It was in 1780, when the affairs of the Americans were at a very low point, that there occurred the treason of Benedict Arnold. Arnold was a brave soldier and a brilliant leader, but in all the affairs of life he had proved himself something of a scoundrel. He had led an expedition against Quebec, and had shown great courage at Bemis Heights. He had been accused of fraud in his accounts, and had been once sentenced to be publicly reprimanded. Arnold opened a correspondence with the British general, and afterward got himself appointed to the command of the posts in the Highlands of the Hudson in order to betray them. Major Andre [an-dray], of the British army, was sent to arrange with Arnold the surrender of these posts. On his way back to New York Andre was captured by three men, who refused all the rewards which he offered them, and delivered him and his papers, which were in Arnold's handwriting, to the nearest American officer. Andre was tried and hanged for a spy. Arnold had time to escape to the British army, in which he fought with great vindictiveness against the Americans. He afterward lived in England, detested by everybody as a traitor.

With the coming in of the year 1781, American prospects began to brighten. Greene had taken command of what was left of the ruined army at the South, which he immediately recruited and improved by strict discipline. At the battle of the Cowpens, fought in South Carolina in January, 1781, a detachment under Morgan defeated a British force under Tarleton. Greene skillfully retreated for two hundred miles across North Carolina to the border of Virginia, followed by Cornwallis. When Cornwallis moved to Hillsboro, Greene, re-enforced, again marched southward, but managed to avoid a battle until he had gathered new troops. In the severe battle of Guilford Court-House, Cornwallis drove the Americans from the field at the close of the day, but his army was so badly shattered that he was forced to begin a prompt retreat to the seacoast, leaving his wounded in the hands of the pursuing Americans. The scene of this battle is now called Greensboro, in honor of General Greene. Cornwallis, who was the ablest of all the English commanders in America, made a junction with the British troops in Virginia, and Greene took advantage of this to reconquer South Carolina from the English. Though often checked and sometimes defeated, he had the satisfaction of recovering the three Southern States so far that the English held only the three chief seaports. Savannah, Charleston, and Wilmington.

Reaching Virginia, Cornwallis pushed the work of fighting and destruction with his usual vigor. La Fayette, who was in command of the Americans, showed much ability in avoiding a battle. Washington now marched his forces to the southward, in company with a French army under Rochambeau [rosham-bo]. The French fleet blockaded the troops of Cornwallis at Yorktown, and the American and French armies, co-operating in the friendliest way, laid siege to the place. On the 18th of October, 1781, the British army under Cornwallis surrendered, prisoners of war.

The English people had grown weary of the war. The surrender of Cornwallis took away from England the last hope of subduing America. From this time, it was certain that American independence would be granted by England. Terms of peace were at length agreed on at Paris in 1782, and a treaty was signed the following year. By this peace England recognized the independence of the United States. Among those who negotiated the peace was the venerable Dr. Franklin.

Washington, who was the idol of the people, resigned his command of the army in 1783, bidding farewell to his troops, and returning to private life at Mount Vernon, like a good citizen. His patience, wisdom, coolness, and unselfish patriotism procured the successful end of the long struggle.



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

Franklin was the son of a tallow-chandler, and was born in Boston in 1706. He learned the printer's trade in his brother's office, and also did some rudimentary engraving for the paper. He was studious from childhood. He went to Philadelphia at seventeen and worked as a journeyman printer. After many vicissitudes he rose to the ownership of a printing-office. He published an almanac, known as "Poor Richard's," that became famous for its wise proverbs, and he printed and edited the best newspaper in the American colonies. He was postmaster-general for the colonies. He became a student of electricity, and in 1752, by means of a kite, he proved that the lightning of the clouds was electricity. This discovery, and the invention of the lightning-rod, made him famous. He promoted the formation of literary institutions, and furthered the public welfare in many ways. He went to London more than once as agent for his own and other colonies, and was chiefly influential in securing the repeal of the Stamp Act. He was in London as agent for several of the colonies when the Revolution broke out, but he immediately returned to America. He was on one of the committees to draft the Declaration of Independence. He went to France in 1776 as ambassador, and it was his skillful hand that negotiated the treaty with that country, without which the Revolution could hardly have succeeded. He assisted in making the treaty of peace with England in 1782, and took part in framing the Constitution of the United States in 1787. He died in Philadelphia in 1790, aged eighty-four years. It was said of him that "he wrested the thunder from the sky and the scepter from tyrants."