April 6, 2005

Benedict Arnold's Secret Code

During the American Revolution, while acting as military commander of Philadelphia, Benedict Arnold met, and later married, Peggy Shippen. Peggy was young, beautiful, charming, and a Tory. Other American officers were suspicious of Arnold's relationship with the loyalist Peggy and unhappy about his questionable money-making schemes. Arnold lived in the finest house in town and threw extravagant parties for loyalist guests. He was charged with misconduct and found guilty of minor offenses. George Washington, who thought Arnold a good officer, gave him the gentlest of reprimands.

Washington's trust was misplaced. For months, Arnold had been slipping coded messages to British general Clinton. In exchange for money and title, Arnold offered his services to the Crown. He told secrets about troop movements and plotted to hand the strategic fortress of West Point, with its 3,000 soldiers, over to the British.

Arnold pleaded with Washington for the command of West Point. Washington granted his request. As soon as he took over command, Arnold set about weakening West Point's defenses. He drew detailed plans of its entrances and gun placements and sent them to Clinton's adjutant (assistant), Major John André.

Benedict Arnold and John André sent their secret messages using a number code. They wrote the messages to look as if they were business transactions between merchants. That way, anyone who might see the messages wouldn't be suspicious of the lists of numbers. No one wants to be a Benedict Arnold, but it's fun to send messages in code!

What You Need

• A friend or family member
• Paper
• Pen
• 2 dictionaries (you and your accomplice must each have the same kind)
• Candle
• Matches
• Adult help suggested

First, write out your message. Then convert it to a number code. Look up the first word of your message in the dictionary. Write down the page number that the word appears on. From the top of the page, count down the number of lines until you get to the word. Write this number down. Dictionaries usually have the words listed in columns on each page. Write down the number of the column where the word appears. These three numbers together represent the word. (For example, "Beware" might be written as "34.9.3".) Continue for the rest of your message.

Arnold and André folded their letters and sealed them with wax. Light the candle and carefully drip some of the wax unto the letter to seal it shut.

Reprinted with permission from The American Revolution for Kids: A History with 21 Activities by Janis Herbert. Published by Chicago Review Press, distributed by Independent Publishers Group (www.ipgbook.com). Copyright © 2002 by Janis Herbert.

Talk Back: Do you have any comments about this activity? Send them to us using the form below.

I have my parent's permission to submit this.
First name:		Age:
City:		State:	AK AL AR AZ CA CO CT DC DE FL GA HI IA ID IL IN KS KY LA MA MD ME MI MN MO MS MT NC ND NE NH NJ NM NV NY OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VA VT WA WI WV WY
E-mail:
Comment: