Benedict Arnold’s 1780 treason was fundamentally a financial transaction—he demanded £20,000 in gold from British General Clinton to surrender West Point, the Hudson River fortress that could’ve split the colonies. Drowning in £16,000 debt and resentful after being passed over for promotion, Arnold spent 18 months negotiating the betrayal’s price while systematically weakening the fort’s defenses. When Major André was captured with incriminating documents on September 23, Arnold fled to British protection, leaving his name synonymous with betrayal—though the full story reveals how strategic calculation intersected with personal desperation.
Key Takeaways
- Arnold negotiated to surrender West Point to the British for £20,000 in gold, his primary motivation being financial desperation.
- By 1780, Arnold had accumulated significant debts, including £12,000 for his Mount Pleasant estate and expensive lifestyle demands.
- British Commander Clinton authorized the £20,000 payment on July 24, 1780, recognizing West Point’s strategic value to the war.
- Arnold’s treason was discovered when Major André was captured carrying incriminating documents detailing the West Point betrayal plans.
- Arnold successfully fled to British protection on September 24, 1780, escaping execution despite his treasonous gold-motivated conspiracy.
From Revolutionary War Hero to American Traitor
Before Benedict Arnold became synonymous with treason, he compiled one of the most distinguished combat records in the Continental Army. His heroic beginnings include capturing Fort Ticonderoga in May 1775 and leading 700 men through Maine’s wilderness to Quebec.
You’ll find his military exploits demonstrate exceptional valor: constructing a flotilla that delayed British invasion at Valcour Island, lifting the Siege of Fort Stanwix through tactical deception, and rallying troops at Saratoga’s Bemis Heights—a victory that secured French alliance. His leadership at the Battle of Saratoga proved crucial in turning the tide of the Revolutionary War.
Yet despite being wounded twice and proving instrumental in northern theater defense, he was passed over for promotion in February 1777. Arnold’s dissatisfaction deepened as accusations of corruption emerged during his command in Philadelphia, creating numerous enemies who challenged his integrity.
Court-martialed in 1779-1780, Arnold’s resentment festered until he offered West Point’s surrender for £20,000 in 1780.
Financial Troubles and Personal Resentments That Fueled Betrayal
While Arnold’s military grievances sparked initial resentment, his mounting financial troubles transformed bitterness into betrayal.
You’ll find that Arnold’s financial desperation began early—he’d accumulated £16,000 in debt by 1767 and resorted to smuggling to survive.
His marriage to Peggy Shippen in 1778 demanded maintaining an expensive lifestyle he couldn’t afford, requiring a £12,000 loan just to purchase Mount Pleasant estate.
Congressional inquiries revealed missing funds from the Quebec campaign, while fellow officers launched personal vendettas against him.
John Brown publicly declared “Money is this man’s God, and to get enough of it he’d sacrifice his country.”
Arnold’s early success came from his apothecary in New Haven, which he established after completing his apprenticeship in 1762 during the booming wartime economy.
His West Indies trade partnership with Adam Babcock, financed by profits from selling his family’s homestead, initially expanded his merchant empire through three trading ships.
These accusations proved prophetic when Arnold negotiated £20,000 from the British for West Point’s betrayal—choosing gold over liberty when his financial empire crumbled.
The West Point Command and Secret Negotiations With the British
Arnold’s calculated pursuit of the West Point command materialized when Washington granted him authority over the strategic Hudson River fortifications on June 29, 1780, which Arnold officially assumed on August 3.
Before even taking control, Arnold had already offered the British surrender of West Point for £20,000 in a July 21 letter to Major John André—doubling his earlier £10,000 demand to reflect the prize’s military value.
Once installed, Arnold systematically weakened the fort’s defenses through troop dispersal and repair neglect while exchanging coded intelligence with André about garrison strengths and vulnerabilities. Control of West Point would enable Clinton to divide the colonies and force Washington to retreat from New York.
Following the arrest of André on September 23, 1780, Arnold’s treasonous plot unraveled, prompting his immediate flight to British protection and leaving his wife to face Washington’s scrutiny.
Arnold Secures West Point Command
Following his court-martial conviction and public reprimand in early 1780, Benedict Arnold rejected Washington’s offer to command a wing of the Continental Army—a position that would have placed him at the center of active military operations.
Instead, Arnold specifically requested command of West Point through New York congressmen Robert Livingston and Phillip Schuyler in June 1780. Washington granted this request on August 3, 1780, believing Arnold deserved a less demanding assignment after French forces failed to arrive that summer.
Arnold understood West Point’s critical importance to American military strategy—British leadership recognized that controlling this Hudson River fortress would sever communication between northern and southern Continental forces. Arnold had already offered intelligence to British forces as part of his developing plan to surrender the strategic fort.
Upon assuming command, Arnold immediately weakened West Point’s defenses by assigning soldiers to trivial tasks rather than fortification work, ignoring protests from his subordinate, Colonel John Lamb. Arnold maintained correspondence with Major John Andre to coordinate the details of his treasonous plot to hand over the fortress to British forces.
Negotiating the £20,000 Price
As Arnold maneuvered to secure West Point’s command in early summer 1780, he simultaneously negotiated the financial terms of his betrayal with British leadership in New York.
His negotiation tactics were bold—demanding £20,000, a pension, and a Loyalist command position. Clinton authorized the full amount on July 24, recognizing West Point’s strategic value: its surrender would force Washington’s retreat and enable British forces to defeat French reinforcements on Long Island.
