The History Twins podcast is currently covering “This Man’s A Spy!,” Carla and Keyes’ musical retelling of the treasonous plot between American General Benedict Arnold and British Major John Andre during the American Revolutionary War. In today’s episode we discuss General Benedict Arnold and possible insight on what led him to sell the plans for West Point to the British.

General Benedict Arnold was once believed to be one of the best, if not the best battlefield commanders in the American Army during the early years of the Revolutionary War. He had been known for his heroism in the early days of the Revolution, and also paid his men out of his own pocket.

He fought in the Battle of Saratoga, which was a turning point of the War. As a result of this battle, the French became allies to the Americans, and sent troops to fight the British. Another result of this Battle was that Arnold sustained several battle wounds, which led to one of his legs being shorter than the other, which required him to walk with a cane.  However, Arnold was given no credit for his involvement.

As Arnold healed from his wounds, Washington appointed Arnold as Military Governor of Philadelphia after the British Army evacuated the city in June 1778. While there, he met loyalist Peggy Shippen who he courted and married.

Arnold also lobbied George Washington to place him in charge of the Hudson Highlands’ fortifications and West Point. A month after his wedding, Arnold sent a letter to New York City for British General Henry Clinton, offering his potential services to the Crown.

His wife Peggy Shippen passed encrypted notes from Arnold to British Head of Intelligence John Andre, to set up a meeting to hand over the plans for America’s West Point.

After being branded a traitor, Benedict Arnold’s name was removed from American memorials. He never gained the trust of the British, and died heavily in debt.

Carla and Keyes also discuss the research and creative process that went into the composition and arrangement of their song “Arnold’s Lament”.

The History Twins podcast teaches that history is more than just dates and dead people. It’s for people interested in history, and the creative process involved in bringing history to life through performance.

You can find The History Twins podcast on YouTube, Spotify, Apple and Amazon podcasts, as well as your favorite podcast catchers.

Links:

Benedict Arnold bio on Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benedict_Arnold

Battle of Saratoga
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battles_of_Saratoga

Beloved Hero and Despised Traitor
https://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/21/nyregion/beloved-hero-and-despised-traitor.html

Why Benedict Arnold Did It
https://www.americanheritage.com/why-benedict-arnold-did-it

History Twins Video Podcast on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/NXOfblPhtQo

HistoryTwins Audio Podcast on Anchor.fm
https://anchor.fm/the-history-twins/episodes/Arnolds-Lament-e1qo88n

Carla and Keyes Blog:
https://CarlaandKeyes.com

Join the Carla and Keyes Mailing List:
https://CarlaandKeyes.com/join