Treason has become a talking point on both sides of the aisle. Now, however, everyone does. Nearly years after he defected to the British, Major-General Benedict Arnold remains among the most vilified figures in American history.
Ever since Sept. What would he think of his name once again making news? We can only guess. And if the testimony of this most notorious American turncoat is any indication, treason — and the motivations behind it — can be far less clear than the public may wish to believe, and history to remember.
Not that the definition of treason is complicated. Yet if Arnold had been executed for that crime — in reality, he escaped to the British in New York — some of those who witnessed him swing would surely have felt mixed emotions.
Two episodes stand out. In , when a British army was poised to advance south from Canada, Arnold assembled a fleet on Lake Champlain that forced the enemy to halt and construct warships of their own. By helping to rebuff a British advance along the Mohawk Valley, he clipped one wing of the invading army.
That outcome convinced the French to enter the war against Britain, vastly improving the prospects for American independence. Badly wounded, Arnold was appointed military governor of Philadelphia. But — ironically, considering his own role in bringing the French over to the Patriot side — he soon became convinced that British peace commissioners offered his countrymen a better option than alliance with their traditional enemy. In May , Arnold opened negotiations with the redcoats in New York.
Like George Washington and other supporters of American independence, when he first took up arms against his legitimate sovereign King George III, he became a rebel, guilty of high treason under English law dating back to Arnold fled to the enemy side and went on to lead British troops in Virginia and Connecticut.
The former American hero and patriot died in London, in relative obscurity, on June 14, But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Despite a gaffe by kicker Garo Yepremian that has earned its own place in history, the Dolphins hold on to beat Washington, , in Super Bowl VII, capping a season.
On January 14, , President Franklin D. Roosevelt issues Presidential Proclamation No. Registered persons were then issued a Certificate The son and grandson of ministers, Schweitzer studied theology and philosophy at the universities of Strasbourg, Sign up now to learn about This Day in History straight from your inbox. On January 14, , Franklin D. Charged with corruption during his military command of Philadelphia and facing a court-martial, Arnold, through his wife, contacted the British command with an offer to turn the strategically valuable Hudson River defenses at West Point over to the British in return for money and designation as an officer in the British army.
Arnold, Sept. He arrived there on August 5, , and proceeded to weaken the garrison while feeding vital logistical information to the British. Before word of the treason reached George Washington who was on his way to visit Arnold at West Point , Arnold managed to escape to the British warship Vulture and begin his new life as a brigadier general in the British army.
After joining the British army, Arnold saw limited action, mostly leading raids along the Virginia and Connecticut coasts. He returned to North America in , seeking to establish a business in New Brunswick. His wife and children joined him in , but a fire the following year destroyed his business. The family returned to England in Arnold spent his remaining years living on a modest pension and repeatedly petitioning the British government for additional funds and military appointments.
He died in relative obscurity in London on June 14, By Gregg Mangan Benedict Arnold , despite the extraordinary efforts and sacrifices he made on behalf of American independence, is probably known best for being a traitor.
National Archives. Martin, James Kirby. Wilson, Barry. Arnold, Isaac Newton. Brandt, Clare. Flexner, James Thomas.
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