From George Arnold
ALS: American Philosophical Society
<Mainz, December 27, 1777, in German: Germany in general
and this region in particular wait impatiently for news of the
brave Arnold’s exploits. He may be a native of this city. If he is
the son of a butcher here, if he was once a Franciscan monk, if
he went to America with Montgomery in 1773 and wrote me
then, if he got a papal dispensation to leave his order, I am his
father; late in life I have raised a son to defend American freedom.
I have heard nothing from him, but Arnold’s campaigns
as described to me sound like his, and a copperplate of General
Arnold made in 1776 strongly resembles him. Many say,
however, that the General was born in New England. Much
hangs on the issue: my children’s inheritance will be complicated
unless their sibling’s whereabouts can be determined.>
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