Читать книгу Travels Through North America, During the Years 1825 and 1826. v. 1-2 - Bernhard - Страница 11

Journey from Montreal to New York. – Isle Aux Noix. – Lake Champlain. – Lake George. – Falls of Hudson. – Glenn’s Falls. – Saratoga Springs. – Saratoga Battleground. – Shaker Settlement at New Lebanon. – Military School at West Point

As the season was so far advanced, I wished to reach New York without delay. We therefore concluded to travel soon, and visit Lake Champlain to its southern extremity, then to Saratoga, Albany, and further down the Hudson to New York, taking the Catskill mountains by the way, and inspecting the famous military school of West Point. With this view, on Friday, the 9th of September, we went on board the steam-boat Montreal, which runs between Montreal and the right bank of the river. Lieutenant-Colonel M‘Gregor and Major Loring escorted us to the boat. In half an hour we found ourselves on the other side of the river. We landed near the village Longueuil, where stage-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 above-named village, at the river Richelieu. Here we went on board the American steam-boat Phœnix, in order to sail for Whitehall. This vessel deserves the name, because the boat, whose place it supplies, was of the same name, and burned some years ago on Lake Champlain. The new Phœnix is commodious and clean, one hundred and twenty feet long, having machinery of forty-six horse-power. Both banks of the river were thickly timbered. Ten miles above St. John we reached an island called Isle Aux Noix, the last English strong post on Lake Champlain. The captain had the politeness to tarry here a short time, in order that I might survey the island and its fortifications.

Isle Aux Noix contains about ninety acres, and is very flat and swampy. The fort is called Fort Lenox, in honour of the late duke of Richmond; it consists of a regular square, with four bastions and two ravelins, and is built according to the system of Vaubans. On account of the swampy ground, the fortification which anciently stood here, is almost sunk. The revêtement is a half one, and formed of wood, as well as the scarp and counterscarp. The whole lower wall consists of roots of trees, mostly cedar, placed horizontally crosswise, and only those roots which constitute the revêtement stand upright. On the horizontal roots earth is thrown and rammed. The engineers believe that this costly work will stand thirty years. I however believe it would have been 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 might be advantageous in case of accident, whilst I took a survey of this work, accompanied by Captain Reed of the seventieth regiment, who is commandant, and has already been in garrison here one year with his company, also by the two engineer officers. Northward of the fort stands the navy-yard, which is in the same situation as it was at the period of the treaty of Ghent. There were about twelve gun-boats under cover, and a frigate of thirty-six guns on the stocks, whose keel and skeleton has rotted ever since. A naval magazine, and the dwellings of the officers, overseers, and workmen of the wharf, stand behind the navy-yard. The two branches of the stream separating the island from the main land are tolerably small, and the shores are covered with trees.

Eleven miles above Isle Aux Noix we left Canada and again reached the territories of the United States. At the point where the river Sorel leaves Lake Champlain, and where we entered into the latter, the American government has erected a fort called Rous’ Point, consisting of a defensive tower with casemates, which, as well as I could judge in passing, appeared 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 north latitude, between the state of Maine and the St. Lawrence, between the United States and Canada, were fixed as boundaries; and as to fulfil the terms of the treaty, the commissioners determined the latitude of several places astronomically, it has been discovered that this fort lies somewhat north of forty-five degrees, and consequently is on the Canadian side.

The greatest breadth of Lake Champlain, which contains several large islands, is six miles. The shore on our right, belonging to the state of New York, is low and covered with trees; the other belongs to Vermont, 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 which town the vessel made a short stay during the night. Some American custom-house officers came on board, without, however, inquiring after our baggage, and this was a new and not disagreeable circumstance.

The same night we stopped at Burlington in Vermont, and the Grymes’ family left us here to go to Boston. I expected to meet this interesting family again in New York in fourteen days. Towards morning we passed the ruins of Fort Crownpoint, which lie on a hill. At this place the lake is very narrow and resembles a river. The shores are generally covered with 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 Phœnix, 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. Sir Michael and Lady Clare continued with us, and resolved not to part from us till we arrived at Albany, after which they would travel to Boston. As a slight recompense for the loss of the Grymes’ family, Mr. Shoemaker, and his wife, from Philadelphia, bore us company hence to Albany. They were Quakers, but had laid aside the striking costume of their sect.

