What if Benedict Arnold had not turned traitor?

Tom Kalbfus

Banned
I think Washington would have been faced with a choice of who to send to take Gates place after Camden- Arnold or Greene.

My thought is that Greene would still have been the choice. Arnold would have stayed with Washington outside of New York. Washington could have brought Arnold with him to Yorktown or left him in charge of the forces outside New York.

After the war, I would suspect that Arnold would become active in politics, probably in the Federalist party. How far he would have gone, I'm not sure. Does anyone out there know about the relationship between Alexander Hamilton and Arnold? That might have been a factor in Arnold's post Revolutionary War career.
You wouldn't want Arnold anywhere near the White House, imagine what kind of traitor he could be if he were President of the United States.
 
Arnold was dragged down by simultaneous problems of not being recognized for his military accomplishments (and having others promoted over him) and severe financial problems. I've often wondered if he might not have been able to shrug off the military snubbing him if his finances weren't so bad...
 
Quick note: Would the United States Military Academy be called Fort Arnold?

Quite possibly. Oh it was officially West Point, but during Arnold's tenure, it became increasingly known as Fort Arnold. Given his near mythical status as the Hero of Saratoga, it likely could have stuck.

Only question is would the US Army put it's premire military academy at a place called Fort Arnold. :rolleyes:
 

The Sandman

Banned
Quite possibly. Oh it was officially West Point, but during Arnold's tenure, it became increasingly known as Fort Arnold. Given his near mythical status as the Hero of Saratoga, it likely could have stuck.

Only question is would the US Army put it's premire military academy at a place called Fort Arnold. :rolleyes:

No, the real question is how the modern Army, or more accurately certain of the modern Congressmen who obsess over said Army, would react to the existence of the Fort Arnold Guard. :p
 

Keenir

Banned
Arnold was dragged down by simultaneous problems of not being recognized for his military accomplishments (and having others promoted over him) and severe financial problems. I've often wondered if he might not have been able to shrug off the military snubbing him if his finances weren't so bad...

or vice versa?
 

Tom Kalbfus

Banned
I think Arnold could have been one of the first Presidents. It's a bit non explanitory,but I've always thought that.
That is scary, someone in charge of his country would be in a much better position to betray it. I think a character like Arnold if he decided not to betray his country then, might look for further opportunities to betray it later, he might attempt to make himself dictator, we might have an "American Napoleon" on our hands for example. Arnold was obsessed with promoting himself, and if he felt he was being slighted by his opponents and denied promotion, he might use the office of President to get his revenge on those people. :(
 
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