American Scandal - Benedict Arnold | West Point | 2

Episode Date: October 20, 2026

Benedict Arnold secures command of the Continental Army’s most important fortress and begins weakening it from within. But before he can deliver it to the British, he must arrange a dangerous, clandestine meeting that could alter the course of the Revolution.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hello, American Scandal listeners. The live show I've been telling you about for a few weeks has a new date, October 23rd at the Plaza Theater in Garland, Texas. This is my Days That Made America Tour, a thrilling evening of history, storytelling, and music with me and a band live on stage. So if you're in the North Texas area or anywhere close, be sure to come out and see me live.

And more shows will be announced soon. For information on tickets and upcoming dates, go to American History Live.com. That's American History Live.com. Come see my Days That Made America Tour, live on stage. Go to American History Live.com. American scandal uses dramatizations that are based on true events. Some elements, including dialogue, might be invented, but everything is based on historical research.

It's the evening of April 6, 1780, at the home of General Benedict Arnold in Philadelphia. Arnold sits by the fire, its orange light flickering. across his face. In his hand is an unopened letter. Its wax seal is stamped with the crest of the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, George Washington. Arnold stares at the seal, but makes no move to break it. He already knows what the letter contains. It's George Washington's official reprimand following Arnold's court-martial earlier this year. Arnold was found guilty of using government wagons for personal business and granting a permit without proper authority. Although cleared of the more serious charges, Arnold still regards the verdicts as a deep injustice.

The floorboards creak in the nursery overhead and footsteps to send the stairs. Arnold's wife Peggy joins him in the drawing room. Well, he's asleep. Oh, let's hope he finally gives us a good night's rest. Peggy spots the letter in her husband's hand. What's that? I mean, it's from Washington. My official reprimand. You haven't opened it?

Arnold turns the letter over in his hands. and Peggy gives him a sympathetic smile. Well, we shall do it together. Peggy sits beside him, then reaches over and gently slides her finger beneath the wax. With the seal now broken, Arnold is finally able to reach in the envelope, unfold the letter, and hold it up to the light. His face hardens as he reads it. Ugh, he calls my conduct reprehensible, and my use of government wagons was imprudent and improper. Arnold crumbles the paper and frustration, and Peggy shakes her head.

This is how the Revolution remembers its heroes for permits and wagons. Well, think no more of it. Come, burn it and be done with it. Peggy takes the letter from his hand and strides toward the fire, but as she does, another folded piece of paper slips to the rug. Arnold leans down and picks it up. Wait, Peggy. What is it? Another letter.

It's a personal note from Washington. He falls silent as he reads and then begins to smile. Peggy frowns impatiently. Well, what does it say? See for yourself. Arnold holds it out, and she reads, Well, I don't understand. Isn't this just more the same?

I reprimand you. You should have been guarded and temperate? Read the very end. You need this part? Exhibit anew those noble qualities which have placed you on the list of our most valued commanders. I will myself furnish you, as far as it may be in my power,

with the opportunities for regaining the esteem of your country. Yeah, so he knows what's been done to me. If he feels guilty, he should. He promises to make amends. Benedict. Do not let a few words of flattery undo your resolve. Remember Saratoga. Remember your leg.

How they rewarded you for that. Oh, Peggy, I have not forgotten. Believe me, I'm reminded with every step I take. And why do you smile? Arnold takes the letter back from Peggy. It carefully folds it back up. Because I can use this. If Washington wishes to make amends,

then I know exactly what I shall ask for. Only moments earlier, the official reprimand had seemed like one final human, humiliating reminder of everything America had taken from Benedict Arnold. Now, though, it symbolizes something else, an opportunity. Washington says he's willing to entrust Arnold with another command, but if he grants Arnold's wish, he won't be rehabilitating a disgraced soldier. He'll be putting the future of the revolution in the hands of a man who's already working with the enemy. He lurks in shadow. He slips into dreams. He casts no reflection. Audible presents

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He watched other men take credit for his victories as Congress denied him promotions and buried him in debt. and unable to serve in combat due to his injuries. He was appointed military governor of Philadelphia, only to become the target of what he considered a political witch hunt. Then came the final insult, a court-martial that found Arnold guilty on two trivial charges. By the spring of 1780, Benedict Arnold and his wife Peggy had already begun a dangerous correspondence with the British.

