New London confronts Benedict Arnold’s legacy

New London is confronting the legacy of Benedict Arnold, the Revolutionary War general whose forces burned much of the city. Connecticut Public reported on the city’s treatment of Arnold and the memory of the attack.

A lasting local wound

Arnold is remembered in New London not only for changing sides during the Revolutionary War, but also for the destruction associated with his attack on the city. That history remains part of how the city describes and debates his place in local memory.

What the report addresses

The Connecticut Public report focuses on New London’s rejection of Arnold’s legacy and the contrast between his early service to the American cause and his later betrayal. The report also points readers to a primary historical record connected to the episode.

The account places the issue in the context of public memory: how a community represents a person whose actions caused major damage there. No political race or candidate is connected to the development.