The Untold Story of Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen: An Epic Rivalry

When it comes to the American Revolutionary War, two names stand out as intriguing figures who fought for independence but were driven by their personal ambitions - Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen. This article delves deep into their lives, their encounters, and examines the reasons behind their choices and rivalries during a time of immense historical significance.

The Rise of Benedict Arnold

Benedict Arnold, a charismatic and skilled commander, was a key figure in the early stages of the Revolutionary War. He played a significant role in the capture of Fort Ticonderoga and went on to illustrate his military prowess in the crucial Battle of Saratoga. However, behind his notable victories lay a complex personality and a series of events that eventually led him down a path of infamy. Learn more about the man who would become one of the most infamous traitors in American history.

Benedict Arnold & Ethan Allen: The Revolutionary War’s Most Controversial Leaders

by Michael J. Mard (Kindle Edition)

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Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys

Ethan Allen, on the other hand, was no less fascinating. As the leader of the Green Mountain Boys, a group of Vermont-based militia fighters, Allen proved instrumental in seizing Fort Ticonderoga from the British before Arnold arrived. His daring exploits and fierce determination made him a hero among the American rebels, but his unconventional methods and sometimes contentious relationships posed challenges along the way.

An Unexpected Meeting

The paths of Arnold and Allen would eventually cross during one of the war's most audacious operations: the attempted capture of Quebec. This daring mission to capture the capital of British-controlled Quebec was an ambitious plan that would test the mettle of both these men and their troops. As they arrived at Quebec's gates, the story takes an unexpected twist, pushing their rivalry to its limits.

Personal Grievances and Political Intrigue

As the Revolutionary War progressed, Arnold and Allen's rivalry intensified. Political disagreements, personal clashes, and accusations of corruption fueled their mutual animosity. This section unravels the web of grievances that emerged, shedding light on the factors behind their ongoing feud.

The Point of No Return

Despite their differences, both Arnold and Allen ardently believed in the cause of American independence. The question remains, then, what prompted Arnold to betray his own country? Delve into the climactic events that led to his infamous decision to switch sides and join the British, marking a definitive turning point in the Revolutionary War.

Legacy and Lessons

The legacies of Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen are fraught with controversy and intricacies. This final section discusses the lasting impacts of their actions and highlights the historical lessons we can glean from their captivating rivalry. There is much to learn from the complex characters and choices made during a crucial era that shaped the United States of America.

Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen, two towering figures of the American Revolutionary War, shared a fascinating, turbulent, and ultimately tragic rivalry. Their paths intertwined through a series of remarkable events, and their choices left indelible marks on history. The story of Arnold and Allen offers valuable insights into the complexities of human nature and the often unpredictable ways in which individuals shape the course of nations. Their tale is an unmissable chapter in the annals of American history.

Benedict Arnold & Ethan Allen: The Revolutionary War’s Most Controversial Leaders

by Michael J. Mard (Kindle Edition)

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	4320 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	132 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

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*Includes pictures
*Includes contemporary accounts
*Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading
*Includes a table of contents

The story of Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys is one of those delightful tales that American schoolchildren hear about in school, but it is also one that is much more interesting to read about in older age. Unlike revered Founding Fathers such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, who came from Virginian plantations, Allen was a rough and tumble frontiersman more likely to fight than talk. And yet, he was in no way a dullard, but instead as well-read as many of his contemporaries and more so than the average man of his day. His family story reads almost like a cheap novel, from his heretic father to his hotheaded brothers and his shrewish first wife. By the time he was 30 years old, Allen had run up a significant list of skirmishes with law, something most of his fellow Revolutionary War heroes managed to avoid. Unlike Washington, who received his military training as a soldier in the famous British Army, Allen learned to fight in the backwoods of what is now Vermont, struggling alongside others for independence years before Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence.

While Ethan Allen's potential treachery is still a subject for debate, that is certainly not the case for American history's most infamous traitor. On October 7, 1777, Benedict Arnold rode out against orders and led an American assault against British forces led by General John Burgoyne in one of the climactic battles and ultimate turning point of the war at Saratoga. Near the end of the most important American victory of the Revolution, Arnold’s leg was shattered by a volley that also hit his horse, which fell on the leg as well.

Arnold would later remark that he wish the shot had hit him in the chest. If it had, he would be remembered as one of America’s greatest war heroes, and probably second only to George Washington among the generals of the Revolution. In fact, when Arnold was injured at the height of his success in October 1777, he had been the most successful leader of American forces during the war to date. Arnold had been instrumental in the seizure of Fort Ticonderoga in 1775, he constructed the first makeshift American navy to defend Lake Champlain and delay British campaigning in 1776, and he was the principal leader at Saratoga in 1777. Even his unsuccessful campaign to Quebec in the winter of 1775 is remembered primarily for the amazing logistical feats undertaken by Arnold and his men to even reach the target.

History has accorded Arnold his fair share of credit for the fighting he participated in from 1775-1777. The problem is his contemporaries did not. Arnold was better on the field than any other American general in those years, but his mercurial personality rubbed some the wrong way, and other self-promoting generals, from Ethan Allen to Horatio Gates, credited themselves with success at Arnold’s expense. Meanwhile, the Second Continental Congress frequently if inadvertently slighted Arnold, failing to duly promote him in a timely fashion and failing to pay him four years of back pay even as he spent his own private fortune training, equipping, and feeding his army and navy. Historian William Sterne Randall estimates Congress shorted Arnold out of the equivalent of $275,000.

Today, of course, all of that has been overshadowed by Arnold’s treacherous plot to turn over West Point to the British in 1780. As every American knows, Arnold’s plot was uncovered, and he barely escaped to the British side, where he was just as distrusted and nearly as despised. Though he would serve as a brigadier-general for the British through the end of the war, his personal fortune and reputation were permanently tarnished. The man who could have been one of his country’s greatest heroes became its most despised traitor.