Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold was born on January 14, 1714, in Norwich, Connecticut. Throughout his life the first public library was founded, the population of colonists noticeably grew and the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776. He joined the militia of Connecticut, helping to fight against the French during the Seven Years’ War in 1763. Benedict Arnold was loved and cherished by the American public and George Washington. When Arnold was a young boy, he loved to learn about sailing and navigation. He was an intelligent boy who went to school but because of some badly made decisions in business by his father, the family soon immersed into debt and Arnold was forced to leave school. His mother Hannah sent her son to Norwich so he would be an apprentice to a druggist. In 1756, Britain and France renew their fight for the control over North America. As a result, young Benedict Arnold runs away eager to go into battle to join the British to fight the French. Before that, his mother died of yellow fever which was a big tragedy that Arnold grievously went through. His father began to drink a lot and because of that Arnold became a victim of ridicule to the surrounding, later his father passed away. In 1762, ate the age of 21, he moved to New Haven, Connecticut to escape his family’s fall from grace. There, Arnold opened a store and sold drugs and books keeping everything in stock with an enormous variety of items obtained on merchandise voyages to London. Benedict became a successful pharmacist after moving to New Haven, thus allowing him to buy three trading ships, later establishing a West Indies trade which brought great profit. In 1763, he Married Margaret Mansfield and had three children. Then one day, England decided to tax American colonies to help pay the bills to keep their army living. The new tax made it extremely hard to run a business and especially to receive a good profit, because of that Arnold became a smuggler. Smuggling was not considered to be a crime since it was a way to avoid unfair and unjust taxes. When the British started enforcing the taxes, riots broke out and in 1770 British troops open fire on Americans which is known as the Boston Massacre after which Arnold wrote ”Good God, are the Americans all asleep and tamely giving up their Liberties?” (Coleman 16).
Benedict Arnold saw himself as a radical, a leader and a person ready to fight for the rights of America. 1771 he was elected as the captain of the New Haven Company. April 17, 1775, the revolutionary war begun. 34-year-old Arnold immediately responded unlike King George the 3rd whom the conservatives, which were led by David Wooster, prayed for, fearing conflict with England, they refused to hand Benedict Arnold and his men muskets and gunpowder. Arnold then talked in the Massachusetts authorities to give him the right to raise troops and fight, winning, he gave Americans faith in future victory. Arnold instantly achieved a higher status by capturing fort Ticonderoga on May 10, 1775, with Ethan Allen by overcoming the British garrison. After the victory in Ticonderoga, Arnold returned home and found out that his wife had passed away. Now he was left with three children who he gave away to his sister Hannah to take care of. He himself was focused on freeing America from the British by pushing them away from the continent entirely. At that time, Canada was known to be a river and two cities. The rest of Canada was all wilderness with no settlements. ”Congress also authorized a force under Benedict Arnold to raid Quebec in order to draw Canada away from the British Empire” (“Outline of U.S. History” 79). Their plan was to capture Quebec and Montreal and make Canada the 14th colony. December 31, 1775 Arnold and an army of 1,200 fearless, rough men began their journey through the wilderness of Maine, which is known as the March to Quebec, conquering 380 miles up the Kennebec River, carrying boats upstream, and losing food they almost starved along the way but were helped by friendly Indians who called Benedict Arnold the Dark Eagle. On the 13th and 14th of November, Benedict Arnold’s troops crossed the Saint Lawrence River. Arnold was rewarded for leading the expedition with a promotion to brigadier general. At that time, Richard Montgomery took Montreal and joined forces with Arnold. During a snow storm, they attacked Quebec City from both opposite ends simultaneously. Montgomery died, Arnold got pinned down, was shot in the leg by the British and then got sent back to New York.
The Continental Congress refused to recognize Arnold, ignoring his brilliant leadership. He was denied the promotion he had deserved so he went to New Haven to prepare his resignation, but it seemed as if the war had followed him. In 1777, 2,000 British troops marched in to attack the town of Danbury, Connecticut, destroying everything they saw along the way by setting homes, farmhouses, and storehouses on fire. After word reached the Continental Army leaders, Arnold along with General David Wooster, General Gold Silliman, and more than 500 American troops attacked British forces when they began to withdraw from Danbury. Although they prevented Danbury from being completely destructed, the British continued to march through Compo Hill and Ridgefield, Connecticut to get to their ships at Long Island Sound. “April 27, 1777 – American troops under Benedict Arnold defeat the British at Ridgefield, Connecticut” (“The History Place“ 1).