For them, the question was no longer whether they would betray the revolution. It was how. This is episode two. West Point. It's the evening of June 22nd, 1780, at the Arnold home in Philadelphia. Peggy Arnold sits in her living room as a servant brings in a tray of cold drinks. Outside, the summer sun beats down on the city, but with the shutters closed and drapes drawn, inside the house, it's cool and dark. Peggy's husband, Benedict Arnold, has been away for several weeks on business, but Peggy's not alone. This evening, she's entertaining Robert R. Livingston,

a powerful politician. At just 33 years old, Livingston is already the Chancellor of New York, the state's highest judicial officer. Since the British captured Manhattan nearly four years ago, New York's government has operated from towns along the Hudson River Valley. But Livingston's duties frequently bring him to Philadelphia, and while he's in town, he often pays Peggy a visit. Livingston picks up his drink and then turns toward Peggy with a broad smile and says how radiant he looks in the heat.

Peggy laughs off the compliment. She knows of Livingston's interest in her and understands how his visits to the house may look, but her flirtation with him is all for a good cause. So carefully, she steers the conversation to the war and the situation in the Hudson River Valley. Whoever controls that river, controls the flow of soldiers and resources

between New England and the rest of the states, and that power could decide the fate of the revolution. So it only seems natural when Peggy mentions West Point, the most important fort in the valley. Its current commander is General Robert Howe of North Carolina. But Peggy wonders aloud that such a prestigious post seems a strange reward for Howe. After all, he oversaw failed campaigns in Florida and the loss of Savannah. Surely, it would be far safer in the hands of a proven commander, like her husband.

With the injuries he suffered, he can sadly no longer fight on the battlefield, but he is still eager to serve the revolution. Peggy then looks at Livingston with her soft, gray eyes, and adds that, of course, she supports that wish. But were her husband to be given a new command, she would be terribly lonely in Philadelphia. By the end of the evening, Livingston thinks he has reached his own conclusion. He puts pen to paper and writes to George Washington,

arguing that the security of New York depends upon Benedict Arnold, immediately taking command of West Point. And with the backing of influential men like Robert R. Livingston, Arnold becomes convinced that it's only a matter of time before he's offered the post. Washington has already hinted that he'll support Arnold's return to service, and with Peggy, putting all her charms to work in Philadelphia, Arnold is sure the campaign will succeed. And he needs it to. His debts are becoming unmanageable. He's been liquidating what assets he can, selling family property in Connecticut,

but that barely stems the bleeding. To escape this financial hole, he needs the kind of money only the British can offer him. So the negotiations over the precise terms of his treachery, continue throughout the summer. Arnold wants 20,000 pounds for successfully delivering West Point to the British, but he also wants 10,000 pounds even if the plot fails, as well as a guaranteed lifetime pension of 500 pounds a year. As a show of his commitment, Arnold informs the British that a French force of roughly 4,000 men is sailing for Newport, Rhode Island to support the revolution. If the British move quickly enough, they may be able to strike first. But communicating with the British spymaster

John Andre is not a simple matter. Arnold's letters must go through an intermediary, the China merchant Joseph Stansbury. He often travels between Philadelphia and British-occupied New York, giving him the perfect cover to carry the correspondence back and forth. But Stansbury is often on the move, as are Benedict Arnold and John Andre. That means Arnold's wife Peggy becomes an essential link in the chain. As the three men move from place to place, Peggy often holds letters for days or even weeks until they can be safely delivered to the right man in the right place at the right time. But for Arnold, this slow pace of communication is agonizing. Every day, his debts mount. But eventually he gets the reply from Andre he's been waiting for. 20,000 pounds is an acceptable price for West Point.

Now, Arnold just has to deliver the fortress. Peggy has been working her contacts in Philadelphia, but in late July, Arnold decides to push things along himself. He rides north to meet with George Washington and his army 30 miles up river from New York City. Washington is a busy man, moving his troops across the Hudson, but he carves out some time for Benedict Arnold, and the two men take a ride together to a ridge overlooking the river. They rain in their horses, and Arnold looks down at the water. There are dozens of boats moving from the West Bank to the east. He turns to Washington.

I understand the British are moving on Newport. Yes, to attack the French. Almost 8,000 men have left the garrison in Manhattan already. Arnold keeps his face fixed. In truth, he was the one who warned the British of the French arrival. Your plan is to intercept them? I have something bolder in mind. I think you'll approve.

