Arnold defected before America was ordained by the constitution as the USA, therefore technically he thought it best not to fight on the side of the anarchic revolutionists but instead remain British. Ironically, just like OJ, whose wife was still alive talking by phone to her mother as Simpson departed for LAX, exonerating information known to the courts and the LAPD but hidden from the jury and the public, Arnold goes down as the paramount traitor.

Arnold was a brilliant soldier but he had no moral compass. He fought ferociously on both sides, and his main remorse is that he ended his life as a loser. It's unfortunate about the unfair criticism that he received from Gates and others, but other American generals (Greene, Morgan, even Washington) were also subjected to this and did not betray their cause. When Arnold died in 1801 he knew that he could have been a widely-admired hero if he hadn't been a selfish traitor.

To Elizabeth 032512 posting: I believe that I too am related to Benedict Arnold. My Great-Great Grandfather was Colonel Henry J. Arnold of Virginia. Benedict had a son by his first marriage named Henry J. Arnold died 1826 but reputed to have moved to Virginia. I believe my Henry J. Arnold was his son, making me the Great-Great-Great-Great Grandson of Benedict Arnold. Unfortunately my search ends with Henry J. moving from Virginia, marrying and then moving his family and my Great Grandfather, a decorated twice wounded Confederate Calvary Soldier to Missouri... Can we collaborate on our connection with Benedict? Thank you, Don Arnold

Interesting story. Benedict Arnold is one of my ancestors and I've always preferred to focus on the positives in his work. I grew up in Vermont, where Arnold's battles on Lake Champlain are highlighted by the maritime museum and his diary entries are the reason one ship has been replicated. It's interesting that some call Stanley's perspective "revisionist history" as so much of what our children learn in school is already revisionist history.

One thing leads to another. North America is an open, fresh chessboard which is still being played by Freemasons.

The story of the 'Tories' in London is an interesting one that needs more exploration. Are there actually 'Tory Tours'?

Interesting. A number of dissatisfied British subjects (Washington, Adams, Franklin, Hancock etc) commit treason and start open war against their government, and Arnold, who actually betrayed all sides, is the only one known as a traitor.

If anyone should be spat upon, it would be the idiots in Congress, & jealous fellow Officers & officials, who drove Arnold mad with their lack of support or recognition. We should have or could have recognized Arnold as America's greatest military hero and most tragic figure. He gave his all and was backstabbed constantly by his fellow countrymen. A tragedy.

Hello friends. Please read this carefully. Benedict Arnold did not betray America, Congress betrayed England. Congress was afraid of arrest for treason. Benedict Arnold loved his country. The problem for England was the 3,000 miles from her American children across the Atlantic Ocean. After great sums of money to remove the French and Indian threat, England needed help with expenses. But some Americans felt they could govern themselves and rebelled against requests (taxes). Congress was formed and was what the French needed to revenge the loss of North America to England. England ordered American weapons secured,causing unexpected battles at Lexington and Concord. Benedict Arnold was promoted by Massachusetts, not Congress on the way to Philadelphia for only its second meeting. England could not recruit people to fight American relatives, and hired Germans, and offered freedom to American slaves. There was no United States and Congress had no money or army. England could have closed every seaport. France, with spies in America and England's Parliament, knew that would never happen. Benedict Arnold used his fortune to create an army and navy. He constantly prevented the success of England's forces, and France secretly shipped weapons to Congress and built West Point. The first fort was 'Fort Arnold'. England's commanders had American wives, children, mistresses, and were interested in love not the rebellion, thinking it would end with peace negotiations. Benedict Arnold thought England would settle the rebellion, and, though respectful while Military Governor of Philadelphia, he never liked the French. He hated to see people suffer, and at all times, including at New London, Connecticut, near his birthplace Norwich, he tried his best to prevent any bloodshed. After spending his fortune, and mistreatment by Congress, he wanted to end the rebellion and allow England to restore peace to America and eventually the world.

Surely the most infamous traitor of the American revolution was George Washington: the officer who had sworn allegiance to the Crown and then turned terrorist to slay his former comrades? Benedict Arnold may have been a late Loyalist, but at least he came to recognize the infidelity of those who abandonned their oaths to avoid taxes.

Shortly after his treason, a rally was held in Massachusetts at which Arnold was burned in effigy. Then someone remembered that Arnold was shot in the left leg at the Battle of Saratoga, in which he did, indeed, secure the American victory. Wait! someone cried, We can't burn that heroic leg! So, they cut the leg off the effigy & placed it on an altar, bedecked with flowers. Many raucous toasts were drunk to Arnold's gallant left leg -- while the rest of him burned.

I am a firm believer in the repudiation of revisionist history, but I am also not fool enough to believe I know everything about everything. Arnold's actions -- both heroic and otherwise -- deserve at the very least a careful study before people recklessly rush to judgment. Yes, he turned against the cause at the end, but his actions for the side of the rebellion certainly accord him some credit. The person who noted that other people served the cause selflessly was correct, but we human beings are notoriously far from perfect. Given the circumstances under which Arnold turned to the British, we must ask ourselves what we might have done in the same situation. Frustration, humiliation, and anger, to name a few, can be powerful motivators, and they can cloud one's judgment to a great degree; it is very possible that this lapse in judgment can also be easily and readily self-justified based upon a particular set of circumstances. If any one of us can walk in Arnold's shoes for a while and then haughtily think of ourselves as being able to rise above the reasons for his turning, then we must very carefully consider what we might have done in his stead and not place an inordinate amount of faith in our own nobility. After all, as someone else above also commented, those were extremely trying times, and, during such times, none of us, NONE OF US, is above making a potentially damaging mistake, because we also might succumb to the pressures of all influencing factors and react with great emotion and impulsiveness, thinking, "Enough is enough!" We are all the same human beings we were back then. Perfection and self-control are still inconstant hallmarks of the human character. Casting stones from a distance of 200 years will still damage our glass houses.

Big deal - traitor/patriot, terrorist/freedom fighter, oppressor/defender-of-his-people, none of it matters because as soon as a regime changes all the names change anyway. Arnold just got stuck on the wrong side of the power shift, that's all.

