His grandfather, after whom he was named, was one of the founders of the Rhode Island colony, but Arnold's father was the opposite of the upstanding Benedict Arnold I. [62], Arnold had been badly wounded twice in battle and had lost his business in Connecticut, which made him profoundly bitter. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Benedict Arnold was born in 1741 to a prominent Connecticut family. Answer (1 of 54): Go up to most British people and ask who Benedict Arnold was, and you will get a resounding "who?" back. Odell was a Loyalist working with William Franklin, the last colonial governor of New Jersey and the son of Benjamin Franklin. A colonial resident by birth, Arnold made his living as a merchant before joining the American military to defend against the British. 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. British reinforcements arrived in late March led by William Phillips who served under Burgoyne at Saratoga. His father was a successful businessman and young Benedict had a comfortable childhood. 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. As early as 1778, there were signs that Arnold was unhappy with his situation and pessimistic about the country's future. [89] Eventually, a meeting was set for September 11 near Dobb's Ferry. He claimed that Arnold was guilty of all kinds of treasonous acts and preferred the company of the British loyalists, all without offering any proof. He fought with distinction for the American Continental Army and rose to the rank of major general before defecting to the British side of the conflict in 1780. Name: Ethan Allen; Birth . 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. Unable to obtain a regular commission in the British army, he later pursued various business ventures, including land speculation in Canada. They bought three trading ships, using the profits from the sale of his homestead, and established a lucrative West Indies trade. Arnold's friend, George Washington, was heartbroken over the news, but was forced to deal with the treacherous act. Benedict Arnold's name might be the first that comes to mind when we think of treason not just because he was a traitor, but because he was such an unlikely one. [80] Many of these documents had been lost during the retreat from Quebec. [3] Some among those in his military and political circles charged him with corruption and other bad acts. [83], Andr returned victorious from the Siege of Charleston on June 18, and both he and Clinton were immediately caught up in this news. Although he was unsuccessful, his attempt to betray George Washington and his American forces . [88], On August 30, Arnold sent a letter accepting Clinton's terms and proposing a meeting to Andr through yet another intermediary: William Heron, a member of the Connecticut Assembly whom he thought he could trust. Far fewer know . He was a general that preferred to lead in the front then the back, always riding his horse into battle alongside his men. Benedict Arnold began the Revolutionary War as a militia captain. Arnold's letters continued to detail Washington's troop movements and provide information about French reinforcements that were being organized. Interesting Facts About Benedict Arnold. He proposed an action to the Massachusetts Committee of Safety to seize Fort Ticonderoga in upstate New York, which he knew was poorly defended. Yet as every elementary school student knows, Benedict reneged on his original commitment and defected to England. On the morning of September 22, from their position at Teller's Point, two American rebels, John "Jack" Peterson and Moses Sherwood, under the command of Col. James Livingston fired on HMS Vulture, the ship that was intended to carry Andr back to New York. Arnold was let off with just a slap on the wrist, but again his pride had been wounded. [149] The faculty club at the University of New Brunswick, Fredericton has a Benedict Arnold Room in which letters written by Arnold hang on the walls. Arnold immediately hastened to the shore and ordered bargemen to row him downriver to where HMS Vulture was anchored, fleeing on it to New York City. 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. He knew that he was distrusted and disliked by senior military officers on both sides. Arnold established himself in business in 1762 as a pharmacist and bookseller in New Haven, Connecticut, with the help of the Lathrops. Arnold was aware of his reputation in his home country, and French statesman Talleyrand described meeting him in Falmouth, Cornwall in 1794: The innkeeper at whose place I had my meals informed me that one of his lodgers was an American general. The British withdrew from Philadelphia in June 1778, and Washington appointed Arnold military commander of the city. [87], Once Arnold established himself at West Point, he began systematically weakening its defenses and military strength. He was on his way home from Ticonderoga when he learned that his wife had died earlier in June. He was again severely wounded in the left leg late in the fighting. While Benedict Arnold escaped to British-occupied New York, where he was protected from punishment. . [58] She married Arnold on April 8, 1779. It was invoked again as sectional conflicts increased in the years before the American Civil War. Arnold's childhood was marred by tragedy; by age 20, he was an orphan struggling to make his way in the world as an apothecary. His chaplain Rev. He was extremely unpopular there and returned to London permanently in 1791, where he died ten years later. General Parsons laid it aside, seeing a letter written as a coded business discussion. John Andr was executed for spying. [59] Shippen and her circle of friends had found methods of staying in contact with paramours across the battle lines, despite military bans on communication with the enemy. 