Patriot and Traitor

Once a highly respected, brilliant, and dashing general. Benedict Arnold has become a true synonym for traitor.

Benedict Arnold was born in Norwick, Connecticut on January 14, 1741. Both of his parents came from very respected New England families. He was apprenticed and learned the apothecary trade in his youth. As he preferred the battlefield to his occupation, he ran away from home at the young age of 14 to fight in the French and Indian War (1754-1763). As a result of his father's death in 1761, Arnold moved to New Haven, Connecticut, and in 1762 opened a book and drug store. In 1764 he began shipping and trading his enterprises with Canada and the West Indies. By 1774 he became one of the wealthiest men in New Haven. In 1767 he had married Margaret Mansfield, the daughter of the sheriff of New Haven County. They hand 3 sons and she died in 1775.

He was brought by election to be a militia captain. The Revolutionary War began in 1775 where Arnold was already an experienced soldier. His force along with Ethan Allen's Green Mountain Men took Fort Ticonderoga in from the British, in New York on May 10, 1775. This victory brought badly needed supplies to George Washington's ill and poor equipped forces. Later the same year Arnold led a force of 1,100 men through Maine to invade the British and he was wounded. It was a brave but unsuccessful assault and for his great courage he was promoted to Brigadier General.

In October of 1776 he fought a series of naval battles on Lake Champlain. Although his fleet was destroyed several times his efforts delayed the British plan to invade New York. During the second battle of Saratega on October 07, 1777 Arnold was wounded again. He was later promoted to Major General in February. He thought that the less deserving leaders preceded him in rank.

Arnold was named Commander in Philadelphia and was also accused of overstepping his authority. In 1778 he met Margaret Shippen, the daughter of a wealthy loyalist. He married for the second time in the following year. This and other things also aroused a lot of suspicion. Heavy debts and lack of promotion some say brought him to his treason activities. Arnold was charged by the executive council of Pennsylvania of being too gentle with the Americans who opposed independence from Britain and for using military men to do personal favors. A court martial cleared most of the charges, but also ordered General Washington to reprimand him. Washington did but also promised a high position in the future.

Arnold often sent important information to the British and claimed he was well paid for it. His wife often helped him, acting as a messenger. In 1750 Arnold was given command of West Point. He entered in a plot to surrender this post to the British. On his part from the British he was to be made Brigadier General, and was also promised money. The British spy Major John André met with Arnold on September 21, 1780. André was on his way to return on horseback to New York when some American soldiers stopped and searched him. They found out that he was hiding papers from Arnold that indicated treason. As soon as he heard on André's capture, he lead to New York and became a Brigadiers General in the British Army. Arnold led raids in Virginia in 1780 along the James River to Richmond, and later to Petersburg. In 1781 Arnold's expeditions went to New London, Connecticut, where he raided his own former neighbors. There he burned more than 150 buildings and his troops massacred American militia at Fort Griswald, near New London.

Arnold was received warmly by King George III when he and his family moved to England in 1781, but was scorned by others. He was given 13,400 acres in Canada, which was of little use to him so he spent most remaining years a merchant in trade with the West Indies. He had failed to obtain a regular commission in the British army and also failed in several attempted business ventures. His commercial enterprises proved unsuccessful, and for this treason he received less than one-third the money he had wanted.

Worn out by depression and a nervous disease, he died in London on June 17, 1801 an unhappy man, distrusted by the British as well as the Americans. No other American is remembered in the same way as Benedict Arnold. He was a brave soldier, a patriot, and a traitor.