[138] Jefferson Davis and other southern secessionist leaders were unfavorably compared to Arnold, implicitly and explicitly likening the idea of secession to treason. Benedict Arnold had already established a reputation of bravery and being in the thick of any action. The other leg ached constantly, and he walked only with a cane. Benedict Arnold was born a British subject, the second of six children of his father Benedict Arnold III (1683–1761) and Hannah Waterman King in Norwich, Connecticut on 14 January 1741. His father was arrested on several occasions for public drunkenness, was refused communion by his church, and died in 1761. Net Worth: Undisclosed. General George Washington (1732-99), the commander in chief of the Continental Army, urged Arnold to reconsider. Arnold repeatedly claimed that he was passed over for promotion by the Continental Congress, while other officers obtained credit for some of his accomplishments. AD 1781, when the British, under the command of the Traitor Benedict Arnold, burnt the towns of New London and Groton and spread desolation and woe throughout the region. As a young man, Arnold apprenticed at an apothecary business and served in the militia during the French and Indian War (1754-63). 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. Benedict Arnold's Early Life . Arnold was born on January 14, 1741, in Norwich, Connecticut—the fifth person in his family to be named Benedict Arnold. [7] With the outbreak of the French Revolution, Arnold outfitted a privateer, while continuing to do business in the West Indies, even though the hostilities increased the risk. [135], Early biographers attempted to describe Arnold's entire life in terms of treacherous or morally questionable behavior. Benedict Arnold was born a British subject, the second of six children of Benedict Arnold (1683–1761) and Hannah Waterman King in Norwich, Connecticut Colony on January 14, 1741. [45], Arnold returned to the Hudson where General Gates had taken over command of the American army, which had retreated to a camp south of Stillwater. [106] He had suffered from gout since 1775,[127] and the condition attacked his unwounded leg to the point where he was unable to go to sea. The fourth niche is pointedly empty. Early life. 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. Arnold planned to surrender the fort to British forces, but the plot was discovered in September 1780 and he fled to the British lines. He was also convicted of two minor charges of using his authority to make a profit. Born to … This is not a who's who. Instead, each entry provides an in-depth essay on the life and career of the individual concerned. Essays commence with a quick reference section that provides basic facts on the individual's life and achievements. Benedict Arnold was born in Norwich, Connecticut, on January 14, 1741. He then went to Cambridge, Massachusetts and suggested to George Washington a second expedition to attack Quebec City via a wilderness route through Maine. He organized the militia response, along with David Wooster and Connecticut militia General Gold Selleck Silliman. He resigned from the Continental Army in 1777 after Congress promoted five junior officers above him. [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. 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. There was once a time wherein that name owned a very prestigious title – Major General Benedict Arnold. Hundreds of American soldiers were killed, wounded or captured, and Canada remained in British hands. Arnold and his second wife, with whom he would have five children, lived a lavish lifestyle in Philadelphia, accumulating substantial debt. [129] As a result of a clerical error in the parish records, his remains were removed to an unmarked mass grave during church renovations a century later. Arnold attended private schools during his adolescence, but was forced to end his education at age 14 after his merchant seaman father fell on hard times and slipped into alcoholism. But to say that Benedict Arnold was never content is to epitomize his life. On 15 August, he received a coded letter from André with Clinton's final offer: £20,000[a] and no indemnification for his losses. [48] Burgoyne surrendered ten days after the second battle on 17 October 1777. Arnold was born on January 14, 1741, in Norwich, Connecticut—the fifth person in his family to be named Benedict Arnold. [28] Margaret died on 19 June 1775, while Arnold was at Fort Ticonderoga following its capture. Benedict Arnold was born on January 14, 1741, in Norwich, Connecticut. The British promised £20,000[a] for the capture of West Point, a major American stronghold; Washington greatly admired Arnold and gave him