Richmond burned on this day in 1781.
Benedict Arnold – a traitor to the American Revolution – by offering to surrender the West Point, New York garrison to British forces – captured and burned the capital of Virginia.
Arnold made himself comfortable at the City Tavern, on the northwest corner of 19th and East Main streets.
His men were dispatched to Saint John’s Church to set up camp.
Weak colonial forces that had gathered on Church Hill had fled without firing a shot – along with Governor Thomas Jefferson and most of the government, who quickly retreated to Charlottesville.
From Richmond, Arnold sent Jefferson a letter offering to keep Richmond safe in exchange for all of the city’s tobacco and other stores.
Jefferson refused and Arnold laid waste to Richmond. While it had been capital for two years it was not much more than a wooden village and the fire spread swiftly in high winds.
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