[86], Major André returned victorious from the Siege of Charleston on 18 June, and both he and General Clinton were immediately caught up in this news. "use strict";(function(){var insertion=document.getElementById("citation-access-date");var date=new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined,{month:"long",day:"numeric",year:"numeric"});insertion.parentElement.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(date),insertion)})(); Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives. However, the deaths of his siblings two years later may have contributed to a decline in the family fortunes, since his father took up drinking. The Beginning of Arnold's Downfall. [12], 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. He received a colonel's commission in the Continental Army for this expedition and left Cambridge in September 1775 with 1,100 men. Wallace, Willard M. "Benedict Arnold: Traitorous Patriot." Saint Benedict, founder of the Benedictine monastery at Monte Cassino and father of Western monasticism; the Rule that he established became the norm for monastic living throughout Europe. His actions included the Capture of Fort Ticonderoga in 1775, defensive and delaying tactics at the Battle of Valcour Island on Lake Champlain in 1776 which allowed American forces time to prepare New York's defenses, the Battle of Ridgefield, Connecticut (after which he was promoted to major general), operations in relief of the Siege of Fort Stanwix, and key actions during the pivotal Battles of Saratoga in 1777, in which he suffered leg injuries that halted his combat career for several years. She was a close friend of British Major John André and kept in contact with him when he became head of the British espionage system in New York. "He died after four days of delirium, on June 14, 1801, at the age of 60. Arnold was born in Connecticut and was a merchant operating ships on the Atlantic Ocean when the war began in 1775. ” An account in The New York Times about Lemuel Benedict and the efforts of Jack Benedict, the son of Lemuel's first cousin, to promote Lemuel's story. [65][66], Arnold had an extremely ambitious and jealous personality. Benedict Arnold was one of the greatest American generals in the history of America. Remains: Buried, St. Mary's Church, Battersea, London, England. While commanding in Philadelphia, Arnold met and married Peggy Shippen, 20 years his junior, the daughter of a Loyalist sympathizer. He knew that he was distrusted and disliked by senior military officers on both sides. In 1764, he formed a partnership with Adam Babcock, another young New Haven merchant. Arnold continued to trade with the West Indies during the French Revolution and was imprisoned by French authorities for a short time on suspicion of spying. [88], On 3 August 1780, Arnold obtained command of West Point. In a 11 July letter, he complained that the British did not appear to trust him, and threatened to break off negotiations unless progress was made. 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. [a][7] He led British forces in the Raid of Richmond and nearby areas, and they burned much of New London, Connecticut, to the ground and slaughtered surrendering forces after the Battle of Groton Heights—just a few miles downriver from the town where he had grown up. He was also convicted of two minor charges of using his authority to make a profit. [32], Arnold was in the West Indies when the Boston Massacre took place on 5 March 1770. His marriage to Peggy raised his social status immensely. 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. Arnold was buried at St. Mary’s Church, Battersea in London, England. They would no longer be a part of the British Empire and would fight for their freedom. 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. [109] This activity brought out Virginia's militia led by Colonel Sampson Mathews, and Arnold eventually retreated to Portsmouth to be reinforced or to evacuate. He was one of only two of his mother's eleven children to survive into adulthood. Why did Benedict Arnold to betray America? He engaged in a variety of business deals designed to profit from war-related supply movements and benefiting from the protection of his authority. The only recognized authority for the facts of Benedict’s life is book 2 of the Dialogues of St. Gregory I, who said that he had obtained his information from four of Benedict’s disciples. Ethan Allen led the Green Mountain Boys to capture Fort Ticonderoga during the American Revolutionary War. He was short, solidly built (one acquaintance remembered that “there wasn’t any wasted timber in him”) and blessed with almost superhuman energy and … [87], Benedict Arnold next wrote a series of letters to Clinton, even before he might have expected a response to the 7 July letter. Following the fighting at Lexington and Concord, his company marched from Connecticut northeast toward Boston. Sexual orientation: Straight. 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 André, written in both code and invisible ink, using Stansbury as the courier. 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. In 1764, he formed a partnership with merchant Adam Babcock. Since the earliest days of the Republic, Benedict Arnold has been the American phrase for traitor.Other villains from Aaron Burr to Aldrich Ames have come and gone through the course of American history, but none have quite matched Arnold’s nefarious reputation. [140] A moralistic children's tale entitled "The Cruel Boy" was widely circulated in the 19th century. "In January 1801, Arnold's health began to decline. In the years before his death in 1801, Benedict traveled to various outposts, including Canada and Guadeloupe in the Caribbean, always trying to … Benedict Arnold’s 1780 treason and the execution of John Andre recalled, 1823 | During the American Revolution, the discovery of General Benedict Arnold’s plot to surrender West Point to the British was a deeply shocking revelation. Arnold died in 1801, after which she had to settle his business affairs and pay off his debts. As many shady characters throughout history have demonstrated, being remembered long after your death isn’t always a good thing. He was on his way home from Ticonderoga when he learned that his wife had died earlier in June. 