“Treacherous Beauty: Peggy
Shippen, The Woman Behind Benedict Arnold’s Plot to Betray America," Stephen Case
What did Peggy Shippen know and when did she
know it?
These and other questions about the life of
Shippen (also known as Mrs. Benedict Arnold) were answered by Stephen H. Case
at the May 22 meeting of the American Revolution Roundtable of Richmond. Case
and Mark Jacob are co-authors of the recently published book “Treacherous
Beauty: Peggy Shippen, The Woman Behind Benedict Arnold’s Plot to Betray
America”.
Born on June 11, 1760 Shippen was the fourth child
and youngest daughter of Edward Shippen, IV and Margaret Francis Shippen. They
were a prominent Philadelphia family, and Edward Shippen served as a judge and
member of the Provincial Council of Pennsylvania.
At the age of 14 Peggy Shippen first met George
Washington when her parents held a dinner in September 1774 to honor the
members of the First Continental Congress. Washington was a member of the
Virginia delegation.
When fighting broke out between Great Britain
and its American colonies, Edward Shippen tried to steer a neutral course.
Although some historians describe Shippen as a loyalist or loyalist
sympathizer, Case told the Roundtable there is no evidence of this assertion,
and noted how Shippen remained a judge in Philadelphia even after the War at a
time when Philadelphia loyalists were routinely rounded up and deported, and
sometimes hanged.
In November 1777 William Howe’s British army
captured Philadelphia. During the one-year of British occupation the Shippens
held frequent social gatherings at their home which British officers attended,
including a young officer named John Andre who served on General Howe’s staff.
Andre became good friends with 17-year-old Peggy Shippen, and once drew a
pen-and-ink sketch of her in one of her party dresses. Contrary to assertions
by some historians, Case said that Andre and Shippen were merely close friends
and never lovers.
After the British evacuated Philadelphia in June
1778 the Continental army re-occupied the city. Washington named Benedict Arnold
to the position of military governor of Philadelphia, believing that Arnold
could serve in an administrative position while he continued to recover from
the severe leg wound he received one year earlier at Saratoga. At this stage of
the war Arnold was one of America’s great heroes. In fact Case said that Arnold
was “the greatest field commander on either side”.
Peggy Shippen and Arnold first met approximately
two weeks after he arrived in Philadelphia. It was basically love at first
sight for Arnold, and Shippen enjoyed all of the attention she received from
Philadelphia’s new military governor. The courtship was on, and they were
married on April 8, 1779. Shippen was 18 years old while Arnold was age 38, a
widower and the father of three sons.
During this time period Arnold ran into
difficulties with the way he conducted his official duties. He was charged with
eight counts of malfeasance of command by Pennsylvania authorities led by
Joseph Reed, the president of Pennsylvania’s Supreme Executive Council. While
most of the charges were generally regarded as minor, a formal court-martial
was conducted and Arnold was found guilty of the improper use of army wagons
for personal business. His official punishment was a simple reprimand by his
commanding officer, George Washington.
Shortly after his marriage to Shippen and his
trial for malfeasance of command, Arnold contacted the British about the
possibility of changing sides. One of the primary intermediaries between Arnold
and Sir Henry Clinton was John Andre, Shippen’s old friend from two years
earlier when the British occupied Philadelphia. After Arnold was named
commander of the American defenses at West Point, Arnold and the British
hatched a plan where Arnold would gradually weaken the defenses of West Point,
making it easier for the British to capture it. They also hoped to capture (and
maybe hang) George Washington during his upcoming visit to this American fort.
Unfortunately for Arnold and the British, John
Andre was captured on September 23, 1780 with incriminating documents
concerning the plot, which were forwarded up the chain of American command to
Washington. In fact Washington had arrived that morning in West Point to meet
with Arnold on routine business when word circulated about the plot between
Arnold and the British. Arnold also received word about Andre’s capture and was
able to escape to a British ship.
Shippen remained behind and acted shocked and
hysterical in front of Washington’s entourage, pretending to know nothing about
her husband’s treason and fearing for her life and that of her six-month-old
infant. According to Case, she put on a performance “as if she’s in an opera”.
Apparently Shippen’s performance was also worthy of an Oscar because Washington
and his staff were convinced that she knew nothing about the plot and was
merely another victim of Arnold’s treachery toward his country. Washington gave
her the choice of going through the British lines to Arnold or returning to her
parents’ house in Philadelphia. She chose her parents’ home.
However, she was soon banished from Philadelphia
after further investigations revealed an old letter from John Andre to Shippen.
She rejoined Arnold behind British lines in New York City where she remained
until December 15, 1781 when she and Arnold sailed to London. Initially they
were warmly welcomed in Great Britain.
In 1785 Arnold turned to the shipping business
and moved to New Brunswick, Canada. The business did poorly and Arnold returned
to Britain in 1791. His business ventures continued to decline and his debts
mounted until his death in June 1801 at the age of 61. Shippen lived only three
years after his death, and at the age of 44 died from ovarian cancer in August
1804. She left behind five children and three stepchildren.
Did Peggy Shippen lead Arnold astray? Case said
she did and pushed Arnold toward the British for the money. She was also the
person who knew John Andre and several Philadelphia loyalists who served as
intermediaries between Arnold and the British when Arnold first considered
changing sides. Case also noted that the neutrality of the Shippen family
regarding the war was a contributing factor toward Shippen’s willingness to
support Arnold’s treachery since money was more important to her than politics.
Did Joseph Reed have a major impact on Arnold’s
decision to join the British? Case said he did and characterized Reed by
joking, “That stinker was a jerk!” Case said that the charges Reed brought
against Arnold were very trivial and done mainly for political purposes. Reed
felt his political power was threatened by the appointment of Arnold to govern
Philadelphia, so Reed did what he could to undercut the Saratoga war hero.
Historians have speculated for many years as to
why Benedict Arnold turned traitor. There are several theories and of course
Arnold was ultimately the one responsible for his treachery. However, Case
asserted that Arnold probably wouldn’t have changed sides if not for the strong
encouragement and assistance he received from Shippen and the public attacks he
received in the newspapers and in court hearings that were caused by
Reed.
-Bill Seward
