THE CHATEAUGAY PLATOON post #44 (Franklin Sargent and the Greek Amphitheater)

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Abenaki, Adelaide Crapsey, Aiden Lair, All Souls Day, Ausable Chasm, Ausable River, Barclay Mountain, Battle of Chateaugay, British, Brushton NY, Bull Moose, Burlington VT, Canton NY, chasm falls, Chateaugay Bridge, Chateaugay Inn, Chateaugay NY, Chateaugay River, Civil War, Clarkson University, Commemoratio omnium Fidelium Defunctorum, Couchsachraga Mountain, Dark Eyes, Dean "Lecturer" Smith, Debar Pond, Doc Stanton, Dr. Trudeau, E.R.Wallace, Epinetus Wheelwright, Ezekiel Pratt, Falling Star, Fort Jackson NY, Franklin Sargent, French, Gerrit Smith, Giulliame Pineaux, Herr Jager, High Falls, Hiram Watts, Jay Johnson, John Brown, John Brown's Body, Joshua Crimmins, Karl-Heinz Liebenmeyer, Lietenant Preserved-Fish MacAdam, Loons, MacAdam's Cabin, Malone NY, McKinley, Meneely Bell, MERRY CHRISTMAS, Micah Ferris, Military Reunion, Mission of the Transfiguration, Montreal Canada, Native Americans, North Elba NY, Ochi Chernia, Othello, Panther Mountain, plank road, Professor LaPineaux, Richard Barclay, Roosevelt, Russian Gypsy Music, Saint Regis River, Salmon River, Santanoni Range, Saranac Lake NY, Sergeant Zacharias Asher, Shakespeare, Stanislaw Koscsiusko, Strurm und Drang, Sugar Creek NY, SUNY Potsdam, Tahawus NY, The Stone Chair, Tuberculosis, US Civil War, Wanakeena, war, War of 1812

 It is always good to set the tone; so if you would please help – – – start the music.

(In a stage act it is good to call on audience participation; not so sure about this in a blog.  Your call.)

The Chateaugay Platoon get together several times a year for a haunt fest.

On nights of the full moon they gather at Sargent’s Amphitheater.

 

Of course, nothing would be complete without a old yellowing copy of a news story of how Franklin Sargent, after an unrequited love, took his own life.

Poor old Franklin Sargent; he got pushed back to page 4.

 

The platoon invited Franklin Sargent to meet them at his amphitheater on those nights of the full moon. However, his heart was still sad due to his lost love and the deteriorating Greek Stage. He told Joshua Crimmins that he was more than welcome to perform “Othello” on the stage.

Crimmins was beside himself with joy when he heard the offer.

The local young people often gather there and listen for the screams at midnight – – – mixed together with Crimmins’ recitations. But all they hear are the trees groaning under the strain of Adirondack Winds and the intermittent screams of a bobcat.

And then all is quiet until the next full moon.

Every ALL HALLOWS EVE they gather in formation and march around several different towns. The children can see them – – – however – – – the grownups have become too jaded to recognize the platoon for who they are. 

 

If you have a chance to go to Chateaugay, Malone, Brushton, Aiden Lair, Tahawus, Chasm or High Falls on the Salmon River or any other of their haunts on ALL HALLOWS EVE then please say hello to the Platoon for me.

Great bunch of fellows; even if they are only there in spirit.

THE CHATEAUGAY PLATOON post #43 (Wanakeena and the Abenaki, Hiram and The Mission)

