Later Arnold revealed to the British that he expected to receive the command of American forces at West Point, New York, and agreed to surrender that garrison to them for 20,000. On July 12, he wrote again, making explicit the offer to surrender West Point, although his price rose to 20,000[b] (in addition to indemnification for his losses), with a 1,000[b] down payment to be delivered with the response. Sage's gravestone indicates that he was born on April 14, 14, 1786, a date roughly confirmed by Arnold's will, which stated that Sage was 14 when Arnold wrote it in 1800. On June 16, Arnold inspected West Point while on his way home to Connecticut to take care of personal business, and he sent a highly detailed report through the secret channel. [106] This activity brought out Virginia's militia led by Colonel Sampson Mathews, and Arnold eventually retreated to Portsmouth to be reinforced or to evacuate. Crippled from his wounds, Arnold was placed in command of Philadelphia (June 1778), where he socialized with families of loyalist sympathies and lived extravagantly. The first man was a British major named John Andre. Peggy's Childhood Peggy was the daughter of Edward Shippen and born into a prominent Philadelphia family. In the House of Commons, Edmund Burke expressed the hope that the government would not put Arnold "at the head of a part of a British army" lest "the sentiments of true honour, which every British officer [holds] dearer than life, should be afflicted". British reinforcements arrived in late March led by William Phillips who served under Burgoyne at Saratoga. He was convicted of disorderly conduct and fined the relatively small amount of 50 shillings; publicity of the case and widespread sympathy for his views probably contributed to the light sentence. The house where Arnold lived at 62 Gloucester Place in central London bears a plaque describing him as an "American Patriot". Letters were to be passed through the women's circle that Peggy Arnold was a part of, but only Peggy would be aware that some letters contained instructions that were to be passed on to Andr, written in both code and invisible ink, using Stansbury as the courier. By the time that he was 14, there was no money for private education. [43], Arnold arrived in Schuyler's camp at Fort Edward, New York, on July 24. Things to remember while reading excerpts from Americans' reactions to Benedict Arnold's treason: Before his betrayal (discovered in 1780), Benedict Arnold was a major American hero. Arnold reopened the secret channels with the British, informing them of Schuyler's proposals and including Schuyler's assessment of conditions at West Point. His mother came from a wealthy family, but his alcoholic father squandered their estate. 2. Early in May he made secret overtures to British headquarters, and a year later he informed the British of a proposed American invasion of Canada. The second was Benedict Arnold. Arnold returned to England in 1791, but he left to spend several years privateering in the West Indies before permanently settling in London. [73] By October 1779, the negotiations had ground to a halt. Wikipedia Sign up to our newsletter. After formal inquiries, he was usually acquitted, but Congress investigated his finances and determined that he was indebted to Congress, and that he had borrowed money heavily to maintain a lavish lifestyle. By Joyce Lee Malcolm. Clinton was uninterested in most of his aggressive ideas, but finally authorized him to raid the port of New London, Connecticut. Mo talks with author Nathaniel Philbrick about the now . "[144] The victory monument at Saratoga has four niches, three of which are occupied by statues of Generals Gates, Schuyler, and Morgan. [41], Arnold was on his way to Philadelphia to discuss his future when he was alerted that a British force was marching toward a supply depot in Danbury, Connecticut. From psychological wounds received in his Connecticut childhood when his alcoholic father squandered the family's fortunes? Some theatrical treatments of the 19th century explored his duplicity, seeking to understand rather than demonize it. The prisoner was dressed in miltary uniform. At critical moments Arnold inspired the Patriots with his grit and determination and earned the admiration of George Washington. At a prearranged rendezvous point on the shoreline his contact arrived just after midnight. Major-General Nathanael Greene (August 7 [O.S. It just doesn't respect it", "Letter, Benedict Arnold to George Washington pleading for mercy for his wife", "Benedict Arnold: The Aftermath of Treason", "Saratoga National Historical Park Activities", "Saratoga National Historical Park Tour Stop 7", links to primary sources about Benedict Arnold before and after his treason, Arnold, Benedict (17411801), army officer | Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness, Washington's crossing of the Delaware River, African Americans in the Revolutionary War, Intelligence in the American Revolutionary War, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Benedict_Arnold&oldid=1139478021, 18th-century American non-fiction writers, American expatriates in the United Kingdom, British Army personnel of the American Revolutionary War, British people of the French Revolutionary Wars, British spies during the American Revolution, Businesspeople from New Haven, Connecticut, Connecticut militiamen in the American Revolution, Continental Army officers from Connecticut, Continental Army personnel who were court-martialed, Military personnel from Norwich, Connecticut, People of Connecticut in the French and Indian War, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2019, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia pages semi-protected against vandalism, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2020, All articles with