Patriots' Weekend
2005
Sept. 29 - Oct. 2, 2005
Treason! The Arnold-André
Affair
The Capture of Major John André
225th Anniversary
 The Capture of Major John André by R.M. Stagg |
In September of 1780, Major André was captured in Tarrytown with proof of General Benedict Arnold’s betrayal. André was hanged in Tappan in October of the same year, less than a week after Arnold successfully defected to the British lines.
John André was the aide de camp of Sir Henry Clinton, the commander-in-chief of British troops in New York City. Clinton made André head of intelligence in April 1779. André successfully kept track of intelligence from American disserters and British prisoners who had escaped or were exchanged. André's most famous success was the treachery of Benedict Arnold.
Benedict Arnold was also André's downfall. Three American militiamen captured André, who was dressed in civilian clothes with a treasonous letter from Arnold in his shoe. André was tried with a court martial. Found guilty, he begged George Washington to shoot him as a gentlemen instead of hanging him as a spy. Nevertheless, he was hanged as a spy in Tappan, New York on October 2, 1780.
New York State began celebrating the 225th Anniversary of the American Revolution in 2000 continuing through 2009. Each anniversary year, the Hudson River Valley Institute sponsors Patriots' Weekend to focus on a significant historical event relating to the Revolutionary War in the Hudson Valley. This year, Patriots' Weekend will explore the treason of Benedict Arnold and his accomplice, the British spy Major John André.
Schedule of Events for Patriots' Weekend 2005
| Sept. 29 | Conference at Marist College with scholars of Arnold and André. |
| Sept. 30 | Lectures at the United Sates Military Academy at West Point |
| Sept. 30 | Lectures at the Tarrytown Music Hall |
| Oct. 1-2 | Lectures at Manse Barn, Tappan |
| Oct. 1 | Colonial Day at DeWint Clinton House |
| Oct 1-2 | Encampment of the Brigade of the American Revolution |
| Oct. 1 | Re-enactment of the capture of Major André, Patriots' Park |
| Oct. 2 | Re-enactment of the trail and hanging of Major André, Tappan |
From the collections of the William L. Clements Library which houses original resources for the study of American history and culture from the fifteenth to the early twentieth century.
Major John André and the treason of General Benedict Arnold
Excerpted from Benson J. Lossing, The Hudson - from Wilderness to the Sea, Chapter 13
Patriot's Park: Exactly on the border between Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow and next door to the Warner Library, the park features a statue of John Paulding. It commemorates the capture by Paulding and his fellow patriots, Isaac Van Wart and David Williams, of the British spy John André. He was seized while attempting to return to New York City with plans of West Point, given to him by the American traitor Benedict Arnold.
Tarrytown Music Hall: The National Historic Landmark was built in 1885 for concerts, town meetings and cotillions. Many consider the distinctive building to be Westchester County's finest example of the non-residential style of Queen Anne architecture. The 840-seat Music Hall, with its excellent acoustics, has been host to some of the region's most prestigious performances.
These periodic newsletters and announcements are published to promote the historic, cultural, and maritime resources of the Hudson River.
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