Born in 1867 in Hanley, Staffordshire (part of the famous 'Potteries' and now a district of Stoke-on-Trent), Enoch Arnold Bennett was named after his father, a solicitor. Arnold's Family Life Was Messy By The Time He Was 20. [94], Andr was captured near Tarrytown, New York, on Saturday, September 23, by three Westchester militiamen. After organizing an assemblage of volunteers, he seized munitions from the New Haven arsenal and led his group northward to fight the British. She exerted powerful influence on her husband, who is said to have been his own man but who actually was swayed by his staff and certainly by his wife. 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. [citation needed]. Following the deaths of three of his. 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. [30] The household was dominated by Arnold's sister Hannah, even while Margaret was alive. In the United States, the name of Benedict Arnold is synonymous with treason. Before anyone spouts off about me being a 'libtard' I am a conservative. Benedict Arnold Shutterstock Though one might guess that the dish was named for Benedict Arnold, the most famous traitor of the American Revolution, it was not. 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. When Arnold learned the following morning that Andr had been caught and that . A colonial resident by birth, Arnold made his living as a merchant before joining the American military to defend against the British. [29] She is buried in the crypt of the Center Church on New Haven Green. [1][7] Arnold was the fourth surviving member of his family named after his great-grandfather Benedict Arnold I, an early governor of the Colony of Rhode Island; his grandfather (Benedict Arnold II) and father, as well as an older brother who died in infancy, were also named for the colonial governor. [136], Fictional invocations of Benedict Arnold's name carry strongly negative overtones. 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. British reinforcements arrived in late March led by William Phillips who served under Burgoyne at Saratoga. Benedict Arnold was born on January 14, 1741, in Norwich, Connecticut. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. "Arnold, Benedict (17411801)". Soon after Ticonderoga, Arnold brought his men on a dangerous trek through the . His scheme was to surrender the fort to the British, but it was exposed in September 1780 when revolution militia captured Andr carrying papers which revealed the plot. Arnold established himself in business in 1762 as a pharmacist and bookseller in New Haven, Connecticut, with the help of the Lathrops. 2. It is impossible to say when 37-year-old Benedict Arnold first met 18-year-old Peggy Shippen, but we do know that on September 25, 1778, he wrote her a love lettermuch of it an exact copy of . Interesting Facts About Benedict Arnold. [145], There are plaques on the grounds of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, commemorating all of the generals who served in the Revolution. Unable to find a new military or. -Benedict Arnold, January, 1780. Omissions? [22] In a strange twist of fate, "the second most hated British . He returned to the army at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, in May 1778 to the applause of men who had served under him at Saratoga. The crowd of hundreds of people was quiet. Arnold was born in Connecticut. Name: Ethan Allen; Birth . [137] A moralistic children's tale entitled "The Cruel Boy" was widely circulated in the 19th century. Thereafter his name became an epithet for traitor in the United States. After his leg healed, Benedict Arnold was named Military Governor of Philadelphia. This was the last straw. Benedict Arnold was born in 1741 to a prominent Connecticut family. [39] He took the opportunity to visit his children while near his home in New Haven, and he spent much of the winter socializing in Boston, where he unsuccessfully courted a young belle named Betsy Deblois. 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. Arnold's name had become synonymous with the word traitor. 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). 1:38. Although he was unsuccessful, his attempt to betray George Washington and his American forces . 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. 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. The house where Arnold lived at 62 Gloucester Place in central London bears a plaque describing him as an "American Patriot". in George Athan Billias, ed., This page was last edited on 15 February 2023, at 10:05. 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. He received a colonel's commission in the Continental Army for this expedition and left Cambridge in September 1775 with 1,100 men. 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. [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. He returned a hero, but his rash courage and impatient energy had aroused the enmity of several officers. "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. 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. Background. 1.Saint Benedict was a teenager when he became a monk. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. [47] Burgoyne surrendered ten days after the second battle on October 17, 1777. [63][64], Arnold had an extremely ambitious and jealous personality. Arnold didn't die a heroic death, or even a cowardly death. [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. Benedict Arnold passed away on 3 March 1849. Benedict Arnold served in the Connecticut militia and participated in the Siege of Boston. 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. Arnold and Wemyss faced similar situations but created different legaciesWemyss "served with distinction during the war" but became a footnote in history; Arnold lost the respect of people on all sides of the Revolution and his name became synonymously linked to treason. [69] This was the beginning of a secret correspondence between Arnold and Andr, sometimes using his wife Peggy as a willing intermediary, which culminated more than a year later with Arnold's change of sides. [80] Many of these documents had been lost during the retreat from Quebec. "[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. [91][92] This action did little damage besides giving the captain, Andrew Sutherland, a splinter in his nosebut the splinter prompted the Vulture to retreat,[93] forcing Andr to return to New York overland. [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. betrayal. Arnold's letters continued to detail Washington's troop movements and provide information about French reinforcements that were being organized. Benedict Arnold's name is synonymous with the word traitor. Arnold's friend, George Washington, was heartbroken over the news, but was forced to deal with the treacherous act. Benedict Arnold was born to a prominent businessman in Norwich, Connecticut, on January 14, 1741. 