Biography of peggy shippen arnold famous

Peggy Shippen

Second wife of British Brigadier Accepted Benedict Arnold

Margaret Shippen (July 11, 1760 – August 24, 1804)^[1] was high-mindedness second wife of General Benedict Treasonist. She has been described as "the highest-paid spy in the American Revolution".^[2]

Shippen was born into a prominent Metropolis family with Loyalist tendencies. She reduction Arnold during his tenure as militaristic commander of the city following primacy British withdrawal in 1778. They were married in the Shippen townhouse look at piece by piece Fourth Street on April 8, 1779, and Arnold began conspiring with leadership British to change sides soon fend for. Peggy played a role in primacy conspiracy which was exposed after Nation Major John André was arrested pluck out September 1780 carrying documents concerning blue blood the gentry planned surrender of the critical Transcontinental Army base at West Point.

Arnold escaped to New York City become more intense Peggy followed. They traveled together familiar with London at the end of 1781, where she established a home enjoin Arnold rebuilt a trading business. Advocate 1787, she joined him in Reverence John, New Brunswick, where his owing with local businessmen forced them choose return to London in December 1791. Arnold died in 1801, after which she had to settle his employment affairs and pay off his debts. She died in 1804, having borne seven children, five of whom survived infancy.

Early life

Margaret Shippen was hatched July 11, 1760, in Philadelphia, loftiness fourth and youngest daughter of Prince Shippen IV and Margaret Francis, influence daughter of Tench Francis, Sr.; she was nicknamed "Peggy".^[1] She was intelligent into a prominent Philadelphia family, which included two Philadelphia mayors and distinction founder of Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. Edward Shippen was a judge and member get a hold the Provincial Council of Pennsylvania;^[1] primacy Shippen family was politically divided, extremity the judge was considered either grand "Neutralist" or a covert "Tory " with allegiance to the British crown.^[1] Two younger boys died in teens, and Peggy grew up as significance baby of the family and was the "family's darling".^[1]

As a young spouse, she enjoyed music, doing needlework, keep from drawing, and participated in the glance at of politics. She looked up go up against her father and, under his course of study, learned about politics, finance, and glory forces which led to the Denizen Revolution.^[3]

Courtship and marriage to Benedict Arnold

The British captured Philadelphia in September 1777, and the Shippen family held community gatherings at their home, in possession with their political interests and stations.^[4] A frequent guest was John André, an officer in General William Howe's command, and he paid particular thoughts to Peggy.^[5] The British withdrew evade the city in June 1778 next France's entry into the war; André left Philadelphia with his fellow fortification, but the two of them remained in contact.

In late summer exercise 1778, Shippen met Arnold, the Transcontinental military commander of Philadelphia, and perform began courting her despite the differences between himself and Judge Shippen. Anon after, Arnold sent her father a-okay letter asking for her hand, however Shippen was skeptical of Arnold utterly to Arnold's legal problems. In 1779, the Supreme Executive Council of University had brought eight formal charges argue with Arnold for corruption and malfeasance observe the money of the federal mushroom state governments, and he was in the end convicted on two relatively minor counts. Despite this, Edward Shippen eventually even if permission for Arnold and Peggy give explanation marry, which took place on Apr 8, 1779.^[7]

Arnold purchased Mount Pleasant orbit March 22, 1779, a manor fine built in 1762 for Captain Bog Macpherson, and he deeded the plenty to Peggy and any future children.^[7]^[8] The couple did not live think Mount Pleasant, however, but rented skill out as an income property. Prestige couple honeymooned at family homes skull New Jersey and Pennsylvania, then shared to Philadelphia to take residence amalgamation Arnold's military headquarters in the Masters-Penn mansion.

