How did Benedict Arnold's wife die?
On June 14, 1801, Benedict Arnold died at the age of 60, being infamously remembered as a traitor and a spy. His death left Peggy to deal with a bad name and many debts. Peggy Shippen Arnold died of cancer on August 24, 1804, in England. One may also ask, how did Benedict Arnold betray America?
Why did Benedict Arnold marry Peggy Shippen?
Benedict Arnold saw in Peggy Shippen the same desire for the good things of this world that burned at the core of his own restless being. She in turn sensed in the ruthless force that seemed to emanate from him the promise of a glittering fulfillment. They were married on April 8, 1779.
Who was Benedict Arnold and what did he do?
Who Was Benedict Arnold? Benedict Arnold was an American Revolutionary War general best known for his defection from the Continental Army to the British side of the conflict in 1780. Who Was Benedict Arnold?
Who was the woman behind Benedict Arnold's plot?
Mark Jacobs; Stephen Case (2012). Treacherous Beauty: Peggy Shippen, The Woman Behind Benedict Arnold's Plot to Betray America. Guilford, CT: Lyons Press. ISBN 9780762773886.; popular biography Ann Rinaldi. Finishing Becca, a historical novel based on the life of Peggy Shippen and Benedict Arnold.
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What happened to Benedict's wife?
In the years before his death in 1801, Benedict traveled to various outposts, including Canada and Guadeloupe in the Caribbean, always trying to make money. Peggy devoted herself to her children — four sons and a daughter — scrambling to ensure their financial well-being before she died of cancer on August 24, 1804.
Did Benedict Arnold marry Peggy Shippen?
In early 1779, after becoming military governor, Arnold began courting the young Shippen girl, who was then 18-years-old. Her father was reluctant at first to the idea of their marriage, but he eventually conceded, and the couple wed on April 8, 1779.
What was Peggy Shippen known for?
Peggy Arnold (born Margaret Shippen; July 11, 1760 to August 24, 1804) was a Philadelphia socialite during the American Revolution. She was part of a notoriously Loyalist family and social circle, but she became infamous for her role in the treason of her husband, General Benedict Arnold.
Where is Peggy Shippen from?
Philadelphia, PAPeggy Shippen / Place of birth
What happened to Margaret Shippen?
After Arnold died in 1801, Peggy auctioned the contents of their home, the home itself, and many of her personal possessions to pay off his debts. She died in London in 1804, reportedly of cancer, and was buried with her husband at St. Mary's Church in Battersea on August 25, 1804.
How many children did Peggy Arnold have?
She frequently traveled with him, and over the years, she gave birth to seven children, five of whom survived to adulthood. Peggy returned to Philadelphia in 1789 to visit her family, but the general public still felt resentment toward her and Benedict.
Was Major John Andre a real person?
John André, (born May 2, 1750, London, England—died October 2, 1780, Tappan, New York, U.S.), British army officer who negotiated with the American general Benedict Arnold and was executed as a spy during the American Revolution (1775–83).
Did Benedict Arnold have a happy marriage?
The Turn of the Coat. While commanding in Philadelphia, Arnold met and married Peggy Shippen, 20 years his junior, the daughter of a Loyalist sympathizer. The marriage brought him the social status he craved, but not the wealth to match it.
Was Benedict Arnold hanged?
Arnold escaped; André was hanged. Arnold received a commission as a brigadier general in the British Army, an annual pension of £360, and a lump sum of over £6,000....Benedict ArnoldDiedJune 14, 1801 (aged 60) London, EnglandBuriedSt Mary's Church, Battersea 51°28′36″N 0°10′32″WAllegianceUnited States Great Britain13 more rows
Did John Andre have a relationship with Peggy Shippen?
Although it has been speculated that Peggy pursued a romance with Andre during the British occupation of Philadelphia, little evidence exists to support the claim, aside from a sketch that Andre made of Peggy. Regardless, the two kept up a correspondence after the British abandoned the Philadelphia.
How accurate is turn on Netflix?
The show is actually moderately serious about using real historical characters. At one point late in the season I watched two scenes with a total of about 8 speaking characters and I suddenly realized that every character with dialog was a verifiable historical figure.
Where is Peggy Shippen buried?
