In Victory and In Infamy: An Examination of America’s Revolutionary Struggle Through the Parallel Careers of Colonel Peter Gansevoort and Major General Benedict Arnold

The parallel careers of Peter Gansevoort and Benedict Arnold in Washington’s Continental Army during the American Revolution highlight the important role played by Washington’s junior officers in the success of the Revolutionary effort, while emphasizing the personal relationships forged in the crucible of that war. As their commands intersected in the crucial campaign seasons of 1776, 1777, and 1780, Gansevoort and Arnold developed a close personal relationship as each individually, with the aid of the other, played key roles in the retreats, victories, and betrayals that defined each of those respective campaigns. By examining Gansevoort’s largely forgotten career, an entirely new view of Arnold’s unparalleled career emerges, complete in its dramatic victories, petty disputes, and immortal infamy.