Presidents Day insight: What was Washington’s worst decision?

Key takeaways

• George Washington was an indispensable leader, but he made some catastrophic blunders.
• One of those mistakes involved giving Benedict Arnold a leadership position in Philadelphia.
• That decision led to Arnold's treason and almost caused the end of the Revolution.

Without George Washington, the army may not have achieved victory. He was indispensable in the Revolution. His willingness to repeatedly give up power — including the return of his commission to Congress and stepping down as President — makes him one of the most laudable figures in world history.

Yet, according to author Stephen Yoch, Washington made some catastrophic blunders:

• His army was almost captured in New York at the beginning of the Revolution.
• He allowed his southern army to be isolated and captured in Charleston.
• He appointed Benedict Arnold as the commander of American forces in Philadelphia.

This last act, as much as any other, could have meant the failure of the Revolution and Washington's death.

The Revolution from Benedict Arnold's POV

Yoch's book, "Becoming Benedict Arnold," describes the Revolution from Arnold's point of view. One part of the book explores Arnold's experience being severely wounded at the Battle of Saratoga, where his femur was crushed under a horse as he secured victory for the Americans.

Washington knew Arnold could not continue to serve as a battlefield commander because of his injuries. On June 18, 1778, after almost nine months of occupation, Sir Henry Clinton and 15,000 British troops evacuated Philadelphia. Washington saw the opportunity to reward Arnold for his service and provide stability to a divided city by appointing Arnold as the city's military commander. Philadelphia had been brutalized by the British and its population was traumatized. Loyalists left behind after the British exodus were targets of their wrath.

So what was Washington's massive mistake?

Yoch explains that the decision to put Arnold in charge of Philadelphia was one of Washington's worst decisions. Arnold was given the impossible task of treating all sides fairly and preventing the radicals from exacting retribution.

Even an extremely experienced politician would have been stymied by this objective, but Arnold was especially ill-suited. He saw his tenure in Philadelphia as an opportunity to make money by engaging in questionable business activities while recuperating in comfort, Yoch writes. Arnold also ignored the political implications of entertaining young women who had prior shown loyalist sympathies, or using fine carriages previously driven by the British oppressors.

Joseph Reed, a local radical leader, viewed Arnold as a Washington surrogate and part of a group that would establish a new monarchy following the Revolution.

The fact that Arnold had been wounded multiple times serving the Cause did not dissuade Reed and his cronies from labeling Arnold a monarchist and a traitor to the Revolution. Reed and his men ultimately commenced a legal action against Arnold in which he was court-martialed and admonished.

Meanwhile in Philadelphia, Arnold fell in love with loyalist Peggy Shippen, who connected him with Major John André, the head of the British spy network. The abuse Arnold suffered at the hands of the Philadelphia radicals pushed him directly into the arms of the British.

Arnold and André hatched a plan to turn over West Point and engineer the capture of Washington and his senior staff. The Revolution was saved by sheer luck and Arnold's plot was foiled.

Washington's decision to appoint Arnold to Philadelphia led Arnold to his treason and could have meant the end of the Revolution. Once again Washington's luck, or as he would say, "the hand of providence," saved him from his worst mistake.

For more on Benedict Arnold and George Washington, visit yoch.com.

Historical fiction writer Stephen Yoch is based in Minneapolis/St. Paul. He is the author of "Becoming George Washington" and "Becoming Benedict Arnold."