L^^ • ^ 'y' *j(^ .■^^% ^* ^J.* . v^^-,/* v'^^'V'^ ^V^i^V* "^ VERiMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS ETHAN ALLEN MONUMENT (Burlington) VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS BY MIRIAM IRENE KIMBALL TEACHER OF ENGLISH IN 5IONTl>ELIER SEMINARY WITH MANY ILLUSTRATIONS NEW YORK D. APPLETON AND COMPANY 1904 LIBRARY o* CONGRESS Two Gooles Received MAY 27 1904 ht, Copyright Entry CLAS kS§ tc' XXo. No. 8 7i M COPY B » COPTKIGHT, 1904, BY D. APPLETON AND COMPANY F4-- PREFACE " The greater part of a man's education is that which he gives himself." Self-culture comes largely through contact with nature, experience with men, and the reading of books. More than any other kind of literature history tends to broaden one's mental vision, and enlarge his con- ceptions of the dignity and worth of life. Hence it should be the aim of every teacher of history to create in the mind of the pupil a genuine love for the reading of history, and for the mastering of those myriad currents which have finally blended in the great stream of modern civilization. This, rather than the mere memorizing of facts, should be the constant aim of the instructor. The text-book itself should be an inspiration to further study : like a continued story, it should constantly deepen the interest of the reader and whet his appetite for that which is farther on. Its lessons should be clearly told in familiar language, and a connecting thread should run through the entire book so that the recollection of any one part will inevitably tend to bring all correlated facts to mind. Anecdotes are often like doors to let the sunlight into a dark period, and a true story will many times give the pupil a better understanding of the period than the mere recital of many facts. Vermont history is of rare interest ; rightly told its vii viii PKEFACE pages should breathe and its words should burn into the deepest consciousness of the student. President McKin- ley once said, " The people of Vermont have always been true to the best ideals and highest obligations of duty." We believe this to be true and we desire its perpetuity. Whatever may be its success, it is the aim of "Vermont for Young Vermonters " to create in the minds of Vermont youth a desire to know more of the history of their own State ; cause them to feel a just pride in its past record ; awaken in them a desire to preserve its old-time honor and integrity, its social and political purity ; and give them some conception of the great value of their birthright as sons and daughters of the Green Mountain State, impress- ing upon them that an ever-increasing obligation rests upon them to be worthy of their heritage. The book has been made in the schoolroom, being a series of lessons prepared for seventh and eighth grade pupils, special care being given to express the thought in as clear and concise a manner as possible, and to arrange material in such a way as to make the whole seem like a connected story of the people of Vermont. Every lesson has been tested in class. The question, " What does it mean ?" from the lips of a pupil, has not been without its suggestion ; and the author has invariably profited thereby. It is not uncommon in other States to teach the history of the State through a reader. The crowded course of study of its schools makes this method especially desirable in the State of Vermont. "Vermont for Young Ver- monters" is so arranged that it may conveniently be used in this way, though it is equally suitable as a regular text-book of Vermont history. The contents of the book fully cover the requirements of the Vermont State law in PEEFACE ix respect to the teaching of the history, civil government, and geography of the State. The work consists of the Introduction, the Blackboard Analysis, the History Proper, and lessons on the Geogra- phy and Civil Government of the State. The Introduction should be the first lesson, the Blackboard Analysis the second ; the pupil then having a good foundation upon which to work, is ready to take up the different periods of Vermont history in their order. To Hon. William P. Dillingham, U. S. Senator, Ex- Governor and Mrs. S. E. Pingree, Hon. J. L. Martin, U. S. District Attorney, Hon. F. A. Howland, and others, the author is indebted for the reading of the whole or por- tions of the manuscript, and for many valuable suggestions. Thanks are also due to Lee & Shepard, publishers of Drake's " Burgoyne's Invasion," the Vermont Central Eailway, Norwich University, and to Prof. Geo. H. Per- kins and others, for material furnished for illustrations, maps, and the like. CON T K NTS PAGE Introduction and Blackboard Analysis 1 HISTORY First Period (Tue Indian) CHAPTKB I. French Discoveries — First Inliiibitants of Vermont . . 5 II. Indian Customs — Indian Hostilities 17 Second Period (The French and Indian Wars) III. Cause of Frencli and Indian Wars — King William's War — Queen Anne's War 23 IV. Forts Built — Settlements Begun — Boundary between Mas- sachusetts and New Hampshire Determined . . 32 V. Fortifications Strengthened — King George's War — Grants made by Governor Wentworth 39 VI. The French and Indian War — Vermont at the Close of the Long Contest 46 Third Period (Early Settlement) VII. New Hampshire Grants — Grantees — New York Jurisdic- tion 54 VIII. Home Life of the Early Settler 62 IX. Schools — Churches — Occupations — Recreations . . 74 X. The Grants under New York Control — Their Discontent — Patents — Patentees 86 xii CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE XL Acts of the Committees of Safety and of the Green Mountain Boys 94 XII. Indications of War with Great Britain — First Blood Spilled .103 Fourth Period (The Revolution) XIII. Americans Possess Lake Champlain — First Regiment of Green Mountain Boys 110 XIV. Patriot Army Invade Canada — Their Victories — Their Retreat 119 XV. Americans Fortify themselves on the Lake — Vermonters Declare their Independence of New York and Adopt a Constitution 138 XVI. British Advance — Their Victories 140 XVII. British Losses— Their Retreat ...... 148 XVIII. State Government — First Governor — Return of Ethan Allen 159 XIX. Vermont Maintains Her Independence — Internal and External Resistance 168 XX. Events of the Burning of Royalton .... 175 XXI. Further Acts of the Vermont Government — Ilaldimand Correspondence — Close of War .... 183 Fifth Period (Rapid Settlement) XXII. Vermont's Prosperity — Her Admission into the Union . 193 XXin. Governmental 202 XXIV. Religion — Education — Invention 213 XXV. Occupations — Commerce 224 Sixth Period (The War of 1812) XXVL A Second War with Great Britain 233 CONTENTS xiii Seventh Period (Transitions) CHAPTBB PAGB XXVIl. Social, Industrial and Commercial Changes . . 245 XXVIII. Passing of the Old Stock— Educational . . .259 XXIX. Political 271 XXX. Two Kinds of Railroads 279 Eighth Period (The Civii, War) XXXI. The War of the Rebellion 286 Ninth Period (Vermont Since the Civil War) XXXII. The Fenian Raid— Educational 301 XXXIII. Miscellaneous Items of Interest — Industries . . 311 XXXIV. Prominent Verraonters 319 GEOGRAPHY OP VERMONT Descriptive Geography 330 Geography Questions (Consult maps) 336 CIVIL GOVERNMENT The National Government 338 The State Government 341 Legislative Department 341 Executive Department 344 Judicial Department 344, 369 Support of the Government — Political Parties and their Meetings — Some Elections . . . . . . 351 Other Governments 356 County 357 Town 360 City 368 Village 369 The Constitution of Vermont 379 LIST OF ILLUSTEATIONS PAGE Ethan Allen Monument, Burlington . . . Frontispiece Defeat of the Iroquois on Lake Champlain 8 Sculptures at Bellows Falls 13 Indian Rock, Brattleboro 14 Jar dug up at Bolton Palls in 1903 15 Iroquois long house 17 Indian battle-axe 18 Indian war-club 18 Triumplial entry into Caughnawaga 31 A stockade fort 39 A blockhouse 41 Indian mode of warfare 47 Loading packhorses 52 An old fireplace 66 Borrowing coals 67 Bake kettle or Dutch oven 69 A hand loom 70 A wool wheel 71 Spinning flax 73 The little red schoolhouse 74 Sounding-board, Union Church, Strafford 76 Old Dothan Church at Hartford 77 Square box-pews of an old church in Rockingham ... 78 A beaver dam . 82 Court-house and jail at Westminster 90 Ethan Allen 95 XV xvi LIST OF ILLU8T11ATI0NS PAGE Catamount Tavern at Bennington 101 Ruins of Fort Ticonderoga . . . .• . , . . 112 An old gun of Ethan Allen's 120 Old Constitution House at Windsor 138 John Stark 149 Colonel Baum's sword 152 Two of the cannon captured at Bennington .... 153 Catamount Monument 154 Bennington Battle Monument 155 Thomas Chittenden 164 State seal 165 Middlesex Narrows, Winooski River 179 Ira Allen 187 A post-rider 195 Early Vermont coins 196 Stocks 203 Pillory 204 Toll-gate near the Connecticut River 206 First State House, Montpelier 211 Billings Library (University of Vermont), Burlington . . 218 Some of the Middlebiiry College buildings 219 Old printing-press at the State House 221 A group of Morgan hoi-ses 226 Falls of the Otter Creek, at Vergennes 239 The Connecticut River, at Bellows Falls 248 A Franklin stove 251 Part of a marble quarry, West Rutland 255 Section of a granite quarry, Woodbury 256 View in a slate quarry in western Vermont 257 Emigrant (Conestoga) wagon and carriages 260 Captain Alden Partridge 262 Colonel Truman B. Ransom 263 Norwich University Buildings in 1846 264 LIST OF ILLUSTEATIONS xvii PAGE John G. Saxe 267 Statue of Ethan Allen at the United States Capitol, Washington 368 Statue of Ethan Allen at the State House 269 University of Vermont 272 Grassniount (University of Vermont) 273 State flag 274 State coat of arms 274 Second State House, Erected in 1838 276 Present State House 277 One of the Brattleboro stamps 281 A convenient way-station for tlie underground railroad . . 283 Norwich University buildings in 1904 288 General Alonzo Jackman 289 Artillery drill at Norwich University 290 Vermont Soldiers' Home, Bennington 292 General George J. Stannard 296 Johnson Normal School 302 Castleton Normal School 304 Randolph Normal School 306 Egbert Starr Library (Middlebury College) 308 The Athena-um, St. Johnsbury 309 Fort Ethan Allen, at Essex . . . . . . . . 312 Vermont State Hospital for the Insane, Waterbury . . . 313 Burns IMonument, Barre 315 Front panel of Burns Monument 317 Hon. Justin S. Morrill 320 George F. Edmunds 320 Edward J. Phelps 321 Rowland E. Robinson 322 George Dewey 324 Admiral Dewey's birthplace at Montpelier 324 Charles E. Clark 325 Birthplace of Admiral Clark, at Bradford 326 2 xviii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PAGK Mount Mansfield, as seen from Stowe 331 Thompson's Point, Lake Champlain 332 Notch Koad, Mount Mansfield 333 Railroad bridge over Quechee Gulf, Woodstock Railroad . . 339 Mark Skinner Library, Manchester 343 Winooski Valley, near North Duxbury 345 Montpelier Seminary 347 Saxton's River Academy 349 Goodrich Memorial Library, Newport 352 Norman Williams Library, Woodstock 354 Camel's Hump, as seen from Montpelier 357 Lake Dunmore 359 New iron bridge at Brattleboro . . . . . . . 361 Lamoille River, near Milton 363 Poster announcing town meeting 364 Facsimile (reduced) of a ballot for a State election . Facing 366 Memorial Building, Stowe 367 Missisquoi River, near Swanton 371 Government building, St. Albans 375 LIST OP MAPS Indian tribes 10 Indian villages 12 Forts and Indian roads 26 Plan of Fort Dummer 34 Original plan of the town of Bennington 56 First political divisions of Vermont 89 Naval battle on Lake Champlain, 1776 132 Map showing the region of Burgoyne's invasion .... 146 Map of Vermont 329 Geological map of Vermont 335 Map showing counties, towns, and railroads . . Facing 342 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS INTEODUCTION The history of Vermont naturally divides itself into nine periods : 1. The Indian. — This period extends to the opening of the French and Indian wars in 1689. In this portion of the work a brief sketch is given of the red men who once inhabited or traversed the territory now included in the State of Vermont. During this period Lake Champlaiu and its shores are for the first time looked upon by white men. Half a century after its discovery, the French build and garrison a fort upon one of its islands, and thus be- come the first white men to occupy any portion of the present State. 2. The French and Indian Wars. — This period extends from 1689 to 1760, during which time the French and English are at war. The Wilderness, as Vermont is now called, is used as a thoroughfare by both parties and their Indian allies, and sometimes also as a battle-ground. Both nations grant townships in the Wilderness and make feeble attempts at settlement, building forts or block-houses for their protection. 3. Early Settlement. — The early settlement period ex- tends from the close of the French and Indian wars in 1760 to the breaking out of the Revolutionary War in 1 2 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS 1775. During this time many townships are granted by the Governor of New Hampshire, under the name of tlie New Hampshire Grants, and settlements are made. This gives rise to a controversy over the ownership of the lands, which lasts many years, and finally results in making the grants an independent State. This portion of the work gives an account of this controversy, and relates some of the novel methods employed by the New Hampshire grantees in defense of their rights, giving also something of a history of the life of the pioneer and his family. 4. The Revolutionary War. — Although extending over a space of about eight years only, this period (1775-1783) is rich in events. During the entire time the grants are involved in a twofold struggle : they are at war with Eng- land and at war with their neighbors. They also declare themselves independent, organize a government of their own, and become practically a republic, at the same time appealing to Congress to recognize them as an independent State, and grant them admission into the Union. 5. Rajiid Settlement. — This period extends from the close of the Revolutionary War in 1783 to the breaking out of the War of 1812. Settlements spring up and grow rapidly, and a majority of the counties are formed. Ver- mont stoutly maintains her independence, and is finally admitted into the Union with the full consent of all con- cerned. Then follows a period of great growth and pros- perity, and the settlers in the new State are happy and contented. 6. War of 1812. — This is a period of about two years, during which time the United States is at war with Great Britain, Vermont doing her full share in defending the frontier. INTllODUCTION 3 7. Transitions. — During this time slowly but surely great changes are being wrought — social, industrial, and commercial. These are brought about by various causes, prominent among which are the War of 1812, the develop- ment of resources, the emigration of the old stock, the in- coming of a foreign element, the telegraph, and the rail- roads. This period of nearly half a century extends from 1814 to 1861. 8. TJie Civil War. — This period extends from the breaking out of the Civil War in 1861 till its close in 1865. Vermonters make quick and generous response to the ap- peal to arms, and take an honorable part in a war whose sole object is the preservation of the Union. 9. Vermont since the Civil War. — This period extends from the close of the Civil War in 1865 to the present time (1904), giving something of an account of the growth and changes in these latter days and noting some of the important events of the period. BLACKBOARD ANALYSIS The Indian. (-1689.) ( The Red Men. < Lake Chaniplaiu discovered. ( First Occupation of Vermont by White Men. _, T r French and English at War. Fkench and Indian I Vermont used as a Thoroughfare. Mfiflo ^fyftn ^ 1 Grants made by French and English. (lb»J-i/bU.) [Attempts made at Settlement. o r Many Townships granted. Settlement. g^.^^i; Early (1760-1775.) ttlements made. Life and Customs of First Settlers- Land Controversy arises. 'Colonies at War with Great Britain. The Revolutionary Vermont's Part in the Contest. ^Y^jj J Controversy over Lands goes on. (1775-1783.) Vermont organizes a Government and becomes a Republic. Vermont Ajjpeals for Admission into the Union. „ _, fRapid Growth in Population. n-r'i^fl'^oT^'''^-'- J Mosi of the Counties formed. (17ad-l»ii5 ) < Vermont Admitted into the Union. [Her Prosperity. War of 1812. (1812-1814.) Transitions... (1814-1861.) Civil War (1861-1865.) U. S. at War with Great Britain. Vermont helps Guard the Frontier. C f Industrial. Changes -j Commercial. I Social. Development of Resources. War of 1812. Railroads. Telegraph. Emigration. [ Immigration. and Causes Civil Strife in the United States. Vermont makes an Honorable Record. Vermont Since the Civil j /-, ., />,, , ^ ^ . Yj^j^j^ f Growth, Changes, and Important (1865-1904]) I E^*^°t«- FIRST PERIOD THE INDIAN (-1689) CHAPTER I FRENCH DISCOVERIES — FIRST INHABITANTS OF VERMONT First Inhabitants. — In a remote age, long before the discovery of Lake Champlain by white men, a tribe of In- dians is supj)osed to have dwelt upon its eastern shores. There is nothing to show to which of the many races of Indians, dwelling upon the American continent at the com- ing of the white man, this tribe belonged ; or whether they were an entirely distinct people, perhaps annihilated by succeeding races ; but that such a people lived there seems to be little doubt, as many of the relics, found in the river valleys in the western part of the State, indi- cate an age antedating by far that of the Indian whom the white man found when he came here to settle. First Knowledge of Lake Champlain. — In the year 1G08, Samuel de Champlain, a Frenchman, sailed up the St. Lawrence River and planted a colony at Quebec — the first colony made by white men in Canada. Europeans had, for at least a century, fished upon the banks of New- foundland ; but, up to that time, had made no permanent settlements. 5 6 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS Cliainplain, possessing to a great degree the love for adventure and conquest common to the times, and hearing from the Indians of a beautiful lake at the southwest, de- termined to explore it. Discovery of Lake Champlain. — The Algonquin (Al- gon'kin) Indians, who knew something of the country, agreed to accompany him on his adventurous undertaking on condition that he aid them in battle against the Iro- quois (Iro-quoi'), their deadly enemies, should they encoun- ter them. With two other Frenchmen and about sixty Indians, Champlain slowly paddled his way up the St. Lawrence and Richelieu rivers, and on July 3, 1609, sighted a sheet of water to the south, which, set in a wilderness of luxu- riant green, was indeed beautiful, as the Indians had said. The next day he entered the lake. He spent three weeks exploring it and its shores, going as far south as Crown Point or Ticonderoga, perhaps farther ; and this was prob- ably the first time that any part of Vermont had ever been looked upon by white men. It was but a month later that Captain Henry Hudson entered New York Harbor and sailed up the Hudson River to where Albany now stands. Champlain' s Allusion to the Green Mountains ; Lamoille River Discovered. — The following is Champlain's own account of his discovery of the Green Mountains: "Con- tinuing our route along the west side of the lake, contem- plating the country, I saw on the east side very high mountains capped with snow. I asked the Indians if those parts were inhabited. They answered me 'yes,' and that they (the inhabitants) were Iroquois, and that there were in those parts beautiful valleys, and fields fertile in corn as good as I had ever eaten in the country, with an infini- THE INDIAN 7 tilde of other fruits." They also tokl him that the ishmds of the hike were formerly occupied by the Iroquois, but had now for some time been abandoned because of war be- tween the Iroquois and their own nation. On this expedition a river to the east is said to liave been discovered by Champhiin and called by him '"La Mouette," the French name for gull, a fowl abundant at its mouth. Through the carelessness of the engraver the t's were not crossed, when it was put on the French map of "New Discoveries," and the name became Lauioille. An Encounter with the Iroquois. — On the evening of July 12, while skirting the west sliore of the lake near where Ticonderoga now stands, the little fleet met a force of the Iroquois three times as large as their own. The Iroquois quickly landed and began to make preparations for the morrow's conflict. Unaccustomed to defeat, confidently they advanced to meet tlie invaders at early dawn of the following morning; but the sight of the steel-clad warriors, from whose fire- arms flashed the death-giving bolts, which prostrated one after another of their brave men, filled them with terror, and they fled, leaving about fifty of their number dead on the field. For the first time the Iroquois had seen the white man's weapon, which he afterward learned to use with such deadly effect upon those who taught him its use. Champhiin and his companions took several prisoners and some booty, and these they carried witli them on their return to Canada. Tills battle, though seemingly of little importance, may possibly be classed among the world's decisive victories. The haughty Iroquois could hardly be expected to overlook this hnmiliation, and were thereafter the implacable ene- 8 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS mies of the French. If instead of adopting the course they did the French had sought to gain the friendship of this people, the result of the subsequent contest between the French and English for the possession of the Champlain- Hudson Valley might have been different. French Claims By virtue of Champlain's discovery and succeeding explorations by himself and French mis- sionaries, the French claimed the Champlain and Lake Defeat of the Iroquois on Lake Champlain. plain.) (Drawn by Cham- George valleys as a part of New France. This claim in- cluded the greater part of western Vermont. Upon the map of his discoveries which Champlain made later, he called the mountains he had seen at the east ''Verd Mont/' or Green Mountains, the name probably suggested by the dense growth of evergreen trees which covered their slopes; and he gave the lake his own name, " Cham- plain/' THE INDIAN 9 Two Great Races — At the time of Champlain's dis- covery, two great races of Indians dwelt in the northeast section of the United States and to the north in Canada. They were the Iroquois and the Algonquins, The Iroquois possessed what is now New York, quite a stretch of country to the west of it, and at least that por- tion of Vermont west of the Green Mountains. The Al- gonquins occupied most of Canada and the New England States, and much of the country between the Delaware and Mississippi rivers. In a word, they completely sur- rounded the Iroquois. Now, although the Algonquins greatly outnumbered the Iroquois, they lived in constant fear of them. In the first place, the Algonquin tribes were widely distributed and could not easily join forces when necessary to fight that nation ; while the Iroquois, from their very situa- tion, were more closely bound togetlier. Besides this, the Iroquois were braver, more enlightened, had better homes and more strongly fortified villages, a stronger govern- ment, and were in every way superior to the Algonquins as a race. The territory occupied by these two races was particu- larly well fitted for the Indians' savage mode of living, the woods abounding in game and the rivers and lakes in fish, and the climate being well adapted to the growth of Indian corn and beans, which constituted a large part of their food supply. We can not wonder, then, that they were so loath to give up their right to this territory, and fought so desperately, yet hopelessly, the white man who came to take their lands from them. Tribes. — These races of Indians were divided into many small tribes or families, each of which was composed of 10 VEUMOKT FOR YOUNG VEKMONTERS kinsmen. The tribes dwelt in small villages, seldom of more tlian five hundred inhabitants each. These villages were enclosed by stockades consisting of one, two, and sometimes three rows of posts set upright in the ground and close together. Each tribe had a chief who led in Map showing Indian tribes. war, directed in hunting, and was considered authority in matters of weight. In times of great danger all the tribes of a race united, and usually put themselves under the leadership of the chief of the most powerful tribe. The Iroquois had five principal divisions, consisting of the Mo'hawks, Onei'das, Sen'ecas, Cayu'gas, and Onon- THE INDIAN 11 dii'gas ; hence they were often styled the Five Nations. The Tuscard'ras, living to the south of them, were added at a later date ; after which they were called the Six Nations. Among the neighboring Algonquin tribes were the Pennacook, Massachusett, Mohegan, and Abena'ki. After a time the Abenaki became generally known as the St. Francis Indians, probably because one of their most powerful families lived at St. Francis. Indian Occupancy. — It is quite probable that the land between Lake Champlain and the Connecticut Kiver — which will now be known as the Wilderness — was for ages mostly unoccupied. It was, as it were, a broad hunting- ground between the two races, where both hunted and fought and which each claimed in turn by right of con- quest. Their homes, however, because of their fear of each other, they built upon the outskirts of this territory or beyond its limits. At the coming of Champlain, the valleys to the east of Lake Champlain were probably not then occupied by the Iroquois so much as at an earlier date, if at all ; but no doubt their hunting-ground then included the whole of the western portion of the State, though it is doubtful if they often extended their wanderings across the mountains. Three Indian villages are known to have existed in the present State of Vermont. Indian Village at Vernon. — An Indian village called Squakheag (Squaw'keeg) comprised what is now Hinsdale, N. H. ; Northfield, Mass.; and Vernon, Vt. The Squak- heags and Pocum'tucks occupied jointly this territory. The former are thought to have been the remnant of the Mohegan tribe, who were driven out of eastern New York by the Mohawks, and who had fled for refuge across the 6r/v7AA/c/5 Iiuliau ^•illages. 