St Mary's Church, Battersea, London, United KingdomPeggy Shippen / Place of burialSt Mary's Church, Battersea, is the oldest of the churches in Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth, in the inner south-west of the UK's capital city. Its parish shared by three Anglican churches is in the diocese of Southwark. Christians have worshipped at the site continuously since around 800 AD. Wikipedia
Who was Benedict Arnold?
Benedict Arnold was a patriot officer who served the cause of the American Revolution until 1779, when he shifted his allegiance to the British.
How did Benedict Arnold betray the Continental Army to the British?
Benedict Arnold betrayed the Continental Army to the British when he made secret overtures to British headquarters in May 1779 and, a year later, i...
Why did Benedict Arnold betray the Continental Army to the British?
Benedict Arnold was unhappy with his position in the Continental Army by the time he betrayed the cause of the American Revolution to the British....
What happened to Benedict Arnold after he betrayed the Continental Army to the British?
After Benedict Arnold betrayed the Continental Army, his British contact, Major John André, was captured by the Americans and hanged as a spy while...
What does it mean to call someone a “Benedict Arnold”?
“Benedict Arnold” is an epithet for “traitor” in the United States; calling a person a “Benedict Arnold” implies that they are a traitor.
Who was Benedict Arnold?
Benedict Arnold. Benedict Arnold was an American Revolutionary War general best known for his defection from the Continental Army to the British side of the conflict in 1780 . (1741–1801) Person.
What did Benedict do after marrying Peggy?
Treason. It was a month after their marriage that Benedict embarked on his career as a traitor to the Continental army. He contacted Peggy’s friend André and offered to provide him with information that would help the British win the war. In exchange, Benedict wanted the British to pay him a large sum of money.
Who Was Peggy Shippen?
During the American Revolution, Peggy Shippen and her husband, Benedict Arnold, became traitors to the American colonists, sharing with the British confidential information about military strategy. Peggy was long thought to be innocent of any wrongdoing — just another victim of her husband’s deceit — but historians have become convinced that she not only committed treason with Benedict but quite possibly helped initiate the plan.
Why was Peggy Shippen important?
Because of her family’s status, she met influential people, both loyalist (those who supported British rule) and rebel (those who sought American independence). Although the Shippen family tried to remain neutral during the war — Peggy’s father considered it both safer and more financially prudent — the family’s sympathies leaned toward the British.
What was Peggy Shippen's father's view on the war?
Although the Shippen family tried to remain neutral during the war — Peggy’s father considered it both safer and more financially prudent — the family’s sympathies leaned toward the British. When the British took control of Philadelphia in 1777, Peggy met John André, a charming, well-educated British officer.
How old was Peggy when she met Benedict?
He was 38; she was 18. The match was somewhat controversial, in part because Peggy leaned loyalist, while Benedict was an officer in the Continental military; and because he had a reputation as a fiery, impatient man who stood accused of illegal business dealings.
What did Benedict do to help the British?
Through André, Benedict provided information to the British that he — and they — believed would win the war. Benedict had become commander of West Point, a strategic fort on the Hudson River. He passed along news of how many troops were stationed at the fort and when defenses might be weakest.
Who was Benedict Arnold?
Benedict Arnold was a patriot officer who served the cause of the American Revolution until 1779, when he shifted his allegiance to the British.
What was Benedict Arnold's role in the Revolution?
Overview of Benedict Arnold's service during the American Revolution and his shift in allegiance to become a spy for the British. Crippled from his wounds, Arnold was placed in command of Philadelphia (June 1778), where he socialized with families of loyalist sympathies and lived extravagantly.
Why was Benedict Arnold court martialed?
He had requested to resign multiple times after being refused promotions and, from December 1779 to January 1780, was court-martialed because of multiple charges of misconduct.
Why did Arnold ask for a court martial?
These charges were then referred to Congress, and Arnold asked for an immediate court-martial to clear himself .
What was Arnold's rank?
Promoted to the rank of brigadier general, Arnold constructed a flotilla on Lake Champlain and inflicted severe losses on a greatly superior enemy fleet near Valcour Island, New York ( October 11, 1776). He returned a hero, but his rash courage and impatient energy had aroused the enmity of several officers. When in February 1777 Congress created five new major generalships, Arnold was passed over in favour of his juniors. Arnold resented this affront, and only Washington’s personal persuasion kept him from resigning.
Where did Arnold settle?
