Benedict Arnold | The Execution | 4

Benedict Arnold’s plot to betray West Point comes crashing down. As Arnold escapes into British hands, the conspiracy is exposed—and someone else is left to pay the ultimate price for his treason. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:00Lindsay Graham?

  Hello, American Scandal listeners. The live show I've been telling you about for a few weeks has a new date, October 23rd at the Plaza Theater in Garland, Texas. This is my Days That Made America Tour, a thrilling evening of history, storytelling, and music with me and a band live onstage. So if you're in the North Texas area or anywhere close, be sure to come out and see me live. And more shows will be announced soon. For information on tickets and upcoming dates, go to AmericanHistoryLive.com. That's AmericanHistoryLive.com. Come see my Days That Made America Tour live onstage. Go to AmericanHistoryLive.com. American Scandal uses dramatizations that are based on true events.

• 0:43Lindsay Graham?

  Some elements, including dialogue, might be invented, but everything is based on historical research.

• 0:59Lindsay Graham?

  It's the afternoon of September 25th, 1780, at Robinson House, Benedict Arnold's headquarters at West Point. Peggy Arnold sits on the side of her bed, her infant son Edward clutched tight in her arms. She hasn't left the bedroom all day. She hasn't even gotten dressed because this morning, her life changed forever. For more than a year, Peggy's husband had been plotting to betray the American Revolution and deliver West Point to the British. But earlier today, Arnold learned that his British contact, John Andre, had been captured by American militiamen, along with papers detailing West Point's defenses, several written in Arnold's own hand. Arnold had little time to explain. He told Peggy he had to flee,

• 1:44Lindsay Graham?

  then climbed onto his horse and raced toward the Hudson. By now, he should be sailing downriver aboard the British warship HMS Vulture. But Peggy and Edward are left still in danger. Soon after Arnold left, George Washington arrived at Robinson House for breakfast. Peggy avoided him by staying in the bedroom, and Washington then departed for an inspection of West Point. But he'll return soon. And when he discovers Arnold's treason, Peggy must convince him that she was merely an innocent wife, incapable of understanding what her husband has done, much less helping him do it. So she's been thinking about what she will do all day. Now the time has come. She carefully lays the baby in his crib, runs her hands through her hair

• 2:28Lindsay Graham?

  until it hangs in a wild tangle around her face. She loosens her morning gown, and she opens the door and screams.

• 2:40Lindsay Graham?

  Colonel Varek, Colonel Varek, where are you? The house is silent for a moment, as if stunned by the sudden noise. Peggy moves down the hall. Colonel Varek, Colonel Varek! The door opens behind her. Mrs. Arnold? Peggy wheels around. Colonel Richard Varek stares at her in confusion. The 27-year-old is Benedict Arnold's military secretary, but he's been in bed with a fever for days. And now he scarcely seems to believe what he's seeing. The disheveled Peggy rushes at him and then collapses to her knees in front of him. Oh, Colonel. Mrs. Arnold, are you quite well? They're going to kill him. Who? You have to help me. Adam, who? Who are they going to kill? Why, Edward, of course. Your son?

• 3:24Lindsay Graham?

  They mean to murder him. No, here, let me help you. Varek leans down to lift her to her feet, but Peggy shrieks and scrambles back. No, keep away, don't touch me. Mrs. Arnold, allow me to assist you to your bed. Peggy stares at him. You're with him, aren't you? With who? Mrs. Arnold, please. I, I'm your friend. But she backs away toward the door to her bedroom, shaking her head wildly. I've not a friend left in the world. Mrs. Arnold, no one here means your child any harm. They will come for him. I know they will. Look at me, Mrs. Arnold, you are safe. Your child is safe. Let me fetch Doctor Eustace. You've suffered some violent alarm, you must rest, come. Varek takes a step toward her,

• 4:09Lindsay Graham?

  and Peggy screams again. Get away from me! I won't let you take him! Let me send for your husband, he, he's at West Point. General Arnold would never return, he's gone. What do you mean? Peggy leans forward and whispers, pointing to the ceiling. He's up there. In, in the roof? Spirits have carried him into the sky. They put hot irons in his head. Ah, I, I'm gonna go fetch the doctor. But Peggy grabs his hand to stop him. Those hot irons bedevil me too. You are not yourself, madam. So please, return to your bed, I beg you, I will fetch the doctor. Varek glances to the window, and Peggy lets out a low moan. Oh, they have come for him. No, it's just General Washington.

