At 15, Peggy Shippen dined with notable figures like George Washington and British General Thomas Gage, unaware of her future role in the revolution. As the wife of American traitor Benedict Arnold, Peggy Shippen became a key player in her husband’s espionage activities during the Revolutionary War.
Peggy Shippen, The Belle of Philadelphia
Born into a politically charged era, Peggy Shippen’s childhood was marked by the impending conflict between Britain and the colonies. Her father, Edward Shippen, opposed independence and shared his views with her. The Shippens had influential connections, and Peggy’s brother Neddy even joined the British army. He was later captured by the Continental Army and sent home by George Washington.
When the British occupied Philadelphia, Peggy attended many wartime balls. British officers were captivated by her, including John André, who sketched her and wrote poetry about her beauty. At a grand celebration before the British left Philadelphia in 1778, Shippen wore a Turkish harem costume designed by André, which drew criticism from the Quaker community for being insensitive to the country’s war-torn state.
After the British left and the Americans took over, Benedict Arnold, a wounded American hero, became Philadelphia’s military governor. Peggy Shippen and Arnold soon became a couple. Despite her family’s initial resistance to her relationship with an American officer, they eventually agreed to the marriage.
Becoming Mrs. Benedict Arnold
Peggy Shippen married Benedict Arnold at 18. The question remained: Did she still care for John André? The British officer had given Shippen a locket with his hair, and they continued writing to each other even after André left Philadelphia.
When Arnold faced allegations of profiteering as the military governor, he turned to Shippen for support after General George Washington remained silent on the matter. Shippen, skilled in codes and ciphers, taught her husband how to write in invisible ink. They developed a complex cipher using Bailey’s Dictionary, making their correspondence nearly unbreakable.
Shippen encoded Arnold’s messages and handed them off to her contacts. She later decoded the responses from the British. Through these coded messages, Shippen negotiated with André for her husband to provide plans of West Point, a strategic fort. One of her messages to André even included, “Mrs. Arnold presents her best respects to Captain André, is much obliged to him for his very polite and friendly offer of being serviceable to her.”
For over a year, Peggy Shippen and Benedict Arnold sold American secrets to the British, giving them crucial information like when to attack Washington’s base and when to seize Charleston with minimal resistance.
The Traitorous Peggy Shippen
In the summer of 1779, Peggy Shippen met with a contact to negotiate her husband’s switch of allegiance. They demanded at least £10,000 to join the British side and turn against the Americans. By the spring of 1780, Benedict Arnold had offers from both sides. The British promised him a generalship and £20,000 if he handed over West Point, while General Washington offered to make him his second in command.
Arnold weighed the offers and decided to betray his country. Shippen, dreaming of a noble title, arrived at West Point hoping that capturing George Washington would secure a dukedom for Arnold from King George.
However, their plans were foiled when John André, the British officer instrumental in the correspondence, was captured by the Americans. Evidence of Arnold’s plot was found in his handwriting. Benedict Arnold escaped across British lines, leaving Peggy Shippen behind with their infant child. After burning incriminating documents, Shippen pretended ignorance about her husband’s treachery.
Seeing Shippen’s distress, even Alexander Hamilton wished he could defend her. Her performance convinced General Washington, who later helped reunite her with her husband in New York. Meanwhile, the Americans executed John André.
After the war, the Arnolds moved to England. Peggy Shippen received a pension of £1,000 per year from Queen Charlotte and raised five children. Her four sons became British officers, and her daughter married a British general. Although Peggy faced hostility when she visited the United States once after the war, she outlived her husband by three years, dying in 1804 at age 44. She kept John André’s lock of hair until her death.
Ironically, Peggy Shippen’s gender protected her from scrutiny for centuries. Many dismissed her as a witty young wife, assuming she couldn’t have aided her husband’s treason. However, recently discovered documents from British headquarters confirm that Peggy Shippen played a central role in Benedict Arnold’s betrayal.
Peggy Shippen’s story reveals the significant contributions of women during the American Revolution. While her actions were marked by treachery, her involvement highlights the complexity of espionage and the impact of individuals during conflicts.
To learn more about the American Revolution and other significant spy tales, explore All Vintage News, your source for intriguing stories that shaped our past.