Later he is found on Lake Champlain, fighting on both
land and water. When in the next year the Americans succeeded at
Saratoga it was Arnold who bore the brunt of the fighting. At
Quebec and again at Saratoga he was severely wounded. In the
summer of 1778 he was given the command at Philadelphia, after
the British evacuation. It was a troubled time. Arnold was
concerned with confiscations of property for treason and with
disputes about ownership. Impulsive, ambitious, and with a
certain element of coarseness in his nature, he made enemies. He
was involved in bitter strife with both Congress and the State
government of Pennsylvania. After a period of tension and
privation in war, one of slackness and luxury is almost certain
to follow. Philadelphia, which had recently suffered for want of
bare necessities, now relapsed into gay indulgence. Arnold lived
extravagantly. He played a conspicuous part in society and, a
widower of thirty-five, was successful in paying court to Miss
Shippen, a young lady of twenty, with whom, as Washington said,
all the American officers were in love.
Malignancy was rampant and Arnold was pursued with great
bitterness. Joseph Reed, the President of the Executive Council
of Pennsylvania, not only brought charge against him of abusing
his position for his own advantage, but also laid the charges
before each State government.
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