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Abenaki, Adelaide Crapsey, Aiden Lair, All Souls Day, Ausable Chasm, Ausable River, Barclay Mountain, Battle of Chateaugay, British, Brushton NY, Bull Moose, Burlington VT, Canton NY, chasm falls, Chateaugay Bridge, Chateaugay Inn, Chateaugay NY, Chateaugay River, Civil War, Clarkson University, Commemoratio omnium Fidelium Defunctorum, Couchsachraga Mountain, Dark Eyes, Dean "Lecturer" Smith, Debar Pond, Doc Stanton, Dr. Trudeau, E.R.Wallace, Epinetus Wheelwright, Ezekiel Pratt, Falling Star, Fort Jackson NY, French, Gerrit Smith, Giulliame Pineaux, Herr Jager, High Falls, Hiram Watts, Jay Johnson, John Brown, John Brown's Body, Joshua Crimmins, Karl-Heinz Liebenmeyer, Lietenant Preserved-Fish MacAdam, Loons, MacAdam's Cabin, Malone NY, McKinley, Meneely Bell, MERRY CHRISTMAS, Micah Ferris, Military Reunion, Mission of the Transfiguration, Montreal Canada, Native Americans, North Elba NY, Ochi Chernia, Othello, Panther Mountain, plank road, Professor LaPineaux, Richard Barclay, Roosevelt, Russian Gypsy Music, Saint Regis River, Salmon River, Santanoni Range, Saranac Lake NY, Sergeant Zacharias Asher, Shakespeare, Stanislaw Koscsiusko, Strurm und Drang, Sugar Creek NY, SUNY Potsdam, Tahawus NY, The Stone Chair, Tuberculosis, US Civil War, Wanakeena, war, War of 1812

 

The Native American known as Wanakeena was asked to speak about his previous life.

 

Being a man of few words he spoke softly as he told about the history of his people; The Abenakis.

 

 

 

 

Hiram Watts had appointed himself to the position of Mystic Sexton at “Mission of the Transfiguration” near Blue Mountain Lake. So, as Sexton, he also had to give a short description of the mission to the tourists.

 

“What do you tell the tourists?” asked Lieutenant Preserved-Fish MacAdam.

 

Hiram answered;

“The Church of the Transfiguration is a historic Episcopal church located at Blue Mountain Lake in Hamilton County, New York. It is a small, one story, gable roofed structure with a central belfry at the west end. The building is constructed of barked spruce logs, mitered at the corners, and set upon a high foundation of random fieldstone. The church features Tiffany glass windows and a Meneely bell donated by Mrs. Levi P. Morton wife of future Vice-President under Benjamin Harrison.”

He continued on;

“It was designed by Manley N. Cutter and built by Thomas Wallace.”

    

 

Then he continued “It hasn’t changed much.”

“What is a Meneely Bell?” asked the Sargeant.

Hiram had the answer folded up in an old print of “Machine and Builder” magazine which he removed from his jacket.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And with Hiram’s little speech the reunion ended.

But the reunion was not the last time that the Chateaugay Platoon ever got together.

THE CHATEAUGAY PLATOON post #42 (Liebenmeyer Sings and Barclay Mimes)

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Adelaide Crapsey, Aiden Lair, All Souls Day, Ausable Chasm, Ausable River, Barclay Mountain, Battle of Chateaugay, British, Brushton NY, Bull Moose, Burlington VT, Canton NY, chasm falls, Chateaugay Bridge, Chateaugay Inn, Chateaugay NY, Chateaugay River, Civil War, Clarkson University, Commemoratio omnium Fidelium Defunctorum, Couchsachraga Mountain, Dark Eyes, Dean "Lecturer" Smith, Debar Pond, Doc Stanton, Dr. Trudeau, E.R.Wallace, Epinetus Wheelwright, Ezekiel Pratt, Fort Jackson NY, French, Gerrit Smith, Giulliame Pineaux, Herr Jager, High Falls, Hiram Watts, Jay Johnson, John Brown, John Brown's Body, Joshua Crimmins, Karl-Heinz Liebenmeyer, Lietenant Preserved-Fish MacAdam, Loons, MacAdam's Cabin, Malone NY, McKinley, MERRY CHRISTMAS, Micah Ferris, Military Reunion, Mission of the Transfiguration, Montreal Canada, Native Americans, North Elba NY, Ochi Chernia, Othello, Panther Mountain, plank road, Professor LaPineaux, Richard Barclay, Roosevelt, Russian Gypsy Music, Saint Regis River, Salmon River, Santanoni Range, Saranac Lake NY, Sergeant Zacharias Asher, Shakespeare, Stanislaw Koscsiusko, Strurm und Drang, Sugar Creek NY, SUNY Potsdam, Tahawus NY, The Stone Chair, Tuberculosis, US Civil War, Wanakeena, war, War of 1812

