A Revolutionary Loyalist

The Surprising Story of Peggy Shippen Arnold

A presentation by RW250 V.P. Char Weigel, based on her primary source research on the life of Benedict Arnold’s wife.

Margaret Arnold, perhaps better known by her childhood name Peggy Shippen, has been portrayed through history as either a total innocent or the scheming mastermind behind Benedict Arnold’s treason. Based entirely on primary sources, Char Weigel brings to life this complex, nuanced woman and the choices she made in her youth. The true story of her involvement is more fascinating than the fiction as is the path that her life took after the discovery of her husband’s plot and his defection. Come ready with your questions!

Weigel will also share some remarks on local loyalist Sarah Bates, who lived in what is today the Odell Rochambeau House until her family was forced to flee to British-controlled New York City.

Char Weigel frequently publishes and presents on new research on Benedict Arnold’s treason and Revolutionary War history in the lower Hudson Valley. She is on the board of the Friends of the Odell Rochambeau Museum and Vice President of Special Projects for Revolutionary Westchester 250.

Free, but registration required.

REGISTER HERE: https://greenburghlibrary.libcal.com/event/15626550

Wednesday, January 7, 2026 at 7 p.m.
Greenburgh Public Library, 300 Tarrytown Road, Elmsford NY