Did he become a traitor because of all the injustice he suffered, real and imagined, at the hands of the Continental Congress and his jealous fellow generals? 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. He presided over the rear of the Continental Army during its retreat from Saint-Jean, where he was reported by James Wilkinson to be the last person to leave before the British arrived. [128], Arnold left a small estate, reduced in size by his debts, which Peggy undertook to clear. 4. How did Benedict Arnold betray the Continental Army to the British? [citation needed], He then continued on to Philadelphia where he met with members of Congress about his rank. Arnold returned to England in 1791, but he left to spend several years privateering in the West Indies before permanently settling in London. [46] During the fighting in the second battle, Arnold disobeyed Gates' orders and took to the battlefield to lead attacks on the British defenses. By early July, he was back in Philadelphia, where he wrote another secret message to Clinton on July 7 which implied that his appointment to West Point was assured and that he might even provide a "drawing of the works by which you might take [West Point] without loss". At the end of 1781 Arnold went to England. [142] His descendants are spread across Canada, most of all those of John Sage, who adopted the Arnold surname. 2. Two months later he repelled a British attack on Danbury, Connecticut, and was made a major general, but his seniority was not restored and Arnold felt his honour impugned. Before his betrayal Benedict Arnold was a legitimate hero and a competent officer. Arnold never received all of the 20,000 pounds he was promised by the British for becoming a traitor. 8. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Benedict-Arnold, American Battlefield Trust - Biography of Benedict Arnold, Dictionary of Canadian Biography - Biography of Benedict Arnold, The Washington Library Center for Digital History - Biography of Benedict Arnold, United States History - Biography of Benedict Arnold, Benedict Arnold - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Benedict Arnold - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), Benedict Arnold: meeting with Maj. John Andr. William Fitch Arnold (17941846) (Captain, Benedict Arnold, played by Curtis Caravaggio, is a one-time character in the episode "The Capture of Benedict Arnold" in the 2016-18 TV series, Courtwright, Julie. For his services he was restored to his proper relative rank. After his leg healed, Benedict Arnold was named Military Governor of Philadelphia. After Arnold was wounded in 1777, George Washington named him military governor of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, recently abandoned by the British. "[32], Arnold began the war as a captain in the Connecticut militia, a position to which he was elected in March 1775. Though the location was used for training cadets in engineering starting in 1794, it officially became the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1802. Shutterstock Though one might guess that the dish was named for Benedict Arnold, the most famous traitor of the American Revolution, it was not. They had no reason to suspect that Gen. Benedict Arnold, the new commander of the post, would be less than a gracious host. [140], Canadian historians have treated Arnold as a relatively minor figure. [34], Arnold then traveled to Montreal where he served as military commander of the city until forced to retreat by an advancing British army that had arrived at Quebec in May. 1.Saint Benedict was a teenager when he became a monk. Word of the siege's disastrous outcome led the company to turn around, and Arnold served for only 13 days. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. [66] Biographer Nathaniel Philbrick argues: Peggy Shippen did have a significant role in the plot. [132], Early biographers attempted to describe Arnold's entire life in terms of treacherous or morally questionable behavior. Before it could be carried out, however, minutemen captured John Andr and informed General George Washingtonof the plot. An epidemic of yellow fever ravaged Arnold's family in the 1750s, however, claiming three of his . [105] He also wrote in the letter to Washington requesting safe passage for Peggy: "Love to my country actuates my present conduct, however it may appear inconsistent to the world, who very seldom judge right of any man's actions. He then took the letter back to Connecticut, suspicious of Arnold's actions, where he delivered it to the head of the Connecticut militia. 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. In that era, people ate most of the common foods without. -Benedict Arnold, January, 1780. A pharmacist by trade, the 34-year-old Arnold joined the rebellion in 1775. 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). 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". 