Defiant Brides: The Untold Story of Two Revolutionary-Era Women and the Radical Men They Married

Summary (from the publisher): The story of two Revolutionary–era teenagers who defy their Loyalist families to marry radical patriots, Henry Knox and Benedict Arnold, and are forever changed.

When Peggy Shippen, the celebrated blonde belle of Philadelphia, married American military hero Benedict Arnold in 1779, she anticipated a life of fame and fortune, but financial debts and political intrigues prompted her to conspire with her treasonous husband against George Washington and the American Revolution. In spite of her commendable efforts to rehabilitate her husband’s name, Peggy Shippen continues to be remembered as a traitor bride.

Peggy’s patriotic counterpart was Lucy Flucker, the spirited and voluptuous brunette, who in 1774 defied her wealthy Tory parents by marrying a poor Boston bookbinder simply for love. When her husband, Henry Knox, later became a famous general in the American Revolutionary War, Lucy faithfully followed him through Washington’s army camps where she birthed and lost babies, befriended Martha Washington, was praised for her social skills, and secured her legacy as an admired patriot wife.

And yet, as esteemed biographer Nancy Rubin Stuart reveals, a closer look at the lives of both spirited women reveals that neither was simply a “traitor” or “patriot.” In Defiant Brides, the first dual biography of both Peggy Shippen Arnold and Lucy Flucker Knox, Stuart has crafted a rich portrait of two rebellious women who defied expectations and struggled—publicly and privately—in a volatile political moment in early America.

Drawing from never-before-published correspondence, Stuart traces the evolution of these women from passionate teenage brides to mature matrons, bringing both women from the sidelines of history to its vital center. Readers will be enthralled by Stuart’s dramatic account of the epic lives of these defiant brides, which begin with romance, are complicated by politics, and involve spies, disappointments, heroic deeds, tragedies, and personal triumphs.

Review: I received a copy of this book as a giveaway on Goodreads.  

Defiant Brides is a dual biography of Peggy Shippen Arnold (wife to Benedict Arnold) and Lucy Flucker Knox (wife to Henry Knox) by historian Nancy Rubin Stuart. These two Revolutionary era women both married men against their family's wishes. Both women saw their husbands rise to prominence, albeit for different reasons. I have never read anything on either women or their husbands, so I was curious to learn more about their lives and involvement in this crucial time period in America's history.

I was impressed by the pluck of these two women, who saw what they wanted and went for it, regardless of family approval. Lucy's parents refused to attend her marriage to Henry; "ultimately they 'gave a half-reluctant consent' but 'refused to sanction [the marriage] by their presence'" (20). Yet they also sought what they wanted within their marriages, such as Lucy's letter to Henry insisting on having an equal voice in their marriage. She boldly wrote her husband, "Consider yourself as a commander in chief of your own house, but be convinced...that there is such a thing as equal command" (xv).

It seems very evident that Lucy and Henry had a much happier and loving relationship than Peggy and Benedict. Lucy and Henry wrote dozens of loving letters throughout their marriage, and avoided being apart whenever possible. Their love is evident in Henry's letter to his wife, saying, "Those people who love as you and I do never ought to part. It is with the greatest anxiety that I am forced to date my letter at this distance from my love...My Lucy is perpetually in my mind, constantly in my heart" (23). It was devastating to read about the great tragedies Lucy and Henry suffered with the loss of numerous children. At the time of their death, the couple had lost 10 of their 13 children, most as small infants or toddlers but some through illness later in childhood or through freak accident.

In contrast to the Knoxs loving marriage, Peggy frequently wrote about the sacrifices marriage required. Her husband's betrayal of his country branded Peggy a traitor's wife to this day. When Benedict died, Peggy fiercely scrambled to pay off his debts and provide for their children, his sons from his first marriage, and Benedict's spinster sister. She was likely similarly devastated to learn Benedict had left provisions in his will for a half-Native American youth who can only be assumed to have been her husband's bastard son.

This novel was well researched and Stuart has clearly analyzed numerous primary documents to construct this dual biography. However, I question the suitability of a dual biography for these two women who never met each other in life. While they certainly ran in similar circles and would have known the other existed, aside from their rebellious marriage and the time period, they seemed to have little in common on the surface level. Throughout, as a reader I felt more interest in Lucy's story, and it almost seemed as if more of the book was devoted to her life. However, despite my questioning of the choice to write about both women in a single volume, this was certainly an interesting comparison of the lives of a traitor and a patriot's wife that struggled with many common issues like motherhood and society due to their similar circumstances during America's rupture from Great Britain.

Stars: 3