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. [114] He renewed that request when he learned of the surrender, which Clinton then granted. 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. 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 also began to insist on a face-to-face meeting, and suggested to Arnold that he pursue another high-level command. Occupation: Military. He was once a hero of the revolution though, attaining multiple victories through brilliance of … 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. In 1964 Pope Paul VI proclaimed him the patron saint of all Europe. [94][95] This action did little damage besides giving the captain, Andrew Sutherland, a splinter in his nose – but the splinter prompted the Vulture to retreat,[96] forcing André to return to New York overland. Troops were liberally distributed within Arnold's command area (but only minimally at West Point itself) or furnished to Washington on request. His mother had been a prosperous widow before marrying Arnold's father, a merchant. He died on June 14, 1801, at the age of 60, and was buried at St. Mary’s Church in Battersea, London. [24] The Stamp Act prompted Arnold to join the chorus of voices in opposition, and also led to his joining the Sons of Liberty, a secret organization which advocated resistance to those and other restrictive Parliamentary measures. By early July, he was back in Philadelphia, where he wrote another secret message to Clinton on 7 July 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". In 1767, Arnold married Margaret Mansfield, the daughter of the sheriff of New Haven. [120] After her first voyage, Arnold returned to London in 1786 to bring his family to Saint John. 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". The battle raged on but ultimately led to a humiliating defeat for the Americans. He was acquitted of most charges and received a mild reprimand from General Washington. Location of death: London, England. William Fitch Arnold (1794–1846) (Captain, Courtwright, Julie. On June 27, 1775, the Continental Congress authorized the invasion of Quebec partly at the urging of Arnold. Arnold mingled with Loyalist sympathizers in Philadelphia and married into one such family by wedding Peggy Shippen. [46] He then distinguished himself in both Battles of Saratoga, even though General Gates removed him from field command after the first battle, following a series of escalating disagreements and disputes that culminated in a shouting match. [26] On the night of 28 January 1767, he and members of his crew roughed up a man suspected of attempting to inform authorities of Arnold's smuggling. Benedict Arnold Birth Date January 14, 1741 Death Date June 14, 1801 Place of Birth Norwich, Connecticut Place of Death London, United Kingdom. He was named after his great-grandfather Benedict Arnold, an early governor of the Colony of Rhode Island, as were his father and grandfather and an older brother who died in infancy. Washington refused his resignation and ordered him north to assist with the defense there. 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. [60] 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. [111], 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. Benedict Arnold’s slate seemed clean. Arnold’s treason actually helped serve the floundering American war effort by re-energizing the Patriot’s declining morale. 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. [48] Burgoyne surrendered ten days after the second battle on 17 October 1777. Gender: Male. [63], Wetherell says that the shortest explanation for his treason is that he "married the wrong person". The first major biography of his life was The Life and Treason of Benedict Arnold, published in 1832 by historian Jared Sparks; it was particularly harsh in showing how Arnold's treacherous character was formed out of childhood experiences. 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[a] for his defection because his plot had failed. Arnold was born in Norwich, Connecticut, on January 14, 1741. He fought with distinction for the American Continental Army, rising to the rank of major general, before defecting to the British side of the conflict in 1780. 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;[58] Peggy had been courted by British Major John André during the British occupation of Philadelphia. [98] They found the papers exposing the plot to capture West Point and passed them on to their superiors,[99] but André convinced the unsuspecting Colonel John Jameson, to whom he was delivered, to send him back to Arnold at West Point—but he never reached West Point. [55] 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. He grew resentful of several rival and younger generals who had been promoted ahead of him and given honors which he thought he deserved. His scheme was to surrender the fort to the British, but it was exposed in September 1780 when Patriot militia captured André carrying papers which revealed the plot. 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. He is best known for plotting to surrender the American fort at West Point, New York, to the British during the American Revolution. Arnold benefited from his relationship with Mansfield, who became a partner in his business and used his position as sheriff to shield him from creditors. Courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries via AP. Did Benedict Arnold exercise field command on the battlefield of the American force at the battle on Freedman's Farm on To adulthood ; his other siblings succumbed to yellow fever, his at. 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