Benedict Arnold: The Revolutionary War in Four Minutes

[@AmericanBattlefieldTrust]

In today's Rev War In4 Rebrand, we take a look at the life and legacy of Benedict Arnold, who 243 years ago today on October 7, led a furious charge at The Battles of Saratoga, leading to an American victory. Of course, Arnold never received what he viewed as proper recognition or payment, and eventually betrayed General George Washington and became an officer in the British Army. Thanks for supporting American history and battlefield preservation!

[@franciaortega762]

This the best version video on Benedict Arnold. I’ve understood more with this video than with others that are much longer. THANK YOU 😊

[@AmericanBattlefieldTrust]

@@franciaortega762 cool thanks!

[@joejankoski8471]

Understand the short format. He was also censured and stood trial (Court Martialled) while Military Governor of Philadelphia - some might suggest - on baseless charges brought by a political rival. This combined with his marriage to Shippen was really what led to his betrayal. He could have survived both independently and remained loyal. But not both.

[@LesHaskell]

I have two ancestors who were under the command of Benedict Arnold. One was in Lt. Col. Christopher Greene's Battalion on the expedition to Quebec and the other was in the Queen's Rangers a bit later.

[@jadynmmarie]

Benedict Arnold is one of my ancestors. I hate it.

[@sjfrank88]

@@jadynmmarie you shouldn't. He was a traitor but so was every American to England. What he did wrong was horrible but I don't think America would have won the war without him.

[@autisticguitar666]

strange flex

[@Armed-Forever]

@@sjfrank88 ironic cuz the original traitors were the ones rebelling, george washington used to be in the british armed forces lol

[@LesHaskell]

@@jadynmmarie William Arnold is my ancestor. Benedict V (actually all five Benedicts) is a cousin.

[@claud1961]

Everything I have read about Arnold says he was a passionate man and could be abrasive and very hot-headed, making as many followers as enemies. These enemies form an anti-Arnold group that seeks to stymie his advancement, something Arnold could not tolerate. He could not take criticism or any questioning of his authority. His treason is like his own character, all or nothing. Not content to defect when Andre was captured, he led raids into his own home state, something he would know would brand him as the most villainous of traitors in America. He is only surpassed by Charles Lee, who, while in captivity, sent a plan to General Howe to help defeat the rebels. After his release, he was never the same and became more petulant and difficult. It is possible that the thought his treason might come to light made him eve more high-strung than usual, and he was a difficult man. It is easy to surmise that Arnold, had he not been discovered, would have been bolder and taken more risks, as that was his nature while he nursed his various wrongs. If Andre had not been caught, giving Arnold time to escape, he most certainly would have been found out and received the same fate as his accomplice.

[@LesHaskell]

"Could be abrasive"? After the war he lived in Saint John, New Brunswick for a bit. He was burned in effigy when he left. It was a community of ex-pat American Loyalists who had fled political persecution after the war. Burning him in effigy had nothing to with whether or not he was a traitor. They did it because he was insufferable as a businessman, a citizen of the community, and a neighbor. If he were alive today we'd probably be watching videos of him on KZbin titled "See What this Crazy Karen Neighbor Did".

[@jolene9756]

i personally think that arnold's story was sad. after the battle of saratoga, he had to walk with a cane, he didnt get promoted or ANY credit for what he did, and he was basically left all alone with his left leg 2 inches shorter than his right. after that, he married peggy and fell victim to debt, and then stole money from pa becuase peggy told him so. he gets caught and humiliated in public by his best friend, george washington. he was an honorable man with a sad life that changed him into a traitor. i think that he was a pretty cool guy even though he switched sides. after the war, nobody really respected him in britain since his plan failed and everyone in america hated him. he died from gout and suffered 4 days of delirium. benedict arnold had a sad, sad life, but he was an amazing general and soldier that just happened to be misled.

[@jeffreyburney6161]

He was an amazing general, but his loyalties were to whoever would pay him. And he found comfort in supporting the crown which layer of the crown betrayed him. He suffered the humiliation. He deserves for being a traitor hadn’t been during wartime. He deserves to be either draw and quarter or hang. But later in life, he got exactly what he deserved. His legacy is ruined. He even destroyed his family’s honor. Has Benedict Arnold remain loyal Isabel possible instead of George Washington being the man it would’ve been Benedict Arnold. I think Benedict Arnold, he stayed loyal, would’ve gotten his big break in gotten his big command. He may even had a whole entire state named after him in his honor. Now he has nothing.

