Gen. Benedict ARNOLD, V

1741 - 1801  (60 years)

• Name	Benedict ARNOLD
  Title	Gen.
  Suffix	V
  Born	14 Jan 1741	Norwich, New London County, CT
  Gender	Male
  Died	14 Jun 1801	London, England
  Probate	18 Jul 1801	Prerogative Court of Canterbury, London, England
  Buried	St. Mary Churchyard, Battersea, Greater London, England
  Notes	(1) "Benedict Arnold," Encyclopædia Britannica, 2010, ??2010 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.: Benedict Arnold, (b. January 14, 1741, Norwich, Connecticut [U.S.] - d. June 14, 1801, London, England), patriot officer who served the cause of the American Revolution until 1779, when he shifted his allegiance to the British; thereafter his name became an epithet for traitor in the United States. Upon the outbreak of hostilities at Lexington, Massachusetts (April 1775), Arnold volunteered for service and participated with Ethan Allen in the successful colonial attack on British-held Fort Ticonderoga, New York, the following month. That autumn he was appointed by General George Washington to command an expedition to capture Quebec. He marched with 700 men by way of the Maine wilderness, a remarkable feat of woodsmanship and endurance, and, reinforced by General Richard Montgomery, attacked the well-fortified city. The combined assault (December 31, 1775) failed, Montgomery was killed, and Arnold was severely wounded. Promoted to the rank of brigadier general, Arnold constructed a flotilla on Lake Champlain and inflicted severe losses on a greatly superior enemy fleet near Valcour Island, New York (October 11, 1776). He returned a hero, but his rash courage and impatient energy had aroused the enmity of several officers. When in February 1777 Congress created five new major generalships, Arnold was passed over in favour of his juniors. Arnold resented this affront, and only Washington???s personal persuasion kept him from resigning. Two months later he repelled a British attack on Danbury, Connecticut, and was made a major general, but his seniority was not restored and Arnold felt his honour impugned. Again he tried to resign, but in July he accepted a government order to help stem the British advance into upper New York. He won a victory at Fort Stanwix (now Rome) in August 1777 and commanded advance battalions at the Battle of Saratoga that autumn, fighting brilliantly until seriously wounded. For his services he was restored to his proper relative rank. Crippled from his wounds, Arnold was placed in command of Philadelphia (June 1778), where he socialized with families of loyalist sympathies and lived extravagantly. To raise money, he violated several state and military regulations, arousing the suspicions and, finally, the denunciations of Pennsylvania???s supreme executive council. These charges were then referred to Congress, and Arnold asked for an immediate court-martial to clear himself. Meanwhile, in April 1779, Arnold married Margaret (Peggy) Shippen, a young woman of loyalist sympathies. Early in May he made secret overtures to British headquarters, and a year later he informed the British of a proposed American invasion of Canada. He later revealed that he expected to obtain the command of West Point, New York, and asked the British for ??20,000 for betraying this post. When his British contact, Major John Andr??, was captured by the Americans, Arnold escaped on a British ship, leaving Andr?? to be hanged as a spy. The sacrifice of Andr?? made Arnold odious to loyalists, and his reputation was further tarnished among his former neighbours when he led a raid on New London, Connecticut, in September 1781. At the end of 1781 Arnold went to England, where he remained, inactive, ostracized, and ailing, for the rest of his life. (2) http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk: Description: Will of Benedict Arnold, Brigadier General of City of London Date [proved]:18 July 1801 Catalogue reference: PROB 11/1360 Dept: Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury Series: Prerogative Court of Canterbury and related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers Piece: Name of Register: Abercrombie Quire Numbers: 438 - 491 Image contains 1 will of many for the catalogue reference (3) www.findagrave.com: Benedict Arnold [V] Birth: Jan. 14, 1741, Norwich, New London County, Connecticut, USA Death: Jun. 14, 1801, London, Greater London, England Revolutionary War Continental Major General, Reknown