[Editor's Note: Richard J. Koke authored a series of five articles that appeared in Volumes 19 -23 of the OCHS Journal between 1990 and 1994. These articles will be presented in multiple sections over the next few years.]
Part III:
A Time for Thieves and Villains
Chapter 2:
Summer, 1778
In the summer of 1778, the Pennsylvania campaign at an end, the main armies were returning to the Hudson: the British by water from Sandy Hook into the New York defenses and Washington and the Grand Army by land through northern New Jersey on its way to King's Ferry for a crossing into Westchester. For a while, Smith's Clove was considered as an alternate route to the river, if need be, as was obvious when the commander-in-chief wrote from New Brunswick on July 3 of his intent to cross at the ferry, but if there was danger that the passage might be threatened by enemy naval craft he would change course "and march thro' the Clove" to New Windsor as he had the year before. The lower ferry, however, remained clear and after five festive days at Paramus and four at Haverstraw he crossed with the last division of July 19.
Though the Grand Army moved by way of Kakiat, one unit, at least, was assigned the Clove in the passage through Orange: a special force of 240 seasoned frontier fighters consisting of the 4th Pennsylvania Regiment under Lieutenant-Colonel William Butler and a company of Morgan's Virginia riflemen under Captain Thomas Posey, which assembled at the Clove and marched through the corridor to New Windsor on its way to Albany and into the threatened Mohawk territory. At the same time the 1st New York Regiment under Colonel Goose Van Schaick was ordered across Country from the Clove to Tappan (Orangetown) for purposes of security.
Part I
Introduction
Clove and Precinct
The Clove Road
The Clove Taverns
Clove Taverns II
Part II
Prelude to War
The Continentals Arrive
Blocking the Clove
In the Midst of Tories
Offensive from the Highlands
The Militia Take Over
The Post at Ramapo
The Reluctant Militia
Holding the Line
An Embarrassing Situation
To Galloway's and Back
The Scotsman's Regiment
September Raid
Prelude for Disaster
Clinton Takes the Highlands
Sidman's Bridge: The Last Holdout
Part III
Introduction
Summer, 1778
A Cogent Appraisal
Villains and Robbers
Part IV
Introduction
Aaron Burr's Ride
March to the Clove
The Barren Clove
Bracing for Attack
Among the Rocks and Rattlesnakes
The Present Interesting Occasion
A Waiting Game
Redeployment
The Continental Road
The Taphouse Keeper's Daughter
The Indian Fighters Appear
March to Morristown
Part V
Introduction
A Fruitless Excursion
Summer at the Clove
A Frenchman's Journey
Pompton Mutiny: Blood in the Snow
Blockhouse in the Clove
The Allies at New Antrim
The Intercepted Messenger
A Questionable Story
What Really Happened
Perils of A Post Rider
New Yorkers at the Clove
Congress' Own Regiment
The Last Garrison
A Man of Passion
Homeless Canadians
The Last March
Part VI
Introduction
The Post at Sidman's Bridge
Marking the Site