And so Karl-Heinz, being asked by his fellow soldiers, belted out a Sturm and Drang for them – – –

 

 

Richard Barclay, if you remember correctly, was from a fairly rich family. His father owned coal mines in Pennsylvania. Therefore, he only had to silently think about what he knew.

Since all the souls can read each others minds (yes, it will happen to you also) this is what was transmitted to the other dead souls in the room.

 

 

Then the Native American known as Wanakeena was asked to speak about his previous life.

 

THE CHATEAUGAY PLATOON post #41 (Stanislaw Kosciusko at the Piano)

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Adelaide Crapsey, Aiden Lair, All Souls Day, Ausable Chasm, Ausable River, Battle of Chateaugay, British, Brushton NY, Bull Moose, Burlington VT, Canton NY, chasm falls, Chateaugay Bridge, Chateaugay Inn, Chateaugay NY, Chateaugay River, Civil War, Clarkson University, Commemoratio omnium Fidelium Defunctorum, Couchsachraga Mountain, Dark Eyes, Dean "Lecturer" Smith, Debar Pond, Doc Stanton, Dr. Trudeau, E.R.Wallace, Epinetus Wheelwright, Ezekiel Pratt, Fort Jackson NY, French, Gerrit Smith, Giulliame Pineaux, Herr Jager, High Falls, Hiram Watts, Jay Johnson, John Brown, John Brown's Body, Joshua Crimmins, Karl-Heinz Liebenmeyer, Lietenant Preserved-Fish MacAdam, Loons, MacAdam's Cabin, Malone NY, McKinley, MERRY CHRISTMAS, Micah Ferris, Military Reunion, Mission of the Transfiguration, Montreal Canada, Native Americans, North Elba NY, Ochi Chernia, Othello, Panther Mountain, plank road, Professor LaPineaux, Richard Barclay, Roosevelt, Russian Gypsy Music, Saint Regis River, Salmon River, Santanoni Range, Saranac Lake NY, Sergeant Zacharias Asher, Shakespeare, Stanislaw Koscsiusko, Strurm und Drang, Sugar Creek NY, SUNY Potsdam, Tahawus NY, The Stone Chair, Tuberculosis, US Civil War, Wanakeena, war, War of 1812

Stanislaw Koscsiusko had been requested to sing a song from his home country.

 He had to oblige his other platoon members.

Stanislaw walked over to an old piano that had been sitting idle for years. He removed his cap and used it to remove the dust from the keyboard cover.

He replaced his cap upon his head and tested the foot treadles. They worked; or at least they appeared to be connected to the other parts of the piano.

Lifting the cover up with his left hand he hit a few keys with his right. He smiled at his buddies as if to give the OK that the piano was still working fine.

And he sang this one for them.

 

 

 

“What does it mean?” asked Epinetus.

Stanislaw replied;

Oh, these gorgeous eyes, dark and glorious eyes,

 Burn-with-passion eyes, how you hypnotise!

How I adore you so, how I fear you though,

 Since I saw you glow! Now my spirit’s low!

Darkness yours conceal mighty fires real;

They my fate will seal: burn my soul with zeal!

But my love for you, when the time is due,

Will refresh anew like the morning dew!

No, not sad am I, nor so mad am I;

All my comforts lie in my destiny.

Just to realise my life’s worthiest prize

Did I sacrifice for those ardent eyes!.

Oh, these gorgeous eyes, dark and glorious eyes,

Burn-with-passion eyes, how you hypnotise!

How I adore you so, how I fear you though,

Since I saw you glow! Now my spirit’s low!