broken links to citations, Pages using Sister project links with hidden wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Benedict Arnold (17681795) (Captain, British Army in Jamaica), Henry Arnold (17721826) (Lieutenant, American Legion cavalry), Edward Shippen Arnold (17801813) (Lieutenant, British Army in India; see, James Robertson Arnold (17811854) (Lieutenant General, Royal Engineers), George Arnold (17871828) (Lieutenant Colonel, 2nd (or 7th) Bengal Cavalry). [108], On his return to New York in June, Arnold made a variety of proposals for attacks on economic targets to force the Americans to end the war. [54] Such schemes were not uncommon among American officers, but Arnold's schemes were sometimes frustrated by powerful local politicians such as Joseph Reed, who eventually amassed enough evidence to publicly air charges against him. Through his maternal grandmother, Arnold was a descendant of John Lothropp, an ancestor of six presidents. He helped organize militia forces on British-held islands, receiving praise from the landowners for his efforts on their behalf. It described a boy who stole eggs from birds' nests, pulled wings off insects, and engaged in other sorts of wanton cruelty, who then grew up to become a traitor to his country. "Since the fall of Lucifer," General Nathanial Greene judged, "nothing has equaled the fall of Arnold." Yet Arnold's accomplishments for the patriot cause were extraordinary. Benedict Arnold betrayed the Continental Army to the British when he made secret overtures to British headquarters in May 1779 and, a year later, informed the British of a proposed American invasion of Canada. These charges were then referred to Congress, and Arnold asked for an immediate court-martial to clear himself. These letters were delivered by Samuel Wallis, another Philadelphia businessman who spied for the British, rather than by Stansbury. Neither side knew for some days that the other was in agreement with that offer, due to difficulties in getting the messages across the lines. Again he tried to resign, but in July he accepted a government order to help stem the British advance into upper New York. [citation needed], He then continued on to Philadelphia where he met with members of Congress about his rank. He hoped that this work would earn him wider respect and a new command; instead, it earned him and his sons a land-grant of 15,000 acres (6,100ha) in Upper Canada,[122] near present-day Renfrew, Ontario. The most famous of these occurred on May 10, 1775, when Ethan Allen and his band of Green Mountain Boys, accompanied by Benedict Arnold, who held a commission from . Scholastica, the founder of the Benedictine sisters, was Benedict's sister. [25] On the night of January 28, 1767, he and members of his crew roughed up a man suspected of attempting to inform authorities of Arnold's smuggling. A colonial resident by birth, Arnold made his living as a merchant before joining the American military to defend against the British. He also faced financial ruin, falling 16,000[b] in debt with creditors spreading rumors of his insolvency, to the point where he took legal action against them. [22], The Sugar Act of 1764 and the Stamp Act of 1765 severely curtailed mercantile trade in the colonies. The sacrifice of Andr made Arnold odious to loyalists, and his reputation was further tarnished among his former neighbours when he led a raid on New London, Connecticut, in September 1781. [118] The family moved to Saint John in 1787, where Arnold created an uproar with a series of bad business deals and petty lawsuits. 0:00. [3] Some among those in his military and political circles charged him with corruption and other bad acts. In the winter of 1782, he and Peggy moved to London, England. Before his betrayal Benedict Arnold was a legitimate hero and a competent officer. January 14, 1741, in Norwich Connecticut. During the summer of 1778, he met Peggy Shippen, the 18-year-old daughter of Judge Edward Shippen (III), a Loyalist sympathizer who had done business with the British while they occupied the city;[57] Peggy had been courted by British Major John Andr during the British occupation of Philadelphia. Word of the siege's disastrous outcome led the company to turn around, and Arnold served for only 13 days. "[65] A few days later, Arnold wrote to Greene and lamented over the "deplorable" and "horrid" situation of the country at that particular moment, citing the depreciating currency, disaffection of the army, and internal fighting in Congress, while predicting "impending ruin" if things did not change soon. As early as 1778, there were signs that Arnold was unhappy with his situation and pessimistic about the country's future. However, British casualties were high; nearly one quarter of the force was killed or wounded, and Clinton declared that he could ill afford any more such victories. Yet as every elementary school student knows, Benedict reneged on his original commitment and defected to England. In his martial success, he became the target of jealous mediocrities. Benedict Arnold Is America's Most Famous Traitor. He performed operations that provided the Americans with relief during the Siege of Fort Stanwix, and key actions during the pivotal 1777 Battles of Saratoga, in which he sustained leg injuries that put him out of combat career for several years. In December 1780, Arnold was given command of British forces sent to raid Virginia. He dared not tell me his name. "[88] At the same time, he tried to drain West Point's supplies so that a siege would be more likely to succeed. [127] His funeral procession boasted "seven mourning coaches and four state carriages";[103] the funeral was without military honors. Lee Moran. Arnold demanded a court martial to clear the charges, writing to Washington in May 1779: "Having become a cripple in the