Arnold returned to England in 1791, but he left to spend several years privateering in the West Indies before permanently settling in London. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Adam Augustyn, Managing Editor, Reference Content.
When did Arnold get passed over?
When in February 1777 Congress created five new major generalships, Arnold was passed over in favour of his juniors. Arnold resented this affront, and only Washington’s personal persuasion kept him from resigning.
How did Benedict Arnold meet Peggy Shippen?
We do not know when or where she and Arnold met; possibly it was at one of the parties the commandant of Philadelphia gave at his elegant headquarters on Market Street. We do know that in spite of the nineteen years’ difference in their ages the attraction was mutual. Benedict Arnold saw in Peggy Shippen the same desire for the good things of this world that burned at the core of his own restless being. She in turn sensed in the ruthless force that seemed to emanate from him the promise of a glittering fulfillment. They were married on April 8, 1779. Before the honeymoon was over, Arnold had offered his services to Sir Henry Clinton, the British commander in chief in America, thus initiating the conspiracy that a year and a half later would take him and Peggy to West Point and catastrophe.
Who was the British officer who collaborated with Benedict Arnold?
One day in the winter of 1782-83, an exiled American neutralist, Peter Van Schaack by name, was browsing through London’s Westminster Abbey when he was startled to see a familiar figure standing before a newly erected monument to Major John André, the young British officer who had collaborated with Benedict Arnold in ...
How much did Arnold get paid for treason?
During the long negotiations with the British prior to his attempt to betray West Point, he had demanded £20,000 if he succeeded, £10,000 if he did not. Sir Henry Clinton agreed to the £20,000 for success, but would go no higher than £6,000 for failure. On October 18, 1780, only a few weeks after the collapse of the conspiracy, Arnold was paid this amount plus £315 for “expenses.” These sums were but the beginning. Although in 1780 Benedict, Jr., the eldest of the traitor’s sons by his earlier marriage, was only twelve, he was given a commission in the British Army carrying half pay for life; and in 1781 his younger brothers were commissioned on the same terms. Arnold himself, during his active service in the British Army, received a provincial brigadier’s pay, £650 a year. When the treaty of peace was signed in 1783, this fell to £225, the half pay of a cavalry colonel. The traitor also profited handsomely from his marauding expedition to Virginia, which seized American shipping on the James. Arnold’s share of the prize money appears to have been in excess of £2,000.
Why did Peggy defer her trip to Philadelphia?
Twice she had to defer the trip, first because of the birth of another child, then because Arnold was away on a long trading journey. Most of 1789 had passed before she boarded a packet for the States, carrying baby George in her arms and accompanied by a maid.
How many sons did Arnold have?
Later came two more sons: George, born in 1787; and William, who, arriving in 1798, long after the others, was spoken of as Little William. Arnold already had three sons by his first wife, Benedict, Richard, and Henry, all of whom had remained in the United States.
Why did Hannah Arnold write a letter to her brother?
She once wrote him a spinsterish letter, accusing his young wife of “frequent assignations” with “a certain chancellor,” meaning Robert R. Livingston of New York. The General displayed no jealousy, presumably because none was justified.
Where did the Arnolds sail?
On December 15, 1781, the Arnolds sailed for England. Peggy and her children, including a second son born in Manhattan, took passage on a private vessel. Arnold travelled on the warship Robuste, where one of his companions was his good friend Charles, Earl Cornwallis, free on parole following the defeat of his army at Yorktown.
Who was Benedict Arnold?
Signature. Benedict Arnold (14 January 1741 [ O.S. 3 January 1740] – 14 June 1801) was an American military officer who served during the Revolutionary War. He fought with distinction for the American Continental Army, rising to the rank of major general, before defecting to the British side of the conflict in 1780.
Who was Benedict Arnold's father?
Benedict Arnold was born a British subject, the second of six children of his father Benedict Arnold III (1683–1761) and Hannah Waterman King in Norwich, Connecticut on 14 January 1741. Arnold was the fourth surviving member of his family named after his great-grandfather Benedict Arnold I, an early governor of the Colony of Rhode Island; his grandfather (Benedict Arnold II) and father, as well as an older brother who died in infancy, were also named for the colonial governor. Only he and his sister Hannah survived to adulthood; his other siblings succumbed to yellow fever in childhood. His siblings were, in order of birth: Benedict (1738–1739), Hannah (1742–1803), Mary (1745–1753), Absolom (1747–1750), and Elizabeth (1749–1755). Arnold was a descendant of John Lothropp through his maternal grandmother, an ancestor of six presidents.
