Major John Andre landed in a shore boat from HMS Vulture on September 21, 1780 at the foot of The Long Clove to meet General Benedict Arnold to receive documents sensitive to the defense of the colonial Fort at West Point, intending to return to the ship that night.
Soon after he set out, guns on the east shore of Haverstraw Bay took The Vulture under fire, and she retired south, stranding Andre on the West Shore along with Arnold and several others. With this engagement, the fate of both Arnold and Andre were sealed as they now conspired with Joshua Hett Smith to harbor the Spy Andre in the White House and to provide safe passage through colonial lines.
The landing spot, long held in a local sort of ill repute, was very little known 100 years after the revolution. Below is an article written by Lavallette Wilson of the Mountain Institute in the Magazine of American History, January-June 1885 that describes in great detail the location and has what is a one of a kind map of the Long Clove.
It seems Mr. Wilson was able to clear the air as to the location, movements, and landmarks of Arnold and Andre that night. Today there is a boulder that has been inscribed with the details at the waters edge.
Just below the Long Clove Road tunnel, access is from the old quarry/campground path to the north, or from the stream on the south.
Tap to read the magazine below