 

Everyone arose to their feet, cheered and clapped. Well, all except for Barclay who kept on hollering Bravo!  Bravo!   Bravo!  – – – until he realized that the others were looking at him a little strangely.

Karl-Heinz Liebenmeyer, not to be outdone, like his old corpulent self, jumped up on a table and asked if anyone in the group had ever heard of Sturm und Drang.

They had not.

 

 

THE CHATEAUGAY PLATOON post #40 (Crimmins Talks and the Pineauxs Sing )

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Adelaide Crapsey, Aiden Lair, All Souls Day, Ausable Chasm, Ausable River, Battle of Chateaugay, British, Brushton NY, Bull Moose, Burlington VT, Canton NY, chasm falls, Chateaugay Bridge, Chateaugay Inn, Chateaugay NY, Chateaugay River, Civil War, Clarkson University, Commemoratio omnium Fidelium Defunctorum, Couchsachraga Mountain, Dean "Lecturer" Smith, Debar Pond, Doc Stanton, Dr. Trudeau, E.R.Wallace, Epinetus Wheelwright, Ezekiel Pratt, Fort Jackson NY, French, Gerrit Smith, Giulliame Pineaux, Herr Jager, High Falls, Hiram Watts, Jay Johnson, John Brown, John Brown's Body, Joshua Crimmins, Karl-Heinz Liebenmeyer, Lietenant Preserved-Fish MacAdam, Loons, MacAdam's Cabin, Malone NY, McKinley, MERRY CHRISTMAS, Micah Ferris, Military Reunion, Mission of the Transfiguration, Montreal Canada, Native Americans, North Elba NY, Othello, Panther Mountain, plank road, Professor LaPineaux, Richard Barclay, Roosevelt, Saint Regis River, Salmon River, Santanoni Range, Saranac Lake NY, Sergeant Zacharias Asher, Shakespeare, Stanislaw Koscsiusko, Sugar Creek NY, SUNY Potsdam, Tahawus NY, The Stone Chair, Tuberculosis, US Civil War, Wanakeena, war, War of 1812

Joshua Crimmins took to the platform, as he always had.

The attendees of the meeting shouted in unison “Sit Down, sit down, we have had enough of The Inn at Chateaugay and the words of Othello.”

Joshua surprised them by stating “What a glorious bridge has been built across the Chateaugay Chasm.” He then described how it almost floated high above the river and defined the structure while using his fingers, hands, and arms as points of clarification.

“Two trapezoids, one on each end, joined in the air by five upright rectangular boxes, the entire thing held together only by rivets and cables. The floor made of three inch thick hemlock planks. Each end barely meeting the chasm edges to the east and the west.”

They didn’t believe him until he unrolled a scroll with the rendering of the new bridge.

 

 

 

Giulliame Pineaux brought his nephew to the reunion. The others were convinced that both of them were a “little off.” And then the Pineaux’ duo proved them right with the following rendition.

 

 

Those at the reunion had enough of their silliness and asked Stanislaw Koscsiusko what he had been doing. Stanislaw said only that he had been scaring tourists at High Falls near the Barnesville road.

“That’s it?” asked Lieutenant MacAdam with an incredulous tone.

Koscsiusko replied “Well sometimes when I get tired of my shouting match with the falls I sing some songs from the old country.

“Sing one, sing one” the members all shouted.

 

 

THE CHATEAUGAY PLATOON post #39 (Epinetus Wheelwright and Doc Stanton at the Reunion)

