TRAITORS

 Hello ladies and gents this is the Viking telling you that today we are talking about

Benedict Arnold

There have been a number of traitors in American history, but Benedict Arnold was the first. Benedict Arnold began his military career with the Continental Army in 1775, and distinguished himself early on with the capture of Fort Ticonderoga. Benedict Arnold was essential to a number of other Colonial victories, but became disheartened at the internal squabbling of the Continental Congress as well as the continual overlooking of his accomplishments and potential for promotion by his superiors.

Benedict Arnold was eventually awarded command of the fort at West Point NY, now the West Point Military Academy. In 1780, Arnold began secret negotiations with the British in which he outlined Colonial troop positions and the locations of various weapons depots. His treachery culminated in negotiations to hand over the fort at West Point to British control. His plans were ultimately foiled, but not before Arnold switched sides entirely and became a Brigadier General for the British Army. To add insult to injury, he then led a British force to capture Richmond Virginia and pillaged the surrounding countryside.

After Cornwallis’s surrender at Yorktown, Benedict Arnold fled for England to escape retribution for his deeds. Benjamin Franklin compared him to an aforementioned infamous traitor when he said "Judas sold only one man, Arnold three million", cementing Benedict Arnold's treachery into the American psyche forever.

And as always have a chilled day from the Viking