• 4:54Lindsay Graham?

  Washington? I must see him. Peggy scrambles forward, and Varek steps into the way and grabs hold of her. You are not well. His Excellency will cure me. He will take the iron from my skull, I, I must see him, let me go! If you go back to bed, I will bring him to you as soon as I can. Do you swear it? I swear it, madam. Now if you please, just go back to bed.

• 5:21Lindsay Graham?

  Peggy Arnold goes limp and allows Lieutenant Colonel Varek to guide her back to her bedroom. The first part of her plan has gone perfectly. But Varek is not the man Peggy needs to convince. George Washington is. And for now, he still has no idea that Benedict Arnold has betrayed the Revolution. Soon though, he will discover the truth. And when he does, Peggy will be waiting upstairs, ready to convince him that she too has been betrayed.

• 5:51Speaker 01

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• 6:07Speaker 02

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• 6:45Lindsay Graham?

  From Audible Originals, I'm Lindsay Graham, and this is American Scandal.

• 7:09Lindsay Graham?

  Benedict Arnold had once been a hero of the Revolution. But after years of slights and setbacks, he turned against the cause he helped build. And with the help of his wife Peggy, he secretly defected to the British. Arnold then arranged to take command of West Point, the Continental Army's most important stronghold, and set about weakening it from within. But just when success seemed within reach, the plot suddenly collapsed. The British spymaster John Andre was captured, and Arnold fled West Point before his treachery could be exposed. He was soon beyond the reach of vengeful Americans. But John Andre was not, and neither was Peggy Arnold. This is Episode Four, The Execution.

• 7:55Lindsay Graham?

  It's around 4:00 PM on September 25th, 1780, at Robinson House, Benedict Arnold's headquarters near West Point. George Washington had just returned from an inspection of the fortress in a puzzled mood. When he arrived at Robinson House for breakfast, he was told that General Arnold had gone to West Point. But when he got there, Arnold wasn't to be found. And now no one seems to know where he is. As he takes off his cloak in the chamber set aside for him, Washington is approached by 25-year-old Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton is aide-de-camp to General Washington and one of his most trusted advisors. Hamilton hands him a packet that arrived while Washington was away from Lieutenant Colonel John Jamison,

• 8:38Lindsay Graham?

  the second-in-command of a Continental Army outpost in Westchester County. Hamilton says the matter is apparently urgent.

• 8:48Lindsay Graham?

  So Washington rips open the seal and reads the covering letter. His expression tightens as he flips through the other pages, as if to confirm what the letter says is true. Then he glances up at Hamilton. Fetch Lafayette. Hamilton nods and disappears. Washington spreads out the papers on a narrow table beneath the window. His hands tremble as he reads through page after page. Benedict Arnold's betrayal is so vast, it's almost impossible for Washington to comprehend. Come. Hamilton utters the Marquis de Lafayette inside, and Lafayette bows. He's a young French military officer who's fought for the revolution as a volunteer for the past three years. You asked for me, Excellency. For a moment, Washington says nothing.

• 9:33Lindsay Graham?

  He can barely bring himself to say the words out loud, but then he straightens his back. General Arnold has betrayed us, gentlemen. Here, see for yourself. Washington steps aside to allow Lafayette and Hamilton to inspect the papers. And after a moment, Lafayette frowns. These are defensive plans for West Point. Yes, and Arnold intended to hand them to the British. I cannot believe it. Washington jabs a finger at the covering letter. Colonel Jameson writes that these documents were taken from a man apprehended near Tarrytown. He was making his way to New York. Lafayette stares at the documents, momentarily speechless. And there's a transcript here of my private war council. The garrison, the artillery, the condition of every redoubt.

• 10:17Lindsay Graham?

  He was giving them everything. I want him found and strung up. When was he last seen? Not for hours, I think. He'll make for the river. Alexander, take the fastest horse. He must be stopped before he reaches the British lines. Hamilton nods and hurries out the door, leaving the other two men alone. Lafayette returns to the papers, and among them he finds a second letter. Oh, there's more. Yes, it's from the man who was captured at Tarrytown. He identifies himself as Major John Andre. A French name. Yes, but a British officer. He says he came ashore in uniform to meet an informant outside our lines. He was then brought within our posts against his intentions and forced by circumstance to return over land. So he says he's not a spy. And you believe him?

• 11:02Lindsay Graham?