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Adelaide Crapsey, Aiden Lair, All Souls Day, Ausable Chasm, Ausable River, Battle of Chateaugay, British, Brushton NY, Bull Moose, Burlington VT, Canton NY, chasm falls, Chateaugay Inn, Chateaugay NY, Chateaugay River, Civil War, Clarkson University, Commemoratio omnium Fidelium Defunctorum, Couchsachraga Mountain, Dean "Lecturer" Smith, Debar Pond, Doc Stanton, Dr. Trudeau, E.R.Wallace, Epinetus Wheelwright, Ezekiel Pratt, Fort Jackson NY, French, Gerrit Smith, Giulliame Pineaux, Herr Jager, High Falls, Hiram Watts, Jay Johnson, John Brown, John Brown's Body, Joshua Crimmins, Karl-Heinz Liebenmeyer, Lietenant Preserved-Fish MacAdam, Loons, MacAdam's Cabin, Malone NY, McKinley, MERRY CHRISTMAS, Micah Ferris, Military Reunion, Mission of the Transfiguration, Montreal Canada, Native Americans, North Elba NY, Othello, Panther Mountain, plank road, Professor LaPineaux, Richard Barclay, Roosevelt, Saint Regis River, Salmon River, Santanoni Range, Saranac Lake NY, Sergeant Zacharias Asher, Shakespeare, Stanislaw Koscsiusko, Sugar Creek NY, SUNY Potsdam, Tahawus NY, The Stone Chair, Tuberculosis, US Civil War, Wanakeena, war, War of 1812

Someone mentioned what a great time they had at the Christmas party. They all agreed and toasted “TO CHRISTMAS!” Epinetus Wheelwright went over to his horse, reached into his saddlebag and pulled out the lithographed greeting that he had saved.

 

 

The platoon had a few more drinks and then it was Doc Stanton’s turn to tell everyone where he had been haunting. Doc got all choked up and said that his haunting home couldn’t possibly compete with Adelaide Crapsey’s poem about the dead. So, as tears rolled down his cheek, he simply recited a few key phrases about Adelaide’s fears of death.

 

How can you lie so still? All day I watch

And never a blade of all the green sod moves

To show where restlessly you toss and turn,

And fling a desperate arm or draw up knees

Stiffened and aching from their long disuse;

I watch all night and not one ghost comes forth

To take its freedom of the midnight hour.

Oh, have you no rebellion in your bones?

 

And if the many sayings of the wise

Teach of submission I will not submit

But with a spirit all unreconciled

Flash an unquenched defiance to the stars.

 

I’ll not be patient. I will not lie still.

 

All fifteen members of the platoon became silent. Not a word was heard from any of those departed platoon members. Some thought “What a fighter she was” while others were a bit embarrassed that they had given up so easily – – – to a quick and almost painless bullet wound – – – while she endured a slow death over several years.

 

The mood was broken by Epinetus Wheelwright when he accidentally dropped his wheel-spoke shaver and workpiece on the wooden floor.

Personally, I think he did it on purpose because he could not stand to see those fourteen ghosts weeping.

 

All eyes turned to Epinetus. They were searching for what he had to say. For Epinetus never spoke unless he had something quite important to say. This time he failed them; he only asked that if anyone had carpenter skills he sure could use them. His current haunt in Aiden Lair was falling apart.

 

 

They all said that they would pitch in. Some had skills at cutting cedar shingles, others had observed the wood mill operations and thought they could make some siding, others had watched the glass windows being installed in various missions and churches.

Epinetus was elated.

And then they all started jabbering and talking  nervously – – – glad to have gotten past the sad Adelaide Crapsey moment and on to more manly-man discussions.

A voice from the crowd asked “Who’s next? Who is going to speak next?

 

THE CHATEAUGAY PLATOON post #38 (The Military Reunion Continues)

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Adelaide Crapsey, Aiden Lair, All Souls Day, Ausable Chasm, Ausable River, Battle of Chateaugay, British, Brushton NY, Bull Moose, Burlington VT, Canton NY, chasm falls, Chateaugay Inn, Chateaugay NY, Chateaugay River, Civil War, Clarkson University, Commemoratio omnium Fidelium Defunctorum, Couchsachraga Mountain, Dean "Lecturer" Smith, Debar Pond, Doc Stanton, Dr. Trudeau, E.R.Wallace, Epinetus Wheelwright, Ezekiel Pratt, Fort Jackson NY, French, Gerrit Smith, Giulliame Pineaux, Herr Jager, High Falls, Hiram Watts, Jay Johnson, John Brown, John Brown's Body, Joshua Crimmins, Karl-Heinz Liebenmeyer, Lietenant Preserved-Fish MacAdam, Loons, MacAdam's Cabin, Malone NY, McKinley, MERRY CHRISTMAS, Micah Ferris, Military Reunion, Mission of the Transfiguration, Montreal Canada, Native Americans, North Elba NY, Othello, Panther Mountain, plank road, Professor LaPineaux, Richard Barclay, Roosevelt, Saint Regis River, Salmon River, Santanoni Range, Saranac Lake NY, Sergeant Zacharias Asher, Shakespeare, Stanislaw Koscsiusko, Sugar Creek NY, SUNY Potsdam, Tahawus NY, The Stone Chair, Tuberculosis, US Civil War, Wanakeena, war, War of 1812

