T
THE BLACK WATCH MEMORIAL AT TICONDEROGA.
The genesis of this memorial was an address made by the late Joseph Cook at the services held in front of the boulder erected to the heroes of Ticonderoga, Academy Park, Ticonderoga, N. Y. July 31, 1899, in which he made this remark: “There ought to be a memorial to the Black Watch composed largely of Scotch Highlanders who, with the Colonials charged Montcalm’s entrenchments for eight consecutive hours.”
Major D. L. Wilson Farquharson, D. S. O., at “Allargue”Representation of the Black Watch at Unveiling of Memorial Tablet, Ticonderoga, July 4, 1906
Major D. L. Wilson Farquharson, D. S. O., at “Allargue”Representation of the Black Watch at Unveiling of Memorial Tablet, Ticonderoga, July 4, 1906
The writer, who was secretary of the Ticonderoga Historical Society at that time, had the honor of being the medium through which this chance remark became an enduring memorial of brick and stone. He was unsuccessful, however, until Mr. David Williams, the publisher of “The Iron Age,” a summer resident of Ticonderoga at Rogers Rock, came to his assistance. Mr. Andrew Carnegie was the generous donor of the funds to build this memorial. The grants were in two amounts, the first gift for a public library with the usual provisions, and the second gift, with no limitations, with which to build an historical addition to the library,thus making itboth a public library and historical building.
The laying of the corner stone, Oct. 4. 1905, was made the occasion for one of the greatest celebrations Ticonderoga has ever seen. The pipe band of the 5th Royal Scots of Canada, Highlanders, now the 5th Royal Highlanders of Canada, from Montreal, and the Regimental band and a Battalion of the 5th Infantry, U. S. A., from Plattsburgh, were the principal features of the parade. It was particularly appropriate that the Royal Scots should be present, as they are allied to the Black Watch and wear the same uniform. It was also an education to the thousands of spectators, few, if any of whom had ever seen Highlanders in full regimentals marching to the music of bagpipes. After the exercises of the day, the Royal Scots visited the ruins of old Fort Ticonderoga, about two miles from the village and the picture of a body of Highlanders with their scarlet coats and tartan kilts marching up the green slopes of the old ramparts, with the setting sun behind them, was one never to be forgotten and which probably had not occurred since the Revolution.
The officers of the present Black Watch Regiment, then stationed at Fort George Scotland, being advised of the Memorial sent the following letter to the secretary of the Ticonderoga Historical Society:
“Dear Sir: Your letter 9th Sept., 1905, on the subject of a Black Watch Memorial, has been perused by the Commanding Officer and the Officers of the 1st battalion of The Black Watch, formerly called the 42nd Royal Highland Regiment, and it was also submitted and discussed at the Annual Gathering of Black WatchOfficers—past and present—recently held in Edinburgh. I am authorized to inform you that all Ranks of the Regiment are proud to know that the Ticonderoga Historical Society had decided to appropriate an alcove in the Ticonderoga Free Public Library as a memorial to the 42nd Regiment, to commemorate their services in the engagement before Fort Ticonderoga on July 8, 1758. The suggestion contained in your letter, to the effect that Officers of the Regiment might be disposed to erect a tablet on a wall of the Alcove to the memory of the officers and men of the 42nd who were killed or wounded in the action has met with the unanimous approval of those to whose notice it has been brought, and I am to inform you that such a Tablet will gladly be provided and that the work of executing the Tablet will be entrusted to a London firm as soon as a suitable design has been decided upon. In order to assist us in choosing a suitable form of tablet I shall be much obliged if you can favor me with a rough plan of the alcove, the dimensions of the actual wall on which the Tablet will rest, and an idea of the general style of the building.I shall be glad to hear from you as soon as you can conveniently supply the information for which I have asked.I am, Sir, yours truly,D. L. Wilson Farquharson.Major The Black Watch.”
