Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-07-25
Field Day at TiconderOga.

the beautiful grove anu surTouhulhS
grounds. 1t is a charming spot for the
purposes of such a celebration-on the
banks of the lake. Last evening, as the
sun was declining, mirroring the placid
lake, in company with ex-Gov. Hlland
Hall and Mr.. Chittenden, we visited the
ruins standing but little distance from
the hotel Theremains of the old fort
and the military works now crumbling
in ruins, still attest their original strength
and splendor. They are now guarded
and preserved by private taste and in
telligence from vandal Outrages which
were rapidly destroying them. The
grounds were purchased several years
since by Richard L. Pell and family, of
New York city, who, with Characters
tic generosity of the wealthy old fam
lilies, determined to preserve these sacred
historic grounds from further dilapida-
ton and pilIage, that they might go
down to future generations with some
visible traces of their ancient glory. A
small hotel, for the accommodation OF
summer tourists to Lake George and
Lake Champlain, has been erected on the
banks of the lake, near the landing for
the Lake Champlain steamers.
The course of the Recommendations
and trenches, singularly complexed and
interlaced, are readily distinguished. A
portion of the battlements, rising above
the rocky cliff, are almost entire. The
line of the ramparts is still traced and
the ruins of portion of the barracks
remain, although much of the brick and
stone of the buildings have been re-
moved. A party are, this morning, ex-
pl0ring the magazine, also the covered
way through which Ethan Allen made
his way to the fort This is an exploit
not often undertaken by visitors, but
nothing seems to daunt the energy of
the American newspaper reporter when
he gets on the track Of news item, or
the prospect of performing some mar
velous feat from which a column article
can be made. And as portion of the
exploring party Of this morning are
newspaper reporters, we shall expect
some revelations equal in exciting inter
est to the New York Herald's revcla-
tons of Livingston's Nile expedition.
The press of New York, Albany,
Troy, Springfield and Boston are al
ready represented, and others are re-
ported on the way.
The morning broke beautifully, and
unless it should rain everything looks
promising for a grand celebration in
every respect, except in time. The eX-
crciscs have been put at so late an hour,
from circumstances beyond the control
Of the committee of arrangements that
il is feared some portion will have to be
omitted. The Grafton of Mr.. Chitten-
den. who is a great-grandsOn Of Thomas
Chittcnden, the first Governor of Yer
mont. will he of far more than ordinary
interest, as he has been long a diligent
student of Vermont history, especially
of that particular portion Of it to which
his Grafton is devoted.
Ticonderoga was callei Carrillon, a
French word, meaning a chime, the
name being given with reference to the
perpetual music of the falls above. The
idea was suggested by the Indian name
Cheondcroga. which. in the Iroquois
tongue, signifies sounding water. The
remains Of the fort are situated on a
beautiful peninsula, elevated hundred
feet above Lake Champain and is pro-
tccted on three sides by water. 1t is
overlooked by Mount Defiance which is
nearly eight hundred feet above the
lake.
After the surrender of Burgoyne, in
III, the Fort was dismantled After
the revolutionary war closed, this struc-
ture, though built and maintained at an
almost fabulous cost of ten millions of
dollars, WIS allowed to fall into decay.
1t is now Il heap Of picturesque ruins,
where The historian and antiquarian es-
pecialIy loycto lingcr, occupied with
thoughts Of oldcn time. Some localities
and objects can beid"ntiicd while others
are left to conjecture.
As one woes up from the steamboat
landing tha old garrison we'll is passed,
and we proceed on the same way taken
by Ethan Allen i'm f775. But no sentry
makes rs pause as we enter the broken
gate. Indeed one cannot tell where the
gateway was. we Chamber over the fall
en- masonry until we arrive in the mid
die of the Fort, and commence to look
around us The first object which at
tracts attention is what were the officers
barracks, where the high and massive
walls almost threaten to fall. We
next observe the entrance to the so call
ed bakery, but more probably used as a
powder magazine. One must wend his
way Ito the dim rcccsses and settle the
question for himself, keeping in memory
that history that when Amherst cap
tured the place, it had three ovens or
bakeries instead Of one We might go
on at any length, and fill our columns in
recalling memories of the past but must
hasten on to the services of the day.
The people began to collect in large
crowds, as early as o'clock, about II
o'clock, shower passed over which
dampened the ardor of the people. At
10 o'clock the special train came from
Rutland bringing its hundreds. Soon
after the "W. 3. Eddy" a steamer
specially chartered, arrived from White
hall, bringing its other hundreds. Soon
six heavily laden coaches arrive from
Lake George, which with the people
from the surrounding towns and villages
came il professions, and in all manner
of vehicles, until IL" crowd, at noon,
was lar@" Soon after two o'clock the
Burlington steamer came IN sight. bring
the officers ana members and visitors
from Burlington, Montpelier, st. Adams,