The roof of tile had fallen in, but sufficient remained so that more could be produced to fill out the deficiencies, though some hundreds of different specimens of clay had to be baked before one was found that was exactly the same form and color of those originally used.
The flooring of the first floor was also of very heavy, thick tile and the same condition was experienced with these. Enough bricks have been found to make it unnecessary to get any new ones, for apparently these were of so little value to the natives that they were not purloined. In the rebuilding of the walls the stones were replaced in their identical positions, similar mortar was used, and heads and jambs of all openings had remained in approximately the positions from which they fell, so much so that with care these today occupy the same position that they had before the walls were torn down.
The Place D’Armes
The mode of procedure followed in making the excavations was to cut the trench on either side of any walls uncovered and by this means specimens of all the hardware, such as door handles, latches, window catches, bolts and bars were recovered. In many cases the hinges had portions of the old timber still attached and from this it was possible to determine the wood used and its thickness. In some cases the larger bar hinges had the wood so well preserved that the different pieces that were joined together to form the doors were very readily discernible. The timber used was largely local chestnut and oak, which have since almost disappeared from the locality, but enough trees have been found to enable the restored work in all cases to be of the same material as that originally employed. The ceiling of the first floor was composed of rough hewn logs with a heavy double floor on top. The walls throughout the first and second stories were of rough plaster and in many cases the stones projected right through and showed on the face.
The fireplaces resembled the construction on the outside being of rough stones with cut stone jambs and heads.
The four bastions at the corners of the fort were used respectively for powder magazine, bakery and two for stores, and under these were unearthed a very considerable quantity of cannon balls, picks, shovels, china and glass, cutlery, bar shot and complete material such as a fortress of this kind would require. Upon excavating these the form of construction originally employed was quite apparent. The floor was built up from rock with a complete system of drains beneath to carry off any surface water, and the roof was carried upon heavy wooden beams and posts, crowned by flagstones forming the deck of the bastion itself. The drains beneath the floor had outlets leading to the moat or ditch, which in the usual way was dry, but when an attacking force was anticipated it was possible to dam the outlet from this and the moat could be flooded by the melting of the winter snows, as several months’ advance information in those days could readily be obtained before an attack was likely to take place.
Fort Ticonderoga in 1959
SHOWING: SECTION THROUGH A-B (ENLARGED) GLACIS COVERED WAY DITCH NORTH DEMI-LUNE NW BASTION NE BASTION COVERED WAY PARADE GROUND BRIDGE WEST DEMI-LUNE WEST BARRACKS RAMP SOUTH BARRACKS RAMP RUINS OF EAST BARRACKS ENTRANCE TO FORT DUNGEON SW BASTION SE BASTION ENTRANCE ARCHWAY SOUTH WALL