At approximately 11:30pm on May 9, 1775, a force of colonial militia under the joint command of Colonels Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold began crossing Lake Champlain in an operation that would result in the Americans capturing Fort Ticonderoga from a small group of British soldiers the following day.

In typical Benedict Arnold fashion, the victorious assault on the isolated British outpost was successful only after a protracted internal conflict was resolved. The conflict, which had threatened to derail the entire expedition, was initiated by Arnold himself, when he brought his contingent of men to join Allen’s Green Mountain Boys, and insisted that he be given command over the entire group. Allen’s men refused to follow anyone other than him, and things got heated for a time—as they always seemed to be where Arnold was involved—only to be temporarily defused when Allen reluctantly agreed to share command with his fellow colonel.

The American victory at Ticonderoga, and the following day at Crown Point, provided more than simply a morale boost. The artillery captured there would serve the Continental Army with the means to drive the British from Boston less than one year later.

The incident also provided a glimpse into the psyche of Benedict Arnold, the young, impetuous, hidebound son of a Connecticut businessman who had given into an intemperate lifestyle after two of his young children died in an epidemic. His father’s actions, which cost the family its fortune and its standing in the community, as well as the son his projected future, would forever impact the young man’s actions.

As an interesting aside, while Benedict Arnold would, of course, go on to become one of the most reviled traitors in American history, his co-commander at Fort Ticonderoga would also be accused of treason later in his life. Frustrated by Congress’s lack of approval of Vermont being admitted into the United States amid New York’s ongoing claim, Allen entertained the idea of annexing his territory to Canada. He never followed through, and Vermont eventually became the 14th state in 1791, after Allen’s death.

But back to Benedict Arnold, who has only recently become relevant to local history because of the discovery of his interest in the land along the Delaware River that would become the Cushetunk settlement in the 1750s. Both the General/Traitor and his father were among the investors when the Delaware Company purchased the property from Native Americans in three separate transactions.

The early life of Benedict Arnold and his connection to this area will be the subjects of a special program to be presented by this columnist, your Sullivan County Historian, as Fort Delaware Museum of Colonial History in Narrowsburg, NY opens its doors for the 2025 season tomorrow, Saturday, May 17.

The Fort will be open at 10 am, and those who have visited before will no doubt notice some significant changes. While last year, the colonial garden and the Apothecary were completely remade, this year it is the Black Dog Publick House that is getting the upgrade.

Fort Delaware’s 2025 season will include a focus on the 250th anniversary of the start of the Revolutionary War, and the narrative throughout the year will highlight the devastating impact the conflict had on the  Cushetunk settlement, as neighbors were forced to choose sides.

The newly discovered Benedict Arnold connection will also be centerstage this season, as several of the special programs throughout the year-once again sponsored by Bold Gold Media-will feature aspects of his life. In addition to this week’s program, entitled, “The Benedict Arnold Connection,” author Jack Kelly will visit the Fort on June 14-incidentally, the date of Benedict Arnold’s death in 1801-to discuss his 2023 book, “God Save Benedict Arnold: The True Story of America’s Most Hated Man,” and Matthew Reardon will present a program on August 9 discussing his 2024 book about Arnold, “The Traitor’s Homecoming.”

All of the programs featured in the Bold Gold Media Speaker Series will begin at 4pm and for the first time this year, they will be free and open to the public. Purchasing admission to Fort Delaware is not required to attend the programs. A complete listing of programs for the season will be forthcoming soon.

Fort Delaware Museum of Colonial History is located on the Upper Delaware Scenic Byway at 6615 Route 97 in Narrowsburg. It will be open from 10am-5pm (no admission after 4pm) on Saturdays and Sundays in May, June, September and October, and Thursday through Sunday in July and August. The Fort is also open on Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, and Labor Day. Fort Delaware is owned by Sullivan County and operated by The Delaware Company.

John Conway is the Sullivan County Historian and a founder and president of The Delaware Company. Email him at jconway52@hotmail.com.