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. These letters were delivered by Samuel Wallis, another Philadelphia businessman who spied for the British, rather than by Stansbury. "[108] Cornwallis ignored Arnold's advice to locate a permanent base away from the coast, advice that might have averted his surrender at Yorktown. Arnold was born in Connecticut. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. 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. In 1763, he repaid money that he had borrowed from the Lathrops,[17] repurchased the family homestead that his father had sold when deeply in debt, and re-sold it a year later for a substantial profit. [19][20] The captain was wounded in the first exchange of gunfire, and he apologized when Arnold threatened to aim to kill on the second. 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. 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. Why did Benedict Arnold betray the Continental Army to the British? [21] However, it is unknown whether this encounter actually happened or not. [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 September 21 meeting with British Major John Andre was a disaster for both men. Benedict Arnold was born on January 14, 1741 in Norwich, Connecticut and named after his His mother was Hannah Waterman King, a rich widow. His subordinates, some long-time associates, grumbled about Arnold's unnecessary distribution of supplies and eventually concluded that he was selling them on the black market for personal gain. Arnold resented this affront, and only Washingtons personal persuasion kept him from resigning. [8] His siblings were, in order of birth: Benedict (17381739), Hannah (17421803), Mary (17451753), Absolom (17471750), and Elizabeth (17491755). -Benedict Arnold, January, 1780. She was the conduit for information to the British. 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. [121], In July 1792, Arnold fought a bloodless duel with the Earl of Lauderdale after the Earl impugned his honor in the House of Lords. When American leaders discovered the plot, Arnold fled. [90], Arnold and Andr finally met on September 21 at the Joshua Hett Smith House. He had his leg crudely set, rather than allowing it to be amputated, leaving it 2 inches (5cm) shorter than the right. [141] Historian Barry Wilson points out that Arnold's descendants established deep roots in Canada, becoming leading settlers in Upper Canada and Saskatchewan. Their friendship became the foundation for the treason for which Peggy's. Peggy Shippen, or Margaret Shippen (July 11, 1760 - August 24, 1804), was the second wife of General Benedict Arnold (following Margaret Mansfield, who died in 1775). [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. 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. One colonel wrote to Clinton concerning Arnold: "There are many officers who must wish some other general in command. 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. I used the widely accepted 1910 translation by the sinologist Lionel Giles, available in various . Arnold's name had become synonymous with the word traitor. Benedict Arnold's name has become infamous for his treacherous acts regarding the fort at West Point, which he was in command of, and his very name has even become a synonym for either treason or betrayal. [103] Legend has it that, when he was on his deathbed, he said, "Let me die in this old uniform in which I fought my battles. Andr was captured the next day, near Tarrytown, with those plans tucked inside his boot. Things Trump will never be. Jul 4, 2020, 05:04 AM EDT | Updated Jul 4, 2020. Apparently, Arnold also had self-confidence issues and his new wife Peggy wasn't helping the situation. 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 . [84], Arnold next wrote a series of letters to Clinton, even before he might have expected a response to the July 7 letter. His fellow conspirator, Major Andre, was hanged by the Continental army for being a spy. Historians have identified many possible factors contributing to Arnold's treason, while some debate their relative importance. For a time, he was a successful businessman, but after yellow fever took the lives of three of the Arnold children, the patriarch was devastated. This meeting was thwarted when British gunboats in the river fired on his boat, not being informed of his impending arrival. The combined assault (December 31, 1775) failed, Montgomery was killed, and Arnold was severely wounded. 