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. His performance in the Battle of Ridgefield in Connecticut prompted his promotion to major general. This monument was erected under the patronage of the State of Connecticut in the 55th year of the Independence of the U.S.A. in memory of the brave patriots massacred at Fort Griswold near this spot on the 6th of Sept. [21] However, it is unknown whether this encounter actually happened or not. In December 1780, Arnold was given command of British forces sent to raid Virginia. BENEDICT ARNOLD REMAINS the most notorious man in American history, his name a synonym for traitor. My family have voted conservative in most elections. Troops were liberally distributed within Arnold's command area (but only minimally at West Point itself) or furnished to Washington on request. Andr was captured the next day, near Tarrytown, with those plans tucked inside his boot. [141] Historian Barry Wilson points out that Arnold's descendants established deep roots in Canada, becoming leading settlers in Upper Canada and Saskatchewan. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Peggy Shippen had barely turned eighteen when in June of 1778, following the evacuation of Philadelphia by a British army, Major General Benedict . [46] During the fighting in the second battle, Arnold disobeyed Gates' orders and took to the battlefield to lead attacks on the British defenses. [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. [49][citation not found], Arnold spent several months recovering from his injuries. On May 9, Franklin introduced Stansbury to Major Andr, who had just been named the British spy chief. At his request, a court martial was held to clear his name. 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. Thereupon I expressed the desire of seeing that gentleman, and, shortly after, I was introduced to him. The other leg ached constantly, and he walked only with a cane. In 1775, when the war began, he was a merchant operating ships in the Atlantic Ocean. 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. He was again severely wounded in the left leg late in the fighting. [12] In 1757 when he was 16, he did enlist in the Connecticut militia, which marched off toward Albany, New York, and Lake George. The first man was a British major named John Andre. [60] Some of this communication was effected through the services of Joseph Stansbury, a Philadelphia merchant.[61]. [132], Early biographers attempted to describe Arnold's entire life in terms of treacherous or morally questionable behavior. For his services he was restored to his proper relative rank. Word of the siege's disastrous outcome led the company to turn around, and Arnold served for only 13 days. Benedict Arnold's reasons for betraying America were extraordinarily complex. [62], Wetherell says that the shortest explanation for his treason is that he "married the wrong person". The fort was finally captured by the British in 1759. [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. One critic said that he was a "mean mercenary, who, having adopted a cause for the sake of plunder, quits it when convicted of that charge". Benedict Arnold was born on Jan. 14, 1741 in Norwich, Connecticut. It was General Arnold. A figure climbed down from the larger sloop, into the boat and quietly made his way up the Hudson River. Despite Arnold's defection to the British, he was a fierce patriot for . [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]. Apparently, Arnold also had self-confidence issues and his new wife Peggy wasn't helping the situation. 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. On August 13, Schuyler dispatched him with a force of 900 to relieve the siege of Fort Stanwix, where he succeeded in a ruse to lift the siege. An epidemic of yellow fever ravaged Arnold's family in the 1750s, however, claiming three of his . See the fact file below for more information on . Arnold escaped; Andr was hanged. 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. At a prearranged rendezvous point on the shoreline his contact arrived just after midnight. How did Benedict Arnold betray the Continental Army to the British? 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. The band played a funeral march. Through the early morning hours of Sept. 22, 1780 the two plotted. Some theatrical treatments of the 19th century explored his duplicity, seeking to understand rather than demonize it. He also began to insist on a face-to-face meeting, and suggested to Arnold that he pursue another high-level command. They had no reason to suspect that Gen. Benedict Arnold, the new commander of the post, would be less than a gracious host. Arnold commanded the army only until May 20, when Lord Cornwallis arrived with the southern army and took over. [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. He was on his way home from Ticonderoga when he learned that his wife had died earlier in June. Yet as every elementary school student knows, Benedict reneged on his original commitment and defected to England. A Connecticut militia force arrived at Ticonderoga in June; Arnold had a dispute with its commander over control of the fort, and resigned his Massachusetts commission. [27] Their son Benedict was born the following year[28] and was followed by brothers Richard in 1769 and Henry in 1772. He then went to Cambridge, Massachusetts, and suggested to George Washington a second expedition to attack Quebec City via a wilderness route through Maine. Through his maternal grandmother, Arnold was a descendant of John Lothropp, an ancestor of six presidents. 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