At the inn of Shoreham is a place for loading and unloading vessels, which transport much plaster of Paris and blue limestone for building, to Canada. Among the stones on the shore we found some which appeared to be rich iron ore, said to be common in Vermont. At the inn we met with an elderly lady of the middle rank, who was smoking tobacco; this custom is said to be prevalent here among elderly women. We passed over the lake, scarcely half a mile wide, in a wherry, and landed on the other shore, not far from the ruins of Fort Ticonderoga. This in an old French fort, lying on an elevated cape, which commands the navigation of the lake. From the ruins we saw that it was a square with four small bastions and three ravelins, the scarp, and the 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, south of the fort, but separated from it by an inlet of the lake, lies Mount Defiance, which commands the fort in a great degree, and from which, in July, 1777, the English, under General Burgoyne, bombarded the fort, which was too quickly evacuated by the Americans, under General St. Clair. On the eastern shore of the lake, opposite Ticonderoga, lies another hill, Mount Independence, of the same height as the fort on which the Americans had formed their works at that time, under the protection of which they passed the lake after the evacuation of the fort. This was afterwards destroyed by the English. In July, 1758, when the fort still belonged to the French, the English attacked it, but were repulsed with a loss of eighteen hundred men.

From Ticonderoga we went in a stage three miles further to Lake George, through a very hilly country. The level of this lake is about three hundred feet higher than 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 the northern point of Lake George, and entered the steam-boat Mountaineer, which was ready to depart; it was ninety feet long with a machine of sixteen horse-power.

Lake George resembles the Scottish lakes. It is thirty-six miles long, and never more than five miles broad. The shores are very hilly, the heights are all covered with trees, and are not, as it seems to me, above eight hundred feet high. There are several islands in the lake, generally covered with wood. A single one, called Diamond Island, on account of the handsome crystals which are found in it, is inhabited. The inhabitants consist of an Indian family, which lives in a small house, and maintains itself by selling these crystals. About five o’clock in the evening, we arrived at the southern point of the lake. The scenery is very handsome. One of the highest mountains, which rises perpendicularly out of the lake, is called Rodgers’ rock, after an American Captain Rodgers, who being hunted by the Indians, during the revolution, fled to the top of this rock, and in extremely cold weather, being urged by danger, glided on the smooth surface down to the frozen lake. Towns are not seen; but few single houses stand along the shore. At the southern extremity, however, lies the village of Caldwell, founded about twenty years ago, which, besides a very good and large inn, where we took lodgings, contains several neat houses. In former times, an English fort, William Henry, stood here, which, to judge 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 depôt 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 a strong ground, and is covered on one side by a morass. On the eastern side alone, it is commanded by a high mountain, which, however, is at some distance. If the American government should resolve to restore Crownpoint and Ticonderoga, the latter particularly would be adapted, after fortifying the two mountains, Defiance and Independence, for an arsenal of a superior kind; it might contain large depôts, serve as a fortified camp, and be successfully defended by a small garrison. Here fleets might be completed to command Lake Champlain, and an expedition against Isle Aux Noix and Canada organized. However, a good road would be necessary, leading from Ticonderoga to the northern point of Lake George, three miles distant, and here it would be necessary to protect the place of embarkation by a fort. A new fort on the same spot where Fort George was erected, would be necessary. There is a good locality between this fort and Fort William Henry to found a dock-yard. The communication between Ticonderoga and the United States would be well and doubly protected by the southern point of Lake Champlain, towards Whitehall, and by Lake George. If the English should attack the United States on this side, they would undoubtedly waste much strength, and not advance a step, unless they had seized Ticonderoga.

We left Caldwell at eight o’clock the next day, September 11, in two inconvenient carriages, and passed through a very uninteresting, deep, sandy road, in a hilly country, covered with thorny trees, on our route to 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 sick or well. The distance is twenty-seven miles. On our passage, we saw but one interesting object – the Hudson falls, which river we had left at Albany, and reached again nine miles from Caldwell, coming from the west.

