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Boot Monument

Coordinates: 43°0′30.2″N 73°38′21.7″W / 43.008389°N 73.639361°W / 43.008389; -73.639361
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Boot Monument
Monument to Benedict Arnold's injured foot at Saratoga National Historical Park
Map
43°0′30.2″N 73°38′21.7″W / 43.008389°N 73.639361°W / 43.008389; -73.639361
LocationSaratoga National Historical Park
DesignerGeorge Edwin Bissell[1][2]
Dedicated toBenedict Arnold, although it does not mention his name

The Boot Monument is an American Revolutionary War memorial located in Saratoga National Historical Park, New York. Erected in 1887 by John Watts de Peyster, it commemorates Major General Benedict Arnold's service at the Battles of Saratoga in the Continental Army, but does not name him because of Arnold's betrayal to the British army. Instead, it commemorates Arnold as the "most brilliant soldier of the Continental Army". The monument was sculpted by George Edwin Bissell.

While fighting at the Battle of Bemis Heights, Arnold was severely wounded after being shot in his leg. His horse, who was shot as well, fell on Arnold's leg and his leg shattered. After this, Arnold continued to grow more bitter towards the Continental Army when he was passed over for promotion, lost his business, and was court-martialed for abusing his power as military commander of Philadelphia. He later attempted to give crucial information about the fortification of West Point to the British but was discovered and fled to the British army.

Background

American General Benedict Arnold had contributed significantly to both Battles of Saratoga, although his contributions to the first battle, the Battle of Freeman's Farm, are disputed.[3][4] However, in the second battle, the Battle of Bemis Heights on October 7, 1777, General Arnold unexpectedly joined the battle.[5][6] even after hostilities between him and General Horatio Gates resulted in Arnold's command being removed, and having it given to General Benjamin Lincoln.[3] Gates attempted to send Arnold back to camp, but Gates's orders did not reach Arnold until the battle was over. Arnold led the American Continental Army in taking a redoubt commanded by Lord Balcarres.[6] However, at the end of the battle, Arnold's leg and horse were shot. When the horse fell, Arnold's leg shattered. British General John Burgoyne, on October 17, surrendered.[4]

Gates did not mention much of Arnold's contributions in his report of the aftermath of the battle,[7] which contributed to Arnold's bitterness, along with his battle wounds, business troubles, Congress having promoted some rival and younger generals ahead of him, and a court martial after being convicted of two minor charges of using his role as military commander of Philadelphia to make a profit.[8] This, along with the fact that his wife, Peggy Shippen, came from a family of Loyalists,[9] caused Arnold to start making communications with the British army, with Sir Henry Clinton finally offering Arnold £20,000 for the capture of West Point. Arnold met with British Major John André, who Arnold had solicited communication through, and André was later captured on his way back to New York with the plans for West Point being discovered.[10][11] Arnold fled to the British army, and remained as a general there until the war ended.[12][11]

Creation of the monument

John Watts de Peyster, a former major general for the New York State Militia during the American Civil War[13] and writer of several military histories about the Battle of Saratoga, erected the monument in 1887 to commemorate Arnold's contribution to the Continental Army's victory over the British.[14] De Peyster considered Arnold a traitor, but "could not deny" his contributions at Saratoga. He wanted to "honor some of Arnold's deeds without honoring the man."[1] He thought that simply a slab of granite to commemorate Arnold "would not do," so he commissioned George Edwin Bissell,[15] who had designed other statues that Peyster had erected,[1] to sculpt a marker in white marble.[15] The monument was originally located at the top of the hill at the Breymann Redoubt site, but was later moved after further research to where Arnold injured his leg, which was the more southern end of the main redoubt line.[16] The time at which this happened is disputed with some sources saying 1975,[17] while others say 1972. However, the monument was still at the Breymann Redoubt before the time of its move, and is still at the redoubt, which is Tour Stop #7.[1][18][19]

Appearance

The Boot Monument from the back, where the inscription is written

The inscription on the monument reads:

Erected 1887 By
JOHN WATTS de PEYSTER
Brev: Maj: Gen: S.N.Y.
2nd V. Pres't Saratoga Mon't Ass't'n:
In memory of
the "most brilliant soldier" of the
Continental Army
who was desperately wounded
on this spot the sally port of
BURGOYNES GREAT WESTERN REDOUBT
7th October, 1777
winning for his countrymen
the decisive battle of the
American Revolution
and for himself the rank of
Major General.