  Well, that would be for a court to decide. In the meantime, West Point must be secured. We cannot know how much intelligence the British already have. Every precaution is to be taken, but quietly, you understand. Of course, sir. I will not have rumors spread through the army before we know the extent. What now? Lafayette opens the door and has a hurried conversation with someone outside. He then turns back to Washington. It's Colonel Varick, Excellency. He says it's about Madame Arnold. Peggy Arnold's episode of apparent hysteria is showing no signs of ending. Her doctor even says that if General Arnold doesn't return soon, she may die. When George Washington hears that, he sets aside the anger he feels towards Peggy's

• 11:47Lindsay Graham?

  husband, for now at least, and warily he climbs the stairs to her room. He finds Peggy in bed, rocking her son Edward back and forth. She's still wearing just her gown, her hair is a mess, and her face is wild with fear. Lieutenant Colonel Varick is at her side and gently announces that General Washington has come to see her. Peggy stares at Washington for a long few seconds. Then she shakes her head and insists that the man standing before her is not George Washington. In his kindest voice, Washington assures her that she's mistaken. He is her old friend, but his words only seem to frighten her more. Peggy pulls her baby closer and accuses Washington of being a man sent to murder her child.

• 12:31Lindsay Graham?

  Washington doesn't know what to make of it, so he asks her if she knows what happened to her husband. And Peggy's eyes roll up as she points frantically upward. She insists that her husband has gone through the ceiling. Washington is at a loss for words. He's spent the afternoon confronting one impossible revelation after another. Arnold has betrayed him. West Point may be exposed, and now Arnold's cheerful young wife appears to have lost all understanding of who she is and who stands before her. She seems incapable of answering even the simplest questions, much less explaining a conspiracy. Slowly, Washington reaches what seems to be the only reasonable conclusion. Peggy Arnold is innocent. She's another victim of Arnold's treachery, a young mother who woke this morning to discover

• 13:16Lindsay Graham?

  that her husband had abandoned her and disgraced their family. Under these circumstances, Washington thinks it's hardly surprising that she's collapsed in this way. So he doesn't interrogate her. He doesn't demand answers about what she knew of Arnold's plans, and he doesn't suspect for a moment that the madness he just witnessed may have been the most important performance of Peggy Arnold's life. Instead, Washington returns downstairs. Officers are waiting for him to start dinner, and as they take their seats in the dining room, they ask whether General Arnold and his wife will be joining them. Washington announces that Mrs. Arnold is sick and the general is away. He isn't ready for word of the treachery to spread. As they speak, Hamilton is racing after Arnold, and Washington still holds onto the hope

• 14:01Lindsay Graham?

  that he will be captured. Still, the dinner is an excruciating one. Washington can't stop thinking about Arnold's betrayal. He would have trusted that man with his life. And as he looks around the table, he wonders if there are any other traitors sitting here, smiling at him while secretly plotting with his enemy. Washington is consumed by these thoughts until later in the evening when Alexander Hamilton returns. He brings the news that Washington feared, by the time Hamilton reached the shores of the Hudson, the British warship HMS Vulture was long gone and Arnold had escaped with it. Arnold left letters behind, though, which Hamilton has brought back with him. One is addressed to Washington and the other for Peggy. Washington warily reads the letter from Arnold.

• 14:44Lindsay Graham?

  In it, he justifies his betrayal, insisting he has always stayed true to his principles, and it's the revolution and especially Congress that has betrayed him. Still, that doesn't stop Arnold from asking Washington for a favor. He insists that Peggy is innocent and knew nothing of his plot. He requests that she be permitted to return to her family in Philadelphia or join him in New York as she chooses. It's a choice, he repeats in his private letter to Peggy. Arnold tells his wife that he's requested that General Washington take her under his protection. And then he adds, "Do not forget that I shall be miserable until we meet. And you, kiss my dear boy for me." Peggy is left holding the letter and their six-month-old son.

• 15:27Lindsay Graham?

