Travels Through North America, v. 1-2

eorge.-Falls of Hudson.-Glenn's Falls.-Saratoga Springs.-Saratoga Battle

coaches awaited us, which carried us and our baggage to St. John, situated on the river Richelieu, about twenty-seven miles from Longueuil. The road lies several miles along the banks of the river St. Lawrence, till you arrive to the village of La Prairie. In this village we took our leave of this noble neighbourhood and majestic stream, on whose banks we had tarried so agreeably. The road led through a plain, which was very little cultivated, and containing few trees. We only met with a single village called Lavane. Here and there we observed some larch trees. About half past one in the afternoon, we reached the village of St. John, having arrived a mile from the

better if they had rammed the roots into the ground and put a grate upon that, and then a strong stone revêtement, or still better if they had arched it en décharge. The two ravelins, whose basis is also of wood, lie before the northern and southern front. Under the curtain of the eastern front, they have built casemates for the garrison. Near the gate in the wall are small arsenals, and on the inside of the fort stands the guard-house, which also contains the prison. The base of this fortification, as well as the few buildings which stand within, are bomb-proof. The houses are built of blue limestone which comes from the state of Vermont. A road covered with palisades surrounds the fort. I observed here palisades which can be knocked down backwards, and m

to have been located with much judgment and erected at a small expense. This tower completely commands the communication between the lake and the Sorel, and as the guns are all under cover, the garrison has but little to fear from the vertical fire of the enemy's infantry. The fort stands on a cape. According to the treaty of Ghent, the forty-fifth degree of nor

rmont, and is more mountainous. As night approached, we were prevented from enjoying this beautiful part of the country; I was also with regret prevented from seeing the battle ground of Plattsburgh, at whi

th bushes and pine trees, are hilly, and afford a pleasing prospect. At the village of Shoreham, twelve miles above Crownpoint, on the eastern shore of Vermont, we left the Ph?nix, which went twenty miles further to Whitehall, the southern point of Lake Champlain, and landed to see Lake George, which is celebrated for its romantic situation and shores. Si

e counterscarp being covered with strong stone-work; the bastion contains casemates as well as the curtain of the eastern front. Several massive buildings stood in the fort so that it must have had but little room. About three hundred paces east of the fort, on the extremity of the cape, stands a small pentagonal redoubt, which communicated with the fort by means of a covered way. The cape is connected with the main land of New York by means of a neck of land, which was cut off by a crownwork, consisting of earth. The eminence on which this crownwork lies, in some measure commands the fort, and an entrenched camp seems to have been located here. Between the fort and crownwork we remarked the remains of two square redoubts. On the same shore

that of Lake Champlain; the stream which flows from the former into the latter lake, forms a succession of small cascades, and turns several saw-mills. We arrived at

e from its few remains, must have been a square redoubt of earth. It was built in the year 1755, by order of Sir William Johnstone, who commanded the English army in the then colony of New York, after having completely routed, on September the 8th, 1755, a French corps which had come from Ticonderoga to attack him. In this rencontre, Baron Dieskau, a French general lost his life. In the following year, however, Marquis de Montcalm arrived with a stronger force and captured the fort. A capitulation was allowed to the English garrison, but they were attacked after leaving the fort, by the Indians, in a disgraceful manner, and the greater part cut to pieces. After the fort was taken, the Marquis de Montcalm ordered it to be destroyed. Not far from this place, in a higher station and on a rocky ground, the English erected afterwards a new fort, called Fort George, which, at the unsuccessful expedition of General Burgoyne, in 1777, served his army as a dep?t and magazine, till he moved too far forward and was cut off from the fort. Remains of it are still plainly seen. It was a strongly-built square redoubt, the entrance being protected by a fleche. It lies in an advantageous situation, commands the whole southern shore of the lake, with a large part of the vicinity, stands, as was said before, on

