The former American Hero kneeled on the ground, observing
the stares of his fellow American citizens. Not used to hateful stares, he
bowed his head and stared at the dirt ground below him. American General
Benedict Arnold looked down quietly, now completely avoiding the crowd around
him. General Arnold was very famous in his country, and still is, but for
different reasons. He was well known after his brilliant job during the French
and Indian War; he was seen as a hero for his bravery excellent leader skills.
However, despite the fact that people once marveled at him and shown a great
amount of respect towards him, the people could now only see him as nothing but
a selfish traitor and threat to the country.
It was
late 1780 and The Revolutionary War was raging between The United States and
The United Kingdom. General Arnold had been given command of West Point, an
American fort alongside the Hudson River in New York. Secretly, Arnold had
contacted the head of the British forces, Sir Henry Clinton, and told him that
he would hand over West Point along with all of his men in exchanged for a
large amount of money. They agreed and the trade was made official on September
21 of that year when General Arnold met with Major John Andre to make the pact.
However, this was a trap. As General Benedict Arnold was ready to make the
trade, he was ambushed by his own soldiers and beaten to the ground. You see,
after Arnold contacted Sir Henry Clinton, the British man made another deal of
his own with the Americans. He told them that he would reveal a lying traitor
in exchange for money and a few weapons. Although the Americans were suspicious,
they didn’t want to take the chance that he was telling the truth and end up
losing a strong base of theirs. They agreed to make the exchange with him only if what he said turned out to be
true. Turns out what he said was true.
General
Arnold watched in disgust as Sir Henry Clinton, being escorted by a few
soldiers, was marched in to town and given a sum of money and rifles. Sir
Clinton eyed the beaten man and smirked as he was marched back out.
General
Benedict Arnold was charged was treason and was hung in New York in early 1781.
Some were disturbed and shocked to see their once great hero executed, while
others spat and were happy to see the traitor gone. Either way, America lost a
hero.
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