The Writing of Benedict Arnold: Legacy Lost (A Ghost's Story)

A reading of Benedict Arnold: Legacy Lost (A Ghost’s Story) will undoubtedly ring familiar to some. Although a chronicle on this order has not heretofore been written, I am certain that this accounting of Benedict Arnold has been whispered to historians and readers of American history before – whispered in the minds of those who have, over the years, attempted to explain the inexplicable. Having said this, I am also certain that I am not the only individual who has discovered the yet untold explanation to what the world has almost universally believed to be fact – I am simply the only person who has listened to the whispers. It appears that others have not listened quite so carefully. Quietly at first, the whispers were gentle; even subconscious. Only when I allowed myself to listen; to focus and concentrate on this man called “traitor” did the whispers become something more – something persistent, unmistakable and unavoidable.

I call them “whispers.” But a friend who was much more in tune with the universe and all its mysteries, referred to them as “agreements.” This was a concept he shared with me from his readings of Carlos Castaneda and his several writings on the subject of Don Juan Matus – a man who Carlos professed knew more than most mortal men about the mysteries of life – and of death. Once I became comfortable with an understanding of alternate realities, I was then able to unlock the secret behind Benedict Arnold’s actions. This key to understanding led me to ultimately discover how Benedict Arnold demonstrated his love for country, his friend George Washington, and his family, as well as his commitment to honor his word – even until death. I am now convinced that Benedict Arnold, a man so hated in life as well as in death, was nothing less than an ultimate patriot – a patriot who sacrificed his reputation and lived the remainder of his life in obscurity so that the posterity of the United States of America could be assured.

While acknowledging the gruff and egotistical nature of Benedict Arnold, this writing will provide insights into the previously unseen compassionate and softer side of the man. Although known to the world at large and virtually every American school student today as a traitor, this writing will demonstrate that, even in his darkest hour and when he was hated most, Benedict Arnold was, indeed, nothing less than a patriot willing to sacrifice everything in his personal struggle for what he accurately perceived as the birth of a nation.

Historians have characterized Benedict Arnold as a proud man, who overcame the troubles, trials and tribulations of his youth, while he and his family suffered under the influences of an alcoholic father. History documents that Benedict Arnold was blessed with a loving, caring and proud mother, who struggled somewhat successfully to keep the Arnold family together and meet their daily needs. It was his complicated life as a youth that planted the seeds from which his character and personality blossomed and that, undoubtedly influenced his actions and behavior as an adult.

It was during these formative years that the path which Arnold’s spirit and soul were to take throughout life and beyond was charted and the sails for his life’s journey were set. It was the teachings of his mother that cultivated Arnold’s beliefs in God and enabled him to recognize and acknowledge the influences of Providence in his life. The story contained within the pages of this book will show the side of Benedict Arnold thus far not commonly known. Arnold will be seen as an obsessive and unfaithful, yet loving husband. Readers will witness the depth of Benedict’s love for his first and second wives – both of whom shared the common first name of Peggy. Readers will also see that Arnold loved and provided for his children as well as his sister Hannah, the only sibling of Benedict to survive into adulthood. Readers will learn that Benedict’s passion extended also to his friends, his countrymen and, ultimately, to his country. Yes, for Benedict Arnold, it was all about family, friends, and country, as well as self.

This tale of discovery is centered on 15 facts regarding the lives of Benedict Arnold, George Washington, Peggy Shippen-Arnold, as well as British Major John André, and draws upon the lives of other, lesser-known individuals who lived during the time of the Revolution. This writing will document Benedict Arnold’s relationship with a patriot and simple farmer, Martin Van Derwerker. As a member of the militia, Van Derwerker lived in a small colonial community near the current day, Saratoga Springs, New York, and fought under Arnold’s command at Ticonderoga, Valcour Island and, finally, on the battlefield at Saratoga.

