The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1908-04-16

On board the blackboard again we go
iolting along over the rough, stoney
road. and at IL a. m, short distance
beyond some old lumber camps,
reached Alder stream, which empties
into the Dead river and is some six
miles above Eustis. We had now ar.
rived at a point in the wilderness
where General Arnold and his army
were overtaken by a great storm,
when the Dead river and Alder
stream overfiowed their banks and
submerged the entire region about
with ice and water. We decided to
stop here for a while and ate our
lunch by the forest bordered banks of
the deep, still river.
Oh historic regionl AS we breathe
the delicious summer air, sweet with
the aroma of pine and spruces, what
memories are brought to mind. 1t
was in this vicinity that Arnold and
this starving and ragged army suf-
fered such frightful hardships on the
icy waters, and where his sick and
dying soldiers lost heart. In my
mind could see this starving, perish
ing army in this far-off wilderness.
But harki Arnold is speaking to his
officers in council. With that courage
which never failed him, he points his
sword towards the north and gives
the word of command. Forward,
we will live to fight with Mont
gomery on the blood swept plains of
Abraham Just as he laid his sword
down near Burr, two of Morgan's
rifle men who were picked men, and
whom he had sent down the river to
learn the condition of a detachment
of soldiers who were i'll and whom he
had left in charge of one of his
officers, came running up to him and
reported that the horrors of the
march was too much for them and
that they were already on their way
down the river III full retreat.
"Whatln Numbered Arnold, as his
brow grew black, "deserters in our
army? May God nerve Wsshington's
arm to hang them as traitors Though
may face death in a thousand forms
at every step | will proceed Then
turning to Captain Daniel Morgan,
he ordered him to take few boats
and picked men and press on up the
river with him to the first Canadian
parish on the Chaudiere where he
would gather supplies for his starving
army. Then with a few words of
instruction to his officers to follow
along with the utterly destitute army
as best they could, he jumped into a
boat in which stood Capt. Morgan and
few picked men and was rowed up
the swollen, icy river, through the
wild storm.
After spending an hour at this place,
we left the Dead river and followed
auOt her tote road alonu lder sfrpan1
and arrived at the Lawrence and Page
farm late in the afternoon. We we're
indeed glad to find large house with
modern improvements hidden away
in the great forest. While eating
supper heavy thunder shower came
up and how it did rain! 1t came
down in bueketsfull, and rivers of
water were soon running past the
house into the muddy stream. After
it let up, | stepped out of the house
to look around bit. The climate is
ideal here in the summer time;
neither too hot nor too cool OF
course we had some warm days, but
nothing uncomfortable. There is
never night in this section in sum-
mer but what one can go to bed in
comfort by 8 O'Clock and then need a
sheet or light puff over them.
In my next article | will write of
our trip from this farm through the
wilderness to the chain of lakes over
which General Arnold crossed with
his army. These lakes, nesting
among the kilby mountains, are
among the most wild and beautiful |
have ever seen, outside the Lakes of
Killarney in Ireland