  Arnold is alive and wants her with him, but she knows she can't go to New York, not yet. Joining her husband immediately would undermine everything she's done to protect herself. So Peggy chooses to preserve her innocence and decides to go to Philadelphia to be with her family. But no such choice is presented to the British spymaster John Andre. He is imprisoned, awaiting trial in a Continental Army camp at Tappan, New York, 34 miles south of West Point. But he's not been forgotten by his compatriots, though. On September 27th, the British Commander in Chief in North America, Sir Henry Clinton, sends a message from New York to George Washington with a plea for Andre's release. He argues that Andre left HMS Vulture under the protection of a flag of truce, so he should

• 16:12Lindsay Graham?

  not be detained. But Washington is unmoved. By now, word of Arnold's treachery has spread throughout the country, and to protect army morale, Washington wants the affair resolved quickly. He orders Andre's case to be heard by a board of general officers as soon as possible. So on the afternoon of September 29th, 1780, Andre is escorted under guard through the tiny hamlet of Tappan to its church. He steps through the doors, and in the cool darkness beyond, Andre's fate will be decided by some of the most powerful men in the Continental Army, six major generals and eight brigadier generals. The men study Andre as he enters. They've spent days hearing about Benedict Arnold's treachery and the British plot to

• 16:54Lindsay Graham?

  seize West Point, and now they finally get to see the man at the center of it. But Andre hardly looks like the villain they imagined. Young and handsome, he stands upright and carries himself like a gentleman. And then he does something else that surprises them. They ask how he came behind American lines, why he was traveling under the name John Anderson, and how he obtained the West Point papers. In response, Andre tells them the truth. Understanding that there is little point in lying, he calmly recounts his long correspondence with Arnold, his arrival on HMS Vulture, and the circumstances that left him trapped on the American side of the Hudson. With every answer, Andre supplies more evidence against himself.

• 17:35Lindsay Graham?

  Yet the longer the examination continues, the stranger the atmosphere becomes. The American officers have every reason to despise the man before them. Instead, they find themselves drawn to him. Andre is intelligent, courteous, and candid. He never becomes defensive, and he treats the officers questioning him with respect. So gradually, the hostility of the Americans gives way to sympathy. Still, there is no denying the plain facts, and when the time comes to decide Andre's fate, the officers don't let their admiration for the young man change their minds. Under the accepted rules of warfare, his actions were those of a spy, and the decision of the board is unanimous.

• 18:16Lindsay Graham?

  Major John Andre is guilty of espionage, and the punishment will be death.

• 18:25Speaker 03

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• 18:55Speaker 04

  For decades, two legendary brands fought for the hearts of American bikers, Indian Motorcycle and Harley-Davidson. The battle looked a lot like Coke versus Pepsi or Ford versus Chevy, but tastes changed and Indian didn't adapt fast enough. The icon all but died. Then came the con men, the dreamers, a string of spectacular failures that kept Indian in the grave, until one company finally got it right. This is the story of an improbable revival and the reignition of an old rivalry. Hey, I'm David Brown, the host of the podcast Business Wars, and every season we bring you the true stories behind the companies that shape our world. Indian's new owners are going all in, but an existential crisis looms. Can Indian and Harley recruit enough younger riders to survive?

• 19:38Speaker 04

  Make sure to follow Business Wars wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all episodes of Business Wars early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.

• 20:01Lindsay Graham?

  Before Major John Andre's death sentence can be carried out, the verdict must be confirmed by George Washington himself, and it doesn't take him long to make the decision. Major Andre is a spy and must suffer the appropriate sentence, so Washington approves his execution and schedules it for October 1st, only a few days away. So while he awaits his death, Andre is confined under guard in a small stone house in Tappan. His prison soon becomes a destination for American officers. They come out of curiosity at first, eager to see the British spy they've heard so much about. But like the men at the trial, they don't find a monster. They find an appealing young officer who seems to have accepted his fate with remarkable composure. Among Andre's new admirers

• 20:45Lindsay Graham?

  is one of Washington's closest aides, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton. He visits Andre several times, and on each occasion, he's struck by Andre's dignity. Only once does Hamilton see that calm facade break. It's when Andre asks Hamilton to obtain permission for him to send a letter to his commander, Sir Henry Clinton. As Andre speaks of his gratitude and affection for Clinton, he struggles to hold back his tears. Hamilton finds it hard not to weep with him. He does not dispute the trial's verdict. By law, Andre is clearly guilty of espionage. But what troubles Hamilton is the cruelty of the outcome, that Andre must die, while Arnold, the man who betrayed his country, has escaped beyond American reach.

• 21:28Lindsay Graham?

  Hamilton can't stop thinking about it. Even Washington notices, and at their next meeting in the generals' rooms in Tappan, he questions Hamilton about it.

• 21:41Lindsay Graham?

