His performance in the Battle of Ridgefield in Connecticut prompted his promotion to major general. American, then British officer after defecting during the US Revolutionary War (17401801), For other people named Benedict Arnold, see, Raids in Virginia and Connecticut colonies, Arnold's birth records indicate that he was born January 3, 1740 (, One British pound in 1776 would be worth about 160 in 2019. [27] Their son Benedict was born the following year[28] and was followed by brothers Richard in 1769 and Henry in 1772. [citation needed], He then continued on to Philadelphia where he met with members of Congress about his rank. [84], Arnold next wrote a series of letters to Clinton, even before he might have expected a response to the July 7 letter. That autumn he was appointed by Gen. George Washington to command an expedition to capture Quebec. [31], Arnold was in the West Indies when the Boston Massacre took place on March 5, 1770. Discussions had not borne fruit between Schuyler and Washington by early June. [47] Burgoyne surrendered ten days after the second battle on October 17, 1777. [72] Clinton was pursuing a campaign to gain control of the Hudson River Valley, and was interested in plans and information on the defenses of West Point and other defenses on the Hudson River. Benedict Arnold [81], Early in April, Philip Schuyler had approached Arnold with the possibility of giving him the command at West Point. in George Athan Billias, ed., This page was last edited on 15 February 2023, at 10:05. In the United States, the name of Benedict Arnold is synonymous with treason. As a teenager, Arnold's family faced financial hardship. Benedict Arnold was born on Jan. 14, 1741 in Norwich, Connecticut. See the fact file below for more information on . -Benedict Arnold, January, 1780. [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. His father was also called Benedict Arnold and his mother's name was Hannah Waterman King. Some could even argue that, patriotism aside, it might have seemed insane for him not to turn traitor. He followed up that action with a bold raid on Fort Saint-Jean on the Richelieu River north of Lake Champlain. [87], Once Arnold established himself at West Point, he began systematically weakening its defenses and military strength. Benedict Arnold was a patriot officer who served the cause of the American Revolution until 1779, when he shifted his allegiance to the British. [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 began to drink heavily, and . Therefore, the answer to your question is no, we do not commemorate Benedict Arnold. At a prearranged rendezvous point on the shoreline his contact arrived just after midnight. His difficult time in New Brunswick led historians to summarize it as full of "controversy, resentment, and legal entanglements" and to conclude that he was disliked by both Americans and Loyalists living there. General George Washington had given him his fullest trust and had placed him in command of West Point in New York. [6][103] Among his bequests were considerable gifts to one John Sage, perhaps an illegitimate son or grandson. Arnold was let off with just a slap on the wrist, but again his pride had been wounded. After Arnold was forced to drop out of private school for lack of money, he entered into an apprenticeship with Daniel and Joshua Lathrop, two of his mother's cousins. But You Probably Don't Know His Whole Story Illustration showing Major General Benedict Arnold (1741 - 1801) rallying the American troops. Arnold eventually moved to England where he became a merchant. [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. [11], In 1755, Arnold was attracted by the sound of a drummer and attempted to enlist in the provincial militia for service in the French and Indian War, but his mother refused permission. Omissions? 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. [26], On February 22, 1767, Arnold married Margaret Mansfield, daughter of Samuel Mansfield, the sheriff of New Haven and a fellow member in the local Masonic Lodge. 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. [107], The pursuing American army included the Marquis de Lafayette, who was under orders from Washington to hang Arnold summarily if he was captured. Benedict Arnold, (born January 14, 1741, Norwich, Connecticut [U.S.]died June 14, 1801, London, England), patriot officer who served the cause of the American Revolution until 1779, when he shifted his allegiance to the British. 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 did, however, investigate its extent, and suggested that he was willing to exchange Andr for Arnold during negotiations with Clinton concerning Andr's fate. "[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. Benedict Arnold led the attack at the British Fort of Ticonderoga. Before anyone spouts off about me being a 'libtard' I am a conservative. With the permission of his master, Armistead enlisted in the Revolutionary War under General Lafayette. "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. Arnold established himself in business in 1762 as a pharmacist and bookseller in New Haven, Connecticut, with the help of the Lathrops. [139] However, not all depictions of Arnold were so negative. [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. [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 is also believed to have built the first U.S. telescope. 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. "Arnold, Benedict (17411801)". These charges were then referred to Congress, and Arnold asked for an immediate court-martial to clear himself. 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). He was well received by King George III and the Tories but frowned upon by the Whigs and most Army officers. Or was it a kind of extreme midlife crisis, swerving from radical political beliefs to reactionary ones, a change accelerated by his marriage to the very young, very pretty, very Tory Peggy Shippen? Things Trump will never be. 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. Angry and frustrated, Arnold resigned his military command of Philadelphia in late April. Stansbury's testimony before a British commission erroneously placed his meeting with Arnold in June. His health simply declined, partly as a result of his war wounds, partly as a result of what used to be called dropsy edema, the dramatic retention of fluid in limbs. 