Like Arnold, he, too, was wounded during the Battle at Saratoga and also cared for at the same hospital as Arnold in Albany. Martin Van Derwerker’s wife, Martha, traveled to Albany from Saratoga to care for her husband and ended up as well caring for Arnold, who was in much worse condition and near death on more than one occasion during his convalescence. It was during this four-month period of recovery in Albany that Arnold learned the true meaning of sacrifice, the meaning of love, of life and of God. And it was also at this place, during this time when Arnold first conceived his victory plan that would one day cause others to curse his very birth. 

Readers will learn that the plan conceived by Arnold during the Winter of 1777 and Spring of 1778, the plan that took form and shape over the next year and a half, was never fully revealed to the world. No more than seven others ever knew anything about the full scope of Benedict’s actual plot. In the beginning, there were only two; since the time of his death, no more than seven individuals ever learned the total truth about Arnold’s plot to assure that the patriot cause would succeed. Known only to seven individuals for more than two centuries, this secret has been kept from the world over time – until now.

With the belief that all things are possible and that all truth is not known, this conviction regarding Benedict Arnold’s true motives is based upon an understanding of a soldier’s psyche and the following well-documented facts:

1.            Fact – Benedict Arnold’s second wife, Peggy Shippen, was a “very close friend” of British Officer John André.

2.            Fact – George Washington was a strong and loyal supporter of Benedict Arnold before his “act of betrayal.”

3.            Fact – George Washington and Benedict Arnold met on several occasions shortly before the infamous month of September 1780.

4.            Fact – George Washington personally arrived “just in time” to thwart the British’s attempt to capture West Point. Some say it was “divine providence” or an act of God that placed Washington at a critical location at a critical time.

5.            Fact – After “the betrayal,” George Washington ordered his men to find and capture Benedict Arnold “alive.”

6.            Fact – Due to the circumstances surrounding his meeting with Benedict Arnold and at Arnold’s suggestion, young John André disguised his uniform, hid secret papers on his person and, against the direct orders of his superior officers, behaved as a spy.

7.            Fact – After trial, and upon the order of George Washington, John André, the former lover of Peggy Shippen before she met and married Benedict Arnold, was hanged.

8.            Fact – George Washington permitted Benedict Arnold’s wife, Peggy, a suspected loyalist, to join her husband after the “betrayal.”

9.            Fact – The British were defeated and the Americans were able to win their quest for independence from Britain, while limiting the future involvement of the French in the affairs of colonial America.

10.       Fact – Benedict Arnold was discretely unfaithful to his wife.

11.       Fact – Near the end of his life, Peggy Shippen-Arnold learned of the unfaithfulness of her husband and the existence of a son born to Arnold by another woman while married to Peggy.

12.       Fact – As the Revolutionary War neared an end and throughout the remainder of his life, some would say that George Washington became overly concerned about his “legacy” and how history would remember him.

13.       Fact – After George Washington’s death on December 14, 1799, Martha Washington burned some of his private papers.

14.       Fact – After Benedict Arnold’s death on June 14, 1801, Peggy Shippen burned some of his private papers.

15.       Fact – When Peggy Shippen-Arnold died on August 24, 1804, she still possessed a locket containing a snippet of hair given to her by British Officer John André, twenty-six years before…

Love runs dark. Love runs deep. Love complicates life. And love explains all.

What is there about Benedict Arnold that Inerests Historians?

A review of the literature published within the last 100 years about Benedict Arnold is remarkable. What is even more curious is that, for reasons not so obvious to the casual observer, there appears to be an increasing interest in the subject of Benedict Arnold of late. Fictional stories of his life have been fashioned; biographies have been written; screenplays and documentaries have been produced and tales of Benedict Arnold’s participation in the American Revolution have been well documented. Indeed, some researchers and history buffs have spent lifetimes studying every available facet of Benedict Arnold’s life and appear to have become somewhat fascinated with the hope and prospect of understanding and getting to know Benedict Arnold, the man.

