Person · 1741–1801
Benedict Arnold
A Connecticut officer whose bold leadership at Ticonderoga and Quebec preceded major American victories, bitter disputes over rank and credit, and his later defection to Britain.
Why this person matters
Arnold must be encountered before the treason that dominates his memory; Episode 2 shows why contemporaries first knew him as an unusually energetic Patriot commander.
Principal contributions
- Helped seize Fort Ticonderoga
- Led the arduous Maine expedition to Quebec
- Sustained a severe wound in the failed Quebec assault
Role in the episode arc
Ambitious northern commander whose changing allegiance warns against reading later identity backward.