1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 1: This Day in History Class is a production of iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:05,720 --> 00:00:10,040 Speaker 1: Hello and welcome to This Day in History Class, a 3 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:14,080 Speaker 1: show that proves there's more than one way to make history. 4 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:18,080 Speaker 1: I'm Gabe Lucier, and in this episode, we're looking at 5 00:00:18,079 --> 00:00:21,279 Speaker 1: the downfall of one of the most reviled figures in 6 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:24,520 Speaker 1: American history and the only man to serve as a 7 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:33,880 Speaker 1: general on both sides of the Revolutionary War. The day 8 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:40,080 Speaker 1: was September twenty first, seventeen eighty. American General Benedict Arnold 9 00:00:40,159 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 1: agreed to betray his country in exchange for twenty thousand 10 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:47,600 Speaker 1: pounds and a high rank in the British Army. Arnold 11 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:51,200 Speaker 1: finalized the deal during a secret meeting with British Major 12 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:54,400 Speaker 1: John Andre, whom he had been in contact with for 13 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:58,600 Speaker 1: over a year. According to the terms, Arnold would facilitate 14 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:02,280 Speaker 1: a British invasion of New York by handing over West Point, 15 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 1: an American fort on the Hudson River which was under 16 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:09,959 Speaker 1: his command. In the end, Arnold's treasonous bargain with the 17 00:01:09,959 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 1: British was never fulfilled, as the plot was uncovered and 18 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:17,319 Speaker 1: foiled by American agents just a few days later, and 19 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:21,120 Speaker 1: although the once respected war hero never stood trial for 20 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:25,360 Speaker 1: his crimes. He was publicly condemned by his former countrymen, 21 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:30,400 Speaker 1: and his name became a synonym for trader. Benedict Arnold 22 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:34,039 Speaker 1: was born into a prominent family in Norwich, Connecticut, on 23 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 1: January fourteenth, seventeen forty one. He enlisted in the New 24 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 1: York Militia twice during the French and Indian War, but 25 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:45,800 Speaker 1: each time he deserted in order to complete an apprenticeship 26 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:49,520 Speaker 1: as an apothecary under his uncle's After the death of 27 00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:52,840 Speaker 1: his parents in the early seventeen sixties, Arnold and his 28 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:56,080 Speaker 1: sister moved to New Haven, Connecticut, where he became one 29 00:01:56,080 --> 00:01:59,520 Speaker 1: of the most successful merchants in New England. When the 30 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:03,800 Speaker 1: American Revolution broke out in seventeen seventy five, Arnold joined 31 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 1: the Continental Army and helped take the fight to the British. 32 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 1: That May, he teamed up with Ethan Allen and the 33 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:14,679 Speaker 1: Green Mountain Boys of Vermont to capture Fort Tykwonderoga. Then 34 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:18,200 Speaker 1: in September, Arnold took part in the American invasion of 35 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 1: Canada on the orders of General George Washington. The attack 36 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 1: on British Quebec failed to secure the regent as a 37 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:29,480 Speaker 1: proposed fourteenth Colony, but Arnold was said to have served bravely, 38 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 1: even after being severely wounded in the leg. He also 39 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:37,440 Speaker 1: distinguished himself as a skillful tactician, and his tenacity on 40 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:41,079 Speaker 1: the battlefield earned him a promotion to brigadier general and 41 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:45,120 Speaker 1: gained him the respect of General Washington. For the next 42 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 1: two years, Arnold continued to serve with distinction, but frequently 43 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:54,200 Speaker 1: found himself at odds with his superiors. General Horatio Gates, 44 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 1: for example, thought Arnold was a loose cannon who disobeyed 45 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 1: orders and took too many chances on the battlefield. That 46 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 1: bad rap led to Arnold being passed over for multiple promotions, 47 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 1: making him increasingly resentful of the military he'd served so well. Finally, 48 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 1: in October of seventeen seventy seven, Arnold scored a minor 49 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:19,600 Speaker 1: victory by capturing a British stronghold against the orders of 50 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:24,799 Speaker 1: General Gates. Although Gates was furious, Congress and General Washington 51 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:28,400 Speaker 1: were grateful for the win and promoted Arnold to major general. 52 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:31,680 Speaker 1: They also sent him to Philadelphia to serve as a 53 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 1: military governor while recovering from another leg injury he'd sustained 54 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:40,920 Speaker 1: in battle two years into his sojourn in Philadelphia, Arnold 55 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:44,840 Speaker 1: married a young woman with loyalist sympathies named Peggy Shippin. 