Today in History - January 14, 1741 - American Traitor Benedict Arnold was Born

Today in History - January 14, 1741 - American Traitor Benedict Arnold was Born

   Today in 1741, Benedict Arnold, known for being a traitor, was born in Norwich, Connecticut. He came from a respectable family and was apprenticed to be an apothecary. He became a trader later on in life and joined the Continental Army. Here is the story from www.history.com on his betrayal:

In 1780, Arnold was given command of West Point, the American fort on the Hudson River in New York (and future home of the United States Military Academy, established in 1802). Arnold contacted Sir Henry Clinton, head of the British forces, and proposed handing over West Point and its men. On September 21 of that year, Arnold met with British Major John Andre and made his traitorous pact, in which the American was to receive a large sum of money and a high position in the British army. However, the conspiracy was uncovered and Andre was captured and killed. Arnold fled to the enemy side and went on to lead British troops in Virginia and Connecticut. He later moved to England, though he never received all of what he’d been promised by the British. The former American hero and patriot died in London, in relative obscurity, on June 14, 1801.


Read the full article at: www.history.com/this-day-in-history/benedict-arnold-american-traitor-born