Connecticut, 1781. New London is burning after British troops — led by Benedict Arnold — raided the town. Dozens of people are dead. Hundreds are hurt. The sky is full of smoke.
About a month later, soldiers fight in Yorktown, Va., in the last major battle of the Revolutionary War. A rallying cry: “Remember New London.”
And 242 years later, New London has not forgotten.
On a recent Saturday evening, hundreds of people gathered in the streets to burn Benedict Arnold, America’s most famous traitor, in effigy. To the beat of a fife and drum, residents marched the life-sized, two-faced puppet to its execution. Some, in tricorn hats, carried mock bayonets. Others held torches.
On a recent Saturday evening in New London, Connecticut, hundreds of people gathered in the streets to burn Benedict Arnold, America’s most famous traitor, in effigy. https://t.co/W2HpmoASBX
— NYT Metro (@NYTMetro) September 19, 2023