You intend to move against New York. Washington smiles. An opportunity to retake the city while its defenses are weakened may not come again. Washington turned slightly toward Arnold, who glances down at Arnold's wounded leg. I am pleased to see you riding again. Well, my leg is healed well, sir. We can ill afford the loss of any man, let alone one of your qualities.

Arnold sits up a little straighter in his saddle. Well, I am ready to regain the esteem of my country, sir. I've given your next command a great deal of thought. I've received representations, urging me to appoint you to the command of West Point. Oh, I see. I have no doubt you have the capabilities, and the fortress would be secure under your leadership. Well, it would be a great honor, sir. Yes, but then I thought it might be a bit boring.

for a man of your temperament. You're like me, General. You want to be in the field. I do, of course, but good. It's decided that. In this assault on New York, you shall lead the army's left wing. Arnold doesn't know what to say in Washington, France. You are not pleased? I'm honored, sir, that you would think of me for such an important command,

but yet you do not desire it. Arnold is silent, and Washington studies him for a moment. I know, as fighting men, it can be the battles off the field that we find the hardest, but do not despair of your capabilities, Benedict. Return to camp and reflect upon it before you give me your final answer. As Benedict Arnold rides back to Washington's camp, he thinks about how everything he has risked and negotiated may be slipping away. The irony of the situation pains him.

It was he who fed the British the intelligence about the French, but in doing so, it seems he has ruined his own chances of gaining command of West Point. But Arnold hopes the decision can still be reversed. When he arrives at Washington's headquarters, he urgently seeks out a meeting with a senior aide to camp. Arnold confesses to the man that he doesn't want the command of the army's left wing. He claims he has let his pride give Washington the wrong impression. His legs simply can't endure long hours on horseback,

and he would serve the revolution far better at a military stronghold like West Point. When Washington later arrives at headquarters, the aide informs him about this strange conversation. Washington is left puzzled by Arnold's behavior. In the past, he's repeatedly expressed. the desire to return to active duty once he was healed, yet now he just wants to hide behind fortress walls. So Washington decides that what General Arnold clearly needs

is a gentle push to get him back into action. So a day after their meeting, he issues his orders. Arnold will not be given the command of West Point. Instead, he will lead the Army's left wing during the planned assault on New York City. But while Arnold's fate is being decided on the banks of the Hudson River, over 100 miles away in Philadelphia, Peggy Arnold is none the wiser.

She's continued to bolster her husband's cause through quiet lobbying on his behalf, and in early August 1780, that campaign takes her to the home of a wealthy local financier. The dinner is just finishing, and around the table the conversation drifts from the summer heat to politics to the latest fashions.

The room dazzles with fine glass and silver sparkling in the candlelight, but it's Peggy that draws the most attention. She is still regarded as one of the most beguards, men around the table tonight all compete for her gaze. But as Peggy smiles her way through another endless anecdote, the door to the dining room opens, and a servant announces the arrival of another guest. He's newly arrived from Washington's Army in upstate New York. A space is cleared for him around the table, and the guest spots Peggy and offers her his congratulations. Peggy

straightens in her chair and smiles, thinking this is the news she's long been waiting for. But then the man tells her about Arnold's new command. Peggy's smile vanishes and the color drains from her face. The man frowns, confused about why such welcome news seems to have upset her. Peggy grips the edge of the table as though trying to steady herself. A wave of panic overtakes her. She can't seem to contain it. She pushes back from the table so violently that her chair nearly topples and she begins to sob that Benedict must not return to the army. One of her husband's aides is a guest at the dinner and he quickly rushes around the table to her sign. He explains to the room that Peggy has long suffered from these bouts of hysteria, emotional fits where she loses control, and during such episodes,

whatever she says or does should not be taken seriously. Rest is the only cure. This explanation satisfies the other guests and several murmur their sympathy for the poor woman. Perhaps the thought of her husband, joining another dangerous campaign, has simply overwhelmed her nerves. But Peggy knows the truth. She isn't terrified of Benedict returning to battle. She's thinking about West Point. Without command of the fortress, the long negotiations with the British might amount to

nothing. It's the thought of losing the future that she and her husband have planned that feels overwhelming. She just hopes that if this episode reaches the right ears, maybe the decision can be reversed. Maybe there is still a way for Benedict Arnold to get to West Point. Imagine you're reading Pride

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fails to convince his counterparts in the Royal Navy to support the expedition against the French. Having gotten only as far as Long Island, Clinton abandons his campaign. And when George Washington learns that the British are marching back to New York, he calls off his own planned attack as well. With the troops soon to be back in their Manhattan garrison, the city won't be vulnerable anymore. This means Washington will no longer need Benedict Arnold on the battlefield. But he's still mindful of the promise he made to give Arnold a prominent position.

