The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1908-04-16
Along Arnold's Trail.
From Maine To Canada.
BY FRANK W. GoWEN.
No. Ill

RIVER Tor F]agStau, some nVe miles
farther north. AS the weather was
fine we decided to walk and after
making arrangements to have our
suit cases forwarded by stage later in
the day we started OFF 1eisurely.
There was hardly cloud in the sky,
and but little breeze stirring when
we left the hotel, but soon after a
good breeze sprang up which was
laden with the sweet perfume of wild
flowers and clover blossoms and the
birds were singing sweetly. From
my earliest recollection l have loved
the song of birds, and their sweet
melody touched my heart with ten
derness:
I'VE listen to the fiutter of their wings
The strains each JOY ful songster Kings.
Upon the fragrant, dewy ar,
nd feel like bowling down TO God In prayer
For such orchestras, grand and rane.'
From some distance after leaving
the hotel the road ran along near the
bank of the river, which is not so
wide as the Kennebec but very deep
and flows along with hardly ripple.
SO slowly had we walked that it was
over three hours before we neared
the village of Flagstaff. We crossed
the bridge which spanned the river
and walked down the hill past the
little cemetery, where lies descend =
ant of the famous Capt. Niles Stan
dish, and reached the hotel at about
1890 a. m. This is Flagstaff, where
General Arnold encamped his army
for some time and erected a flagstaff
and flung to the wintry breeze our
national banner. 1t is now quite a
village, with extensive nov
city works, aud entertains a good
many summer people. | heard more
stories and legends of Arnold's march
at this place than at any place on the
route. One old man, whose hair was
white as snow, pointed out to me
with his cane the exact spot, as he
claimed, where General Arnold raised
his Flagstaff. "My father, who was
one of the earliest settlers in this re-
gion and hunter and trapper told
me So" said the old man as he light
ed his T. d. pipe, "and | reckon it is
true" "When | was small boy
he continued as he pulled away, Il
could detect traces of the encamp-
ment here, such as a few grass grown
ridges where the soldiers had dug
trenches around their camps, and
there were many long stretches of
open spaces from the Carrying Place
to lower Dead River which l noticed
while hunting with my father in my
Younger DAYS. These roads or open
spaces were cleared by Arnold's sol
diers, and my father told me once"
said the old man as he took his pipe
from his mouth and dug the ashes out
OF the bowl with his jacknife, 'that
many of the soldiers carried whistles
formed from the bone OF deer legs,
and when they had occasion to blow
a blast on them their shrill notes
could be heard a long distance. He
also told me that a woman accom-
panied the army of invasion, and that
she was the wife of a private in Cap
tain Daniel Morgan's company. He
died from exposure and hardships
between here and the Chaudiere
river. Before his brave wife covered
his body from the wolves she strapped
his powder horn and pouch to her
person, shouldered his rifle and set
out again on the weary march to
"She must have been Il
very determined woman" | said,
ayes cir" said the old man, "s'pose
she was determined that her hus
bands arms should go to Quebec if
he couldn't
'The army suffered many priva-
tions and hardships while enCamped
here" the old man continued, "but
Arnold's courage and patriotism en-
Unused his followers and they were
ready to suffer and die for liberty"
Eyes, Arnold and his soldiers were
brave men," replied, land it is said
that many wore on their hats or caps
the motto Liberty or Death"
"What a pity said the old man,
"that brave man like Arnold should
later turn traitor Eyes, replied,
sit was great shame. Had his
eventful life only terminated with
this invasion, or a few years later on
the field of Saratoga, how different
would have been his place in history
Although Arnold was a traitor, and
perhaps one of the blacklist since the
days of Judas, and | shall ever con-
denim him for his treason, yet | be-
lieve that his treason partook more
of treachery, and in the light of his
wrongs by the Continental Congress
and the acts of the cowardly and un-
Gates and other enemies,
there should in these times be some
pity for the brave leader of this in
vasion and the hero of Saratoga"
81 believe you," said the old man,
as he brought his can down on the
ground with tirmness, How my
father hated the name of General
Gates, who so uniustly deprived Ar
mold of his commando He and Gen
eraI Lee were traitors as well as
Just then my friend, who had been
down to the novelty factory looking
around, came along and | introduced
him to the old gentleman and he also
him in conversation in re-
gard to Arnold's expedition. We re-
manned over the DAY and night at
Flagstaff, and the following morning
after a late breakfast we made the
same arrangement AS on the previous
day about having cur suit cases for
Warded to Eustis, some five or six
miles further north, and started out
afoot The morning was beautiful
and we enjoyed every moment of our
walk. Eustis is the terminus of the
main travelled highway and beyond
this little village there is nothing but
a rough tote road, winding along the
Dead River through the wilderness
to Canada.
After dinner at the hotel we en-
gagged a guide with his strong Cana
dian horse and blackboard to take us
in the morning through the wilder
ness to the Lawrence and Page farm
some ten or twelve miles beyond
Eustis.
The next morning we rose early
and after breakfast found our guide
m, hand for tho tourney He StraD-