The financial incentives proved substantial, equivalent to £3,353,000 in 2023 value, paid for 3,000 men and critical fortifications.
André delivered Clinton’s acceptance via coded letter on August 15, with final terms confirmed by August 25. Arnold’s full commitment followed on August 30, completing negotiations that had stretched intermittently over a year. Arnold had received his command of West Point on August 3, 1780, positioning him to execute the carefully orchestrated plan. Throughout this period, Arnold continued to transfer sensitive military information to British forces, providing intelligence that would facilitate the planned surrender of West Point.
Intelligence Sharing and Sabotage
Upon securing the West Point command on August 3, 1780, Arnold immediately implemented a systematic sabotage campaign designed to weaken the fortress’s defensive capabilities.
He assigned most soldiers to trivial work details rather than fortification repairs, deliberately creating intelligence failures that masked his betrayal. Colonel John Lamb questioned these suspicious assignments, but Arnold maintained his destructive directives.
Throughout this period, Arnold exchanged coded letters with Major John André detailing West Point’s vulnerabilities.
These communications employed invisible ink and ciphers, revealing troop counts of 3,086 men and strategic weaknesses.
Arnold’s sabotage tactics included repositioning garrison forces to inadequate positions, systematically exposing the Hudson Valley fortress to British capture.
His dual approach—physical sabotage combined with detailed intelligence sharing—represented a thorough betrayal strategy.
The Failed Meeting With Major John André
After serving as military commander of Philadelphia, Benedict Arnold initiated contact with the British through loyalist Joseph Stansbury, who secretly traveled to New York to meet Major John André at Jonathan Odell’s house.
André drafted instructions using the codename “Monk” for Arnold, establishing 18 months of correspondence through coded messages and invisible ink concealed in letters from Arnold’s wife, Peggy.
The failed rendezvous began when Arnold and André finally met on September 21, 1780, at Joshua Hett Smith House.
Arnold provided secret plans including West Point’s detailed map and Washington’s war council minutes.
However, American cannon fire forced HMS *Vulture* to withdraw, stranding André.
Continental militiamen captured him near Tarrytown on September 23 with incriminating documents hidden in his boots.
Discovery of the Conspiracy and Arnold’s Narrow Escape
Three Continental militiamen—John Paulding, Isaac Van Wart, and David Williams—stopped a nervous horseman near Tarrytown, New York, on September 23, 1780, fundamentally altering the Revolutionary War’s trajectory.
The conspiracy discovery unfolded when they found papers detailing West Point’s defenses hidden in the rider’s stockings.
Lieutenant Colonel John Jameson received the captive—British Major John André in civilian clothes—but fatally notified Arnold of the capture.
Arnold’s narrow escape came early on September 24 when he fled to the HMS Vulture, reaching British lines hours before Washington arrived.
Washington termed it “TREASON of the blackest dye” on September 25.
André confessed everything and was hanged as a spy on October 2, while Arnold evaded the execution many believed he deserved.
Life as a British Officer and Legacy of Infamy
Despite his efforts, Britain denied him a regular commission.
After the war, you’ll find his Infamous Legacy cemented: he pursued failed land speculation in Canada, settled in London by the late 1780s, and died in 1801.
His name became America’s permanent synonym for betrayal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Benedict Arnold Ever Receive the £20,000 Promised by the British?
No, you’ll find Benedict Arnold’s finances only received £6,315—just 32% of the promised £20,000. The British reward system paid less because his plot failed, leaving him financially disappointed despite betraying his compatriots’ fight for liberty.
What Happened to Arnold’s Family After His Defection to Britain?
Arnold’s family faced social ostracism and financial hardship post-defection. They relocated to England (1781), then Saint John (1787), enduring business failures and public humiliation—townspeople burned Arnold in effigy before his wife and children witnessed their father’s disgrace.
Where Did Benedict Arnold Live After the Revolutionary War Ended?
Arnold’s residence shifted from battlefield glory to exile’s obscurity. After the war, you’ll find he lived primarily in London, England, though his post-war life included business ventures in Canada before settling permanently in Britain until his 1801 death.
How Much Gold Did Arnold Actually Receive From the British?
Arnold didn’t receive gold payment specifically—you’ll find he got £6,315 cash plus a £360 pension as his British reward. The compensation came as currency and annuities, falling far short of his demanded £20,000.
Did Arnold Ever Express Regret for Betraying the American Cause?
No, you’ll find no regret expression in Arnold’s records. He maintained unwavering conviction in his loyalty conflict resolution, consistently justifying his British allegiance through letters and addresses, showing zero remorse until death despite historians’ scrutiny.
References
- https://connecticuthistory.org/benedict-arnold-americas-most-famous-traitor/
- https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/from-hero-to-traitor-benedict-arnolds-day-of-infamy
- https://www.thehistoryreader.com/historical-figures/revolutionary-bad-boy-benedict-arnold-treason-and-trust/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benedict_Arnold
- https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/spotlight-primary-source/benedict-arnolds-1780-treason-and-execution-john-andre
- https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/10-facts-benedict-arnold-and-peggy-shippen
- https://www.connecticutmuseum.org/event/benedict-arnold-2/
- https://www.americanrevolutioninstitute.org/video/god-save-benedict-arnold-the-true-story-of-americas-most-hated-man/
- https://www.hoover.org/research/fall-benedict-arnold-battle-saratoga-and-turning-point-american-revolutionary-war
- https://www.britannica.com/biography/Benedict-Arnold
