The André / Arnold Affair plus Lafayette's Farewell Visit - Crossroads of Rockland History

Broadcast originally aired on Monday, September 16, 2024 at 9:30 am, on WRCR Radio 1700AM

We turned our attention to two notable September events relating to the American Revolution.  First, September 2024 marks the  244th anniversary of the capture, imprisonment and trial of British Major John André for conspiring with General Benedict Arnold. And it’s  the 200th anniversary of the Marquis de Lafayette’s triumphant farewell visit to America which included a stop here in Rockland County. 

To commemorate these two events, we looked back to two interviews from past episodes of this program:

• AJ Schenkman, who spoke about his book Patriots and Spies in Revolutionary New York, which includes the André–Arnold Affair (2021).
•  Seline Castrovilla who discussed her books Revolutionary Rogues: John André and Benedict Arnold and Revolutionary Friends: Washington and Lafayette (2018).  

Then,  host Clare Sheridan read an excerpt from the terrific book, Life Along the Hudson,” by Allan Keller.  This excerpt beautifully describes Lafayette's important and historic trip up the Hudson.
 
 AJ Schenkman is the author of several books about local and regional history. He has written for many magazines, blogs and academic journal including numerous articles about Hudson Valley History in Ulster Magazine, the Time Herald Record, Chronogram, and on his website, Ulster County History Journal. He is a teacher in Ulster County and the Historian for the Town of Gardiner.

Selene Castrovilla is an award-winning nonfiction and fiction author who is dedicated to uncovering hidden truths about both our nation's history and about ourselves.  Through reflection, we can be our own change.

Lafayette Historical Marker: We are pleased to announce the recent unveiling of a Lafayette Trail marker.  The marker was installed in Haverstraw, NY, on Sunday, September 15, 2024, at 10 am ET to commemorate the bicentennial of Lafayette's stop in the Haverstraw Bay on September 15, 1824.

200 years ago (09/15/1824), General Lafayette was forced to spend time in Haverstraw Bay due to the grounding of the steamboat "James Kent" on the Oyster Bank.

This unfortunate turn of events marked the beginning of the North (Hudson) River segment of Lafayette's Tour and had a significant impact on the rest of Lafayette's day, September 15, 1824. Indeed, originally scheduled to be welcomed at the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY, around 10 AM, Lafayette would only arrive there early in the afternoon because of the delay accumulated near Haverstraw.

The Lafayette Trail, Inc. commemorated this historic occasion with the Village of Haverstraw, the Haverstraw Brick Museum,  The County of Rockland, and the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. Together, they (quite literally) marked the historical kickoff of this important segment of the tour!
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Crossroads of Rockland History, a program of the Historical Society of Rockland County, airs on the third Monday of each month at 9:30 am, right after the morning show, on WRCR Radio 1700 AM and www.WRCR.com. Join host Clare Sheridan as we explore, celebrate, and learn about our local history, with different topics and guest speakers every month.

The Historical Society of Rockland County is a nonprofit educational institution and principal repository for original documents and artifacts relating to Rockland County. Its headquarters are a four-acre site featuring a history museum and the 1832 Jacob Blauvelt House in New City, New York.

www.RocklandHistory.org