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. This meeting was thwarted when British gunboats in the river fired on his boat, not being informed of his impending arrival. attended Canterbury for a while, but when the family's money was lost in some bad business dealings, he had to leave school. The fort was finally captured by the British in 1759. Arnold was promoted to brigadier general for his role in reaching Quebec, and he maintained an ineffectual siege of the city until he was replaced by Major General David Wooster in April 1776. Historians have identified many possible factors contributing to Arnold's treason, while some debate their relative importance. On August 25, Peggy finally delivered to him Clinton's agreement to the terms. [101] From the ship, he wrote a letter to Washington[102] requesting that Peggy be given safe passage to her family in Philadelphiawhich Washington granted. The America. During the American Revolution, British Major John Andr joined with American General Benedict Arnoldin a scheme to secure British control over the American fortification at West Point, New York. In exchange for cash and a commission in the British army, Major General Arnold promised to betray his cause and hand over the American fort at West Point. [75], Arnold's court martial on charges of profiteering began meeting on June 1, 1779, but it was delayed until December 1779 by Clinton's capture of Stony Point, New York, throwing the army into a flurry of activity to react. Arnold resented this affront, and only Washingtons personal persuasion kept him from resigning. [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. General Washington gave him a light reprimand, but it merely heightened Arnold's sense of betrayal; nonetheless, he had already opened negotiations with the British before his court martial even began. Arnold eventually moved to England where he became a merchant. The prisoner was dressed in miltary uniform. 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. [68] Stansbury ignored instructions from Arnold to involve no one else in the plot, and he crossed the British lines and went to see Jonathan Odell in New York. The other leg ached constantly, and he walked only with a cane. [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. Especially galling was a long feud with the civil authorities in Philadelphia which led to his court-martial. [50] There he participated in the first recorded Oath of Allegiance, along with many other soldiers, as a sign of loyalty to the United States.[51]. He helped organize militia forces on British-held islands, receiving praise from the landowners for his efforts on their behalf. Arnold was let off with just a slap on the wrist, but again his pride had been wounded. Through the early morning hours of Sept. 22, 1780 the two plotted. "[88] At the same time, he tried to drain West Point's supplies so that a siege would be more likely to succeed. At a prearranged rendezvous point on the shoreline his contact arrived just after midnight. This long after he lived, it would probably be impossible to know whether Benedict Arnold liked or disliked any particular food. He then directed the construction of a fleet to defend Lake Champlain, which was overmatched and defeated in the October 1776 Battle of Valcour Island. Benedict Arnold began the Revolutionary War as a militia captain. 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. Harper's Weekly published an article in 1861 describing Confederate leaders as "a few men directing this colossal treason, by whose side Benedict Arnold shines white as a saint". 0:00. Arnold established himself in business in 1762 as a pharmacist and bookseller in New Haven, Connecticut, with the help of the Lathrops. [103], Washington remained calm when he was presented with evidence of Arnold's treason. [43], Arnold arrived in Schuyler's camp at Fort Edward, New York, on July 24. Once the former Revolutionary War hero . Upon the outbreak of hostilities at Lexington, Massachusetts (April 1775), Arnold volunteered for service and participated with Ethan Allen in the successful colonial attack on British-held Fort Ticonderoga, New York, the following month. When American leaders discovered the plot, Arnold fled. Only action by Arnold's superior at Ticonderoga prevented his own arrest on countercharges leveled by Hazen. Before anyone spouts off about me being a 'libtard' I am a conservative. He started as an apprentice Arnold was made a brigadier general in the British army. 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. 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. Their friendship became the foundation for the treason for which Peggy's. Despite Arnold's defection to the British, he was a fierce patriot for . Soon after Ticonderoga, Arnold brought his men on a dangerous trek through the . When Arnold learned the following morning that Andr had been caught and that . [103] He had suffered from gout since 1775,[124] and the condition attacked his unwounded leg to the point where he was unable to go to sea. Benedict Arnold was born on January 14, 1741 in Norwich, Connecticut and named after his His mother was Hannah Waterman King, a rich widow. The Portrayal of Benedict Arnold in American History", Shy, John. At critical moments Arnold inspired the Patriots with his grit and determination and earned the admiration of George Washington. Interview with Philbrick in Michael Dolan, "Hero And Villain,", Julie Courtwright, "Whom Can We Trust Now? In 1775, when the war began, he was a merchant operating ships in the Atlantic Ocean. [94], Andr was captured near Tarrytown, New York, on Saturday, September 23, by three Westchester militiamen. His father's alcoholism and ill health kept him from training Arnold in the family mercantile business, but his mother's family connections