Really not worth getting steamed about 200+ years later.

Benedict Arnold and I share a common ancestor. Maybe that is why I am slightly sympathetic to him. Anyway, what has always bothered me is that someone can have a distinguished career, then do one bad thing, and be condemned forever. Yes, he was self centered and a traitor to the cause, but we might all be "speaking British" if not for him. We owe him a debt and at least a balanced account of his life.

Benedict Arnold was a good soldier, whose efforts were well appreciated by George Washington, but those accolades he received were not enough for him. After nearly 3 years of war, he might have thought the game was up, so to save his skin, did what he did. In the end, when the going was tough, Arnold became a traitor, and that will be his eternal legacy. Its too bad he escaped - He should have met the hangman along with Captain Andre, or maybe instead of him.

Willard Sterne Randall a Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Vermont wrote an excellent biography of Benedict Arnold in 1990. He examined his patriotic endeavors and his treacherous actions too. The information recently discovered at McGill University in Montreal certainly sheds light on this man. Light that was buried for many years. It does not excuse his acts regarding West Point. Perhaps an in-depth study of his wife Peggy Shippen would show what tipped Arnold's decision to betray his former friends and country. He was certainly a man of many talents too long hidden by one act.

I wonder what Major Andre's family thought after Arnold got Andre to dress in civilian clothes so then he was declared a spy. After Arnold arrived in England, he later led some raids in the Carolinas, he was a successful general.

Without Arnold the colonies would still be British. Period. And saying that Arnold held back his troops is forgetting how the troops got there in the first place; Arnold's money and determination.

If the leaders of South Carolina can be called patriots after what they did during the war, certainly Arnold can be given this honor.

Great dialogue here and extensive. As an American who lived in London for a decade and only just returned from a visit, I regret not seeing the former tomb before the new monument. What I have read of Benedict Arnold leads to believe he through very highly of himself and looked after his own interest. The whole American Revolution was a debacle only successful because the British commanders couldn't be bothered to take it seriously and couldn't get out of this onerous and low priority duty fast enough. But the most interesting thing I read recently was in "Chesapeake" by James Mitchner. Benedict Arnold led a 100 ships to Virginia and took over Richmond and chased then Gov. Thomas Jefferson all over the place for nearly six months before moving on.

The revisionist history is what is currently in grade school text books. Arnold was a much better general than anyone else in the rebel army but was continually passed over for promotion and spent his own personal funds feeding and clothing his troops. Even though responsible for winning the War in the north, the continental congress refused to acknowledge his accomplishments. Congress and the military haven't changed much as recently they spurned the most decorated American warrior, Col. David Hackworth, hero of Korea and Vietnam, for speaking out against government policies. Don't believe everything you read, especially in history books. I can't condone the action at West Point, but we would have lost the Revolutionary War if he had not performed so selflessly.

Arnold sold out to the British for money and a commission in the British army. Period He gave plans of fort Griswold, which protected New London ct. He and his British allies burned the fort and killed all the solders after surrender, then the traitorous wretch went across the Thames river and burned New London to the ground. He also gave secret information about other colonial sites that caused great damage to our cause. Hero? I think not.

The man was, and is, a TRAITOR. He decided to turn against those who had trusted and believed in him. His grave should be spat upon.

It's really hard to get a feel for somebody's character when they've been dead this long, but there was something really strange about Arnold. I think he may have been a narcissist or a borderline psychopath or had some other such sort of "personality disorder".

His obsession with recognition and personal reward, and his thin-skinned reaction to the "office politics" of his day while others around him served the Revolution more or less selflessly, are the key to this... Such people are arguably the most dangerous among us, and particularly dangerous when entrusted with the destiny of a nation.

First and foremost, Arnold was a traitor. A good and respected soldier, Captain Andre, was hung instead and many Americans openly wept at his hanging. Arnold snuck away to the British lines.

Typical spy job. A brilliant spy must build trust, then when everybody thinks he's trusthworthy, he can do his job without impediment. So whatever he did before the final blow, was just the phase of building trust. That is how I see it.

Ethan Allen and Arnold shared command of the Quebec attack in the winter of 1775-1776. Allen held the rank of Colonel and commanded the Green Mt. Boys. That previous May, the 10th to be exact, Allen and troops captured Ft. Ticonderoga, NY from the British. To provide authority for that act of war, our Continental Congress sent Arnold to Allen with a charter stating that purpose.
In reality, Allen had planned the capture of the fort years earlier as a bargaining chip to negotiate with NY over territorial claims of NY over Vermont. When Arnold showed up with the charter, Allen seized the opportunity to legitimize his cause, but did not want Arnold to assume command of the Green Mt. Boys.
He hatched a plan to meet with his Boys at Cove X for the attack and sent my 5th-generation back Grandfather, Major Gershom Beach, to alert the Boys for the 4 AM attack. Meanwhile he planned with Arnold to meet at Cove Y. The attack was successful and Allen went down in history as capturing the fort "In the name of the great Jehovah." Meanwhile, Arnold was left to hunt snipe.
Well this didn't sit well with Arnold. When the Quebec campaign was planned, Allen commanded his Boys and Arnold the Continental troops. Allen was to attack from one side, Arnold the other at a scheduled time. Arnold purposely held his troops back and the Boys were soundly defeated. Allen was captured and languished on a British prison ship for the duration of the war, cursing Arnold every day for his duplicity. Arnold gracefully retreated from Quebec claiming that it was too heavily fortified. A hero at Quebec? I don't think so.

I've always felt that Benedict Arnold's treachery, and our expected praise of his pre-treason acts, can be compared to a relationship where a man, who saved his wife from a burning building, and brought her roses every day, and made her breakfast in bed everyday and was the sweetest husband in the world, then cheats on her with two of her sisters when she gets cancer.

It does not matter what he had done before that because when he commits that terrible act, he has erased it all. I feel comfortable with the fact that few know of his pre-treason heroics. It's not hidden, look him up in wikipedia even and you'll find it. This man, however, does not deserve any advocation of credit for what he did before he attempted to betray us and cause us to lose the war. I'm not denying it, just saying we don't need to encourage it.

