Notorious for his treason against the Continental Army, Benedict Arnold is best remembered for becoming a turncoat during the Revolutionary War. But, before switching sides, Benedict was a strong military leader and an excellent soldier. And, on both fronts of the war, Benedict achieved great victories. Through his patriotic and treacherous acts, Benedict Arnold helped shape the course of the American Revolution. By 1775, Benedict Arnold had achieved his first victory: Fort Ticonderoga. The Battle of the Fort took place on May 10, 1775. Arnold and four hundred soldiers stood in front of the fort on Lake Champlain and waited for the reconnaissance units (CIA) to return. When they returned, they told Benedict that the fort had housed only forty-nine British soldiers, a huge figure compared to Benedict's. But the scouts had also noted that there were only two boats that could carry Benedict and his soldiers, so only about a hundred men actually participated in the taking of Fort Ticonderoga (Ticonderoga History). Benedict still wanted to surprise the soldiers, so they attacked the south gate of Ticonderoga, where only one sentry was stationed. Benedict harmed their environment once they arose from sleep. The British troops obeyed and the fort was captured without casualties and without a single shot fired (CIA). With the fort under Patriot control, the Army obtained one hundred desperately needed cannons (forty-three of which were transported and used by General Knox against the British at Boston) and a passage from New York to Canada (History Ticonderoga) which led Benedict to his subsequent military rise. On October 11, Arnold and 1,100 men set out to aid General Philip Schuyler in Quebec. Their journey was filled with... half of paper......w.history.com/topics/capture-of-fort-ticonderoga>"Central Intelligence Agency." www.cia.gov. CIA, June 24, 2010. Web. December 16, 2013."The Notorious Benedict Arnold: Selling West Point." http://www.clements.umich.edu/. Clements and Web. 17 Dec>. 2013.Kennedy, Hickman. “American Revolution: Capture of Fort Ticonderoga.” About.com Military History. Np, nd Web. 17 December 2013. "Spy Letters of the American Revolution - People." www.clements.umich.edu. Clements and Web. December 17. 2013. .