The Mineral argus., 1885-01-29
OLD TlCONDERUGA.
Traditions II the For, That Occupied Con-
SPURIOUS Place In the Revolutionary War.


spicuors Place in the Revolutionary War.
One should establish himself at the
pretty village Of Ticonderoga. up the
outlet of Lake George. where one finds
good hotels and all the amenities.
Lake George is three miles away on
the south. and Lake Champlain two
mile. on the east, while ut the door IN
the falls Of the outlet is almost every
variety If form that falling water can
assume This outlet as it leaves Lake
George. is a considerable mill-stream
of clear. cold water, sparkling and
murmuring among meadows until,
reaching the village. it falls $50 feet
in rs many yards, covering almost at
a leap the difference in level between
the two lakes. In its natural state
the cataract must have been romantic
picture, but its waters are now so OBJ
stucted b. dams and vexed by mill
wheels that much Of their beauty has
vanished.
The great feature OF interest. how.
ever. is old Fort TicOnderOga. As one
glides from the outlet into the lake he
sees over Il marsh on the left a gaunt.
craggy promOntory rising abruptly
out Of the water, and stretching back
into the forest "a well-deiined wall or
trap 100 feet above the level of the
Lake. The railway coming up from
Whitehall pierces the barrier by a tun-
mel. On the right, in the curve Of the
bay. formed partly by this promOntory.
is the dock where the large steamers
land their passengers for lake George.
This prOmontOry is ricOnderOga, one
OF the most historic spots in America.
C1ambering up it's lodges to the sum-
Esit. one finds u green. slightly-rOlling
plateau. with black rocks OutcrOpping
here and there among the grass, and
in The center gaunt and ragged walls
AZ masonry. In some Of them
enclosures still cape. and beside
them mOat and sally-pOrt. north and
west bastiOns. parade and barracks.
arc still traceable. A little further
east. where the cliff projects over
the water. may be defined the outlines
Of redOubt. Sheep srIe feeding now
among the grim ruins. and one may
linyer all day without being disturbed
by any chance passer. 1t Is strange.
evcntful history that of this rock.
When the French engineers Of Baron
Dieskau first selected it, and raised
here the walls Of their Fort Carlton,
they did it to command the great high
way between the English colonies on
the south and their own dominion of
Canada. a highway which, making use
Of the Hudson and the two lakes
George and Champlain-gave almost
uninterrupted water communication
between the st. La xrence and the At
lautic at New York. And SO it came
about that all the wars between these
French and English colonies resolved
themselves into struggle for the pO-
session of this commanding rock. In
like manner it became the first point
aimed at and won by the American
colonies in their later struggle with
England for their independence.
Strange memories cluster about the
gray old ruin. which a dreamy OctO-
Der day is apt to revivify. First. one
thousand gay Frenchmen in blue coats,
and half as many lrOquOis in war-paint
and feathers, march away up the out.
let toward Lake George, bound on the
congcnial errand Of midnight as
sault on some unguarded fortress or
sleeoing settlement. But in few
days. come streaming back, broken,
defeated. They have met johnson
and the provincials at Fort William
Henry. at the head of the lake. Next.
Vaudreuil comes on the same errand,
wadng through tho March SHOWS. but
is broken on the same sturdy barrier.
But the Frenchmen will persist, and
five months later MOnicalm. with
pennons waving over eight thousand
men in arms. comes up the lake. bound
TO sweep the English from George.
lie does it. but the year is hardly out
ere Ambcrcronbie. with fifteen thOus-
and Enylishmen, sits down before the
fort and demands its .-render. There
is "a heavy fight. but the English re-
treat only to appear the next year
under an ADLER general and overthrow
the French power in America.
Under English rule the old fort saw
peaceful days. The quiet lakes were
no more the field Of contcnding ma
lions. Iroquois aud MOhawks went
no more on the war-path. A cOrpOr-
ais guard Of forty men lOunged about
che crumbling ramparts. watched the
lizard basking in the sally-pOrt. drank
King Georges health, and shufiled
cards on unused drum.heads. Then
came the morning of the 10th vi May,
i775. when in the gray dawn a motley
band Of frOntiersmen in backwOOds
earb, headed by one Ethan Allen. Of
Bennington, swarmed over the para
nets and drew up oil the parade. We
shouId like to have seen the expression
of the old red-faced martinez who
commanded when cOnfrOnted by this
Of farmers and ordered to surrender
I'm the pane Of the great Jehovah
and the continental congress"