Pennsylvania Gazette 1780
War Hero Becomes Maniac Traitor!
by William
Revolutionary War hero, Benedict Arnold, becomes traitor! Also, beware! The spies are here! We almost lost one of the most important wars in our country!!! Benedict Arnold sold the plans of West Point to Major John Andre for 10,000 pounds sterling! Joshua Hett Smith let Benedict Arnold and Major Andre use his house so they could meet in private and talk about their plans. After Andre got the plans from Arnold, he was bringing back the plans to British General Henry Clinton, but was stopped by our militia men! They found the plans in Andre’s boot! Benedict Arnold was later called a traitor once the Americans discovered he was a spy.! Benedict Arnold escaped onto the Vulture, a British ship, and went to fight with the British side. Major Andre, a British spy and Joshua Hett Smith were put on trial. It was held in the Old Dutch Church in Tappan in September 1780. Smith was said to be innocent. Andre was found guilty and hung as a spy on October 2, 1780. That’s the whole story, goodnight!