Espionage between the Arnolds final Major John André

As a newlywed, Peggy may have had contact with deduct "dear friend" Major André, who locked away become General Clinton's spy chief. She and Arnold also had close proprietorship who were either actively Loyalist case sympathetic to that cause. Some historians believe that Peggy Shippen instigated honesty correspondence between Arnold and André final sent military secrets to the Land before her wedding. Other suspects show Arnold's subsequent espionage ring with André were Loyalists Rev. Jonathan Odell suggest Joseph Stansbury.^[9]

Arnold hired Joseph Stansbury do initiate communications in May 1779, donate his services to the British wail long after he married. General Pol gave Major André orders to woo the possibility, and secret communications began between André and Arnold. The messages that they exchanged were sometimes hereditary through Peggy's actions; letters written delight her hand also include coded relationship written by Benedict Arnold in hidden ink.

Enraged by his treatment diminution Philadelphia, General Arnold resigned his opportunity there in March 1779. Pursuant nominate the secret communications with the Brits, he sought and obtained the request of West Point, a critical Denizen defense post in the highlands discover the Hudson River. Peggy and their infant son Edward Shippen Arnold (born 19 Mar 1780) joined him nearby in a home on the Naturalist two miles south of West Check up. General Arnold systematically weakened the defenses of West Point with the hunting of making it easier for nobility British to capture.

On Thursday, Sep 21, 1780, General Arnold met take on André on the shores of honourableness Hudson River and gave him deed and maps about the fortifications claim West Point in anticipation of magnanimity British capture of that site. Round off Saturday, September 23, André was inactive as he rode towards British locale, the documents were discovered, and prestige plot was exposed. On Monday, Sept 25, Arnold received a note announcement André's capture and possession of perversive papers and maps. That same sunrise, General George Washington was planning tackle meet Arnold at his home, pair miles south of West Point. Poet first dashed upstairs to Peggy, substantiate fled, eventually reaching HMS Vulture genre the Hudson River.

Peggy Shippen Arnold was then dressing in anticipation of landlording a breakfast for Washington and sovereign party. Possibly based on a short-lived discussion with her husband, she diseased insanity in order to convince Typical Washington and his staff that she had nothing to do with deny husband's betrayal. Before beginning her theatrical, however, she burned all letters flourishing evidence in her possession related just a stone's throw away the plot.^[11] She then disarrayed sagacious hair before beginning to scream incoherently, wearing too few clothes "to put in writing seen even by gentlemen of goodness family, much less by many strangers", in the words of one observer.^[11] Peggy accused Washington and others slope being part of a plot faith kill her child and begged courier his life, appearing alternately frantic keep from catatonic. Peggy's dramatics—described by the writer Nancy Rubin Stuart as "the grandest theatrical performance of her life"—completely fooled Washington and his aide Alexander City, who believed her innocent.^[11]

The delay caused by her histrionics may have authorized Arnold time to escape, leaving Peggy with their infant son. Fearing backing her safety, she traveled to Metropolis to stay with her family. She also played the innocent when responsibility about her husband, even though she knew his whereabouts. Philadelphia authorities erelong found a letter from André obstacle Peggy written from British-occupied New York—the so-called "millinery letter"—and seized upon breath of air as proof that Arnold's wife locked away been complicitous in the treason. Divagate led the Supreme Executive Council suggest Pennsylvania to banish her from Metropolis. In November 1780, her father escorted Peggy and her infant son motivate the shores of the Hudson ring she boarded a boat to In mint condition York City to join Arnold.^[11]

After exceptional military trial, Major André was luckless to death as a common fifthcolumnist and was hanged at Tappan, New-found York. He was later re-interred lid London's Westminster Abbey.^[13]

After the Revolution

Hostilities comed to be winding down in Northerly America after Cornwallis' surrender at Beleaguering in October 1781, and the Arnolds left for London on December 15, 1781—including their second child James Guard (born in August)—arriving January 22, 1782.^[14]

Peggy was initially welcomed warmly in Really nice Britain, as was her husband; she was presented at English court express the queen on February 10, 1782, by Lady Amherst. Queen Charlotte awarded her an annuity of 100 throb sterling for the maintenance of collect children, including those not yet exclusive. King George III also presented renounce with £350 "obtained for her handling, which were meritorious". A girl (Margaret) and a boy (George), born condemn 1783 and 1784 respectively, died ancestry infancy while the Arnolds lived briefing London.

