Letter from George Washington to John Jay Regarding Benedict Arnold's Court Martial
4/20/1779
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In February 1779 Joseph Reed, President of the Pennsylvania Executive Council, presented eight charges of misconduct against Brig. Gen. Benedict Arnold to the Continental Congress. Congress referred the charges to Gen. George Washington, who appointed a court-martial to hear the case. In January 1780 the court dismissed the most serious charges and recommended that Washington reprimand Arnold for two minor offenses. Arnold felt he had been falsely accused, and his bitterness helped lead him to his infamous betrayal of the American cause.
This primary source comes from the Records of the Continental and Confederation Congresses and the Constitutional Convention.
National Archives Identifier: 1663344
Full Citation: Letter from George Washington to John Jay Regarding Benedict Arnold's Court Martial; 4/20/1779; Records of the Continental and Confederation Congresses and the Constitutional Convention, Record Group 360. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/letter-from-george-washington-to-john-jay-regarding-benedict-arnolds-court-martial, March 28, 2025]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.
