Major General Benedict Arnold
– Connecticut Historical Society and Connecticut History Online
Benedict Arnold (1741-1801)
Once lauded for heroism, Norwich-born Benedict Arnold earned infamy as a traitor during the American Revolutionary War by leaving liberty’s cause to side with the British. As a young man, Arnold settled in New Haven and established himself as a merchant-sea captain in the West Indies’ and Canadian trades. By 1774, he served as a captain in the New Haven militia. During the war he played a role in capturing Fort Ticonderoga, building a navy for the Continental forces, and governing Philadelphia. Charges of corruption hounded him throughout. Ultimately, he cast his lot with the British and in 1781 led the burning of New London. After the war Arnold fled to England, where he died.
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Benedict Arnold Turns and Burns New London
September 6, 1781 was a brutal and terrifying day for Connecticut citizens living on both sides of New London harbor, along the Thames River. …[more]