I believe President Washinton signed an executive order never to have this man's name mentioned in print forever within the United States of America with a clause holding extreme federal penalties for anyone doing so! Be carefull ladies and gentlemen. You may find the old moss encrusted orders still hold their punch today and into "PERPETUITY".
I for one believe after the Congress shedded general Washinton of his co-equally congressionally appointed general lee,any prudent military leader having been blessed many times before with devine intervention, would just as his dogs,pointers of vertue on all fours, humbly allow a taxing challenge of himself: "the extra effort"1 adopted as a motto of the Boy Scouts of America of:"Be Prepared".
This was more than a game for all the marbles! This was a time where forethought to the lives and protection of our brave army of men was crucial.A time when the winds of intrigue dictated that, like a dog, you lead with your nose! These other generals simply self distructed. Providence always smiles on the humble hard worker.Call it pluck. Fortunate we are today we had that someone who took the extra effort and time to assure the safety of his men. To personally view and verify with his own eyes our fortifications strength.To personally observe and uncover a weakness in cannon, manned strength, and redoubts was not simply poor judgement by another general: but ripened to sabotage and treason only upon the traitorous act of abandoning his post and fleeing off on a man o war to england with the enemy.Through guilt the worm turned and ridded himself of any and all honor foreever! I for one believe President Washigton ment what he said.Bob Brown 17/7/2010 1. Bob Brown Sr. 1962

Another shade of Gray:

"No farther seek his merits to disclose,
Or draw his frailties from their dread abode,
(There they alike in trembling hope repose)
The bosom of his Father and his God"

His moment in history has lasted him over 200 years. America needs a coin with Washington on one side and Arnold on the other. Presumably, it will, if flipped, eventually land on its edge. What is finite is a matter of timing.

The quotation is from Thomas Grey's "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard"

The winners always write history.

Whatever flaw existed in his character at the time of his treachery, existed at the time of his heroism. He was a glory seeker (as were many of his contemporaries); however, though I'm sure many American Revolutionary leaders certainly had the opportunity to betray the cause, it was Arnold who chose to--and for personal gain, NOT for principal. To use his lack of "due credit" for Saratoga or the "horrors" of gossip as an excuse for treason is to portray a man of very weak personal character, for which "hero" should never be applied. He was and is a traitor. Though he must be given "historical" credit for his triumphs in the revolution he can never be given "spiritual" or "patriotic" credit as he tried very hard to undo all he fought for. Think if he had succeeded in his treachery? Would West Point have fallen? And if so, what of the Revolution then? And if the Revolution failed, would Mr. Stanley and his ilk STILL consider him an American Hero? "Traitor" must be his final epitaph as it is the truest definition of his most important contribution to our history.

This story and some of these posts have caused me to get ready to go to the library and do some reading. I often fret over how much I "know" that I really don't.

freedom cannot be defeated,for the tolerance of tyranny is the acceptance thereof.Had Arnold remained loyal,Washington would have restored his proper due and would have been recognized historically as a founding patriot.

I am sure glad to see these comments. Many who know me would be amazed to know that Benedict was one of my grandfathers. Not being a history buff, I knew nothing about him except the negative and I heard there was a book written in his defense. Dave Wilber

Kenneth Roberts' "Oliver Wiswell" was a great refresher course, as well as an enlightening perspective of the Revolution. The word "rabble rousers' comes to mind, as it does frequently these days. Arnold saw his fellow-patriots turning into money, land and power-grabbers, and made an ill-conceived attempt to stop them. The whole country was crazy then. Is it any different today? Man in general just isn't learning how to govern fellow men. Same old "grab, grab, grab" is to blame. Pity.

A traitor tomorrow does not make you a hero today.............

I agree that he was a traitor, but without his prior deeds, would America be America, like the butterfly effect, everything in the course of history changes everything after that. I escaped from Vietnam after the war, the commies call us traitors. From certain point of view, wouldn't the Pilgrims be considered traitors.

I find the revisionist history of modern times a joke. A great example of revisionist history is Jefferson sleeping with his female slave. The revisionist historian takes Jefferson's journal he wrote while on vacation and uses the term mulato to describe the color of trees, cliffs, the ground etc. She deems that Jefferson is thinking about the color of his slaves skin he has been dipping into and has decided to write allegorically about her. This is simply fiction used to write bad history. Same thing with Washington being a diest. If people read his prayer journal they would know that the man was not a diest. It is obvious people dont want the truth they have itching ears that want to be told what they want to hear. This is as bad as Dan Brown's Da Vinci code being based on actual events. In order to get books that actually discuss our Founding Fathers and who they actually were without people's added opinion you have to go back books written before 1960. Atleast back then people weren't trying to rewrite history to brainwash the masses.

Students of military history are well-aware of Benedict Arnold's contributions to the American cause. It has been said that the leg that was so seriously wounded at Saratoga should have been buried by the Patriots with full military honors.

And his shameful treatment by Congress was an early hint at what we Americans could expect from our politicians. Mark Twain put it well, "There is no native criminal class except Congress."

Arnold had every right to resign in disgust. Instead, he chose treason. Before we embrace this man, we might want to give a moment's thought about the fate that would have awaited the defenders of West Point in the holds of British prison hulks.

As an aside:

One of my ancesters was Captain Gershom Pope. He served in the Northern army under Arnold and Gates.

On March 5, 1778, they had twin boys born, and they were named after Gen. Benedict Arnold and Gen. Gates. The story goes that after Benedict Arnold turned traitor, the first name was dropped. From that point they were known only as Gates Pope and Arnold Pope. Nobody wanted to be associated with Benedict Arnold.

I am descended from Gates Pope.

I suppose who wins the war, writes the history. If Germany or Japan had won WW2, Eisenhower, Patton, et al. would have been small footnotes in history.

Thank God that usually the good guys win.

Family legend is that I am related to Benedict Arnold, never traced it back = would be interesting to find out. I do know my grandmothers family came from England but that's about it

It's the old saying that no matter how many good things you do, one bad one can erase them all. There has indeed been many instances in US history where serviceman who were at one time honorable and loyal to their country ended up betraying the government because of nonrecognition or simplistically the corruption of the people running the government.

