And contenting himself for the moment with having
gained control of Lake Champlain he turned to attack Canada. Arnold
had failed to take Quebec, and he has lost his little fleet. But
against his failure to take Quebec his countrymen put his wonderful
march through pathless forest; against the loss of the fleet the
fact that but for Arnold it would never have been built at all. So
the people cheered him as a hero, and Washington looked upon him
as one of his best officers.
But Arnold's temper was hot if his head was cool, he was ambitious
and somewhat arrogant. And while he had been fighting so bravely
he had quarreled with his brother officers, and made enemies of
many. They declared that he fought not for his country's honour
but for the glory of Benedict Arnold. So it came about that he did
not receive the reward of promotion which he felt himself entitled
to. When Congress appointed several new Major Generals he was
passed over, and once again, as after the taking of Ticonderoga,
bitterness filled his heart.
__________
Chapter 55 - The Birth of A Great Nation
While these things were happening in the north the British had been
forced to march away from Boston.
At first Washington could do little but keep his army before the
town, for he had no siege guns with which to bombard it. Nor had
he any desire to destroy the town.
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