Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-11-15
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BENEDICT ARNOLD'S WIFE.
LEAVES FROM THE LIFE HISTORY OF An
UNHAPPY LADY.

UNHAPPY LADY.
We catch our first views Of this unhappy
lady on a bright May day in ITS, when she
took part in a famous and splendid pageant
in Philadelphia. She was then a beautiful
Girl of eighteen-NIiss Margaret Shppen-
the dauther of an opulent and ancient Phil
adelphia family, and one of the reigning
bellies of that town. Her ancestors were
among the first settlers of Pennsylvania,
and her great-grandEther was the first
Mayor of Philadelphia. In the course OF
time the family had acquired great posses
sions, and, laying aside the Quaker garb,
had become members of the Church or Eng
land. During the controversy between the
thirteen colonies and the King, which end
ed in the revolutionary war, Edward Ship
pen her father, the head Of the family, was
inclined to the Kings side.
1t was May IS, 177S. For many months
the British army had been quartered in
VIM. Howe. The General had been super
seded and about to return to England. The
officers Of the army, a wealthy class who
had nothing to do, seized the occasion of his
retirement to amuse themselves by giving
grand festival in his honor, and this was
the day upon which it was to be held.
The affair began with grand regatta
upon the Delaware River, or, rather, a long
procession of galleys and barges, filled with
| officers and ladies, which were rOWed SLOW
ly down the whole length of the city, in an
avenue formed by the shore crowded with
spectators, and line Of men-of-War and
transport ships, gaily dressed with flags and
streamers. At 4.3O in the afternoon the
barges began to move, the oars keeping
time to martial music, and when they had
| To- CIR n11
upon their oars, while the band played
"God Save the King" after which the
soldiers gave three cheers. Continuing
their course, the company were conveyed
past the city to where grand tournament
was to take place, and it was in this portion
of the entertainment that Margaret Ship
pen shone. \ spacious field, surrounded
by troops, had been prepared for the con-
test Upon one side was stationed all the
bands Of music in the army. There were
also two pavilions, with benches one above
another, filled with the most distinguished
ladies of the city.
On the front seat Of each of these pavll-
ions were placed seven of the most beautiful
young ladies Pennsylvania could boast.
They dressed in Turkish costume-trousers,
tunic and turbans-and in their turbans
they wore the favors with which they in
tended to reward the knights who were to
contend in their honor. Among those love-
ly ymaidens sat Miss Margaret Shipper. One
of the knights who figured in the tOurna-
ment was Capt. Andre, her familiar ac-
uuaintance. Little could either Of them
have thought, on that bright day, how fatal
ly their deStinieS were involved.
THE TRUMPET SOUNDED,
the herald appeared. The challenge was
delivered and the contest occurred, which
ended without the loss of blood, to the sat-
isfaction of all concerned. AT the concll-
sion Of the tournament the company was
lshered into a magnificent ballroom, de-
corated we are told, by eighty-tive mirrors
and lighted by thirty-four branches OF wax
candles. The ball was opened by the four
teen bellies in Turkish dress and their four
teen knights-one, Lieut.. Sloper, being the
knight who led Miss Shipper out to the
dance. At 10 o'clock the windows were
thrown open and splendid display of fire
works was exhibited.
At -, large folding doors, which had
hitherto been concealed, were suddenly
thrown open, which revealed gorgeous
saloon 21O feet long, 40 feet wide, and y
high, with three alcoves on each side. This
was the supper room. Upon the table there
were l 200 dishes. AS the guests entered a
great number Of black slaves in oriental
costumes, ranged in two lines, bowed to the
ground. This vast apartment was one splen-
dor Of wax lights, flowers, ribbons, mirrors
and silver plate. One of the regular toasts
of the occasion was Miss Shipper and Her
Knight" After supper the company re-
turned to the ball room and kept up the
dance until in the morning, reaching
their homes at sunrise.
The festival, as Major Andre remarks,
was the most splendid ever given by an
army to its chief. And little, indeed, had
the chief done to deserve it. An old officer
of the British army, who perceived the
folly Of paying such eXtravagant honors
to a general who had won no victories, said,
sadly, "Wlat will Washington say to this?"
Exactly month from that day the Brit
ish army evacuated Philadelphia, and away
they sped across Jersey, with Gen. Wash
| ington at their heels. a day or two after a
body Of American troops marched in, COM
mand by Gen. Benedict Arnold. All was
changed. The red coats had Disappeared
blue coats were in the ascendant, and the
new Yankee general was the foremost n,1 man
in the city. Arnold, vain, weak man,
ever fond of display and luxury, appropri-
ated to himself one of the handsomeSt
houses in the town, where he set up Il costly
establishment kept great many servants,
gave splendid dinners and maintained a
handsome equipage drawn by four horses
scale of expenses utterly incompatible
either with his fortune or his pay. No one,
| however, knew at the time that to maintain
the costly pomp he was concerned in specu-
latiOns unworthy of an officer and gentle
man, and sometimes used the public money
that passed through his hands.
In inviting his guests, as the patriotic
portion of the people remarked with sur
prise, he was as likely to select Tories as
| Wings. He seemed to court 1.-THE adherents
of the King, and he frequently had at his
table the wives and daughters of public enc
mics, who had been publicly prescribed and
had found refuge with the enemy in New
York Among the families who attracted
his regard was that Of Edward Shippcn, and
he was soon observed to pay particular court
to his daughter Margaret. Arnold was then
a wdower, 3S years of age, Just 20 years
older than the young lady. Ere long he
formally asked her hand from her father,
and her father cOnscnting, he addressed the
daughter and they were engaged.
IN TIE MEANTIME
Arnold had become so odious by his eXtrav-
agant and his insolent, ovcrbcaring conduct
to the people, that Congress was obliged to
take cOgnizance of the fact. On the very
eve of his marriage he was ordered to be
| tried by COurt-martlal. MISS onlppell, now
ever, was true to her engagement, and mar
ried him five days after. The cOurt-martia,
as every one knows, sentenced him to be
reprimanded by Gen. Washington, and he
was reprimanded accordingly.
"Our profession" said Gen. Washington
to him, sis the chastest of all; even the
shadow of fault furnishes the lustre of our
finest achievements The least inadver-
tence may rob us Of the public favor, so hard
to be acquired. Ireprehend you for having