  You've been seeing Major Andre again? Yes, Your Excellency, this morning. How does he bear his sentence? With fortitude, sir, but not with indifference. Washington looks up from his papers. Explain. He asked permission to write to Sir Henry Clinton. He fears that Clinton may blame himself for what has happened. Clinton sent him here. Andre insists that he acted contrary to Clinton's orders. He could scarcely speak of the general without tears. Well, you do understand why the sentence must be carried out? I... I understand it's justice. That does not make it less cruel. Washington studies Hamilton for a moment. A proposal has been made to me. It's been suggested that Andre might ask Clinton to exchange him for Arnold.

• 22:25Lindsay Graham?

  And I can see that logic. To Washington's surprise, Hamilton's expression hardens, and Washington frowns. Well, I thought you would welcome that idea. He would refuse the proposal, I'm certain of it. Even to save himself from the noose? Yes, he would consider it dishonorable. He will not purchase his life through betraying another man. That other man is Benedict Arnold. I know. Arnold deserves the gallows, but Andre will not ask Clinton to send him there. You will not put the possibility to him, then? No, I cannot, sir. Washington sits back. You value this prisoner's opinion of you? Ah, I confess that I do. Well, perhaps there's another way. Yes, Your Excellency? I believe Clinton would do almost anything to save his man. He may still be made to understand

• 23:10Lindsay Graham?

  that there is one exchange we would consider. Do you really believe he would surrender Arnold? Willingly abandon a man who has placed himself under his protection? Perhaps not. Yet still, Sir Henry must be given the choice.

• 23:25Lindsay Graham?

  Washington's offer is soon communicated to the British at their headquarters in Manhattan. It leaves Sir Henry Clinton with an agonizing decision to make. Clinton and his officers care deeply for John Andre, while their new ally Benedict Arnold is viewed by many of them with suspicion. But Clinton knows that surrendering Arnold would discourage future American defectors from seeking British protection. Worse, it would be dishonorable to tear up their deal and go back on his word. So Clinton tells his staff that a deserter is never given up, and reluctantly, he refuses Washington's offer. Still, Clinton is determined to make one final effort to save Andre. He dispatches three emissaries under a flag of truce to the Americans to plead for Andre's life.

• 24:09Lindsay Graham?

  Washington agrees to delay the execution to hear their arguments. The British delegation arrives on October 1st, 1780. Washington allows only one of the emissaries to argue Andre's case, and the first evidence he presents is a letter from Benedict Arnold. Arnold begins the letter by thanking Washington for the kindness he showed to his wife Peggy. Then he turns to the subject of John Andre. He insists that he told Andre to come ashore and that he takes complete responsibility for arranging the boat that brought him from the vulture, urging him to change out of his uniform and granting Andre a pass to travel through American lines. If any of those actions violated the laws of war, Arnold argues that the blame belongs to him alone.

• 24:54Lindsay Graham?

  But then the tone of the letter abruptly shifts. Arnold warns that if Andre is executed, he will retaliate by ordering the execution of forty prisoners from South Carolina. Washington wasn't moved by Arnold's attempt to mollify him, but he's even less impressed by this threat. So the British emissary tries a less aggressive approach. He starts with a legal argument, suggesting that Andre had entered American territory under the protection of a flag of truce, authorized by Benedict Arnold, and all his actions thereafter were at Arnold's express command. Andre, therefore, cannot legally be considered a spy. The Americans, though, quickly reject that argument. Whatever protection a flag of truce might normally provide,

• 25:36Lindsay Graham?

  it cannot be used as a shield for the betrayal of a fortress. So the emissary tries another approach. He says that General Clinton is willing to exchange any American in British captivity for Major Andre. But the Americans make it clear there is only one man whose return might save Andre, Benedict Arnold, and the British have already rejected that offer. So the emissary's last attempt is an appeal to Washington's humanity. He reminds the Americans that General Clinton has several prisoners in British captivity who are charged with similar offenses to John Andre. Although Clinton could have ordered their execution, he has shown them mercy instead. Washington could do the same for John Andre. The British and Americans may be at war,

• 26:19Lindsay Graham?

  but that does not mean they must abandon all civility. The emissaries' pleas are heard respectfully. But the Americans can't help remembering the case of Nathan Hale. He was a patriot spy, a man even younger than John Andre. And when he was caught by the British back in 1776, he was hanged. So even after hours of negotiations, the Americans are unmoved, and the British leave Tappan without John Andre. Realizing that all hope is gone, Major Andre writes to Washington one last time. He no longer asks for freedom, only for a choice in the manner of his death. He wants to die like a soldier, by firing squad. But Washington has no intention of granting that request.