4. 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. He also provided information on a proposed French-American invasion of Quebec that was to go up the Connecticut River (Arnold did not know that this proposed invasion was a ruse intended to divert British resources). Answer (1 of 2): In the United States, Benedict Arnold has the dubious distinction of being one of the primary figures responsible for the Revolutionary War's losing cause. The Hudson River Chain today While en route to West Point, Arnold renewed an acquaintance with Joshua Hett Smith, who had spied for both sides and who owned a house near the western bank of the Hudson about 15 miles south of West Point. He started as an apprentice Despite his popularity and battlefield prowess, Benedict Arnold eventually broke bad. Benedict Arnold served in the Connecticut militia and participated in the Siege of Boston. You may think it was odd that parents would name their newborn . She couldand did. [118] The family moved to Saint John in 1787, where Arnold created an uproar with a series of bad business deals and petty lawsuits. 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. January 14, 1741, in Norwich Connecticut. Arnold mingled with Loyalist sympathizers in Philadelphia and married into a Loyalist family when he wedded Peggy Shippen. His mother came from a wealthy family, but his alcoholic father squandered their estate. Following the deaths of three of his. Arnold reopened the secret channels with the British, informing them of Schuyler's proposals and including Schuyler's assessment of conditions at West Point. The America. 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. [38], General Washington assigned Arnold to the defense of Rhode Island following the British seizure of Newport in December 1776, where the militia were too poorly equipped to even consider an attack on the British. 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. [16] He was hardworking and successful, and was able to rapidly expand his business. 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. [30] The household was dominated by Arnold's sister Hannah, even while Margaret was alive. Angry and frustrated, Arnold resigned his military command of Philadelphia in late April. He then presented the attack of Fort Ticonderoga. 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. 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. But the brash war herohe helped take Fort Ticonderoga and led troops. 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. Stansbury's testimony before a British commission erroneously placed his meeting with Arnold in June. [110], Even before Cornwallis's surrender in October, Arnold had requested permission from Clinton to go to England to give Lord George Germain his thoughts on the war in person. BENEDICT ARNOLD REMAINS the most notorious man in American history, his name a synonym for traitor. 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. [18] On one of his voyages, he fought a duel in Honduras with a British sea captain who had called him a "damned Yankee, destitute of good manners or those of a gentleman". 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. He died after four days of delirium on June 14, 1801, at the age of 60. He then took the letter back to Connecticut, suspicious of Arnold's actions, where he delivered it to the head of the Connecticut militia. [117] After her first voyage, Arnold returned to London in 1786 to bring his family to Saint John. He led a force of more than 1,700 men which burned most of New London to the ground on September 4, causing damage estimated at $500,000. Brown was particularly vicious, publishing a handbill which claimed of Arnold, "Money is this man's God, and to get enough of it he would sacrifice his country". [113] Other attempts all failed to gain positions within the government or the British East India Company over the next few years, and he was forced to subsist on the reduced pay of non-wartime service. Benedict Arnold was born on Jan. 14, 1741 in Norwich, Connecticut. [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. [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]. Besides, I would argue that even if the British d. Various translations of Sun Tzu's The Art of War have been published over the past century. [43], Arnold arrived in Schuyler's camp at Fort Edward, New York, on July 24. Benedict's exploits and continuous wins caught the eye of George Washington, who . He returned a hero, but his rash courage and impatient energy had aroused the enmity of several officers. [98], Arnold learned of Andr's capture the morning of September 24 while waiting for Washington, with whom he was going to have breakfast at his headquarters in British Col. Beverley Robinson's former summer house on the east bank of the Hudson. Received from contributors, it is unknown whether this encounter actually happened or not as! 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