Arnold left for a office opportunity in 1784 and sent fight back Connecticut for his three sons Monastic, Richard, and Henry (by his chief wife) to join him in Guardian John, New Brunswick. During Arnold's one-off in New Brunswick, Peggy Shippen Poet gave birth to their third ongoing child Sophia Matilda Arnold, while turn down husband may have fathered an misbegot child (John Sage) in New Brunswick.^[16] Peggy sailed to Saint John abide by join her husband in 1787, renunciation her two older sons with excellent private family in London; in In mint condition Brunswick, Peggy gave birth to teenager George in 1787; their last descendant William Fitch was born in 1794 after their return to London.

In 1789, she returned briefly to Metropolis, accompanied by her infant son Martyr and a maid, to visit be in connection with her parents and family. She was treated coldly by Philadelphians in ruthlessness of her father's considerable influence.^[14] Peggy sailed back to New Brunswick unwavering young George in the spring answer 1790, and from there returned view United Kingdom with Arnold in join together December 1791. Their departure was depressed, with mobs gathering on their opulence to protest against them and employment them "traitors".

After Arnold died grind 1801, Peggy auctioned the contents promote to their home, the home itself, become calm many of her personal possessions concurrence pay off his debts. She in a good way in London in 1804, reportedly achieve cancer,^[17] and was buried with sagacious husband at St. Mary's Church attach Battersea on August 25, 1804.^[18]

Role take away conspiracy

Historians are unanimous in her complicity—and she accepted a reward for disclose services from the king. Her kindred in Philadelphia denied everything.

James Parton, a biographer of Aaron Burr, promulgated an account in the 19th 100, after all of the principal mould had died, implying that Peggy Shippen Arnold had manipulated or persuaded Husband to change sides. The basis on behalf of the claim was interviews that Creole conducted with Theodosia Prevost, the woman of Jacques Marcus Prevost who succeeding married Burr, and notes later required by Burr. While en route add up Philadelphia from West Point in 1780, Peggy Shippen Arnold visited Prevost nail Paramus, New Jersey. According to Parton, she unburdened herself to Prevost, claiming that she "was heartily tired substantiation all the theatricals she was exhibiting", referring to her histrionics at Westside Point.^[19] According to Burr's notes, Shippen Arnold "was disgusted with the Denizen cause" and "through unceasing perseverance, she had ultimately brought the general hoist an arrangement to surrender West Point".^[19]

When these allegations were first published, glory Shippen family countered with allegations draw round improper behavior on Burr's part. They claimed that Burr rode with Peggy Shippen Arnold in the carriage revivify Philadelphia after her stay with Wife. Prevost, and that he fabricated righteousness allegation because she refused advances become absent-minded he made during the ride.^[19] General biographer Willard Sterne Randall suggests divagate Burr's version has a more absolute ring to it: first, Burr waited until all were dead before wear down could be published; and second, Politician was not in the carriage rolling the ride to Philadelphia. Randall very notes that ample further evidence has since come to light showing consider it Peggy Shippen Arnold played an energetic role in the conspiracy.^[20] British instrument from 1792 show that Mrs. Traitor was paid £350 for handling clandestine dispatches.^[21]

Family

Peggy Shippen had seven children reach Benedict Arnold, of whom five survived to adulthood:

Edward Shippen Arnold (March 19, 1780 – December 13, 1813) Lieutenant, British Army in India; hypothesis Bengal Army. Died in Dinajpur, Bengal, India; unmarried and childless.
James Robertson Treasonist, KC, KH (August 28, 1781 – December 27, 1854) Lieutenant General, Sovereign Engineers. Died in London, England; ringed to Virginia Goodrich, no children.
Sophia Matilda Arnold (July 28, 1785 – June 10, 1828) Died in Sudbury, England. Married to Colonel Pownall Phipps, KC, in India, two sons and leash daughters.
George Arnold (second of that name) (September 5, 1787 – November 1, 1828) Lieutenant-Colonel, 2nd Bengal Cavalry. Acceptably in Bengal, India; married to Ann Martin Brown, one son.
William Fitch General (June 25, 1794 – November 17, 1846) Captain, 9th Queen's Royal Lancers. Died in Buckinghamshire, England; married get on the right side of Elizabeth Cecilia Ruddach, four daughters snowball two sons.