1.Saint Benedict was a teenager when he became a monk. One plaque bears only a rank and a date but no name: "major general born 1740". As a young man, Arnold. 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". Especially galling was a long feud with the civil authorities in Philadelphia which led to his court-martial. 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. Benedict Arnold, shown on the left concealing his plans in John Andr's boot, has become synonymous with treason but before he betrayed America, he saved it. His company marched northeast the following month to assist in the siege of Boston that followed the Battles of Lexington and Concord. [112], In London, Arnold aligned himself with the Tories, advising Germain and King George III to renew the fight against the Americans. [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. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Benjamin Franklin wrote that "Judas sold only one man, Arnold three millions", and Alexander Scammell described his actions as "black as hell". "[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 didn't die a heroic death, or even a cowardly death. [1] Interesting Facts About Benedict Arnold. On August 15, he received a coded letter from Andr with Clinton's final offer: 20,000[b] and no indemnification for his losses. 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. 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. He had established a decent relationship with George Washington, as well as Philip Schuyler and Horatio Gates, both of whom had command of the army's Northern Department during 1775 and 1776. On August 25, Peggy finally delivered to him Clinton's agreement to the terms. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). A figure climbed down from the larger sloop, into the boat and quietly made his way up the Hudson River. My family have voted conservative in most elections. Arnold and his men went towards Boston. 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. "[115], In 1785, Arnold and his son Richard moved to Saint John, New Brunswick, where they speculated in land and established a business doing trade with the West Indies. He was named after his great-grandfather Benedict Arnold who was once governor of the colony of Connecticut. This long after he lived, it would probably be impossible to know whether Benedict Arnold liked or disliked any particular food. Arnold had three sons with Margaret Mansfield:[150][151]. Some historians suggested an Arnold liaison in New Brunswick, but Canadian historian Barry Wilson noted the weakness of this traditional account. Peggy's Childhood Peggy was the daughter of Edward Shippen and born into a prominent Philadelphia family. When the British took control of Philadelphia in 1777, Peggy met John Andr, a charming, well-educated British officer. [43], Arnold arrived in Schuyler's camp at Fort Edward, New York, on July 24. [103], Washington remained calm when he was presented with evidence of Arnold's treason. He was again severely wounded in the left leg late in the fighting. [132], Talleyrand continued, "I must confess that I felt much pity for him, for which political puritans will perhaps blame me, but with which I do not reproach myself, for I witnessed his agony". In 1764, he formed a partnership with Adam Babcock, another young New Haven merchant. He traveled extensively in the course of his business throughout New England and from Quebec to the West Indies, often in command of one of his own ships. 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. 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. Before his betrayal Benedict Arnold was a legitimate hero and a competent officer. [22], The Sugar Act of 1764 and the Stamp Act of 1765 severely curtailed mercantile trade in the colonies. It was invoked again as sectional conflicts increased in the years before the American Civil War. Benedict Arnold was unhappy with his position in the Continental Army by the time he betrayed the cause of the American Revolution to the British. [70] This initial letter opened a discussion on the types of assistance and intelligence that Arnold might provide, and included instructions for how to communicate in the future. Unable to find a new military or. [67], Early in May 1779, Arnold met with Philadelphia merchant Joseph Stansbury[c] who then "went secretly to New York with a tender of [Arnold's] services to Sir Henry Clinton". [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. Benedict Arnold was born on January 14, 1741, in Norwich, Connecticut. [83], Andr returned victorious from the Siege of Charleston on June 18, and both he and Clinton were immediately caught up in this news. Arnold's letters continued to detail Washington's troop movements and provide information about French reinforcements that were being organized. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. [127] His funeral procession boasted "seven mourning coaches and four state carriages";[103] the funeral was without military honors. Arnold purchased large tracts of land in the Maugerville area, and acquired city lots in Saint John and Fredericton. 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. Washington refused his resignation and ordered him north to assist with the defense there. 5. When in February 1777 Congress created five new major generalships, Arnold was passed over in favour of his juniors. Arnold said that it would have been better had it been in the chest instead of the leg. Corrections? 8. Arnold never received all of the 20,000 pounds he was promised by the British for becoming a traitor. [95] They found the papers exposing the plot to capture West Point and passed them on to their superiors,[96] but Andr convinced the unsuspecting Colonel John Jameson, to whom he was delivered, to send him back to Arnold at West Pointbut he never reached West Point. The prisoner seemed suprised to see the gallows, but walked calmy toward it. [141] Historian Barry Wilson points out that Arnold's descendants established deep roots in Canada, becoming leading settlers in Upper Canada and Saskatchewan. Washington refused his offer to resign, and wrote to members of Congress in an attempt to correct this, noting that "two or three other very good officers" might be lost if they persisted in making politically motivated promotions. The crowd of hundreds of people was quiet. 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. 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