The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-01-15
PRICE THREE CENTS.
from the Illinois state Journal
An InterestingR Relic.

There is in the possession of 5. Linn
Bcidcr, Esq, of Mt, Pulaski, Illinois, an
interesting relic Of our ante Revolutionary
era. 1t is a powder horn fourteen inches
in length and three and fourth inches in
diameter at its base, curiously carved and
covered with emblems, geographical delin-
cations and Inscriptions, which form at
once chapter in our early American his
tory, and memorial of the genius of an
artist whose hand has for more than hun
dred years been minglng with the dust of
the earth. The inscription plainly cut into
the surface, is as follows:
"Rogcr Clarks Horn, Made at Lake
George Julyee %; in tn yer 1853.
AT the date Of this relic the struggle be-
tween France and England for the exclu-
siye possession of the American continent
was still undecided. and the vast region be.
You'd the Mississippi was undiscovered to
both
England had established her prosperous
colonies along the Atlantic coast. whilst
France had cntrenched herself at the mouths
of the St. Lawrence and of the Mississippi
and aimed to prevent the progress of the
| English colOnists westward. hoping ulu
matey to drive them from the continent
In the language of an eminent historian.
"This struggle was the great national dra-
ma of the eighteenth century" 1t resulted
in the expulsion of the French from the
continent, and ultimately, in the establish
ment of the independence of the United
States of America In 1853 the fertile re-
gion west of the Aleghanies was unoccu-
pied by civilized man with the exception
of few French trading posts and mission
stations, not single hamlet was inhabited
by descendants of Englshmen.
Quebec, the Gibraltar Of the continent,
was then still held by France. as was Fort
Du Quense. where Pittsburg now stands.
and New Orleans, the key to the yet uneN-
plorcd valley of the west. Four years of
war, ending with the treaty OF 1863. eXtn-
guished forever the domination of France
in North America. The history of so I'M
looked for a result of what was known rs
the "French and Indian War is one Of
the most instructive pages in our American
annals.
Lake George, situated to the southwest OF
Lake Champlain, and the territory cSntig-
uous thereto was the theatre of most i'm
portant and decisive military operations.
On the surface of this horn, which lies he
fore me as | write, Lake George with its
outlet into and a part of Lake Champlain,
is traced with singular fidelity to nature
and Fort William Henry, at the head OF
the lake, with its moat, battlements and
bastions, stands out, distinctly carved, as
though it had been done but yesterday.
whilst at the junction Of the outlet Of Lake
George with Champlain, Fort Carrillon, af-
forwards known as Fort Ticonderoga, il
located as with the precision of work OF
a Typographical engineer. The fidelity to
nature and to what are known TO be facts
of history which the work on this horn
shows, in addition to its general appear
ance, proved beyond dispute the genuine
ness OF its date and the place where it was
fashioned into leaf of history. That
part of the surface not covered by inscrip-
ton and maps, is filled up with ornamen-
tation, such as trees. birds and fishes, and
a single soldier with dawn sword in
hand, which was evidently made to repic-
sent the victorious Montcalm, he who only
fourteen days before had 80 signally defeat
ed Abercombie, the active commander OF
the English forces, after the death of Lord
Howe The battle of Lake George. or
Fort Carrillon, fought on the Sth of July
1853, wherein $4,000 British and Provin-
cials, marching proudly forth to the attack
of the French, with less than half that
number of troops, were repGlsed with Il
loss in killed and wounded of 800 men,
was the Bull Run" of that war. William
Pitt, the Pioneer of England, had selected
Lord Howe to be the soul of the enter
prise for the subjugation of the French.
He fell in preliminary skrmsh day or
two before the battle which resulted so
disastrOusly to the British forces, and Il
monument erected to his memory may be
seen to-day in Westminster Abbey. His
fame is written on the pages of English
, history, and his monument, carved by other
L., ,t,u Ia tl,n