MEREDITH — “We all ‘know’ Benedict Arnold, the traitor of 1780,” said Bow historian George Morrison, “but this ignores his many exploits of 1775, 1776, and 1777, when the dream of independence was its most fragile.”
Morrison will present a program focusing on the “patriot” side of Arnold as the next offering in the Meredith Historical Society’s 2025 Speaker Series set for Tuesday, Aug. 5, at 7 p.m.
The program, titled “Benedict Arnold: Patriot (and Traitor),” is made possible through a grant from New Hampshire Humanities.
“Recalled mainly as a traitor for his 1780 defection, Arnold had risked his life and fortune for American freedom in courageous exploits between 1775 and 1778,” said Morrison. “As an officer in the Continental Army, Arnold ably led American forces in desperate circumstances against impossible odds, in a blinding snowstorm, through a howling wilderness, and against the extraordinary might of the Royal Navy.”
Arnold, said Morrison, was one of the young United States’ most promising officers prior to 1780, citing as proof an earlier letter between George Washington and Philip Schuyler.
“The merit of that officer is certainly great,” Washington wrote of Arnold. “I heartily wish that fortune may distinguish him … He will do everything which prudence and valor will suggest.”
“Recruits from Meredith were among those serving under Benedict Arnold’s command,” said Historical Society President John Hopper. “It will be fascinating as we approach the 250th anniversary of American independence to learn how their service fits into the context of Arnold’s exploits.”
Morrison earned a bachelor of arts in history at the University of New Hampshire. He served for 27 years as a high school teacher. A long-time researcher of unpublished primary sources, he has contributed to the work of numerous aviation historians and artists in several countries. He is a lifelong photographer, historian, and motorcyclist.
For more information, visit meredithhistoricalsocietynh.org.
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