These falls are known under the name of Glenn’s Falls. A village of the same name is built in their vicinity, on the rocky shores of the river. The river is crossed by means of a pendant wooden bridge. The arches rest on pillars, consisting of large beams, which lie across each other, as tit-mouse traps are constructed in my native country; the bridge might therefore be called bird-cage bridge. These cages rest on a foundation of limestone, cut through by the Hudson in its course. This river is really a remarkable sight in this sandy country. Above the bridge it is one hundred and sixty yards broad, and crossed by a dam, which conducts the water to the saw-mills along the banks. A single rock, on which, also, a saw-mill stands, 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 constantly agitated by the falling water, and moving in a circular direction, form by degrees deep cavities in the soft limestone. At the base of the small island, which divides the chief fall into two parts, a remarkable cave appears below the falls, leading to the other side of the rock; this was also undoubtedly made by the washing of the water. The saw-mills, all of wood, occupy a bold position over the falls, and appear besides, to be in such a state of decay, that a fear arises, lest they should soon fall into the abyss. The Hudson is partly navigable above Glenn’s Falls, and two miles further up, feeds a navigable canal, with thirteen locks, which runs seven miles north of the Hudson, and then joins Champlain canal.

We arrived at Saratoga at two o’clock in the afternoon, and stopped at Congress Hall. The greater part of the company had already departed, so that but forty persons remained; among these was the governor of the state of New York, the celebrated De Witt Clinton.10 I was immediately introduced to his excellency, and very well received by this great statesman.

The water of the springs is cold, of a somewhat salt taste, and stronger than the mineral water of Eger. It is said to act very beneficially as a tonic. When this region was yet covered with forests, inhabited principally by Indians, and by few white people, the Indians were acquainted with the virtues of this water; only one spring, however, High Rock Spring, was discovered. They led to it the above-mentioned Sir William Johnstone, who was much beloved by the Indians, and in a bad state of health. By drinking this water he regained his health, and thus this spring became known. 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 lower story, at this season, alas! by the fire, and pass the time in music, dancing, or conversation. Games of chance are strictly forbidden by the laws of the state, and in general, public opinion in the United States is much against gaming. I was told that at a watering-place in Pennsylvania, three genteel young men once arrived from different parts of the United States. They were at first very well received, but afterwards were found to be gamblers. All communication with them was immediately broken off in so striking a manner that they were soon obliged to leave the place.

The different springs, which do not lie far from each other in a swampy ground in the same valley, are called Hamilton, Congress, Columbia, Flat Rock, Munroe, High Rock, President, and Red Spring. The water is generally drank, but baths are also erected. High Rock Spring flows from a white conical limestone rock, five feet high, in which there is a round aperture above, about nine inches in diameter, through which the water in the spring 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. Promenades are not yet constructed. The only pleasure which can be enjoyed must be sought in company. A large piazza is built before Congress Hall, to the pillars of which wild vines are attached, which almost reach the roof. I passed the evening in the lower parlour by the fire, with the governor and Mr. Schley, from Maryland, in very agreeable and instructive conversation. The ladies did not entertain us with music, because it was Sunday.

The governor had the kindness to give me some letters for New York, and a letter of introduction to the Shakers of New Lebanon. Furnished with these, we left Saratoga Springs, September 12th, at 9 o’clock, in a convenient stage to go to Albany, thirty-six miles distant. We passed through a disagreeable and sandy country. The uniformity was, however, 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 visited the two battle-grounds, Freeman’s Farm and Bernis’s Heights, which became celebrated September 19th, and October 7th, 1777. These actions, as is known, took place during the expedition of Burgoyne. They closed with taking the whole corps of this general, to which also the Brunswick troops, under General Von Riedesel belonged, at Saratoga.

Our guide to both battle-grounds, which are adjacent, was an octogenarian farmer, called by his neighbours Major Buel, because he had been the guide of the American army during the campaign. The ground has since greatly changed; wood has grown again, so that with the exception of some remains of the English lines, nothing is to be seen. Not far from the river, on an eminence, 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 the mother of the latter had lived, and in which General Fraser died. This house stands no longer on the original spot, as the canal passed through its site; in other respects it is said to be arranged now, as it was then. The place in the bar-room, where General Frazer died, and a small room behind this, in which Madam Von Riedesel lived with her children, were shown me.

