Commissioners in Charge of the Remains of the Ancient Fortifications at Pemaquid

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Maine State LibraryMaine State DocumentsGovernor's Documents Governor1902Report of the Commissioners in Charge of theRemains of the Ancient Fortifications at PemaquidCommissioners in Charge of the Remains of the Ancient Fortifications at PemaquidFollow this and additional works at: http://digitalmaine.com/ogvn_docsThis Text is brought to you for free and open access by the Governor at Maine State Documents. It has been accepted for inclusion in Governor'sDocuments by an authorized administrator of Maine State Documents. For more information, please contact statedocs@maine.gov.Recommended CitationCommissioners in Charge of the Remains of the Ancient Fortifications at Pemaquid, "Report of the Commissioners in Charge of theRemains of the Ancient Fortifications at Pemaquid" (1902). Governor's Documents. Paper 27.http://digitalmaine.com/ogvn_docs/27REPORTO F  T H ECOMMISSIONERS IN  CHARGE OF THE REMAINSO F  T H EANCIENT FORTIFICATIONSAT PEMAQUID/ ' J* Or £ ^  .2_ *Jhes3 U/ie. f J ' p/Hn'Sd 'yve^ s- Jo-e-t/f ^  Cs U- (// <J'6p o t£ ^ n t* i£ '. r\ £> .( jj  OO 1S& ?*" h/Ousr C/&-4L/lsi*G&’ CJtt&. t fr'U//-£ oyic-d^ Jl' /uAq^ Kjf }<-' u-*-C-lA/ &tu) 0-ir*-&r l/i-C- i j  joro jjeoC i a. Jio-w-e yyOrt/l&J'&' <ttij & u/-cdc^  '’tO'i*-d&'^ fi'YYUor,jf 'jf/ieJ&rt aJ d ^  HLcdie. Jy e.r: dv-(foirY a^QuJ-ewf:.li/ty itB J He Profitat it ncr^ fVyAt) Ga itijbu**<1heSiM*n*4 of HP^ t^6y/u ii ,>1%■p uMrNew Steamer Wharf Begun1899 Completed 1893i m - wFORT WM. HENRY. BUILT I692 BY_______  ^  ^ SIR WH.PHIP5. DESTROYED 1 6 9 6LAND FORCE of INDIANS under CAS TIN E andTHREE FRENCH MEN-of-WAR. in command of De  IBERVILLE.THIS DRAWING WAS MADE FROM A PLAN PROCURED IN ENGLAND B Y  JAMES P.BAXTER , OF PORTLAND. M£. THE ORIGINAL EXECUTED BY COL.ROMER A  DISTINGUISHED ENGINEER FOR GOV. DUDLEY in 1699RED RAW N  BY E.J. Plan ter , BATH , M E 1900.%-f.xl t-i d && id"REPORTOF THFCOMMISSIONERS IN CHARGE OF THE REMAINSOF T H EANCIENT FORTIFICATIONSAT PEMAQUIDA U G U STAKFNNFBFC JOURNAL PRINT IQ02R E P O R T .To the Honorable John Fremont Hill, Governor of Maine:The undersigned, commissioners charged with the care of the remains of the ancient fortifications at Pemaquid recently con­veyed to the State by the Pemaquid Monument Association, respectfully report their action and recommendations on the matters entrusted to them.DESCRIPTION OP T H E PROPERTY.We found the property thus conveyed to include the site of the two forts last built on the commanding eminence which forms the southeastern shore of the narrow entrance to Pemaquid har­bor, in the town of Bristol. It embraces the ruins of the walls, bastions and towers, and the relics of military occupation lying about them much as they have lain since the last destruction of the fort during the war of the Revolution, and still for the most part covered with earth and overgrown with grass.HISTORIC IM PORTANCE OF T H IS POSITION.It is well known that this was a gathering place for voyagers, fishermen and temporary sojourners from the later years of the sixteenth century. The remnants of a well populated and well- built town with paved streets now quite below the surface of the present cultivated soil,—the date of which establishment has not yet been discovered,— show that this was also in very early times occupied with intention of permanence. The continuous or ever-renewed establishment of fortifications commanding this harbor, evidences the importance of the position in the long struggle to determine whether France or England should dom­inate these shores. Not to refer more particularly to the ruins still conspicuous a little distance above the site now under con­4 ANCIENT FORTIFICATIONS.sideration, which are believed to be relics of Spanish occupation here, it is of interest to mention in order the several structures once occupying the ground now taken in trust by the State, which was held as the most eastern English outpost, as Castine was the most western French stronghold, in this long contention.1625. A  blockhouse, or stockade, for protection especially against marauders of several nations infesting this coast.1677. This was replaced by a regular military work, named Fort Charles, built by Sir Edmund Andros, governor of New York, including then Pemaquid, for a rendezvous and defence from hostile parties of all kinds. This was destroyed by Indians in 1689.1692. Fort William Henry, an extensive and well-equipped fort, built by Sir William Phipps, a Maine-born man, and first native royal governor of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, including both Plymouth and a large portion of southwestern Maine. This fort is described in full by the celebrated Cotton Mather. He says it was 737 feet in compass; the wall on the sea-front, twenty-two feet high, and more than six feet thick; the walls on the other sides, from eighteen to ten or twelve feet high. The round tower at the northwest angle, twenty-nine feet high. The fort had twenty-two ports, and fourteen guns mounted, whereof six were eighteen pounders, with a garrison of at least sixty men. But in 1696 this fine fort was taken and destroyed by a combined force, the French fleet commanded by the distinguished Sieur D’Iberville, (who afterwards per­formed such exploits on the Mississippi and Mobile,) and the land force of French and Indians commanded by the Baron De Castine. Shot from this bombardment are still found in the buried ruins of the fort.1729. The government thought it necessary to rebuild the fort, and proceeded apparently on the