"The Traitor's Epiphany: Benedict Arnold in Virginia and His Quest for
Vindication," Mark Lender
Vindication," Mark Lender
“A genuine American ogre who was one of the best
combat leaders during the American Revolution.”
That’s how historian Mark Lender summarized the
military career of Benedict Arnold at the August 12 meeting of the American
Revolution Roundtable of Richmond. Lender also described in detail the January
1781 British raid which Arnold led against Virginia, and Richmond in
particular.
Shortly after Arnold turned traitor at West
Point in September 1780, Sir Henry Clinton put Arnold in charge of an upcoming
British raid against Virginia. For months Clinton had looked at the Chesapeake
Bay, not for the purpose of conquering Virginia, but to disrupt American
supplies headed to the Carolinas. Other than Lord Dunmore’s raid against the
Norfolk area in December 1775 and a brief British landing at Portsmouth later
in the war, British troops had never occupied Virginia. Clinton also wanted to
send British and Loyalist troops to Virginia for the purpose of rallying more
Americans to the British/Loyalist cause.
“Clinton hoped that an Arnold-led expedition
could persuade Virginians to see the futility of the Revolution, and would
encourage soldiers to desert American military units and join the King’s
Army---the way Arnold did,” said Lender.
Since the British strategy for attacking
Virginia had both military and political goals, Clinton’s orders to Arnold were
to attack magazines and other military targets but to show restraint in dealing
with private property. The orders also called for Arnold to establish a British
base in Portsmouth. Arnold was ordered to avoid any risky military conflicts
with the Americans unless his chief subordinates, Lieutenant Colonel John
Simcoe and Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Dundas, agreed with his decision.
“Clinton was a good officer but a very cautious
man,” said Lender. “He wondered whether Arnold might switch sides again as a
double-agent. Therefore he instructed Simcoe and Dundas to seize command from
Arnold if at any point they feared Arnold was committing treason. Arnold didn’t
know anything about the orders, called dormant commissions, which Clinton had
given to Simcoe and Dundas.”
Arnold’s troops sailed from New York City and
reached the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay on December 30, 1780. Most of his fleet
continued up the James River with approximately 1,200 troops.
Along the way Arnold tried to avoid conflict
with enemy forces. On January 2, 1781 the British fleet drove ashore an
American brig. Arnold sent a letter to the brig to cease fire and let his fleet
pass, which the brig did.
Later at Hood’s Point, a defensive position
overlooking the James River, Virginia militia fired on Arnold’s fleet. Once
again Arnold tried to avoid a battle by ordering his fleet not to return fire.
Instead he once again sent a letter to the enemy to cease fire. By the time the
courier carrying the letter reached Hood’s Point, the Virginia militia had
already abandoned it.
Arnold’s fleet proceeded up the James River to
Westover Plantation where it docked. Arnold had breakfast with the owner of
Westover Plantation, a widow named Mary Willing Byrd. She was a cousin of Peggy
Shippen Arnold---his wife. On January 4 the British/Loyalists left Westover and
began a 25-mile march to Richmond with approximately 800 troops.
“Richmond was all but undefended,” said Lender.
“Everything was wide open to attack. Jefferson did the best he could with the
time he had and moved many supplies out of Richmond to Westham, which is near
today’s Huguenot Bridge. In fact Jefferson himself didn’t leave Richmond until
only five hours before Arnold’s forces arrived. The City was in pandemonium.”
On January 5 Virginia militia made a brief stand
in the City’s Church Hill neighborhood but soon dispersed. Arnold sent a public
letter to the citizens of Richmond and Manchester which said that seizing
supplies was a legitimate prize of war, however he was willing to pay half the
market value for those supplies that were voluntarily surrendered by citizens
to his troops. Any citizen caught with military supplies not voluntarily
surrendered would receive no payment.
