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Benedict Arnold in the Revolutionary War Essay

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Battle of Ticonderoga Prior to the war Arnold became a captain in the Governor's Second Company of Guards. Eager for action, Arnold and his men marched off to Cambridge and asked for the commission of the Massachusetts committee of safety to capture Fort Ticonderoga. Along the way Arnold’s group met up with Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys. Despite their differences the groups successfully captured the fort on May 10th by surprising the British Garrison. As the Green Mountain Boys raided the rum stores Arnold was in an argument about credit in capture of the fort. Arnold lost the argument and he received very little credit in the report to Congress. Arnold was about to proceed with his own plans until the Massachusetts Committee …show more content…

The conditions were hard and some of of Arnold’s men deserted and took much-needed supplies with them. Arnold was left with 600 men and they were reduced to eating candles, dogs, and shoe leather. After they marched through the 350 miles of snow and rain Arnold earned the undying respect of his men and the nickname as America’s Hannibal. The Battle of Quebec (1775) Arnold had planned to take Quebec but a rainstorm had prevented any movement for up to three days. In the three days the intercepted letter allowed British to bring more reinforcements for more protection. Arnold then waited for reinforcements from Colonel Montgomery who had lost men due to the expiration of their subscription. Arnold was soon to lose a number of his own for the same reason and to smallpox which broke out among the American forces. As snow began to fall and the battle began on December 31, 1775 but things went badly for the Americans as Colonel Montgomery fell and Arnold was severely wounded in the leg. Daniel Morgan was forced to takeover but they were trapped and without knowledge of the area they were forced to surrender. Arnold refused to surrender by saying that they would not leave unless they were successful then he started bellowing orders from his sickbed. Arnold also requested for reinforcements that he received in small amounts. In the end the battle was a bust but Arnold was praised by Washington

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