Good Patriot Goes BAD!!!
By Michael

We almost lost the Revolutionary War because one of our patriots betrayed us! Benedict Arnold is now known as a traitor among us. He started working as a military commander, and then moved up to be the commander of West Point. But when he couldn’t get his way, he decided to betray us. Arnold met secretly with Major John André, a British major and a British spy whose job it was to get the West Point plans. They both agreed that Benedict Arnold would give up the plans for 10,000 pounds sterling. Another man involved in this was Joshua Hett Smith who is a Loyalist. Smith knew of the plan and vacated his house for Arnold and Andre to meet. When André got the plans, he rowed across to Tarrytown, where three militiamen on guard caught him. They search his pants and shirt to see if he stole something. They searched his shoes and found the plans. They took André to prison in the 1776 House. Smith was also charged and put on trial. The trial took place in the Dutch Church in Tappan. They found Andre guilty and later, he was hung as a spy. When Benedict Arnold heard, he escaped on the Vulture and became a brigadier general in the British army. That was the treason story. But what would have happened if André wasn’t captured? We might have lost the Revolution!!!

BACK