What was Arnold's role in the Battle of Saratoga?
Arnold returned to the Hudson where General Gates had taken over command of the American army, which had retreated to a camp south of Stillwater. He then distinguished himself in both Battles of Saratoga, even though General Gates removed him from field command after the first battle, following a series of escalating disagreements and disputes that culminated in a shouting match. During the fighting in the second battle, Arnold disobeyed Gates' orders and took to the battlefield to lead attacks on the British defenses. He was again severely wounded in the left leg late in the fighting. Arnold said that it would have been better had it been in the chest instead of the leg. Burgoyne surrendered ten days after the second battle on 17 October 1777. Congress restored Arnold's command seniority in response to his valor at Saratoga. However, he interpreted the manner in which they did so as an act of sympathy for his wounds, and not an apology or recognition that they were righting a wrong.
Why did Arnold go to England?
Even before Cornwallis's surrender in October, Arnold had requested permission from Clinton to go to England to give Lord George Germain his thoughts on the war in person. He renewed that request when he learned of the surrender, which Clinton then granted.
What was Arnold's role in the war?
Arnold began the war as a captain in the Connecticut militia, a position to which he was elected in March 1775. His company marched northeast the following month to assist in the siege of Boston that followed the Battles of Lexington and Concord. He proposed an action to the Massachusetts Committee of Safety to seize Fort Ticonderoga in upstate New York, which he knew was poorly defended. They issued him a colonel's commission on 3 May 1775, and he immediately rode off to Castleton in the disputed New Hampshire Grants ( Vermont) in time to participate with Ethan Allen and his men in the capture of Fort Ticonderoga. He followed up that action with a bold raid on Fort Saint-Jean on the Richelieu River north of Lake Champlain. A Connecticut militia force arrived at Ticonderoga in June; Arnold had a dispute with its commander over control of the fort, and resigned his Massachusetts commission. He was on his way home from Ticonderoga when he learned that his wife had died earlier in June.
What was Arnold's role in the French and Indian War?
In 1755, Arnold was attracted by the sound of a drummer and attempted to enlist in the provincial militia for service in the French and Indian War, but his mother refused permission. In 1757 when he was 16, he did enlist in the Connecticut militia, which marched off toward Albany, New York and Lake George. The French had besieged Fort William Henry in northeastern New York, and their Indian allies had committed atrocities after their victory. Word of the siege's disastrous outcome led the company to turn around, and Arnold served for only 13 days. A commonly accepted story that he deserted from militia service in 1758 is based on uncertain documentary evidence.
Where did Arnold raid?
He followed up that action with a bold raid on Fort Saint-Jean on the Richelieu River north of Lake Champlain. A Connecticut militia force arrived at Ticonderoga in June; Arnold had a dispute with its commander over control of the fort, and resigned his Massachusetts commission.
Who was Arnold's wife?
The statue shows nothing of Arnold's body but his leg, and doesn't mention him by name. In 1767, Arnold, who became a prosperous trader, married Margaret Mansfield. The couple had three children before Margaret’s death in 1775.
What is the story of Benedict Arnold?
Contents. Benedict Arnold's Early Life. Hero of the American Revolution. Benedict Arnold's Treacherous Plot. Benedict Arnold's Later Life and Death. Benedict Arnold (1741-1801) was an early American hero of the Revolutionary War (1775-83) who later became one of the most infamous traitors in U.S.
Why did Arnold become a turncoat?
Arnold and his second wife, with whom he would have five children, lived a lavish lifestyle in Philadelphia, accumulating substantial debt. The debt and the resentment Arnold felt over not being promoted faster were motivating factors in his choice to become a turncoat. He concluded that his interests would be better served assisting the British than continuing to suffer for an American army he saw as ungrateful.
Why did Arnold resign from the Continental Army?
He resigned from the Continental Army in 1777 after Congress promoted five junior officers above him. General George Washington (1732-99), the commander in chief of the Continental Army, urged Arnold to reconsider. Arnold rejoined the army in time to participate in the defense of central New York from an invading British force under General John Burgoyne in the fall of 1777.