At the small town of Waterford we passed along the left shore of the Hudson on a long wooden bridge, to avoid a bad bridge over the Mohawk. We 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 many stores are very well lighted up in the evening. Here we returned to the right shore of the Hudson, and reached Albany at 10 o’clock at night.

On the 13th of September I went with Mr. Tromp in a stage-coach to New Lebanon, twenty-eight miles from Albany to see the settlement of Shakers. We passed through Greenbush, (where the team-boat put us on the left side of the Hudson,) Schodack, Union, Stephentown, and Canaan. The 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 mountain, the Shaker village is very beautifully situated, and is about one mile long. The houses stand in groups at a distance from each other, in general large, built of wood, and painted yellow; the church alone, or rather the meeting-house, is wide, with an arched roof of slate.

The Shakers are a religious sect, originally from England. It was founded by Ann Lee, the daughter of a Manchester blacksmith, and wife of the blacksmith Stanley, of the same city. Her chief doctrines are, community of goods, a perfect continence with regard to the sexes and adoration of the Deity by dancing. Ann Lee pretended to higher inspiration, performed miracles, announced the speedy reappearance of Christ on earth, spoke of the millennium, and of similar glories. She commenced in England, by making proselytes among the lowest classes, who followed her when she preached in public, held noisy prayer, or rather, dancing meetings, and thus disturbed the public peace. This worthy prophetess was therefore, with her friends, at different times imprisoned; the impatient and unbelieving public even began once to stone her. The good soul, whose convulsions were said by the wicked world to be the effect of ardent spirits, wandered therefore, 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 sect conducted itself very quietly, and gave no public offence, the government allowed them to live in peace. The colony numbers about six hundred members, who are divided into families, some of which contain above one hundred individuals of both sexes. Each lives in a group of houses with an elder at their head. The elders of all the families form a counsel, which watches for the public good. They have for divine service a sort of preachers, two of each sex, who hold forth on Sundays. The greatest cleanliness prevails in the houses, equalled perhaps only by the hospital of Boston; the brethren live on one side, and the sisters on the other. They have a common eating-room, in which again each sex has its own side, but different working places. Both the brethren and the sisters live, generally, two individuals in one room, and two also sleep in the same bed. Many of the sisters, however, notwithstanding their good food, were pale and wan.

When a family wishes to join the Shakers, the relation of brother and sister, must immediately take place between husband and wife. The children are then brought up in Shaker principles. Orphans 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 heaven prevent, the world would soon be depopulated. In countries, however, with too great population, it might perhaps be of service to receive missionaries of this sect and promote proselytism.

Every family possesses a shop, where all things made by the family are laid out for sale. These articles generally consist of wooden utensils, sieves, brushes, harness, table-linen, somewhat coarse silver writing pens, very good rose water, &c. Besides, they sell books, exposing the doctrines of their sect, and containing the life of their founder, 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 garden behind the church, where they raise vegetables, principally for the sake of seed, which is said to be here of a remarkably good kind. Medicinal herbs, roots, and berries, which they cultivate very carefully in a separate garden, and which, as I heard in Albany, are of a remarkably good quality, form a principal part of their commerce.

The governor’s letter every where procured me a good reception, as they generally lead strangers about the settlement with reluctance. The few men with whom I spoke, and who accompanied me, were elderly people, and had long ago become Shakers with their parents. An old man told me, that he had been one of the first adherents of mother Ann at her arrival in America. They were very polite to me, and appear to be somewhat monkish. They showed me also their church, which they do not generally 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, as I was told, with a speech, which the congregation hear in a standing position, the sexes being again divided. Occasionally the spirit comes upon one or the other; they are so moved by the speech, that they begin to shake, and to make strange contortions. Then begin the prayers, which are sung, and during which, they dance. Every member has a spot about four feet square for jumping, and I was assured this service was done with such a zeal, that the vaulters sometimes fainted away.

