The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1885-07-08
NEW JERSEY EDITORIAL TRIP.
Continued from last week.
FORTRESS MONROE.

After a nights sweet repose at the
Hygeia, which we were greatly in need
of, we were suddenly aroused by the fir
ing of the sunrise cannon which seemed
and really was beneath our windows.
This nervous shock gave us lasting i'm
preston of the great fort, under whose
guardianship we were safely resting. After
breakfasting, we strolled thither like the
busy bee and found our way into the
great and peaceful hive, there being but
two places of public ingress and egress,
but not until we had crossed bridge
that spans chasm, "moat," or to rep
resent it better, we'll call it canal,
the water 8 feet and deeper accord
ing to the tide, faced with granite, from
rs to 100 feet wide, around the entire
Fort of irregular hexagonal walls of heavy
granite masonry some 80 to 40 feet high.
On the land side the ramparts or walls
are solid, with the exception of the TANKS
which are casemated ON tho side towards
the bay the armament is made up of two
tiers of the heaviest guns, one tier case
mated and the other an 6arbette. Besides
these, there is a water battery of heavy
arched granite masonry, beneath which
are mounted 20 guns.
We now pass the sentinel, who in his
turn, is year after year ever on his mono
tonous tramp, tramp, tramp. Walking
through subterranean passage, we find
ourselves entirely enclosed behind what
appears at first sight solid mound of
earth and stone, but on closer inspection
we find imposing and inviting entrances
to the heavily arched subterranean case
mates. The sanitary condition of these
compartments is excellent. The modus
operandi was far beyond our ability to
inspect. These chambers would seem to
the inexperienced, bomb-proof. We
now mount the ramparts, from which we
have a fine view of Hampton Roads, on
the bay side, and the surrounding level
country on the land side, on which can
non carriage is operated and in times of
peace affords fine promenade. We
next descend to a common level, and we
are in the midst of we'll laid out Park,
covering, including the ramparts, some 80
acres, large portion of which is shaded
the year round by the Live Oak (Quercus
virens,) unlike the good old oak of Jersey
for utility, the timber is invaluable. This
point is said to be the northern limit to
their growth. Here are seen many old
relics of captured guns, &C., with inscrip-
tions cut thereon denoting the battles in
which they were captured during the
struggle of our forefathers. While thus
rejecting on the sad happenings of the
past, the military band (which is said to
be one of the finest) welcomed our party
by playing some choice pieces, the
musical charms of which seemed to quick
en- our pulses and the old guns were passed
and by this time no doubt forgotten.
We next visited the Library and Mu-
scum, in which are stored interesting old
| relics of warfare. We passed through
their departments for culinary, dining
room, laundry, lavatory, labratory and
ordnance rooms. All had the appearance
of having just been swept with new
broom. We were also shown the cell In
which jeff. Davis was for short time
confined after his capture. There are
some interesting incidents told of his &C
tions and doings while thus confined,
which never had as yet been thrown broad
cast to the world. There are at present