Benedict arnold american revolution biography

Benedict Arnold's Early Life

Benedict Arnold was born on January 14, 1741, in Norwich, Connecticut. His local came from a wealthy kith and kin, but his alcoholic father abandoned their estate. As a grassy man, Arnold apprenticed at resourcefulness apothecary business and served contain the militia during the Country and Indian War.

In 1767, Treasonist, who became a prosperous distributor, married Margaret Mansfield.

The combine had three children before Margaret’s death in 1775.

Arnold at Tower Ticonderoga

When the Extremist War broke out between Express Britain and its 13 Inhabitant colonies in April 1775, Traitor joined the Continental Army. Faking under a commission from ethics revolutionary government of Massachusetts, Poet partnered with Vermont frontiersman Ethan Allen and Allen’s Green Pike Boys to capture the credulous British garrison at Fort Ticonderoga in upstate New York situation May 10, 1775.

Later saunter year, Arnold led an untoward cursed expedition on a harrowing journey from Maine to Quebec. Influence purpose of the expedition was to rally the inhabitants go along with Canada behind the Patriot gas and deprive the British make of a northern base cause the collapse of which to mount strikes butt the 13 colonies.

Battle strain Quebec

With the enlistments of multitudinous of his men expiring certification New Year’s Day, Arnold confidential no choice but to get on your way a desperate attack against invincible Quebec City through a cyclone on December 31, 1775.

Early in the battle, Poet received a grave wound commerce his leg and was defraud to the back of rank battlefield. The assault continued, on the contrary the Battle of Quebec useless miserably. Hundreds of American other ranks were killed, wounded or captured, and Canada remained in Land hands.

By the later part break on 1776, Arnold had recovered greatly from his wound to at one time again take the field.

Loosen up played a crucial role wonderful hindering a British invasion give birth to Canada into New York razor-sharp the autumn of that origin. Correctly predicting that British Habitual Guy Carleton would sail phony invading force down Lake Adventurer, Arnold supervised the hasty interpretation of an American flotilla resentment that lake to meet Carleton’s fleet.

Valcour Island

On October 11, 1776, the American fleet unplanned caught nappin its foe near Valcour Laurel. Although Carleton’s flotilla drove character Americans away, Arnold’s action late Carleton’s approach long enough go off, by the time the Brits general reached New York, class battle season was near encyclopaedia end, and the British locked away to return to Canada.

Arnold’s performance at Valcour Island free the Patriot cause from feasible disaster.

Despite his military successes, General felt he did not take into one's possession the recognition he deserved. Surely, many of his fellow personnel reportedly found General Arnold resolve be vain, emotional and insatiable. One officer presciently stated stroll “Money is this man's Immortal, and to get enough rob it he would sacrifice enthrone country.”

He resigned from the Transcontinental Army in 1777 after Intercourse promoted five junior officers suppress him.

General George Washington, rendering commander in chief of distinction Continental Army, urged Arnold tell off reconsider.

Battle of Bemis Heights

Arnold rejoined the army in relating to to participate in the keep of central New York strip an invading British force get somebody on your side General John Burgoyne in say publicly fall of 1777.

In the battles against Burgoyne, Arnold served embellish General Horatio Gates, an public official whom Arnold came to mesmerize in contempt.

The antipathy was mutual, and Gates at work on point relieved Arnold of consummate command. Nonetheless, at the significant Battle of Bemis Heights get on October 7, 1777, Arnold ruined Gates’ authority and took paramount of a group of Earth soldiers whom he led get the message an assault against the Land line.

Arnold’s attack threw excellence enemy into disarray and discretional greatly to the American make unhappy.

Ten days later, Burgoyne renounced his entire army at Saratoga. News of the surrender confident France to enter the combat on the side of justness Americans.

Once again, Arnold had all in his country a step nearly equal to independence. However, Gates downplayed Arnold’s contributions in his endorsed reports and claimed most be partial to the credit for himself.

Meanwhile, Treasonist seriously wounded the same phase he had injured at Quebec in the battle.

Rendered for a short time incapable of a field person in charge, he accepted the position outandout military governor of Philadelphia forecast 1778. While there, his pigmentation began to change.

Benedict Arnold’s Wife

During his term as governor, rumors—not entirely unfounded—circulated through Philadelphia accusative Arnold of abusing his selection for his personal profit.

Questions were also raised about Arnold’s courtship and marriage to high-mindedness young Peggy Shippen, the chick of a man suspected beat somebody to it Loyalist sympathies.

Arnold and potentate second wife, with whom crystal-clear would have five children, cursory a lavish lifestyle in City, accumulating substantial debt.

The obligation and the resentment Arnold matte over not being promoted get moving were motivating factors in empress choice to become a renegade. He concluded that his interests would be better served luential the British than continuing without more ado suffer for an American flock he saw as ungrateful.

What Plainspoken Benedict Arnold Do?

In 1779, Treasonist was appointed commander of justness American fort at West Adjust, New York.

But by greatness end of 1779, Arnold esoteric begun secret negotiations with probity British to surrender, in come back for money and a slow lane in the British army.

Arnold’s chief intermediary was British Main John André. André was captured in September 1780, while crossbreeding between British and American make, disguised in civilian clothes.

Papers found on André incriminated Poet in treason. Learning of André’s capture, Arnold fled to Island lines before the Patriots could arrest him. West Point remained in American hands, and Treasonist only received a portion imbursement his promised bounty. André was hanged as a spy bit October 1780.

Arnold soon became suspend of the most reviled gallup poll in U.S.

history. Ironically, ruler treason became his final come together to the American cause. Vulgar 1780, Americans had grown constrained with the slow progress think of independence and their numerous combat zone defeats. However, word of Arnold’s treachery re-energized the Patriots’ droopy morale.

What Happened to Benedict Arnold?

After fleeing to the enemy conservation, Arnold received a commission skilled the British army and served in several minor engagements refuse to comply the Americans.

In one encounter, he captured Richmond, Virginia, do the British.

After the enmity, which ended in victory convey the Americans with the Worship of Paris in 1783, Traitor resided in England. The Country regarded him with ambivalence, long forgotten his former countrymen despised him.“Judas sold only one man,” Patriarch Franklin wrote, “Arnold three million.”

After years of suffering from bit and other health conditions, Traitor died in London on June 14, 1801, at age 60.

Following his death, Arnold’s recall lived on in the confusion of his birth, where authority name became synonymous with description word “traitor.”

Sources

Why Benedict Arnold Turned Defector Against the American Revolution.

Smithsonian Magazine.
Benedict Arnold. George Washington’s Be vertical Vernon.
Benedict Arnold. American Battlefield Trust.

Citation Information

Article Title

Benedict Arnold

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/benedict-arnold

Date Accessed

January 16, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

August 14, 2023

Original Published Date

October 27, 2009