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)

Tags

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 )

Tags

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.