Skip to main content

Primary sourcePaintingc. 1783–1789

Portrait of Mrs. Benedict Arnold (Peggy Shippen) and Child

Daniel Gardner · c. 1783–1789

A London portrait of Benedict Arnold's wife Peggy Shippen and their child, painted by Daniel Gardner.

Depicts Arnold's wife and child, whose Loyalist ties and exile were tied to his treason.

Ask Benedict Arnold about this sourceView the original(opens in new tab)
Black-and-white photographic reproduction of an oval painting: a woman with upswept curled hair in a low-cut gown sits turned toward the viewer, holding a child with curly hair who gazes out beside her. A film edge and catalog number appear at the bottom.
Daniel Gardner, Portrait of Mrs. Benedict Arnold (Peggy Shippen) and Child, c. 1783–1789. Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

About this source

What it is

This is a photographic reproduction of an oval painting by the artist Daniel Gardner, made in London between about 1783 and 1789. It shows Peggy Shippen, wife of Benedict Arnold, with one of their children. The original is held by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

Why it matters

Peggy Shippen came from a wealthy Loyalist Philadelphia family and is thought to have influenced Arnold's shift toward the British side. After his treason was discovered, the family fled to exile in London, where this portrait was painted. It is a rare image connecting Arnold's personal and family life to the larger story of his betrayal.

Look closer

  • What does the setting and clothing suggest about the family's wealth and status?
  • Why might this portrait have been painted in London rather than America?
  • What does the image leave out about how the family came to be living in exile?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Benedict Arnold on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

More Benedict Arnold sources

Meet the AI Benedict Arnold →
Printed reproduction of a handwritten page of cipher text on cream paper, with two columns of coded symbols and numbers, signatures at lower right, and the caption 'One of the Treason Letters in Cypher' beneath. A New York Public Library stamp appears at bottom.Letter

Primary source

Arnold Treason Cipher Letter

Benedict Arnold; Peggy Shippen Arnold · 1780

Scan of a handwritten oath of allegiance on aged, yellowed paper. Printed text declares allegiance to the United States of America and renounces King George the Third. Handwritten name 'Benedict Arnold, Major General' and office 'Major General' are filled in, with a signature 'B. Arnold' and a jurat reading 'Sworn before me this 30th May 1778 at the Artillery Park Valley Forge' signed by an officer.Document

Primary source

Benedict Arnold's Oath of Allegiance

Continental Congress · 30 May 1778

Colour print of a standing man in a tricorn hat with gold trim, a blue coat with gold epaulette and buttons, a tan waistcoat, a red sash, and a sword hilt. He gestures toward a town with church spires across a river, with palm fronds behind him.Painting

Primary source

Portrait of Benedict Arnold

Thomas Hart · 26 March 1776

A weathered wooden gunboat displayed in a museum gallery, with a cannon at its bow, a mast, and a placard reading 'Continental Gondola Philadelphia' in the foreground. Its hull planks are dark and worn.Artifact

Primary source

USS Philadelphia

1776

Black-and-white mezzotint portrait of a man in an 18th-century military uniform with a tricorn hat, standing before a dark wooded background and a town view on the left, gesturing with one hand. Caption text is printed below.Painting

Primary source

Colonel Arnold

Thomas Hart · 1776

Ready when you are

Start chatting with Benedict Arnold now.

20 messages free · No credit card · Available in 50+ languages.

Trial Humy for freeGet a quote for institutions