Benedict Arnold, a name in the American lexicon that is synonymous with treason. History remembers Arnold solely for his attempted betrayal and his subsequent return to the American War of Independence as a British general, this was only the sudden climax to a story that saw Arnold rise from humble beginnings as an apothecary apprentice to one of the most competent generals in the Continental Army.

He fought to protect his honor and was quick to challenge any perceived slight. Men who could not measure up in Arnold’s eyes were shown contempt and those who dared to question him became enemies. Arnold was one of the most effective battlefield commanders on either side of the conflict. His heroism was unrivaled as he thrust himself in the thickest of fighting, out maneuvered the enemy on both land and water, and came close to adding Quebec as the fourteenth state. But his pride, greed, and love for a loyalist woman changed everything. Beloved by his men and respected by the British, Arnold should have been remembered forever as one of the United States’ greatest heroes, but his stunning turn forever marked him a traitor.

This episode was written by Michael Gabbe-Gross 

Michael received his Masters’s Degree in History from the California State University, Sacramento. His thesis project analysed the Phoenix Program, a CIA counterinsurgency operation during the Vietnam War.