command of that fort in July 1780. Found insideThe Lives of the Extraordinary Patriots Who Followed Arnold to Canada at the ... admires Arnold, 61; quote to Schuyler about Arnold, 63; early life, 64; ... Arnold’s attack threw the enemy into disarray and contributed greatly to the American victory. [106] 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. [97], André was captured near Tarrytown, New York on Saturday, 23 September by three Westchester militiamen. "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)})(); FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. The detail of Arnold’s early life is (as far as one is aware), scrupulously correct; but there are no surprises here, what has been told has been in the public domain for years. André was captured in September 1780, while crossing between British and American lines, disguised in civilian clothes. Benedict Arnold has long been portrayed as an American Judas, the embodiment of hypocrisy and betrayal. All of the other children, except himself and his sister Hannah, died in infancy. Found inside â Page 3BENEDICT ARNOLD . CHAPTER I. Arnold's Birth and Early Life . AMONG the first settlers and proprietors of Rhode Island was William Arnold , a name of some ... He was born in Connecticut Colonyon January 14, 1741. Harper's Weekly published an article in 1861 describing Confederate leaders as "a few men directing this colossal treason, by whose side Benedict Arnold shines white as a saint". [47] During the fighting in the second battle, Arnold disobeyed Gates' orders and took to the battlefield to lead attacks on the British defenses. [101], Arnold learned of André's capture the morning of 24 September while waiting for Washington, with whom he was going to have breakfast at his headquarters in British Col. Beverley Robinson's former summer house on the east bank of the Hudson. Historians have identified many possible factors contributing to Arnold's treason, while some debate their relative importance. Arnold was born the last of six children to Benedict Arnold III and Hannah Waterman King in Norwich, Connecticut, in 1741. She helped Benedict Arnold go to the British army during the American Revolutionary War. Stansbury's testimony before a British commission erroneously placed his meeting with Arnold in June. [75] General Clinton was pursuing a campaign to gain control of the Hudson River Valley, and was interested in plans and information on the defenses of West Point and other defenses on the Hudson River. Arnold in New Haven . Fact #1: Major General Benedict Arnold was one of the best, if not the best battlefield commanders in the American Army during the early years of the Revolutionary War. [43] Amid negotiations over that issue, Arnold wrote out a letter of resignation on 11 July, the same day that word arrived in Philadelphia that Fort Ticonderoga had fallen to the British. [116] George Johnstone turned him down for a position in the East India Company and explained: "Although I am satisfied with the purity of your conduct, the generality do not think so. He was convicted of disorderly conduct and fined the relatively small amount of 50 shillings; publicity of the case and widespread sympathy for his views probably contributed to the light sentence. 3/3. In 1757, at age 16, Benedict Arnold enlisted in the militia, and traveled to upstate New York to fight the French. Only Benedict and his sister Hannah survived to adulthood; the other four siblings succumbed to yellow fever while children. Historians examine lives and events in retrospect, affording them the luxury of 20/20 hindsight and the ability to not only judge actions, but also the reactions and results caused by those proceedings. Early Life Grave for Benedict’s mother, Hannah (Waterman) King Arnold, in Norwich, Connecticut Arnold was born the last of six children to Benedict Arnold III and Hannah Waterman King in … This fascinating portrait of two extraordinary marriages of the American Revolution follows Philadelphia belle Peggy Shippen, who married Benedict Arnold and helped him betray America; and Lucy Flucker, who married Henry Knox and faithfully ... It just doesn't respect it", "Letter, Benedict Arnold to George Washington pleading for mercy for his wife", "Benedict Arnold: The Aftermath of Treason", "Saratoga National Historical Park – Activities", "Saratoga National Historical Park – Tour Stop 7", links to primary sources about Benedict Arnold before and after his treason, Arnold, Benedict (1741–1801), army officer | Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness, Washington's crossing of the Delaware River, African Americans in the Revolutionary War, Faceted Application of Subject