 When everyone was inside the reunion hall Ezekial Pratt was already on the stage platform.

Ezekiel asked the previous three presenters if any of them has a pretty wife that helps them haunt.

 

Ashamedly, and looking at their feet, the Lieutenant, the Sergeant and the plow-share manufacturer responded “No.”

 

Zeke was prouder than a peacock proudly presenting his plumage while pursuing his peahen for purposes of personal yet prurient interest. He pulled a picture from his pants to present a photo of his spouses’ personage.

(Pardon the presumptuous pattern)

 

 

The other fourteen members of the Chateaugay Platoon moaned in unison.

Lecturer Smith decided that now was the time to spring an image of his new-found university on the other members of the platoon. He has hidden the rendering of his university under a bees-waxed water proof  coat made of canvas. The others thought that he had brought the cloak in case of rain; but no, he had brought it so that he could surprise everyone with his pride and joy.

 

 

There were ooo’s and ahhh’s once the rendering of the university was revealed. They all thought that Lecturer was full of haggis but once they saw his accomplishment they became believers.

 

Jay Johnson and John Brown showed up together. The other members were not pleased that an outsider was allowed in their re-union. Especially because they thought John Brown may have caused 600,000 deaths of Union and Rebel Civil War platoon members. Jay Johnson explained that those deaths were due to fate and not to John Brown. They finally accepted it, took a vote, and allowed John Brown to remain at the re-union. After all, he had been hung by the neck for what he had done. It was all water over the dam or under the bridge or spilt milk.

The bell could not be un-rung and the civil war could not be un-done.

John Brown then showed them a picture of the home he once lived in. He had been renting it from Gerrit Smith; the financier of John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry Arsenal.

It was not the mansion that they expected.

 

  

 

THE CHATEAUGAY PLATOON post #37 (A Military Reunion)

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Adelaide Crapsey, Aiden Lair, All Souls Day, Ausable Chasm, Ausable River, Battle of Chateaugay, British, Brushton NY, Bull Moose, Burlington VT, Canton NY, chasm falls, Chateaugay Inn, Chateaugay NY, Chateaugay River, Clarkson University, Commemoratio omnium Fidelium Defunctorum, Couchsachraga Mountain, Dean "Lecturer" Smith, Debar Pond, Doc Stanton, Dr. Trudeau, E.R.Wallace, Epinetus Wheelwright, Ezekiel Pratt, Fort Jackson NY, French, Giulliame Pineaux, Herr Jager, High Falls, Hiram Watts, Jay Johnson, John Brown, John Brown's Body, Joshua Crimmins, Karl-Heinz Liebenmeyer, Lietenant Preserved-Fish MacAdam, Loons, MacAdam's Cabin, Malone NY, McKinley, MERRY CHRISTMAS, Micah Ferris, Military Reunion, Mission of the Transfiguration, Montreal Canada, Native Americans, North Elba NY, Othello, Panther Mountain, plank road, Professor LaPineaux, Richard Barclay, Roosevelt, Saint Regis River, Salmon River, Santanoni Range, Saranac Lake NY, Sergeant Zacharias Asher, Shakespeare, Stanislaw Koscsiusko, Sugar Creek NY, SUNY Potsdam, Tahawus NY, The Stone Chair, Tuberculosis, US Civil War, Wanakeena, war, War of 1812

There is often, a gathering of the clan; brothers who served their country and died as a result of it. Such are the brothers who then became members of the Chateaugay Platoon; brothers who did not have a proper burial.