secured an apprenticeship for him with her cousins Daniel and Joshua Lathrop, who operated a successful apothecary and general merchandise trade in Norwich. He organized the militia response, along with David Wooster and Connecticut militia General Gold Selleck Silliman. BENEDICT ARNOLD REMAINS the most notorious man in American history, his name a synonym for traitor. We largely don't even know who he is. He was well received by King George III and the Tories but frowned upon by the Whigs and most Army officers. In real life: Arnold left for England in late 1781, before the official surrender, in an unsuccessful bid to persuade the Crown to keep the war going in America. Peggy Shippen had barely turned eighteen when in June of 1778, following the evacuation of Philadelphia by a British army, Major General Benedict . [74] Furthermore, revolutionary mobs were scouring Philadelphia for Loyalists, and Arnold and the Shippen family were being threatened. Arnold was born in Connecticut. She was a close friend of British major John Andr and kept in contact with him when he became head of the British espionage system in New York. Benedict Arnold was born on Jan. 14, 1741 in Norwich, Connecticut. [113] George Johnstone turned him down for a position in the East India Company and explained: "Although I am satisfied with the purity of your conduct, the generality do not think so. [3] Arnold was buried at St. Mary's Church in Battersea, England. Among others, he shared the name with his father and. The September 21 meeting with British Major John Andre was a disaster for both men. Arnold repeatedly claimed that he was being passed over for promotion by the Continental Congress, and that other officers were being given credit for some of his accomplishments. What happened to Benedict Arnold after he betrayed the Continental Army to the British? On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. [127] His funeral procession boasted "seven mourning coaches and four state carriages";[103] the funeral was without military honors. His father's alcoholism worsened after her death, and the youth took on the responsibility of supporting his father and younger sister. (Benedict Cumberbatch doesn't count; he's British.) "[102], The British gave Arnold a brigadier general's commission with an annual income of several hundred pounds, but they paid him only 6,315 plus an annual pension of 360[b] for his defection because his plot had failed. Wikipedia Sign up to our newsletter. He dared not tell me his name. The fourth niche is pointedly empty. 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. [103] The anti-war Whigs had gained the upper hand in Parliament, and Germain was forced to resign, with the government of Lord North falling not long after. The first man was a British major named John Andre. The house where Arnold lived at 62 Gloucester Place in central London bears a plaque describing him as an "American Patriot". Angry and frustrated, Arnold resigned his military command of Philadelphia in late April. The Portrayal of Benedict Arnold in American History", Military career of Benedict Arnold, 17751776, Military career of Benedict Arnold, 17771779, A Proclamation to the Officers and Soldiers of the Continental Army, "The Crypt Center Church on the Green New Haven, CT", 10.1093/anb/9780198606697.article.0200008, "Independence National Historical Park: History of the President's House", "The Culper Spy Ring American Revolution", "Loyal American Regiment Historical Treks", "Native Norwich Is Ignoring Benedict Arnold", "Benedict Arnold: The Aftermath Of Treason", Saratoga National Historical Park Tour Stop 7, "In Commemoration of Arnold's Expedition to Quebec", "Letter: Some recognize Gen. Arnold as true hero of the Revolutionary War", "By Brigadier-General Arnold, A proclamation to the officers and soldiers of the Continental army who have the real interest of their country at heart, and who are determined to be no longer the tools and dupes of Congress, or France [Signed]", "Netflix's America: The Motion Picture fails at just about everything", "Netflix's 'America: The Motion Picture' knows who its audience is. [111] He renewed that request when he learned of the surrender, which Clinton then granted. Lee Moran. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. While there, he disentangled himself from a lawsuit over an unpaid debt that Peggy had been fighting while he was away, paying 900[b] to settle a 12,000[b] loan that he had taken while living in Philadelphia. He sent an Indian messenger into the camp of British Brigadier General Barry St. Leger with news that the approaching force was much larger and closer than it actually was; this convinced St. Leger's Indian allies to abandon him, forcing him to give up the effort. [10] His apprenticeship with the Lathrops lasted seven years. A colonial resident by birth, Arnold made his living as a merchant before joining the American military to defend against the British. Andr then drafted instructions to Stansbury and Arnold. One thing that we can set aside is any notion that the dish was named after Benedict Arnold, the Revolutionary War general who became the most famous American traitor in history after he defected to the British army and became a general for the other side, leading troops against those he once commanded. 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