So even though he has no complaints about the performance of West Point's existing commander, Washington decides to make a change. On August 3rd, 1780, he officially places Benedict Arnold in command of West Point. The fortress is not a single facility, but a sprawling network of defenses. Its main stronghold overlooks a sharp bend in the Hudson, and is named Fort Arnold in its new commander's honor. But Arnold will also be responsible for a series of smaller forts, batteries and outposts that stretch more than 30 miles down the river. And as soon as he takes command,

Arnold quietly begins weakening all of these defenses. He delays much-needed repairs and improvements to key fortifications. He has teams pull logs out of the river to clear the waterway. He orders hundreds of soldiers out into the surrounding countryside to gather firewood. But some under Arnold's command begin to notice these strange orders. Colonel John Lamb is the artillery commander at West Point. He fought with Arnold during the Quebec campaign and knows him well enough that he feels he can confront him directly. So in September 1780, as the two men are inspecting progress on repairs to Fort Arnold's walls, Lamb decides the time is right to speak his mind. General Arnold, there's a matter I feel I must discuss with you.

You know, you can always speak freely, Colonel? Well, sir, I feel these works are taking too long. The eastern walls still lack timber, and several of the southern defenses are in poor repair. I'm aware of all that. And then they're the smaller forts as well. But we shall come to them in due course. But when, sir? You've sent 500 men out to cut wood.

Another 200 have gone to Fishkill. Well, without fuel, this garrison will freeze in the winter. And the men at Fishkill are guarding British prisoners. Would you have me leave them unattended? Well, I would have enough men here to finish our fortifications, to defend the river properly. Sir, if the British attack, they will find us ready. With respect, sir, I'm not certain they will. Arnold stops walking.

John, you've known me a long time. Ah, sir. You were with me at Quebec. This fort bears my name. Do you imagine I mean to be remembered as the man who lost it? Oh, no. Arnold glances around and lowers his voice. I do see what you see.

Every day I receive another demand for men, provisions, or ammunition. And if I strengthen one position, I must leave another exposed. But General Washington has entrusted West Point to me. And every order I gave is intended to present. this post, not merely today, but through this winter and the one after that. Lamb studies Arnold and glances back toward the unfinished defenses. I understand, sir. Good, because I value your vigilance, Colonel. I trust you with the guns. So trust me with everything else. For now, Benedict Arnold seems to have allayed Colonel Lamb's

concerns. But he knows that suspicions will only grow the longer he continues undermining West Point's defenses. He has to hand over the keys to the fortress before it's two late. But Arnold still has to negotiate the final terms of his deal with the British. Exactly how he will be paid and how the British will take control of West Point are yet to be decided. And those details are too sensitive and too complex to settle through coded communication. It would take far too long. And besides, every time they send a letter, they run the risk of being intercepted. So Arnold suggests a face-to-face meeting with his contact, the British spymaster, Major John Andre. Arnold proposes that Andre cross the American lines disguised as a New Yorker named John Anderson.

Arnold lays a groundwork for writing to officers stationed along the Hudson, instructing them to notify him if Anderson appears. But when the British commander-in-chief Sir Henry Clinton hears about this plan, he immediately has doubts. Earlier in the war, Andre spent over a year in American captivity before he was released in a prisoner exchange. There are almost certainly officers in the Continental Army who would recognize him. And if Major Andre was discovered behind enemy lines, disguised as an American civilian, it would be treated as espionage, a crime punishable by death. General Clinton isn't willing to risk

one of his best men in that way. So if there is to be a meeting with Benedict Donald, Major Andre will only attend openly, in British uniform, and under a flag of truce. A flag of truce is more traditionally used to negotiate a surrender, but it can sometimes be used to discuss private matters between officers on opposing sides. And the British think they have the perfect cover story to warrant such a private discussion with Arnold, the loyalist Beverly Robinson. Robinson is serving as a colonel of a regiment in New York,

but his confiscated home is Arnold's headquarters at West Point. A dispute over the property would be a plausible pretext for a meeting under the protection of the flag, and Robinson could be accompanied by Major Andre without anything seeming suspicious. André communicates the new plan to Arnold. Writing under the alias John Anderson and through hidden language, the letter explains that Andre and Robinson will arrive on the East Bank of the Hudson

at Dobbs Ferry on September 11th. Dobbs Ferry is the southernmost point of Patriot Territory, but the Americans only control the West Bank. The East Bank is in neutral ground, controlled by neither side. It's the perfect place for a meeting. But Arnold isn't happy with this new place. He can't be seen meeting with British officers that will only arouse further suspicions at West Point, where the men already are asking questions about his conduct.