same lines as those of the former. This was named Fort Frederic. It stood as the fron­tier post of the English, serving good uses although somewhat neglected by the government, until in 1759, Wolfe on the Plains of Abraham before Quebec settled the fate of France on these shores, and Fort Frederic was no longer needed as an advanced guard between the nations. From that time it stood, reminder of great things but itself forgotten, until in 1776 our own people, unable to defend it against the power of the English, themselvesANCIENT FORTIFICATIONS.destroyed it. The ruins we find there now have had part in the eventful and tragic history of this region for 150 years; and the grasses and herbs from the old world springing up in the cran­nies around the crumbled tower, tell of the life which overpasses that of man.We submit herewith an interesting plan of the fort, (William Henry), destroyed by D’Iberville, with a tracing on the same sheet of a more extensive and elaborate fort proposed to replace this in 1699. It purports to be made for Governor Dudley by Colonel Romer, a distinguished engineer of that time. This was procured ifrom the archives of England by the Hon. James P. Baxter of Portland. The proposed plan was not followed in Fort Frederic, but the former lines were built upon, except that we have recently discovered that the southeast angle laid down on the plan of the old fort as what appears to be a gun-platform, was, as the foundations reveal, a bastion-shape instead, giving a flank fire of musketry along both curtains of the wall-face. We have here also a profile of the ruins at that time. The sketch of the castle and front wall given on this sheet is not so authentic; but drawn in accordance with the verbal description and the military architecture of that time. We submit also an interest­ing paper addressed to the commission by the Hon. R. K. Sewall.WORK OF PRESERVATION PREVIOUSLY DONE.Your commission found on their first inspection that much good work and care had been given to the preservation of these relics. By the generosity of the former owners of the land, the patriotic and appreciative spirit of citizens of Bristol and vicinity and especially of the Pemaauid Monument Association, many valuable objects of interest had been collected,—military utensils, shot, fragments of shell, pieces of arms and small cannon,—and many curious relics of the active life of early times,—and guarded in some small buildings thrown up just outside the ruins of the walls and castle. Especial mention should be made of the service of Mr. J. H. Cartland, who has given untiring and unpaid labor and care to the preservation of these valuable memorials. Quite recently the citizens had uncovered a considerable extent of the foundation of the front wall, showing the substantial and skilful work bestowed on the construction of Fort William Henry, of which this is doubtless the original foundation.6 ANCIENT FORTIFICATIONS.W H A T H A S BEEN  DONE SIN C E A PPO IN TM EN T OE COMMISSION.Iii passing to what has been done since your commission took charge, grateful acknowledgment must be made of the inestima­ble assistance rendered by the Hon. John N. Drummond of Bristol. He had already at his own charge ascertained and marked suitably for guidance of interested visitors many prom­inent points of these fortifications. With the approval of your commission he has since, at very considerable expense, uncovered from the heaps of ruins the entire wall of the fort, disclosing the original foundations of Fort William Henry, which are found to agree very nearly with those shown in the plan submitted here­with. What is of even more interest, he has rebuilt, upon the foundations before disclosed, and from the original materials lying around and above, the entire front wall facing the sea, carrying this to a height within two feet of the original port­holes. This work has been done in the most substantial manner, capable of sustaining a complete superstructure perfectly corres­ponding to the original. In doing this, interesting discoveries have been made about the ruins of the “ round tower,” or castle, at the northwestern end of this front wall, and the strongest fortified angle of the fort. A  temporary building has been thrown up here for the preservation not only of valuable relics discovered, but of the very materials of the tower itself. Access to this is now guarded and regulated. Mr. Cartland has been continued in immediate charge, and his service is of great value to the furtherance of our object.What has been done already has attracted much notice from visitors, and wonder has been expressed by those from without our State who are familiar with the history of the great conten­tion for national supremacy here, that Maine has so long allowed these significant, though long buried memorials to remain undeveloped.Sufficient has been shown to render it, in the opinion of your commission, of real importance for the honor and interest of the State, that it should proceed with the undertaking it has now in charge, and take further measures to preserve and to some extent restore this notable monument of a valiant and costly struggle to hold New England for Englishmen, and their no less worthy successors ; and which also marks the place and part of Maine in this crisis of national history.ANCIENT FORTIFICATIONS. *7RECOMMENDATIONS.Your commission is of opinion that it is desirable to raise upon the old foundations now disclosed, and around the whole extent of the fort, a wall of stone from the ruins at hand, to the level perhaps of the recently raised front wall, but at least sufficient to