Benedict Arnold Gives the British Plans to West Point 🧵 1/ On this day in 1780, Benedict Arnold, the American general turned traitor, met with British Major John André near Haverstraw, New York, to hand over detailed plans for the strategic fortress at West Point, aiming to
2/ Benedict Arnold was born on January 14, 1741, in Norwich, Connecticut, into a prosperous family that fell into poverty after his father’s alcoholism and business failures. Orphaned young, Arnold apprenticed as an apothecary, built a successful trading business, and became a
3/ Arnold’s betrayal stemmed from a mix of personal grievances and ideological shifts: Deep in debt from lavish living and failed ventures, he resented Congress for passing him over for promotions (e.g., junior officers advanced ahead), court-martial charges (though acquitted),
4/ The plot exposed on September 23, 1780, when André was captured with the plans in his boot, Arnold fled to British lines aboard HMS Vulture, abandoning Peggy and their child. Washington, devastated by his trusted general’s treason, ordered his arrest, but Arnold escaped. The
5/ In British service, Arnold received a £6,315 payment (less than negotiated due to the plot’s failure) and a brigadier general commission. He led raids against Virginia in 1781, burning Richmond and tobacco warehouses, and later attacked New London, Connecticut—his home
6/ After the war, Arnold settled in England in 1782 with Peggy and their children, but faced social ostracism—snubbed by elites and denied full military honors. He tried merchant ventures in New Brunswick, Canada (1785-1791), but scandals and lawsuits forced his return to London.
7/ Arnold’s legacy is one of infamy: Once a hero, his name evokes betrayal in American lore, with effigies burned and his monuments omitting his name. Yet some historians note his early contributions and argue personal slights drove him—though treason remains unforgivable. No
