Back on the road we traveled to Schroon River Adirondack Adventure Resort on 08/15/2012. On 8/17/2012 we traveled to Lake George, NY to visited Fort William Henry and Lake George Battlefield State Historic Site. The Siege of Fort William Henry was conducted in August 1757 by French General Louis-Joseph de Montcalm against the British-held Fort William Henry. The fort, located at the southern end of Lake George, on the frontier between the British Province of New York and the French Province of Canada, was garrisoned by a poorly supported force of British regulars and provincial militia led by Lieutenant Colonel George Monro. After several days of bombardment, Monro surrendered to Montcalm, whose force included nearly 2,000 Indians from a large number of tribes. The terms of surrender included the withdrawal of the garrison to Fort Edward, with specific terms that the French military protect the British from the Indians as they withdrew from the area. In one of the most notorious incidents of the French and Indian War, Montcalm’s Indian allies violated the agreed terms of surrender and attacked the British column, which had been deprived of ammunition, as it left the fort. They killed and scalped a significant number of soldiers, took as captives women, children, servants, and slaves, and slaughtered sick and wounded prisoners. Early accounts of the events called it a massacre, and implied that as many as 1,500 people were killed, even though it is unlikely more than 200 people (less than 10% of the British fighting strength) were actually killed in the massacre. The picture is of the Parade Ground within fort.
The picture is of Abigail on a Cannon at Fort William Henry.
Nestled into to Lake George, New York is a land that is a historical battle site and has a rich war legacy. The Lake George Battlefield Park on Beach Road echoes with voices from the French & Indian War as well as the American Revolution. What is now a vibrant lake-front park site once hosting many momentous battles in America’s history. The significance of each area throughout the park is identified through signs and monuments arranged as you explore the area. The Battle Monument of King Hendrick and Sir William Johnson marks the site of the second engagement of the Battle of Lake George in 1755. There is also an Indian Fountain in the park, which represents a time when Native Americans roamed the area peacefully. In addition, the park features a monument to Father Isaac Jogues, a Jesuit priest a missionary from Orleans Frances who was the first white man to view Lake George. With such a plethora of history to be told, the park often holds specials events, such as reenactments, to commemorate the history of the Lake George Battlefield. Not only is this park a historical oasis, but it provides a stunning view of Lake George and the scenic mountainous backdrop that will make you pause in awe. There is a picnic area to enjoy a peaceful snack by the prismatic waters. The park provides 35 acres of vast open spaces enhanced with bouts of trees and vegetation, perfect for lounging in the shade or relaxing in the sun. The picture is of the Fort George Earthworks.
We visited Fort Ticonderoga in Ticonderoga, NY on 08/19/2012. The Capture of Fort Ticonderoga occurred during the American Revolutionary War on May 10, 1775, when a small force of Green Mountain Boys led by Ethan Allen and Colonel Benedict Arnold overcame a small British garrison at the fort and looted the personal belongings of the garrison. Cannons and other armaments from the fort were transported to Boston and used to fortify Dorchester Heights and break the standoff at the Siege of Boston. After seizing Ticonderoga, a small detachment captured the nearby Fort Crown Point on May 11. Seven days later, Arnold and 50 men boldly raided Fort Saint-Jean on the Richelieu River in southern Quebec, seizing military supplies, cannons, and the largest military vessel on Lake Champlain. Although the scope of this military action was relatively minor, it had significant strategic importance. It impeded communication between northern and southern units of the British Army, and gave the nascent Continental Army a staging ground for the invasion of Quebec later in 1775. It also involved two larger-than-life personalities in Allen and Arnold, each of whom sought to gain as much credit and honor as possible for these events. The picture is of the SW Bastion with Officer Quarters in background.
The picture is of Abigail on a Cannon at Fort Ticonderoga.