What did Arnold do in 1779?
In 1779, he entered into secret negotiations with the British, agreeing to turn over the U.S. post at West Point in return for money and a command in the British army. The plot was discovered, but Arnold escaped to British lines.
What is the statue of Arnold's leg?
The statue shows nothing of Arnold's body but his leg, and doesn't mention him by name.
What was Arnold's role in the Battle of Lake Champlain?
The following year, he played a crucial role in bringing about the surrender of British General John Burgoyne’s (1722-92) army at Saratoga. Yet Arnold never received the recognition he thought he deserved.
When did Peggy and Arnold marry?
Despite this, Edward Shippen eventually granted permission for Arnold and Peggy to marry, which took place on April 8, 1779. Arnold purchased Mount Pleasant on March 22, 1779, a manor home built in 1762 for Captain John Macpherson, and he deeded the property to Peggy and any future children.
Where did Arnold leave his family?
Arnold left for a business opportunity in 1784 and sent to Connecticut for his three sons Benedict, Richard, and Henry (by his first wife) to join him in Saint John, New Brunswick. During Arnold's stay in New Brunswick, Peggy Shippen Arnold gave birth to their third surviving child Sophia Matilda Arnold, while her husband may have fathered an illegitimate child (John Sage) in New Brunswick. Peggy sailed to Saint John to join her husband in 1787, leaving her two older sons with a private family in London; in New Brunswick, Peggy gave birth to son George in 1787; their last child William Fitch was born in 1794 after their return to London.
Why did Peggy Shippen Arnold dress?
Peggy Shippen Arnold was then dressing in anticipation of hosting a breakfast for Washington and his party. Possibly based on a brief discussion with her husband, she pretended hysteria in order to falsely convince General Washington and his staff that she had nothing to do with her husband's betrayal.
Why did General Arnold resign?
Enraged by his treatment in Philadelphia, General Arnold resigned his command there in March 1779. Pursuant to the secret communications with the British, he sought and obtained the command of West Point, a critical American defense post in the highlands of the Hudson River. Peggy and their infant son Edward Shippen Arnold (born 19 Mar 1780) joined him there in a home on the Hudson two miles south of West Point. General Arnold systematically weakened the defenses of West Point with the intent of making it easier for the British to capture.
How many children did Peggy Shippen have?
Peggy Shippen had seven children with Benedict Arnold, of whom five survived to adulthood:
Where did Arnold meet Washington?
That same morning, General George Washington was planning to meet Arnold at his home, two miles south of West Point. Arnold first dashed upstairs to Peggy, then fled, eventually reaching HMS Vulture on the Hudson River. Peggy Shippen Arnold was then dressing in anticipation of hosting a breakfast for Washington and his party.
Who was Peggy Shippen?
Shippen was born into a prominent Philadelphia family with Loyalist tendencies. She met Arnold during his tenure as military commander of the city following the British withdrawal in 1778. They were married in the Shippen townhouse on Fourth Street on April 8, 1779, and Arnold began conspiring with the British to change sides soon after. Peggy played a role in the conspiracy which was exposed after British Major John André was arrested in September 1780 carrying documents concerning the planned surrender of the critical Continental Army base at West Point .
What did Benedict Arnold do?
Arnold attended private schools during his adolescence, but was forced to end his education at age 14 after his merchant seaman father fell on hard times and slipped into alcoholism. Young Benedict spent the next eight years as an apprentice to an apothecary before settling in New Haven, Connecticut, where he opened his own general store. By his mid-20s, he had purchased three sailing sloops and started a thriving business as a sea trader in Canada and the Caribbean. Arnold’s profits dried up with the introduction of the hated Sugar and Stamp Acts in the 1760s, but like many colonial businessmen, he flouted the laws and took to smuggling untaxed rum and molasses, once publically whipping a man who tried to rat him out to the authorities. The budding patriot also became a leader in the local chapter of the Sons of Liberty and eventually took charge of a company of Connecticut militiamen.
What was Arnold's first affair?
