 Monument to Benedict Arnold's injured foot at Saratoga National Historical Park | |
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| 43°0′30.2″N 73°38′21.7″W / 43.008389°N 73.639361°W | |
| Location | Saratoga National Historical Park[1] |
|---|---|
| Designer | George Edwin Bissell[2][3] |
| Dedicated to | Benedict Arnold, although it does not mention his name[1] |
The Boot Monument is an American Revolutionary War memorial located in Saratoga National Historical Park, New York. Erected during 1887 by John Watts de Peyster and sculpted by George Edwin Bissell, it commemorates Major General Benedict Arnold's service at the Battles of Saratoga while in the Continental Army, but does not mention him on the monument because Arnold later betrayed the Continental Army to the British Army. Instead, it commemorates Arnold as the "most brilliant soldier of the Continental Army".
While fighting at the Battle of Bemis Heights, Arnold was severely wounded after being shot in his leg. His horse, who was shot as well, fell on Arnold's leg and shattered it. After this, Arnold continued to grow ever more bitter towards the Continental Army when he was passed over for promotion, lost his business, and he was court-martialed for abusing his power as military commander of Philadelphia. He later attempted to help the British capture the fortification of West Point but was discovered and fled to the British army.
- ^ a b Murphy 2007, pp. 2, 3, 235.
- ^ Strange 2015, pp. 194–221.
- ^ Holmes & Smith-Holmes 2012, p. 38.