He urgently writes back to Andre explaining his situation, but he doesn't receive a reply. And when the appointed day arrives, Arnold decides that he has no choice but to go along with the British plan. So on the morning of September 11th, he leaves his headquarters, boards a small barge with eight men, and pushes out onto the Hudson. It's a 35-mile journey south to Dobbs Ferry, and all the way there, Arnold stands at the rail, staring at the gray water. He still hates this plan. Though the cover story that he's meeting with the British to discuss a property dispute is a believable one, he feels he's putting himself at unnecessary risk.

And as they near Dobbs Ferry, his uneasiness mounts. This stretch of the Hudson has seen frequent clashes between British and American boats. Either side could mistake him for the enemy and open fire. Arnold's barge moves slowly, drifting with the current. But then ahead he sees a long wooden boat with a cannon mounted near the bow. Arnold hopes it's a patriot vessel, but as it draws closer, he soon sees a British flag on its mast. He praised those on board have been made aware that an American general is meeting with the British under a flag of truce. So Arnold lifts his flag and waves it furiously above his head.

But then the British gunboat turns its large cannon toward the barge. There's a flash of light, a thunderous roar, and the river just in front of the barge erupts. Water splashes down on Arnold and his men. Clearly, the crew of the gunboat has not been informed about the meeting. Arnold doesn't wait for them to reload. He orders his men to steer hard for the western shore. A few more shots explode in the water behind them, but the British gunboat isn't chasing them. Still, it's a narrow escape, and Arnold doesn't want to take the risk of trying to cross the river again.

So for the rest of the day, Arnold lingers on the west bank, uneasily pacing along the muddy shore. He assumes that Major Andre and Colonel Robinson are somewhere on the other side, and he hopes they will figure out what's happened and take a boat across the river to meet with him here. But hours pass with no sign of them. So around 3 o'clock, Arnold abandons the effort. He boards his barge once more and heads north back up the river. A sailed rendezvous has rattled Benedict Norman. He's already risking.

his life and his family's future for the British, and now they've merely blown him out of the water. So Arnold decides his time his new friends took some of the risks themselves. If this meeting is going to happen, if he's ever to hand over West Point to the British, then John Andre will have to come to Arnold. On January 24, 2023 in Duxbury, Massachusetts, Patrick Clancy called 911. He had found his wife, Lindsay, badly injured, and his three children dead and dying. What followed would become one of the most searing and complicated cases in recent memory, raising hard questions about motherhood, mental illness, and how far our justice system will go

to understand what really happened. I'm Candice DeLong, host of the podcast Killer Psyche. In our latest episode, we take you inside the case of Lindsay Clancy, the postpartum psychosis defense, the courtroom battle and the trial that just ended in a series. stunning mistrial. Follow Killer Psyche wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Killer Psyche one week early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.

Ghosts aren't real. At least, that's what journalist Tristan Redmond always believed. Sure, odd things happen in his childhood bedroom, but ultimately he shrugged them off. Until he discovered that he wasn't alone, that everyone who lived there after him also had bizarre experiences they couldn't explain. And it gets even weirder. It just so happens that his wife's great-grandmother was murdered in the house next door. Is this ghost somehow connected to her murder? He decides to go where no son-in-law should, digging up a cold case and asking questions that nobody wants answered.

