New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-05
A GALA DAY FOR OSWEGO.
THE COMING CELEBRATION OF THn
EVACUATION CENTENNIAL.
GENERAL HoRcE PORTER TO DELIVER THE ORA.

| TION-A BIG MILITARY PARADE PLANNED
Oswego. n. Y. July CspeciaD.-Th.s pretty little
lakeside city Is now In the heat OF preparation for
| the celebration Of the tooth anniversary OF The
evacuation by the British Of Fort Ontario after the
| War OF the Revolution. Numerous committees are
at work arranging details and July is promises to
| be a gala day for Oswego. General Horace Porter
| has accepted the invitation to deliver the ora ton
OF tho day. The parade Is likely 10 be the moA
| imposing ever seen here. The presence OF General
| Miles and his STAFF VII add much to the interest
OF the occasion. from military point OF view One
regiment Of United States infantry from Sacket,s
Harbor Will be IN line. and militia organ.zatsons
| from Brooklyn, Rochester Syracuse Utica Bne.
hamton, Emlra. Troy Auburn. Waterown ard
| Mohawk. besides the home company will take
| part There Will be numerous civic ORGANIZATIONS
and several companies OF drilled schooboys
Among the prominent who viii be hers
| on the 18th are Secretary Lamont. Governor Nor.
ton. Leutenant-G Governor Saxton and Speaker Fish,
| The exercises will be held the grounds OF Old
| Fort Ontario. ard Will cons st OF the Grafton bv
| General Porter, prayer by the Rev. Or BENJAMIN
| w. Bacon, OF the Congregational Church In .ha
city. an address by Congressman Charles A. Chick.
| erng, and the historical address by George r
clark OF this city There will be appropriate muso
| by several bands.
HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS
Few Oswego people realize how important. are
place. Mr. Clark In his historical address IS Hke,y
10 open the eyes Of many on this point IN IN.
early days Of the eighteenth century Oswcgo was
the centre OF the country Of the Six Nations ard -
such the site holly contested by the French
ana English The first permanent settlement vas
made when Governor Burnet. 0, the Province OF
New-fork, established a trading post al this point
In l725. Oswego Incorporated as a village in
ls2s. and as city twenty years later In l-2- IL
was fortified against the French and In i7ss wa
captured by the French and Indians
Inc Importance which attached 10 the place
IN France In the troublous times OF l75s 3
shown by medal OF Louis XIV, made in that
year, which is now in the possession OF Theodore
Irwin, Of this city. On the diverse side Of the diss
are the words "Ludovicus XIV, Imperator Orbis"
ana on the reverse, the basis this lordy claim
Of universal ascendancy-"Wesel Oswego. Pot
Aahon 81. Davii's, Arce ct solo aequata"
war between England and France was declared
In l'S. and started out with notable successes to
the arms OF the latter In June, 1885, Port Mahon,
the me nnest harbor Il the Mediterranean akea
Py n0 NE Trench l This had been captured by ne
latter until it was next to Gibraltar. the most lost
nearly impregnabie fortress in Europe iorcc
81 Davds. the strongest English posi- in Inia,
About the same time hs siege u Vessel fortified
was raised and in August. l7jG Oswego was cap.
t9red by the French and Indians On the strength
Ruler OF the World" The years following i.5s
Frenr1 re
peace Of Paris in 1863 the war terminated and
America went to England.
GOLD FORT ONTARIO
Old Fort Ontario, which stands al the mouth Of
the Oswego River. and around which most OF tho
historic Interest Of the city centres is now dis.
mantled and one sergeant guards the property
when up to two years ago quartered a company Of
lnited states infantry. The fertilization makes Q
a he stcf
erected IN llS5 by the Colonial troops under Gov
ernor Shirley of Massachusetts. who relieved Brad.
dock from the chief command OF the first expedition
or the French and Indian War. Oswego was then
the Six Nations Eight guns We're mounted a bid ..
gust u.s. force sOS Of s5eP Frese Whsp G Au
under me MARQUIS OF Montcalm appeared before
swe ana aWd nj, began the sese After three days.
capltulated and Oswego. with all its defences fell
Ing themselves with dismounting ard demolshins
q, n' u %ofKs soon abandoned the point and returned
Three years later the English under Lord Amherst
partially rebuilt Fort Ontario and OswesS became
final conquest OF Canada A small English. garrison
was left there until and during the Revolutionary
moest 1t. 1t a inconsderable work when. IN
ntea states STAY .'s some 0t Tine ' in s S IS se 2sq b
eyed that the fort was uusarr!sone1 from 1875 70
attack upon on s 6sWsrS by the upon eny
Colonel George T. Mitchell Of the 81 Artillery with
regiment and Of light artillery. with an asgre-
gate strength OF 1886 men. sent from Sackstts
Harbor TO garrison the fort The date Of the arrival
OF this force is not on record. bur the return 70.
April 30 shows them at Oswego en- that date. ana
as there is evidence that the movement was not
ordered until April 49, II is probable that they ar:
rived the 18th. After the disastrous action u
May and 6, in which the troops were driven from
the field the British took possession Of the fort,
but abandoned IL on the Eth. after dismantling the
works and burning the barracks.
Colonel Mitchell; who had retired up The river.
then returned and Repaired the fort and the gar.
rison was strengthened. The point. however. Was
which a little later ended. The troops were
then returned to Sackett's Harbor.
The fort not again occupied until November
23 1888, when Company A.. sth Infantry. was sent
and established the pest. In 1889 an approprlatioQ
OF s2O00 was made by Congress for repairing and
rebuilding the old fort. and about the middle Of
August OF that year work was begun under the
direction of Lieutenant I.eadbetter. OF the Engi-
neers and continued intervals in the following
five years The structure was scarcely more than
a reconstruction OF the old work. with five earth.
work bastions and kyanized timber revetementA
surrounded by dry fosse. Later these were re.
placed by sandstone.
Since 1889 the fort was continuously occupied with
a garrison OF company until the Abandonment
about two years ago.