WINNER: SOCIETY FOR MILITARY HISTORY DISTINGUISHED BOOK AWARD (BIOGRAPHY) Why did the once-ardent hero of the American Revolutionary cause become its most dishonored traitor? General Benedict Arnold's failed attempt to betray the fortress of West Point to the British in 1780 stands as one of the most infamous episodes in American history. In the light of a shining record of bravery and unquestioned commitment to the Revolution, Arnold's defection came as an appalling shock. Contemporaries believed he had been corrupted by greed; historians have theorized that he had come to resent the lack of recognition for his merits and sacrifices. In this provocative book Stephen Brumwell challenges such interpretations and draws on unexplored archives to reveal other crucial factors that illuminate Arnold's abandonment of the revolutionary cause he once championed.   This work traces Arnold's journey from enthusiastic support of American independence to his spectacularly traitorous acts and narrow escape. Brumwell's research leads to an unexpected conclusion: Arnold's mystifying betrayal was driven by a staunch conviction that America's best interests would be served by halting the bloodshed and reuniting the fractured British Empire. "Brumwell is a captivating storyteller ... this is a splendid, intelligent, articulate book that casual readers and Arnold scholars alike will enjoy." - Journal of the American Revolution "Turncoat paints a fascinating picture of Arnold ... he was clearly a man of many talents and Brumwell, while not excusing his treason, does much to humanize him." - CIA analyst John Ehrman, Studies in Intelligence "Brumwell's conclusions are meticulously buttressed by research ... yet Turncoat is not a stuffy academic exercise. Well written, easily accessible to scholar and layman alike, this biography restores humanity to the life of a scoundrel." - Times Literary Supplement "Historian Brumwell offers a provocative explanation for one of the enduring mysteries of the American Revolution: why did Benedict Arnold, one of 'Washington's most celebrated and valued subordinates,' become a traitor in 1780? . . . Open-minded readers will appreciate his dissenting view that Arnold may have 'genuinely had his country's well-being at heart,' a view that Brumwell believes 'merits careful consideration within any balanced re-examination of America's most infamous traitor.'" - Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Mr Brumwell centers Turncoat on the 1780 conspiracy - in which Arnold played a key role - to give West Point to the British and possibly enable George Washington's capture. Deftly weaving the story into the larger military history of the American Revolution, he vividly sketches characters and recounts pivotal episodes." - William Anthony Hay, Wall Street Journal "This story has it all: there are spies and counterspies, suspense and close calls, a beautiful woman, a handsome and charming British major, and Alexander Hamilton. It's amazing that Hollywood hasn't made a serious effort to adapt it for the screen." - Professor Gordon. S. Wood, Weekly Standard "Brumwell's careful study, a model of scholarship and human insight (not qualities often found together), provides an altogether convincing review of the Arnold case ... [an] outstanding analysis'' - Professor Frank McLynn, Literary Review (London) "The most balanced and insightful assessment of Benedict Arnold to date. Utilizing fresh manuscript sources, Brumwell reasserts the crucial importance of human agency in history." - Edward G. Lengel, author of General George Washington "Written with grace and flair by a leading military historian Turncoat examines Benedict Arnold's career as a soldier on both sides during the War of Independence. In so doing Brumwell has written an incisive study of the war and the very meaning of the American Revolution itself. This is the defining portrait of Arnold for the twenty-first century." - Francis D. Cogliano, author of Revolutionary America "Gripping...This fine book situates Benedict Arnold within several contexts: issues of loyalty and disloyalty; treason as a political concept and a crime; relationships among honor, reputation, politics, and war; and the ordeal of 1780 for everyone embroiled in the Revolutionary War. In a time when charges of treason and disloyalty intrude into our daily politics, Turncoat is essential reading." - R. R. B. Bernstein, City College of New York "Lucidly written and rich in detail, Brumwell's narrative explains Benedict Arnold's treason by taking him at his word - that the Revolution's arch-traitor turned his coat to save America from a bloody civil war and a patriot cause gone astray. Brumwell's conclusions are as provocative as Arnold was controversial. A gripping read." - Mark Edward Lender, co-author of the award-winning Fatal Sunday " " " " Stephen Brumwell is a writer and independent historian specializing in Brit