Peggy Shippen

In 1778, Peggy first met future husband Benedict Arnold, a continental military commander of Philadelphia. Benedict Arnold was twenty years older to her and a widower with three children. Arnold also had eight charges against corruption and malfeasance with the money of the federal and state governments against him. He was convicted of two minor offences. The two courted each other despite huge differences. Peggy and Benedict Arnold tied the nuptial knot on April 8, 1779.

The couple welcomed their first son, Edward Shippen Arnold, on March 19, 1780. Their second son James Robertson was born in August 1781. After the birth of two more children who died in infancy, Peggy gave birth to their third surviving child Sophia Matilda Arnold. Later on, she mothered two more sons, George in 1787 and William Fitch in 1794.

Benedict Arnold breathed his last in 1801. Three years later, in 1804, Peggy too died of cancer at her home. She was buried alongside her husband at St Mary’s Church in Battersea.

Peggy Shippen was born as Margaret Shippen on July 11, 1760 in colonial Philadelphia. Nicknamed Peggy, she was the fourth daughter of Edward Shippen IV and Margaret Francis. She had three older sisters and an elder brother.

Peggy belonged to a renowned family of Philadelphia. While her father served as a judge and a member of the Provincial Council of Pennsylvania, her ancestral family included two Philadelphia mayors and founder of Shippensburg, Pennsylvania.

As a child, Peggy enjoyed music, doing needlework, and drawing. She participated in the study of politics. She was mostly homeschooled by her father who briefed the young girl in politics, finance and national security. He also taught her about the forces that led to American Revolution.

The influential status of the family helped Peggy be in the thick of matters during the American Revolution. She met extremists—loyalists who supported British rule and rebel who sought for American independence. Though her family tried to be of neutral opinion, their preferences leaned towards British.

In 1777, when British captured Philadelphia, Shippen family held social gathering. It was at these gatherings that Peggy first met John Andre. Andre was an officer in General William Howe's command. When France entered war in June 1778, André left Philadelphia with his fellow troops. The two, however, remained in touch.

Following her wedding to Benedict Arnold in 1779, Peggy took up residency in Arnold's military headquarters, the Masters-Penn mansion. While living in military headquarters, Peggy rekindled her friendship with Major John Andre, who was then General Clinton’s spy chief. Her friendship with Andre laid the foundation for future treacherous work carried out between the two.

When and how did Peggy turn into a spy is unknown but it happened sometime after her marriage and when she befriended Andre yet again. It is said that Peggy prompted the correspondence between Benedict Arnold and John André and sent military secrets to the British before her wedding.

In May 1779, Arnold hired Joseph Stansbury to initiate communications and offered his service to the British. Later, when General Clinton gave Major André orders to pursue the possibility of rendering Arnold’s service, communications began between André and Arnold. Arnold, in exchange of information that would help the British to win the war, wanted huge sum of money. A deal was made.

Peggy played a crucial role in the deal that was made between Arnold and Andre. Historians believe that it was she who tailored the connection between the two. She was a friend of Andre much prior to Arnold and it was she who instigated Arnold to make a deal with Andre right after their wedding.