Members of the delegation and Ambassador Jusserand called on Commissioner Pell at the Block House in the Germain Redoubt, where light refreshments were served.
General Lebon and other members of the delegation were quick to see the strategic importance of Ticonderoga as a military fortification to command the passage of vessels up and down the lake as well as the passage of troops through the valley. In their judgment France made no mistake in taking possession of Ticonderoga and taking her stand there and at Crown Point in her efforts to control this entire territory. The history of the struggle has been graphically described by Parkman and others and the thrilling events, culminating in and about this “Gateway of the Country,” have been given realistic settings by Ira Allen, Hon. Lucius E. Chittenden, Rev. Joseph Cook, Dr. Hamilton W. Mabie, Percy MacKaye and others. These were well known to most of the visiting savants, who were profoundly impressed with Ticonderoga and the overtowering Mount Defiance on the southwest and the commanding position of Mount Independence across the narrow lake on the southeast. All these were occupied by military forces at times during the struggle for the control of the territory.
The Commissioners and visitors left on a special train at 11.30 A. M. for Port Henry, where they were met by Commissioner Walter C. Witherbee, Hon. Frank S. Witherbee, Lieut.-Gov. Thomas F. Conway and others. While going from Ticonderoga to Port Henry, lunch was served on the train, so that upon their arrival at Port Henry, while they were being escorted to the steamer, the Witherbee band played the Marseillaise, and to the delight of the French guests, it also played the airs of several French folk songs familiar to the visitors and known to their grandparents. They proceeded directly to Crown Point Forts. This was their first experience on Lake Champlain, their first view of the memorial in the process of construction. It was far enough along, however, to reveal its stateliness and artistic design. The impression it made on M. Fernand Cormon, President of the French Academy, and on M. René Bazin, M. Étienne Lamy, M. Gabriel Hanotaux and other members of the French Academy may be drawn from the remarks of M. Hanotaux and others. Suffice it to say here that the visitors were pleased with the artistic memorial lighthouse, which, in addition to its utilitarian uses, is designed to symbolize the illumination of the light of civilization first shed in the valley by Champlain and his followers. After inspecting the memorial they suggested the permanent location for the bust “La France,” which had been temporarily placed in position and was inspected by the people from all parts of the Champlain valley. The bust was draped with the flags of the United States and the Tri-color of France and from all parts of the memorial lighthouse floated pennants and the Stars and Stripes in profusion.
Ambassador Jusserand and French Delegation disembarking at Crown Point Memorial, May 3, 1912
By courtesy of the Troy Times
Chairman H. Wallace Knapp presided at the formal exercises and in his opening address said:
Gentlemen: The course of the Tercentenary observations has received an interruption by a voice from across the sea. It is a friendly voice. It is a voice that is heard wherever men struggle to be free or seek to advance their welfare. It is the voice of France that spoke to us in the dark days of our early history, and bade us be of good cheer.
All through the critical periods of our history the French people and their Government have been our friends. They join us to-day in memorializing our past. They have the right to do so, for France and America have suffered and triumphed together for the same high cause and the memory of our debt to this liberty-loving people can never be forgotten. It is fitting that they place the Memorial Tablet here. It expresses to us love and friendship and they may be assured that we will guard it with proud and zealous care.