mark and protect the original enclosure, now the property of the State.We also think it would be very useful and in many ways effec­tive to rebuild the walls of the castle, or flanking tower, around the “ Rock of Pemaquid,’’ where the recent restoration now ends, to a height at least that of the restored front wall. This would afford a room for the preservation and exhibition of the many curious and valuable relics from time to time gathered, as well as the relevant and authenticated papers, plans, pictures and portraits already collected and in charge of the local custodian.Your commissioners have not permitted themselves to be dis­couraged by the fact that no funds whatever were provided by the State to aid them in a single movement in the execution of their trust. We do now, however, recommend that the State make an appropriation sufficient properly to preserve and care for these valuable memorials; which amount in our judgment should not be less than twenty-five hundred dollars. This is insignificant in comparison with what has been appropriated by other states for the preservation of memorials and erection of monuments within their borders, some of which have less vital connection with past or present interests than these of ours.Respectfully submitted,JO H N  M A R SH A L L  BROW N, JO SH U A  L. C H A M BER LA IN ,JO H N  M. GLID D EN,Commissioners.P o r t l a n d , December 13, 1902.8 ANCIENT FORTIFICATIONS.M EM O R IA L SU B M IT T E D  B Y  HON. R. K. SE W A L L, W ISC A SSE T , LIN C O LN  C O U N T Y; V IC E -P R E S I­D EN T  O F M A IN E H IST O R IC A L  S O C IE T Y ; M EM ­B E R  O F LIN C O LN  CO U N TY H IST O R IC A L  SO C IET Y , ETC., ETC.To Gent John Marshall Brown, Gen'l Joshua L. Chamberlain, Col. John M. Glidden, Commissioners.S irs  : The undersigned, representing himself and many othercitizens of Lincoln county, respectfully represents:That our said county embraces many relics of the earliest attempts at occupation by the English races in what is now New England. To enumerate facts, we haveF irst: Marked remains and relics of Spanish occupation, v iz :A  venerable ruin on Pemaquid river, uncovered and sketched on the spot in 1869, for the inspection and study of a committee of the Maine Historical Society in a field day service among the ruins of Pemaquid; block of shell-rock, like the material of the quarries of Annastatia island, of which the military defences of the old Spanish city of St. Augustine, Florida, are built, which blocks were dug out of the foundations of like military ruins at Pemaquid; also a remarkable sword-shaped weapon, with a knife-handle, in shape, size and make-up, an ancient Spanish “ machete,”  with other relics of Spanish use. Dr. Kohl, in his early cartography of the coast of Maine, has discovered the fact that the coveted Spanish “ Tierre tde los Bacalaos” dis­covered by the Spanish Admiral, Estevan Gomez, in his surveys of 1524-5, was in Lat. 45.30, which is the latitude of Pemaquid, and which he marked on his maps for the benefit of Byscayan fishermen, as the coast of hillocks, where abounded all sorts of fish, the biggest cod, salmon, etc.It is a matter of record that Gomez seized and carried away natives of Monhegan region, to show or sell as slaves in Spain.Second: It was on the soil of Lincoln county the first land­ing and attempt was made to establish English homesteads and possessions in New England, at Monhegan and Pemaquid Beach, August 10, 1607.ANCIENT FORTIFICATIONS. 9'I'hird: It was on our territory the first port of commerce,in English hands, was opened in New England, where it grew and expanded to a metropolis in social and civil and commercial activities, as the seat and centre of royal authority for a ducal province, a crown estate, for three-quarters of a century, with a corporate organization called “ Jamestown.”  Here was fought in February, 1677, by Major Waldron, a decisive battle, which ended King Philip’s Indian war in Maine. Here, too, was erected, in 1692, the stone fort of William Henry, in its day reputed the strongest military holding in the country, the ruins and remains of which are being resurrected and a sketch of which as they were surveyed and protected by English engineers in 1699, is herewith exhibited.Fourth: With us was the home, and we believe the graveof Samoset, who cried in the ears of the forlorn Pilgrims of 1620, landed among sand-hills of Cape Coci, the cheering sounds of “ Much welcome, Englishman,” a wild but hearty Maine greeting.The above facts we write, as reasons why our fathers, aided by sympathetic non-residents of our county, were moved to organize, contribute and acquire title to the site of the scene of the above facts, for a gift to the State of Maine as a perpetual reservation to be by it held and used as an object lesson of the eminence and precedence of Maine in the colonial beginnings of New England, and so give to Maine her true place in history.With the foregoing facts in hand we appeal to your honorable body having this grant to our State in care and custody, to ask our honored Governor and Legislature to aid by such appro­priations of money as will assure the full uncovering and preservation of the ancient ruins and relics, that these memo­rials of the eminence and honor of our State shall never again be lost.Respectfully,R. K. SEW  A LL.

Report of the Commissioners in Charge of the Remains of the Ancient Fortifications at Pemaquid

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Report of the Commissioners in Charge of the Remains of the Ancient Fortifications at Pemaquid

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