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Morris, appre

of enlistment was out would leave the army. ciating the gravity of the situation, went about among his friends early in the morning, before it was light, to try to raise the sum needed; he succeeded, and sent the cash to Washington. This is but one instance of Morris's perseverance and success. Had it not been for him it is hard to see how the finances of the Revolution could have been carried on. Early in 1781 the Pennsylvania militia revolted and refused to serve any longer in the army, on account of receiving neither pay nor supplies. They started to march to Philadelphia to compel Congress to do them justice. Congress sent commissioners to meet them, who promised to satisfy the troops, and they thereupon agreed not to disband. Other instances somewhat similar might be mentioned. In November, 1780, the army had been ten months without pay, and their supplies All through this period the

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ROBERT MORRIS.

were poor and insufficient.
patience of Washington was marvellous.

132. Benedict Arnold; Dark Days. (1778-1780.)- After the battle of Monmouth (sect. 124) both the British and the American armies had remained comparatively quiet, nothing but skirmishes taking place. Two incidents deserve mention. In 1779 Wayne "Mad Anthony," as he was called from his daring-stormed and took Stony Point, a fortress below West Point, which the British had captured. As the Americans were not able to hold this place, it was destroyed.

ARNOLD'S TREASON.

125

In 1780 the Americans nearly met with a great disaster through the treason of General Benedict Arnold. Arnold, who had shown himself to be one of the bravest of the American commanders, was so wounded in the leg during the Saratoga campaign as to unfit him for field service. Washington, who had a high opinion of his abilities, appointed him to the command of Philadelphia after its evacuation by the British. Arnold, despite his abilities, seems to have had a great fondness for getting into quarrels and making enemies. Congress promoted junior men over him, and this incurred his ill-will. While in Philadelphia he lived in extravagant style, and associated with the Tory element, finally marrying a Tory's daughter. He was accused by the state government of dishonesty, and of other things that were mostly rather indiscretions than crimes. He was finally acquitted of the serious charges, but was sentenced to be reprimanded for the others by Washington. That Washington thought Arnold hardly treated is shown by the fact that, after Arnold's resignation of his command at Philadelphia, he was appointed to the command of West Point.

133. Arnold's Treason. (1780.) - The year 1780 was one of the darkest periods of the war, and Arnold doubtless thought the struggle was hopeless; and there seems to be little doubt that he applied for the command at West Point with the intention of betraying the fortress to the British. In order to complete the plans for the delivery of that post, it was needful that the British general should send a personal representative to treat with Arnold. Major John André was the one selected, and, in September, 1780, the visit was made to Arnold, and the arrangements completed. By a series of mischances André was captured by three New York

militiamen and the treasonable plan discovered. Arnold heard of the failure in time to escape; but André was tried by a court-martial, found guilty of being a spy, and was hanged. No incident in the war has occasioned so much comment as this, but the opinion expressed by a recent British historian probably gives the commonly received judgment of the present day: "The justice of his sentence can hardly be denied." 1

134. Southern Campaign. (1778-1780.)-The failures of the British in the middle colonies and New England made them turn to the South. There was much to encourage them to attempt a campaign there. Florida was theirs; Georgia was thinly settled and could not make much resistance; the negroes were numerous and not likely to be anything but a hindrance to their owners in case of active hostilities; the South had experienced nothing of the war since an attack on Charleston in 1776, and had been the place from which the continental armies had drawn much of their supplies; moreover, it was believed that the inhabitants were very lukewarm in their adherence to the American cause, as there was undoubtedly a large number of Tories. Late in 1778 the British sent an expedition from New York against Savannah, and very soon captured it. In the spring of 1780 they succeeded in shutting up General Lincoln, the American commander, in Charleston, and he was forced to surrender. Sir Henry Clinton, the British commander-in-chief, himself took part in the attack. Leaving Cornwallis in charge of the southern forces, Clinton returned to New York. The

1 Arnold received the reward for what he intended to do, the commission of a general in the British army and £6315 sterling. He fought against his country in Connecticut and in Virginia; went to England and then to New Brunswick; but he was always regarded with contempt.

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Reference Map for the Revolution

SOUTHERN STATES.

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