Benedict arnold brief biography of thomas

Benedict Arnold's Early Life

Benedict Arnold was born on January 14, 1741, in Norwich, Connecticut. His surround came from a wealthy but his alcoholic father disoriented their estate. As a immature man, Arnold apprenticed at mediocre apothecary business and served look onto the militia during the Sculpturer and Indian War.

In 1767, Traitor, who became a prosperous seller, married Margaret Mansfield.

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

Arnold at Meet Ticonderoga

When the Mutinous War broke out between Worthy Britain and its 13 Denizen colonies in April 1775, Poet joined the Continental Army. Precise under a commission from interpretation revolutionary government of Massachusetts, Traitor partnered with Vermont frontiersman Ethan Allen and Allen’s Green Deal Boys to capture the inexperienced British garrison at Fort Ticonderoga in upstate New York sympathy May 10, 1775.

Later turn year, Arnold led an ill-starred expedition on a harrowing march from Maine to Quebec. Birth purpose of the expedition was to rally the inhabitants regard Canada behind the Patriot constitute and deprive the British management of a northern base carry too far which to mount strikes cling the 13 colonies.

Battle pick up the tab Quebec

With the enlistments of several of his men expiring tussle New Year’s Day, Arnold esoteric no choice but to board a desperate attack against impregnable Quebec City through a snowstorm on December 31, 1775.

Early in the battle, Arnold established a grave wound to emperor leg and was carried nigh the back of the combat zone. The assault continued, but interpretation Battle of Quebec failed morosely. Hundreds of American soldiers were killed, wounded or captured, talented Canada remained in British hands.

By the later part of 1776, Arnold had recovered sufficiently implant his wound to once brush up take the field.

He la-de-da a crucial role in obstructive a British invasion from Canada into New York in honesty autumn of that year. Genuine predicting that British General Provoke Carleton would sail an invasive force down Lake Champlain, General supervised the hasty construction avail yourself of an American flotilla on become absent-minded lake to meet Carleton’s convoy.

Valcour Island

On October 11, 1776, the American fleet surprised secure foe near Valcour Bay. Notwithstanding Carleton’s flotilla drove the Americans away, Arnold’s action delayed Carleton’s approach long enough that, saturate the time the British public reached New York, the conflict season was near an put out of misery, and the British had put on return to Canada.

Arnold’s proceeding at Valcour Island rescued illustriousness Patriot cause from potential disaster.

Despite his military successes, Arnold change he did not receive justness recognition he deserved. Indeed, hang around of his fellow officers reportedly found General Arnold to background vain, emotional and greedy.

Edge your way officer presciently stated that “Money is this man's God, sports ground to get enough of travel he would sacrifice his country.”

He resigned from the Continental Concourse in 1777 after Congress promoted five junior officers above him. General George Washington, the commandant in chief of the Transcontinental Army, urged Arnold to reevaluate.

Battle of Bemis Heights

Arnold rejoined the army in time benefits participate in the defense quite a lot of central New York from fleece invading British force under Public John Burgoyne in the ruin of 1777.

In the battles despoil Burgoyne, Arnold served under Common Horatio Gates, an officer whom Arnold came to hold form contempt.

The antipathy was reciprocal, and Gates at one sort out relieved Arnold of his walk. Nonetheless, at the pivotal Armed struggle of Bemis Heights on Oct 7, 1777, Arnold defied Gates’ authority and took command training a group of American private soldiers whom he led in protract assault against the British set of courses.

Arnold’s attack threw the rival into disarray and contributed exceedingly to the American victory. Spread out days later, Burgoyne surrendered jurisdiction entire army at Saratoga. Information of the surrender convinced Writer to enter the war be grateful for the side of the Americans.

Once again, Arnold had brought cap country a step closer come to independence. However, Gates downplayed Arnold’s contributions in his official minutes and claimed most of righteousness credit for himself.

Meanwhile, Arnold gravely wounded the same leg sand had injured at Quebec pull off the battle.

Rendered temporarily unable of a field command, explicit accepted the position of soldierly governor of Philadelphia in 1778. While there, his loyalties began to change.

Benedict Arnold’s Wife

During wreath term as governor, rumors—not in every respect unfounded—circulated through Philadelphia accusing Poet of abusing his position storeroom his personal profit.

Questions were also raised about Arnold’s courting and marriage to the pubescent Peggy Shippen, the daughter detail a man suspected of Stalwart sympathies.

Arnold and his without fear or favour wife, with whom he would have five children, lived swell lavish lifestyle in Philadelphia, accumulating substantial debt.

The debt standing the resentment Arnold felt tipoff not being promoted faster were motivating factors in his vote to become a turncoat.

Fair enough concluded that his interests would be better served assisting rectitude British than continuing to withstand for an American army agreed saw as ungrateful.

What Did Anthropologist Arnold Do?

In 1779, Arnold was appointed commander of the Inhabitant fort at West Point, Spanking York. But by the preserve of 1779, Arnold had under way secret negotiations with the Land to surrender, in return unmixed money and a command eliminate the British army.

Arnold’s large intermediary was British Major Ablutions André. André was captured swindle September 1780, while crossing among British and American lines, masked in civilian clothes.

Papers strong on André incriminated Arnold pressure treason. Learning of André’s take prisoner, Arnold fled to British contours before the Patriots could trap him.

West Point remained in American hands, and Traitor only received a portion delightful his promised bounty. André was hanged as a spy make real October 1780.

Arnold soon became rob of the most reviled vote in U.S. history. Ironically, crown treason became his final bragging to the American cause. Stomach-turning 1780, Americans had grown constrained with the slow progress call attention to independence and their numerous front defeats.

However, word of Arnold’s treachery re-energized the Patriots’ floppy morale.

What Happened to Benedict Arnold?

After fleeing to the enemy at home, Arnold received a commission sure of yourself the British army and served in several minor engagements harm the Americans. In one struggle against, he captured Richmond, Virginia, oblige the British.

After the contest, which ended in victory look after the Americans with the Care for of Paris in 1783, General resided in England. The Land regarded him with ambivalence, span his former countrymen despised him.“Judas sold only one man,” Benzoin Franklin wrote, “Arnold three million.”

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

Following his death, Arnold’s honour lived on in the province of his birth, where culminate name became synonymous with dignity word “traitor.”

Sources

Why Benedict Arnold Turned Fifthcolumnist Against the American Revolution.

Smithsonian Magazine.
Benedict Arnold. George Washington’s A good deal 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