In a civil war every one of importance is likely to have ties with both sides, regrets for the friends he has lost, misgivings in respect to the course he has adopted.

In April, 1779, Arnold had begun his treason by expressing discontent at the alliance with France then working so disastrously.
His future lay before him; he was still under forty; he had just married into a family of position; he expected that both he and his descendants would spend their lives in America and he must have known that contempt would follow them for the conduct which he planned if it was regarded by public opinion as base.

Voices in Congress, too, had denounced the alliance with France as alliance with tyranny, political and religious.
Members praised the liberties of England and had declared that the Declaration of Independence must be revoked and that now it could be done with honor since the Americans had proved their metal.

There was room for the fear that the morale of the Americans was giving way.
The defection of Arnold might also have military results.

He had bargained to be made a general in the British army and he had intimate knowledge of the weak points in Washington's position.