• 27:02Lindsay Graham?

  The extraordinary circumstances of Benedict Arnold's betrayal demand unwavering firmness, so Andre will be hanged as a spy. The next morning, in his tiny prison in Tappan, Major John Andre prepares himself for death. The Americans have shown him one mercy at least. His servant has been allowed to bring his regimental uniform from New York, so he will die in his proper regalia. But the servant is too emotional to help him. Andre dismisses the weeping man and dresses and shaves himself. Then he eats a last meal and announces to his guards that he's ready. Outside his cell, a vast crowd is assembled. Lines of soldiers stand in formation, and nearly every general and field officer in Tappan watches on horseback.

• 27:47Lindsay Graham?

  A somber silence hangs over the gathering as Andre emerges. He takes his place between two officers who escort him past the ranks of soldiers. He walks calmly, bowing politely to several men he recognizes along the way. The procession winds up a hill as a drum beats out a slow death march. Then Andre sees the gallows. For an instant, he stops. Washington didn't inform him whether his request for a soldier's death had been accepted, and now the bleak wooden structure at the top of the hill has answered that question. Andre involuntarily steps back, telling his guards he's reconciled to death, but he detests this manner of it. A wagon carrying a black coffin rolls by.

• 28:31Lindsay Graham?

  Andre's guards gently guide him forward, and when he moves to climb the gallows, his legs briefly give way beneath him. Then he murmurs to himself that it will only be a momentary pang, and he pulls himself up. The executioner stands waiting there, his face blackened with soot to conceal his identity. He grabs the noose that's drooping beneath the gallows, but when he approaches, Andre sees that the executioner's hands are filthy too. He doesn't want them to ruin his uniform, so he tells the man he'll put the noose around his neck himself. Taking the rope, Andre slips it over his head and carefully adjusts it around his neck. Then he draws a white silk handkerchief from a pocket and covers his eyes.

• 29:14Lindsay Graham?

  The provost marshal gives Andre the opportunity to speak, and in a clear, steady voice, Andre says, "I pray you to bear me witness that I meet my fate like a brave man." Then an officer ties Andre's hands behind him. Andre stands still as the order is given, and the rope soon bites into his neck.

• 29:37Speaker 05

  In January 1995, 18-year-old Krista Pike and two friends lured a classmate, 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer, to an abandoned steam plant and killed her. At just 20 years old, Pike was sentenced to death. 30 years later, on September 30th, 2026, the state of Tennessee tried to execute her and failed. I'm Candace DeLong, former FBI profiler and host of the podcast Killer Psyche, where we go inside the minds behind the most shocking crimes. In our latest episode, we take you inside the case of Krista Pike. The brutal crime, the childhood of abuse, three decades of appeals, and the night

• 30:20Speaker 05

  an execution went terribly wrong. Follow Killer Psyche wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Killer Psyche one week early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.

• 30:37Speaker 06

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• 31:22Speaker 06

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• 31:49Lindsay Graham?

  On the day of Major John Andre's execution, Benedict Arnold is safely behind British lines in New York City. Only a week has passed since he fled West Point and escaped down the Hudson River on the HMS Vulture. When Arnold arrived in New York, British Commander in Chief Henry Clinton received him and commissioned him as a Brigadier General. It was a demotion compared to the rank of Major General he'd held in the Continental Army, but after his failure to deliver West Point, even that appointment raised eyebrows among some British officers in the city. But Arnold's first days in New York were consumed by the fate of John Andre. Arnold did what he could for his former conspirator, but now that Andre is dead, Arnold turns

• 32:31Lindsay Graham?

  his attention from defending the British spymaster to defending himself. He writes a letter addressed to the inhabitants of America. He does not mention that he sold West Point for money. Instead, he crafts an ideological defense of his actions, blaming Congress and sharing his misgivings about the alliance with France. His new British allies hope Arnold's example will be potent propaganda. After all, if one of Washington's most celebrated generals can abandon the rebellion, perhaps other Americans can be persuaded to do the same. So the British do their best to distribute Arnold's letter across the country, but it does little to rehabilitate his reputation among Americans or inspire others to follow his example.

• 33:14Lindsay Graham?

