Whenever the
major appeared, 'Commanding officer; guard, present arms,' was called
down the line of men on duty, and the guard hastened to obey, the
major acknowledging the salute with stiff precision. By day and by
night sentinels paced the walls. True, the walls were crumbling, and
the whole force was constantly engaged in propping them up, but none
the less did the sentinels pace with dignity. What was it to the
captain if, while he sternly inspected the muskets in the block-house,
the lieutenant, with a detail of men, was hard at work strengthening
its underpinning? None the less did he inspect. The sally-port, mended
but imposing; the flag-staff with its fair-weather and storm flags;
the frowning iron grating; the sidling white causeway, constantly
falling down and as constantly repaired, which led up to the main
entrance; the well-preserved old cannon,--all showed a strict military
rule. When the men were not drilling they were propping up the fort
and when they were not propping up the fort they were drilling. In the
early days, the days of the first American commanders, military roads
had been made through the forest,--roads even now smooth and solid,
although trees of a second growth meet overhead.
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