While in Richmond, Arnold’s troops also
proceeded to seize and destroy military supplies and structures located on
public property. There was some collateral damage to private property but
Arnold’s troops tried hard to avoid destruction of tobacco and shipping. Arnold
thought that Loyalists owned much of this private property, and also thought he
might conduct a second raid on Richmond later that year and might need this
property.
Arnold sent his cavalry under John Simcoe to
seize and destroy the supplies at Westham. They also destroyed a foundry
located in the area.
“Arnold’s command delivered a devastating blow
to Richmond but he had deliberately tried to avoid private property
destruction,” said Lender. “The written quotes from various Richmonders during
that time period confirm this. In fact the Virginia militia and some city
residents probably destroyed or stole more personal property during the
aftermath of the raid than did Arnold’s troops.”
On January 6 Arnold’s troops left Richmond and
marched back toward their ships docked at Westover. Along the way they stopped
at Berkeley Plantation where they committed their only large-scale vandalism
and theft of private property. Berkeley was the home of Benjamin Harrison, a
signer of the Declaration of Independence, and therefore regarded as a major
political target. Arnold’s troops did not burn the house but they moved much of
the furniture and wall hangings outdoors and set a large bonfire. They also
burned barns, captured 40 slaves and seized horses and livestock.
Arnold’s men sailed from Westover on January 10
to Portsmouth where they established a British base of operations. When details
on Arnold’s raid reached New York City, Clinton was very impressed with its
success.
However, the raid failed on one major mission---the
same one that plagued the British for most of the war. Virginia Loyalists did
not flock to the King’s Army or publicly cheer the arrival of Arnold’s troops.
Too many previous incidents where Loyalists publicly supported the British had
resulted in persecution of Loyalists by their fellow Americans shortly after
British troops marched out of an area they had raided or traversed.
By the middle of March 1781 while still camped
in Portsmouth, Arnold concluded that Virginians and other Americans would never
flock to the King in great numbers, and therefore he should strike at them as
hard as he could. He also became aware of his public reputation of being
regarded as a notorious traitor.
“Arnold had an epiphany,” said Lender. “He had
tried hard to change the minds of Virginians but it wasn’t working. He finally
realized that he would remain a traitor in their minds unless the British won
the war.”
When British reinforcements arrived at
Portsmouth in late March under the command of Major General William Phillips,
he took the overall command from Arnold as the senior British officer. Arnold
would continue to serve as a subordinate until June when Phillips died in
Petersburg and Arnold took command for one week. When the British army under
Lord Charles Cornwallis arrived, Cornwallis took overall command and Arnold
returned to New York City.
“Arnold’s next command would be an attack on his
home area of New London, Connecticut, “ said Lender. “New London would pay for
Arnold’s epiphany.”
On September 6, 1781 Arnold led a British
expedition which landed near New London and attacked Fort Griswold. When
Arnold’s troops breeched the ramparts, the fort’s defenders tried to surrender
but approximately 75 of them were killed. As for New London itself, Arnold’s
troops set fire to its supplies, wharfs and warehouses. New London, located
only a few miles from Arnold’s birthplace, was his last battle.
Mark Lender earned his PhD in history from
Rutgers University, where he was a student under Dr. James Kirby Martin. Lender
would later join forces with Martin to co-author the book entitled A Respectable Army. Lender
has also authored Fatal Sunday,
his forthcoming book on the battle of Monmouth. He and Martin are
currently working on other studies which include Benedict Arnold.
Lender is a retired history professor and
administrator from Kean University in New Jersey. He is a member of the
American Revolution Roundtable of Richmond, and serves as chairman of its
annual book award committee.
During the business portion of the August 12
roundtable meeting, the following topics were addressed:
1. Roundtable President Bill Welsch welcomed
approximately 45 members of the University of Richmond’s Osher Institute as
roundtable guests. He also provided the guests with a brief history of
ARRT-Richmond.
2. Osher Institute Director Peggy Watson thanked
the Roundtable for inviting Osher and for their hospitality. She also provided
a brief history on U of R’s Osher Institute.
3. Other brief announcements were made.
--Bill Seward