  To most patriots, the letter is nothing more than an elaborate justification for treason. And rather than weakening support for independence, Arnold's betrayal seems to harden it. He has given his former comrades a new enemy to unite against. So Arnold may have failed to win over his countrymen, but his betrayal has paid off as far as his finances are concerned. The British award Arnold 6,000 pounds. He believes he was promised even more, but with John Andre dead, Arnold has no one to corroborate that. Still, the 6,000 is enough to make Arnold a very wealthy man, and he soon has another reason to be pleased with his new life in New York. He's reunited with his wife Peggy. After Arnold's defection, Peggy remained in Philadelphia only briefly.

• 33:59Lindsay Graham?

  The Pennsylvania authorities were less trusting of her than the men at Robinson House. The state Supreme Executive Council was led by Arnold's old enemy Joseph Reed, who had little reason to give Peggy the benefit of the doubt. So though she was never formally accused of anything, the council ordered her to leave Pennsylvania and prohibited her from returning during the war. So Peggy left with her young son soon after and made her way to British-held New York. Within a few weeks of reuniting with Arnold, Peggy is pregnant with their second child. So on paper, Arnold has much of what he wanted: financial security, with his family safely at his side. But there is still one thing he craves: respect.

• 34:41Lindsay Graham?

  The British initially received him courteously, but as he settles into their ranks, Arnold is forced to confront the uncomfortable position he's created for himself. His military experience and knowledge of the Continental Army may make him valuable, but his betrayal of his former comrades makes him difficult to trust. And wherever he goes, another name seems to follow him: that of Major John Andre. While Arnold escaped with his life, the popular Andre went to the gallows, and some of Andre's friends cannot forgive Arnold for it. But nearly three months after his escape, Arnold is summoned to a meeting with a British Commander in Chief, Sir Henry Clinton, at his headquarters in Manhattan. At this meeting, Arnold hopes he will finally be given the opportunity to prove his worth.

• 35:29Lindsay Graham?

  Arnold sits down across from Clinton, who sets aside some papers and then looks up at Arnold. You've been idle too long, General. I quite agree, sir. Clinton unfolds a map. I am preparing an expedition, and I would like you to command it. Where? Into Virginia. Clinton pushes a map toward Arnold. Virginia is George Washington's home state and an important source of weapons and provisions for the patriot armies fighting farther south. You are to take 1,600 men into the Chesapeake. Your first objective is Richmond. Destroy the military stores there and disrupt the flow of supply to the rebel army. Very good. When do we embark? But there is one difficulty. Yes, sir? Several officers have declined to serve under your command. I see.

• 36:14Lindsay Graham?

  Because I once wore a different coat. That, and their affection for Major Andre. He was held in great esteem. Clinton looks down for a moment, foregathering himself. General Arnold, no one doubts that you wish to see Washington defeated. And what do they doubt, sir? Whether that resentment is the same thing as loyalty. Well, if any man questions my allegiance to the Crown, he should say so plainly. Give me this command, sir, and when I return, no one will ask which coat I wear again.

• 36:45Lindsay Graham?

  On December 20th, 1780, Benedict Arnold sails from New York for Virginia at the head of 1,600 troops. When he reaches George Washington's home state, he leads his men on a sweep through the plantations, seizing supplies and burning whatever can't be carried. The governor of Virginia, Thomas Jefferson, places a bounty on Arnold's head, but time and time again, Arnold slips beyond the reach of those sent to capture him. And in the summer of 1781, Arnold returns to British-held New York. There, Peggy gives birth to their second son. And soon after, in early September, Arnold receives a new command: an expedition into his home state of Connecticut.

• 37:26Lindsay Graham?

  There, Arnold's men seize vital supplies and burn much of New London to the ground. Like his expedition into Virginia, it's a military success, but it is a tactical rather than a strategic victory, and neither campaign can change the outcome of the Revolutionary War. Britain is losing its grip on America. Its forces are exhausted, undersupplied, and increasingly confined to a few coastal strongholds. And when the British General Charles Cornwallis moves his battered army to Yorktown, Virginia, Washington sees an opportunity to strike a decisive blow. His forces surround the city by land while America's allies, the French, cut off any escape by sea.

• 38:08Lindsay Graham?

  There's nowhere for the British to go, and on October 19th, 1781, Cornwallis and his men surrender at Yorktown. It brings an end to the last major campaign of the conflict, and soon after, the government in London decides to sue for peace. The war is over. Benedict Arnold is in British-occupied New York City when he receives news of the surrender at Yorktown. His former comrades have won their independence, and he knows he will not be welcome in the new country they plan to build. So in the months after Yorktown, thousands of loyalists leave America. Some head for other colonies in the Empire, others decide to try their luck in Britain itself. Benedict Arnold and his family are among them.