12 THE INDIAN 13 Green Mountains, placing themselves under the protection of the Pocumtucks. Mr. George Sheldon, the historian of Deerfield, in re- cent investigations, has discovered '' Indian barns " (as tliey were called by the first settlers) in all three of the before- named places. These barns were excavations made in the earth (always on a watershed) and used by the Indians for t h e s to r i ng of p ro- r— visions. He also found heaps of stones such as were used by the Indians in cook- ing food. The manner in which such cooking was done was as fol- lows : Placing the material to be cooked in a ket- tle, with a suffi- cient quantity of water, the Indians lieated the stones Sculptures at Bellows Falls. red hot, and then continued to throw them into the kettle until the food was cooked to their satisfaction. The village of Squakheag was in existence as late as 1064 or 1G65, when the inhabitants were almost annihi- lated by their old enemy, the Mohawks. Indian Village at Newbury; Indian Sculptures. — The Abenaki dwelt origiiudly in Maine, New Hampshire, and perhaps Massachusetts ; but later they seem to have spread 14 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS over the country to the nortli. A portion of this tribe settled in the Coos' country (Coos signifying the pines), on the upper waters of the Connecticut ; and these went by the name of the Cossucks, a name which indicated that they dwelt, on the river by the pines. When the first settlers came to Newbury,, the remains of an Indian fort were still visible ; to this the children and squaws were accustomed to go for safety when the red men were on the war-path. Among other evidences of Indian Rock. Brattleboro. Indian occupation, were found a stone mortar and pestle, arrow-heads, and an old burying-grouiid which showed that the Indians were buried in a sitting posture. The Cossucks dwelt here until the year 1725, when, becoming alarmed over the defeat of a large force of Indians in New Hampshire, they removed to Canada and became identified with the St. Francis Indians. At the close of the French and Indian wars, a few families returned to Coos and remained there till they became extinct. Notable among those who returned were THE INDIAN 15 Molly and Joe,, for whom Molly's and Joe's ponds, in the town of Oabot, were named. At Brattleboro and Bellows Falls were fonnd Indian sculptures upon rocks. These were rude drawings of the human head, animals, etc.; and they were supposed to have commemorated victories, as it was the custom of the Jar dug up at Bolton Falls in 1903. savages to leave such records upon rocks and trees on their way home from successful campaigns. The number of heads may have indicated the number of scalps taken in war. Residents tell us that traces of these sculptures may still be seen. Village at Swanton. — As the Iroquois gradually retired to the west of Lake Champlain, the rich lands of the 16 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS Missisqiioi Valley began to be occupied by a portion of the Abenaki. Quite a flourishing Indian village was found at Swanton, when the French built their fort on Isle La Motte in 1666, and it is thought to have been begun as early as 1650. All til rough this section interesting and valuable relics have been discovered, which indicate different ages of occupation. These consist of places of burial ; implements of warfare, hunting, and fishing; vases, urns, mortars, and pestles. There was also a castle at Swanton, w,ljich we find represented upon some of the old French and English maps. An urn was dug up at Colchester with a capacity of about four quarts ; and one at Middlebury, of about twenty quarts. An urn similar to these was also found at Bolton ; and at St. Albans Buy a pestle was dug up which had a well-defined bird's head ujion it. A second time the soil of BoltoQ yielded up its archaeological treasures, when, in August of the year 1903, an Indian jar remarkably well preserved was unearthed at Bolton Falls. Tiiis is ten inches in height, and will hold twelve quarts. CHAPTEE II INDIAN" CUSTOMS — INDIAN HOSTILITIES Indian Life. — It is difficult to realize that upon the land where we now live the dark-skinned savages once made their homes. Many of their houses were veritable tenement-houses, sixty or eighty feet long, and, like the long-house of the Iroquois, would accommodate sometimes twenty families each. Here on Vermont soil roamed the matchless hunter, who could track game for miles through dense forests and .fc-- c Iroquois long house. over steep and jagged rocks, where to the untrained eye there was nothing to indicate that an animal had passed that way. Broken or bent blades of grass told him, not only that game had gone by, but even its kind. Here the red man fished, sometimes with his hook of bone, some- times with a net constructed of the fibrous bark of the elm- tree, and at other times with a long spear fitted with a tri- angular piece of flint for a head. Here he hunted and fought with bow and arrow, war-club and tomahawk — his 17 18 VERMONT FOR YOUNG YERMONTERS war-club a stout oaken stick with a heavy knob at one end in which were often inserted sharp pieces of flint. The Indian had a very ingenious way of fashioning his toma- hawk. He first made a stone head with a groove around it. Then making a slit in a growing sapling he inserted the head, and there it was allowed to remain until the young tree had grown securely around it ; the sapling was then cut above and below to form the handle, and the tomahawk was complete. Here the swarthy squaw planted corn and beans, pump- kins and squashes, with no tool save a shell, or, perhaps, a rude hoe made of a piece of slate to which was fastened a handle made of strong withes tightly bound together with rawhide. Here she tanned the skins of the wild moose and deer, and of them made clothing, sewing them with a needle made ofttimes of fish-bones. Here she fashioned Indian war-club. her pottery in the following manner : Making a wicker basket, she lined it with a mixture of clay and sand ; she then placed it in a hot fire where the basket was burned away, leaving only the hardened pot. Corn, cut green from the cob and cooked, she called samp ; and corn and beans cooked together, succotash. Hominy she made by THE INDIAN 19 pouuding ripe corn in a stone mortar, or a hollowed stump, with a stone pestle, and boiling the coarse meal which was produced. She also baked beans, and popcorn was to her " the corn that flowers." Government. — The government of the savages was simple but seemed to answer every purpose. It was purely democratic, for the will of the people was the law. The old men were held in great respect and were the counselors, as the young men were the warriors. Among the Indians there was no executive power — no officers to compel obe- dience, none to inflict punishment ; and, indeed, there was little need of such, for the Indian always used well those of his own tribe, and public sentiment was so strong against lying or stealing, that misdemeanors of that kind were of rare occurrence. The law-making councils were conducted with great dignity and order. The old men sat in the foremost ranks, the warriors next, and the women and children last. Each speaker spoke slowly and with great seriousness, and no one was ever interrupted. Tlie greater the man^s powers of oratory, the greater his influence ; hence oratory was naturally a part of the Indian boy's education. It was the duty of the squaws to take notice of all that passed, record it in their memories, and afterward communicate it to their children. In this way public transactions were handed down from one generation to another. The Indian's Idea of Property, — By agriculture, hunt- ing, fishing, and the taking of plunder in war, the Indian provided for his family. His chief source of subsistence was hunting ; and, on this account, a large territory was necessary for the support of a small number of people. The territory belonged to the tribe. No one individual 20 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS made any claim to land or had any idea that it' belonged to him any more than to any other person ; but the game of the forest and the fish of the rivers, which he acquired by his own exertion, became his particular property, and no Indian presumed to dispute his right to them or tried to take them from him. The Indian's house and cornfield were his also ; but the moment he pulled up stakes and went away, any other of his tribe might take his place and pursue his occupation, if he so desired. With his idea of property, we can not wonder that the Indian did not always understand that selling his lands to the white man meant his own exclusion from them. It is interesting to note that in 1796 the Iroquois presented a claim to the Legislature of Vermont for pay- ment for about two million acres of land in Vermont ; and have since from time to time repeated the claim, the last time in 1888. Fort St. Anne Having incurred the enmity of the Iroquois by joining the Algonquins in fighting against them, the French soon found themselves obliged to build forts to protect themselves. A line of them was con- structed on the Richelieu, or Sorel River ; and in 1666 one on Isle La Motte which was named Fort St. Anne. This was the first place in the State occupied by white men. General Tracy, who Avas then at the head of the French troops in Canada, sent Captain La Motte, for whom the island was named, with about sixty men, to garrison the fort. The first winter there was a hard one. Having little provision save salt pork and poor flour, they suffered much from lack of proper food ; and, at one time, two-thirds of the men were ill, and during the winter eleven of them died. THE INDIAN 21 A Raid against the Mohawk Indians. — In the fall of the year Fort St. Anne was built, a large force of French and Indians camped near the fort on their way from Montreal to the Mohawk Valley to fight the Indians living there. Paddling their canoes up lakes Champlain and George, they then went west into the Mohawk Valley. Here they found several flourishing Indian villages strongly fortified by triple palisades, or high picket fences ; and within these enclosures were high platforms from which the Mohawks might fire down upon an attacking enemy. Here also were large tanks of water to be used in case of fire. Notwithstanding the strength of their fortifications, the Mohawks, unaccustomed to the sight of firearms, be- came alarmed at the first approach of the enemy and fled from their villages. There was now nothing to prevent the invaders from entering and taking large supplies of corn and beans which they found there, as well as a large number of saws and axes which the Indians had obtained from the Dutch, who then had a settlement in Albany. Everything that was portable they carried with them back to Canada, Indian Names. — As we have a few French names left upon the map of Vermont as a result of French explora- tion, so we have a few Indian names as a result of Indian occupancy. At the coming of the first white settlers, most of the mountains, rivers, lakes, and ponds had Indian names (all of them Algonquin). Some of these have been re- tained to the present day. Winooski is from winoos, signifying onions, and hi, meaning land, so called from the profusion of wild onions which grew on its banks. The Indian words missi, plenty. 22 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS and kishoo, water-fowls, we have in the word Missisquoi. Passumpsic is said to be derived from the Indian Bas- soom-suc, meaning a stream where there is much medicine. Ompompanoosuc means a stream where many onions are found ; Ottaquechee, black water ; and Memphremagog, a large and long sheet of water. TEST. 1. When was Lake Champlaiu discovered, and by whom ? 2. Who accompanied him on this tour of discovery, and on what con- dition ? 3. What settlement had he made the year before ? 4. Give an account of this expedition. 5. What other exploration was made about this time ? 6. What Indian races contested for the ownership of portions of the present State of Vermont during this period ? 7. Where did they live ? 8. For what was the territory now called Vermont used at the time of the discovery of Lake Ohamplain ? 9. What evidences have we of Indian occupancy ? 10. Tell about the Indian villages that once existed in Vermont. 11. Tell something of the government of the Indians. 12. What were their occupations ? 13. Of what foods do you think the early New England settlers learned of the Indians ? 14. What were the French finally obliged to do in order to protect themselves against the Iroquois ? 15. What place in Vermont was first occupied by white men ? 16. Tell something of its history. 17. Describe the expedition against the Mohawks. 18. What names are left upon the Vermont map as the result of French exploration ? of Indian occupancy ? 19. Where are the following rivers ? Richelieu, Lamoille, Winooski, Passumpsic, Ompompanoosuc, Ottaquechee, St. Francis 20. Locate Lake Memphremagog, Isle La Motte, Mohawk Valley. SECOND PERIOD THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS (1689-1760) CHAPTER III CAUSE OF FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS — KING WILLIAM'S WAR — QUEEN ANNE's WAR Cause of the French and Indian Wars. — During a period of nearly three-quarters of a century, France and England had frequent recourse to arms to settle their dis- putes, which were, for the most part, in regard to territo- rial possessions. In America, the English occupied a strip of land on the Atlantic coast, reaching from Acadia to Florida, and extending west to the Appalachian Mountains. The French held Canada, and had made some settlements there. They also claimed, by right of exploration, the Champlain, the Lake George, and the Mississippi valleys. Both the French and English laid claim to the Ohio Val- ley, the former by virtue of exploration, and the latter through a treaty made with the Iroquois Indians. Whenever the peace was broken between the mother countries in Europe, their colonies in America became in- volved in the contest. The struggle between France and England is usually spoken of in this country as four dis- 33 24 VERMONT FOR YOUA'G VERMONTERS tinct wars, as there were long intervals of peace between the periods of active warfare. The four separate wars were : King William's War, Queen Anne's War, King George's War, and the French and Indian War. Indian Allies. — Both the French and English culti- vated the most friendly terms with the Indians in their resi>ective localities ; and both, in order to hold them within their power, were compelled to promise them aid in making war against their enemies. Among other things, these nations furnished the Indians with firearms and taught them their use, thus making them a more serious menace to the early white settlers than they would have been with only their simple weapons of bow and arrow. The Algojiquins allied themselves with the French, and the Iroquois with the English ; but both races often proved unsatisfactory aids to their white masters, being ofttimes unreliable and unmanageable. During the inter- vals wheji the French and English were under treaty of peace, a kind of guerrilla warfare was often carried on in this country, when both the French and English, with their savage allies, went forth in small parties to harass the enemy, many times for the sole purpose of satisfying the savages in their great thirst for vengeance. A cessation of hostilities was entirely beyond the comprehension of the Indian, in whose vocabulary there is no such word as peace. The annihilation of the enemy was his one idea of effecting a settlement. The Wilderness during this Period. — It is not my pur- pose to relate events of this struggle other than those that took place within the region of the State, except as it may be necessary to keep the connection. Being situated, as it were, at nearly an equal distance THE FRENCH AND INDIxVN AVARS ^5 between the French and English settlements, the Wilder- ness was exposed to the depredations of both, and so did not invite settlement. During both the Colonial and the French and Indian wars, it was, however, a very impor- tant thoroughfare, and was repeatedly traversed by hostile parties. It was oftentimes the scene of bloody battles be- tween the white settlers and hostile Indians, and at all times a favorite lurking-place for the latter. Modes of Travel. — Commonly both the Indian and the white man followed the waterways. When there was open water, the rivers and many of their larger tributaries were navigable almost to their sources for the light birch-bark canoes, which could be carried easily around falls and over watersheds upon the shoulders of the men. When the portages were long, and sometimes for other reasons, it was more convenient to place the canoes in hiding and go on without them. In this case the party quickly fashioned new ones, before proceeding, when they again reached nav- igable streams. Thus canoes would be stationed along the way for their use on their return. When night overtook the traveler he often turned his canoe up on end for shel- ter. Such was the manner of travel in summer ; and these same streams, when paved with ice in winter, were easy paths for the snow-shoe and toboggan. Routes of Travel. — The favorite route, taken by the French to reach the English settlements, was by the way of the Richelieu River and Lake Champlainto the Wi- nooski ; then, following up that stream and one of its branches, the traveler came to a portage, and, crossing it, reached one of the northern branches of the White River ; it was then open way down this and the White River to the Connecticut, and thence to Massachusetts. This route fbKT^T fk£D£RIC ■ TlCONDEROOA, ■ /ioRrMF/£iO DcEffF/EtO ■ Forts and Indian roads. ^6 THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS 27 was so often traveled by the French that it came to have the name of the French road, and the Winooski as the French river. The Indians oftener crossed from Lake Champlain to the Connecticut River by way of the Otter Creek and Black (sometimes West) River, and this was known as the Indian road. Another route often taken by the Canadian Indians was by the way of the St. Francis River, Lake Memphremagog, Passumpsic and Connecticut rivers. Schenectady Destroyed ; a French Custom — King Will- iam's War broke out in 1G89 and lasted eight years. Among the important expeditions of the French against the English was one against Schenectady, a town fourteen miles from Albany and on the Mohawk River. Frontenac, who was then the French governor of Can- ada, had been instructed to attempt the conquest of the English colonies in America. At his order, a force of 200 Frenchmen and fifty Indians set out from Montreal in the winter of 1690 ; and, proceeding through deep snows by the way of Lake Champlain and Lake George, they arrived at the little village of Schenectady about mid- night. Learning through their spies that the place was in no condition for defense, they separated into small com- panies and in that manner entered the village so quietly that the inhabitants were not aware of danger until there was an enemy before nearly every house. A cruel massa- cre followed ; and in an incredibly short space of time the whole village was in flames. Sixty persons were killed, twenty-seven taken prisoners, and a few, escaping, fled half naked through the deep snows to Albany. It has been said that the French had two strong allies, the Algonquins and winter. True it is that it was their 28 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS custom to make their attacks in winter ; and, like their Indian allies, with snow-shoe and toboggan, make nse of the ice-bound lakes and rivers. It was always witli feel- ings of relief that the English beheld the breaking up of the ice in the spring, for the danger of a winter's incursion was then considered to be over. The First English Expedition into Vermont. — In the same year that the expedition against Schenectady was made, the English determined to build a fort at what is now Chimney Point in Addison, and sent Jacob de Warm (sometimes written de Narm) for that purpose. The fort was built but not garrisoned, having been intended only as a stopping-place for troops to and from Canada. This was the first English expedition into Vermont. Attack on Deerfield. — After an interval of about five years, in whicli there was peace between the rival nations. Queen Anne's War broke out (1702) and continued for eleven years. The first and principal move in this country was made by the French, in 1704, in an expedition against Deerfield, one of the frontier towns on the Connecticut River. A force of 200 French and 142 Indians proceeded over the French road in midwinter wlien the snow was deep upon the ground. Their provision sleds, some of which were drawn by dogs, they left at West River guarded by a small number of their men. The remaining force hurried on to Deerfield, reaching there in the evening. Conceal- ing themselves until the latter part of the night, when the guards had left the streets, they rushed into the village, finding easy access by means of the crusted drifts piled up to the very tops of the low palisades by which Deerfield was protected. THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS 29 A terrible slaughter of the unsuspecting people followed, and in a short time the town was well-nigh reduced to ashes. Forty-seven of the inhabitants had been slain ; and, soon after dawn, the victors were on their way to Canada, with over a hundred prisoners and considerable booty. The Journey to Canada ; the Williams Family. — The Indians now divided tlieir captives into small i)arties, over each of which an Indian was placed, who called himself the master of the party. This was done for the reason that it was easier to supply a small company with fresh meat than a large one ; and they depended in a great measure on the game of the forest for their subsistence. The pris- oners were also furnished with moccasins and snow-shoes, which the French had brought for them from Canada. Among the captives was the minister's family, consist- ing of Mr. and Mrs. Williams, their seven children, and two negro servants. One of the servants and two of the chil- dren were slain at the start ; and Mrs. Williams was soon after put to death, as she had fallen into the water while crossing a brook, and, hindered by her wet clothing, was unable to keep up with the party. On the first Sunday of their captivity the prisoners were allowed to rest, at a point on a western branch of the Connecticut River, not far from where Bellows Falls now stands. Here Mr. Williams preached to the captives ; and, in commemoration of this circumstance, the branch was named Williams River. At White River the company divided. One party, of which the Rev. Mr. Williams was a member, returned to Canada by the same route over which they had come, stopping for a time at the Indian village at Swanton. 30 VEKMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS Another party, containing Mr. Williams's son, ascended the Connecticut River, halting at Coos meadows, where they barely escaped starvation by procuring wild game. Indeed, two of the captives actually died of hunger. Allured by the rich meadow-lauds, the Indians decided to remain here for the corn-planting. The corn was planted the next spring, but the planters did not wait for the har- vest. A report had come to them that a tribe near by had been almost entirely destroyed by English allies, and they feared that they too were about to be attacked. They ac- cordingly left their cornfields, and hurried on to Canada by way of the Wells and Winooski rivers and Lake Cham" plain. Most of the captives were afterward redeemed and allowed to return to their friends ; but Eunice Williams, seven years old at the time of her captivity, was never ransomed. She became so attached to Indian life that she had no desire to return to her friends ; and the Indians, declaring that " they would as soon part with their own hearts," refused all ransom for her. She finally married an Indian, and several times afterward visited Deerfield, but would never consent to return to civilized life. Probably the real cause of this great tragedy was the desire of the Canadian governor to please the Abenaki Indians, whom he wished to retain as allies. In an old French version a different reason is given for the raid on Deerfield. A French priest of Caughnawaga requested the Indians of his mission to send peltry to France in exchange for a bell for their church. They did so, but the vessel that bore the bell was seized on the way over by the British ; and the bell at length found its way to Deerfield. Here, with the popish inscription erased THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS 31 from its side, it hung in the belfry of a church, until a force of French and Indians made a raid upon Deerfield, and carried the bell away. With much labor they con- veyed it through the deep snows as far as Lake Cham- plain, where they buried it. The next spring some young Indians came back for the bell. Bearing it upon a pole between them, they entered Caughnawaga in triumph ; and when in the distance the villagers heard the first faint sounds of the bell, they exclaimed with joy, "It is the bell!" Whether this tale be true or not, no one knows ; but a brazen bell, from whose sides the inscription had been pared away, hung for many years iu a church at Caughna- waga. Triumphal entry into Caughna- waga. CHAPTEE IV FORTS BUILT — SETTLEMENTS BEGUN — BOUNDARY BE- TWEEN MASSACHUSETTS AND NEW HAMPSHIRE DE- TERMINED Thirty Years of Peace. — After the close of Queen Anne's War there was peace for over thirty years, but in the meantime Vermont history was making. Among the events of these years was the building of forts by both nations and the establisliment of the boundary-line be- tween Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Equivalent Lands. — On determining the boundaries between Massachusetts and Connecticut, in 1713, acres of land, previously granted by Massachusetts, were found to come rightfully within the limits of Connecticut. Massa- chusetts, wishing to retain all lands granted by her, entered into an agreement with her sister colony to give the latter a certain number of her acres as an equivalent for those taken. Tiie Equivalent Lands were located in four different places, one being above Northfield on the west bank of the Connecticut River Avithin the limits of thepresent towns of Brattleboro, Dummerston, and Putney. The Connecticut Colony then caused these lands to be sold at public auction. The purchasers, now being tenants in common, made partition of their lands, and the tract above Northfield fell to William Dummer (afterward lieutenant-governor of Massachusetts), William Brattle, and three others, and was held by them for many years. 32 THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS 33 Fort Dummer. — Between the years 1720 and 1725, a fierce warfare was carried on between the Abenaki Indians and the English settlers. Although the. French and Eng- lish were then under treaty of peace, both the governors of Canada and the French missionaries constantly incited the Indians to deeds of hostility against the English. Northfield and Deerfield were then the frontier towns on the Connecticut, and were comparatively well protected against the enemy. But to keep the enemy at a distance and thus render the safety of these towns more sure, it was voted by the Massachusetts government to build a fort somewhere above Northfield on the west side of the Con- necticut River, on lands called the Equivalent Lands. As some of the western Indians were to form a part of the garrison, it was voted to appropriate not only sufficient land for the fort, but also an additional five or six acres of interval land to be plowed up for the use of those Indians who should wish to bring their families with them. With the consent of Lieutenant-Governor Dummer, a site was chosen within the present bounds of Brattleboro ; and, in the spring of 1724, a fort was built and called Fort Dummer. It enclosed a third of an acre of ground and was about 180 feet square, made of hewn logs of yellow pine laid up log-house fashion and interlocking at the corners after the manner of a blockhouse. Upon the walls of the fort were boxes for sentries and platforms for the cannon. The houses were built within, having the wall of the fort answer for their outer sides. Its first garrison consisted of fifty-five men, of whom about a dozen were western Indians coming from the vicinity of the Hudson River. The fort was also fur- 34 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS iiished with a chaplain, who acted as pastor to the soldiers and missionary to the Indians. Through the advice of Captain Joseph Kellogg, who had been for many years a prisoner in Canada, and who nCn Plan of Fort Dummer. had there learned of the lucrative peltry trade carried on between the French and the western Indians, Fort Dum- mer was soon made an important trading-post. Here the western Indians, finding that they could make better bargains at this station than at the French trading-posts. THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS 35 came in large numbers, exchanging moose and deer skins and tallow for clothing, food, and the like. A few months after the completion of this fort, it was attacked by seventy hostile Indians ; and four or five of its occupants were killed or wounded. Within and around this fort grew up a settlement which was called Brattleboro. This has been called the first permanent settlement in Vermont, though it is possi- ble that the town of Vernon, which was then a part of Northfield, Mass., was settled previous to this time. In Brattleboro was born John Sargent, probably the first white child born in the State. French Grants. — It was during this long interval of peace, and closely following 1725, that the French king made grants pf extensive areas of land, called seignories, on both sides of Lake Champlain, and extending south to Crown Point and Ticonderoga. These seignories were much larger than the townships granted by the English, and were measured by leagues instead of miles. A settle- ment was made at Alburg, of perhaps a dozen settlers, wliere there was erected a windmill of stone masonry and perhaps a church. A French Settlement. — Notable among the French settlements on Vermont soil was that at Chimney Point, begun in 1730, forty years after the building of the fort there by the English, Here was built and garrisoned a stone Avindmill, and a blockhouse was also erected to serve as a citadel in times of danger. Northward from the fort and extending along the lake shore a few miles, the settlers built their log huts and planted their favorite marigold and lily, which bloomed in picturesque confusion around every doorway. Here might 36 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS be seen well-cultivated gardens, flourishing orchards of plum and apple, and vast acres of wheat and corn. Here the farmer hunted the deer and moose, trapped the fur-bearing ani- mals, and fished in the lake, to provide meat and raiment for his family ; and here mothers reared their large fami- lies and sang quaint French lullabies to their babes. Gaily dressed children played about the doorways, and forest and meadow rang with the gay laughter of youth. Here the people worshiped in their one little church one day in seven, nor dreamed that their little colony would have an existence of but thirty years when English victories would force them back to Canada. About the time of the building of tliis fort. Fort St. Frederic was built on the opposite side of the lake. This was a position of great importance and was afterward called Crown Point. A French and Indian Village. — At an early day, French pioneers were associated with the Indians at Swan- ton, where at one time there was a village of about fifty huts. The stone church erected there by the French mis- sionaries was undoubtedly the first edifice built exclusively for religious purposes in the Wilderness. This church was still standing in 1 759. The French also erected here a saw- mill with a stockade fort to protect it, but this the English destro3^ed during the French and Indian War. In hisliistory of New Hampshire, Dr. Belknap tells us that the Indians in the vicinity of Missisquoi were in the habit of tapping the maples in the spring and making sugar ; and from Graham's early history of Vermont we learn the process : " Large troughs were made out of the Pine Tree, sufficient to contain a thousand gallons or up- wards ; the young Indians collected the sap into these THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAKS 37 troughs, the women in the meantime (for the men con- sidered everything but war and hunting as beneath their dignity) made large fires for heating the stones necessary for the process ; when these were fit for their purpose, they plunged them into the sap in the troughs, and con- tinued the operation till they had boiled the sugar down to the consistence they wished." From this village frequent raiding parties went out into the country around, returning with scalps and prisoners. Number One. — About the year 1736, Massachusetts ex- tended her grants northward on the Connecticut River. One township only was granted west of the river and that was to extend from the Equivalent Lands northward to Great Falls (Bellows Falls). This at first went by the name of Number One, but was afterward called New Taunton, because most of its proprietors were from Taun- ton, Mass. A sawmill was there erected and a few families of set- tlers came. A few years afterward, when it had been de- cided that this township was within the territory of New Hampshire, the Governor of that province regi'anted it, changing its name to Westminister. Settlement of Boundary-Line between Massachusetts and New Hampshire.— A few years after the building of Fort Dummer, a dispute arose between Massachusetts and New Hampshire concerning the boundary between them. The former claimed that her territory extended north several miles farther than the present limits of that State, her claim extending to a line running through the base of Ascutney Mountain. New Hampshire contended that Massachusetts was placing the line too far north and was taking in territory that rightfully belonged to her, she 38 VERMONT FOR YOUNO VERMONTERS placing the boundary between the two colonies at a line which runs through the Black Mountains. These overlapping claims caused much contention for perhaps the space of ten years ; when, in 1740, the King of England ended it by giving New Hampshire even more than she had demanded. This took from Massachusetts twenty-eight new townships, between the Merrimac and Connecticut rivers, besides a large amount of vacant lands. CHAPTER V FORTIFICATION'S STRENGTHENED— KING GEORGE's WAR — GRANTS MADE BY GOVERNOR WENTWORTH Fort Dummer Strengthened ; other Forts Built on the Connecticut. — As the frontier settlements extended north- ward on the Connecticut, it became necessary to increase and strengthen the defenses. Outside of Fort Dummer A stockade fort was placed a stockade of posts twenty feet in height, set vertically in the ground side by side, and sharpened at the upper ends. Openings were left in the pickets through which to fire on the enemy. Within were built four prov- ince houses, two stories in height, and two or three smaller houses. To the cannon already there, were added several 39 40 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS swivels with which to receive the enemy. The cannon known as the " Great Gun" was fired only to give warning of impending danger or to announce some welcome news. A fort at Number Four, now Charlestown, N. H., had been built on the east side of the river, and was al- ready assuming some inqDortance. It was built by Massa- chusetts, under the direction of Colonel Stoddard, who had also been the builder of Fort Dummer. It was similar to Fort Dummer but stockaded only on the north side. As Fort Dummer was a serious obstruction to those hostile Indians who approached by the Indian road, so Fort Number Four was a menace to those coming over the French road, or by way of more northern streams. The Rev. Ebenezer Hinsdale built a fort on the east side of *the river in what is now Hinsdale, N. II., and this was called Hinsdale's Fort. Nearly opposite this fort, and in Hinsdale, four miles south of Brattleboro, Sartwell's Fort was built by Josiah Sartwell ; and half a mile to the south, Bridgman's Fort was erected the same year by Orlando Bridgman. At the same time a fort was built and a settlement started in the " Great Meadow " in what is now the town of Putney ; but, on the beginning of hostilities, one of their number having been killed and an- other taken into captivity, the inhabitants fled for safety to Northfield. These lesser forts^ Avere merely blockhouses, built of hewn logs, and pierced by many loopholes, through which to observe and attack the enemy. The upper story usually projected over the lower, and underneath the projection were other loopholes, so that an attacking party could be fired upon from above in case of too close an approach. *See map, p. 26. THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAKS 41 These houses would often accommodate several families, and were the strongholds to which the whole community were expected to flee at the first alarm. In case of an attack, the riflemen within kept the savage foe from the sides by firing down upon them, while their wives, perhaps, run bullets for them at the mighty hearth of the huge fireplace. Scouting. — During the wars, many ex- ploring parties were sent out from the forts on the Connecticut to discover the position ^ blockhouse and force of the enemy and give warning of any threatened danger. It was the duty of the rangers to "scour the woods," and it was by no means an easy life. Often loaded down with a month's provisions, gun, hatchet and blanket, they pursued their course for the most part through thickly wooded country, sometimes following the waterways, sometimes climbing to the tops of the lofty mountains, ''there also to lodge on ye top and view morn- ing and evening for smoaks " from the enemy's camp-fires. In summer, the ground was their only bed ; the sky above, or the sheltering branches of a tree, their only canopy. When the rivers and lakes were frozen over, and the snow was deepest, the enemy was most to be feared ; and, at such time, careful watch was necessary. Then they tramped all day on cumbersome snow-shoes, with all their senses alert, and with strained ears noting every sound. Wherever night found them, they ate their scant rations ; and, often with no fire to warm their benumbed bodies, in Indian fashion, they wrapped themselves in their blaiikets and lay down on their beds of spruce or hemlock, and passed the dreary night as best they could, while one of their number kept a lonely vigil near by. 42 VEEMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS The Support of Fort Dummer. — The establishment of the bouudary-line between Massachusetts and New Hamp- shire brought Fort Dummer within the limits of New Hampshire; but the people of Massachusetts continued to support it until King George^s War was declared in 1744. Then, thinking of the great expense which its mainte- nance was likely to be to them, they appealed to the New Hampshire government for its support. They argued that it was clearly not their duty to provide for a fort no longer their own ; and, as it properly belonged to New Hampshire, it was plainly her duty to maintain it. Although the king recommended to the New Hampshire people to make pro- vision for its maintenance, even threatening to restore it to Massachusetts should they refuse to comply with his request, and Benning Weutwortli, the governor of that colony, strongly urged it, the assembly at first flatly re- fused to do so, saying that the protection it afforded was of much greater benefit to settlers of Massachusetts than to those of New Hampshire. A second assembly was called which voted a garrison of twenty men ; but the allowance made for their suj^port was so small that a suspicion prevailed among the Massachu- setts people that New Hampshire meant to provide for the fort only long enough to obtain full possession of it, and then to slight it. As this would greatly endanger her frontier, Massachusetts thought it her safest way to retain it; and from that time on it was supported by Massachu- setts. Attacks Made by the Enemy. — During this war, which lasted four years, the frontier settlements were constantly in danger, and were often surprised by the enemy, with disastrous results. It was never safe for the inhabitants THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS 43 to go far from the forts ; and when they did so venture, they were often met by the enemy, and usually loss of life or capture was the result. In 1746, Bridgman's Fort was attacked by twenty Ind- ians, who succeeded in killing two men and taking several prisoners, but were at length repulsed. The next year they made a second attack, demolishing the fort, killing several of its occupants, and taking others into captivity. After this disaster, most of the settlers of the other forts, being apprehensive of similar attacks, moved their families to the larger settlements at the south of them ; and it was well that they did so. Not long after the set- tlement at Number Four was abandoned by its inhabitants, the fort was attacked by 400 French and Indians. A siege of three days followed ; and in that time thousands of balls were poured upon the fort. The little garrison of but thirty men made such a spirited resistance that the enemy finally gave up the siege and returned to Canada. Number Four had lost not a man; but the loss of the enemy must have been considerable. Captain Hobbs's Encounter with the Indians. — The scouting parties also often met and held encounters with the Indians, and many times blood was spilled. Many of these encounters were of great interest, perhaps none more so than that of Captain Humphrey Hobbs. He had been ordered to go with forty men from Number Four to Fort Shirley, in the northern part of Massachusetts. The party had halted within the limits of what is now the town of Marlboro and were eating their dinner, when they were surprised by a party of Indians four times outnumbering their own, led by a resolute chief named Sackett. Neither party had any shelter save that of the trees. A hot 44 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS skirmish ensued, which lasted four hours, when Sackett, finding that his own men were getting the worst of the conflict, ordered a retreat. Only three of the scouts were killed, but it was im- possible to estimate the loss of the enemy. When an Indian fell, his nearest comrade, under cover of the trees and brush, crept stealthily to his body, attached a line to it, and then appeared the ghastly sight of a dead Indian gliding from view into some undergrowth, as if spirited away by invisible hands. Granting of Townships; Settlements Begun. — In the few years of peace that followed King George's War, Governor Wentvvorth made grants of fifteen townships within the present limits of Vermont. The first of these was granted in 1749. It was six miles square, and was situated six miles north of the Massachusetts line and twenty miles east of the Hudson River. It was surveyed the same year, but no settlement was made there for more than ten years. This was called Bennington in honor of Benning Wentworth. The fourteen other grants were east of the mountains, and comprised the greater part of the present Windham County. Settlements were begun, but were of slow growth because of the hostility of the Indians and the breaking out so soon of the French and Indian War, which drove many of the settlers to abandon their homes and seek places of greater safety farther from the frontier. Some of these charters were forfeited because of the inability of the proprietors to clear the required number of acres of land and to fulfil otlier conditions of the charters; but they were renewed several years after. Among the settlements started was that of Bellows THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS 45 Falls, where, we are told, the first iuhabitants subsisted almost entirely on the salmon and shad that came up the river to that place in great numbers. A second attempt was made to settle Putney, and here a fort was built re- sembling that of Dummer, only on a smaller scale ; and this was garrisoned by New Hampshire troops until peace was restored between the French and English in 1760. CHAPTER VI THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR — VERMONT AT THE CLOSE OF THE LONG CONTEST The French and Indian War (1754-1760).— The French and Indian War, so called, was the fourth and last war and continued for about six years. It consisted of a series of English victories. The Taking of Fort Bridgman. — In the second year of this war a most disastrous affair took place at Bridgman's Fort, which had been rebuilt on the site of the original fort, was strongly picketed, and was considered to be as secure as any stronghold on the river. On the day of the disaster all the men of the fort were hoeing corn in a meadow near the banks of the river, while their wives and children had made themselves secure in the fort. Starting for home at sunset, they were attacked by about a dozen Indians ; and one of their number, Caleb Howe, was killed. The Indians then hastened to the fort and rapped at the gate, which the women at once opened to them ; for they had heard the firing and thought their own men were in danger and were rushing in from the field. The fort was burned ; and the women and children, numbering fourteen in all, were made jDrisoners and at first taken to Crown Point. Here they remained about a week, when they were taken down the lake in canoes to Canada. Mrs. Howe, the wife of Caleb Howe and known in his- 46 THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS 47 experience Indian mode of warfare. tory as the "fair captive," had a sad Her youngest child died on the way, and her remaining six cliildren were separated from her and from each other. Through the intervention of friends, she and three of her children were redeemed ; another was given to the governor of Canada ; and two daughters were placed in a convent. One of these was afterward carried to France, where she married a Frenchman ; the other was subsecpiently redeemed, Mrs. Howe herself having made the journey to Canada to procure her release. Taking of Crown Point and Ticonderoga. — Among the important English victories were the taking of Crown Point and Ticondei-oga, toward the close of this war. These were positions of great importance, commanding, as they did, the j^assage from Lake Champlain to Lake George. After abandoning these forts, the French went down the lake to Isle aux Noix, which is situated at the north 5 48 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS end of the lake and commands the passage into Canada, leaving the " Gate of the Conntry " (as the Iroqnois had fitly named Lake Champlain) in undis^^uted possession of the English peojile. Here they resolved to make a bold stund against the English. An Expedition against the St. Francis Indians. — Gen- eral Amherst, who was now at Crown Point awaiting the building of vessels with which to pursue the French, determined to take advantage of the delay by sending a force to destroy the Indians of St. Francis, who had all along made themselves very troublesome to the Eng- lish, and had been notorious for their cold-blooded mas- sacres. Major Robert Rogers, one of the most celebrated of rangers, was apj)ointed to the task. With a force com- prising 200 men, Rogers proceeded down the lake in bateaux in the direction of Canada. On the fifth day out the explosion of a keg of gunpowder seriously wounded several of his men, whom he was obliged to send with an escort back to Crown Point. At Missisquoi Bay he con- cealed his boats, laden with provisions ; and, leaving them in care of two of his rangers, he advanced with the rest of his force into the unbroken forests in the direction of St. Francis. Two days later he was overtaken by the men left to guard the bateaux, Avho informed him that his boats and provisions had been taken by the enemy, a large force of whom were even now in pursuit of him. Rogers kept this from his men, sending back messengers to Crown Point to acquaint Amherst of what had taken place and requesting him to send provisions to the Coos country, by which route he now knew he must return. His only hope now of accomplishing his purpose was to THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS 49 outmarcli the enemy, and he pushed forward with the utmost expedition. Arriving toward evening in sight of the vilhige, he allowed his soldiers an opportunity for much needed rest, while he himself, in Indian dress, went nearer to reoonnoiter. He found the savages en- gaged in an Indian dance, rejoicing over a recent vict- ory. By four o'clock in the morning the dance was ended ; and the Indians were in a deep sleep, worn out by their orgies. Rogers posted his men in the most favorable situation, and at dawn made the assault in Indian fashion, asking no mercy and showing none. It is to be deplored that, al- though he had been instructed to spare the women and children, Rogers allowed his Indians to murder them. The determination of the party to wipe out the whole vil- lage was greatly increased when dawn revealed several hun- dred of the scalps of their countrymen suspended on poles, around which the Indians had been dancing. Of the 300 inhabitants of the village, 200 were killed outright, and twenty more taken prisoners, while Rogers's loss was only one killed and six wounded. The St. Francis Indians were at this time completely subdued, and they never again troubled the English. After destroying the village, Rogers and his men at once directed their course toward the Connecticut, taking with them five English captives, whom they had retaken, and as much plunder as they could easily carry. Their course lay along tlie St. Francis River, to the east of Lake Memphremagog, and thence by the Passumpsic to the Con- necticut. The route through the Wilderness was one of extreme danger, not only from pursuing Indians, but because of the scarcity of food. Several times they were 50 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS attacked in the rear with the loss of several of their men, but at length succeeded in routing the enemy, who then gave up the pursuit. In the meantime, in accordance with the request made of General Amherst, men had been sent from Cliarlestown with two canoes loaded witli provisions. According to instructions, they were encamped on an island at the mouth of the Passumpsic to await Rogers and his party. One morning, hearing the firing of guns, and supposing that the Indians were in the vicinity, they hastily reloaded the provisions and started with great haste for Charles- town. Rogers and his men were then but a few miles up the Passumpsic. Imagine the dismay of the half-starved men, when, a few hours later, they reached the place only to find it deserted and no succor awaiting them. The fires of the relief party were still burning; and, although Rogers fired guns to announce his arrival, it only served to frigliten the fugitives, and they hurried all the more rapidly away. Some of the men were so disheartened that they died within twenty-four hours. Sorely distressed, Rogers left his worn-out and starv- ing men in charge of a lieutenant, whom he taught how to prepare ground-ruts and lily roots for food ; with three other men, he now started down the Connecticut River on a raft, on a final endeavor to save his men by reaching Fort Number Four and there obtaining relief for them. At White River Falls the raft was wrecked, and they were obliged to construct another before going on. This lost them considerable time; but they finally reached the fort, and Rogers at once sent a canoe laden with supplies for the sufferers. From Fort Number Four they returned THE FEENCH AND INDIAN WARS 51 to Crown Point. Eogers had lost, in liis retreat^ from one cause and another, nearly fifty men. A Military Road.— After Crown Point was taken by the English, a military road was begun across the Wilder- ness from Crown Point to Charlestown, N. H. Colonel Zadoek Hawks and Captain John Stark, with 200 rangers, opened the road from Crown Point to Ludlow, following the Otter Creek and its largest eastern branch, though from the Otter Creek over the mountains to Ludlow the road was nothing more than a bridle-path. The next year Colonel Goffe and a New Hampshire regiment completed the work, starting at Charlestown and following the Black Eiver. Their baggage was conveyed in wagons to Ludlow, and from this point, where the wagon-road ended, on packhorses to Crown Point. Closely following the opening of the road, a herd of cattle was driven from Charlestown to Crown Point for the supply of the army stationed there. Vermont at the Close of the Long Contest. — In 1760 the long contest ended, and France gave up all claims in America. On the abandonment of Crown Point and Ticonderoga by the French, the French at Chimney Point and those at Swanton withdrew to Canada, but the Indians in large numbers made the Missisquoi Valley their home for many years ; and, indeed, they did so until the English came there to settle after the close of the Eevolu- tionary War. Many of the seignories granted by the French king had reverted to the crown because of non-settlement ; but some of them were, at the close of the war, still held by their proprietors. When the lands of the Champlain Valley were surrendered to the English, the proprietors 52 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS asked that their charters be regranted to them ; but in most cases this was refused. At the close of the war the few settlers in the south- eastern part of the State, with the Indians of Swanton, comprised the entire population, probably not amounting in all to over three hundred persons. Because of the few- ness and unimportance of the settlements at this time, it is customary to consider the close of the French and Indian wars as the be- ginning of settlement 111 Vermont. Loading packhorses. TEST. 1. How many years does the second period cover ? 2. Give the cause of the so-called French and Indian wars. 3. Name the four distinct wars. 4. "What was the present State of Vermont called during this period, and for what was it used ? 5 Trace three important thoroughfares. 6. When did King William's War break out, and how long did it last ^ THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS 53 7. Wlien, and for what purpose, was the first English expedition into Vermont ? 8. When did Queen Anne's War break out, and how long did it last ? 9. Give an account of the attack on Deerfield, and the return to Canada. 10 How many years of peace followed the close of this war ? 11. What of importance occurred during these years ? 12. What is meant by the Equivalent Lands ? 13. Give sometliing of the history of Fort Duramer. 14. What grants were made by the French ? What settlements ? 15. What dispute arose between Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and how was it settled ? 16. What other forts besides Fort Dummer were built on the Con- necticut ? 17. Tell what you can of the life of the scout. 18. When was King George's War declared ? 19. What dispute arose over the support of Fort Dummer, and how was it settled ? 20. Tell the story of Captain Hobbs's encounter with the Indians. 21. What townships were granted in the years of peace that followed King George's War ? By whom were they granted ? 22. Wliat was the last of the French and English wars, and when did it break out ? 28. Tell the story of the taking of Fort Bridgman. 24. What important forts upon the outskirts of "Vermont were taken by the English toward the close of this war ? 25. Tell the story of Rogers's expedition against the St. Francis Indians. 26. Describe the building of a military road across the mountains. 27. What comprised the population of the State at the close of the wars ? 28. It is customary to consider the settlement of Vermont as beginning at what time ? 29. Where is Winooski River ? White River ? Otter Creek River ? Williams River ? Passumpsic River ? West River ? Wells River ? THIRD PERIOD EARLY SETTLEMENT (1760-1775) CHAPTER VII NEW HAMPSHIRE GRANTS — GRANTEES — NEW YORK JURISDICTION New Hampshire Grants. — The French and Indian War for a time put a stop to the granting of townships ; but, on the cessation of hostilities, so many persons made applica- tion for lands, that Governor Wentworth, in the name of the king, began making extensive grants west of the Con- necticut, a large part of the land east of that river having been alread}^ granted. In 1760 he had a survey made sixty miles along the Connecticut, and three lines of townships laid out on either side of the river. As applications increased, the surveys were extended westward beyond the mountains; and, by the end of 1763, 138 townships in all had been granted west of the Connecticut River. These townships covered the better part of the present State, extending from the Connecticut River on the east to Lake Cham- plain on the west. The territory now began to be known as the New Hampshire Grants. The king's object in allowing the governors to make 54 EARLY SETTLEMENT 55 such grants was to promote the settlement of the country and gain a revenue for the government through a small annual rent which was to be exacted. The governors of the colonies willingly made these grants, finding abundant remuneration in the fees which they obtained for the grant- ing of the charters. Original Proprietors. — It is interesting to note how our Vermont towns came into existence. The original propri- etors, usually men residing within the vicinity of each other in the older New England settlements, would asso- ciate themselves together to the number of about sixty ; and, deciding on some situation in the Wilderness which they deemed would be acceptable, they would make ap- plication to Governor Wentworth to grant them a town- ship there. Nothing was to be paid by the proprietors on receiving the grants except a compensation to the governor for the granting of the charters (usually about 1100) ; and this they shared equally, together with the cost of a survey and sometimes the expense of opening a road to the grants, etc. These men were mainly either speculators or friends and followers of Governor Wentworth. Few of them ever so much as visited their possessions, but sought purchasers iu all the neighboring colonies, where they readily sold to tlie large army of home-seekers the lands which they had obtained by gift. The New Hampshire Charters. — All the town charters issued by Benning Wentworth were of much the same form. By their provision the towns were laid out as nearly six miles square as the natural features would permit. Before any division of the land was made, a tract of land, as near the middle of the town as possible, was laid out in one-acre lots, one of which was to be alloted to each of 56 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS the grantees. Making allowance for highways and unim- provable lands, such as rocks, ponds, rivers, monntains, etc., the land was then divided into sixty-odd equal shares. Wentworth, according to the custom of other governors of that time, reserved 500 acres (regarded as two shares) M 1 1 Th.' is . 3i CcAcr Vf JhKrx 3 TV 1 10 Ji 3-1 ^1 ITlorn,,^ 3 II If ■'7 J5 31 V ei,a^i.. Ii 20 Wllittm. let Ur, It ■Tf s '3 77..-,.. 1. - ^9 1 37 1 JiAn /■7J'.V«./.