The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-04-14
THE UPPER HUDSON VALLEY.
BY L. K. BECKER.

man clamors for qualification in az
almost boundless playground it may
be realized by a trip through the
upper Hudson Valley from Albany
to the foot hills of the Adirondacks.
Below Albany history runs riot,
above it early struggles with native
and foreign foes rival the stories of
the Revolution and even dip into that
period, demanding credit for most i'm
portant service therein.
The upper valley of the Hudson
has a storied past and its inhabitants
are proud of its history and its relics,
especially of the campaign of I777 in
northern New York. including the
inner campaign of Saratoga, which
resulted in victory to our cause and
defeat to the British.
This valley was a part of the high
way from Canada to Fort Orange
along which Indian, French and Eng
lish armies marched in all the pomp
and circumstances of war; and for
more than a century was the battle
ground for possession by powerful
claimants. But today the entire Hud-
son Valley is as full of peace and
plenty as once it was of strife and
hate; and except for the fat of manu-
facture, which has changed its aspect
at certain points, it is as picturesque
as when the flood from the north
first found channel through it and
mirrored its banks.
From Albany to Troy, along the
west shore of the river, the traveller
turns his glance to the panorama of
the hills and the opposite shore.
Twelve miles above Albany, near the
junction Of the Mohawk with the
Hudson, is the village of Waterford.
Tradition says that the prov of the
"Half moon" was here turned down
stream by her commander. In mem
ory of this visit the loyal colonists
named their town Half-mOon, but
some years later the name was chang
ed to Waterford from its importance
as the only fording place along the
river for many miles.
From Waterford to Glens Falls,
some fifty miles away, is as charming
a country for a rural journey as one
can desire. Although an agricultural
region, it is alive with industries that
draw their power from the flowing
river
The Kings Highway, once the
military road, is now the common
road, which, nevertheless, keeps the
traditions of illustrious travellers who
have passed over it, and there are
tales that reach the traveller of snowy
pageants that gave interest to the
locality quite unknown at present.
In the bosom of these hills near
Mechanicsville, where his beloved
river sings his unending requiem,
sleeps Colonel Ellsworth, an early
and perhaps the most picturesque
martyr of our Civil War. Here the
electric energy requisite for gigantic
works in Albany, Troy and Schenec-
tady is developed from the river,
beautiful as dream. A slight turn
of the stream, as the journey pro-
crosses, and some of the walls and
piers of old Saltwater may be dis
cerned. As early as 1000 there was
fort here and for many years it was
the only resting place for soldiers on
the march from Canada to Water
ford. The long, elm shaded street
is fanked by thrifty fields and farms !;
the unceasing hum of machinery adds
to the noise of the dam which has
rufled the still water and broken it
into tumbling rapids, and yet an air
of repose, like the wings of peace, is
over all.
On the edge of the village stands a
gaunt, high shouldered old house, the
headquarters of General Gates. Be-
yond the house lane leads up from
the river where our army encamped.
Who can fail to see that lane filled
with our soldiers hurrying to the first
engagement of the Saratoga CAM
paigu-the battle of Saltwater, Sep.
teptember 10TH, 1777? The greater
conflict took place on Bemis Heights,
two miles north, on the seventh day
October, raging all day but ending
with the retreat of the British to
Schuylerville, where General Bur
goyne surrendered with 1000 men,
October 18th.
The many tablets on the battle
field tell the supreme facts of the
struggle. The Saratoga Monument,
on one of the entrenched hills, stands
perpetual tribute to its heroes. The
view therefrom, overlooking the Hud-
son, its fertile meadows and historic
hamlets, engirdled by hills and dis
tant mountains, is superb, and the
monument is in harmony with its sur.
roundings. Bronze statues of Gates
Morgan and Schuyler occupy three oi
the four inches of the structure. The
fourth niche is vacant, but the name
"Arnold" above it fills the space te
its uttermost limit with shame anc
reproach. The space thus set apart
stands an avenging Nemesis, forever
refusing the precious need of honor
to which the courage and valor of the
man entitled him, since by Arnold
more than by any other, the victory
OF Saratoga was won.
Schulerville has relics galore, ane
old houses full of interest. The man
sion of the worshiped General Schuy