We delayed too long with the Shakers to follow our plan of previously visiting Lebanon springs, and reach Albany the same day. We consequently gave up this design and returned to Albany; we were overtaken by the night, and a storm. It was so dark, that the driver could scarcely find the way; he therefore took a lantern against my advice. This was extinguished, and we were in a still worse situation. Two miles from Greenbush the driver left the road, went to the right towards a slope, and almost threw the stage entirely over; it fell on the right side, and my head 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 prevented me from calling. In about half an hour, however, the stage arrived, which the driver had raised with the help of some farmers; and he made such a terrible noise, that at last, after waiting an hour, the ferry boats came to take us to Albany. In riding through the city the jolting of the stage gave me much pain. On leaving the stage at twelve o’clock I could scarcely speak or walk on account of my side, which I had also injured two years previously, on my passage from Ostend to London, and since that time it had constantly retained a painful sensation.

The next morning I awoke with such dreadful pain in my right side, that I could scarcely move in bed. The obliging Sir Michael Clare gave me every assistance. He opened a vein in my arm, took sixteen ounces of blood, gave me a purgative, and ordered embrocations to the side, by which treatment the pain had so much abated in the afternoon, that 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 pains had not much abated, but I nevertheless resolved to proceed to New York, as I had read in the papers that the Pallas had arrived there, and as I wished to receive the attendance of Dr. Schilett. I was indeed obliged to relinquish my design of seeing Catskill Mountains, but thought of stopping at West Point to visit the military school.

At ten o’clock we embarked on board the steam-boat Richmond. The banks of the Hudson are very handsome, and here and there well cultivated. From Albany to New York it is one hundred and forty-four miles, and to West Point ninety-six. Hudson, a place twenty-seven and a half miles from Albany, which we reached at noon, 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 between the two places rendered this communication somewhat difficult at first, as vessels were obliged to make a great circuit. To avoid this inconvenience, a canal was cut through the island, through which the team-boat now passes with ease and rapidity. This place affords a very fine view of the lofty Catskill Mountains.

About eleven o’clock at night we arrived at West Point, on the right side of the Hudson, and landed at a wharf furnished with a sentry-box. An artillerist, who stood sentinel, examined us. I afterwards discovered that this rule was made on account of 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, and is designed for the mess-room of the officers and cadets. The purveyor for this table is bound by contract with government to keep several chambers with beds in order, for the reception of the relations of the cadets, and thus a kind of inn arose.

The morning after our arrival we paid an early visit to lieutenant-colonel Thayer, superintendent of the military school, and were received in a very friendly manner. He has presided over this school eight years. It was founded in 1802, during the presidency of Jefferson. Colonel Thayer has entirely remodelled this institution. During his travels in Europe he visited the French military schools, and has endeavoured 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 the purposes of instruction. They are received between the ages of fourteen and twenty, undergo an examination before they enter, and must then pass a probationary term of half a year, during which time the mathematics are chiefly studied. After six months the young men are examined on the instruction which they have received, and those only who pass this ordeal continue in the school; the others are dismissed.

Instruction is communicated gratuitously to the cadets, each of whom receives monthly eight dollars from government as wages. A public examination of the cadets takes place every year at the end of June, by a commission, appointed by the secretary of war. This commission consists of staff-officers from the army and navy, members of congress, governors of states, learned 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 have the necessary number of officers, these young men as supernumeraries, receive full pay. At the examinations also, the cadets advance from one class to another. The names of the five best in each class are made known in the newspapers, and also printed in the army list, which appears every year. This is certainly an encouraging arrangement, and worthy of imitation.

The discipline of the cadets is very rigid; they leave the school only as officers, on which account their noviciate in the corps of cadets serves as a practical school 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 punished a second time for the same fault, he is dismissed. The same takes place when after two public examinations he has not learned enough to advance into a higher class.

The day is thus divided in this school: —

From day-break till sunrise.– Reveillé at day-break – roll-call after reveillé – cleaning of rooms, arms and dress – half an hour after roll-call, inspection of the rooms.

From sunrise till seven o’clock.– First class, military engineering. – Second, natural and experimental philosophy. – Third and fourth, mathematics.

From seven till eight o’clock.– Breakfast at seven o’clock. – Parade at half past seven. – Class parade at eight o’clock.

From eight till eleven o’clock.– First class, recitations and engineer and military drawing. – Second, natural and experimental philosophy. – Third and fourth, mathematical recitations.

From eleven till twelve o’clock.– First class, lectures on engineer and military sciences. – Second, lectures on natural and experimental philosophy. – Third and fourth, mathematical studies.

