) to be diligently about the
business of urging men to respond
to God's call. Let us beware that
we do not miss that point by utter
ing some pious platitudes about soul
winning, and then failing to do any
thing to reach others.
It is the first business of every
Christian who reads these lines to
be engaged in personal soul-winning.
If you want to do it and do not know
how to start, I shall be glad to send
you free, a copy of "Lessons in Soul
Winning," by Dr. Will H. Houghton.
The important matter is that we get
busy giving out these urgent invita
tions.
It is the first business of the un
converted to accept that invitation.
Dare you refuse? In one of his last
meetings in Kansas City, Dwight L.
Moody graphically portrayed the in
vitation referred to in our lesson.
In closing his message he pointed
to the wall of the auditorium and
seemed to be writing out a reply to
the invitation. He first wrote a note
declining, the final words being, "I
pray thee have me excused." He
said, "Would you sign that, young
man? Would you, mother? Would
you come up to the reporter's table,
take a pen and put your name down
to such an excuse? I doubt if there
is one here who would sign it It
is a loving God inviting you to a
feast and God is not to be mocked.
Go play with the forked lightning,
go trifle with pestilence and disease,
but trifle not with God."
- Mast Have His Spirit
A young Italian boy knocked one
day at the door of an artist's studio
in Rome, and when it was opened
exclaimed 1 "Please, madam, will
you give me the master's brush?"
The painter was dead, and the boy,
inflamed with a longing to be an
artist, wished for the great master's
brush. The lady placed the brush
in the boy's hands, saying: "This
is his brush; try it, my boy." With
a flush of earnestness ao his face he
tried, but found he could paint no
better than with his own. The lady
then said to him: "You cannot paint
like the great master unless you
have his spirit" So it is with us in
the Church today; if Christians have
not the Master's spirit they cannot
successfully carry on the Master's
work.?T. M. Townley.
BABY CHICKS
Umt
wumm1M1I1TCMW, Hn<>, P.i^li iMii.li
HOME STUDY COURSES
rT^irsnjNSffrAs?
$1.00
MMM&CSSS^aSSl.aM.
nam.
Water Added
Diner?Take this coffee, waiter.
It's like mud.
Waiter?Well, sir, it was just
ground this morning.
A hen 1s the only creature on
earth who can sit still and pro
duce dividends.
About Turn
"You do keep your car well
cleaned."
"It's only lair. My car keeps
me well cleaned, too."
Mad Modes
"l My," Mid the first man, "hat your
wile been fighting?"
"Fighting? exclaimed the second
man, startled. "Of course no It IThat
makes you think that?"
"Well, what's that pad over her aye
lor?"
"Pad? That's not a pad; it's her new
hat."
I
Two Figures
"So you met Marian today?"
"Yes, I hadn't seen her lor 10
years."
"Has she kept her girlish fig
ure?"
"Kept it? She's doubled it."
The Question
Lawyer?Do you think that your
writing will live on alter you?
Editor?That isn't what worries
me. What I want to know is will
my writing keep me living on be
fore I go.
How To Relieve
Bronchitis
Creomulston relieves promptly be
cause it cow right to the Motor the
trouble to help loosen and expel
germ laden phlegm, and aid nature
to soothe and heal raw, tender, in
flamed bronchial mucoua mem
branea. Tell jour drugglit to eell you
a bottle of Creomulslon with the un
derstanding you must like the way It
quickly allays the cough or yon are
to have your money back.
CREOMULSION
for Coughs, Chest Colds, Bronchitis
Real Asset
Beauty is a good letter of intro
duction.
DUN I He BUSSED
?y you* uuuim-niM
com rrvayyon this mooon way
? Whan you fcai (any, haadarfcy, logy
dua to <doggad-up Tin aria, do ?? aainirar
do-uka Faw>-a-141nt at badtiraa. Naat
morning ? tbotngh, nmiiitahli ithdi
balping you Mart tba day' ftall at jam
normal aoacgy and pap, holing Ilka ?
million! Faan-a-Mlot doaaat dinturb
your night'1 raat or intrrWa with work tka
naat day. ttj Faao-a-Mint, tha chawing
gum lamrthra, jarnmu. It tartar good, ifr
handy and acooomkal... a fcmily ouppiy
FEEN-fl-MINTTo^
Free to Do
No man must be compelled.?
Lessing.
WNU?4 tl
ASurehidexo^
||... to knowledge of ?
? inrmitri ?liiiei'awjrmniriirl
| what It stands tor. It to
| the moat certain method,
| except Oat d actual
| use, for lodging the
| value of any mannfac
| tared goods. Here to the
I only guarantee against
careless workmanship ok
Buy used shoddy materials.
ADVHmSH) GOODS