[@robynperdieu3434]

Washington was a member of the freemason secret society, and it is my opinion they have, with others, orchestrated the destruction of the United States. Remember that history is written by the victors and we have been denied the truth.

[@JBBRAD9267]

Young women are great but they sure will get you in trouble

[@covertops19Z]

ABSOLUTELY 💯👍.. It took me 55+ years to figure that out. I've been off dating almost 10 years now. I've never had so much walking around money in my life.

[@davereiter8433]

True

[@davidhull1481]

I am an indirect descendant of BA. My mother’s maiden name was Arnold, as is my middle name. Thanks for an even handed report, although I do wish that you’d told us about his excellent military service before Saratoga also. Arnold was just no good at playing the political game, and Washington was surrounded by Arnold’s enemies who lost no opportunity to bad mouth him. I have had the honor to visit the battlefield on the anniversary in 2007. I did have to prod the park ranger to say anything positive about him!

[@jeffreyburney6161]

He was a great military leader and I’m sure he was a great human being. But he made a choice and had to suffer the consequences of that choice. I’m sure Mr. Arnold lived to regret his choice and I’m sure that if he was given the opportunity to do it all over again he would make the right choice.

[@davidhull1481]

@@jeffreyburney6161 Well, as long as YOU’RE sure I guess I can sleep at night.

[@alexlehrersh9951]

@@jeffreyburney6161 Maybe not helping the rebelion in the beginning?

[@jeffreyburney6161]

@@alexlehrersh9951 if he was going to join the British than that probably would have been the best choice for him to make from the beginning because then he would be honored as a soldier not scorned as a traitor.

[@paulandrejko4631]

Aside from that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?

[@skorpa1487]

No! No! No! You cannot compare Benedict to Judas Iscariot. Benedict may be forgiven but Judas betrayed the LORD of all.

[@niltomega2978]

Had Britain won Arnold would be a hero. Often the label hero or traitor is attained by being on the winning or losing side.

[@lanemeyer9350]

Benedict had cast-iron balls

[@vonwagner1257]

But the same people calling BA a traitor don't call Robert E Lee the same thing. Weird

[@LesHaskell]

That's not a fair comparison. The treason of Robert E. Lee was rebellion, the same as the Patriots in the Revolution. If rebellion is the treason we are talking about Benedict Arnold was ultimately repentant about it. The troops he eventually led were those who chose not to rebel and to remain loyal their legal government. But the Patriots who rebelled like to call those who wanted to remain loyal traitors. Jingoism is so fun when you really get into it.

[@jackblack2679]

He did not betray his country! His country betrayed him.

[@JBBRAD9267]

@@jackblack2679 so true

[@xxSKAGhosTxx]

Eh, he technically didn't join another foreign power. He was an insurrectionist vying to take power from the rival faction. Arnold joined the British Army to kill former comrades.

[@Armed-Forever]

@@LesHaskell it is, it proves the hypocrisy, arnold is a traitor for doing what the union did …

[@Wm.Havens]

Summarizing Arnold with no mention of the burning of New London and the Battle of Groton Heights on September 6, 1781?

[@heathmcrigsby]

How pumped would you be listening to Drowsy Maggie while marching into war.

[@andrewemery4272]

The man was a Hero who saw the error of his ways and left evil to fight for good.

[@Hari-cz8tk]

so... he's not really a traitor at all... he just thought the British would do a better job at running America 😗

[@alexlehrersh9951]

I a sense he is a trator as he ws first on the rebels side

[@moc1379]

Lets face it, the British would have.

[@xxSKAGhosTxx]

Seems like he got shafted by America for all he did for them. This is why you don't neglect your most valuable assets. The first Betrayal was the US government for not promoting their best strategist. Man did everything to earn it.

[@northernlight4614]

He helped finance his own field missions as well. Was never compensated by Congress for it.

[@deanstreet9666]

Facts man

[@robynperdieu3434]

​@@northernlight4614I replied to you in your other comment, and this statement makes me suspect that Arnold refused to join the freemasons, because they throw money at members and don't give it to nonmembers.

[@mustardseedoffaith7481]

All because of a woman....imagine that.

[@Phonixrmf]

I've heard this story before... a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away

[@redjirachi1]

The real villain of America wasn't Benedict Arnold, it was Jefferson Davis

[@rickp3753]

Both were traitors. Davis had been Sec. of War.

[@northernlight4614]

True. He betrayed his country from the beginning. Started a war that cost 600,000 American lives. That's only the dead, not the total casualties.

[@galeholford1190]

I can’t wait for Broadway to make this a play and turn everyone into blacks except Washington and Peggy.