From twelve till one o’clock.– First class, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, lectures on chemistry applied to mechanics and the arts, or mineralogy and geology. – Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, studies on the same subjects. – Second, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, lectures on chemistry. – Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, studies on the same subject. – Third, French recitations. – Fourth, French studies and recitations.

From one till two o’clock.– Dinner very plain and frugal at one o’clock – recreation after dinner till two o’clock.

From two till four o’clock.– First class, studies and recitations in geography, history, belles lettres and national laws. – Second, landscape and topographical drawing. – Third, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, drawing of the human figure. – Tuesday and Thursday, studies of the French language. – Fourth, French studies and recitations.

From four o’clock till sunset.– Military exercises – inspection of the dress and roll-call at sunset.

From sunset till half an hour later.– Supper immediately after parade – signal to go to the rooms immediately after the supper.

Half an hour after sunset till half past nine.– First class, studies on engineer and military sciences. – Second, studies on natural and experimental philosophy. – Third and fourth, mathematical studies.

From half past nine till ten o’clock.– Retreat beat at half past nine – roll-call immediately after – signal to extinguish the lights and inspection of the rooms at ten o’clock.

TABLE

Of the Sciences taught and the Books used at West Point.

I was surprised to learn that the young men clean their rooms and clothes themselves, as well as make their own beds: only the cleaning of shoes and boots, and carrying of wood may be done by servants. But Colonel Thayer thinks, that if too many servants were in the school, the cadets would have too great an opportunity of remaining in connexion with the world, without the knowledge of the officers. The cadets are divided in four 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 grey jacket, with three rows of yellow buttons, bound with black cords; in winter, grey, in summer, white pantaloons; white leather equipments, as worn by the army, and, for fatigue service, leather caps. The officers wear the uniform of the artillery corps, to which they belong. Notwithstanding the extraordinarily fine situation of the school, the cadets have not a healthy appearance, perhaps because they have too little recreation.

After having seen the rich private library of Colonel Thayer, he took us to the school. We met with a class which was engaged in descriptive geometry. Several cadets, who stood at the board, 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 physical lecture of Lieutenant Prescott, which, however, appeared to be elementary; he explained the principles of the doctrine of heat, and then related the theory and history of the thermometer.

The institution possesses a fine library and a collection of maps, which receives constant additions. We found several of the newest German maps. Colonel Thayer is a 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 here, also, a full-length portrait of the former president, Jefferson, by Sully, of Philadelphia, and another of the engineer, General Williams, founder of the school.

The institution possesses four principal buildings. The two largest serve as barracks for the cadets, a third contains the mess-room and inn, and the fourth the church, chemical laboratory, library, and the 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. Cyr. They have adopted the French manner of drawing plans; I saw, however, in the library, Lehmann’s work translated into English. A very fine marble bust of the Emperor Napoleon stands in the drawing-hall.

A large level space, consisting of several acres, lies in front of the buildings, forming a peninsula and commanding the navigation of the Hudson, above which it is elevated one hundred and eighty-eight feet. Towards the river it is surrounded with steep rocks, so that it would be difficult to ascend, unless by the usual way. At its junction with the main land, it is commanded by a mountain, whose summit is five hundred and ninety-six feet above the level of the river. This position called to my mind the plain below Lilienstein, in Saxony, opposite to Kœnigstein. 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 Fort Clinton, and was impregnable. To seize it, the English had recourse to bribery, and General Arnold, who commanded West Point, was on the point of delivering this position to them. This disgraceful treachery was fortunately prevented by the seizure of Major André. The tragical end of the major, and the flight of Arnold on board the English corvette Vulture, which lay at Verplank’s Point ready to receive him, are well known.

The above-mentioned Fort Clinton stood on the eastern point of the level, and was considered as a redoubt. It consisted of a crown-work of three bastions, and the redoubt which the two wings of the crown-work adjoined. The redoubt stands on the extreme point of the rock, and the remains 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. On the left side, in an oblique direction towards West Point, is another rock, not so high, and similar to a peninsula, washed by the Hudson on three sides and separated from the main land by a morass. Two redoubts stood on this rock, in order to have complete control over the river.