Our next stop was on 08/22/2012 at Susquehanna Trail Campground in Oneonta, NY. We visited Saratoga Battlefield National Historic Park on 08/24/2012. On September 19, 1777, Burgoyne had split up his 7500-man army into three columns to sweep around where he believed the Americans might be. One column of British troops would move west about 2 miles inland and begin to move south. A second column of British troops moved about a mile inland before moving south. The third column, made of German troops, moved along the river road and defended British supplies. About noon on the 19th, scouts from the center column encountered Colonel Daniel Morgan’s American light infantry and riflemen at the farm of John Freeman, a loyalist who had gone north to Fort Edward to meet up with Burgoyne’s army. Thus began the fighting, which grew very fierce, as the battle swayed back and forth, each side taking and retaking the field. As evening drew closer, Burgoyne ordered about 500 German soldiers to move from the river and reinforce the British center column. When the Americans heard and saw them coming, they left the field and returned to their own lines. The British held the field but were unable to proceed. Burgoyne’s army grew short on time, supplies, and manpower; their now 6800-man army had been on half-rations for the last two weeks, and winter wasn’t far away. On October 7, he sent out a 1500-man “reconnaissance-in-force” with several cannons to probe and bombard the American left. The group was delayed in the Barber Wheatfield, as some of the soldiers were tasked with harvesting the much-needed ripened wheat. Around mid-afternoon, the Americans, aware of the British movement, attacked. Their now 13000-man army was able to push the British back. As the British withdrew, one of their beloved Generals, Simon Fraser, was mortally wounded by one or more of Morgan’s riflemen. British forces hastily fell back to one of their defensive positions, the Balcarres Redoubt. It was strong, well defended, and able to deter the Americans. Several hundred yards north, the Breymann Redoubt was not as well suited to the defense. It was also defended by less than 200 German soldiers and officers –no match for the nearly 1300 American soldiers attacking it. As some of the American troops began to circle around the left side of the Breymann Redoubt, American General Benedict Arnold arrived on the scene. Caught up in the flow of American soldiers, he rallied the men and was seriously wounded in the left leg. By nightfall, the Americans held the Breymann Redoubt. As it was at the far right of the British lines, they could then get behind the British anywhere else from behind. They did not press the advantage, but the British still fell back to their own river fortifications, the Great Redoubt. Simon Fraser having been buried in the Great Redoubt the morning of October 8, and having packed up what supplies they could, Burgoyne’s army began a hasty retreat north. They trudged through cold rain, mud, and hunger until reaching the village of Saratoga. Finding themselves boxed in by American militia soldiers north, west, and east of the village, they set up a fortified camp and waited. Two days later, the Americans had completely surrounded them. After a week of negotiations, Burgoyne surrendered to Gates, on October 17, 1777. The American victory demonstrated that American troops could fight a European army, on their own terms, and win. It also convinced the French to ally themselves with the Americans and declare war against England. Later, the Spanish and Dutch did the same. The picture is of the Cannon at Balcarres Redoubt.
The picture is of Abigail on a Cannon at the Neilson Farm Stop.
We drove to Albany, NY to visit the Capitol of NY on 08/26/2012. The current building is the fourth capitol building. A small building, the Van Gasteren house, was used briefly at Kingston, New York. From August 22 to 25, 1777, the Van Schaick House at Cohoes was used by Governor George Clinton as the New York State Capitol. After the Revolution, a second building was erected on land just in front of the current building. The present Capitol was constructed between 1867 and 1899. Three teams of architects worked on the design of the Capitol during the 32 years of its construction. They were managed by 1867-75: Thomas Fuller, 1875-83: Leopold Eidlitz and Henry Hobson Richardson, 1883-99: Isaac G. Perry. Fuller, the initial architect, was an Englishman who also designed the Canadian Parliament buildings in Ottawa. The ground floor of the state capitol was built in the Classical/Romanesque style. Lieutenant Governor William Dorsheimer then dismissed Fuller in favor of Eidlitz and Richardson, who built the next two floors in a Renaissance Classical style, noticeable on the exterior two floors as light, open column work. The increasing construction costs became an ongoing source of conflict in the legislature, and it was difficult to secure the funding necessary. Eidlitz and Richardson, were dismissed by Grover Cleveland upon his election to governorship and his review of the increasing costs of construction. He hired Perry to complete the project. The legislative chambers, the fourth floor and roof work were all finished in Victorian-modified Romanesque that was distinctively Richardson’s design. It “was Richardson who dominated the final outcome of the grand building, which evolved into his distinguished Romanesque style” (which came to be known as Richardsonian Romanesque). It is claimed that Richardson was imitating the Hôtel de Ville (City Hall) in Paris, France. The central open court is dominated by a shaft intended to support a massive dome. The dome and tower were never completed, as it was found that the weight of the building was already causing stress fractures and actually to make the building shift downhill toward State Street. To stop this movement, a very large, 166-foot (51 m) long exterior Eastern Staircase was added to support the front facade. The Capitol exterior is made of white granite from Hallowell, Maine, and the building incorporates marble cut by state prisoners at Sing Sing. The granite structure is 220 feet (67 m) tall at its highest point, and it is one of eleven U.S. state capitols that does not have a domed roof. Underground tunnels connect it to the Empire State Plaza and Alfred E. Smith Building. The picture is of the NY Capitol South side.