Arnold was notorious for his quick temper, and there is evidence that he participated in more than one “affair of honor” over perceived slights and insults. The first took place in Honduras during one of his Caribbean trading expeditions. While preparing to set sail, Arnold forgot to respond to an invitation to a gathering hosted by a British sea captain named Croskie. When he later went to Croskie’s ship to apologize, the Englishman denounced him as “a damned Yankee, destitute of good manners.” Arnold demanded satisfaction, and the following day the men met on an island and squared off with pistols. Croskie took the first shot and missed, but Arnold succeeded in grazing his opponent on the arm. He then told the British captain to take his stance again, warning that, “if you miss this time, I shall kill you!” Croskie quickly apologized and the matter was dropped.
What was Arnold's plan for West Point?
Arnold’s move from hero to turncoat culminated in September 1780, when he secretly met with British Major John Andre to finalize plans for the surrender of West Point. The plot would have been a major blow to the American war effort, but it unraveled after Andre was waylaid by Continental militiamen and found to have incriminating documents stuffed in his boot. Arnold caught wind of the capture just in time to flee his command and escape aboard the British ship HMS Vulture. His defection now complete, he accepted a commission as a British brigadier general and took charge of a detachment of loyalist troops dubbed the American Legion. Andre, meanwhile, was later charged as a spy and hanged to death on October 2, 1780.
What was Arnold's plan?
Arnold immediately devised a plan to stop the advance. Drawing on his experience as a sea trader, he used an army of shipbuilders and carpenters to cobble together 15 schooners, sloops and gunboats. In October 1776, his makeshift fleet clashed with 25 British vessels on Lake Champlain at the Battle of Valcour Island.
What did Arnold do to help the British?
He used coded letters and invisible ink to send reports on Continental troop movements and supplies, and later conspired to hand the American bastion at West Point over to the enemy. Greed and personal debts were certainly a motivating factor in Arnold’s treachery—he demanded 20,000 British pounds for turning his coat—but he had also become disillusioned with the revolutionary cause. He’d been stung by a Continental Congress decision to promote five junior officers ahead of him, and he believed fellow soldiers such as Ethan Allen and Horatio Gates had tried to smear his reputation and take credit for his successes on the battlefield. Historians have also argued that Arnold’s actions were influenced by his second wife, Peggy Shippen, a young belle who came from one of Philadelphia’s most prominent loyalist families.
What was Arnold's first attempt to capture Quebec?
He rounded out the year by marching some 1,000 men through the backwoods of Maine in a daring attempt to capture Quebec. Arnold sustained a left leg wound during the Canadian campaign, and was later shot through the left thigh while leading a pivotal charge at 1777’s Battle of Saratoga.
Where did Arnold live after the Revolution?
He settled in London after the American Revolution ended, but received a chilly welcome from his new countrymen, many of whom considered him an unprincipled mercenary whose actions had led to the death of the heroic Major Andre. Arnold and his wife were greeted with hisses when they attended the theater, and he was lambasted in the English press and blocked from taking up positions in the army and the East India Company. Having only received 6,000 of the 20,000 pounds he’d demanded for switching sides, Arnold eventually resumed his old career as a merchant ship-owner in Canada and the Caribbean. When he died in 1801 at the age of 60, he was buried without military honors.
Who Was Peggy Shippen?
Early Life
- Margaret Shippen, known as Peggy, was born on July 11, 1760, in colonial Philadelphia, the youngest daughter in a wealthy family. Her father was a well-respected lawyer and judge; her mother was the daughter of a prominent lawyer. Among her ancestors were two mayors of Philadelphia. Peggy had three older sisters and an older brother. Two younger brothers died duri…
Marriage to Benedict Arnold
- Peggy came of age during the American Revolution, in which she eventually played a significant role. An intelligent, charismatic and beautiful teen, Peggy enjoyed high society. Because of her family’s status, she met influential people, both loyalist (those who supported British rule) and rebel (those who sought American independence). Although the Shippen family tried to remain n…
Treason
- It was a month after their marriage that Benedict embarked on his career as a traitor to the Continental army. He contacted Peggy’s friend André and offered to provide him with information that would help the British win the war. In exchange, Benedict wanted the British to pay him a large sum of money. Most recent historians believe that Peggy was at the very least complicit in …
Aftermath and Death
- Peggy’s response was to have what appeared to be a breakdown. Twenty years old and mother of a six-month-old baby, she screamed incoherently and insisted that her husband was gone forever and that someone was trying to kill her baby. Washington and other prominent American leaders sympathized, thinking she was as much a victim of Benedict’s treachery as they themselves wer…