When the War broke out, Arnold was just
thirty-five years old. His residence was on
Water street, near the shipyard; and within
a few years his house was still standing. At
this time he was Captain of a military company
called the Governor's Guards. The news of the
skirmish at Lexington reached New Haven
about noon. Capt. Arnold at once called out his
company, and proposed to them, while drawn
up on the public green, to go on to Boston
with him and take part in the fighting there. More than forty out of the entire number, which was fifty-eight, consented to go. But they had no ammunition. That was a serious obstacle indeed. There was a quantity stored in the town powder-house, of which Arnold of course knew. The selectmen of the town were in session the next day, to consider what was best to be done in view of the outbreak at Lexington. While they were in session. Arnold, who had already drawn up the men who had volunteered to follow him to Lexington, put himself at their head and marched forthwith to the house in which they were assembled. He formed the company in front of the house, and proceeded at once to summary measures. He sent in word to the selectmen, that unless the key of the powder-house was delivered up within five minutes, he would give orders to his men to break open the building and help themselves to the contents. The threat produced exactly the effect he desired. The key was surrendered, and a sufficient supply of powder was dealt out. Arnold set off for Cambridge with his company without delay. On the second night of their march, they reached the town of Wethersfield, where the people received them with every demonstration of delight, and offered them all possible attention. The legislature of Connecticut was in session at that time in Hartford, and certain persons were talking up a bold project among themselves, for which they hoped to obtain the favor of that body, to march a force up through the country to Fort Ticonderoga, and suddenly wrest that fortress from the hands of the British. The moment Arnold caught the whispered hint, he was impatient to share the glory which such an expedition, if successful, would be certain to bring. So that as soon as he arrived at Cambridge with his handsomely uniformed company, he laid the plan before the Massachusetts Committee of Safety, as if it were altogether original with himself; and went on to show them how easy it would be to carry it out. He set forth his design with all the enthusiasm of his easily moved nature. He showed to the Committee the splendor of such an achievement, and described in glowing terms the electric effect it would produce on the dejected heart of the country. The expedition was painted in the warmest colors, laid on with a lavish hand. And at the close of his remarks, he declared that he would freely undertake to do all this himself, if they would only furnish him with the necessary means. They accepted his proposal with eagerness; and gave him a commission with the title of Colonel, with authority to enlist not to exceed four hundred soldiers in the western part of Massachusetts, and wherever else along the line he might be able. Accordingly, on the 3d day of May, 1775, Benedict Arnold assumed his new command. Meantime, the Connecticut men already spoken of had been active in carrying forward their plans, and had already started off up the valley of the Connecticut on the projected expedition. They had got the Green Mountain Boys, with the famous Ethan Allen at their head, to join them. The Connecticut legislature voted them a thousand dollars to begin with, although its aid was still kept a secret from the public at large, for prudent reasons. When this party left for Castleton, in Vermont, they numbered two hundred and seventy men. Allen was placed at their head, by a vote of a council of war. The whole body was then divided up into three commands, each one of which was to take a different route, and finally arrive before Ticonderoga at the same time with the others. The Massachusetts Committee of Safety furnished Arnold with an outfit of a hundred pounds in money, two hundred pounds' weight each of powder and lead balls, a thousand flints, and ten horses. They likewise gave him authority to draw on them for a sufficient amount to furnish stores and supplies for his troops by the way. He reached Stockbridge, in Massachusetts, and there learned to his dismay that the Connecticut party was before him. Col. Easton had collected a force of some forty men in Berkshire, and marched on to Bennington, and there joined Ethan Allen. Arnold was in a fury of impatience at receiving this most unexpected intelligence.