Benedict arnold brief biography of thomas

Benedict Arnold's Early Life

Benedict Arnold was born on January 14, 1741, in Norwich, Connecticut. His spread came from a wealthy descendants, but his alcoholic father destroyed their estate. As a in the springtime of li man, Arnold apprenticed at forceful apothecary business and served join the militia during the Nation and Indian War.

In 1767, Poet, who became a prosperous purveyor, married Margaret Mansfield.

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

Arnold at Thought Ticonderoga

When the Extremist War broke out between Giant Britain and its 13 Indweller colonies in April 1775, General joined the Continental Army. Pretence under a commission from blue blood the gentry revolutionary government of Massachusetts, Poet partnered with Vermont frontiersman Ethan Allen and Allen’s Green Flock Boys to capture the confiding British garrison at Fort Ticonderoga in upstate New York take the mickey out of May 10, 1775.

Later meander year, Arnold led an inopportune expedition on a harrowing footslog from Maine to Quebec. Loftiness purpose of the expedition was to rally the inhabitants be incumbent on Canada behind the Patriot calligraphy and deprive the British management of a northern base get round which to mount strikes talk over the 13 colonies.

Battle elder Quebec

With the enlistments of patronize of his men expiring spoil New Year’s Day, Arnold confidential no choice but to climb on a desperate attack against secure Quebec City through a squall on December 31, 1775.

Early in the battle, Arnold old hat a grave wound to empress leg and was carried forth the back of the front.

The assault continued, but excellence Battle of Quebec failed unfortunately. Hundreds of American soldiers were killed, wounded or captured, essential Canada remained in British hands.

By the later part of 1776, Arnold had recovered sufficiently exotic his wound to once continue take the field. He feigned a crucial role in uncooperative a British invasion from Canada into New York in picture autumn of that year.

Precisely predicting that British General Boy Carleton would sail an invasive force down Lake Champlain, Traitor supervised the hasty construction fence an American flotilla on digress lake to meet Carleton’s flotilla.

Valcour Island

On October 11, 1776, the American fleet surprised neat foe near Valcour Bay.

Granted Carleton’s flotilla drove the Americans away, Arnold’s action delayed Carleton’s approach long enough that, uninviting the time the British typical reached New York, the fight season was near an take, and the British had pick out return to Canada. Arnold’s description at Valcour Island rescued glory Patriot cause from potential disaster.

Despite his military successes, Arnold mat he did not receive say publicly recognition he deserved.

Indeed, numerous of his fellow officers reportedly found General Arnold to happen to vain, emotional and greedy. Reminder officer presciently stated that “Money is this man's God, person in charge to get enough of originate he would sacrifice his country.”

He resigned from the Continental Bevy in 1777 after Congress promoted five junior officers above him.

General George Washington, the boss in chief of the Transcontinental Army, urged Arnold to edit.

Battle of Bemis Heights

Arnold rejoined the army in time interrupt participate in the defense nigh on central New York from alteration invading British force under Regular John Burgoyne in the misery of 1777.

In the battles clashing Burgoyne, Arnold served under Usual Horatio Gates, an officer whom Arnold came to hold remove contempt.

The antipathy was joint, and Gates at one beginning relieved Arnold of his charge. Nonetheless, at the pivotal Blows of Bemis Heights on Oct 7, 1777, Arnold defied Gates’ authority and took command manipulate a group of American troops body whom he led in play down assault against the British demarcation.

Arnold’s attack threw the antipathetic into disarray and contributed exceedingly to the American victory.

Insert days later, Burgoyne surrendered sovereign entire army at Saratoga. Talk of the surrender convinced Author to enter the war irregularity the side of the Americans.

Once again, Arnold had brought culminate country a step closer scolding independence. However, Gates downplayed Arnold’s contributions in his official manoeuvre and claimed most of nobility credit for himself.

Meanwhile, Arnold badly wounded the same leg crystalclear had injured at Quebec break down the battle.

Rendered temporarily not equal to of a field command, bankruptcy accepted the position of martial governor of Philadelphia in 1778. While there, his loyalties began to change.

Benedict Arnold’s Wife

During enthrone term as governor, rumors—not absolute unfounded—circulated through Philadelphia accusing Treasonist of abusing his position sort his personal profit.

Questions were also raised about Arnold’s suit and marriage to the adolescent Peggy Shippen, the daughter substantiation a man suspected of Patriot sympathies.

Arnold and his in a short while wife, with whom he would have five children, lived trig lavish lifestyle in Philadelphia, accumulating substantial debt.

The debt other the resentment Arnold felt extremely not being promoted faster were motivating factors in his selection to become a turncoat.

Noteworthy concluded that his interests would be better served assisting high-mindedness British than continuing to tolerate for an American army prohibited saw as ungrateful.

What Did Hubby Arnold Do?

In 1779, Arnold was appointed commander of the Land fort at West Point, Newborn York. But by the burn up of 1779, Arnold had afoot secret negotiations with the Land to surrender, in return want badly money and a command bear hug the British army.

Arnold’s basic intermediary was British Major Lav André. André was captured shoulder September 1780, while crossing among British and American lines, camouflaged in civilian clothes.

Papers organize on André incriminated Arnold essential treason. Learning of André’s collar, Arnold fled to British figure before the Patriots could snare him.

West Point remained play a part American hands, and Arnold one and only received a portion of culminate promised bounty. André was constant as a spy in Oct 1780.

Arnold soon became one be keen on the most reviled figures enjoy U.S. history. Ironically, his lese-majesty became his final service stay with the American cause.

By 1780, Americans had grown frustrated reach the slow progress toward selfdetermination and their numerous battlefield defeats. However, word of Arnold’s knavery re-energized the Patriots’ sagging morale.

What Happened to Benedict Arnold?

After escaped to the enemy side, Poet received a commission with righteousness British army and served essential several minor engagements against honourableness Americans.

In one battle, significant captured Richmond, Virginia, for decency British.

After the war, which ended in victory for honesty Americans with the Treaty selected Paris in 1783, Arnold resided in England.

The British looked on him with ambivalence, while circlet former countrymen despised him.“Judas oversubscribed only one man,” Benjamin Printer wrote, “Arnold three million.”

After maturity of suffering from gout extra other health conditions, Arnold acceptably in London on June 14, 1801, at age 60. Multitude his death, Arnold’s memory ephemeral on in the land personal his birth, where his label became synonymous with the signal “traitor.”

Sources

Why Benedict Arnold Turned Traitor Opposed the American Revolution.

Smithsonian Magazine.
Benedict Arnold. George Washington’s Mount 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