Traitor. The son of Benedict Arnold and Hannah Waterman King, Benedict Jr was schooled in Canterbury, Connecticut. Financial problems at home forced his return to Connecticut, and eventually he established an Apothecary business after serving an apprenticeship with his cousins, Daniel and Joshua Lathrop. He established an Apothecary in New Haven, Connecticut, with his sister, Hannah. In 1767, he married Margaret Mansfield, and together they had 3 sons; she died in 1775. In 1775, he was a Captain in the Governor's Second Company of Guards, and he immediately took them to capture Fort Ticonderoga. His small unit met up with Colonel Ethan Allen and joined forces to capture Fort Ticonderoga. Initially, he billed the Continental Congress for his expenses, and it took nearly 2 years to pay him. In the meantime, George Washington had promoted him to Colonel, and he was given command of an expedition to sieze Canada from British control. This expedition failed at Montreal, however, Arnold's superior leadership was noted. Despite the failure of the Canada Expedition, Washington had Arnold promoted to Brigadier General. His hot temper caused many arguments with fellow officers, and even though he routed the British Army at Danbury, CT, winning promotion to Major General, his disenchantment with the American Revolution was growing. In 1777, he sided with General Schuyler in a dispute between Schuyler and General Horatio Gates. Two months later, at the American victory at Saratoga, General Gates ignored Arnold's accomplishments to help win the victory. Arnold broke his leg at Freeman's Farm during the battle, and Gates' intense dislike of him almost caused him to resign. Washington had him recalled, to be with him at Valley Forge, and when Philadelphia was recaptured, Arnold was named Commandant of the city. While in Philadelphia, Arnold met and married Peggy Shippen, a young 19 year old Loyalist; they later had 5 children. She put her husband in contact with Major John Andre, chief of intelligence for British General Henry Clinton. In correspondence, Arnold offered Clinton the strategic fort of West Point, along with 20,000 American soldiers, in exchange for a British commission and 10,000 pounds. When Major John Andre was captured and this was reported to Arnold, he realized that his treason would soon be discovered, and he immediately defected to the British. The British gave Arnold the 10,000 pounds, a commission as a Brigadier General, a pension when he retired, and land in Canada. Even though Arnold served the British Army well, they never trusted him. After the war, he moved to London, but could find no job. He entered the shipping business in Canada, but the Tories there disliked him, so he returned to London, where he died in 1801, virtually unknown, and penniless. (bio by: Kit and Morgan Benson) Family links: Parents: Benedict Arnold [III] (1683 - 1761), Hannah Waterman Arnold (1708 - 1759); Children: James Robertson Arnold (____ - 1854), Richard Arnold, Benedict Arnold (1768 - 1795), Henry Arnold (1772 - 1826), Edward Shippen Arnold (1780 - 1813), Sophia Matilda Arnold Phipps (1785 - 1828), George Arnold (1787 - 1828), William Fitch Arnold (1794 - ____); Spouses: Margaret Mansfield Arnold (1745 - 1775), Margaret Shippen Arnold (1760 - 1804). Burial: St Mary Churchyard, Battersea, Greater London, England Plot: Crypt in the Basement Maintained by: Find A Grave Record added: Sep 21, 1998 Find A Grave Memorial# 3595
  Person ID	I24023	Frost, Gilchrist and Related Families
  Last Modified	5 Aug 2021

  
  

  Father	Capt. Benedict ARNOLD, III,   b. 28 Aug 1683, Newport, Newport County, RI ,   d. 1761, Norwich, New London County, CT  (Age 77 years)
  Mother	Hannah WATERMAN,   b. 28 Sep 1708, Norwich, New London County, CT ,   d. 15 Aug 1759, Norwich, New London County, CT  (Age 50 years)
  Family ID	F10595	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 1	Margaret SHIPPEN,   b. 11 Jul 1760, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA ,   d. 24 Aug 1804, London, England  (Age 44 years)
  Married	Apr 1779
  Last Modified	5 Aug 2021
  Family ID	F10594	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 2	Margaret MANSFIELD,   b. 24 Apr 1745, New Haven, New Haven County, CT ,   d. 19 Jun 1775  (Age 30 years)
  Last Modified	5 Aug 2021
  Family ID	F10597	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

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  Benedict ARNOLD, V