What did Arnold Benedict want?

Answer 1

Mainly money and a commission from the British. Arnold had remarried a 19 year old girl by the name of Peggy Shippen from an important Philadelphia family. She took part in the conspiracy to betray West Point. The plot had begun in Philadelphia in 1779 and was discovered in 1780. His motives were personal, not political. He was greedy always looking for money to keep up a life style his new wife was use to, but he couldn't afford. He also resented what he saw as a lack of appreciation by Congress and the government of Pennsylvania. He chose Joseph Stansbury a Loyalist shopkeeper to convey his messages to the British general Sir Henry Clinton. Arnold's demands for payments varied but in Aug of 1780 an agreement was made for him to be paid 20,000 pounds if it lead to the capture of West Point and 3,000 troops. The plot was discovered on Sept. 23, 1780 when papers were seized by the NY militia. Arnold fled and went to Clinton in NYC and he expected to be given honors for his talents. He was disappointed and never got his command because he wasn't trusted. He went to England in 1791 and died 10 years later.