Is it not the case that a put-my-life-at-risk Patriot turns traitor is if that Patriot either was or feels betrayed?

I am surprised that many seem to see Arnold's actions as merely switching sides, like a good football player deciding to join a rival team. Arnold was indeed a heroic and brave commander earlier in the war. However, he bargained with the British for profit, not just principle, giving them vital information on patriot troops and strategy and finally offering to surrender West Point to them, all in exchange for money.

Many soldiers in the war switched sides, occasionally more than once, and they aren't vilified for it. Arnold did not just switch sides, he was selling out patriots - possibly even to their deaths - in exchange for money. The extreme dishonor in his actions is what made him notorious and his name a synonym for treachery.

No one trusts a traitor. Honesty is a virtue honored throughout history. Treason to your cause through stealth is behavior reviled by all and consistently punished by death in time of war. Let history be a lesson and examine our current leaders, republican and democrat. Are they serving the greater good of our country? Do we have patriots representing us or power hungry narcissists?

Seems that of all the books I've read of Benedict Arnold he was the greatest General of the Revolution.

Battle of Quebec, wounded in his leg, retreated, built the first US Navy warships in Whitehall, NY for the Battle of Valcour Island which stopped the British from coming down the Hudson which would have cut the colonies in two, probably ending the war.

Stopping the British at Fort Stanwix before they came down the Mohawk to meet Burgoyne.
Helped lay out the redoubts for the Battle of Saratoga.
Fighting in the Battle of Saratoga, probably winning it with his leadership, wounded in the same leg.

Petitioned Congress for his expenses out of pocket, for $10,000 pounds due him. Got only a small percentage back, did not have the receipts. These were found at McGill University several years ago as they were taken from one of his boats in the Valcour Island battle.

Slandered, maligned and sued many times much of it due to petty jealousy.

Appointed Military Governor of PA by Washington, only to be maligned by the Pennsylvania authorities. Was court-martialed and found guilty of "improper use of military wagons".

How about his leadership in the Battle of Danbury/Ridgefield?
Yes, if we can forgive others, why not he.

Also, weren't his bones along with many others removed from their original sites, many years ago and put into a common grave by mistake?

Who is really in the crypt?

Nicely said Jim, there is a series of tapes, for those of you who wish to better your knowledge of our constitution and what our founding fathers had in mind as this country was built. It is called 'The Miracle of America'. I don't think they((the fathers) would be happy.

Oh, come on. I can't believe some of the comments I'm reading. Some of you so-called Arnold supporters need to stick your nose out and get a good whiff of the garbage. What did he DO that was more than what any other traitor would have done? Whether or not he may have "believed" in the colonists' cause, his actions stand to show: he infiltrated and then turned tail. Stop making excuses for an unworthy man who obviously doesn't deserve it. You'd do better showing some pride in those unknown and dedicated patriots who did die for their country.

And how would any of you feel if your own war general turned traitor? How would you feel? Would your chest swell with nationalistic fervor as you say, "The man did so much for us, really he did. Let's put up an important-looking monument for him boys!" Ever wonder why we aren't honoring McClellan yet? (Heck, and he wasn't even quote-unquote "traitor" as Arnold was.)

Anyone can say what he or she likes about Arnold as long as you are not part of Arnold's family or not his close friend. But the memories of friends and family of the deceased will be more loving than those outside Arnold's family and friends.

This is true today in the case of homosexuals. Families who later discover one of their kids is gay or lesbian will undergo a dramatic change from condemnation to embrace. Reason? The person is part of one's family, or one's close friend. But look at most of the homophobics among most of the fundamentalist christians in the US. Most, if not all, of these individuals or families don't have either members of their families, or even friends who are homosexuals.

So I hope my suspicion is right in the case of Arnold's critics and supporters. I will look to Arnold quite kindly and gratefully.

World wide, it does not matter what great things you have ever done. To betray one's own country is unforgivable. If a general helped conquer a nation for his people and then turns on them he would still be delt with as the traitor he is. No excuses he was a traitor to the very end

Benedict Arnold was a brilliant tactician and a good leader. He was able to overcome adverse odds and maintain a victory. His military advancements were stonewalled at the time due to the system in place that placed more on nobility and standing then actions. He had false charges of profiteering levied against him and when he was cleared of these charges, Congress and Gates still needed a scapegoat so even though he believed him Innocent, George Washington was pressured into disciplining Arnold. Therefore, Washington issued a letter of reprimand against Arnold which Arnold and his wife felt was the final straw int he lack of support, recognition and promotion for his acts of bravery and deeds. So.. that was the final straw in which he perceived his country, his government, and his good friend had turned their back on him. He was betrayed by his own country, and a man who had nothing but self gain in mind and used Arnold as the scapegoat to make himself look better. Back then Honor and Your word were all you had to go on and these were effectively stripped away from him. When you have no where else to go, you go where you feel needed, wanted, and where ever you will feel safe and taken care of. Unfortunately he made the wrong choice but that still does not negate the achievements he accomplished before his fall from grace.

In a sense, Arnold is a victim of his own success. His victory at Freeman's Farm at Saratoga in 1777 convinced the French to enter the war. It was French assistance that ultimately made it possible to capture Cornwallis at Yorktown in 1781. Arnold was distrustful of French Imperialism - the French and Indian War had only ended in 1763. When Arnold learned that the French were sending and Army to America, he believed that the only choice was between being dominated by the English or being dominated by the French. He chose the English. (I am sure that personal slights by the Continental Congress only made it all the easier to do what he did.)

Arnold was a traitor plain and simple. If his plan did succeed it would have been a major blow against the revolution. Control of the Hudson would have been lost and a major fort lost. It was very fortunate that Major Andre was caught.
John Wilkes Booth was a renowned actor,but his actions were the yard stick we use to judge him. So it is with all of us.
Arnold accepted the rank of General in the British Army and fought against his former soldiers.
You reap what you sow.

Arnold may have been a traitor at the end of his "career" however his action at Saratoga he may have saved the colonist for the real war later to come. Even the traitors of today don't get the recognition he did,and therefore he will forever be remembered. Regardless of his actions as a traitor or a hero he has made his place in history and regardless of what everyone says, we can make our own decisions about him and his life. But, you have to actually read about him and his life rather than just being told about him to make the proper decision.