The day when Arnold turned in his resignation, he got a letter from Washington saying that he needed Arnold in Northern New York because the British were about to invade, so he withdrew his resignation and went North. September 19 through October 17, the year of 1777, British General John Burgoyne attacked General Horatio Gates and the American forces which is known to be the First Battle of Saratoga. Arnold took the lead of the army upon himself since he thought Gates was not capable of leading the army. Gates then sent Arnold to his tent but he was not able to hold himself back when he watched the battle so he rode up and with no command from the authority he took command of the battle himself. Fighting, he got shot in the leg and right after he got carried away from the battlefield and got arrested for disobeying orders. “On October 17, 1777, Burgoyne surrendered his entire army – six generals, 300 other officers, and 5,500 enlisted personnel” (Newman 62). The victory was with the American army. “Although the victory at Saratoga was largely due to the military genius of Arnold, Congress failed to recognize the merits of this able commander and granted the honors to Gates. Arnold felt disappointed at this treatment and bitterly resented the slight” (Riggs 186). Arnold recovered slowly but George Washington knew the country needed him and told him to come back to serve with the army as soon as his situation would permit. Arnold was made military commander of Philadelphia. He took full position as military governor. Benedict Arnold also joined the ranks of the cities social elite and at the age of 38 met a girl 20 years younger than him named Peggy Shippen at one of the balls. Their feelings were mutual, she loved him and they got married. Disappointment hit Arnold when he once again thought through how uncherished and unrecognized he was by the Continental Army so he decided to switch sides, and decided to support the British. He then contacted a British commander to find a way to join the British Army. For over a year Arnold provided the British with information through his wife Peggy and at the same time forming a good relationship with British Major John Andre. Arnold offered the British to purchase the fort guarding the Hudson River at West Point, July 13th he wrote a letter to John Andre, “Twenty thousand pounds Sterling I think will be a cheap purchase for an object of so much importance. At the same time I request thousand pounds to be paid my Agent – I expect a full and explicit answer” (Benedict Arnold). Two weeks right after the offer, Washington appointed Arnold commander of America’s most strategic spot. Arnold had to give the plan to Andre so he met him in the middle of the night near the Hudson River. Andre, receiving a pass signed by Arnold himself to get through the American lines, put the plans in his boots and took off. During his journey, he got caught and since Arnold was the commander of West Point, messengers were sent to notify him and George Washington due to suspicion because of what John Andre had with him. That same day Washington and Arnold were to meet, and there was Arnold waiting for the meeting, thinking Andre was back home already when suddenly one of his messengers arrives and notifies him about Andre. Washington arrives and then receives all of those papers and instead of meeting with his favorite general, he finds out Arnold is a traitor. As Washington had said in 1780, “Treason of the blackest dye wasdiscovered. General Arnoldlostevery sense of honor of private and public obligation” (“The Crisis of the Revolution: Being the Story of Arnold and Andre” 133). Peggy convinced Washington that she was not involved in the plot. John Andre convicted of being a spy was hanged. Arnold escaped to New York and was appointed brigadier general by Sir Henry in the British Army but was not respected neither trusted by other fellow officers. The British attacked fort Griswold and slaughtered Americans, burning New London, Connecticut. Arnold left for England and became an advisor to King George but was never liked neither trusted by the nation whom he had defected, since the British thought of him as a traitor. Benedict Arnold was given a good pension but never really felt accepted. In the U.S. Benedict Arnold was hated as much as ever, even throughout history there have been several examples of removing his name forever. After his treason, George Washington decreed that Benedict Arnold’s name would never be mentioned again. Arnold, knowing he might soon die, wanted to die in his Continental Army uniform and regretted about putting any other uniforms on. He died in London, June 14th, 1801.
Works Cited
“The History Place – American Revolution.” The History Place – American Revolution: An Unlikely Victory 1777-1783. Web. 20 Mar. 2016.
Newman, John J., and John M. Schmalbach. United States History: Second Edition. By AMSCO School Publications, 2010. Print.
Riggs, Eleanore E. An American History. New York: Macmillan, 1916. Print.
Benedict Arnold. “Letter to John Andre.” Letter to John Andre. 13 July 1780. MS N.p.
“The Crisis of the Revolution: Being the Story of Arnold and Andre.” The crisis of the Revolution. Web. 20 Mar. 2016.
Sellers, Charles Coleman. Benedict Arnold, the Proud Warrior. New York: Milton, Balch, 1930. Print.