Like, could his wife's great-grandfather have gotten away with the perfect crime? This is a podcast about family secrets, overwhelming coincidence, and the things that come back to haunt us. For the best bingeable series, like Ghost Story, listen to the Audible True Crime podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can get all episodes early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts. Following the failed meeting at Dobbs Ferry,

Benedict Arnold wants John Andre to come to him next time. But he recognizes Major Andre can't just knock on the door at West Point. So Arnold identifies a new meeting place, a little farther south along the Hudson River. It's a house belonging to Joshua Hett Smith, a wealthy local landowner. It sits closer to British-held New York than West Point,

yet is still within Patriot Territory. On September 14, 1780, Arnold calls on Smith at his home. But he's not just scoping out the location for his Ronebu with Andre. Arnold has arranged another an even more important meeting at the house. With his plot to destroy the revolution reaching its final stages,

Arnold has decided the time has come for his family to join him at West Point. He knows that if the scheme collapses, Philadelphia will be a dangerous place for his wife Peggy and six-month-old son Edward. People convicted of betraying the revolutionary cause are executed by hanging, and by bringing Peggy and Edward North, he hopes they will be safer. Arnold has arranged to meet them at the Smith House. He spent weeks isolated at West Point with no one to share the burden of his secrets. So now, as he embraces his wife and infant son,

he's reunited with the only person on this side of the line who knows the truth. But after the tears have dried and Peggy has shared her account of her long journey north, Arnold gets back to business. He quietly asked Joshua Hett Smith for a favor. He explains that he needs a secure location for a place. a confidential meeting with an informant. Smith agrees immediately. He's happy to help the celebrated American General however he can, but he has no idea about the true purpose of the planned meeting. So with everything arranged, Arnold then takes Peggy and Edward to their new home at Robinson

House near West Point. A few days later, the British warship HMS Vulture sails up the Hudson River from New York. This 14-gun sloop drops anchor just over 10 miles south of West Point. On board, is Major John Andre. The British are just as eager as Benedict Arnold to finalize the terms of their agreement. And while the Dobbs' Ferry rendezvous failed, Andre still believes a discussion about the property dispute is the ideal cover.

So he has Colonel Beverly Robinson write Arnold a letter proposing a meeting. Because the letter is disguised as a private matter, it can be sent via messenger carrying a flag of truce. And soon it's delivered straight to Benedict Arnold at Robinson House. But the letter arrives at just the wrong time. Arnold is hosting a lunch for his fellow officers when a servant slips into the room and presents him with the letter.

Arnold lays it down on the tablecloth beside his plate and tries to feign disinterest. But his guests all want to know why he's receiving mail from the British. Artillery officer John Lamb leans forward across the table, nods toward the unopened letter. Do not mean to satisfy our curiosity, General? I receive a great deal of correspondence these days, John. Very little of it worth interrupting a meal. Even when it comes from across the British lines? There's a ripple of awkward laughter around the table.

Arnold looks around. Everyone is watching him. Oh, very well. Let's see what we have here. Arnold breaks the seal. It is from our absent host, Colonel Beverly Robinson. He wishes to discuss the confiscation of this estate. Perhaps he's unhappy with our use of his soup spoons. The other officers laughed, but Colonel Lamb doesn't let it go.

And he wishes to discuss this matter with you in person. Yes, he proposes that we meet under a flag of truce. That's an uncommon use of a flag. Uncommon, but hardly dangerous, I feel. Arnold lays a letter back down on the table. There, gentlemen, a question of property. Nothing to become excited about. Now, where were we?

But Lamb doesn't return to his meal. Sir, General Washington is due at King's Ferry today. Perhaps this meeting with Robinson should have his approval first. Oh, I hardly feel a loyalist grievance is a matter worth his excellency's time. Around the table, Arnold sees several of his officers exchange quiet glances. But, of course, you were right. In times of war, caution is always prudent. I shall place Colonel Robinson's proposal before the general myself. The conversation around the table soon turns back to troop movements and upcoming campaigns,

but Benedict Arnold barely hears a word. He knows that bringing up the letter with George Washington will only draw more attention to him, but Arnold feels he doesn't have a choice. So that afternoon, as Washington crosses the Hudson at King's Ferry, Arnold journeys downriver to meet him. Washington reacts to Beverly Robinson's request, with the suspicion Arnold feared. He tells Arnold that a conference under a flag of truce is intended for military business, not disputes over a private estate.

If Colonel Robinson has a claim he wishes to pursue, he should apply to the civil authorities of New York. Washington is already concerned about the proximity of HMS Vulture to West Point. Meeting with an officer from the ship is a needless risk. So Washington refuses to allow it, and Arnold has no choice but to write back to Robinson denying his request. It's clear to Arnold that arranging an official meeting under a flag of truce won't work, but he has another simpler idea. He can just send someone to retrieve Robinson and André from the vulture, and bring them to the Patriot side for a meeting without the flag of truth. Arnold knows the British won't like that, but if they want West Point, they're running out of options.