« 34 X.cf, 3»- ntth" 3V SrA,./ Zatt 7 J3 WtiLam, 31 y.Ar, Tk.'s,tt "7 Si If t SmMJb, Ii Jtkn f/arm»it 3J '1 TrticlttU Jaa,/,k W>od- Original plan of the town of Bennington, for himself in each township ; this, with the fees and dona- tions attending the business, gave him an opportunity to accumulate a large fortune. To encourage ministers of the gospel to settle in the new townships, a share was set apart in each for the first settled minister, regardless of what EARLY SETTLEMENT 57 persuasion. One share was also set apart for the Church of England (the Episcopal Church), and another for the spreading of the gospel in foreign lands. Aside from one share which was reserved in each township for the benefit of schools, the remaining shares went to the grantees. In his history of the town of Hartford, Tucker tells us the manner in which the shares of that town were assigned. The names of proprietors were written on separate slips of paper, and the description of lots on other slips. The names of proprietors were then put in one receptacle, the description of lots in another; then some disinterested person drew one slijD of each kind, and the lot drawn with any proprietor's name was his property. The giant pines of that day were very valuable as masts for the king's navy. Some of these were from 150 to 200 feet in height, and a tree thirty-five inches in diameter was valued at $500. The charters required that all white and other pine trees fit for masting in the king's navy be reserved for that use, and none felled without his consent. Within the term of five years, every grantee was required to cultivate five acres of land for each fifty acres contained in his share, and to continue to cultivate them thereafter on penalty of having his lands taken from him and re- granted to others. For the space of ten years, he was to pay a yearly rent of one ear of Indian corn on his town lot; and after that time a yearly rent of one shilling for each 100 acres he owned. These rents were to be paid on Christmas-day. The Early Settlers ; Who Were They ?— Soon after the French had retreated to Canada, and there was compara- tively little danger of hostile incursions, the Wilderness 58 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS was invaded by a throng of pioneers, who came to clear the land and upon it build their homes. These were, for the most part, young men witli little money, who had not the means to purchase lands in the older settlements where the prices were mucli higher. Some (though these were in the minority) possessed means, and were either original proprietors or those who had purchased from the propri- etors vast acres of land, because they foresaw in speculation an opportunity to increase largely their fortunes, and were willing to bear the privations necessary for that end. During the progress of the wars, farmer soldiers, in passing through, had noted the fertile lands and recognized their possibilities. Rangers, many of whom were hunters and trappers, when on their perilous missions, had pene- trated the forest wherever led an Indian trail or could be paddled the light canoe, and so had come to know what of value the forest held for them. Lumbermen had discov- ered its wealth of pine, oak, and other trees, and were cast- ing greedy eyes upon this longtime hunting-ground and highway. Manufacturers and millwrights were not blind to the power locked up in the swift-running streams, and knew that their hands had the cunning to undo the lock. As most of these soldiers were of New England origin, it came to pass that the settlers of the Wilderness were mainly of the good old Puritan stock, from the older set- tlements of Massachusetts and Connecticut, men of strong constitutions and industrious habits. Rapid Growth of Settlements. — Old war-paths now be- came the ways of peace ; and the rapidity with which set- tlements sprang into existence was remarkable, considering the difficulties which existed in the way of travel. No set- tlement was made in Bennington till 1761, though its char- EARLY SETTLEMENT 59 ter was granted twelve years previous to that time ; but so rapid was its growth that in 1765 its inhabitants num- bered 1,000 ; and it had mills, a church, schools, and a militia company. Guilford, settled about the same time, soon became the largest town in the State as to numbers, and remained so for some years. Colonial Charters. — The kings of England, who made large grants in this country, must have been densely igno- rant of the vast extent of the lands in America, as is shown by the charters granted, which were often very vague in their phrasing. The charters of Massachusetts and Con- necticut gave to these colonies all lands extending west- ward to the Pacific Ocean, excepting any lands which might come in between that had previously been settled by other Christian nations. New York's charter, granted in 1614, some years previous to either of these, gave to the Dutch all lands lying between the Connecticut River and the east shore of Delaware Bay. When, fifty years later. New York came into the possession of the English, King Charles gave to his brother, the Duke of York, all lands included in the early charter. But in the meantime settlements had been made in both Massachusetts and Connecticut beyond the Connecti- cut River on land claimed alike by New York and these colonies. The matter had been amicably settled, however ; and now for a long time it had been generally understood, both in England and America, that the eastern boundary of New York was a line twenty miles east of Hudson River and running parallel to it. This was plainly shown by the records and maps of that time. New York Lays Claim to the New Hampshire Grants. — No sooner did Lieutenant-Governor Colden, of New York, 60 VEKMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS learn that Governor Wentwortli was granting townships west of the Connecticut, than he began to covet for him- self the profits of those lands, and commanded Wentworth to desist : and when, after the close of the French and Indian War, the granting was renewed with so much vigor, Governor Golden sent out a proclamation laying claim for New York to all that territory between Lake Chami^lain and the Connecticut River. He insisted that Governor Wentworth had no right to make such grants, and ordered the sheriff of Albany County to report to him the names of all persons who, under the government of New Hamp- shire, were holding lands west of Connecticut River, that they might be dealt with according to law. Wentworth, in no way intimidated, kept on making grants, at the same time encouraging those who had begun settlements " to be industrious in clearing and cultivating their lands." To substantiate his claims, Governor Golden produced the old charter granted by Charles Second to the Duke of York, 100 years before, which gave the Duke all lands in- cluded in the old Dutch charter, making the Connecticut River the eastern boundary of New Y'^ork. New Hampshire's Defense. — New Hampshire refused to recognize this claim as valid, it being too remote. More- over, Avhen the line was run between New Hampshire and Massachusetts, it had been extended west to a line twenty miles east of Hudson River and running parallel to it, which must, therefore, have been considered at that time New Hampshire's western limit. Furthermore the king had repeatedly affirmed that Fort Dummer ought to be maintained by New Hampshire, as it was stationed upon her territory ; and Fort Dummer was well known to be situated west of the Connecticut River. EARLY SETTLEMENT Gl Dispute Settled. — Finally representatives were sent to England with a petition to the king, j^urporting to be from the settlers, affirming that it would he for their ad- vantage to be annexed to New York, and asking that the Connecticut River be made the eastern boundary of that colony. The settlers subsequently denied having ever signed any such paper or having any knowledge of it. Acting upon this petition, the king, in 1764, declared the eastern boundary of New York to be the west bank of the Connecticut River. This decision does not seem to have been founded on the ancient charter at all, but on a supposed appeal from the grantees themselves. Governor Wentworth at first demurred, but at length abandoned the contest, recommending to the proprietors and settlers due obedience to the new jurisdiction ; but certain acts of New York officials now made it impossible for the settlers to follow Governor Went worth's sugges- tions. The grantees were at once plunged into a long con- test, from which they were destined to emerge only after many years. Before following them farther in this, per- haps it would be well to take a glimpse of the home life and customs of the pioneer and his family. It must not be understood, however, as being a representation of the life peculiar to the people of this period alone, for the customs of our early ancestors did not change materially for many years ; and such changes as did come were of the kind naturally brought about as the result of increased prosperity. CHAPTER VIII HOME LIFE OF THE EARLY SETTLER The Pioneer and his Family. — The pioneer did not always bring his family with him when he made his first journey into the Wilderness. Sometimes he came alone, sometimes he was attended by one or two other sturdy woodsmen, who had accompanied him hither with an object like his own, that of preparing homes for themselves and families, or perhaps as hired help to our pioneer. They had little equipment save axes, guns, and corn-meal, as they paddled their slow-moving boats along the water- ways, with now no fear of an ambush, or made their way through the unbroken virgin forests, blazing the trees as they went. The journey ended, the first task was that of clearing the land ; and now, perhaps for the first time, the silence of the woods was broken with the stroke of the ax, and for the first time the Wilderness resounded with the echoes of toil. Right speedily a space was cleared, sufficiently large for a cabin and the first planting ; and the manner of effecting such clearing was most ingenious. Finding a number of trees in a line, the pioneer partly chopped each one ; then felling a large one at one end, he let this fall against the second, which, falling, brought down the third, and so on. Some of the logs were used in constructing the log house, while others were piled up and burned ; and the 62 EARLY SETTLEMENT G3 ashes made a good fertilizer for the hmd, which was soon sown with wheat or phinted with corn. When autumn came and the crops were safely housed, our pioneer made his way to his family, and spent a winter of content and comfort, while his little cabin and all it contained slept under a coverlet of snow. Spring found him returning with his family, his high- way sometimes the navigable streams, when he carried his family and all his household goods in boats; sometimes the dense forests, where his only guide was the white patches upon the trees which he had blazed on his first journey thither. Then came a life of loneliness for himself and family, with little to break the silence save the howls of the Avild beasts, the singing of birds, and the whistling of the winds through the branches of the great trees. The ways of the wild animals were as familiar as tiie ways of man ; the simple wildwood flowers, reminders of God's goodness, though mute, were agreeable companions. It was also a life of hardship ; but the noble men and women of that day knew they could not succeed without industry, and bravely they plied their hands and were in the main content ; for their holdings, though isolated, rep- resented the home, with its joys as well as its hardships. The Log Hut. — Graham describes so well the building of the log hut that I quote him in full: "When any person fixes upon a settlement in this quarter of the coun- try, Avith the assistance of one or two others, he imme- diately sets about felling trees proper for the purpose ; these are from one to two feet in diameter, and forty feet or upwards in length, as best suits the convenience and wishes of the builder. G 64 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS " When the branches are lopped off, and a suflScient number of logs are prepared, blocks are cut for the cor- ners. The largest four of these are placed in a square form, upon a solid foundation of stones ; this done, the logs are rolled upon the blocks, one above another, imtil the square becomes about twenty or twenty-five feet high ; the rafters are then made for the roof, which is covered with the bark taken off the trees and placed lengthways from the ridge, with a jet sufficient to carry off the rain. The interstices in tlie body of the hut are filled up with mortar, made of wild grass chopped up and mixed with clay. When the outside is thus completed one of the cor- ners is chosen within where some flat broad stones are fixed for the fireplace, with a small opening directly over it for the smoke to ascend through, and which also serves to give light to the inhabitants. ''And here large fires of wood are constantly kept burning (in winter both day and night) so that scarce any- thing can be imagined more comfortable and warm than this large apartment ; round the walls and in the corners are the beds, and sometimes those of the young men or women are elevated on lofts, made of rafters, laid across from side to side, with a flooring of bark over them. The door is always as nearly opposite the hearth as possible. " In this manner is an abode finished, spacious enough to accommodate twelve or fifteen persons, and which often serves for as many years, till the lands are entirely cleared and the settlers become sufficiently opulent to erect better houses. Three men will build one of these huts in six days." In place of the floor of earth, beaten and smoothed until it was as level and hard as pavement, some of these EARLY SETTLEMENT 65 huts had what was called a puncheon flooi% made of split logs with the plain side up, or what was still better, one of rough boards. The board floor, well sprinkled with sand, was often marked off in fancy designs ; and one of that kind was considered a luxury. The chamber above, usually occupied by the younger members of tlie family, was not always a warm place to sleep in winter, when the snow sifted through the cracks upon the sleeping children. Usually a ladder led to this loft, but oftentimes the children clambered up to it on wooden pegs inserted in the logs. There was little furniture at first. Blocks of wood answered for chairs, and often a split log, with holes bored at the corners on the rounded side and sticks driven in for legs, was the only table. A family at Newbury showed their foresight by building their cabin over a flat stump and using the stump for a table. The coming of the sawmills brought the more commo- dious frame houses with their large chimneys, multitudi- nous fireplaces, and brick ovens, to those who were thrifty. The Fireplace. — The enormous firejjlace consumed great quantities of fuel, and the preparing and bringing in of this was the Avork of the boys. The foundation for a fire was a back-log, sometimes six feet long and so heavy that the boys often harnessed themselves to it, and, by all pulling together, managed to haul it into the house and lodge it at the back of the fireplace. In front of this was placed a fore-log, considerably smaller, both lying on the ashes ; and on them lay the top-stick. These were usually of green wood and would last several days. In front of this pile and upon the andirons, was a fore-stick, around which was heaped a stack of split wood, chips, etc. The fire was 66 VERMONT FOR YOUNG YERMONTERS then ready to liglit ; and, to acconij^lisli this, a piece of steel was strnck sharply against a bit of flint, producing sparks, which were caught upon some inflammable substance (some- times flax soaked in the balsam of pitch-pine, sometimes An old fireplace. punk gathered from decayed logs) and then coaxed into a flame by gently blowing upon them. The Are thus made was supposed to keep ; and, with this end in view, the good man of the house buried each night a hardwood brand in the ashes. Sometimes, how- ever, the live coal failed to be a reality in the morning ; and, this being the case, the boys were sent to a neighbor's with a fire-pan to "borrow coals "or with a tin lantern with a candle for a light. In case there were no neighbors EARLY SETTLEMENT 67 Borrowiiiir coals. within easy disttmce, the hiborious method of steel and tiint for producing a flame must again be resorted to. As the thick-set forests thinned under the ruthless ax of the settler, the fireplaces shrank in size, and fires were more sim^ily built, the back - log and fore - stick only, sufficing for a foun- dation ; and this is the fire- j)hice of wliich aged people sjieak to-day as the fireplace of their fathers. Foods, and how they were Cooked. — The same maize whicli had for ages satisfied the hunger of the Indian, now yielded nour- ishment to his successor, the ^^hite man. Hunting and fishing were as profitable as in the days when the savage occupied the land ; and many a farmer materially added to his larder by their means, employing in winter the cold- storage plan of his predecessor, the Indian, that of packing meat in snow until it was needed for use. Over or before the coals of the fireplace the good house- wife did much of her cooking. At first a wooden bar was placed across the chimney high enough to be free from the danger of burning, and the pots and kettles were sus- pended from it. Tliis was soon superseded by the iron crane, placed at the side of the fireplace and fastened on liinges so that the pots and kettles could be swung off and on the blaze at pleasure. Potatoes, squashes, turnips, beans, peas, and other foods were boiled in the pots ; and meats were cooked in the 68 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VEKMONTERS same way, or else fried in a spider over the coals, or roasted on sjiits before the fire. The spit was a long iron rod with a crank at one end, and this was made to rest on hooks placed on the andirons. By means of the crank, great joints of meat were turned upon the spit, until they be- came sufficiently cooked upon all sides. Many things were made of the coarse Indian meal. The journey (or Johnny) cake of the white man succeeded the no-cake of tiie Indian, and was similar to it. This was often baked on slabs tilted up before the glowing coals. Hominy or hasty pudding and milk often formed the supper. Bean porridge was also a favorite dish for the same meal, and was made by boiling beans in the liquid in which corned beef had been boiled. When the good man was obliged to take a journey in winter he often carried with' him a frozen cake of this porridge, and Avlien hungry thawed pieces of it for his luncheon. This was thought by some to improve with age. In view of this fact, it is easy to believe that the simple game of " bean porridge" was j^er- haps, after all, soul-inspired, and that its singsong accom- paniment of: Bean porridge hot, Bean porridge cold, Bean porridge best When it's nine days old, had a significance to the boys and girls of " ye olden time," which added a zest to its performance. Close by the kitchen fireplace and a part of the enor- mous chimney-stack was the stone or brick oven used on baking days, usually once a week in winter and twice in summer. AVood especially prepared for the purpose was EARLY SETTLEMENT 69 used for heating this oven, and sometimes hot coals were put in from the fireplace. When the oven became thor- oughly heated, which often took two or three hours, the fire was raked out ; and an oven thus heated would retain its heat for some time. Then pies, puddings, beans, brown bread, and other foods were placed within ; and a door, oftentimes of wood, was placed at the opening and kept there till the food was cooked. The food was put in and taken out by means of a long-handled shovel. Once a year, at Thanksgiving time, mince-pies were baked in this oven. Pumpkins were often baked whole, after cutting a round hole in the top and removing the seeds. The pulp thus baked and eaten with milk was a delicacy; and the hard shell of the pumpkin sometim-es served as a work-basket for the thrifty and economical housewife. In addition to the brick oven, the Dutch oven was very commonly used. This was a shallow pan with a tightly fitting cover. Bread or biscuit was placed within, and the pan was buried in hot ashes and heaped over with glowing coals. Tableware. — The home - made tables were set with wooden and pewter dishes. On a set of shelves called a dresser the pewter ware of that day was prominently displayed. Every good house- keeper took great pride in keeping both this and her cop- per ware scoured to a remarkable brilliancy. Plates, mugs, platters, ladles, and spoons, made of this material, were very clumsy, and so soft that the spoons and ladles were Bake kettle, or Dutch oven. 70 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS often broken. "When such was the case, they were laid aside until the coming of the traveling workman, with his spoon and ladle molds, who melted and run into the molds the worn-out articles that soon came forth as good as new. Clothing. — The earliest settlers were clad wholly in homespun. John L. Ileaton in The Story of Vermont, names the first half century after the settlement of Ver- mont as the "homespun age." Truly the people of that time were a self-reliant people, and had little for their A hand loom. comfort save what was fashioned by tlicir own hands, and from such material as their farms produced. Every farmer raised his own sheep, thus furnishing the wool from which the winter clothing was nuide. lie also raised his own flax, which furnished the fiber from which the women of the household fashioned the neat linen checks for dresses, aprons, and the like, the fine linen, the table-cloths and bedspreads with their intricate pat- terns, and the coarser tow for other purposes. In every home might be seen the great wheel for spinning the woolen thread, the little wheel for the linen ; and in every kitchen stood a dye tub, in which the thread EARLY SETTLEMENT 71 A wool wheel. or cloth was colored, the colors most commonly used being blue and copperas. The methods used by our ancestors in the preparing of flax for the loom are interesting. The seeds were sown in the spring and the plants pulled in autumn. After the seeds were threshed out, the flax was placed out of doors and exposed to the weather, until the woody part became tender enough to be sepa- rated easily from the fibers. After drying, the woody part was re- moved by a process called "break- ing." Then tlic flax was pounded with a heavy wooden knife called a "swingle," which separated the fine fibers from the coarse tow. It was then drawn over an iron-toothed comb called a " hatchel," which drew out the imperfect fibers ; and it was then ready for the distaff and the spinning-wheel. At a later date the best dresses were made of calico, per- haps obtained at the country stoi'c in exchange for woolen cloth, stockings, or mittens, made by the busy housewife. To the nearest tannery the farmer carried the skins of animals raised on the farm, and had them tanned into leather. From these skins the yearly supply of footwear for the family was fashioned by the traveling cobbler, who was considered indispensable in those days, and who in the less busy seasons left his farm and Avent from house to house, where he plied his craft, acting as ''surgeon to old shoes" or making new ones, as the family demanded. If he had not a last of suitable size, there was the woodpile 73 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS close by, and a block from that could quickly be fashioned into one. Changing the shoe from foot to foot on alternate days kept it from running over at the heel and brought an equal wear upon both sides, a custom which was thought to increase its longevity. Men sometimes wore moccasins made of the untanned skins, and both men and children often went barefoot in summer. An Evening in the Home. — Around the glowing hearth all the family were clustered of an evening. All were busy at something, for idleness with our forefathers was a crime. The dear old grandmother, with placid face, sat and knit, while with one foot she gently rocked the cradle at her side. The mother plied her hands at spinning tow, while her elder daughter spun flax on a small wheel, the while the younger children filled quills for the morrow's weaving, or, huddled in the chimney-seat, conned their next day's spelling lessons, or popped corn on a hot shovel. The men at the same time were whittling out wooden shovels, oxbows, ax helves, swingles, pokes for unruly oxen, and other useful articles, the grandfather working withtliem and from time to time breaking forth in an oft-told tale of Indian warfare, to which the children listened with eager interest, perhaps to the detriment of the next day's spelling lessons. One shelled corn, while another, with a pestle, pounded it into coarse meal in the great wooden mortar. The only illumination was that of the fireplace. The red light from the pine knots on the hearth, augmented by the handfuls of hickory shavings which the men from time to time threw on, sent aglow over all, lighting up the twisted rings of pumpkins and festoons of apples suspended from the poles above, drying for the next summer's use. EARLY SETTLEMENT 73 When the chihlren's bedtime came, they lighted, some- times a piece of rush soaked in grease and stuck in a piece of wood or half potato, sometimes their tallow dips, to whose manufacture one day in the year was devoted, and reluc- Spinning flax. tantly left the cozy hearth and went to their cold beds, wondering why they should be sent to bed tlius early, and thinking how happy they would be when the time for their retiring should be a matter of their choice alone. CHAPTER IX SCHOOLS — CHURCHES — OCCUPATIONS — RECREATIOXS The Early School. — Though })oor and few in number, the early settlers neglected not the worship of God nor the education of their children, realizing that without A'irtue and education there is no true success. Both schools and churches were established almost as soon as settlement began. The little red schoolliouse The first schoolhonses, like the dwelling-houses, were built of logs ; but their interiors were even more crude than those of the houses. Rough boards laid upon blocks of wood, or upon legs driven into auger-holes in the floor, were the seats ; and the desks, if there were any, were fashioned in like manner. "With the coming of the 74 EARLY SETTLEMENT 75 frame houses, came also the " little red schoolhouse" with its clumsy, uupainted desks and meager furnishings. Families were large in the early days, and the schools correspondingly so. In one district in the town of Claren- don, in 1797, ninety-nine children were in attendance, coming fi-om only eight families, making an average of about twelve from a family. Many of the children waded miles through the snow to attend the winter term, uidess they were fortunate enougli to find places near the schoolhouse, where they might work for their board by doing chores during the cold winter days. The schoolmaster usually boarded around, and so had to take his turn in plodding long distances with the pupils. The teacher's pay was not high, and he was not always paid in money. One schoolmaster (and farmer as well) was paid in work. While he was teaching the children to read, write, and calculate, their fathers were industriously clearing his land, sowing his seed, or harvesting his crojis. In Windham, a schoolmistress was paid fifty cents a week in salts, butter, wheat, rye, or corn, according to her need or the convenience of her debtors. In 23oint of equipment the requirements for entering the profession were not high. In Newbury a young woman taught the summer term who luid never attended school but one half day herself. She was not incompetent, however, having learned through her own efforts to read and write. She also knew a little something of the science of numbers, and, so far as we know^, taught a suc- cessful term. As tliere was no mirror at her boarding- place, it was her custom of mornings to go down to a river, step into a boat, and look over its side, to see, in the reflection, whether her toilet were properly made. 70 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS School then kept six clays in a week ; and there were two terms, a summer and a winter. Few branches were taught. Reading, writing, and arithmetic to the rule of three, or proportion, was the course of study ; the girls, however, were some- times given plain sewing as an extra. The Meeting-House. — The meeting-houses were usually large, barnlike structures, without stee- ple or chimney, with high square boxes for pews, and a high pulpit approached by steep narrow stairs. The pulpit was often over- shadowed by an umbrella- shaped sounding-board, hung by a rod from the ceiling, from which words of wisdom and eloquence often rever- berated. The far-reaching notes of the conch-shell often summoned the peojile to meeting as well as to meals. Vehicles were few ; and the good people did not think it beneath their dignity to go to meeting in ox-carts, or on sleds generously cushioned with fur robes. Sometimes the husband and wife went on horseback, the wife seated be- hind her husband on a cushion, called a pillion, while the children trudged across lots on foot. In summer, boys and girls often walked to and from church barefooted, carrying their shoes and stockings, which they drew on before entering the house. For years churches were unprovided with any means Sounding-board, Union Church, Strafford. EARLY SETTLEMENT 77 for warming, and people sat and shivered in their thick garments all tlirough the two hours' sermon. Sometimes the women brought small foot-stoves of perforated sheet- iron, in which were placed pans of glowing coals. A tithing-man, whose duty it Avas to enforce the observ- ance of the Sabbath and preserve order at public worship, sat in church each Sunday with his long staff, which he used, as occasion required, to punch the nodding ones Old Dothan Church at Hartford, Vt. and rap the prank-loving boy, oftentimes not overgently. The boy who was caught playing during the sermon was frequently walked up to a front seat by this same officer. If any one in the society was ill, the minister notified the congregation, and members of the society took turns watching with the sick one ; if the goodman himself was so afflicted, his neighbors turned in and did his work for him. 78 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS Grist and Saw Mills ; Tanneries. — To induce the build- ing of saw and grist mills, bounties of $40 were frequently offered to settlers ; and sometimes valuable lots of land were also offered to any person who would build such mills within the limits of the town. These offers were readily accepted, enticing many settlers from the older prov- inces ; and mills multiplied with considei'able ra))idity. S(iu:ue liox-pevvs of an old eliurcli in RocUinghani. It was no uncommon thing, however, for some of the first settlers to be obliged to travel twenty-five, and some- times a greater nnmber of miles to reach the nearest grist- mill. Sometimes in winter they made these journeys on foot, dragffinor their corn on hand-sleds, along the frozen streams as much of the way as possible. AVhen the corn was ground they returned by the same route, often stop- EARLY SETTLEMENT '?9 ping, when hungry, to build a fire of twigs and bake for themselves, in Indian style, the no-cake, made of some of the meal and baked on a wooden slab before the fire. The early settlers often made use of the plumping mill, as well, a rude device, which was made by burning a large cavity in the top of a stump, into which the grain was put and then ground by means of a large pestle suspended from a spring pole. One of the processes used in tanning hides to change them to leather consists in soaking the hides in water in which hemlock bark has been steeped. As hemlock-trees were numerous in the grants, many tanneries sprang up and continued to flourish as long as the trees were abun- dant. Maple-Sugar Making. — Like the Indian, from whom they learned the art of sugar-making, the early settlers tapped the maple-trees in spring, at first by cutting gashes with their axes, and later by the means of gouges. Be- low were inserted wooden spouts of sumac stems, through which the sap flowed to be caught in the wooden trough below. The sap was then gathered in buckets, aiul borne on neck-yokes to the camp, where it was placed in a store- trough, not greatly differing from that used by the Indian. From this it was dipped into a huge kettle suspended over an open fire, where it was boiled into sirup. An open shanty, facing the fire, sheltered tlie sugar- makers from the weather, and the boiling of the sap was kept up day and night during the sugar season. This was an eventful time for the young people, who were invited from camp to camp for the sugaring off ; and you may be sure they romped gaily and ate heartily of the sugar on snow pieced out by the plain doughnuts and pickles which 80 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS they had brought with them. Maple sugar was the only sweetening used by most families in those days. The Making of Potash. — The making of potash, or salts, was a prominent industry for many years. Almost every one engaged in it more or less extensively. To make the land serviceable for cultivation, it must be cleared of trees. For this reason large patches of forest were felled ; the logs were then thrown up in piles, and, when suffi- ciently dry, burned. The ashes were then placed in leaches, and water was poured upon them. The water, trickling through the ashes, formed lye, which was boiled down in the same great kettle in which the sugar had been made ; and the dark, thick mass was then called potash, because the lye of ashes was boiled in a pot. In a majority of the settlements asheries soon came into existence, and to these many of the settlers carried their ashes instead of making their potash at home. These were rude wooden structures, some of them called jjotash, and others pearlash works. At the potash might be seen the huge leaches and the cauldron kettles employed in the making of potash ; at the pearlash were immense ovens in which the potash was baked. "When it was of the right consistency it was stirred, and thus broken into lumps ; it was then of a pearly white color — hence the name, pearlash. These products might be, and often were, used by the women of that day in place of soda. Game. — Hunting, fishing, and trapping were sources of profit ; and by their pursuit, many a goodman added both to his means and to his comfort. The report of the rifle, instead of being a cause for alarm, was now a pretty sure EARLY SETTLEMENT 81 premonition of a repast. The moose was a prize much sought. He was sometimes trapped, and men sometimes hunted him on snowshoes ; but when he was once cap- tured, there were plenty and good cheer for a long time. The salmon was also much prized as a food ; and in those tlays it was considered great sport to spear those unsuspect- ing fish as they were attempting to leaj) over falls. The flesh of the deer, bear, and wild fowl were, by no means, unpalatable to the early settler, and disappeared like magic before the keen appetites of his growing children. Upon the banks of the Otter Creek lived a great army of otters, who constantly explored the river in search of fish, water-rats, frogs, etc. When these were not to be had they lived upon the bark or tender shoots of the young trees bordering the banks of the stream. These animals were five or six feet in length, black in color, and much sought after by hunters for their fur. Other ani- mals valued for their skins were the bear, beaver, mink, and musk-rat. Some of the skins the hunter sold, and others were made into coats, caps, and robes for the use of himself and family. The wild animals, though valuable for their flesh and fur, were sometimes very troublesome. The sheep had to be " yarded " every night to keep them from being killed by the wolves, who were a constant menace to them, and sometimes took human life also. Bruin was very fond of fresh pork, and often visited the pig-pen to obtain it ; green corn was as delicious to his taste as it was to that of the Lidian or the early white settler, and be was not at all bashful about helping himself. He often paid dearly for his thefts, however, by being compelled to surrender to the farmer his flesh and fur. 83 VERMOXT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS Beaver Villages. — As one travels swiftly by tniin over the desert plains of some of our Western States, his atten- tion is called to the prairie-dog villages, which now and then appear for an instant, bits of animation, to vary the usually lifeless aspect of the scenery. AVhile riding with my father a short time since in a A beaver dam. Vermont town, he called my attention to what he called a beaver meadow, where some men were harvesting a heavy crop of hay. This was the ruins of a village quite as inter- esting as that of the prairie-dog, the beaver village, many of which once existed in Vermont. Graham s'lyei us an EARLY SETTLEMENT 83 interesting account of the builders and architects of these little commonwealths, and from him I have gleaned the following : The beavers which he describes were from three to four feet in length, and weighed from forty to sixty pounds. The toes of the fore-feet were separated, answering the pur- })ose of hands and fingers ; and the hind-feet webbed, and thus suited to the purpose of swimming. These animals were brown in color. The fur upon their backs was coarse and long, but on other parts of the body fine and thick like down and as soft as silk, and much prized by fur dealers. When the young beavers were seeking for homes, their first care was to find a place suitable for their purpose. If the site were a lake or pond, they were careful to select one where they were not likely to be disturbed, and where the water was of sufficient dejitli to give them room t*' swim under the ice. If a stream were chosen, it was al- ways one that could be formed into a pond. In the building of their villages the beavers showed much ingenuity and intelligence. In case a stream were chosen, they first set about constructing a dam. If there were a tree at hand that would naturally fall across the stream, they set to work with their sharp strong teeth to cut it down ; and when it had fallen, so that it would assume a level jiosition, gnawed oif the branches. Then by the means of branches, earth, and the like, they filled in until a dam Avas completed, as firm and secure as if made by master Avorkmen, as indeed it was. These dams were often of great size and strength, and the ponds thus made often covered several acres. Then there were the homes to be built alonsf the bor- 84 VEEMONT FOE YOUNG VEEMONTEES ders of the pond. These were made of twigs and earth, were oval in form (somewhat resembling a haystack), from two to four stories in height, and varied in their diameter from four to ten feet, according to the number of families tliey were intended to accommodate. Passages led from one floor to another ; and the lower floor was always built above the level of high water. Each hut had two exits, one upon land, and the other under water below the freez- ing limit, the latter to preserve their communication with the pond throughout the winter season. In these cabins the beavers remained through the long winter, living upon bark and tender twigs, which they had laid by for the winter. These little creatures always lived in perfect harmony with each other ; each knew his own home and storehouse, and was never known to pilfer the goods of his neighbors. Such was the beaver of that day, and such no doubt he is to-day wherever he may be found. Recreations. — The old-fashioned custom of making "bees" was a happy combination of work and pleasure; and because of the merry-making it afforded, was kept up long after its necessity and helpfulness had ceased. It grew out of a generous desire on the part of the settlers to help out friends and neighbors whenever extra hands were needed or when any great work was going on. There were logging bees whenever logs were to be piled in a new clearing ; raising bees, whenever the frame- work of a house or barn was to go up ; and in the autumn, when the corn was ready to be husked, husking bees, in which men and women, boys and girls took part. This was often followed by a dance on the barn floor, after the husks had been cleared away. At this, the workers were EARLY SETTLEMENT 85 invariably regaled with doughnuts, pumpkin pies, and cider. When the apples began to rot in the cellar came the paring bee, when young and old lent a hand at par- ing, coring, and stringing the apples for drying. This bee usually wound up in romping games or a dance, en- joyed alike by the young and the more frolicsome of their elders. The most popular bee with the matrons of that day was the quilting bee. Here many a worthy Vermont dame displayed her fine and even stitching upon the pieced-up bed-coverings, of varied patterns, which were stretched upon four poles and rolled inward as the work progressed. CHAPTER X THE GRANTS UNDER NEW YORK CONTROL — THEIR DIS- CONTENT — PATENTS — PATENTEES The Change of Jurisdiction, and how it affected the Settlers. — The royiil decree which placed the Ncav Hamp- shire Grants under the government of New York some- what surprised and did not altogether please a majority of the settlers, but caused them no uneasiness ; for, since the territory had originally belonged to the king, and they had obtained their grants tlirough one of his servants and by his consent, tliey did not doubt that their titles would be confirmed to them, and that they would go on improving their lands and enjoying their homes as heretofore, only under another of his Majesty's governments. On the contrary, they were at once treated as trespass- ers by the New York oflicials, and required to surrender their charters and repurchase new ones from the New York governor, who claimed that the territory of the New Hampshire Grants had always belonged to New York, and that, therefore, the charters granted by Governor Went- worth were null and void. Some complied with this un- just demand, but a majority of them refused so to do. Adding insult to injury, the New York governors exacted fees twenty times greater than had Governor Wentworth, the cost of a charter thus being 12,000 or more. The lands of those who refused to I'epurchase them were granted to others, and actions of ejectment were 86 EARLY SETTLEMENT 87 brought against the settlers and proprietors. The settlers were, in general, people of moderate circumstances, many of them having expended the whole of their limited fortunes in purchasing and improving their lands, and so were absolutely unable to meet this demand. The entire grants were at first treated as a part of Albany County, of which Albany was the county seat ; and actions of ejectment tried in that court were always in favor of the New York claimants. An Appeal to the Crown. — Finding that they had nothing favorable to hope for in the courts, the settlers called a convention of the inhabitants on the west side of the mountains, who appointed Samuel Robinson, of Ben- nington, as their agent to go to England and represent their grievances to the English Government, and if possi- ble to obtain a confirmation of their charters. Robinson never returned to this country, being, while in England, smitten with smallpox, of which he died ; but he was successful in obtaining a special order from the king pro- hibiting the Governor of New York from making any further grants whatever of any part of the lands in dis- pute, or molesting any one in possession of lands under New Hampshire grants until authorized by him to do so. New York Patents and Patentees. — Notwithstanding the king's command, the New York governors for several years continued to make wholesale grants. They granted not only that territory between Lake Champlain and the Connecticut River which had not previously been granted by Governor Wentworth, but also those shares which had been reserved for Governor AYentworth in the different townships, and the lands of those who, possessing them under New Hampshire authority, had refused to repur- 88 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS chase them. These grants were for a time confined mostly to the west side of the mountains, that portion being nearer New York and easier of access to the New Y^'ork people. The New York grants were not usually made to a large number and in townshij)s, but to individuals in " pitches," so called, some of which were of vast extent. One tract, claimed by a New York party of four, extended twelve miles along the Battenkill, with an average width of three miles, including some of the most fertile portions of the present towns of Arlington, Manchester, and Dorset. Extensive grants were made to reduced oflficers who had served in the French and Indian War ; and these were bestowed upon the officers in proportion to their rank. For example, a field officer was entitled to 5,000 acres, a captain to 3,000, and so on. Far the greater number of New York patentees were " land jobbers," who had no intention of occupying their grants, but had obtained them for the purpose of dispos- ing of them at a profit, or, perhajjs, in a few instances, of letting them out to tenants. New York divides the Grants into Counties.— In a few years' time New York had divided the grants into counties. The limits of these counties were not in those . days very closely defined ; but Cumberland, the first to be created, included practically the present counties of Wind- ham and Windsor. Chester was for four or five years the shire town of this county, and the county seat was then changed to Westminster, where a court-house and jail was built. This building was in shape almost square, with a gam- brel roof surmounted by a cupola. A hall ten or twelve First political di\"i.sion.s oi Veinioiit. 89 90 VERMONT FUR YOUNG VERMONTERS feet in width, with exits at both ends, ran the whole length, east and west, through the middle of the lower story. On tlie north side of this hall was the jail, comprising two prison rooms separated by a narrow passage which opened into the large hall. On the south side were the cook-room, occupied by the janitor, and a bar-room in which he also served as bartender. A flight of stairs led from the east entrance to the large court-room above, which was never Court-house and jail at Westminster. finished inside, its beams and braces remaining rough and bare. North of Cumberland County and reaching to Canada was Gloucester County. Kingsland, now Washington, was at first the shire town, though it had at that time almost no inhabitants, and the log house, which served as a court- house, Avas far in the depths of tlie wilderness. Lost in the woods and unable to find the court-house, the officers EARLY SETTLEMENT 91 of the court performed the business of one session under the open sky, standing upon their snowslioes. The county seat was afterward changed to Newbury. North from Arlington and extending both sides of the lake was Charlotte County ; its shire town was Skenesboro, now Whitehall. There seems to have been but little need of forming this county, for almost its only inhabitants were a few Indians and an occasional Frenchman. That portion of the grants south of this county was still retained as a part of Albany County. Resistance of Grantees. — Notwithstanding the decree of the king, the efforts of the New York claimants to get possession of the lands went on. Ethan Allen, appearing in the grants about this time, took upon his shoulders the defense of the grantees. Procuring an eminent lawyer from Connecticut, his old home, the two appeared before the court at Albany in defense of a settler against whom suit had been bi'ought by a New York claimant. This suit and two that followed were decided against the gran- tees, although they produced as evidence in their favor the town charters and the deeds of their lands. When the news of this reached the grants, it produced great excite- ment and indignation. The settlers assembled in conven- tion at Bennington, and there resolved to support both their rights and property by force, as law and justice were denied them. Although the New York claimants found it an easy matter to attain judgments in their favor in the courts of Albany, it was not so easy to carry them into execution. Militia companies were formed in several of the towns ; and whenever sheriffs appeared upon the grants for the pur- pose of ejecting settlers, they were prom})t]y met by forces 02 VERMONT FOE YOUXG A^ERMOXTERS gathered to resist them ; whenever surveyors attempted to run lines across lands already granted to settlers, they were prevented ; and whenever, under grants made by Xew York, settlements were made on disputed lands, the intruders were driven away and their houses torn down and burned ; when, in consequence of such acts, several of the inhabi- tants were indicted as rioters and officers sent to arrest them, said officers were seized by the people "and severely chastized with twigs of the wilderness." An Attempt to Eject James Breckenridge of Benning- ton. — Sheriff Ten Eyck with a posse of 75U armed militia came to Bennington in 1771, for the purpose of driving James Breckenridge from a farm which he had refused to give up or repurchase. Learning of his coming, 300 armed settlers posted themselves in and around the house to ojipose him. A small number were placed within, who were to make known any attempt on the part of the sheriff to force the door, by raising a red flag at the top of the chimney. The remaining force was made into two di- visions, one of which was stationed in hiding behind trees near the road by which the sheriff was advancing ; the other was concealed behind a ridge of land on the opposite side of the road. Unsuspicious of danger, the invaders walked into this trap. The sheriff demanded entrance, but was refused ; and on threatening to force the door received the answer from wathin, "Attempt it and you are a dead man." At the given signal the settlers displayed their hats upon tlie muzzles of their guns, which made it appear that their number was twice as great as it really Avas. All things considered, the sheriff thought best not to attempt it, and hastily withdrew with his men. EARLY SETTLEMENT 93 Attempts to gain Favor with the Settlers. — The militia of Albany County were largely in sympathy with the set- tlers ; and when called out by the slierifp, they showed little disposition to run any great risk to themselves in support of a few New -York speculators, the Justice of whose cause was at least very doubtful. Finding that very little dependence could be placed on their militia, the New York authorities now tried to gain favor with the settlers by bestowing titles and oiRces upon their prominent men. They also tried to induce people from New Y'ork to settle upon unoccupied New Hampshire grants, in hopes of bringing the settlers to a change of sentiment through these more peaceable methods. CHAPTER XI ACTS OF THE COMMITTEES OF SAFETY AND OF THE GKEEX MOUNTAIN BOYS Committees of Safety ; the Green Mountain Boys. — From the first eaeli township constituted ;i coninioiiwealth, its cliief antliority the selectmen, and each inliabitant a voter. But the time had come when united action seemed a necessity in order to render their resistance to New York authority more effectual. Several of the towns organized Committees of Safety ; and these would often meet in general convention to discuss and adopt measures for the common good and to make laws necessary for the common protection. At one of these conventions it was decreed that no New York officer should take any person out of the district without the consent of the Committee of Safety, and that no survey should be made or settlement be begun under the authority of Xew York. The Committee of Safety constituted themselves and some of the elders of the people, a court, and took upon themselves the responsibility of punishing offenders. To carry out these decrees and to be in readiness for any emergency, a military association was formed, of which Ethan Allen was made colonel, and Seth Warner, Remem- ber Baker, Robert Cochran, Gideon Warner and others, captains. The Governor of New York at one time threat- ened to drive rebellious settlers into the Green Mountains ; 94 EARLY SETTLEMENT 95 and from tliis circuiiistance they took tlie name of *' Green Mountain Boys." It was the duty of the Green Mountain Boys to watch in their vicinity for any hostile movement on tlie part of their adversaries, and to hold themselves in readiness to go to any part of the grants at any time, for the defense of the persons or property of the settlers. Leading Spirits among the Green Mountain Boys. — Prominent among the G reen M o u n t a i n Boys stood Ethan Allen, Seth Warner, Remember Baker, Robert Cochran, Peleg Sunderland, and others. Ethan Allen was per- haps the most influential personage at this time. Ilis commanding figure, great vigor of i)iind and body, confidence in his own abil- ity, genuine good fellow- ship, ready sympathy, and hatred of any appearance of meanness or injustice, easily made him the chosen leader of the Green Mountain Boys. Sometimes he harangued from the stump, vividly por- traying to the hardy and unpolished settlers their just grievances, and urging them to defend stoutly their rights ; sometimes, through pamphlets of his own composing, which he widely scattered, he set forth, in his peculiarly original and vigorous style, the cruelty and injustice of the New York officials. These pamphlets did not fail to hit their mark, and were instrumental in firing the hearts 8 Ethan Allen. 