Homegrown Terror: Benedict Arnold And The Burning Of New London (The Driftless Connecticut Series & Garnet Books)

Download Free (EPUB, PDF)

On September 6, 1781, Connecticut native Benedict Arnold and a force of 1,600 British soldiers and loyalists took Fort Griswold and burnt New London to the ground. The brutality of the invasion galvanized the new nation, and "Remember New London!" would become a rallying cry for troops under General Lafayette. In Homegrown Terror, Eric D. Lehman chronicles the events leading up to the attack and highlights this key transformation in Arnold--the point where he went from betraying his comrades to massacring his neighbors and destroying their homes. This defining incident forever marked him as a symbol of evil, turning an antiheroic story about weakness of character and missed opportunity into one about the nature of treachery itself. Homegrown Terror draws upon a variety of perspectives, from the traitor himself to his former comrades like Jonathan Trumbull and Silas Deane, to the murdered Colonel Ledyard. Rethinking Benedict Arnold through the lens of this terrible episode, Lehman sheds light on the ethics of the dawning nation, and the way colonial America responded to betrayal and terror. Finalist in both Historical Nonfiction and Regional Nonfiction for the 2016 Next Generation Indie Book Awards.

Series: The Driftless Connecticut Series & Garnet Books

Hardcover: 300 pages

Publisher: Wesleyan (January 6, 2015)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0819573299

ISBN-13: 978-0819573292

Product Dimensions: 7 x 0.9 x 9.1 inches

Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)

Best Sellers Rank: #503,763 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #81 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Regional U.S. > New England #5371 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Historical > United States #22723 in Books > History > Americas > United States

Lehman's historical narrative is an excellent retelling of this horrific and often overlooked part of the Revolutionary War. The discussion of Arnold's treason and subsequent massacre is superb and historically documented, while also being fun to read. His narrative style is excellent and I couldn't put it down. As an ancestor of the Averys who fought and died at the Battle of Groton Heights, including my 7th great-grandfather Lieutenant Ebenezer Avery who was killed, I am thankful for this addition to the historical record.

A wonderfully informative slice of history. I highly recommend Eric Lehman's book, Homegrown Terror: Benedict Arnold and the Burning of New London, for a fascinating portrayal of Connecticut during the American Revolution. This book should be used in classrooms to teach students about this era, and specifically the events that led to Arnold turning traitor. An exceptional account of the life of Benedict Arnold and other historic characters such as Jonathan Trumbull, Nathan Hale and Silas Deane, to name just a few.

We all know Benedict Arnold as a traitor but we know so little of why he did it and what he was like before. Lehman writes a compelling story that you will not want to put down that fills in some of the empty spaces in our knowledge.

Met the Author last evening at a Book Signing. He gave a 45 minute power point talk, on his book, and it was quite impressive. I had brought my book, to our local Library, and he signed it for me. It was a well spent evening and I would suggest, that anyone who is interested in the Revolutionary War, purchase this wonderful book. HUZZAH!

I thought I knew a lot about Benedict Arnold. I did not realize the extent of what he did after his betrayal. A little bit biased at times, which is about my only minor complaint. The author seemed to go out of his way a couple times to indicate that the colonial troops were always well-behaved and committed no atrocities, when we know that was not the case. Other than that, this was a thought-provoking book, and it really made me feel George Washington's sense of betrayal and bewilderment when he learned what happened here. This book is not a biography of Arnold, if that is what you are looking for, although the author did a nice job of filling in some of the key biographical information when needed. The book also gives you a sense of the incompetency of some in Congress and in colonial government, including Thomas Jefferson.

If anyone thinks the current times are cruel than I would suggest they read this well written book. Two hundred years ago + many of the same feelings were taking place. Humans are humans. I guess they don't change ? Very easy book to read about history.

Riveting and elucidating narrative. Most revolutionary histories focus on Boston, Philadelphia, and Virginia - I'm a bit embarrassed to say that I didn't fully realize that so much revolutionary history took place in Connecticut until I read this book. That said, the book's scope is not narrow geographically or in any other sense and will surely be of great interest to anyone interested in the American Revolution or the balance of motivations that characterize all of history. The siege of New London and the slaughter on Groton Heights at the hand of Arnold's forces are heartbreaking, as is, in a different way, the rebuffing of Arnold in London by his former Connecticut comrade Silas Dean after the war. Compelling and insightful work.

When it comes to recounting historical events -- and describing characters -- in compelling and vivid ways, Lehman delivers a story deserving of the movie treatment. Definitely a great subject, tackled with skill and made to come alive in the telling. Bravo!

Homegrown Terror: Benedict Arnold and the Burning of New London (The Driftless Connecticut Series & Garnet Books) Arnold Schwarzenegger: Arnold Schwarzenegger's Life Lessons & Secrets to Success (Entrepreneur, Visionary, Success Principles, Law Of Attraction, Business Books, Influence, Entrepreneurship) Western Connecticut Trolleys (Images of Rail: Connecticut) Valiant Ambition: George Washington, Benedict Arnold, and the Fate of the American Revolution Finishing Becca: A Story about Peggy Shippen and Benedict Arnold (Great Episodes) The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism & Treachery The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict (The Mysterious Benedict Society) Crypts, Caves and Tunnels of London (Of London series) Swingers of West London: POCKET BOOK SERIES issue 1 & 2 (Swingers of West London (Pocket Edition)) Streetwise London Map - Laminated City Center Street Map of London, England 101 London Travel Tips: Your complete guide to making the most of your trips to London! National Audubon Society Field Guide to New England: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont (National Audubon Society Regional Field Guides) The New Mexico Farm Table Cookbook: 100 Homegrown Recipes from the Land of Enchantment (The Farm Table Cookbook) A Broken Regiment: The 16th Connecticut's Civil War (Conflicting Worlds: New Dimensions of the American Civil War) AMC's Best Sea Kayaking in New England: 50 Coastal Paddling Adventures from Maine to Connecticut Quiet Water Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, 2nd: Canoe and Kayak Guide (AMC Quiet Water Series) Connecticut Yankees at Antietam (Civil War Series) Connecticut Birds: A Folding Pocket Guide to Familiar Species (Pocket Naturalist Guide Series) Homegrown Whole Grains: Grow, Harvest, and Cook Wheat, Barley, Oats, Rice, Corn and More Homegrown Herbs: A Complete Guide to Growing, Using, and Enjoying More than 100 Herbs