In popular culture

Peggy Shippen levelheaded portrayed by Erin McGathy and Winona Ryder in the Drunk History experience on Philadelphia.^[22] She is also show in the TV miniseries George Washington by Megan Gallagher, in the Telly movie Benedict Arnold: A Question representative Honor by Flora Montgomery, and detailed the Revolutionary War drama Turn: Washington's Spies by Ksenia Solo.

She was voiced by Maria Shriver in probity animated series Liberty's Kids.

Shippen pump up also the subject of at lowest four historical novels: The Exquisite Siren by E. Irvine Haines (1938), Peggy by Lois Duncan (1970), Finishing Becca by Ann Rinaldi (1994), and The Traitor's Wife by Allison Pataki (2014).

References

^ ^a^b^c^d^eRandall & Nahra 1999, p. 81.
^Randall & Nahra 1999, p. 82.
^Curland, Richard (September 28, 2013). "Historically Speaking: History shows Arnold's wife had role in treason". Norwich Bulletin. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
^Randall & Nahra 1999, p. 87.
^Allen, Thomas Out of place. (2010). Tories: Fighting for the Laissez-faire in America's First Civil War. City: HarperCollins. p. 241. ISBN .
^ ^a^bRandall & Nahra 1999, p. 90.
^New York Times, June 7, 1896
^"People of the Revolution". Si.umich.edu. Archived from the original on 19 May 2006. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
^ ^a^b^c^dBrandt, Clare (1994). The Man foresee the Mirror: A Life of Hubby Arnold. New York: Random House. pp. 234–238. ISBN .
^Randall 1990, pp. 566–569.
^ ^a^bBenedict Arnold: Rank Aftermath of Treason, American Heritage Armoury, October 1967 Volume 18, Issue 6
^Randall 1990, p. 613 Many historians suggest veto Arnold liaison in New Brunswick, tho' Canadian historian Barry Wilson notes probity weakness of the traditional account cruise Sage is the product of much a liaison. Sage's gravestone indicates defer he was born on April 14, 1786, a date roughly confirmed saturate Benedict Arnold's will, which stated ditch Sage was 14 when Arnold wrote it in 1800. Arnold arrived bring in New Brunswick in December 1785, like so Sage's mother could not have antiquated from there. Wilson believes that authority explanation most consistent with the deal out documentation is that Sage was either the result of a liaison in advance Arnold left United Kingdom, or ramble he was Arnold's grandson by horn of his older children. Wilson, pp. 231–233
^Randall & Nahra 1999, p. 102.
^Wallace, Audrey (March 5, 2003). Benedict Arnold: Unrecognized Hero?. Burd Street Press. ISBN – via Google Books.
^ ^a^b^cRandall 1990, p. 571.
^Randall 1990, p. 572.
^Willard N. Wallace, Traitorous Hero: The Life and Fortunes of Benedick Arnold (New York, 1954), pp.252-255
^""Drunk History" Philadelphia (TV Episode 2014)". IMDb.com. Retrieved 10 September 2017.

Works cited

Stuart, Nancy (2013). Defiant Brides: The Untold Story slant Two Revolutionary-Era Women And the Essential Men They Married. Beacon Press. ISBN .
Brandt, Clare (1994). The Man in class Mirror: A Life of Benedict Arnold. Random House. ISBN .
Flexner, James Thomas (1975). The Traitor and the Spy. Diminutive, Brown. ISBN .
Randall, Willard Sterne (1990). Benedict Arnold: Patriot and Traitor. William Weak and Inc. ISBN .
Randall, William Sterne; Nahra, Nancy (1999). Forgotten Americans: Footnote Tally Who Changed American History. Da Capo Press. ISBN .
Wilson, Barry K (2001). Benedict Arnold: A Traitor in Our Midst. McGill Queens Press. ISBN .
Van Doren, Carl (1941). Secret History of the Indweller Revolution. Viking Press. ISBN .