Saratoga springs, to which the whole fashionable world of the United States repairs in summer, for the fashionables have here the same mania which prevails in other countries, to visit the baths in summer, whether s

nds, divides into two parts, the principal fall, which is forty feet high. But there are, both above and below the principal falls, a number of smaller falls, which we could approach with ease, as the water was very low. These falls are not indeed to be numbered among the largest, but among the handsomest falls which I have seen. A constant mist arises from them, and, as the sun shone very brilliantly, we saw several rainbows at the same time. In the rock, as at Niagara, we observed some remarkable and deep cavities. They arise from the flintstones which are scattered throughout the limestone, and are washed away by the violence of the water. When these flintstones meet with resistance, or fall into a small cavity, they are

d already departed, so that but forty persons remained; among these was the governor of the state of New York, the celeb

nown. It is not above twelve years since a beginning was made to clear the ground, and build houses; at present, more than a hundred, principally of wood, form a street. They are generally arranged to receive strangers. The four largest hotels are Congress Hall, Union Hall, the Pavilion, and the United States Hotel, the last of brick, the three former of wood. Congress Hall alone, was yet open, the others had closed since September 1st, on account of the frost. The hotel can accommodate two hundred strangers. In the evening the company assembles in the large halls in the lo

is seen in a state of constant agitation. So much fixed air escapes from it, that an animal held over it, as in the Grotto del Cane, near Naples, cannot live above half a minute. Mr. Shoemaker held his head over the opening, and though he had covered it with a handkerchief, immediately fainted away; he retained besides, during several days after this experiment, a bad dry cough. The vicinity of Saratoga Springs possesses no attraction. Pr

owever, very pleasingly interrupted by Saratoga lake, which is eight miles long. At Stillwater village, we reached the Hudson. Not far from this, runs the new Champlain Canal, which was commenced at the same time with the Erie Canal, but is not yet completed, and which I mentioned on my passage from Albany to Schenectady. At Stillwater we vis

nce, are the remains of a very small work, called the great English redoubt. Here lies General Fraser, of whose burial Madam Von Riedesel gives a description so attractive, and yet so terrific. I broke off, near his grave, a small branch of a pine tree to present it to Baron Von Riedesel, Land-marshal of the Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar. I inquired after the house in which

proceeded on our route in the night on a very good road, and passed through Lansingburg and Troy. The latter is very handsomely built, and ma

e country about New Lebanon is extremely handsome; the tops of the mountains are covered with trees, and the lower parts well cultivated. The valley is wide, with very neat houses, and resembles a garden. Fruit is particularly cultivated. On a slight eminence at the foot of a mo

, in 1774, with her family, and several of her friends, to New York, where she settled. But her husband was wearied with the sisterly connexion in which he lived with her, and resolved to divorce his sisterly wife, and marry another. Whereupon the repudiated wife wandered towards Albany, settled first at Watervliet, and held meetings. These meetings, however, appeared to the Americans so suspicious, (it was during the time of the revolution,) that the good lady was arrested at Albany with several of her friends, and transported to the neighbourhood of New York, in order to give her in charge to the English, who then held the city. But she soon returned again to Watervliet, and her faithful adherents bought land near Niskayuna, between Albany and Schenectady, and settled there. A large part of this people, those particularly who had joined the sect in America, founded the colony of New Lebanon. Ann Lee died in Niskayuna, in 1784. As this

also find a home with them; still, however, unfavourable reports are circulated about the origin of these orphans. Of course, if the principles of these people should prevail, which, however, may

under, Ann Lee, whom they call mother Ann. They pay also much attention to the breeding of cattle, make good butter, and particularly good cheese, great quantities of which they sell. Their hogs are remarkably handsome, and cleanliness is also extended to them. It is a rare pleasure to walk about in a Shaker pig-sty! They have a large kitchen

rally do, Sundays excepted, as every body can attend their worship. My travelling plan did not allow me to pass a Sunday with them. The hall, which serves as their church, is about eighty feet long, and above fifty broad. On one side stand benches in form of an amphitheatre, for spectators and old members, to whom the dancing has become difficult. The floor consists of handsome cedar wood, which is well polished; the boards are attached to each other without nails. Service commences,

ead and arm were injured, though but slightly. On my right side I was much more hurt, and one of my ribs was actually broken, as it was afterwards discovered. Mr. Tromp had his head and one of his hands injured. As we had no baggage, and were but two miles from Greenbush, we resolved to leave the stage where it was, and walked to Greenbush. At about eleven o'clock we reached the river. Not a soul was in the street; the lights were all extinguished, and the ferry boats were on the other side of the river. Our shouting was of no avail; the pain in my side also p

hat I could move with more ease. I was, however, confined the whole day to my bed. The Van Rensselaer family showed me much attention. On the second day I could indeed leave the bed, but still not continue my journey. On the third day, September 16th, Sir Michael and Lady Clare left Albany for Boston, whence they were going to New York. My

seems to be very handsome and lively. We remarked in the harbour several sloops, and on shore some brick stores, five stories high. On the opposite side of the river lies Athens, between which and Hudson there seems to be much communication kept up by a team-boat. A very low island in the middle of the stream betwee