[@alexdejesus62]

It figures a woman was involved. Lol!

[@cover_mystic545]

I don’t know much about Benedict Arnold, but he comes across as an extremely confident military man, whose instincts in battle were unmatched by many, but he also seemed to have been extremely hard to work with. A man who is great at the job, but a canon of temper ready to fire. And if I play the as devil advocate, I would not deny that Arnold sacrificed his health, his leg, his time with his wife who died while he was out serving, and his future with his late wife: all of it for a cause he believed in. Why would someone leave a cause they’ve sacrificed love and life for? What I think is, That amount of loss and with few who recognize it and support it would make any fighter upset, no promotion, people underplaying his involvement and dragging his name through the mud. Granted, Arnold wasn’t easy to work with, And with his temper and experience Arnold wouldn’t have taken well to how corrupt he felt the military in the blossoming nation was. Especially when all those who slighted him got promoted long before Arnold did, and in some instances for actions and battles that Arnold secured the victories of but didn’t get the recognition for. if we look at it in within that context Arnold’s betrayal makes a bit more sense as the Betrayal might be two sided, from Arnold’s perspective, he might feel that he was betrayed first by those who should’ve supported him. Is he to blame for betraying the cause? Well, yes. Only he could have decided to betray the cause he had worked so hard for, but perhaps one can learn from it: that money is worth more than a cause to those whom feel overlooked and ignored by the cause they sacrifice and suffer to support? Idk that’s just my two cents to this discussion. 🙂

[@theophilhist6455]

More evidence of that which you sow with disloyalty you will reap dishonor. Herein is the moral lesson beyond the military story, that disloyalty is more often bred with the mindset of discontent and entitlement.

[@brandonneely9982]

The good ol' boy system was in even back then

[@robynperdieu3434]

Secret society members of freemasons. Washington was one of them. JFK warned that secret societies, Zionists, and usurpers were working to destroy the United States. But he said, "It's never too late, just remember that."

[@deneshbhaskar3944]

As a capitalist, I can not blame Arnold but have respect him. He did it for gold, glory. This is a lesson treat ur heros with respect. He should of been promoted. Thus sold his soul for gold.

[@danwroy]

"One of Peggy's paramours" uh what?

[@grassroot011]

Granny Gate s sat back in camp to, according to the soldiers, " Empty chamber pots and make beds."

[@swgeek4310]

Amazing how politics really haven't changed..

[@jansharp6675]

The bottom line is Benedict Arnold portrayed the United States and run to Britain a Trader is a traitor

[@RealityOrganized]

Arnold's defection was primarily due to his wife, and his debt.

[@deneshbhaskar3944]

Arnold is a hero. He did what he had to do. He left for england and lived like a boss.

[@j.franklin21]

Gutsy thing to say...

[@northernlight4614]

He was a hero before he betrayed his country. He never lived a rich life after that.

[@Aine-b4r]

Well because we didn’t have a president yet The Congress took control of everything

[@Tigerwolf-uq1fu]

Add mike pence to the list.

[@jarrodyuki7081]

cao cao i would rather betray the world than have the world betray me.

[@projectw.a.a.p.f.t.a.d7762]

Just came to learn about Mike Pence's idol!!

[@daniellainez6533]

Mike" Benedict Arnold" Pence....

[@projectw.a.a.p.f.t.a.d7762]

@@daniellainez6533 I've been thinking he may of done it for a good cause, but it having to do with convicting those who've worked in collusion regardling the fraud. But until that's revealed or if it's revealed. He's definitely that!!

[@daniellainez6533]

@@projectw.a.a.p.f.t.a.d7762 he says hes christian.... i hope he knows hes the judas of our time.....7 pounds of silver behind closed doors is all what it took.

[@davereiter8433]

Pence had the guts to not play games with fake electors. Results had been certified by Secretaries of State in the various states. Pence did the right thing. "The Man" is facing 91 felony counts in 4 jurisdictions. Everyone of the cases is a "witch hunt"? He's the new "Teflon Don", just like Gotti. Just find me 11,700 votes, will ya? If the country wants a quasi-dictator....that's what it'll get.

[@spencer1980]

What's my name, and what's with all the Ks?

[@jadynmmarie]

I hate that I’m related to him.

[@edeliteedelite1961]

You should be proud

[@Armed-Forever]

you in the uk ?

[@birdlynn417]

So, is that how he died? Was he executed?

[@jacobtennyson9213]

TRAITOR!

[@jamielancaster01]

Peggy must’ve had a outstanding Hoohah for him to betray his own country!