Terminology, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Benedict_Arnold&oldid=1043432562, 18th-century American non-fiction writers, American expatriates in the United Kingdom, British Army personnel of the American Revolutionary War, British people of the French Revolutionary Wars, British spies during the American Revolution, Businesspeople from New Haven, Connecticut, Connecticut militiamen in the American Revolution, Continental Army officers from Connecticut, Continental Army personnel who were court-martialed, Military personnel from Norwich, Connecticut, People of Connecticut in the French and Indian War, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2019, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia pages semi-protected against vandalism, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Benedict Arnold (1768–1795) (Captain, British Army in Jamaica), Henry Arnold (1772–1826) (Lieutenant, American Legion cavalry), Edward Shippen Arnold (1780–1813) (Lieutenant, British Army in India; see, James Robertson Arnold (1781–1854) (Lieutenant General, Royal Engineers), George Arnold (1787–1828) (Lieutenant Colonel, 2nd (or 7th) Bengal Cavalry). Benedict Arnold, was born, on the 3d day of January, 1740; which made him forty years old at the time of the consummation of that stupendous villany with which his name will ever be associated. But now his name is synonymous with traitor. B. R. He then directed the construction of a fleet to defend Lake Champlain, which was overmatched and defeated in the October 1776 Battle of Valcour Island. Over the last two centuries, people have assumed that young Benedict Arnold was a terrible child who caused trouble and terrorized animals because, well, look at what he grew up to be. 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. [133] In Arnold's home town of Norwich, Connecticut, someone scrawled "the traitor" next to his record of birth at city hall, and all of his family's gravestones have been destroyed except his mother's.[134]. Benedict Arnold was born 21 December 1615 in Ilchester, Somerset, England, the second child and oldest son of William Arnold and Christian Peak. The purpose of the expedition was to rally the inhabitants of Canada behind the Patriot cause and deprive the British government of a northern base from which to mount strikes into the 13 colonies. He was well received by King George III and the Tories but frowned upon by the Whigs and most Army officers. Arnold's letters continued to detail Washington's troop movements and provide information about French reinforcements that were being organized. The Tragedy of Benedict Arnold: An American Life, by Janet Lee Malcolm (Pegasus Books) Arnold was a national hero before he abandoned the patriot cause, and no wonder. Arnold escaped; André was hanged. On 10 November 1778, General Nathanael Greene wrote to General John Cadwalader, "I am told General Arnold is become very unpopular among you oweing to his associateing too much with the Tories. Benedict Arnold didn’t and brought the victory at Saratoga, with piker Horatio Gates getting the public credit. Youth and family Benedict Arnold was born on January 14, 1741, in Norwich, Connecticut. He presided over the rear of the Continental Army during its retreat from Saint-Jean, where he was reported by James Wilkinson to be the last person to leave before the British arrived. Arnold received a commission as a brigadier general in the British Army, an annual pension of £360,[a] and a lump sum of over £6,000. 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. "He was at the absolute top — one of the great American heroes — and fell all the way to the bottom, a kind of devil figure. However, Arnold's father did not manage the family's money well, and they were ruined when Arnold was thirteen. Arnold was born in Norwich, Connecticut, on January 14, 1741. But letters from that time indicate that he was actually very thoughtful and level-headed. Odell was a Loyalist working with William Franklin, the last colonial governor of New Jersey and the son of Benjamin Franklin. 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. [63], Wetherell says that the shortest explanation for his treason is that he "married the wrong person". 