It's kind of like today, if you talk of overthrowing our government, you are a "traitor", committing "treason". But our founding fathers put it in our constitution that if our government becomes too oppressive, it is the patriotic right of the people to dismantle the government and start over again. Maybe Mr. Arnold had a glimpse into the future and saw how oppressive our federal government would become?

I could not agree more with tpned. Kenneth Roberts books on the period of the Revolution are a must read for those who want a truer picture of those times and Arnold. I would include Oliver Wiswell, which tells the story of the Revolution from the POV of a loyalist. And while Arnold was ultimately a traitor from the "Rebel" POV, as has been pointed out, he was invaluable to the Rebel cause before he changed sides, and was subject to grossly unfair treatment by "superiors" who were jealous of him and wanted the credit for his successes. This is no excuse for what he did, of course, but must have contributed to his disenchantment. One should also not discount the possibility that he had a genuine change of heart about the Revolution. I believe it was John Adams who estimated that 1/3 of Americans were in favor of Independence, 1/3 were in favor of cutting a deal with the British and remaining within the empire, and 1/3 just wanted to be left alone.

Benadict Arnold was a name to conjur with in the American Revolution.Few men have risen so high in the minds of their countrymen and none have fallen so low. He deserve a spot by the fire, by his efforts the United States is a free nation. If he had been treated like the hero he was, and had a wife who had been a patriot rather than a lukewarm loyalist, his Sation like fall would never have happened and the tales of his determination and valor would still be told and retold. To "normal" uneducated Amercan, his name and shame are legend, to those who knew him his actions are unforgivable. Yet his memory still warms the spirit of those men who remember the dark days when this great leader and soldier led Rebel troops, Patriots in desperate fights against all odds. Say his name and evoke his spirit.

native americans were alied with the british agaist us in the revron war.they fought against america and the british recognized the rights of natives as the owners of the land that britain occupied called the colony.therefore they arnt traitors bscause of there race basicaly .but anyway they commited genicide after the war agaisnt the indians the word savage surviced traitor was reserved for mostly whitemen it covers up the lies for wich men kill other men defending there position in history

It is true that while Arnold did many valiant deeds for our country, ultimately he felt that he had been slighted and overlooked. I personally feel that he was rationalizing his actions, like most people of low character do!

He defected because his efforts at Saratoga was given away to Horatio Gates whom gladly took credit. Then he was put in charge as governor of Philadelphia which was in chaos already and was under constant criticism and hated by most and did not receive respect from his peers, excluding Washington.

The greatest battlefield general who fought in the Continental army, was Benedict Arnold. Washington was a better politician. Arnold got screwed. Traitor, yes, but he got screwed real hard first.

Alright folks, listen up.
Benedict Arnold is essentially the reason the Americans won the battle of Saratoga. Although he was never given any credit for it at the time, he pulled the act which Mel Gibson did in the movie, "The Patriot". When his troops were at the verge of defeat and retreat, it was Arnold who ran towards the enemy, flag in hand, and changed the outcome of the battle.
It was this victory that convinced the French to unite with us for the remainder of the war. So we then gain their army and their powerful navy. The French, in large part, are the reason for our success and victory of the Revolution. Hence, if it weren't for Benedict Arnold, we never would have won the war, there would be no America, and we would not be where we are today.

Benedict Arnold was a hero of the American Revolution and a great friend of George Washington before his betrayal. It would have been next to impossible for him to become the traitor that he is know as if he had not first been such a hero of the Revolution.

This sentiment from one poster got me thinking...."He was also egotistial, narcissitic, and utterly self-centered. He put his ambition above his cause." He sounds a lot like the politicians of today.

Yes Arnold was a great commnader and congress did some really stupid things to him but that is not a good reason to betray a good friend and in this case your commanding officer. I believe if he wasn't such a great general and fighter than his betrayal whould not even be noticed but he was and after all that fighting and even though he had the support of Washigton who tried to get him the recognition he should have been given he decided not to just change sides but to give the British West Point. If he had simply decided that he felt that he was on the wrong side why not simply leave the budding American Army and join the British. Why because they didn't want him they wanted West Point and he was freely willing to give it to them. In the end the fact that he was a hero of the war to that point is what made him shuch a hated tratior.

Dribble, speculative excuses, woulda' coulda' shoulda.'

Once a traitor always a traitor. He sold out his country, our country for his own gain. He could be president or senator today.

Arnold's patriotic contributions to the American Revolution are not something that has been hidden until now. Kenneth Roberts,for example, the best selling American author of Northwest Passage and Rabble in Arms, wrote about Arnold extensively. I learned of Arnold's exploits both in High School and in College.

It's nothing new. It just hasn't been on Oprah (or Jerry Springer) yet.

Arnold spent virtually his entire fortune on behalf of the Rebellion. He was broke and needed money to support his new wife in the manner within which she hed been raised. Congress refused to reimburse him, so he turned to the British.

Oh, that's okay then ?

To argue that without Arnold we would have lost the War is at best a dubious claim: the march on Canada was a failure, his naval battle in the wilds of Northern New England-New York State though it did delay the British was a defeat. He was at the capture of Ticonderoga, but he almost fomented a revolt among the troops with his insistence that he was in command. His actions at Saratoga were heroic and he does seem to have been one of the linchpins of the American victory in that two-stage battle in 1777, but even there one cannot argue definitively that he "won the battle' for us. And his record as a British commander in the War was abysmal.

There were many heroic people on both sides in the Revolutionary Wae.

Ultimately, Benedict Arnold and his wife were both traitors.

That cannot be ignored.

I knew he was important to our win years ago. Thought it was common knowledge.

The Battle of Saratoga is taught to be the turning point of the Revolution. That victory proved to the world that America could actually win. France joined the war after this and that is finally turned the tide.

So while Arnold is the most notorious traitor, he is also the unappreciated hero. Does his treachery over not getting credit rule out that he led the victory of one of the most important battles of the Revolution?

If Benedict Arnold was alive today.
He'd be the CEO of BP!