What else could we expect of the souls and spirits but to wander around the Adirondack Mountains only to eventually settle into their own particular abodes or favorite places. But they had no one to boast to about their haunting places.

So they gathered together for a reunion and bragged to each other about where they lived and haunted.

Lieutenant Preserved –Fish MacAdam told about the beautiful house he had built in the Adirondack Mountains. He told everyone about the fresh mountain air that blew through his windows and the architectural style.

Preserved-Fish MacAdam said “It is so marvelous that tourists dropped by every day to take photos.”

 

 

Sergeant Zacharias Asher; not to be outdone, claims that the only reason people visit the Lieutenant’s mansion is because they wish to see where the Sergeant roams in this small valley; which is just “a hoot and a holler” up the trail and on the other side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course, according to Micah Ferris, neither of these two abodes compare to his combination living quarters and plow-share manufacturing building.

Ferris related “The walls are made of large stone that holds out the weather. And I have beautiful trees outside and an indoor garden that yields fresh air every day.”

It was only then when I noticed that Johua Crimmins and Ezekial Pratt were not at the gathering; so I asked Doc Stanton if they were coming.

Doc said “Sure; they are here already. I think they may have stepped outside for a ‘little sip.’ You know how Hiram Watt’s gets – – – now that he is a member of the congregation. Very forceful about his views on temperance.”

So I went outside and told them that the lieutenant, the sergeant and the plowshare maker were inside bragging about how big or beautiful or industrious their homes and businesses were.

They put the cork in their flasks, hid the flasks inside their jackets, and hurried back inside. 

 

THE CHATEAUGAY PLATOON post #36 (Hiram Watts Appointed Himself as Mystic Sexton )

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Adelaide Crapsey, Aiden Lair, All Souls Day, Ausable Chasm, Ausable River, Battle of Chateaugay, British, Brushton NY, Bull Moose, Burlington VT, Canton NY, chasm falls, Chateaugay Inn, Chateaugay NY, Chateaugay River, Clarkson University, Commemoratio omnium Fidelium Defunctorum, Couchsachraga Mountain, Dean "Lecturer" Smith, Debar Pond, Doc Stanton, Dr. Trudeau, E.R.Wallace, Epinetus Wheelwright, Ezekiel Pratt, Fort Jackson NY, French, Giulliame Pineaux, Herr Jager, High Falls, Hiram Watts, Jay Johnson, John Brown, John Brown's Body, Joshua Crimmins, Karl-Heinz Liebenmeyer, Lietenant Preserved-Fish MacAdam, Loons, MacAdam's Cabin, Malone NY, McKinley, MERRY CHRISTMAS, Micah Ferris, Mission of the Transfiguration, Montreal Canada, Native Americans, North Elba NY, Othello, Panther Mountain, plank road, Professor LaPineaux, Richard Barclay, Roosevelt, Saint Regis River, Salmon River, Santanoni Range, Saranac Lake NY, Sergeant Zacharias Asher, Shakespeare, Stanislaw Koscsiusko, Sugar Creek NY, SUNY Potsdam, Tahawus NY, The Stone Chair, Tuberculosis, US Civil War, Wanakeena, war, War of 1812

Hiram Watts’ soul was somewhat different than that of his fourteen platoon brothers. He didn’t have the musical talent of Ezekial Pratt, the command presence of Karl-Heinz Liebenmeyer or those talents of people like Joshua Crimmins’ thespian skills – – – or Epinetus Wheelwright’s carpenter skills.

Therefore Hiram didn’t have the basic skills for anything except being jovial. So haunting was out of the question.

Hiram appointed himself to the position of Mystic Sexton at “Mission of the Transfiguration” near Blue Mountain Lake.