Frankly, I am not certain that I can now determine how my own interest with this man of history started, or what causal factors led me to this point of captivation. However, to my family’s chagrin, fascinated I have become. Suffice to consider it a “hobby,” which became of greater interest to me when I could not escape the conclusion that the whole story regarding Benedict Arnold has not yet been told. Why did he do it? This seems to be the focus of most current writings; trying to understand and explain why Benedict Arnold, a Patriot who sacrificed much, became a traitor. Why did this man who, from the very beginning of the Revolution, was separated from his young family for so many years; who fought in so many battles; who was wounded not once, but twice; who became a loyal supporter and, indeed, friend of George Washington; who gave money and blood to the cause of independence, why? Why did he do it? Why did he betray not only his country, but his friends, his family and, indeed, himself?

Some say it was because of the way members of the Continental Congress treated him with respect to pay and promotions. Some say it was due to the influence of his second wife, Peggy Shippen-Arnold, and her family’s support of the loyalist position during the early days of the revolution. Others say it was Benedict Arnold’s concern about the Roman Catholic-dominated French and their growing involvement in the war; consequently, American affairs after the successful Saratoga campaign. And, finally, some say it was greed and money, pure and simple – he did it for the money. Yes, many theories and explanations have been offered. However, as one reads the work of others, it becomes clear that, like me in the beginning, they essentially ask the same questions and essentially draw the same conclusions based on the writings of others; adding their own personal interpretations and speculations as they do so. The conclusions thus far put forth are, by and large, all based upon the same observations and, indeed, the same writings upon which the history of Benedict Arnold has been cast.

However, as I read more and more, a new focus started to emerge. As I pieced together more facts about this man, as well as those around him, a different question started to emerge. Soon it became clear to me that authors have, for the most part, been asking the wrong question. The difference between others and me at this point in time is the premise of the question. They ask why he betrayed his country. I ask why the truths about Benedict Arnold’s real objectives were never revealed. Could the act of which so much has been written, be something other than betrayal? Might this “act of betrayal” be simply that: an act? Might the traitorous actions of Benedict Arnold, of which there has been so much conjecture, be nothing more than another sacrifice?

How could a man who fought so hard and suffered so many personal pains and losses for the cause of the revolution; how could this man, poised for greatness by his demonstrated battlefield leadership, fall so far from the graces of his countrymen and the nation for generations upon generations?

This question has perplexed historians who have looked back to study, analyze, and try to explain why this battlefield leader turned his back upon his country, his friends and his family. The writers of history have thus far limited themselves to a review of known early records and accounts of witnesses who professed to possess an understanding and insight into the motives of this man named Arnold.

Nevertheless, the writers and readers of the subject of the American Revolution and Benedict Arnold have not given up the quest for a greater understanding of this man and his actions – they’ve yet to be satisfied. The cognitive dissonance between the knowledge gained from what one reads, and what one feels in his or her gut, keeps the flame of interest in the subject of Benedict Arnold burning still. The intellect vs. the emotion – the ever-present human condition where what one knows, from what one reads does not strike a chord with what one feels. The conflict between the intellect and one’s intuition is evidence of man’s continuing struggle for understanding. As one seeks a greater understanding of Benedict Arnold, one must consider both what one learns from the information taken in as well as what one feels. Once the balance is struck between the two centers of our being, only then can one arrive at a greater understanding of this man. For me, the struggle for conflict resolution on the subject of Benedict Arnold is ended.

Our Interest in History Explained - It's a Gene Thing

Have you ever wondered why we have an interest in the life and times of others who have lived in our past?  Just what is there about the past that interests us?  Why are so many of us interested in the lives and adventures of others who lived in a time and place so different from that which surrounds us today?

 

If you answered “no” to the first question and scratched your head, shrugged your shoulders or mumbled something like, “I don’t know” in response to the last two, you will be comforted to know that you are not alone.  Yet on any given day, you can bet that historians and non-historians alike can be found digging in dirt, perusing through books, stalking about museums and even poking around antique stores, all attempting to learn more about, and if possible, even “brush up against” others who have lived in our past.  And most do so without giving why a second thought. 

 

To help prove my point, try the following and see what happens.  The next time you see someone reading a book on a subject of history, reading work of historical fiction, standing at a museum in front of a diorama depicting a family of Neanderthals, or see someone scouring the ground looking for arrowheads, ask: Why are you (fill in the blank with a simple statement that describes whatever it is he or she is doing at that moment)?   See if they don’t answer: “I don’t know” or “Because I like to,” or some other similar, highfalutin sounding; generally non-informative response. 

