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Benedict Arnold Facts

Benedict Arnold Facts
Benedict Arnold was an American military general that served during the Revolutionary War who is best known for defecting from the American Continental Army to the British in 1780. He was born January 14, 1741, to Hannah Waterman King and Benedict Arnold in Norwich, Connecticut Colony. He had five siblings but only he and his sister Hannah survived to adulthood; the rest died due to yellow fever. Benedict's father's alcoholism became worse after his wife died in 1759 and young Benedict was forced to support his sister and father, who later died, in 1761. At the age of 16 Benedict enlisted in the Connecticut militia, in which he served for 13 days. In 1762 Benedict had established himself as a bookseller and pharmacist.
Interesting Benedict Arnold Facts:
The Stamp Act of 1765 negatively affected trade in the colonies and Benedict began to become involved in the Sons of Liberty to oppose unpopular government acts.
Because of the Stamp Act Benedict's trade was considered smuggling and he was deeply in debt.
In 1767 Benedict and some other men roughed up a man that was going to tell the authorities about his business dealings, and he was fined.
In 1767 Benedict married Margaret Mansfield, the daughter of a sheriff in New Haven.
Benedict and Margaret had three boys before she died in 1775, while Benedict was at Fort Ticonderoga.
The Boston Massacre took place on March 5, 1770 but Benedict was in the West Indies at the time.
In 1775 Benedict was serving as a colonel in the Continental Army when they attacked Quebec City on New Year's Eve. Benedict was promoted to brigadier general after his leg was shattered.
In 1777 Benedict Arnold was passed over for a promotion that would have made him a major general. He tried to resign but George Washington wouldn't allow it.
Benedict was wounded again after trying to slow the British return to the coast and then returned to Congress to discuss his rank. He was promoted to major general.
Benedict's new promotion did not restore his seniority over those who had been promoted before him and he tried to resign again, unsuccessfully.
Benedict was wounded again and had to have part of his leg amputated. He returned to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania in May of 1778 and participated in the first recorded Oath of Allegiance.
In 1778 Benedict was appointed as military governor of Philadelphia.
Benedict married the daughter of a Loyalist sympathizer in 1779, named Peggy Shippen.
Benedict was court-martialed twice in 1779 because of business dealings. He was cleared.
Some blamed Benedict's treason to be the result of marrying Peggy. Regardless of who was to blame, he later defected to the British Army, in 1780.
In 1780, Washington granted Benedict control of West Point. Benedict offered its surrender a month later for what would equal $4.7 million today.
Benedict was made a brigadier general in the British Army in 1781, and he later attacked his home colony.
After the war Benedict moved to London but the British did not trust him either.
Benedict died on June 14, 1801, and was buried in London, England.


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