96 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMOXTERS of the liardy pioneers to siicli a sense of their wrongs that they were the more firmly determined to resist the unjust claims of their adversaries, even to the death if need be. Seth Warner too was tall but of slighter build, more modest and unassuming, but no less firm and resolute ; and while Allen was sometimes imprudent and overim- pulsive, Warner was always cautious, and, possessing de- liberation and excellent judgment, was, perhaps, the safer leader of the two. Remember Baker, a kinsman of both, was, next to these two persons, perhaps, most conspicuous at this time, a leader in many an enterprise and always ready for action. Peleg Sunderland, a noted hunter, and Robert Cochran were also much hated by the New Yorkers on account of their active resistance to their encroachments. Rewards Offered. — The most active in this resistance were termed rioters, and warrants were issued for their arrest ; but the justice of the peace, who issued them, said that, in his opinion, it would not be possible for any sheriff to arrest them, and thought it would be wiser to induce one of their own number to betray them. Proclamations were issued from time to time, offering rewards for the capture and delivery at Albany of the leaders. Allen, Baker, and Cochran also issued a procla- mation declaring they would "kill and destroy ^' any one who should try to take them, and offering similar rewards for the persons of two hated New York officials to be delivered at Catamount Tavern in Bennington. In a convention of the Committees of Safety held in Manchester the grantees expressed a determination to de- fend their rights and to stand by their leaders. EARLY SETTLEMENT 97 Capture of Remember Baker. — Esquire Monroe, a New York justice, who lived a few miles from the house of Remember Baker, coveting the reward offered, undertook the capture of Baker at his home in Arlington in March of the year 1TT2. "With ten or twelve of his followers, Monroe, in the early morning, went to Baker's house and forced an entrance by breaking down the door. A fight ensued in which Baker, his wife, and young son were all severely wounded with sword cuts. Baker himself was bound, thrown into a sleigh, and driven with all speed toward Albany. A rescue party of ten had very soon mounted their horses and were in hot pursuit, overtaking tlie fugitives before they reached the Hudson. On the first appearance of the rescue party, the men abandoned their wounded prisoner and fled into the woods. The whole story is told in the following bit of waggery : Oh ! .John Monro came on one day With all his Yorker Train, And took Remember Baker up, And set him down again. Shortly after this Monroe also made an attempt to arrest Seth Warner, who was riding on horseback near Monroe's residence. Seizing Warner's horse by the bridle, he called upon some bystanders to help him. Warner urged him to desist ; but, on his refusing to do so, he struck him over the head with his cutlass, the blow stun- ning him for the time being, but doing him no permanent injury. AYarner then rode on, the spectators showing no disposition to interfere. Monroe, however, had had enough of the Green Mountain Boys, and never again molested them. 98 VERMONT FOR YOUNG YERMONTERS Governor Tryon's Attempt to make Peace. — Realizing the difficulty of subduing the grantees by force, Governor Tryon determined to see what could be done by negotia- tion. Accordingly he wrote a letter to the Rev. Dr. Dewey and the people of Bennington and vicinity inviting them to lay before him their causes of complaint and ex- pressing a strong desire to do them justice. A committee appointed for the purpose, of which the Rev. Dr. Dewey was one, prepared letters in answer to the Governor's, again declaring the titles to their lands as legal, and saying further that their acts, which had been called riotous and disorderly, were necessary and right, and that they had not resisted the New York government, but land jobbers who were trying to deprive them of their lands. This was indeed true. The quarrel was not with New York, many of whose people were in firm sympathy with the settlers, but with a few unscrupulous public officers and speculators, who wished to enrich themselves through fraudulent means, and paid little heed to the oft- repeated command of the king to desist until his pleasure should be known. These letters were delivered to the Governor by Captain Stephen Fay and his son, of Bennington, who laid them before the New Y'ork council. After considering them, the council agreed that no jirosecutions should be made for crimes with which the settlers were charged, and that all civil suits brought against them by owners of land under New Y'ork grants should be stopped till they might know the pleasure of the king, provided that the settlers would take no steps to dispossess New Y'ork claimants of land for the same period. This was agreed to in a convention at Bennington shortly after the return of the agents. EARLY SET'J^LEMENT 99 There was now great rejoicing in the grants, for the })eople believed that their troubles were about to end. JJut peace was not yet in sight. While these negotiations were going on, the settlers heard that Cockburn, a noted New York surveyor, was measuring land north of them for New Y^ork claimants. Ethan Allen and a small party went in search of him, and overtook him on the Onion (Wi- nooski) Iliver ; after breaking his instruments, they took him jirisoner. . On their return they stopped at the Eirst Falls of the Otter Creek, where Vergennes now stands, to drive away the tenants of Colonel Keid, a New Y^ork patentee who had previous to this time disjiossessed a Mr. Pangborn, a New Hampshire grantee, who had first settled there and built a sawmill. Reid had not only appropriated the saw- mill to his own use, but had also taken possession of 150 sawn logs and 14.000 feet of pine boards and had built a grist-niilL The (Jrcen Mountain Boys now drove Reid's tenants away, broke the stones of the grist-mill, and re- established the original settlers. When Governor Tryon heard of these doings, he sent a letter of sharp rebuke to the inhabitants of the grants, re- quiring them to restore to the tenants of Colonel Reid their land and tenements. Tiie committee prepared a concilia- tory answer, declaring that it was not a breach of good faith on their jiart, as the proposition of Governor Ti'yon had not been accepted by the Committee of Safety when these transactions took place. The Governor did not an- swer this communication, and it was soon apparent that the attempt at reconciliation had been a failure. Colonel Reid returns, but not to remain. — Colonel Reid, determined to maintain his title, came back the next sum- L.ofC. 100 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS mer with a party of Scotch emigrants who had but recently come over, and for a second time drove tlie first settlers away. By hooping the millstones he again made the grist-mill serviceable ; and, after having several log huts erected, he returned to New York, giving his tenants orders to hold possession against all claimants. About two months after this, Allen, "Warner, and Baker, with over a hundred armed men, appeared on the ground and warned the tenants to depart, exi^laining to them that the land did not belong to Colonel Reid and that he had but imposed upon them. At first they resisted, but, finally convinced of the truth of the matter, withdrew. The houses were then burned and the crops destroyed by turning the horses loose into the fields ; and the millstones were broken in pieces and thrown over the falls. The bolt- cloth, cut in pieces by Remember Baker, was worn away by the men as cockades in their hats. The original settlers were again reinstated ; and, to keep out intruders in the future, the Green Mountain Boys built a blockhouse at the falls, and this was garrisoned by a small number of men. They also erected a second one near the lower falls of the AVinooski to prevent the intru- sion of New York claimants upon the rich lands of that section. Punishments for Violation of the Decrees made by the Committees of Safety. — Wliat punishments should be in- flicted upon those wlio violated the decrees made by the Gonimittees of Safety was left to the decision of the court. The most common modes of punishment were banishment from the grants and the application of the " beech seal," as that process was called where punishment was inflicted by means of beech rods applied with great severity to the EARLY SETTLEMENT 101 naked back of the offender. A Mr. llongli, who had at- tempted to hohl office under New York authority, was con- demned to receive 200 stripes upon tlie naked back. This method, though primitive, was effectual ; and in that age, when whipping was a common mode of punishment, it did not occasion the censure with which it would be met to-day. A convention at Manchester, in 1774, forbade any per- son to act as an officer under a commission from the New Y'ork governmentunder penalty of being " viewed." This Catamount Tavern at Beniun<;;t(jn. Called also Green Mountain Tavern, and Landlord Fay's. was a kind of punishment practised almost exclusively in Bennington and, like some of the other penalties, was more ludicrous than severe. A Doctor Adams, of Arling- ton, suffered this unique penalty because of his persistent sympathy with New York officials. He was first tied into an armchair and then drawn up to the top of the sign- post of the Green Mountain Tavern, upon the top of which stood the stuffed hide of a great catamount, that always looked grinning toward New York. There he was allowed to remain for two hours, to the great merriment of the bystanders. 102 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS Incensed by such acts on the part of the Green Moun- tain Boys, the New York officers became more arbitrary and insolent than ever ; and, as they held their i">ositions by appointment and did not depend on the vote of the people, they made no attempt to please the settlers and consequently grew more and more to be disliked by them. Benjamin Spencer of Clarendon was an offender of this class, and had furthermore bought land under New York authority. He was acquainted Avitli the fact that he was violating the lq,ws of the Green Mountain Boys, but, paying no heed to the warning, was taken prisoner by them, tried in their court, and found guilty. As pun- ishment the Green Mountain Boys took off the roof of his house, and Avould not put it on again until he had promised to mend his ways and give them no further trouble. A Scheme — The more arbitrary and unjust the New Y'ork officials, the greater the sjiirit of ojiposition on the part of the grantees, until finally a plan was created among some of the leading spirits of the grants to with- draw from the jurisdiction of New York and form a sepa- rate royal province of the grants and a portion of eastern New York, making Colonel Philiji Skene, of Skenesboro, the governor of the new colony. Whatever might have come of this we can only conjecture ; but at all events the grantees had gained the sympathy of the crown, and had every reason to believe that their lands would be in time confirmed to them. However, a long and bloody contest would probably have ensued, had not the breaking out of the Revolutionary War compelled the disputants to turn their energies to fighting a common enemy. CHAPTER XII INDICATIONS OF WAR WITH GREAT BRITAIN — FIRST BLOOD SPILLED Discontent of the Colonies. — A spirit of discontent had now for some time been growing among the Ameri- can colonies because the British Government was unjustly taxing and in other ways oppressing them. The British Parliament is to England Avhat Congress is to the United States. Every State in our Union sends its representatives to Congress, and these representatives look out for the interests of their State and help make the laws which govern it. It was a recognized right of the Eng- lish people at this time that no tax should be levied upon them except by vote of members of Parliament whom they had chosen to represent them. As the colonies had no such representative, the act of Parliament in taxing them was plainly " taxation witliout representation/' which was unconstitutional ; aiul against this the colonists rebelled. Committees of Correspondence Committees of Corre- spondence were formed in the colonies for the purpose of learning the opinion of the j^eople concerning the acts of Parliament toward the American colonies. When a letter of this purport came to the supervisors of Cumberland County, copies of it were made and sent to each town in the county, and a convention was called to meet in Octo- ber, 1774. Here resolutions were passed similar to those 103 104 VP^HMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS passed in the Contniental Congress, -which was hehl some time previous to this and of wliich the next topic treats. The people of Ciimberhmd County had not then heard of the acts of the Continental Congress. First Continental Congress. — In 1TT4 a general con- gress met in Philadelphia, in Carpenter's Hall, to con- sider what action the colonies should take toward the mother country. They dcchired, among other things, that since they were not allowed representation in Parlia- ment that they had the right to make their own laws and levy their own taxes in all cases except such as related to trade between the colonies and Great Britain and were for their mutual advantage. They condemned many of the acts of Parliament and said they would never submit to them. They also petitioned the king as "the loving Father of the whole People " to redress their wrongs. Be- fore sending the petition, Congress signed the articles of the "American Association," which declared that they would have no trade witli England in any way unless their wrongs should be riglited. The king paid no attention to the petition. On learning of these acts of Congress, Cum- berland County in convention at Westminster fully en- dorsed them. The Courts of Justice. — The courts of justice were now almost universally closed in the colonies except in New York, where for a time- they refused to adopt the resolves of the Continental Congress. Although the ])eople of the eastern portion of the grants had up to this time taken little part in the land controversy, as many of the towns had surrendered their original charters and repurchased new ones, they were now brought into closer relations with the grantees west of the mountains ; and thereafter their EAKLY SETTLEMENT 105 interests were much the same. They were as miicli op- posed to the oppressive acts of Parliament as were the people situated west of the mountains ; and when the New Yorkers, who were the king's servants, still persisted in holding courts in Cumberland County, they rebelled both against the king and the New York government. Measures taken to prevent the Holding of the King's Court; the Result. — The administration of the courts of justice had long been insufferable in the County of Cum- berland ; and the AVhigs (those favoring the Continental Congress) resolved tliat the administration should no longer remain in the hands of the Tories (those favoring the king). The time for holding the March term of court at Westminster, Cumberland County, was drawing near. It was expected that criminal cases against leading Green Mountain Boys would be taken up at this session ; and, without doubt, the judgments of the court would be unfavorable to them. For this reason many of the promi- nent settlers determined that the court should not sit. Accordingly, forty citizens of the county went to the chief judge and tried to dissuade him from holding the court, but met with no success. After discussing among themselves different plans for preventing its sitting, they decided to permit it to come together and then lay before it their objections to its proceeding. A rumor now reached them that the court was planning to take posses- sion of the court-house the day previous to its meeting, and prevent those from entering who were opposed to its sitting. To prevent this about one hundred citizens, armed with clubs taken from a neighboring woodpile, en- tered the court-house the afternoon of the day preceding the one on which the court was to be held, with the inten- 106 VEEMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTEKS tion of remaining there until the judges should hear their complaints. They had not been there long when the sheriff appeared accompanied by the officers of the court and a posse of armed men. He demanded entrance, and, on receiving no answer, commanded all persons who were unlawfully assembled to disperse. They answered that they would not disperse, but would admit them if they would lay aside their arms, also declaring that they were there for peace and wished to hold parley with them. The armed force now" withdrew ; and later Judge Chandler came to the court-house, declaring to its occu- pants that the arms were brought without his consent and that they who now held the court-house might do so till morning, when the court would convene without arms and hear what they had to say. With this assurance the greater number of the TVhigs went to their homes or to some of the neighboring houses for the night, leaving a guard in the court-house to give notice in case of molestation. About midnight the sen- tinel, who was posted at the door, announced that the sheriff and his posse were on their way to the court-house. Partially intoxicated the company advanced to within ten rods, when the command was given to fire. Three shots only were fired ; but when again the command of " Fire I " rang out on the midnight air, a volley was poured forth which mortally wounded two men, William French, who died in a few hours, and Daniel Houghton, who lived but a few days afterward. The assailants then rushed forward and effected an entrance ; and, amid total darkness, a hand-to-hand conflict followed in which several of the Whigs were wounded and those who were not able to es- EARLY SETTLEMENT 107 cape under cover of the darkness taken prisoners. These were thrust into the two narrow rooms of the jail, where they were kept without light or heat for the remainder of the night and a part of the next day. Tiie judges opened the court at tlie appointed hour but did no business, adjourning to meet in the following June. The judges, however, never held the session appointed, for this was their last meeting. The Spreading of the News and its Result. — The news of the AVestminster Massacre, so called, spread like fire in dry grass. Before noon of the next day several hundred armed men, burning with indignation, were on the spot. The prisoners were set free ; and their places at once filled by as many of the judges and officers of the court as could be found. A force of forty Green Mountain Boys, under the command of Robert Cochran, from the west side of the mountains, and others from the southern part of Cumber- land County and Massachusetts followed, until in two days' time 500 armed men thronged the little town of but a single street. A Committee of Liquiry chosen for the purpose sen- tenced the most blameworthy of the king's officers to be sent to jail at Northampton, and put many others under bonds to appear at the next court. It is not known that they ever came to. trial, for the weightier matters of the Revolution soon engrossed the attention of the complain- ants, and the matter blew over. The blood spilled at Westminster March 13, 1775, was virtually the first of the Revolution, having been shed by a few stanch Whigs who were acting in defense of the resolves made by the Continental Congress. 108 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS TEST. 1. Wliat were the N. H. grants, and how many such had been made up to 17G3 ? 2. Who were the original proprietors, and how were the grants ob-. tained ? 3. What were some of the conditions of tlie N. H. cliarters ? 4. Who were the original settlers ? 5. What dispute arose in regard to the boundaries as a result of these grants ? G. How was the difficulty settled ? 7. What was the pioneer's method of clearing the land of the forests ? 8. Describe the first dwelling-houses. 9. Tell something of how the cooking was done in the early home. 10. Tell how clothing was procured. 11. Describe the early school. 12. Tell something of the meeting bouse and its services. 13. What were some of the early occupations ? the recreations ? 14. Describe the beaver villages. ir>. How did the change of jurisdiction affect the settlers ? 10. What unjust demand did the New York government make of the grantees ? 17. AVhat response did they make to this ? 18. What appeal did they make, and with what result ? 19. How did the New York officials respond to the decrees of the king ? 20. How did the grants made by the New York government differ from those made by the New Hampshire government ? 21. What counties were now formed in the New Hampshire Grants, by whom formed, and for what purpose ? 22. Who were the Green Mountain Boys, why so called, and what was their purpose in organizing ? 23. Name four of the most prominent ones. 24. What characteristics made Ethan Allen the chosen leader of the Green Mountain Boys ? 25. Tell the story of James Breckenridge. 26. What were the Committees of Safety, and whj' formed ? EARLY SETTLEMENT 109 27. What were some of the decrees made in conventions of tlie Com- mittees of Safety ? 28. What were some of the punishments for violation of decrees ? 29. Describe the capture of Remember Baker. 30. Rehite tlie history of Reid's attempts to establish a settlement upon forbidden ground. 31. What were the causes of discontent on the part of the American colonies ? 32. What did thi.s finally lead to ? 33. Describe the Westminster Massacre. 34. Locate the following towns: Bennington, Westminster, Guilford, Washington, Whitehall, Arlington, Vergennes, Manchester. FOURTH PERIOD THE REVOLUTION (1775-1783) CHAPTER XIII AMERICANS POSSESS LAKE CHAMPLAIN — FIRST REGIMENT OF GREEN MOUNTAIN BOYS Condition of Military Posts on Lake Champlain at the Beginning of the Revolutionary War. — During the interim between tlie close of the French and Indiiin War and the beginning of the Revolutionary War, the military posts on Lake Champlain, iilthongh probably never entirely aban- doned, were allowed to fall into decay. On the opening of hostilities between the colonies and tiie mother country, in the spring of 1775, both Ticondcroga and Crown Point were garrisoned by British soldiers, but too feebly to with- stand successfully any vigorous attacks. Importance of these Forts.--The British, anticipating the possibilities of war, were planning to make use, if nec- essary, of the strength and resources of Canada ; and hence the holding of all forts on Lake Champlain would be much to their advantage. Ticonderoga was the " Gibraltar" of the lake, important not only on account of its position, but also because of the cannon and great quantities of stores 110 THE REVOLUTION 111 which were there. Crown Point, not many miles distant, was second in importance. The colonies also were turning covetous eyes upon these important positions ; and, as indications of war became more pronounced, the importance of securing these posts for the American cause grew upon many of the leading pa- triots. They also realized that, on the opening of hostili- ties, the forts should be seized at once, before news of the breaking out of war could reach the garrison, and, above all, before reenforcements could arrive. Plans for the Taking of Ticonderoga. — In the spring of 1775, John Brown, of Massachusetts, passed through the western part of Vermont on his way to Montreal on a secret mission among the Indians. He stopped at Bennington, where he held a consultation with prominent grantees, and where he was furnished with a guide and interpreter, Peleg Sunderland, a noted hunter of the grants, who was per- fectly familiar with the Indians of that section. After a tedious Journey of two weeks he arrived at Mon- treal, from which place he wrote to the Committee of Cor- resj^ondence in Boston of the great importance of seizing, as soon as possible, the fort at Ticonderoga, should the British begin hostilities. He also said that the people of the New Hampshire Grants had been engaged to do the business, and that, in his opinion, they were the proper persons for the task. The news of the battle of Lexington, which occurred about a month later, produced a shock throughout the col- onies, for it was the signal that war had begun. The time had now come for action on the part of the Green Mountain Boys. Calling a meeting in the Council Chamber at Cata- mount Tavern in Bennington, they there resolved to unite 9 112 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS with their countrymen in waging a just war against the mother country. At the same time influential men of Hartford, Conn., hearing from Benedict Arnold of the defenseless condition of Ticonderoga, began to make preparations for its capture. _______^__ Obtaining £300 from the treasury of Connecticut to aid in car- rying out the project, they at once sent m esse ngers with the mon- e y , to the northward, for tlie i3ur- pose of engag- ing Colonel Ethan Allen and his associates in the business. The very day of their depart- ure Captain Mott arrived at Hartford ; and, on liearing of the expedition which liad. just started out, he volunteered to join them, and soon overtook them. Gathering volunteers as they went, the party entered Bennington with over fifty men, and found the Green Mountain Boys ready to join with heart and hand in the expedition. Here the discouraging rumor reached them that Ticonderoga had been reenforced ; but, nothing daunted, they went on to prejiare for its capture. Ruins of Fort Ticonderoga. •/"'1|,1M„ , THE KEVOLUTION 113 Preparations Made. — A meeting was now held by the Committee of War, of whom Captain Mott was chairman, to plan the expedition ; and it was agreed that the chief command should be given to Colonel Ethan Allen, and that the place of rendezvous should be Castleton, Allen, readily consenting to conduct the expedition, set off to the north with all despatch for the purpose of enlist- ing men for the task. The men from Massachusetts and Connecticut purchased quantities of provisions and then proceeded to Castleton. All roads leading to Skenesboro (now Whitehall) or to the forts were guarded, so that no news of their approach could be carried to the enemy. Captain Phelps of Con- necticut was sent as a spy to Ticonderoga ; disguised as a backwoodsman, he easily gained admission into the fort. After obtaining the desired information he returned to Cas- tleton, where he communicated to those in waiting the plan of the fort and the condition of its defenses. Captain Herrick with about thirty men was sent to Skenesboro to capture Major Skene and his men ; and, pro- curing his boats, was ordered to come to Shoreham, oppo- site Ticonderoga, where all the forces were to meet on May 9, and from which place they were to be transported across the lake in boats procured by him and Captain Douglas, who had been sent out on a similar errand. Major Beach, who had been sent by Allen to rally the Green Mountain Boys at the north, made a circuit of sixty miles, over rough and almost impassable byways, in about twenty-four hours, going through Rutland, Pittsford, Brandon, and Middlebury. Promptly responded the farm- er, lumberman, potash-maker, and miller to the call to arms ; and, bidding hasty farewells to families, they has- 114 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS tened to Shoreliani, arriving there on the evening of the appointed day. The Command Disputed. — While the forces were collect- ing at Castleton, Benedict Arnold, attended only by a servant, arrived from Massachusetts to assume the com- mand of the expedition, having received from the Massa- chusetts Committee of Safety a colonel's commission with orders to enlist 400 men for the reduction of Ticonderoga. He was refused the command by the Committee of War, who urged that, as he had not enlisted these men, he had no right to command them; and, since the men themselves declared they would return to their homes rather than serve under him, he was compelled to yield, and thereupon joined the force as a volunteer, with the rank of colonel without a command. The Force Cross the Lake. — Two hundred and seventy men, all but fifty of them being Green Mountain Boys, had now arrived at Shoreham ready to be transported across the lake. Anxiously they waited for the boats, but it was nearly morning before any of them put in an appearance. They had been able to collect but a small craft at best, so that not even a half of their number could be transported over at one time. Allen, Arnold, and Easton, with eighty others, went over first; and then the boats were returned to bring over the remaining force, who were waiting under command of Captain Seth Warner. The Taking of the Fort. — Day was now dawning, and Allen saw that if the attack were delayed longer there would be no hope of surprising the garrison. AVith char- acteristic daring he determined to take it at once, without waiting for the others to come over. Explaining the situation to his men, he commanded those vvho were willing THE REVOLUTION 115 to follow him to poise their firelocks. Without hesitation each man raised his weapon. Here Arnold again asserted his right to command, and Allen emphatically denied it ; but, on the advice of one of his trusted officers, Allen allowed Arnold to enter the fort by his side. The little force now moved toward the fort, guided by a boy named Beman, who had spent much time with the garrison and was familiar with every part of the fort and its approaches. With but little difficulty they silenced the drowsy sentry and entered the fort. Allen demanded to be shown the apartment of the commandant and was promptly obeyed. Arriving at the door, he commanded Delaplace to come forth at once, threatening if he did not do so to sac- rifice the whole garrison. Trembling and with clothes in hand Captain Delaplace opened the door. Allen com- manded immediate surrender ; and, on being asked by Delaplace on what authority, he answered, '^In the name of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress." Finding that Allen was not to be parleyed with, he ordered his men to parade without arms. And thus Ticonderoga, which had cost Great Britain 140,000,000, surrendered to the Green Mountain Boys, so soon after the battle of Lexington that the garrison were utterly ignorant that hostilities had commenced between England and her colonies ; and to the Green Mountain Boys belongs the honor of compelling the first surrender of the British flag to the American Colonies. Other Victories. — Soon after the fort was taken, Warner arrived with the remainder of the force, and was sent by Allen, with about one hundred men, to take Crown Point, which was garrisoned by a sergeant and only twelve men. Captain Remember Baker and his company had also been 116 VERMONT FOR YOUNG YERMONTERS summoned from the Wiuooski; and tliey now joined Warner at Crown Point, after capturing on the way two small boats which were bound for St. Johns. The day follow- ing the capture of Ticonderoga, Crown Point surrendered without opposition to Seth Warner. A small fort at the head of Lake George was also seized, an easy thing to accomplish, as its entire garrison consisted of a man and a woman. The force which had been sent to Skenesboro was successful in capturing Major Skene and taking a schooner and several bateaux, with which they hastened on to Ticonderoga. Gain to the Patriot Cause. — By these victories about fifty persons were captured; and 200 cannon, quantities of military stores, and a warehouse containing material for boat building, were gained for the patriot cause. Allen sent the prisoners under guard to Connecticut and many of the munitions of war to the vicinity of Boston, where they were much needed. The Capture of an English Sloop at St. Johns. — Em- boldened by their victories, they now determined to gain the entire command of the lake by capturing a British sloop at St. Johns. A schooner and a bateau, which had been captured at