service of my country, I little expected to meet ungrateful returns". [128][d], Benedict Arnold's name became synonymous with "traitor" soon after his betrayal became public, and biblical themes were often invoked. He organized the militia response, along with David Wooster and Connecticut militia General Gold Selleck Silliman. In 1764, he formed a partnership with Adam Babcock, another young New Haven merchant. [37] He also had disagreements with John Brown and James Easton, two lower-level officers with political connections that resulted in ongoing suggestions of improprieties on his part. [123], In January 1801, Arnold's health began to decline. Arnold became a shrewd and prosperous trader in New Haven while also joining the local militia in 1774 and being named its captain soon thereafter. Arnold had three sons with Margaret Mansfield:[150][151]. [6] In December 1780, he led a force of 1,600 troops into Virginia under orders from Clinton, where he captured Richmond by surprise and then went on a rampage through Virginia, destroying supply houses, foundries, and mills. [146] There are also historical markers bearing his name at Wyman Lake Rest Area on US-201 north of Moscow, Maine, on the western bank of Lake Champlain, New York, and two in Skowhegan, Maine.[147]. Odell was a Loyalist working with William Franklin, the last colonial governor of New Jersey and the son of Benjamin Franklin. Washington Irving used it as part of an argument against dismemberment of the union in his 1857 Life of George Washington, pointing out that the unity of New England and the southern states which led to independence was made possible in part by holding West Point. [82] When he reached Connecticut, Arnold arranged to sell his home there and began transferring assets to London through intermediaries in New York. attended Canterbury for a while, but when the family's money was lost in some bad business dealings, he had to leave school. [35], During these actions, Arnold made a number of friends and a larger number of enemies within the army power structure and in Congress. In 1787, he moved to Canada to run a merchant business with his sons Richard and Henry. Washington refused his resignation and ordered him north to assist with the defense there. When Arnold learned the following morning that Andr had been caught and that . This long after he lived, it would probably be impossible to know whether Benedict Arnold liked or disliked any particular food. Before his name became synonymous with treason, Benedict Arnold was a bonafide hero of the American Revolutionary War. Various translations of Sun Tzu's The Art of War have been published over the past century. AD 1781, when the British, under the command of the Traitor Benedict Arnold, burnt the towns of New London and Groton and spread desolation and woe throughout the region. Arnold remained there until July 1781 and then returned to New York. [44], Arnold returned to the Hudson where General Gates had taken over command of the American army, which had retreated to a camp south of Stillwater. [142] His descendants are spread across Canada, most of all those of John Sage, who adopted the Arnold surname. Especially galling was a long feud with the civil authorities in Philadelphia which led to his court-martial. [16] He was hardworking and successful, and was able to rapidly expand his business. Arnold's role in the war was controversial, with some supporting his actions and others supporting the Patriots. When his British contact, Maj. John Andr, was captured by the Americans, Arnold escaped on a British ship, leaving Andr to be hanged as a spy. Arnold lost most of his siblings to yellow fever, calamitous events that triggered alcoholism in his father. It was donated by Civil War General John Watts DePeyster, and its inscription reads: "In memory of the most brilliant soldier of the Continental army, who was desperately wounded on this spot, winning for his countrymen the decisive battle of the American Revolution, and for himself the rank of Major General. July 27] 1742 - June 19, 1786) was an American military officer and planter who served in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War.He emerged from the war with a reputation as one of George Washington's most talented and dependable officers, and is known for his successful command in the Southern theater of the conflict. In 1780, when "The Capture of Benedict Arnold" episode takes place, Rittenhouse in real life was treasurer of Pennsylvania. Arnold had the power to act, to defy the stresses of business and the dangers of the battlefield; but Peggy had the power to endure. He marched with 700 men by way of the Maine wilderness, a remarkable feat of woodsmanship and endurance, and, reinforced by Gen. Richard Montgomery, attacked the well-fortified city. Their friendship became the foundation for the treason for which Peggy's. [11], Arnold was very close to his mother, who died in 1759. After Benedict Arnold betrayed the Continental Army, his British contact, Major John Andr, was captured by the Americans and hanged as a spy while Arnold escaped on a British ship. In that era, people ate most of the common foods without. Promoted to the rank of brigadier general, Arnold constructed a flotilla on Lake Champlain and inflicted severe losses on a greatly superior enemy fleet near Valcour Island, New York (October 11, 1776). By. "No one has betrayed those in uniform like Donald Trump ," said the voiceover in the latest ad . [99][100] Upon receiving Jameson's message, however, he learned that Jameson had sent Washington the papers which Andr was carrying. He later said in his own defense that he was loyal to his true beliefs, yet he lied at the same time by insisting that Peggy was totally innocent and ignorant of his plans. 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