3 January 1740][1][2] – 14 June 1801) was an American military officer who served during the Revolutionary War. [106], Washington remained calm when he was presented with evidence of Arnold's treason. Brown was particularly vicious, publishing a handbill which claimed of Arnold, "Money is this man's God, and to get enough of it he would sacrifice his country". A good portrayal of Benedict Arnold’s journey from hero to traitor, chronicling how it came to be from every angle, including his war career and the influence of his Loyalist wife. Benedict Arnold was born on January 14, 1741, in Norwich, Connecticut. Troops were liberally distributed within Arnold's command area (but only minimally at West Point itself) or furnished to Washington on request. Prior to his defection to the British, Arnold was … With the enlistments of many of his men expiring on New Year’s Day, Arnold had no choice but to launch a desperate attack against well-fortified Quebec City through a blizzard on December 31, 1775. Approx. [1] Only he and his sister Hannah survived to adulthood; his other siblings succumbed to yellow fever in childhood. Among the six children, he was the second born. Found inside â Page 5CHAPTER 1 An Active Early Life Benedict Arnold was born on January 14 , 1741 , in the British colony of Connecticut . Like everyone in the town of Norwich ... [41] In February 1777, he learned that he had been passed over by Congress for promotion to major general. [119] Delivery of his first ship the Lord Sheffield was accompanied by accusations from the builder that Arnold had cheated him; Arnold claimed that he had merely deducted the contractually agreed amount when the ship was delivered late. Papers found on André incriminated Arnold in treason. Although Carleton’s flotilla drove the Americans away, Arnold’s action delayed Carleton’s approach long enough that, by the time the British general reached New York, the battle season was near an end, and the British had to return to Canada. Peggy came from a loyalist family in Philadelphia; she had many ties to the British. American Revolutionary War. Benjamin Franklin wrote that "Judas sold only one man, Arnold three millions", and Alexander Scammell described his actions as "black as hell". Arnold's birth records indicate that he was born 3 January 1740 (Vital Records of Norwich (1913)). The assault continued, but failed miserably. On January 14, 1741, Benedict Arnold was born in Norwich. After his mother died when he was eighteen, his father, Benedict III fell into a deep depression which he tried to treat with alcohol, and died only two years after his wife’s passing. [37] However, an acrimonious dispute with Moses Hazen, commander of the 2nd Canadian Regiment, boiled into Hazen's court martial at Ticonderoga during the summer of 1776. Arnold was one of six children to his father Benedict Arnold III and his mother Hannah King. There is a growing interest in the Founding Fathers and the Revolutionary War as a source of national pride and identity and the Arnold Expedition as told through Benedict Arnold s Army is one of the greatest adventure stories in American ... Advanced searches left . His 1st wife was Margaret Mansfi… [116], Arnold then applied to accompany General Carleton, who was going to New York to replace Clinton as commander-in-chief, but the request went nowhere. Chapter 1: An Active Early Life Benedict Arnold was born on January 14, 1741, in the British colony of Connecticut. Old Stone Mill . Hundreds of years can dramatically change the way that a person is viewed. Arnold’s birth took place in January of 1741, at Connecticut. But in all reality, he should’ve known better than to listen. According to the records of the Dutch Reformed Church, Elisha Arnold and his wife Sarah Francisco bore nine children, the youngest being Benedict Arnold born on 5 October 1780 in Schaghticoke, Rensselaer County. Later that year, Arnold led an ill-fated expedition on a harrowing trek from Maine to Quebec. [144] Historian Barry Wilson points out that Arnold's descendants established deep roots in Canada, becoming leading settlers in Upper Canada and Saskatchewan. [141] The boy is not identified until the end of the story, when his place of birth is given as Norwich, Connecticut, and his name is given as Benedict Arnold. Strother Martin and Dirk Benedict star in this eerie tale of a respected snake expert who masks a frightening desire to transmute a man into a king cobra. Benedict Arnold was the biggest traitors in history but he never received what he was promised for becoming one. Following the deaths of three of his children from yellow fever, Benedict Sr. began to drink heavily, and fell on difficult financial times. 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. Some debate their relative importance Shy, John incapable of a prominent family, to. Is an Unclassified, zodiac sign: Capricorn 23 ], Arnold and treason! 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Attack against well-fortified Quebec city, 9 Things you May not know about Benedict Arnold had brought his and. Area ( but only minimally at West Point itself ) or furnished to Washington on request a.
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