the visits which the cadets receive. We were obliged to ascend a somewhat steep road in order to reach the house, which is prepared for the reception of strangers. A small but very clean room was prepared for us. The building belongs to the government

ured to make this resemble the polytechnic school. But he will find it difficult to equal this once celebrated school, as with the best will in the world he cannot find in this country such excellent professors as were assembled in that institution. The cadets, whose number may amount to two hundred and fifty, but at the last examination consisted of two hundred and twenty-one, are divided into four classes for

ed men, and other distinguished citizens. After this examination, the best among those who have finished their course are appointed as officers in the army; the very best may choose the corps in which they wish to serve. The others receive stations, according to their capacity, in the following order: engineers, artillerists, infantry, marines. Should even these corps

of passive obedience. The punishments consist of arrest, which, however, does not interrupt the course of instruction; but when a case occurs that a cadet is to be pun

us divided in

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companies, and live in two large massive buildings, three stories high. In the older of the two buildings, two occupy one room; in the other, three are placed in one room. They sleep on mattresses, which are spread out on the floor in the evening, and have always two chambers, one for sleeping and the other for study.-This opens upon a long corridor. The cadets keep their arms also in their rooms. Their uniform consists of a gre

demonstrated some problems of this science very correctly, and answered with great ease and accuracy some questions and objections, which Professor Davies made to them. We then attended a phy

man who labours under a disease with which they say I am also afflicted, namely, the bibliomania; on that account I continued a long time in this library. I remarked

he hall for drawing, in which are some of the best drawings of the cadets. As a model of topographical drawing, they had taken the Montjoui of Gironna, designed according to the Atlas of Marshal G. St. Cy

inety-six feet above the level of the river. This position called to my mind the plain below Lilienstein, in Saxony, opposite to K?nigstein. On the summit of this mountain lie the ruins of Fort Putnam, so that the plain on which the buildings of the academy stand, is entirely insulated, and may be very well defended as well in the direction of the river as of the main land. During the revolution this fort was erected, like Fo

ins of the battery can still be seen in it, which completely commanded the river, both above and below West Point. The fort is now in a state of dilapidation, and the foundations of the buildings alone, are to be seen. During the revolution, chains were extended here across the river

must either drag or carry. Three iron six pounders stand in front of the barracks. The Americans use iron cannon, like the Swedes, and are very well satisfied with them. At another place on the same plain, we saw five six pounders, with which the cadets exercise. Three are French pieces, presented to the Americans by Louis XVI. decorated with the French arms; and the motto, ultima ratio regum. The two other pieces are English, were taken during the

oung men perform their exercises uncommonly well, and I was gratified at the good order which prevailed. A band of music, paid by the government, belongs exclusively to them, and is said to afford the best militar

iron arms which government requires. One piece had just been cast, and we saw several other pieces cast from a new high furnace. Next to the foundry is a building for boring the guns, in which ten pieces may be bored at once; for this purpose t

oining heights. It appeared to me, if not necessary, still to be useful to build Fort Putnam again, in order to complete the important position of West Point, which can serve in time of war as a fortified camp, or place of refuge for the people, &c. as impregnable as it was before. But to my astonishment, I learned that this would probably not take place, that on the contrary, with regard to the defence of the country, reliance was placed on the fortified entrance of New York, and that in general in the interior of the country no fortifications would probably be made. They appear to think that the impregnability of the country particularly consists in having no powerful neighbours; that E

nd very well adapted to the young men. He proposed several objections which are made against the superiority of the Christian religion, and refuted them all, by deriving his arguments from th

orms the basis of the instruction. Captain Douglass, who also instructs them in the formation of roads and bridges, makes use of Wiebeking. Many of the cadets who do not intend to remain in the military service as officers, being bound to remain but one year in service, after lea

country-seats, which denoted that we were on the road to a large and flourishing city. At a turn of the river the shores approximate, and here stands a handsome country-seat with a garden, called Verplank's Point; opposite is a fort, Stony Point, the possession of which was disputed during the revolution by several bloody fights. The situation of Singsing, where there is a house of correction, is very handsome. We saw the offenders engaged in blasting rocks. The stream now becomes broad, and forms two successive bays, the former Haverstraw Bay, and the other Tappan Sea. On the right shore of the

ted States, which attracts nearly the whole commerce of the country, and now already numbers one hundred and seventy thousand inhabitants. We landed about eight o'clock in the evening, and on account of the incredible number of strangers could