The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1884-08-16

came the great battle-ground for su-
premacy. In 1865 the French began
the fortifcation of Ticonderoga. The
French name of the fort was Carlton;
the Indian name, however, has been
the most popular. In early times
Ticonderoga was the most formidable
fortress in America. In 1853 General
Abercrombie, with an army of II 900
men, endeavored to take the fort by
storm, but was defeated with a loss Of
1000 men. One year later General
Amherst with 10000 men invested the
fort. The French forces having pre-
viously been withdrawn for the defense
of Quebec, the fortress was dlsmantled
and abandoned. Soon afterward Crown
Point was abandoned by the French,
and the whole region came into the
possession of the English. In 1853
grants of land upon Lake Champlain
were made to soldiers who had served
in the war.
In the fall of 1776, an important
naval engagement took place in the
strait between Valcour Island and the
west shore, resulting disastrously to
the Americans. Benedict Arnold COM
manded the American forces, which
consisted Of one sloop, two schooners,
four galleys and eight gondolas, with
eighty.four guns and 144 swivels.
Captain Thomas Pringles commanded
the English aotilla, consisting of one
ship, two schooners. one razee, one
gondola, twenty gun-boats and twenty
eight long boats, with eiGhty-nine
guns and CAT men. Each side lost
about ninety men. The Americans
saved themselves by grounding their
vessels on the Vermont shore and seek
ing land. Although disastrous to the
Americans the battle reflected no
dishonor upon them, as they were met
by superior forces.
The American fleet, under Com
modore Marlborough, engaged the
British fleet, under Commodore
Downie, at Cumberland bay, September
IL, 1914. After two hours conflict
nearly the whole British fleet fell into
the hands Of the Americans. Platts-
burg was twice in the hands of the
enemy and partly buried. At the close
of the Revolution, a tract of 231 $40
acres of land in Clinton county, which
adjoins Essex, was granted by the State
legislature to refugees from Canada
and Nova Scotia. In 1914 a British
naval force, consisting Of five sloops
and thirteen rowing galleys, were
repulsed in an attack on Otter Creek,
vt. On the retreat the little fleet
entered Raquet river, but nearly all the
men in the rear galley were killed or
wounded by body OF Vermont militia.
Many other engagements took place on
and around this historic lake. The
scene Of Cooper's celebrated story Of
the "Last of the Mohegans" is laid in
and around this lake, and some of its
legends are told with graphic power by
the gifted writer, The period is during
the war between England and France.
In the history of his voyages Cham
plain says: "Continuing our route
upon the west side Of the lake, saw
on the east side very high mountains.
1 asked the Indians if those parts were
inhabited. They answered yes, and
that there were in those parts beautiful
valleys and fields, fertile in corn, and
that the lake extended close to the
mountains where canoes CO." This
was doubtless at the Winooski river,
Vermont, Champlain adds that other
mountains were discovered on the
west New York; side of the lake
which the Indians informed him were
in the land of their enemies, the Adj.
rondacks.
This wild and picturesque region
which was the scene of so much strife,
is now the center of peaceful industries.
Small and rude war. vessels no more
dispute with each other for the supre-
macy Of the lake, upon whose bosom
float large freighters loaded with the
products of the region, and passenger
steamers. Along the intervales and
valleys, and wherever nature will allow
the cultivation of soil, are scattered
fertile farms. Wild mountain streams
drive the wheels of industry, and ore
dug out of the hills is transformed
into iron at many forge. Prosperous
little hamlets have sprung up in the
valleys, and the material progress of
200 years has been very satisfactory.