56 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 1: They went on to have four sons together and racked 57 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 1: up a great deal of debt thanks to their lavish lifestyle. 58 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:55,560 Speaker 1: But the real danger in their union stemmed from Shippin's 59 00:03:55,600 --> 00:03:59,280 Speaker 1: political beliefs, as she eventually put Arnold in contact with 60 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 1: a very brick British officers he would later side with. 61 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:06,160 Speaker 1: Of course, the final decision to change sides was Arnold's 62 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 1: alone to make, and historians have spent centuries speculating on 63 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:14,080 Speaker 1: why exactly he did it. His simmering resentment toward the 64 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 1: military was almost certainly a contributing factor, as was his 65 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:22,240 Speaker 1: mounting debt in Philadelphia. It's worth noting, though, that in 66 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:27,040 Speaker 1: later years, Arnold defended his conduct as justified, claiming that 67 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:30,160 Speaker 1: the revolution had lost its way and that his actions 68 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:32,720 Speaker 1: were meant to bring an end to a protracted war 69 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:36,880 Speaker 1: in order to prevent further bloodshed. Whatever the truth of 70 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:41,400 Speaker 1: his motives, Benedict Arnold began corresponding with British commanders in 71 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:45,640 Speaker 1: New York in seventeen ninety nine. He communicated and coded 72 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:50,280 Speaker 1: messages written in invisible ink. The messages were interspersed between 73 00:04:50,279 --> 00:04:53,200 Speaker 1: lines of text written by his wife and then passed 74 00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:57,720 Speaker 1: along to the recipients through women's circles. In seventeen eighty, 75 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:00,839 Speaker 1: once the lines of communication had been w well established, 76 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:03,960 Speaker 1: Arnold requested to be placed in command of the fort 77 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:07,240 Speaker 1: at West Point, right along the Hudson River in New York. 78 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 1: His biggest supporter, George Washington, granted the request, and in 79 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 1: the months that followed, Arnold began preparing the way for 80 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:20,080 Speaker 1: his new British allies. He purposely weakened West Points defenses 81 00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:23,000 Speaker 1: and those of other forts in the area by delaying 82 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:27,360 Speaker 1: repairs and burning through supplies as quickly as possible. Then, 83 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:30,359 Speaker 1: once it was good and vulnerable, he offered to hand 84 00:05:30,400 --> 00:05:33,440 Speaker 1: over both the fort and his own men to the British. 85 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:37,720 Speaker 1: The deal was brokered by British Major John Andre, one 86 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:40,599 Speaker 1: of Arnold's secret pen pals and a top aide to 87 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:44,080 Speaker 1: Sir Henry Clinton, the head of the British forces. In 88 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:47,599 Speaker 1: early September, Arnold requested a face to face meeting with 89 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:50,680 Speaker 1: Andre to finalize their plan and to work out the 90 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 1: details of his reward. So on September twenty first, the 91 00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 1: two conspirators met up at the home of Joshua Hett Smith, 92 00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:01,720 Speaker 1: a Loyalist associate who had spied for both sides during 93 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:06,120 Speaker 1: the war. Smith's house was located about fifteen miles south 94 00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:09,120 Speaker 1: of the Ford at West Point. And Andrea arrived there 95 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:12,680 Speaker 1: by sailing up the Hudson River aboard the HMS Vulture. 96 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:17,839 Speaker 1: During the rendezvous, Arnold pledged to surrender the American stronghold 97 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:21,080 Speaker 1: at West Point in return for twenty thousand pounds and 98 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:24,160 Speaker 1: a commission as a brigadier general in the British Army. 99 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 1: Andrea accepted his terms, believing that the capture of West 100 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:31,760 Speaker 1: Point would give their military control of the Hudson Valley, 101 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 1: a strategically vital point that the American rebels couldn't afford 102 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:39,919 Speaker 1: to lose. Luckily for Americans, they never got the chance 103 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:43,120 Speaker 1: to put their plan into action, as the HMS Vulture 104 00:06:43,279 --> 00:06:47,640 Speaker 1: was discovered and fired upon the following morning. Major Andre 105 00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:50,760 Speaker 1: was forced to don a civilian disguise and make his 106 00:06:50,839 --> 00:06:53,719 Speaker 1: way back to the British lines on foot, but along 107 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:57,240 Speaker 1: the way he was stopped by three American militiamen who 108 00:06:57,279 --> 00:07:00,520 Speaker 1: saw through his ruse right away. He was taken into 109 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:04,640 Speaker 1: custody near Terrytown on September twenty third, and the papers 110 00:07:04,720 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 1: detailing his arrangement with Arnold were quickly discovered stashed in 111 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 1: his shoes. Arnold learned of the major's arrest the next morning, 112 00:07:13,280 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 1: right before he was supposed to have breakfast with General Washington. 