When Benedict Arnold's treachery is considered we should not forget he actively aided the British after changing sides. He lead the British forces at the Burning of New London and the Battle of Groton Heights which culminated in the British massacre of the defenders of Fort Griswold after its surrender. Following are links to the story, and yes some of my ancestors were killed so I will not forgive the traitor Arnold.
http://www.revwar.com/ftgriswold/
http://www.battleofgrotonheights.com/Battle_of_Groton_Heights.html
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~gmasue/griswold.htm

It's a bit ridiculous when he compared "forgiving" Japan for Pearl Harbor to forgiving Benedict Arnold for betraying America. The Japanese attacked a military target and we dropped two nuclear devices on them. Ignoring the inherent absurdity of that analogy, I'd say Benedict Arnold would have a hell of a lot more suffering to do before getting any forgiveness.

It occurs to me that Arnold's actions parallel those of France's Marshal Phillipe Petain, who was regarded as a hero for his military leadership during World War I.

After France fell to Germany in 1940, however, Petain led what was effectively a puppet government until the liberation four years later.

Much like Arnold, his name today is virtually synomymous with treason and collaborating with the enemy, which stands in start contrast with his distinguished service earlier.

It's a shame he didn't die at the battle of Saratoga, he would be known as one of the greatest heroes of the American Revolution.

On top of the contumely heaped upon him, it was his wife that drove him to it. A man can only take so much day in and day out.

It should be noted that Arnold's motive in betraying the fort at West Point were twofold. They do not make his actions correct, but they should be mentioned.

1. Arnold did not trust the French and argued openly before the alliance that the French could not be trusted and the United States was trading British tyranny for French Tyranny. He very literally despised the French and actually believed they were about to swallow the United States once England was beaten.

2. Arnold was ignored for promotion on several occasions and Horatio Gates actually belittled Arnold's charge at Saratoga that saved the battle and possibly the war. Arnold, who dared to challenge Gen. Gates' battle plan, was under house arrest as the battle raged, and seeing a rupture of the American line he mounted a horse and rallied the Americans to turn back the British. Arnold was badly wounded and lost a leg in the melee. Gates later dressed him down for not following orders by staying in his tent. Arnold felt he had been betrayed by the American leadership while in fact he was one of George Washington's favorites.

I suspect that he was a hero, and realized that many of the Continentals were ingrates. I suspect he was sorely provoked to turn against his cause.

It really wasn't a country yet so I don't see how he can be said to have betrayed his country.

I was taught in history class in the thirties that Benedict Arnold was a traitor.Now I am going read about him.

While I do not dispute that General Arnold did in fact betray his country, as an American history major I feel that I must point out some facts. General Benedict Arnold did in fact save this country before he became a traitor. Arnold was the true hero of Saratoga, his forces were responsible for halting a Brittish advance that would have crushed Gates forces. I invite everyone to research the Battle of saratoga and find theses facts for themselves. General Arnold was in fact recognized for his heroism and leadership by none other than George Washington, the problem was that a newspaper article written after the battle by a reporter who was not there for the battle, gave full credit for the victory to Gates. The people believed that Gates was the hero and Arnold was robbed of his glory. Arnold was known to have a very large ego and this was a tremendous blow to him. This was not the first time Arnold had not been given his due credit, and losing credit to Gates and his forces, men he had been responsible for saving, this proved too much for his ego to bear, and he turned to the Brittish in hopes of gaining the credit he felt that was rightfully his.
I am by no means excusing his actions, but I did feel it important to point out the facts as they are. Please feel free to research these facts and form your own conclusions.

A real hero is someone who does something heroic and asks for nothing in return.

Benedict Arnold was a traitor, pure and simple. It is easy to explain away his actions because he thought he was owned something by the Continental Congress or the revolutionary military. There is a difference between not acting or withdrawing from the group, and actively seeking to do damage by providing information on defenses or actively seeking to undermine.

When a General feels he is not receiving due credit, or when higher ups donot support his plans or proposals, he has the option of ...resigning his commission and stepping aside.....

Auchinleck resigned when Churchil did not approve the way he was running the North African campaign

Zhukov resigned on the spot and walked out of the room when Stalin did not agree with his plan to gain time to gather strenght by retreating

......THAT... is legitimate and honorable behavior.....

Changing sides and starting to fight against your buddies iIS NOT...

I agree that Arnold was one of Washington's best generals. Unfortunately, when things looked grim for the rebels, he married the loyalist Margaret Shippen. I think he really believed that the rebels would lose and that it would be convenient for him to be on the side of the loyalists.

He betrayed the continent?

Judas Iscarius was a good friend of Jesus. But for thirty pieces of silver in the end, he gave Jesus up to arresting soldiers of the High Priest. Benedict Arnold was a good American but in the end he took the money over America. I sure he lived to regret it just as Judas did.

If you listen to two different people describe the same accident hours after they had observed it you wonder how we got history right.

A person wouldn't be a traitor if he did not start out being on one side, and then betraying that side. Arnold changed sides in the middle of the war. He may have been a wonderful General, but he was a traitor. He is no hero to America. Maybe he's a hero to this Stanley guy, or this less the talented writer, but he is not a hero to America.

ok. he may have been a hero with the slowing the brits and saveing the rebelion. but come on! he is a traitor because he was doing something stupid, got caught for it, got cold feet and ran to the brits. what matters is that he tried to hand us over to the brits. seriously ppl. get real.

For me, the timing of this article was uncanny. I brought my son to basketball camp at Sleepy Hollow High School today in Tarrytown NY. Across the street is the spot where Andre was captured. The plaque says the three "honest men" who captured Andre, "prevented disaster" to the American cause. This is an understatement. The Brits capturing West Point and thereby the Hudson River, would have split the Colonies in two. The series of events which led up to the capture of Andre and the unraveling of Arnolds plan were remarkable. The HMS Vulture drops off Andre Near Havestraw on the west bank of the Hudson. Two men on the east side of the Hudson go to the American camp and beg for a cannon, drag it to Croton Point, and shell the ship. They get lucky enough to damage a mast and the Vulture retires to New York, leaving Andre to make his way back on foot. In Tarrytown, Andre is accosted by the three "honest men", one of whom happens to be wearing a Hessian overcoat. Andre believes they are friends and tells his identity. Truly an unfortunate series of events for the Brits, and an amazingly fortunate series for the Patriots. Benedict Arnold must have thought he had a fool-proof plan, but we know, "the best laid plans.." etc. Where would the American cause have been without the two men at what is now Croton Point, and the three "honest men" in Tarrytown?

