Champe

Champe, also known as John Champe (c. 1752 – c. 1798), was a Continental Army sergeant during the American Revolutionary War. He is best known for his involvement in a daring, but ultimately unsuccessful, plot to kidnap Benedict Arnold and deliver him to the American forces. General George Washington authorized the plan in an attempt to bring Arnold to justice after his defection to the British.

Champe, a skilled and courageous soldier, volunteered for the mission in 1780. He ostensibly deserted the Continental Army and made his way to British-occupied New York City, pretending to be a loyalist. He successfully gained the trust of the British and even enlisted in Arnold's unit.

The plan involved Champe kidnapping Arnold and smuggling him back to the American lines. Several methods were considered, including drugging Arnold and carrying him across the Hudson River. However, on the night the kidnapping was scheduled to take place, Arnold unexpectedly moved his headquarters.

Champe remained with the British army for a period before eventually escaping and returning to the American side. He was considered a hero for his efforts, although the plot failed. After the war, he settled in Virginia. His life and exploits have become the subject of numerous historical accounts and fictionalized stories.