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Informationen zum Autor James Buckley Jr. has written more than fifty books for kids, including Who Was Ernest Shackleton? and Who Was Roberto Clemente? Klappentext Find out how this one-time American hero became the country's most notorious traitor. As a young child, Benedict Arnold never shied away from a fight. So when the French and Indian War began in 1754, Benedict was eager to join the militia and fight for the British colonies in America. And when he was eighteen years old, he got his chance. Arnold had no idea that less than twenty years later, he would be fighting against the British in the Revolutionary War. Now the captain of his own militia, Benedict won the admiration of his troops and George Washington when he captured a major British fort. He continued fighting for the colonies and was even considered a patriotic war hero after being wounded in battle. But in 1780, Benedict made a decision that no one could anticipate. He betrayed his fellow Americans and joined the British army. Author James Buckley Jr. takes us through Benedict's life and explains the events that led him to switch sides and become the most famous turncoat in American history. Leseprobe Who Was Benedict Arnold? On September 24, 1780, General Benedict Arnold was riding for his life. His horse galloped quickly through the trees following a steep path that headed toward the Hudson River, north of New York City. Benedict was one of the heroes of the Continental Army. He and his fellow colonists were fighting the American Revolutionary War, struggling for their freedom from Great Britain. Benedict had been a hero of several battles. Now, he was in terrible trouble. As he rode, Benedict did not know how close his pursuers were. He kept his head down and guided his horse along the trail, his sword and pistols bouncing and clattering at his sides. He knew that a boat was waiting for him, and he hoped it would take him to safety on a larger ship waiting on the broad Hudson River. He was probably thinking of his wife and four children, whom he had just left behind. He hoped they would all be safe. Benedict had met and married his wife when he was the American military governor of the city of Philadelphia, another important position he had held in service to his country. But Benedict Arnold, once a Continental Army hero, was not running away from British forces. Instead, he was fleeing his fellow American colonists. Just moments before Benedict made his quick escape on horseback, the leading Continental general, George Washington, had learned some terrible news: Benedict Arnold had sold plans for the American fort at nearby West Point to a British spy. He was a traitor! When Washington got that sad news, he was only minutes away from arriving to meet with Benedict. But Benedict also had received a note. It said that the British spy Benedict had worked with had been caught. Benedict knew he had only one option—-to run away. If the Continental Army caught up to him, he would be put on trial. As punishment for his crimes, he could be shot. What had led a man who had once been a hero to turn on his nation? How did Benedict Arnold become one of the most hated men in US history? He had been a business owner, a ship captain, and a successful soldier and military leader. Now, he was a criminal. When he reached the river’s edge, Benedict pulled his horse to a stop and leaped off. He shouted at the sailors waiting by the small boat to pull him quickly away from the shore. He was heading to the safety that he could only find aboard a British ship. Benedict would never find a safe home in America again. Chapter 1: An Active Early Life Benedict Arnold was born on January 14, 1741, in the British colony of Connecticut. Like everyone in the town of Norwich, he was a subject of the king of ...