Benedict Arnold was Washington's young protege and very much resented, if not hated, by the other Commanding officers in Washington's command. Their backbiting and attempts to sabotage Arnold's decisions were despicable. He was young and felt very much alienated from everyone and everything, his decisions were second guessed and criticized. He found a sympathetic ear in Peggy and thus 'turned to the dark side'. However, his plans and execution of such victories as at Quebec and Valcour Island were brilliant. He was not a saint but neither was he the villain we have been taught he was. He is a good lesson of what happens when a majority turns on a person. Let's learn of him as both a hero and a traitor. Let's learn of him as a man.

Arnold didn't get the credit he thought he deserved...when he saved Fort Ticonderoga from the Brits and also in another battle (I should know this!) another general took credit for what Arnold had done. He truly was a patriot....with a large ego, as many great generals.

However, as in many things, it's not where you start, it's where you finish...and Benedict Arnold was a traitor.

Nothing has changed,
just as congress betrayed the soldiers of 1776.
just as one general claimed credit for anothers success.
Still today congress betray,s the soldiers of 2010 and the general,s still claim honor that belongs to others.

@Erin

Way to miss the point of the article.

I'm sure Benedict Arnold didn't abandon the colonies for no good reason whatsoever. He was probably betrayed first in some way, shape or manner and he probably figured what loyalties are owed to the disloyal. Anyway, who really cares. Americans betrayed their own country 225 years later without any outside interference or any Benedict Arnolds. Kudos USA. All Americans should be called Benedict Arnolds at this point.

Humm Brandon sounds envious of Arnold. Hope he is not in a secret position

I remember reading somewhere about his (Benedict Arnold) career and all the stuff he did before becoming a traitor, but I never knew what happened to him after the war was over.

Benedict Arnold was a freemason, which requires you to know people in very high places. My guess, he told some of their secrets which got him black listed, made a fool of & eventually killed.

Bill Stanley, Benedict Arnold, and myself are all natives of Norwich CT. I personally think Jim Cox's post was the most illuminated but I'll exclude any further rhetoric save this; I have a t-shirt bought in Norwich with Arnold's pic saying "Norwich is Benedict Arnold's birthplace. You should visit, he never should have left."

This is being presented as something new and unusual? Anyone who has read Kenneth Roberts' masterful works of historical fiction, Arundel (1930) and Rabble in Arms (1933), knows that Benedict Arnold had a great supporter 80 years ago.

The National Trust plaque on Arnold's house on Gloucester Place describes him as an "American Patriot." There is a way to read that plaque that fits that description. If you consider that he was American, and that he was ultimately a patriot TO BRITAIN, he was an American patriot. Now I know it's a stretch, but it is a possible reading that would reconcile the two words.

i agree entirely. what everybody fails to mention is that

a. Benedict arnold was a great american war hero before he became a turncoat and

b. the reason that he turned was that after a great battle that would have surely been a major loss without him, another general lied to steal the spotlight from arnold, so he didnt get the recognition that he deserved.

As an American and a person keenly interested in US Military History, I find Stanley's observations on the career of General Benedict Arnold to be right on the money. Arnold was an extremely brave, charismatic, and competent military commander whose actions, while on the side of the revolutionists, contributed significantly to the ultimate American victory. His failing,of course, was his inability to submerge his quest for what he considered to be adequate recognition and advancement to the politics of the moment, An all too human failing which ultimately doomed him to vilification, exile, and obscurity. Almost a classical Greek Tragedy.

Well, of course Benedict Arnold was a hero before he turned traitor. It's well documented that he was responsible for the delay on Lake Champlain and the victory at Saratoga. Arnold's actions paved the way for Colonial victory and recognition for those accomplishments should always be part of the historical curriculum.
Of course, the fact that he committed treason should never be omitted or dismissed, Arnold was a complicated man who lived in complicated times. This was true of all of our Founding Fathers.

I am suprised that people do not know more about their history. The way i learned my history after all the good work he did,they would not give him credit for what he did do and he wanted to get back at them. Not the best way,but understandable.

hell,if he found the cure for cancer... hes still is a traitor,and should be dug up and hung,then drawn and quarterd!

Without Benedict Arnold, we would have lost to the British, so who the hell cares if he became a traitor. Traitor or not, if you are American, you need to praise this man, or you might as well move to England or not claim yourself as an American, because if you don't believe that Arnold saved our pathetic American butts, then you need not be American at all. Nobody is perfect, including all of you who hate Arnold, but Arnold did more for America than you could ever dream of doing for America, so he is a much better American than any of us will ever be, including all you haters. You need a wake up call.

What was the epitaph on the Arnald family headstone.

We call this guy a traitor and today they wanna name a library after Bush?

I'm not convinced Arnold is deserving of "Serves him right." I am an American and a Patriot- I think he did his duty, and deserves respect.

He had a wife and a kid. Surely someone so deserving of being forgotten is downright evil and incapable of having a family.

Who knows what the Brits or rebels could have done to coerce him into a hard position. The fact he did have moments worth remembering tells me something had to change him or back him into a corner.

Being a spy isn't something to be scorned. It's the hardest profession in war- and dealt with the harshest consequences should the spy be discovered.

(Stanley did not deny Arnold’s treachery. He just felt the man should have gotten more credit for what he did prior to switching sides. “He saved America, before he betrayed it,” he once said.)

So, if I'm a fireman and I save you by dragging you out of a burning building, but then toss you in a well and try to drown you, I should get recognition for the rescue?