    

For most of us, their response will confirm that history simply pleases them.  End of story, time to move on and pick up the next rock… However, if you will permit, I would like to take our consideration of this interest in our past a bit further.  You see, I have a theory that explains why many of us share a common interest in history.  Actually, I have two theories which, when taken together, offer a deeper, even mysterious explanation for this interest.  The reason most of us have a difficult time answering this seemingly simple question is that the answer is so basic and so fundamental that it eludes us.  It is just too obvious.  The simple truth is that our interest in our past is imbedded within our DNA!  I suspect that, like me, most of you are not Molecular Biologists or Geneticists, which explains why you probably didn’t come up with this answer on your own.  

Nevertheless, after spending a considerable amount of time wondering about my own interest in history, I’ve concluded that the only possible explanation for this insatiable interest is the existence of a history gene embedded somewhere deep in the recesses of my DNA.  Assuming we are of the same species, if I have it in my DNA, you have it in yours as well.  And, if you accept this theory, it will not only provide a reasonable explanation of our common interest, but, as I will explain in a moment, it will also make you feel better.  That is, unless you just happen to be a Molecular Biologist or Geneticist and, for some inexplicable reason have not come across this history gene theory in you research.  If you are one, get to work and prove, or disprove if you can, what I will call: Theory of the History Gene.   If you are a college student who just happens to be majoring in Molecular Biology or Genetics, a dissertation topic has just dropped into your lap; and you are welcome to it.

   

Like I said a moment ago, if you are not a Biologist or Geneticist I’m betting that, now that you know the answer to the question, you feel better than you did when you initially reached the end of the first paragraph.  How can I possibly know? Sherlock would’ve said, “Elementary my dear Watson.” 

You see, our human brains do not like stress.  And not being able to answer what appears to be a reasonably straight forward question results in stress.  It is the way our brains are wired; we can’t help it!  However, now that you are armed with an understanding of why you are interested in history, you have the answer.  Consequently, you now feel less stress and you should therefore be feeling better now. 

 

Nonetheless, I expect that there are some Doubting Thomases who are thinking: “Not everyone has the same interest in history; therefore, this hairball theory must be wrong!”

 

To that, I say, “Ye of little faith.” And, as you might expect by now, I have a straightforward explanation for this observation as well. 

Do you remember sitting in a biology class somewhere and a teacher saying something about “dominant” and “recessive” traits?  To my way of thinking, it only seems reasonable to conclude that those of us who are more interested in history than others simply possess a dominant history gene.

  

Now, if you’ve stayed with this train of thought so far, let me offer one additional hypothesis that may push some of you right over the edge and scare the crap out of others.  However, I know that it will resonate with at least a select few of you.  So here it goes: 

We are interested in history and the lives of those who have gone before, because…by connecting with our past, we are in some mysterious and wonderful way, at the same time also connecting with those who will live in the future...

I know, some of you just raised your eyebrows and are now wondering, “Where is this thread going?”  Well, if you are willing to journey with this train of thought just a wee bit further down the path, it will take you to an understanding of the affects of our mortality upon our interest in history.  Yep, believe it or not, our interest in history is based, at least in part, on the fact that we are mortal! 

 

Regardless of religious belief, and regardless of acceptance or rejection of my dominant history gene theory, you are going to have to grant me this one – none of us are going to live forever.  And that is the reason we have an interest in history.  Those of us with this dominant history gene live in the present, look to the past and think about the future – all in the same instant of time.  It is this mystical, simultaneous connection of our present, our past and our future that results in a release of endorphins in our brain.  As some of you may know, endorphins make us feel good.  And it is these endorphins that keep the flame of interest in our history burning brightly. 

 

So, the next time someone asks, “Why do you like history?” Just smile knowingly and say, “Glad you asked.  Pull up a chair and let me tell you about endorphins...”

Now sit back, read a good book of history and keep your eyes open for a glimpse into the future it may now offer.  Enjoy the journey!