“Dear Sir: Your letter 9th Sept., 1905, on the subject of a Black Watch Memorial, has been perused by the Commanding Officer and the Officers of the 1st battalion of The Black Watch, formerly called the 42nd Royal Highland Regiment, and it was also submitted and discussed at the Annual Gathering of Black WatchOfficers—past and present—recently held in Edinburgh. I am authorized to inform you that all Ranks of the Regiment are proud to know that the Ticonderoga Historical Society had decided to appropriate an alcove in the Ticonderoga Free Public Library as a memorial to the 42nd Regiment, to commemorate their services in the engagement before Fort Ticonderoga on July 8, 1758. The suggestion contained in your letter, to the effect that Officers of the Regiment might be disposed to erect a tablet on a wall of the Alcove to the memory of the officers and men of the 42nd who were killed or wounded in the action has met with the unanimous approval of those to whose notice it has been brought, and I am to inform you that such a Tablet will gladly be provided and that the work of executing the Tablet will be entrusted to a London firm as soon as a suitable design has been decided upon. In order to assist us in choosing a suitable form of tablet I shall be much obliged if you can favor me with a rough plan of the alcove, the dimensions of the actual wall on which the Tablet will rest, and an idea of the general style of the building.
I shall be glad to hear from you as soon as you can conveniently supply the information for which I have asked.
I am, Sir, yours truly,
D. L. Wilson Farquharson.Major The Black Watch.”
The exercises for the unveiling of the memorial tablet July 4, 1906, was made the occasion for another grand celebration at which the full bag pipe band of the 5th Royal Highlanders of Canada and a company of 50 men from the same regiment, making a total of 75 Highlanders, were a feature of the parade. Major D. L. Wilson Farquharson of the Black Watch, came over from Scotland to unveil the tablet in behalf of the Regiment. It was accepted by Frank B. Wickes of Ticonderoga for the Ticonderoga Historical Society. The address of the day was delivered by Senator Edgar T. Brackett of Saratoga Springs.
—Photo by L. Def. Cone, TiconderogaTHE BLACK WATCH MEMORIAL AT TICONDEROGATwo views of the 5th Royal Highlanders of Canada who attended ceremonies of laying corner stone and of unveiling Memorial Tablet
—Photo by L. Def. Cone, TiconderogaTHE BLACK WATCH MEMORIAL AT TICONDEROGATwo views of the 5th Royal Highlanders of Canada who attended ceremonies of laying corner stone and of unveiling Memorial Tablet
—Photo by L. Def. Cone, Ticonderoga
List of Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Partial List of Men Composing Ticonderoga Detachment, 5th Royal Highlanders of Canada, July 4th, 1906.
Capt. A. F. Gault.Capt. V. C. Buchanan.Capt. C. M. Monsarrat.Capt. J. Muir, Quartermaster.Sergt. Major D. A. Bethune.Q. M. Sergt. B. Howard.Col. Sergt. J. H. A. Mackay.Staff Sergt. T. A. Gardiner.Staff Sergt. J. Phillips.Sergt. C. Denman.Sergt. P. Forde.Sergt. T. Mitchell.Bugle Sergt. P. Broadhurst.Drum Sergt. F. W. Flood.Drum Major, G. Foley.Pipe Major, D. Manson.Sergt. J. MacLean.Corp. P. W. MacFarlane.Corp. H. Massey.Corp. N. Manson.Corp. P. Sutton.Privates.J. Bayley.F. H. Benson.Walsh.A. E. Smith.S. Tapster.Scobie.P. Roache.J. Cockburn.A. Bishop.
J. A. McLean.Jeffries.W. Marsh.J. Ferguson.J. Corbett.J. Palmer.C. Myers.C. Black.J. Stuart.J. Roney.Dean.A. Reid.A. Williams.A. Betts.D. Reid.L. Pickering.Pipers.R. Morrison.M. McLeod.J. Ferrier.D. McArthur.D. Brash.J. Husband.B. Milligan.Drummers.J. Ryan.Gore.Kemp.Jones.