Sorry, I don't buy that logic at all. Are people complex things with myriads of reasons for what they do? Yup. But there is a difference between forgiving the Japanese and forgiving Arnold. One was an enemy attacking from without. The other was a "family" member attacking from within. There are few people of any background or group who don't understand that the second attack is a much more grievous offense.

i think ba was cool america had prejudice for him when it came to remberse him for his fortune and fleet of ships he bought to do americas bidding against in the revolution

I am happy to see that someone has forgiven him and paid some respect to his good side. As stated in the article if we can forgive the Japanese for pearl harbor we can forgive Benedict Arnold...

well duh. any one with an elementary knowledge of history knows he was a major factor.

I like it. This is a case for Glenn Beck.

Arnold was a fantastic "can-do" general who performed brilliantly for the American army. He nearly captured Canada in a daring raid, and helped decide the Battle of Saratoga. His downfall began at the hands of jealous cohorts who took time to go and trumpet their feats to Congress, while Arnold preferred to stay in the field. Denied promotions, he decided to defect- I may have done the same, in his boots!

What He did before the act of treason has no bearing on his ultimate act of treachery. Treason is inexcusable.

He thought the revolution was going to fail and tried to save his own skin by selling out his own men and command. Thank God he failed. This soft headed revisionist hog wash is just stupid. His soul is as dark and rotten as his corpse.

Even the Brits won't claim him, mockingly calling him an American Patriot.

Now Lebron is like Benedict Arnold I guess. Saving Cleveland, then betraying them

Benedict Arnold a patriot? Who are we kidding?

His his pre-treasonous achievements are just that pre-treasonous. His actions in combat while herioc and key to numerous victories do not support the claims being made by those who want to revise history that he was a patriot. Patriots do not defect to another country's army as he did and attempt to surrender a major installation to the enemy.

At the end of the day Benedict Arnold was a traitor and under no circumstances should he be considered an "American Patriot." His contributions to American independence should remain underrepresented, with his name remaining synonymous with traitor.

People forget that Benedict Arnold used a lot of his OWN money to fund the troops for the American revolution. It was after the politicians levied false charges against him, AND demanded money from him(from funding the troops as above) which drove him bankrupt did he decide to fight for the British.

So he served his country honorably, before being screwed over by Washington bureaucrats, and then decided to become a turncoat.

It's true. Benedict Arnold was a hero for the American Revolution before his ultimate betrayal. He and George Washington were the greatest of friends. Washington tried repeatedly to get Arnold promoted, but a crooked congress (go figure) bowed to those with more money and prestige by promoting Horatio Gates (who purchased his commission initially)instead. After many betrayals by congress, and the ultimate betrayal when congress gave Gates credit for the victory at the Battle of Saratoga, who can blame Arnold for betraying congress? The fact remains that Arnold was continually disregared by his superiors, specifically congress, and treated as a scapegoat by Gates. Additionaly, if congress had allowed Arnold total command of the campaign against Quebec in 1775 the US would probably own that geography as well.

Cool article ... I learn something everyday ... You should all try to learn at least 3 things a day ...

He torched his own legacy. What he did at the start of the Revolution was heroic, but his treasonous actions negate any good he had done in terms of how he will be remembered.

well, i'm pretty sure all soldiers who then become traitors were doing great things for their country, before they decided to betray it. i mean to be a traitor you've got to be able to betray something. on the senator and the japanese, we in fact did not forgive them! we just don't hold grudges for those long dead on their descendants in the present; just like how we're friends with the germans, and of course how we're friends with the british too, after the revolution. benedict arnold doesn't fall into any of those categories, so that arguement doesn't really hold. quite definitely still a traitor, to america at least

If only Ethan Allen would've given him some credit for Fort Ticongerwhatever, things might've turned out differently for Arnold.

Can't undo what has become synonymous with being a traitor. What he did in the end is his legacy. Hitler probably was viewed at one time as Germany's hero, it's how these types come into power. At the end of the day, he was in it for himself and not part of the team. Most recently, and analogous to Arnold, LeBron James is facing this same perception.

If you do some reading about Arnold you may find he was not quite the villain history has told you he was. His Great Lakes campaign probably did as much as anyone to defeat the British. His success was usurped by others, Gates in particular. He was a traitor to the Rebellion, and Washington took it personally of course. He gave Arnold West Point because he knew he had been robbed of his credit due, but was there a "country" then? All participants could be labeled traitors to England, could they not? Personally I believe there have been worse examples of traiterous behavior, even among our elected Presidents. It's too bad more of us have not taken the time to read more about the founders, and our own history. It's surprising how much we think we know, is just wrong.

It would be interesting to know what led to Arnold's change of heart. I'm sure he didn't make his decisons lightly.

Arnold has gotten extensive credit by historians for his contributions to the American cause. It's just laypeople judge him for his character, which was indeed flawed. You can do many good things in life but society in general judges you on the bad things. Arnold was no true patriot, but he he was courageous to the point of foolhardiness and brilliant, both as a tactician and strategist. He was also egotistial, narcissitic, and utterly self-centered. He put his ambition above his cause.

oj before the bronco? you mean what he was acquitted from? anyways, if the war had gone the other way arnold benedict would have been a hero and since it went the other way he was a traitor, its just how it goes.

Had Arnold been given credit for his heroism at Saratoga and not been the subject of unfair gossip while trying to manage Philadelphia, he may have never betrayed his fellow colonists.

Gen Patton made statements defending Arnold on several occasions ....

Arnold believed in the cause of the colonists for the Am erican Revolution but he betrayed the colonists for personal gain. The end result was that he was disliked/hated by both Colonists and British alike. But at least he wasn't a collaborator like Norway's Vidkun Quisling was.

I predict Robert Downey Jr. to play the role of Benedict Arnold in the movie version of "The Betrayal Of The American Revolutionary War"

He was a traitor, nothing more. I don't even know how he wasn't hanged for treason. He didn't save our country.

This article misses the point. You can be a saint for 50 years and then commit murder. Are you not then a murderer? Should we forget the murder and raise a statue to the saint of 50 years? Ridiculous.

I agree with Mr. Stanley. Benedict Arnold was more than a traitor.

Anyone interested in Arnold should read Kenneth Robert's novels 'Arundel' and 'Rabble in Arms'. Puts him and the revolution in a very different light.

It was his laying claim to Eggs Benedict that strained credulity.....