Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1904-02-05
Hands Cove Chapter, D. a. r.

Hands Cove Chapter, D. a. r.
The ID. a. r. reception and social
evening given Jan. 9th 1904 at the town
hall and ladies' rooms in Orwell, was
well attended and enjoyed by all. The
hall was made pretty and attractive with
the red, white and blue. There were
seventy-six enjoying progressive whist,
while pit panic and finch were INDUCED
in by others. After refreshments Il
short business meeting was held and
Mrs. C. N. North, Regent was appointed
delegate to National Congress, held at
Washington, d. g., as alternates Mrs G..
w. Howard, Mrs. d. w. Clark, Miss
Bush Mrs. H. G. Hibbard and Mrs. j.
presented to the chapter for membership.
Socially and financially the evening was
success, thirty-one dollars and twenty
five cents being realized for the Mount
Independence marker fund. Rev. d. II
Sullivan gave the chapter five dollars,
being the first gift the chapter had
received for this marker fund, it
deserves special mention. 1t is with
great pride and interest l mention few
historic facts of Mount Independence
taken from the History of Orwell
written by the late Hon. Roswell Bottum
"Mount Independence is upon the
eastern shore of Lake Champlain anC
upon point formed by the junction Of
East Creek with the lake and is near the
north west corner of the town, the Greek
approaching the lake at an acute angle
forms point which appears to jut ou
into the lake. This mount is an elevation
of land above the level of the lands ad
jacent of perhaps over one hundred
and sixty feet. The Mount contains
about two hundred and fifty acres
of land, its summit is quite leve
! Upon this mount in the early par
of the War of the Revolution, {
garrison of q large body of men were
stationed. They erected upon it g
stocade fort, with Notifications and 9
stone house, at the north end of the
mount nearly opposite Ticonderoga fort
AT this place the lake is only about
eighty rods wide and a draw bridge wa,
erected across, communicating with
Ticonderoga fort. This place became a
military station soon after the capture of
Ticonderoga by Ethan Allen, May 10tf
1915. Numerous traces of the redoubts
and lines of the entertainments il
various directions are yet visible. The
old parade ground surrounded with piles
of stone which once served as fire-places
for their camps, can plainly be marked
out. Mount Independence took its name
from the Declaration of independence
by the Continental Congress, the news OF
which, by dispatch, reached the camp
here stationed on the morning of tn,
18th of July 1776, and was received by
the army with reclamation and great
demonstrations of joy. A gala day fol
the soldiers ensued, and at night a salute
of thirteen guns, In honor of the thirteen
colonies was fired and the place was
named Mount Independence. During the
campaign of l776 the garrison contained
over three thousand men, there wa
much sickness and many deaths from
camp fever. AT this time there was on,
regiment from Pennsylvania, one from
New Jersey one from Connecticut ont
from Massachusetts and several regi
ments from New York. Several bura
places upon the mount are still dis
tinguishable that were made during tn,
war. Some of the graves are Furnished
with headstones, roughly made, upor
which are rudely chiseled the names o
those they are intendedto commemorate
In passing them the sympathetic traveller
can scarce avoid the melancholy reflec
ton that here rests in solitude the ashe
of patriots who died while engaged il
the defence of our country, whose right
were assailed by formidable enemy o
freedom, that here far away iron
friends and relatives, they languishe'
and died, and that here in a land o
: strangers they lie entombed, where m
kindred tear will ever fall upon thei
solitary place of interment."
The Hands Cove chapter d. A. r. i
working to place a suitably inscribed
marker at Mount Independence to com
memorate the historic events which tool
} place at that point This is worth,
and patriotic object and we wish hel
and support from all.
February %, Washington's birthday
the chapter members are invited to tn
home of their Regent, Mrs. Clayton n
North, This will he gentleman's nigh
and each member is requested to invit
one guest. A social good time is antici
} pated by the chapter.
JESSIE NJ. GRIswOLD,