The Champlain tercentenary

by New York . Lake Champlain Tercentenary Commission; Henry Wayland Hill

Copyrighted and by the courtesy of the Powers Engraving Co. of New York

Thereafter, a tour was made of the city, in which the party was shown the graves of Captain George Downie and other British officers, who had fallen in the battle of Plattsburgh. The Commissioners and other guests were then formally received in the beautiful home of the Hon. Smith M. Weed, on Cumberland avenue, which is situate near the Champlain Memorial. Mr. and Mrs. George S. Weed assisted in the reception of the distinguished guests. The guests were interested in seeing in Mr. Weed’s library the noted painting of “The Battle of Lake Champlain,” by Julian Oliver Davidson, a copy of which may be seen in the original Report of this Commission.

At the close of the reception, the Commissioners and guests were given a luncheon under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce, at the Fouquet House, which stands on the site of the old Stage House occupied by Major-Gen. Benjamin Mooers, of Revolutionary military fame, who commanded the militia in the land engagement at the Battle of Plattsburgh. Judge and Commissioner John B. Riley presided and extended to the Commissioners and to the guests a hearty welcome. At the conclusion of the luncheon, the Commissioners and their guests were escorted by a platoon of mounted police, the entire Fifth Infantry, U. S. A., under command of Col. Cowles and staff, through the principal streets, whose buildings were beautifully decorated. Following the fifty automobiles containing the party were the Guard of Honor of the Society of St. Jean Baptiste, and the Horicon, Rescue and Lafayette Hose Companies. They proceeded to the site of the Champlain Memorial statue, where a platform for the speakers and guests had been erected, decorated with white and blue and the fleur-de-lis of France. Seats had also been provided for the general public.

GOVERNOR JOHN A. DIX

VI. DEDICATORY CEREMONIES OF THE CHAMPLAIN MEMORIAL STATUE AT PLATTSBURGH, N. Y., JULY 6, 1912

The dedicatory ceremonies, over which Chairman H. Wallace Knapp presided, were opened with music by the Fifth Infantry, U. S. A. Band. The Invocation was pronounced by Rev. H. P. LeF. Grabau, Rector of the Episcopal Church of Plattsburgh.

The Champlain memorial was then unveiled by Miss Katharine M. Booth, daughter of Judge and Commissioner John H. Booth of Plattsburgh, as “The Star Spangled Banner” was being played by the band. As the Stars and Stripes were drawn from the statue and it was revealed to view, a shout of applause broke forth from the enthusiastic assembly. Then followed a salute fired by the Fifth Infantry of the U. S. A.

The Commissioners had the memorial draped with the historic flag owned by Dr. George F. Kunz of New York City, President of the Scenic and Historic Preservation Society of New York, which had been offered for the occasion and accepted. That flag had flown from the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris on July 4, 1900, when the Lafayette statue by Paul Bartlett was presented by the school children of America to the French nation. It was also used at the dedication of Stony Point Park on the Hudson, and on the funeral train when the remains of Governor Clinton were transferred from New York to Kingston.