Skenesboro, were accordingly manned for the purpose ; and Arnold was put in command of the schooner and Allen of the bateau. Favored by a strong wind blowing from the south, Arnold with his light schooner reached St. Johns, made an easy capture of the British sloop, with its sergeant and twelve men, and, the wind then shifting to the north, was well on his way back before Allen came up, Arnold, no doubt, well pleased to have accomplished the capture without the aid of Allen. The lake and all its forts were now under the control of THE EEVOLUTION 117 the patriot army, and gained in a week's time almost wholly through the wise planning and prompt action of the Green Mountain Boys. Arnold again ; Discharge of the Green Mountain Boys. — The day following the capture of Ticonderoga, Allen de- spatched a messenger to the Albany committee reporting the capture and asking that provisions and 500 men might be sent to Ticonderoga, as he feared the British would soon attempt its recapture. The committee at first declined to furnish any aid, many of them being at that time either secretly or openly in favor of the British cause. Ticonderoga had no sooner surrendered than Arnold again arrogantly demanded its command ; and now, to put an end to further trouble. Captain Mott delivered to Allen a certificate authorizing him to keep the command of the fortress until he should have further orders, either from the Connecticut Colony or from the Continental Congress. Early in June the Connecticut Colony, having been requested to do so both by the Continental Congress and the New York Congress, sent a regiment of 1,000 men under Colonel Benjamin Hinman to Ticonderoga ; and to him Allen gave up the command, though Arnold still asserted his claim until the Massachusetts Committee, under whose authority he claimed to act, after an investigation, dis- charged him from the service. On the coming of Colonel Hinman, the Green Mountain Boys, who had now served for about a month, were honorably discharged. A Regiment of Green Mountain Boys. — Many of the Green Mountain Boys wished again to enter the service, but their difficulties with the New York government for a time stood in their way, Allen wrote a long letter to the New York Congress, advising an immediate invasion 118 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS of Canada, and asking for himself and other Green Moun- tain Boys service in the cause. Receiving no reply from them, a council of officers was held at Crown Point, who advised them to go to Philadelphia and obtain the advice of the Continental Congress on the subject. Acting on their suggestion, Allen and Warner repaired to Congress, where, by their dignified bearing and intelligent speech, they produced so favorable an impression on that body, that a vote was carried to pay the Green Mountain Boys for their services in taking and garrisoning the forts ; and Congress further advised the New York Congress, con- sulting with General Schuyler, to employ a force of Green Mountain Boys, under officers of their own clioosing, to aid in the defense of the colonies. The New York Convention accordingly ordered such a force to be organized, not exceeding five hundred men ; and this order was forwarded to the grants by General Schuyler, That very month (July 36) a convention met at Dorset to elect the officers of the regiment. Warner was made lieutenant-colonel, receiving forty-one votes while Allen received but five. This was a great mortifi- cation to Allen, who expected and much desired the com- mand ; but Warner, as a military leader, was the choice of the people, who had unlimited confidence in his sound judgment, firmness, and resolution ; and on no occasion did Warner ever disappoint them. A report of this act was sent to General Schuyler with the statement that the regiment had been formed in com- pliance with the orders of Congress, the Green Mountain Boys never losing an ojoportunity to assert their independ- ence of New York, and raising their regiment on the order of Congress after the manner of other indeptmdent states. CHAPTER XIV PATRIOT ARMY INVADE CANADA — THEIR VICTORIES — THEIR RETREAT The Patriot Army cross the Canadian Line. — As tlicre wore no British troops in Canadii save barely enoiigli to garrison the forts, General Carleton, who was now gov- ernor of that province, began to put forth every effort to engage the St. Francis Indians and the Canadian French in the British service, large quantities of arms having already been sent over from England for their equipment. This he found diflficult to do, as neither had been favor- able to the British Dominion and were accordingly slow to take part with England against the colonies. At last, however, some of them were enlisted and led to act with the British forces, the Indians of Swanton probably being among the number ; but they showed little enthusiasm for the cause. The Continental Congress, having received intelligence of these facts, thought it would be a good time to invade Canada before reenforcements could arrive from England ; and, therefore, they determined to send troops into that territory with strong hopes that, on their arrival, the Canadians would join the other colonies in opposing Great Britain. For this purpose it was proposed to raise 2,000 men to be commanded by Generals Schuyler and Montgomery. 119 120 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS The boat-building material, captured a short time before, now came into use ; for directly the soldiers at Crown Point and Ticonderoga turned their hands to the making of a large number of bateaux and flat-bottomed boats for the transportation of the forces down the lake. Montgomery, hearing, late in the summer, that Gen- eral Carleton was jilanning to enter the lake with a con- siderable force, went forward to prevent his designs. Pro- ceeding down the lake to Isle La Motte, he was there joined by Schuyler ; and together they went on to Isle aux Noix, and there placed their forces in such position as would prevent the enemy's vessels from passing up the lake. Proclamations sent out and their Result ; Reconnoiter- ing Expeditions. — From Isle aux Noix proclamations were sent out among the Canadians, declaring that these war- like acts were in no way directed against them and inviting them to Join the colonies in fighting for liberty. An old gun of Ethan Allen's (at the State House) Colonel Allen, whom Schuyler had sent out from Ticon- deroga the previous August, with letters and interpreters, to solicit aid from the Canadians, seems to have been quite successful ; and he is now sent a second time on alike mis- sion, "'preaching politics," to use his own words, and gain- ing volunteers for the American cause. As a result of these proclamations, some of the Canadians joined the patriot army or contributed provisions, "the latter," as Rowland E. Robinson says, " being the more valuable contribution," for the Canadians often deserted when their services were most needed. THE REVOLUTION 121 On September 6, the American army, wliich at that time numbered only 1,000 men, advanced toward St. Johns ; but after reconnoitering for a time, during which they were attacked by the Indians, came to the conclusion that the fort was too strong for them to take with their present force, and so withdrew to Isle aux Noix to await reenforcements. It was during this advance that Remember Baker met his death by a shot from a hostile Indian. This was a great shock to the Green Mountain Boys, Baker being the first one of their number to suffer death after the breaking out of the war. Schuyler now returned to Albany ; and Montgomery, after receiving reenforcements, again advanced on St. Johns, laying siege to that fortress, which was garrisoned by the greater part of the forces of Canada and well supplied with guns, ammunition, and military stores. Here he was joined by Warner, who was now sent with three hundred of his regiment to take a stand near Montreal and there watch the movements of the enemy. Attempt to take Montreal ; Allen Captured. — On Sep- tember 20, Allen, who had not returned from his recruit- ing expedition, wrote to Montgomery that in about three days he would join him at St. Johns with at least five hun- dred Canadian volunteers, which, he said, he could easily raise. But he did not fulfil his engagement ; for four days later, as he was on his way to St. Johns, he came upon Major Brown, at La Prairie, who was out on a like mission. Brown assured Allen that Montreal was en- tirely without defense and suggested that they attempt its capture. As such an undertaking was in no way distasteful to 132 VERMONT FOE YOUNG VEEMONTERS Allen, they began at once to make plans for its accomplish- ment. During that very night Allen, after procuring canoes, was to cross over with a force of about eighty Green Moun- tain Boys and perhaps thirty Canadians to the island of Montreal a little below the town, while Brown with about twice that number was to cross above it. At early dawn three huzzas from Brown's men with an answering three from Allen's was to be the signal for attack. Allen crossed over according to agreement ; but for some reason unknown to historians Brown failed to put in an appearance, and daylight revealed Allen's little company in full sight of the enemy. Allen, instead of retreating, determined to maintain his ground ; and a fight ensued, which lasted two hours, in which several men on both sides were killed or wounded. Deserted by most of the Canadian volunteers and over- powered by numbers, Allen and thirty-eight of his men were taken prisoners. AVhen the British general, Prescott, learned that he had captured the Green Mountain Boy who had taken Ticonderoga, he showered much abusive language upon him, exclaiming with an oath, " I will not execute you now, but you shall grace a halter at Tyburn!" (Tyburn being the place where common criminals were hung in Eng- land). Allen, with his associates, was put on board the man-of-war Gaspee, and sent manacled to England, where he suffered a cruel captivity. This attempt on the part of Allen to take Montreal with- out proper authority was censured by both Montgomery and Schuyler ; though, perhaps, had the result been dif- ferent, as it undoubtedly would have been if Brown had cooperated with him, the act would have been looked upon as less foolhardy. As Brown has a good military record on THE EEVOLUTION 123 all other occasions, it is but fair to think that some unforeseen obstacle prevented his doing his part of the work. The Capture of St. Johns.— St. Johns had been in a state of siege about a month, when the fort at GMiambly, a little farther down the Richelieu, with a garrison of about one hundred men and quantities of ammunition and provisions, was taken by Majors Brown and Livingston. Tliis was ex- actly what Montgomery needed in order to push the siege with vigor ; for up to this time the progress had been slow, principally from lack of ammunition. General Carleton, at Montreal, was making all possible efforts to relieve St. Johns ; but Warner, close by with his Green Mountain Boys, was on the alert and watching his every movement. At length Carleton, with a force of 800 regulars besides militia and Indians, started out from Montreal expecting to be reenforced at the mouth of the Richelieu. When his flotilla was near the south shore of the St. Lawrence, he was met by Seth Warner and his men, who 2)oured upon Carleton's force such a destructive volley that they were obliged to retreat in great disorder. St. Johns, left now without hope of reenforcements, had no alternative but to surrender. And thus, on November 3, GOO prisoners, several cannon, and large quantities of ainmunition fell into the hands of the Americans. The Taking of Montreal. — Montgomery now proceeded to Montreal, and as the city was able to make no defense, Carleton having quitted it the night before, took easy pos- session of it on the 13th, less than two weeks after the surrender of St. Johns. As the term of enlistment had now expired for Warner's men, they returned to their homes. By cutting off its supplies they had compelled the 124 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS surrender of St. Johns, which in its turn opened the way for the capture of Montreal. Attempt to Capture Quebec— Montgomery now ad- vanced down the St. Lawrence to Quebec. Here he was joined by Arnold, who had with much difficulty come through the wilds of Maine and whose force was in a lament- able condition. On the last night of the year 1775 they made a spirited attack upon the city with a force not exceeding 1,200, but were not able to take it on account of its strong fortifications and the superior numbers of the enemy. Montgomery was killed, Arnold severely wounded, and nearly one-half the American force killed or taken prisoners. Thus the campaign of 1775, so far victorious to the patriot cause, closed in a disaster, which was the beginning of the series of defeats that followed for over a year and a half thereafter. Petition to Congress. — The fact that the attention of the New York government was now diverted from its contro- versy with the New Hamjishire Grants by the weightier mat- ters of the Revolution, gave the cause of the grantees an op- portunity to strengthen itself. The grantees were, indeed, practically an independent people, obeying no laws save those of their own making. Such government as they had was vested in Committees of Safety who had no power to enforce their laws upon those inhabitants who still adhered to New York. As they had never been recognized as a separate province, they had no rei^resentation in Congress and therefore no part in making the laws by which they were governed. Seeing tlie necessity of a more stable government for their common defense and general welfare, a committee THE REVOLUTION 125 was chosen to go to Philadelphia in the fall of 1775 to gain the advice of Congress as to what was best to be done. Receiving no formal advice from Congress, they held a con- vention at Dorset, January 16, in which they drew up a petition to send to Congress. This declared that the New Hampshire Grants were willing to do their full part in waging the war against Great Britain, but they were not willing to be considered under the control of New York ; hence they requested that when Congress called upon them for military service it should be as to inhabitants of the grants and not as to inhabitants of New York. This petition was given into the care of Hemen Allen, a brother of Ethan Allen, who submitted it to Congress. The com- mittee to whom it was referred advised the grantees to yield to the government of New York until the close of the war, when the dispute should be settled through proper judges to whom it should be referred. Allen, considering any such decision as unfavorable to the grants, and know- ing that it would be very unsatisfactory to the people, asked that he might withdraw the petition so that no action should be taken on it, and was allowed to do so. This was the first application that the people of the grants had ever made to tlie Continental Congress. The Retreat from Canada.— On the death of General Montgomery at Quebec the command in Canada devolved upon General Wooster, who made a strong appeal to the American colonies for reenforcements that the siege of Quebec might be kept up. In a personal letter to Seth Warner he urged him to raise a force of Green Mountain Boys and come to his succor as soon as possible. So quickly was the call responded to that in about eleven days Warner had mustered his men and was soon on his 12G VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS way to Canada, Warner's regiment being among the first of the recruits to arrive before Quebec. The winter's campaign was a hard one, not only because of the want of suitable barracks, clothing, and provisions, but also on account of the prevalence of smallpox, of which a large number of the soldiers died. The siege was kept up for several months; but on arrival of a large body of British troops, the Americans, in a council of war, decided to abandon the siege. During the withdrawal of the army from Canada Warner and his force were put in a position of greatest danger, fol- lowing in the rear of the retreating army, and much of the time but little in advance of the enemy. It was their duty to cover the retreat of the main force and to pick up the sick and wounded of their number who, unable to keep up, should fall behind. Late in June the army reached Ticonderoga, more than half of their number sick and many of the others weak and broken in spirit because of their sufferings. They had abandoned the whole of Canada, but still hoped to retain the command of the lake. The prompt and effective serv- ices of Warner and his men were not ignored by Congress ; and two weeks after their return from Canada Congress resolved to organize on its own authority a regiment of Green Mountain Boys under Warner as colonel, Warner's corps having up to this time been of a temporary character. Surely the Green Mountain Boys were beginning to gain the respect of their countrymen ; they were no longer looked upon as a mob. Warner remained in command of this regiment for five years. Companies of Rangers ; Roads. — For protection against the hostile invasions of the savages, companies of rangers THE REVOLUTION 127 were raised in the grants to "scour the woods" and force back any red men who should try to cross their borders. General Jacob Bailey, of Newbury, who had this year commenced cutting a military road from Newbury to Can- ada and had reached a point a little north of Peacham, caused the work to cease on the retreat of the Americans from Canada, for there was now no necessity for such road. Three years later the work was again taken np by General Hazen, and the road extended to Westfield, fifty miles far- ther. This has since been known as the Hazen road. Just before or during the Revolutionary War several important highways were opened in western Vermont. Among these was the road opened by Ira Allen, from Colchester to Cas- tleton, a distance of about seventy miles, and those from Rutland to Mt. Independence and from Rutland to White- hall. 10 CHAPTER XV AMERICANS FORTIFY THEMSELVES ON THE LAKE — VER- MONTERS DECLARE THEIR INDEPENDENCE OF NEW YORK AND ADOPT A CONSTITUTION Declaration of Independence ; Mount Independence Unable to endure the arbitrary measures of Great Britain longer, Congress declared the United States independent of that country July 4, 1776. General Gates now took com- mand of the army on the lake ; and fearing he could not hold both Crown Point and Ticonderoga, abandoned the former and greatly strengthened the latter. On a j^eninsula opposite in the town of Orwell, a site was chosen for another fort, a heavily timbered eminence, which was soon converted into a bare mountain by demol- ishing the timbers for the building of the fort and the use of the garrison. While this fort was in the process of construc- tion, news came of the Declaration of Independence; and from this fact the position was named Mt. Independence.. Convention at Dorset, July 24, 1776.— W lien Mr. Al- len returned from Philadelpliia a general meeting was called to hear the report of the decisions of Congress, and also to consider what measures ought to be adopted in re- gard to their difficulties with New York. Circulars were therefore addressed to the different towns asking them to appoint delegates to attend this meeting. The convention met at the appointed time and was at- tended by fifty-one delegates from thirty-one towns, only 128 THE REVOLUTION 129 one town east of the mountains being represented. After liearing Mr. Allen's rejiort, the convention agreed to form an '^association among themselves for the defense and liber- ties of their country." They also declared that they would not submit to the government of New York, and that any of the grantees who should do so would be considered ene- mies of their country. A proposition was made to make application to grantees to form that district known as the New Hampshire Grants into a separate district. This was adoj)ted with but one dissenting voice, and was the first formal act of the grantees to form themselves into a sepa- rate district. A committee, consisting of Heman Allen, Jonas Fay, and William ]\Iarsh, was then appointed to consult with the people on the east side of the mountains concerning this project. AVhen, in August, committees of Gloucester and Cumberland counties met in convention at Windsor to nominate officers for their companies of rangers, these three men were on the ground. The subject of a separate juris- diction was urged very forcibly by Allen ; and to learn the views of the people on the proposition the inhabitants of each town were requested to assemble in town meeting and there express freely their opinions. As a result of this, most of the towns announced them- selves in favor of withdrawing from the jurisdiction of New York and making of themselves a separate district ; some were divided on the subject ; and a few, firmly ad- hering to New York, voted not to send delegates to Dorset, where a general convention had been called for the follow- ing September to ascertain the voice of the people on this most important matter. Convention at Dorset, September 25, 1776. — The leaven 130 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS was working ; and the dissatisfaction with tlie New York authorities had now become so general that when the convention met at Dorset in September, the towns on the east side as well as the west were well represented ; and it was unanimously voted, " to take suitable measures, as soon as may be, to declare the N. H. Grants a free and separate district/' They also resolved to obey no laws or directions received from New York, but to be governed henceforth by laws (not conflicting with the resolves of Congress) made in conventions of the N. II. Grants. They clothed themselves with the power of forming militia companies and furnish- ing troops for the common defense, appointing a Com- mittee of War, whose right it was to call out the militia at any time for the defense of the grants or any other part of the continent. They also ordered that a jail should be built at Manchester for tlie safe-keeping of Tories. Two Fleets Built. — After driving the Americans from Canada, the British determined to construct a fleet by means of which they might also drive them from the lake and recover the forts which they had lost the year before. Accordingly, they established a navy -yard at St. Johns ; and soon several boats were in the process of construction. Six armed vessels had been sent over from England, and these now moved forward to join the fleet at St. Johns ; but when they came to the rapids at Chambly they could go no farther, and here had to be taken to pieces, transported, and afterward reconstructed. At Skenesboro, at the other end of Lake Champlain, was a second navy-yard, where the Americans, under the direction of Benedict Arnold, were equally busy construct- ing a fleet, by means of which they hoped to keep the com- THE REVOLUTION 131 mand of the lake. They had but scant material with which to construct their boats, save timber green from the forest; and this must be dragged by hand to the water's edge, where it was intended to be used. Ship carpenters were also hard to procure, and the equipment for the vessels had to be brought great distances over almost impassable roads. But, in the face of all obstacles, so expeditiously was the work carried on, the American fleet was ready by the last of August. About a month later the British fleet was in readiness. It was much stronger than that of the Ameri- cans, and manned by nearly twice as many men ; but, in spite of the odds against him, Arnold advanced down the lake to meet the opposing fleet. The Battle near Valcour Island ; Arnold's Retreat. — On the morning of October 11, Arnold, being informed of the approach of the enemy, stationed his fleet between the New York shore and the island of Valcour. The thick foliage of the island hid tlie fleet from view of the main channel through which the British fleet passed. On dis- covering Arnold's fleet in their rear, the British turned and advanced upon them from the south. A severe battle ensued, in which both sides displayed much valor, and in which both sustained severe loss. From noon till night it raged, and much of the time so loud was the roar of battle that it could be heard at Crown Point, some forty miles distant. At nightfall the British placed their whole fleet across the channel to prevent the escape of the Americans, mean- ing to renew the fight in the morning. But Arnold, now hoping for nothing better than escape with his shattered fleet, succeeded, under cover of a dark and foggy night, in getting away ; some say directly through the enemy's lines. 133 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS wliile others affirm that he made his escape around the north end of the island. However this may be, he made all speed southward and was out of sight of the enemy before dawn. Naval battle on Lake Champlain, 1776. A, American flotilla under Arnold. B-C, British, under Carleton. D, prob- able line of retreat of the Americans when the British had been forced back to E. Discovering the escape, the British gave chase in the dim light of the morning. Sighting what they supposed to he a vessel, they poured broadside after broadside into it, until the increasing light revealed the astonishing fact THE KEVOLUTION 133 that it was nothing but a rock. Because of this circum- stance, the rock has since been known as ''Carleton's Prize." On making this discovery, the British again gave chase, and overtook the fleet at Split Rock on October 13. Here another severe battle took place, in which Arnold, with his flag-ship Congress and some gondolas, kept up a running fire for about four hours, covering the retreat of several of his vessels until they were at a safe distance on the way to Ticonderoga ; he then ran ashore at Panton, not far from the Otter Creek's mouth, blew up his vessel, and escaped with his crew on shore. Traces of the shattered vessels were plainly visible for many years along the beach where this disaster took place. Arnold and his companions joined the remainder of the fleet at Ticonderoga, after having made a perilous journey through the forests, where they barely escaped falling into the hands of the Indians, while they could distinctly hear the booming of the cannon in their rear. Carleton at once occupied Crown Point, and the British now held control of the lake to Ticon- deroga. Carleton Withdraws to Canada. — It was Carleton's in- tention to move now upon Ticonderoga, the conquest of which he believed would be an easy matter. Had he done so at once, he would probably have gained easy access into the fortress, so poorly prepared was it to withstand his superior numbers. On the fourteenth the wind began blowing from the south and remained in that quarter for eight days, thus preventing Carleton's transports from making much headway up the lake. In the meantime Gates made the most of his time strengthening the intrenchments at Ticonderoga ; and, as reenforcements arrived daily (two 134 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS regiments of which were from the grants). Gates soon had a force of 1,200 strong. After reconnoitering for a month or so, Carleton withdrew to Canada and went into winter quarters, to the great astonishment of both British and Americans. The danger now being past, a part of the garrison of Ticonderoga was hurried off to join Washing- ton, who was then in New Jersey and in much need of aid ; and the Green Mountain Boys were discharged from duty. Meeting at Westminster, January, 1777. — The year 1777 was by far the most memorable one in tlie early history of our State, not only on account of important battles, in which the Green Mountain Boys displayed much energy and valor, but because of certain measures adopted by the grantees in conventions, prominent among which were the formal declaration of the independence of the grants, and the adoption of a constitution for the new common- wealth. The first important convention met at Westminster and lasted three days, the towns on both sides of the moun- tains being well represented. At this convention the del- egates publicly declared that the territory commonly known by the name of the N. H. Grants should thereafter be considered a free and independent State, distinguished by the name of New Connecticut. This declaration being adopted, it was then voted that it should be published in the newspapers ; and Cajitain Heman Allen, Colonel Thomas Chandler, and Nathan Clark were chosen a com- mittee to prepare it for the press. The declaration ap- peared the following March in the Connecticut Courant. The Declaration. — The paper thus prepared by the committee declared that, since by a declaration of Congress THE DEVOLUTION 135 tlie United Colonies were made independent of the crown of Great Britain, it followed that the right of New York to rule over the grants, which was given by the crown, was now null and void. It also declared that, as the in- habitants were thus without government, they had the right to form such government for themselves as should be best suited to their well-being and happiness. It bounded their territory as follows : "South, on the north line of Massachusetts Bay ; east, on Connecticut Kiver ; north, on Canada line ; west, as far as the New Hampshire Grants extend." It declared that the people of this territory should thereafter consider themselves a free and independent State, capable of governing them- selves by such laws as they thought proper (the same not being contrary to any resolve of the Continental Congress), and that the territory should thereafter go by the name of New Connecticut. It also declared that they would stand by and support one another in this declaration, and that they would do their full proportion in maintaining and supporting the war against Great Britain. A Declaration and Petition.