Arnold presents his idea in a secret second letter that he hides in a packet sent back to Colonel Robinson. He doesn't wait for a reply. Instead, he immediately begins making the necessary arrangements. He needs someone he can trust to carry out the mission without asking too many questions, and once again he turns to Joshua Hett Smith. Smith has already a good. agreed that Arnold can use his house for a secret meeting. But Arnold tells him that might no longer be necessary. The meeting he has in mind can take place on the banks of the Hudson River instead. Arnold tells him that there are two men on HMS Vulture who are turncoats with important information to share with the Patriots. One of them is Colonel Beverly Robinson. This dispute over his property

is only a ruse to allow him and the other man to leave the ship without suspicion. What Arnold needs Smith to do as row out to the vulture at night, retrieve the two men and bring them safely to the American side of the river. Arnold will be waiting for them there. This request is an unusual one, but just as Arnold hoped, Smith quickly agrees. He admires the hero of Saratoga too much to have any suspicions. So on the night of September 21st, Smith recruits two tenant farmers who work on his property, brother Samuel and Joseph Cahoon. Their assignment appears straightforward. But as the appointed hour gets closer, the Cahoon brothers become more and more uneasy. And when Arnold arrives at the Smith House to check on preparations, he finds the two men sitting on the front steps, their faces nodded with worry.

Brothers say they're backing out. They don't want to do it anymore. Going out on the river at night is just too dangerous, and they have their families to think about. Arnold listens, impatience, tightening behind his eyes. There's no time for hesitation now. Robinson and Andre will be waiting to be picked up. Arnold's tone shifts as he tells the men that if they refuse, he will consider them traitors to the cause of independence. This threat hangs in the air, but their brothers remain defiant. They don't understand why this meeting has to happen at night. Arnold's voice grows colder. He warns them that if they fail to do what is required for the good of their country in Congress, he will have them placed under guard. But still the brothers refuse. Joshua Hett Smith then steps out of the house and in a low voice, and in a low voice,

boys, he suggests to Arnold that they take a different approach. He asked the Cahoon brothers if they want a drink, and they eagerly accept. Soon they are passing a jug of rum back and forth, and Arnold can see that Smith was right. The warmth of the drink is softening their resistance. So he tells them that if they complete the task and fetch the informants, there'll be 50 pounds of flour for them both. A jug of rum stops moving, and the brothers glance at each other. Then they nod. Arnold feels a wave of relief. At last, after weeks of delays and missteps, the face-to-face meeting with John Andre is within reach. Shortly afterward, Arnold watches from the bank as Smith and the Cahoon brothers push off into

the darkness of the Hudson River. If everything goes well, Arnold will soon settle the terms of a betrayal that will make him rich and hand the British victory in the war. But if anything goes wrong, he and the men he plans to meet tonight will all face the hangman's news. From Ottawa Originals and Airship, this is episode two. of Benedict Arnold for American Scan. In our next episode, Arnold and British Major John Andre risk everything for a secret face-to-face meeting.

But afterward, Andre must make a dangerous journey back to British territory where even one mistake could expose the entire conspiracy. If you'd like to learn more about Benedict Darnell, we recommend the book, Valiant Ambition by Nathaniel Filbrecht and The Traged of Benedict Arnold by Joyce Lee Malcolm. This episode contains reenactments and dramatized details,

And while in most cases we can't know exactly what was said, all our dramatizations are based on historical research. American Scandal is hosted, edited, and executive produced by me, Lindsay Graham for Airship. This episode is written and researched by Olivia Thomas, senior producer Andy Beckerman, managing producer Emily Burke, fact-checking by Alyssa Jung Perry, audio editing by Mohamed Shazi, original music by Thrum, sound design by Gabriel Gould. Executive producer for Airship is William Simpson. Executive producer for Audible is Jenny Lowry. Beckman, Head of Creative Development at Audible, Kate Navin, head of Audible Originals, North America, Marshal Louis, Chief Content Officer Rachel Giazza.

Copyright 2026 by Audible Originals LLC. Sound recording copyright 2026 by Audible Originals LLC. American Scandal is only possible because of listeners like you, so thank you. And don't miss an episode. Be sure to follow American Scandal on Audible or wherever you

get your podcasts. And Audible subscribers can binge new seasons of American scandal early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts. And to find out more about me, including my other podcasts, my live show, the history tours I'm arranging, and all sorts of other things, go to history ishuman.com. That's history ishuman.com.