New-York tribune., 1875-05-11
1775-TICONDEROGA-1875.
Conffnaed from Ylr.f "a ze.
command Of those having tho arrangements in
A SOLDIERS DESCRIPTION OF TIE FORT.

IMPORTANCE or TrONDEROaA DURING THE Rkvo-
LUTON As STRATEGIC FoiNT-NATCRAL
STRENGTH OF THs POsTTIOs-CoSsrgUCTION OF
THE FORT AND OUTwoaKS.
TIcONDERoGA. n. Y, May 1O.-lt Is strange that
of all the descriptions of Fort Ticonderoga that
have appeared In histories euidc-books and the
newspapers, there il more which claims to be an ac-
curate and authoritative description by competent
person. As the ruins now over hundred years
old. if il high time that such account of the
fortlticaton should be placed record. Hence the
following has been secured from a competent NM
tary engineer and soldier of the late war the re-
snlt Of his careful observations made by request on
the field to-day:
The site Of the fortress is promontory at the
point where tho outlet of Lake George empties into
Lake Champlain. At the time Of ITS first occupation
by an armed force this position one of great
strategic importance From 1775 until the close of
the Revolution Fort Ticondcroga commanded all the
approaches from the north tO the routes leading
to the Hudson and the Connecticut rivers. Along
the banks of the sttam flowing from Lake George and
emptying into Lake Champaln at the westerly side
was the only road by which tho Hudson could be
reached by way Of Lake George. The continuation
of the Lake 70 Skcnesborough-no Whiteha.l-was
the only other route to the Hudson. and the most
feasible passage to the water ways Of the lower half
of tho Eastern States. Hence even before 100
there were built upon this promOntOry temporary
redoubts for the of the French troops. In 1755
the French added greatly to the strength of the fort
fication. and gavo it the name of Fort Carlton
in reference to the neighborng falls whose
musical rnuInur could beplainly heard AT the fort
The elevation of the Fort is about 90 feet above
the water. 1t Is distant from the extremity OF the
point juttIng out into the water about 30 rods ;
frnu tla l.l.. al Ia. iult
the north about 100 rods. The land toward the
point slightly rolling OH the north it slopes at all
angle Of 10 degrees on tho south it is very pre-
cipiiOus. with a rocky surface Along this southern
surface there TO have been constructed before
the main body of tho fort built. breast
work, partly of stone, partly OF earth.
Upon the extremity of tho point was
crecteda water battery. known in the gilide-5ooks
Grenadicr Battery. his battery appears TO have
been p.or@d for eight guns, and commands both
shores Of the point that cnhlading tre might
be obtained on landing forces. There 3ro remains OF
i covert way landing from tl.is cuiwork to the fort
The fort itself was built with wonderful strength,
considering the limited resources of the builders.
The masonry on the west still stands soldly
twenty feet high and the northeast it il as we'll
preserved. On the southeast the embankment OF
masonry llcd in with earth must have been ten feet
high. On the north and northwest the cOuntcrscrp,
twenty feet wide, faced by redoubt five feet
III hight on the inner line. sloping on the outside
toward the trench thus presenting face OF ten ieet
inside tie cOun:erScarp was the cOvcrt-way leading
from two ,odly-constructed bastions of 900 square
feet surface which of the depth OF twelve ieet
At tho west sdo il the sally port and wicket-gate
its entrance defended by strong rcdoubt
Of nearly tho extent and strength of the
l,,r4 nhnra y-as
inside the bastiOs aud counterscarp, and inclosing
the officer, quarters and parade ground. Under
the most easterly angle Of this interior defense was
the apartment which 81 many persons have mis-
taken for an oven but which really magazine
made perfectly bomb-rroof. little to the left OF
the MAGAZINE was an entrance by the side of bar
rack building through which Ethan Allen and bis
men paased when they entered the fort. The
officers quarters and barracks were sub
stantiai stOno buildings, twO stories IN hlght
WITH hero and there a filling of imported bricks
The walls of both barracks and quarters are very
thick and To this day at least quarter OF them are
standing The supports of the windows are OF yellow
pine and are a. sound and clear as they were hun
dred years ago. The parade ground. incOsed by the
officers quarters and tho barracks IL plat ot about
one hundred by twO hundred foot Under The south
western walls are masses of stone and masonry
which are apparently the remains OF DuiIuIhg %
by so feet. These have been called the ruins OF a
stable, but more plausible theory IL that thoy are
the ruins of Jesuit chapel.
About 20 rods due northwest OF the ruins just
spoken of are the remains of an oblong earthwork,
apparently designed for four guns Traces OF sim
liar carthwork or outlying defense of the main fort
are found still further wcst of north The burial
ground of the fortress is in the same vicinity.
redoubt extends across the whole face Of the hill
Oh the westerly side almost 10 the waters edge and
ia the north to the brow of steep declivticS. This
must have been q strong earthwOrk. AT 's salient
angle, the ditch in front il still deep and flod with
water This was the rcdoubt against which Eber-
crombie hurled hi, troops, and from which those
troops were so siCnaliy rcpelled.