The monument features a howitzer barrel, with a left-footed[4] riding boot and a two-star epaulette for a major general on top of the barrel.[20] A Laurel leaf wreath sits atop the howitzer.[19][21] As a sign of dishonor, the howitzer barrel is pointed downwards.[22] One error in the inscription was that Arnold did not earn the rank of Major General prior to, and because of, Saratoga, but he did regain his seniority.[1] The monument faces the battlefield.[23]

Similarly to how Arnold's name does not appear on the Boot Monument because of his betrayal to the British side,[24] the Saratoga Battle Monument honors Gates, General Philip Schuyler, Arnold, and Colonel Daniel Morgan, but the place where Arnold's statue should stand in the monument is an empty niche. In an old cadet chapel at West Point, Revolutionary War generals are honored there with a plaque on the wall, but Arnold's plaque only mentions his date of birth and death date, but not his name.[25]

The monument is made of white marble.[26]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Murphy, Jim (2007). The Real Benedict Arnold. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 235. ISBN 978-0-395-77609-4.
  2. ^ Strange, Carolyn (April 2015). "The Battlefields of Personal and Public Memory: Commemorating the Battle of Saratoga (1777) in the Late Nineteenth Century". The Journal of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era. 14 (2): 194–221. doi:10.1017/S1537781414000796. S2CID 162888801.
  3. ^ a b Ketchum, Richard M (1997). Saratoga: Turning Point of America's Revolutionary War. New York: Henry Holt. ISBN 978-0-8050-6123-9. OCLC 41397623. (Paperback ISBN 0-8050-6123-1)
  4. ^ a b c Martin, James Kirby (1997). Benedict Arnold, Revolutionary Hero: An American Warrior Reconsidered. New York University Press. pp. 378–381, 514. ISBN 0814755607.
  5. ^ Luzader, John F. (2008). Saratoga: a military history of the decisive campaign of the American revolution (1st ed.). New York: Savas Beatie. ISBN 978-1-932714-44-9.
  6. ^ a b Frothingham, Thomas G.; Nickerson, Hoffman. "The Turning Point of the Revolution". The New England Quarterly. 1 (4): 594. doi:10.2307/359542. ISSN 0028-4866. JSTOR 359542. Archived from the original on 2023-12-17. Retrieved 2023-12-17.
  7. ^ Palmer, Dave Richard; Washington, George; Arnold, Benedict (2006). George Washington and Benedict Arnold: a tale of two patriots. Washington, D.C: Regnery Publ. ISBN 978-1-59698-020-4.
  8. ^ Nathaniel Philbrick, Valiant Ambition: George Washington, Benedict Arnold, and the Fate of the American Revolution (2016) pp. 321–26.
  9. ^ Michael Dolan, "Hero and Villain" American History (2016) 51#3 pp. 12–13.
  10. ^ "The Shrine of the Memorial Museum". The Putnam County Courier. November 28, 1963.
  11. ^ a b Randall, Willard Sterne (1990). Benedict Arnold: patriot and traitor (1st ed.). New York, N.Y: Morrow. ISBN 978-1-55710-034-4.
  12. ^ Brandt, Clare (1993). The man in the mirror: a life of Benedict Arnold (1st ed.). New York: Random House. ISBN 978-0-679-40106-3.
  13. ^ Leopold, Robert. A Guide to Early African Collections in the Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian Institution, August 1994.
  14. ^ "Digital Collections : Still Image : Monument dedicated by John Watts de Peyster, Brev: Maj. Gen. S.N.Y. [NYSA_14297-87_3626]". digitalcollections.archives.nysed.gov. Retrieved 2023-12-17.
  15. ^ a b Strange, Carolyn (April 2015). "The Battlefields of Personal and Public Memory: Commemorating the Battle of Saratoga (1777) in the Late Nineteenth Century". The Journal of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era. 14 (2): 194–221. doi:10.1017/S1537781414000796. S2CID 162888801.
  16. ^ Griswold, William A. & Donald W. Linebaugh; Linebaugh, Donald W. (2016-05-03). The Saratoga Campaign: Uncovering an Embattled Landscape. University Press of New England. ISBN 978-1-61168-965-5.
  17. ^ Holmes, Timothy; Smith-Holmes, Libby (2012-05-22). Saratoga: America's Battlefield. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-1-61423-566-8.
  18. ^ Thompson, Bob. "Revolutionary Saratoga Springs: Details". Boca Ration News.
  19. ^ a b "Boot Monument (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Archived from the original on 2023-03-21. Retrieved 2023-12-17.
  20. ^ Ayres, Thomas (2008-12-10). A Military Miscellany: From Bunker Hill to Baghdad: Important, Uncommon, and Sometimes Forgotten Facts, Lists, and Stories from America#s Military History. Random House Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-307-48825-1.
  21. ^ Brumwell, Stephen. "'God Save Benedict Arnold' Review: Hero First, Traitor Later". WSJ. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
  22. ^ "Palance Recalls Arnold Heroism at Saratoga". Schenectady Gazette. 11 September 1985. p. 11.
  23. ^ "Proposal to Honor Arnold Frowned Upon". Schenectady Gazette. 4 August 1930. p. 17.
  24. ^ Williams, Marie Danielle Annette (2013-07-02). The Revolutionary War in the Adirondacks: Raids in the Wilderness. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4396-7023-1. Archived from the original on 2023-12-17. Retrieved 2023-12-17.
  25. ^ Groark, Virginia (21 April 2002). "Beloved Hero and Despised Traitor". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 17 May 2022. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  26. ^ Strange, Carolyn (April 2015). "The Battlefields of Personal and Public Memory: Commemorating the Battle of Saratoga (1777) in the Late Nineteenth Century". The Journal of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era. 14 (2): 194–221. doi:10.1017/S1537781414000796. S2CID 162888801.
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