113 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:19,760 Speaker 1: With no time to spare, he managed to escape New 114 00:07:19,880 --> 00:07:22,920 Speaker 1: York by boarding the same warship that had carried Andre 115 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:26,960 Speaker 1: up the Hudson River. Later that day, Arnold wrote to 116 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:30,640 Speaker 1: General Washington, begging him to insure the safety of his wife. 117 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:34,560 Speaker 1: I have no favor to ask for myself, Arnold wrote, 118 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 1: I have too often experienced the ingratitude of my country 119 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:41,800 Speaker 1: to attempt it. But from the known humanity of your excellence, 120 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:45,000 Speaker 1: I am induced to ask your protection for missus Arnold 121 00:07:45,120 --> 00:07:48,560 Speaker 1: from every insult and injury that the mistaken vengeance of 122 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 1: my country may expose her to. It ought to fall 123 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:55,480 Speaker 1: only on me. She is as good and as innocent 124 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:59,760 Speaker 1: as an angel, and is incapable of doing wrong. When 125 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:03,880 Speaker 1: Washington discovered Arnold's treachery a few hours later, he offered 126 00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:07,360 Speaker 1: to trade Andre for Arnold, but when Sir Henry Clinton 127 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:10,160 Speaker 1: refused to turn him over he had the British spy 128 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:15,520 Speaker 1: hung instead. Washington did, however, grant Arnold's request to show 129 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:18,760 Speaker 1: his wife mercy. At that point, there was no evidence 130 00:08:18,760 --> 00:08:21,360 Speaker 1: that she had played a role in Arnold's scheme, so 131 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:24,440 Speaker 1: Washington provided an escort for her back to her family 132 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:28,560 Speaker 1: home in Philadelphia. Of course, once the residence there got 133 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:31,040 Speaker 1: wind of what had happened, they shamed her out of 134 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:34,280 Speaker 1: the city, forcing her to flee to her disgraced husband 135 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:38,920 Speaker 1: behind British lines. As for Benedict Arnold, he served as 136 00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:41,880 Speaker 1: a brigadier general in the British Army for the remainder 137 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:45,560 Speaker 1: of the Revolutionary War. He led his new troops on 138 00:08:45,720 --> 00:08:49,319 Speaker 1: raids in Virginia and Connecticut, but the war didn't play 139 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:53,400 Speaker 1: out the way he'd expected. In October of seventeen eighty one, 140 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:57,400 Speaker 1: the British Army surrendered at Yorktown, and the Arnolds, now 141 00:08:57,480 --> 00:09:00,560 Speaker 1: shunned by their former countrymen, had no ChIL but to 142 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:03,760 Speaker 1: move to England. They turned out to be hated there 143 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:06,760 Speaker 1: as well, as many of the British blamed Arnold for 144 00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:10,640 Speaker 1: the death of Major Andre. To make matters worse, Arnold 145 00:09:10,679 --> 00:09:13,839 Speaker 1: never received his full reward from the British Army, as 146 00:09:13,880 --> 00:09:18,040 Speaker 1: he had never actually delivered West Point. Instead, he received 147 00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:21,800 Speaker 1: only five thousand pounds for his acts, a sum which 148 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:26,839 Speaker 1: Ben Franklin described as quote a miserable bargain, especially when 149 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:30,200 Speaker 1: one considers the quantity of infamy he has acquired to 150 00:09:30,280 --> 00:09:35,280 Speaker 1: himself and entailed on his family. Benedict Arnold died in 151 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 1: London on June fourteenth, eighteen oh one, at the age 152 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:43,000 Speaker 1: of sixty. He maintained until his death that he wasn't 153 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:46,160 Speaker 1: a mercenary or a traitor, and that his actions were 154 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:50,280 Speaker 1: only ever in the interest of saving America from certain destruction. 155 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:54,000 Speaker 1: But at the end of the day, Arnold's motives didn't 156 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:57,040 Speaker 1: really matter. He had backed the losing side in the 157 00:09:57,040 --> 00:10:01,240 Speaker 1: Revolutionary War, and his legacy would be forever bound and 158 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:07,480 Speaker 1: blighted by that decision. I'm Gabe Lucia, and hopefully you 159 00:10:07,559 --> 00:10:10,560 Speaker 1: now know a little more about history today than you 160 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:14,280 Speaker 1: did yesterday. If you have a second and you're so inclined, 161 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:18,120 Speaker 1: consider keeping up with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. 162 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 1: You can find us at TDI HC Show. You can 163 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:26,000 Speaker 1: also rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, or 164 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:29,040 Speaker 1: you can write to me directly at this day at 165 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:33,600 Speaker 1: iHeartMedia dot Com. Thanks to Chandler Mays for producing the show, 166 00:10:33,840 --> 00:10:36,480 Speaker 1: and thanks to you for listening. I'll see you back 167 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:50,920 Speaker 1: here again tomorrow for another day in history class.