Benedict Arnold was arguably the most gifted officer in the Continental Army.
Known for his passion, bravery, and leadership skills, he was adored by his men.
However his name, instead of being shrouded in glory, is synonymous with the word traitor.
How did this happen?
When the Revolution began, Arnold volunteered to lead an attack on the British stronghold
at Ticonderoga.
Quick tempered and strong willed, Arnold argued with other officers over command of the mission.
After the capture of the fort, the standoff escalated to physical violence.
Arnold resigned after the incident, and his counterparts greatly diminished his role in
the campaign when they submitted their official reports to Congress.
When the plan to invade Canada came to fruition, George Washington insisted that Arnold take
part in it.
Although Arnold was wounded and the campaign was unsuccessful, Washington promoted him
to brigadier general for his efforts.
However, Arnold was accused of plundering and selling supplies.
Although his name was cleared, his reputation and ego suffered.
He was then given a near impossible task: to defend Lake Champlain from attack.
To slow the British advance, his men built a fleet of 15 small ships.
While the actions kept an entire British force bottled up for a year (likely saving Washington's
army), those in Continental Congress blamed Arnold for "destroying the American Navy"
after the ships were purposely sunk to avoid capture.
Arnold spent the remainder of his American career defending himself.
He was passed up for promotions while others with far less military merit were promoted
over him.
Washington defended Arnold and recommended him for advancement, but Arnold's temper and
pride did him no favors.
The Battle of Saratoga likely pushed Arnold over the edge.
Placed under Horatio Gates' command, Arnold found himself at odds with the commander.
Gates, while never coming within a mile of the fighting, held Arnold back and refused
reinforcements.
After a bitter argument, Gates confined Arnold to his tent.
Defying Gates' orders, Arnold seized a horse and rallied the Americans to victory while
being severely wounded in the process.
Ten days later, Gates accepted the surrender of the British Army and credit for the victory.
Crippled and angry, Arnold was sent to Philadelphia where he met and married Peggy Shippen, a
young woman with Loyalist ties.
After the wedding, Arnold began using government supplies for his own needs.
Court martial charges were filed.
As the trial approached, the British offered Arnold 10,000 pounds and a military commission
for the surrender of a Continental fort at West Point.
When Arnold recovered, Washington offered him command of the left wing of the Continental
Army.
Using his crippled leg as an excuse, Arnold requested command of West Point instead.
There, in September of 1781, soldiers stopped a rider in civilian clothes near the Hudson
River.
The man acted strangely and a search revealed papers with vital information on the outpost,
along with a pass allowing the man, Jean Andre, behind the American lines.
The pass was signed by Benedict Arnold.
Washington, who was visiting West Point at the time, rode to Arnold's headquarters with
the papers in hand to confront him, but Arnold had already boarded a British ship, fittingly
named the Vulture, and sailed away to join the British.
Arnold became an officer in the British Army, but they never fully trusted him.
He died a broken man in London.
There is a monument on the battlefield at Saratoga honoring the brave hero who led American
troops to victory there.
It reads, "In memory of the most brilliant soldier of the Continental Army."
It has no name on it.