West Point, NY
People
8 historical figures connected to West Point during the Revolutionary War.
Patriots & Founders
Major John Andre
1750–1780
Charming British officer who served as the intermediary in Arnold's treason. Captured behind American lines carrying plans of West Point's defenses, he was tried and hanged as a spy despite widespread sympathy for his personal conduct.
John Paulding
1758–1818
One of three militiamen — along with Isaac Van Wart and David Williams — who captured Major John Andre near Tarrytown on September 23, 1780. Their discovery of the West Point plans hidden in Andre's stockings exposed Arnold's treason and saved the fortress.
Other Figures
General Sir Henry Clinton
1730–1795
British commander-in-chief in North America who oversaw the conspiracy with Arnold to capture West Point. Clinton hoped that seizing the fortress would split the colonies and end the war, but the plot's failure was a devastating intelligence setback.
Thaddeus Kosciuszko
1746–1817
Polish engineer who designed the West Point fortifications in 1778, creating the interlocking system of batteries, redoubts, and the chain across the Hudson that made the position impregnable. His work at West Point followed his earlier success at Saratoga.
Alexander Hamilton
1755–1804
Hamilton was present at the dramatic moment when Arnold's treason was discovered, and he led the frantic effort to secure West Point before the British could act. He later advocated for leniency toward Andre, whose dignified conduct impressed even his captors.
Benedict Arnold
1741–1801
The brilliant Continental officer who, as commander of West Point in 1780, conspired to surrender the fortress to the British. His treason plot was exposed when his contact Major Andre was captured, and Arnold fled to the British lines.
Peggy Shippen Arnold
1760–1804
Philadelphia socialite who married Benedict Arnold and maintained connections with British officers including Andre. Long dismissed as an innocent bystander, modern scholarship suggests she was deeply involved in facilitating the treason plot.
Captain Thomas Machin
1744–1816
Engineer who oversaw the forging and installation of the Great Chain across the Hudson River at West Point in 1778. The chain, weighing approximately 65 tons, was designed to stop British warships and was maintained throughout the war.