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Updated Sunday 15 May, 2011 12:18 PM |
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This Day in Alternate History Blog
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1779 by Rodlox Background As this is the Fourth of July holiday here in the United States of America, I thought to write a divergence centred around one of my country's greatest heroes... Benedict Arnold. Increasingly offended by the Continental Congress and those of his Revolutionaries who didn't like him (and he didn't like them), and irked in some small degree by the fact that there weren't even feelers out, to see if the British would accept a peace. (The British, in 1778, offered to satisfy all the Revolutionaries' demands - except for outright independence). Benedict Arnold, trusted by George Washington, would eventually come to betray the Revolution. But what if he hadn't? By 1779, Arnold's wife had become the one who smoothed ruffled feathers - who encouraged a more and more hesitant Benedict to continue with the British correspondence. I offer this possibility -- that Arnold's wife dies in early 1779, and without her intercession, Benedict Arnold grows even more impatient with the Briton he was working with (a man by the name of Andre). Now, he probably wouldn't completely sunder all ties to the British -- after all, it's a resource he can use. What he might do is to let the British forces under Clinton think that he, Benedict Arnold, is still working for and with them...only to lead them into a trap. A potentially major victory for the Revolutionaries that the Continental Congress will be forced to admit, "Yeah, that was a nice job," and will reinforce Washington's trust in Arnold. While Clinton winds up with nothing to show for his efforts. Sadly, in terms of long-term effects, Arnold will still be not liked by a great many of his countrymen -- being a hero doesn't stop one from having political enemies, and Arnold's personality wouldn't necessarily help any. He might get re-married, or maybe not. My guess - Arnold ends up with a historical record like Hamilton's: rife with foes and financial woes, but ultimately celebrated - at least on holidays. --- HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!
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