 

Hiram’s tasks included caretaker of the church and its contents and graveyard, and often also as bell-ringer, gravedigger, and so on and so forth.

He liked the name because he considered himself as now being transfigured; which was very accurate and insightful. Most of us can’t see ourselves for who we really are. Hiram, on the other hand, could see himself for who he wasn’t.

Hiram’s good nature and lack of haunting ability fit very well with the congregation’s squeamishness about ghosts of the forest. Hiram didn’t bother them by making strange sounds. On the other hand if any of the laity caught a glimpse of Horace they surely were not about to tell the other members.

It was hard enough getting the flock together – – – let alone losing any of that number due to ghostly manifestations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hiram Watts was the last Chateaugay Platoon member to find a haunting place.

However, it stands to reason that these 15 ghosts are not about to stay in one particular location.

Like all good members of a military unit they had to have ghostly reunions.

And that is where we will find them – – – tune in tomorrow and don’t turn that dial.

 

Sleep tight!

  

 

THE CHATEAUGAY PLATOON post #35 (Wanakeena Had Not Yet Found His Haunt)

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Adelaide Crapsey, Aiden Lair, All Souls Day, Ausable Chasm, Ausable River, Battle of Chateaugay, British, Brushton NY, Bull Moose, Burlington VT, Canton NY, chasm falls, Chateaugay Inn, Chateaugay NY, Chateaugay River, Clarkson University, Commemoratio omnium Fidelium Defunctorum, Couchsachraga Mountain, Dean "Lecturer" Smith, Debar Pond, Doc Stanton, Dr. Trudeau, Epinetus Wheelwright, Ezekiel Pratt, Fort Jackson NY, French, Giulliame Pineaux, Herr Jager, High Falls, Hiram Watts, Jay Johnson, John Brown, John Brown's Body, Joshua Crimmins, Karl-Heinz Liebenmeyer, Lietenant Preserved-Fish MacAdam, Loons, MacAdam's Cabin, Malone NY, McKinley, MERRY CHRISTMAS, Micah Ferris, Montreal Canada, Native Americans, North Elba NY, Othello, Panther Mountain, plank road, Professor LaPineaux, Richard Barclay, Roosevelt, Saint Regis River, Salmon River, Santanoni Range, Saranac Lake NY, Sergeant Zacharias Asher, Shakespeare, Stanislaw Koscsiusko, Sugar Creek NY, SUNY Potsdam, Tahawus NY, The Stone Chair, Tuberculosis, US Civil War, Wanakeena, war, War of 1812

 

As a member of the Abenaki tribe he could have easily claimed the same area as Barclay.

 

But he never seemed to see eye to eye with Barclay so Wanakeena avoided Tahawus and selected another area.

 

 

Some people have encountered the soul of Wanakeena but others can only see a rendering of him. What I am trying to say is that my mind can see the soul of my Native-American friend many times. In fact it has. But now other people can see my friend’s picture by simply opening a book; “The Book of Wallace” aka  “Wallace’s Guide to the Adirondacks.”

 

 

In these times it is getting difficult to determine what is real and what only exists in the mind.

One day I saw the hazy figure of a soul walking southward along a deer trail. I am not sure if he saw me or was just ignoring me. I could not imagine how he could ignore me as there were not many people to run across in these woods.

He reached the small stream beneath the hemlock, knelt down and took a long cold drink. It was a humid day and his back was covered with hemlock needles that were stuck to the sweat.

As he stood up I greeted him from across the river. He did not speak for some time. He just stared at me.

He finally told me he had been a member of the Abenaki people; when he was alive. We enjoyed each other’s company for some time and he then went on his way.

I always expected to see the soul of Wanakeena along that stream again but I never did. However, I have recalled his image many times.

Others claim to see him from time to time. Wanakeena never appears out in the open. He prefers to walk beneath the shadows of the great hemlocks; those that grow on the large rivers of the Adirondacks.

Others just open Wallace’s book to find him.

It is getting difficult to determine what is real and what only exists in the mind.