• 38:51Lindsay Graham?

  In December 1781, Arnold, Peggy, and their two young sons leave New York in a large convoy bound for England. As New York fades into the distance, Arnold stands at the rail of the ship, thinking about the life he's leaving behind: his sister Hannah and the children from his first marriage. He thinks of all the battles that made him a hero, of Quebec and the brutal march through the snow, of Lake Champlain, where his ragged fleet held off the superior British force, and of Saratoga, where soldiers followed him across the battlefield to victory. America is still home to Arnold, and a part of him will ache to return. But then he thinks of Horatio Gates, who stole his glory, and Joseph Reed, who led

• 39:35Lindsay Graham?

  the witch hunt against him in Philadelphia, and most painfully, George Washington. Arnold had admired him, trusted him, even thought him a friend. Then Washington publicly humiliated him. So Arnold turns away from the rail. He isn't watching when the shoreline disappears into the haze behind the ship. Instead, he looks to the east, to Europe, to his new home in a land he hardly knows.

• 40:01Lindsay Graham?

  After they arrive in Britain, Benedict and Peggy Arnold build a new life together in London. But Arnold is soon unhappy, all too aware that he is distrusted by the British and hated by the Americans. He still hoped for one last chance to prove himself, though, and in 1798, he thinks his time has come when war breaks out between Britain and France. Arnold offers his services to the Crown. By now, he's almost 60, but he still considers himself a soldier, and he dreams of dying in uniform. The British government declines his offer. Arnold's endless hunger for recognition had once made him a great battlefield commander. Over time, though, that same ambition had curdled into resentment and ultimately treachery.

• 40:45Lindsay Graham?

  Had he succeeded in his plot to betray West Point, the course of the Revolutionary War could have been very different. But instead of securing his place in history, Arnold's betrayal left him with a life of insignificance and regret. He did not become a hero of the British Empire or secure a glorious death on the battlefield. He died instead after a short illness in 1801, little mourned in his adopted home and reviled in his original one. From Audible Originals and Airship, this is episode four, Benedict Arnold for American Scandal. In our next episode, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Alan Taylor joins me to discuss what Benedict Arnold's story can tell us about the Revolution and the early history

• 41:30Lindsay Graham?

  of the United States, and why, for many Americans, Arnold remains the archetypal traitor almost 250 years on. Follow American Scandal on the Audible app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to all episodes of American Scandal ad-free by joining Audible. And to find out more about me and my other projects, including my live stage show coming to a theater near you, go to notthatlindseygram.com. That's notthatlindseygram.com. If you'd like to learn more about Benedict Arnold, we recommend the book Valiant Ambition by Nathaniel Philbrick and The Tragedy of Benedict Arnold by Joyce Lee Malcolm.

• 42:12Lindsay Graham?

  This episode contains reenactments and dramatized details, and while in most cases we can't know exactly what was said, all our dramatizations are based on historical research. American Scandal is hosted, edited, and executive produced by me, Lindsay Graham, for Airship. This episode is written and researched by Olivia Thomas, senior producer Andy Beckerman, managing producer Emily Burke, fact-checking by Alyssa Jung Perry, audio editing by Mohammed Shazib, original music by Thrum, sound design by Gabriel Ghul, executive producer for Airship is William Simpson, executive producer for Audible is Jenny Lauer Beckman, head of creative development at Audible, Kate Navin, head of Audible Originals North America, Marshall Louis, chief content officer, Rachel Giansa. Copyright 2026 by Audible Originals LLC.

• 42:57Lindsay Graham?

  Sound recording copyright 2026 by Audible Originals LLC.

• 43:08Speaker 07

  Dr. Seuss's Cat in the Hat and Fish are back for a whole lot of wonderfully whimsical fun. What happens when you switch bodies with your best friend? Discover a caveman frozen in ice? Or make an alien so angry he threatens to destroy the planet? Find out in season two of the Cat in the Hat podcast. The Cat and Fish are traveling the world in the great catastrophic cacophony cruiser, meeting genies, clown professors, cave trolls, and extraordinary characters along the way. With clever wordplay, imaginative rhymes, original songs, and stories celebrating curiosity, empathy, and creative problem-solving, every adventure brings something new to discover.

• 43:50Speaker 07

  It's a world of wonderful words, big imaginations, and plenty of heart for the whole family. Listen to the Cat in the Hat podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all 20 episodes early and ad-free right now.