The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1892-07-21
An Excursion to Fort Knox.

One pleasant morning in July party of
young people, twenty-six in number, took
the steamer from Winterport for Bucks
| port, where they changed cars and en-
barked on a ferry boat for Fort Knox
that mighty guard of the homes in Pc
nobscot valley.
Arriving on the western bank of the
river the party halted while three from
their ranks climbed the hill to the house
of the officer in charge to inquire if we
might go through the fort. This inves-
tigating committee was politely received
by the Sergeant who told them to re-
turn to the party, pass through the gate,
turn to the right until they came to
door on the left, then ascend a flight of
stone steps which might there be found
According to instructions we did walk
along the 'black wall'' which, suppose,
takes its name from the dark color of the
square cut rock of which it is built and
which from the river looks smooth and
black. Then we passed up the steps to
''Battery \, -" where we could look down
upon the rows Of cannon and shells placed
on the lower side of the fort, and, like so
many sentincls seem to watch over that
part Of the river called ''the Narrows."
Next we passed through the ..main cal
lery, Il marrow, arched passage around
square and which is not a plain smooth
walk, but rises two steps at each arch.
These arches are placed at short spaces
throughout its length. We walked on and
ON, stepping up two steps at each arch
until it seemed we never would reach the
end And at last when we did come to a
standstill the guard told us we had been
through Just half of the gallery.
From one side of this passage we could
look through the small apertures to the
opposite wall which was built beyond a
ditch to prevent the enemy from scaling
the walls. And on this granite wall could
be seen the marks left by the sharp shoot
ers.
The next place of interest was the Off
GERS quarters. These We're good sized,
apartments, but the only sign of comfort,
which we of these very comfortable days
could see, was the small fire place in
the wall Yet, had these quarters been
completed of course they would be more
inviting to the fastidious tastes of our day.
From the powder magazine we came to
a passage, on either side Of which were
piled up tiers of grape shot and canister
Here While speculations We're made as to
the usefulness Of these as a defense now.
and how much good they would be if an
enemy should come up our river, the
guide amazed us by saying that he
thought Fort Knox was the strongest
fort in the United Ntates.'7 50 much for
our State OF Maine. Do not 90 West if |
you would he protected in time Of war.
We wendell our way up winding stair
way to the top OF the fort and as inquisi-
tive persons always will do, We asked
questions about every new object which
met our view. There were strong bases
and pivotS, as we called them, to turn the
cannon; but we learned that the correct
name for the so-called pivot is ''pintle.
But III spite Of our questioning the
guard was true to his duty and could
give us no information on the dimensions
of tie fort, neither could he tell us the
number OF cannon about the place-no,
not even the number Of steps in certain
stairway.
We We're welcome to all the information
we could gain from our own observation
ON these points, but he could not emil ght-
en- us on any subjects such as these.
Neither is any person allowed to take
views within the fort grounds.
A wide stone wall surrounds tile top of
the fort and from this there is u tine view
down the bay. Winterpolt and Bluehill
are in the distance and old Mt. Waldo in
the west. \ steamer sailed down the
river but she looked like mere sail boat
from our lofty Summit. Yet ever true to
her country she gave the old tort and its
foster children Il salute.
On our descent from the summit we
came to an arched apartment where there
We're a great MANY csnnon and as we en-
tered the place the echo Ct so many voices
sounded almost like the roll Of snare
drum
Then naturally the structure would be
very damp, while in some places on the
bricks there is a formation which looks as
though salt water had dropped down and
left the crystal.
We retraced our steps to a fitting place
for dinner which was duly enoyed and
appreciated although the hour was early.
Our guests at this feast were 'sthe ser
geant'' and his friends and companions,
six little Scotch terriers, one Of which we
We're informed twas a daughter of the
government
We each wished to take one away as a
remembrance Of our pleasant day at the
fort, but not one could be spared by their
protector.
so after placing our names on the visit