Ep 72: Saving West Point From The British — Washington's Culper Spy Ring and Benedict Arnold, Part 2

In part 2 of the Benedict Arnold story, after Rafe butchers the intro and drives the show off the rails, we pick up with Benedict Arnold taking command of West Point and making plans to put it, and himself, into British hands.  Quick thinking, fast horses, Alexander Hamilton, and plenty of derring-do stop the turn-over of West Point but are too late to prevent the escape of Arnold.  It's a zany story but central to the fledgling nation holding off the British long enough to cobble together a victory at Yorktown a year later.In the end, Benedict Arnold becomes synonymous with the term traitor, commands some British troops during the war, and eventually moves to England, and then Canada, and then back to England where he died in 1801.Washington, of course, went on to be the man who defined the idea of what the US President should be.Of course, you should read Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger's 2013 book George Washington's Secret Six; The Spy Ring That Saved The American Revolution.*****As always, you can reach the Buf at [email protected]*****As you know, this is an independent podcast so your hosts also carry all the expenses of running this podcast.  As such, some of you have asked how you can help out.  Well, here's the answer: support us on Buy Me a Coffee:https://buymeacoffee.com/bufnagleOn this page, you can do a really nice thing like send us a couple dollars to help cover the cost of recording and hosting and microphones and research and all that.  Any little bit really helps!  Thank you in advance!!!