TWO HUNDRED FORTY YEARS AGO TODAY: Gen. Benedict Arnold—whose name, even today, is synonymous with “traitor”—led an army of about 1600, mostly American loyalist “green coats,” up the James River in Virginia. Their mission was to capture the City of Richmond for the British.

Alas, this was not the Old Dominion’s finest hour. Only 200 militiamen showed up to defend the city. Where were the rest? Many were said to have already served their time in the militia. They believed they had discharged whatever duty they owed. It was somebody else’s turn—or that’s how they saw it.

When Arnold’s superior forces confronted them, the tiny band of Virginians quickly broke and ran. Panic ensued. Governor Thomas Jefferson ordered the evacuation of all military supplies. He then fled in his carriage, and so did other government officials and their families—much to the dismay of the Richmond residents who were left behind.

By noon, Gen. Arnold’s troops were marching into the city. Not a shot was fired to prevent them. Arnold sent a message to Jefferson that he would spare the city if Jefferson turned over to him the city’s armaments and tobacco. Jefferson declined and, as a result, Richmond was torched and looted.

Of course, that’s not the end of the story. While no one could have imagined it on January 5, the surrender at Yorktown, which is about 60 miles to Richmond’s southeast, would come in September.  Fortunes can change very quickly in this world of ours.  That should give us reason for optimism (though in fairness I guess it should also give us reason for pessimism when things are going well).

(By the way, here’s a question for you: What motivated Arnold to be a traitor? Some say an important factor was his wife— “the very young, very pretty, very Tory Peggy Shippen.” Maybe.)