— They also prepared a "Declaration and Petition to Congress " announcing the step they had taken and declaring their willingness to do their full share toward maintaining the war against Great Britain. They closed this by an appeal to Congress to recognize their independence and to allow the new State representation in that body. This paper was signed and presented to Congress by Thomas Chittenden, Heman Allen, Jonas Fay, and Reuben Jones. The Decision of Congress. — New Hampshire was willing to recognize and admit the new State into the Federal Union, and both Massachusetts and Connecticut applauded 13G VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS the boldness with which she liad asserted her just rights; but NeAv York looked upon the recent act of the new com- monwealth as treason against the New York government. Accordingly that government addressed a communication to Congress representing to that body that the recent re- volt had been occasioned by the influence of certain de- signing men and was not the general desire of the people. They also urged upon Congress the necessity of taking from Seth AVarner and other officers of the grants their commands, in justice to the New York government, saying that by conferring commissions upon them. Congress had given too much Aveight to their claims and had thus encour- aged them in their independent proceedings, at the same time belittling the authority of the New York govern- ment. After some delay Congress took action upon the appeal of the grantees, refusing to recognize the inde- pendence of the State. Meeting at Windsor, June 4. — But while the subject of recognition was pending before Congress, the suppliants at home were quietly proceeding with their State organi- zation. A convention met at Windsor on June 4, the largest ever then held, there being seventy-two delegates from forty-eight towns, and two towns reporting by letter. They there revised their Declaration of Independence and changed the name of the State to "Vermont," having learned that there was already a district in Pennsylvania known as "New Connecticut." The most important bus- iness of this convention was the appointing of a committee to prepare a draft for a constitution for the new State. The towns were then recommended to choose delegates to meet at Windsor the July following to discuss and adopt a constitution. THE REVOLUTION 137 The Origin of the Name "Vermont." — This most appro- priate name "Vermont" was suggested by Dr. Thomas Young of Philadelphia, a firm friend of the inhabitants of the Green Mountain State. A letter written by him the previous April advising the people of that district to or- ganize for themselves a suitable government, adopt a con- stitution, and elect delegates to send to Congress after the manner of other States, was addressed to " The Inhabitants of Vermont," — thus the name. Constitutional Convention of July, 1777. — On the second of July the convention met as proposed at Windsor, continuing in session six days. After listening to a sermon prepared for that occasion by the Rev. Aaron Hutchinson of Pomfret, in which he strongly justifies the people of Vermont for the stand they have taken, and recommends firmness o-n their part in maintaining their position, a draft of a constitution is presented and read. Dr. Young had previously recommended as a model for the constitu- tion for the new State that of Pennsylvania, the principal features of which were identical with William Penn's original form of government for his colony. Acting on his advice the committee appointed to prepare the draft presented the Pennsylvania constitution as a model. AVhile the convention had it under consideration, the news was brought tliat Ticonderoga had fallen into the hands of the British. This was, indeed, a cause for alarm, for their frontier was now exposed to the ravages of the enemy, and many of their families were in danger. On receiving this intelligence and also Warner's appeal for aid, some of the members were for breaking up the convention at once and returning to tlieir homes for the protection of their families; but, a furious thunder-storm coming up just 138 VEKMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS at that time prevented this; and making good use of their time, they considered and adopted one by one the articles of the constitution while the storm raged without. By evening the work was completed ; the Pennsylvania model had been adopted with a few important changes, notable among which was the prohibition of slavery, Vermont thus being the first State to insert this in her constitu- tion. The building in which this memorable meeting was Old Constitution House at Windsor. held is still standing. At this same convention a Council of Safety, with Thomas Chittenden as its presidentj had been appointed to govern the new State until a suitable government could be organized. Provision had also been made for an election of State officers the following Decem- ber and for a meeting of the Legislature in January. Owing to the excitement occasioned by Burgoyne's invasion, THE REVOLUTION 139 both the election and the meeting of the Legislature were postponed. But so much for the political history of Vermont for the year 1777. We will now take up the story of the in- vasion of General Burgoyne, who succeeded Carleton on the latter's return to Canada. ♦ Note. — The long-lost original records of the conventions mentioned in this eluipt'er have recently been discovered l)y Senator Proctor in the congressional library at Washington, and through his efforts have been turned over to the State of Vermont. CHAPTER XVI BEITISH ADVANCE — THEIR VICTORIES The British Plan. — The British now phiimed to subdue the colonies in a single campaign, by concerted action ; and great preparations were going on during the winter and spring for its accomplishment. If they could but gain complete control of the Cliamplain-Hudson Valley, estab- lishing a line of forts from the St. Lawrence River to New York Bay, and thus preventing New England, the head of the rebellion, from joining her forces with those beyond the Hudson, they felt that victory would be theirs. Burgoyne was confident that this could be done, and the plan decided on was this : Burgoyne was to advance up Lake Champlain, take Ticonderoga, and then press forward to the Hudson, with the expectation that General Howe's army would meet him there, having accomplished a similar work on the Hudson. At the same time another British expedition, consisting partly of Iroquois Indians, was to start out from Oswego and unite with Burgoyne on the Hudson, having opened the way to a fertile section of New York from which Burgoyne hoped to gain vast quantities of supplies for his forces. Tlie i)lan was an admirable one, but did it work ? Through some delay Howe failed to receive his instruc- tions, until about the time that the British were being defeated at Bennington, and he was then about to enter Chesapeake Bay and far from the scene of conflict ; the 140 THE REVOLUTION Ul Oswego expedition failed utterly to iiccomplish its mission ; and of liurgoyne we are about to hear. Burgoyne's Advance ; American Defenses. — Late in June (1777) Burgoyne, with an aggregate number of 10,000 strong, neared Ticonderoga ; and, on the first day of July, came to anchor just out of range of its guns. Perceiving the designs of the British, some efforts were made to strengthen Ticonderoga, which position had been connected with Mt. Independence by means of a floating bridge, consisting of twenty-two sunken piers joined by floats, the lake at this point being scarcely more than a half mile wide. This bridge was to have been protected by a boom of huge timbers, fastened together by bolts and chains ; but this was not completed when Burgoyne made his advance. Towering above and within easy range of both Ticon- deroga and Mt. Independence was Mt. Defiance, from whose summit every approach by land or water was plainly visible. The desirability of fortifying this point was now discussed by the Americans, but was given up on account of the difficulty of raising the necessary ordnance up the steep and rugged mountain sides, and because of the fact that General St. Clair, who had superseded General Gates, to gar- rison the entire works, had little more than 3,000 effective men, and could ill afford to spare the men for the purpose. St. Clair's one hope was that the over-confident Bur- goyne might choose to assault rather than besiege his position ; an assault he thought he might be able to with- stand, but he well knew tliat he would not be able to sus- tain a regular siege. What course Burgoyne would pursue was a question whose answer was anxiously awaited by the garrison. 142 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS Evacuation of the Forts. — Colonel Warner luid been sent by General St. Clair to gather reenforcenients ; and, on July 5, he arrived at Ticondoroga with a force of 900 men, mostly Vermonters. The British had at pnce recognized the importance of Mt. Defiance, had scaled its precipitous sides, and were now upon its ])ald summit, where their red coats were plainly visible, as they hurried to aud fro in the construction of a battery. It was evident to St. Clair that Burgoyne meant to besiege him. Calling a council of his officers, he discussed with tliem the situation. Since there was no prospect of their being able to dislodge the enemy from this post, it was decided that their only safety was in immediate evacuation, St. Clair hoped to be able to do this in the night, unobserved by the enemy ; and at once began making preparations to accomplisli it. Baggage and stores were, as soon as possible, embarked in bateaux for Skenesboro, with such of the garrison as were sick and unfit for the march. By two o'clock on the morning of July 6 all was in readiness and the army moved out of Ticonderoga, hastily crossed the floating bridge, and by three o'clock the garrison of Mt, Independence was also on the move. A French officer of the garrison, wishing to destroy what he could not save, foolishly set fire to his house, by the light of which the evacuation was revealed to the English soldiers on Mt, Defiance. The British imme- diately commenced pursuit; and. the Americans, thrown into confusion by the knowledge of their discovery, fled in great disorder. The American army was intending to go to Skenesboro by the way of Castleton and there join the fleet. When they reached llubbardton, they halted for a rest of about two hours. Here Colonel Warner was put in command of THE REVOLUTION U3 the rear guard, which consisted of his own regiment and those of Colonels Francis of Massachusetts and Hale of New Hampshire ; and for tlie second time was committed to him the covering of a retreat. The main army then went on to Castleton ; and Warner was ordered to remain at Hubbard- ton till all, who, in the disorderly retreat, had strayetj away, should come up, and then to follow a mile and a half in the rear of the main army. The Battle of Hubbardton. — All through the day. Eraser, followed by General Itiedesel, kejjt up a hot pursuit ; and, at nightfall, learning that the Americans were only a short distance in advance, he ordered a lialt till morning. At daybreak, July 7, Eraser again pushed forward, and at five o'clock made an attack upon the Americans, who were en- camped on a ridge in the east part of Hubbardton. Colonel Hale, fearful of the result, withdrew at the beginning of the contest, and left Eraiicis and Warner to sustain the attack. Massachusetts men and Vermont men fought side by side with great bravery. At almost every shot, so sure was their aim, a redcoat fell. At first the advantage was with the Americans ; but when Riedesel with his Hessians came up the tide turned. H was now an uneven contest of 2,000 against 800. The brave Colonel Erancis fell mortally wounded. His troops fled to the woods, and finally joined the main army at Eort St. Edward where they had retreated, finding that Skenesboro had become occupied by the enemy before their arrival. Warner, collecting most of his men, retreated to Manchester. Hale fell in with a detachment of the British and immediately surrendered to them with- out making any resistance. The arms taken from Hale's men were stacked in the woods, as the British had no means of transportation. 11 144 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS The loss of the Americans vviis thirty Ivillecl and nearly 300 wounded or prisoners ; the loss of the British, killed and wounded, 183. This was the only battle of the Revolu- tion fought on Vermont soil. A monument now marks the spot where Colonel Fi-ancis fell. The Effect of the Fall of Ticonderoga on the People of Western Vermont. — The fall of Ticonderoga, naturally enough, created a great panic among the settlers of western Vermont, exposed as they were to the ravages of a hostile army. Burgoyne had sent out a proclamation inviting all who would to join his standard ; he offered protection to the neutral ; but upon the rebellious he threatened to tnrn loose his Indian allies. In spite of this warning most of the Ver- monters remained true to the patriot cause. A few only took the opportunity offered to go over to the British ; and fewer still sought the protection of the British army. Those who did so were afterward known as " Protectioners." All exposed farms in this section were abandoned. The occupants, loading as many of their goods as possible into carts and upon the backs of their horses, drove their flocksbe- fore them to the older settlements at the south of them. By the time Bnrgoyne had reached the Hudson, very few fami- lies were left north of the present County of Bennington. Hubbardton, whose population consisted of but nine families, was raided by a party of Tories and Indians under the command of Captain Sherwood. Most of the men were taken prisoners, their homes plundered, and their wives and children left to starve or to make their way through the forests to their friends in the older settlements. The Story of the Churchills.— Mr. Samuel Churchill and family lived about two miles from Warner's camp in THE REVOLUTION 145 Hubbardtoii. On the morning of the battle Warner sent a detachment of 300 men to warn Mr. Chnrchillof his dan- ger and help him get away with his family. Unfortunately the battle began so soon after they learned of their danger that it was impossible for them to escape ; and Mr. Church- ill, with three of his sons, was taken prisoner and his home was plundered. The rest of his family, consisting of four women and four children, were left to look out for themselves. To re- main there was to starve, for the enemy had made a clean sweep of all kinds of provisions. They dared not go south to Castleton, for they knew that the Tories and the Indians had gone in that direction ; so taking two horses and what baggage was left them they traveled directly east to Pitts- ford on the Otter Creek. From there they took the mili- tary road to Charlestown and then followed down the Con- necticut River to Springfield, Mass. Turning westward they again crossed the Green Mountains and finally arrived at Sheffield in southwestern Massachusetts, having been on the way for about three weeks. Mr. Churchill was taken to Ticonderoga, where he made his escape after a few weeks and returned to Ilub- bardton, to find his family gone, he knew not whither. Hoping for the best, he quickly made his way on foot to Sheffield, where, to his intense relief and happiness, he found his family safe in the care of friends. The danger past, in about a year they returned to Hubbard ton to renew that life which hud been so unceremoniously broken off. Burgoyne's Advance. — While Eraser and Riedesel were pursuing the Americans by land, Burgoyne was giving chase to the flotilla on the lake. By nine o'clock on the morning of the evacuation of the forts, the unfinished boom and 14G VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS floating bridge had been cut asunder. Hardly had the Americans reached Skenesboro when the British were upon them. Having no eifectual means of defense, the Ameri- cans quickly abandoned their vessels, after blowing up three of them. They then made their way to Fort Anne, and thence to Fort Ed- ward on the Hud- son, wh ere they joined the main army under Schuy- ler. Burgoyne had advanced to the head of the lake meeting almost no resistance, but he had well-nigh reached his limit. Even when all the scattered troops had come in, Schuyler's army did not exceed 4,400 men. Un- able to do any- thing more effec- tual, Schuyler's army now began tearing down bridges and felling trees across the roads and creeks to delay the pursuing army as much as possible. On his way to Fort Edward, Burgoyne was obliged to rebuild forty bridges, and had so much difficulty in clearing the way that ■oe/>eMO£nce Map showing the region of Burgoyne's invasion. THE DEVOLUTION 147 it is said he traveled at times but one mile in twenty-four hours. The Americans now evacuated Fort Edward, retreating in the direction of Albany. Burgoyne established himself on the Hudson on July 30, believing that a safe and easy passage might now be made to Albany ; and here we will leave him and see what was at this time going on in the Green Mountain State. CHAPTER XVII BRITISH LOSSES — THEIR RETREAT Work of the Council of Safety. — Safely and firmly did the Council of Safety hold the reins of government through these trying times, assuming all its powers, executive, leg- islative, and judicial, until a constitutional government was organized. The most active members of this council were Thomas Chittenden, president ; Jonas Fay, vice-president ; Ira Allen (youngest brother of Ethan Allen), secretary; and several others, an>ong whom were Heman Allen (also a brother of Ethan Allen) and Moses Robinson. It was now necessary that vigorous efforts should be made to protect the State from the ravages of the enemy ; and the council proved themselves equal to the emergency. Under their direction, the officers of the militia were or- dered to raise as many men as possible to oppose the enemy. Such of the militia as could be collected were placed at Manchester under Warner to repel a body of the enemy who had been stationed at Castleton, should they choose to ad- vance in that direction. They also made a most earnest appeal to Massachusetts and New Hampshire to forward troops to their assistance as soon as possible. From the first there were some Tories in Vermont; and when Burgoyne made his advance up the lake, others placed themselves under his standard. Some of these were men of hitherto good standing among the grantees, and many of them possessed valuable property. Aside from the mi- 148 THE HEVOLUTIOX 149 litia a volunteer force was necessary to protect the frontier and also to keep strict watch of the Tory element among them. As the infant State possessed no funds to raise such a force, the Council of Safety now resolved that the prop- erty of all those who had gone over to the enemy should be seized and sold to raise the necessary funds. By this means a regiment of rangers was soon organized a7id put under the command of Colonel Samuel Herrick. In his history of Vermont, Ira Al- len says, ''This was the first instance in America of seizing and selling the property of the enemies of American Independ- ence." This, however, was done in all the States afterward. Stark's Army. — On the ap- peal of the Council of Safety, the New Hampshire assembly at once ordered into service a brigade of militia under John Stark, and as rapidly as possi- ble sent men from Charlestown to join Colonel Warner at Manchester. Stark himself with about 800 men marched over the military road which he had helped to open, encamping at Peru, where in the year 1900 a fitting monu- ment was erected to mark his camping-place. The militia from the country about had been flocking to Manchester ; and when Stark descended the mountains and arrived at that place the combined forces numbered 1,400 strong. Warner, leaving the remnant of his regiment, which now numbered only about 130, with Colonel Safford at Man- chester, went on with Stark to Bennington. Stark now John Stark. 150 VERMONT FOR YOUXG VERMONTERS made the most of his time organizing and drilling his forces, while scouts scoured the country about for information con- cerning the movements of the enemy. These measures for defense were taken none too soon. Cause of the Battle of Bennington. — It was Burgoyne's design to attack Albany as soon as he could obtain the needed supplies. Provisions for his army were getting scarce, and fresh supplies must either be obtained from the enemy or brought from Montreal. He much preferred the former means of supplying his need ; and learning that the Americans had collected at Bennington a quantity of such stores as he needed, he resolved to send a force to seize them. First Battle. — Hearing of the arrival of a party of In- dians at Cambridge, N. Y., Stark sent a force of 200 men to oppose them. Learning from a messenger that they were the advance guard of a much greater force, that was closely following and was on its way to Bennington to seize the stores there, Stark promptly sent a messenger to Man- chester to summon Warner's men and called all the militia of that vicinity to come to his assistance. On the next day, August 14, he advanced toward the enemy. At the same time a British force consisting of 500 Hessians, 100 Indians, and a number of Canadians and Tories, under the command of Colonel Baum, was advan- cing toward Bennington. When Colonel Baum had come within six or seven miles of Bennington, he came upon Stark, who, halting, formed in line. This brought Colonel Baum to a standstill. Finding that Bennington was guarded by a much larger force than he had anticipated, he decided not to make an immediate attack ; and halting in a commanding position, he began to throw up intrench- THE EEVOLUTION 151 ments, sending at tlie same time to notify Bnrgoyne of his position. Stark called a council of war by whom it was decided that an attack ought to be made before the British had time for reenforcement ; and by the advice of Warner and others, Stark ordered his men to be in readiness to make the attack on the following morning. To his disappoint- ment, the day was too rainy to admit of active military operations ; but while waiting, both parties to the con- test were busy, the British in strengthening their in- trenchments, aiul Stark with his officers and the Council of Safety in 2)lanning a line of action. During the day Stark was reenforced by several hundred militia from west- ern Massachusetts, who had come in through the drench- ing rain, eager for service. On August IG, the day being favorable, Stark ad- vanced toward the British. He had divided his force, now numbering 1,G00, so as to attack the enemy on all sides at the same time. By three o'clock in the after- noon the attacking columns had arrived at their allotted stations Avithout attracting the attention of the enemy, who had kept close within their intrenchments. Directly a firing was heard in the rear of the British. This was the signal for assault ; and the Americans rushed forward. Stark and Warner with the larger force attacking the front, and the remaining force, among which Avere Herrick and his rangers, the rear. Baum's Indians fled at the first fire. The battle now raged for two hours; and, although the British sustained the attack with great ])ravery, they were at length over- powered, and nearly all taken prisoners. Among the prisoners was Colonel Baum himself, who was mortally 152 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS wounded and who died a few days later. Stark liad borne a part in the battles of Bunker Hill, Trenton, and Princeton, and yet he declared that this was the hottest he had ever seen, and was like one continual clap of thunder. Second Battle. — Scarcely was the first battle ended and the prisoners, under guard, started off for Bennington, when a second body of Britisli troops, nearly as large as Colonel Baum's, came up. They were commanded by Colonel Breyman, who had been stationed within easy distance and who had now been sent to reen- force Colonel Baum. As the American forces had become scattered, they Avere ill -prepared to meet fresh troops ; but, by rare good fortune, just at this critical moment, Warner's veterans came marching from Manchester, and proved a most effectual oft'set to Burgoyne's German troops. They had been well equipped by the recovery of the arms of Colonel Hale's men, which had been stacked in the Avoods after the battle of Hubbardton ; and, although few in numbers, they were a host in courage, and promptly took a position in front, covering the confusion of the militia, who now came hurry- ing in and forming into line in the rear. A second severe battle ensued, which lasted till sunset, ending in the utter defeat of the British and their hasty retreat. The Americans followed them until they could no longer see, and would have captured the entire force if the retreat had not been covered by the darkness of the night. In his Colonel Baum's sword (taken by the Amer- icans at Benning- ton.) THE EEVOLUTIOX 153 report of tlie battle, Stark said that with one more hour of daylight they would have captured the whole body. Losses to the Enemy. — In the two engagements the enemy lost four cannon and 1,000 muskets. Over 200 of their men were left dead on the field, and about 750 Two of the cannon captured at lk'nniiii;ton. were wounded or taken prisoners. The American loss was thirty killed and forty wounded. Two of the cap- tured cannon are now at the State House in Montpelier, bearing this inscription: "Taken from the Germans at Bennington Aug. IC, 1:77. '*' Influence of this Victory. — This victory had a very in- 154 VERMO^sT FOR YOUNG VERMOXTERS sj^iriiing effect on the whole country, and was equally dis- heartening to the British, It was the first real check Bur- goyne had received on his march southward, and led the wa,y, if it were not actually necessary, to the disasters that soon followed the British cause. Why Called the Battle of Benning^ton. — This battle did not'actually occur on Vermont soil, but just across the line in Iloosick, N. Y. It was, however, a battle directed against Bennington for the })urpose of obtaining the stores collected there ; and so has always been known as the battle of Bennington. The event has been fit- tingly commemorated by a monument at Bennington Center on the site of the continental storehouse which the invading army came to capture. Near by is the site of the Catamount Tavern in which was the Council Chamber where the Vermont Council of Safety held its sessions. This is also appropriately marked by a life-sized bronze catamount surmounting a massive block of green granite. Lincoln's Raid ; Burgoyne's Surrender. — After the bat- tle of Bennington, Lincolu, wdio commanded a body of New England militia, worked industriously collecting and or- ganizing the militia at j\Ianchester, until he had a force of Catamount Monument. On the site of the old Catamount Tavern at Bennington. Benninffton Rattle Monument. 156 VERMONT FOR YOUXG VERMOXTERS 2,000 strong. Unknown to Gutes, who liud succeeded Geneml Schuyler, he determined to make au attempt to re- capture Ticonderoga and its outposts, and thus cut off Bur- goyne's communications with Canada. Dividing liis force into detachments, he was successful in destroying the stores at the head of Luke George, taking 300 British prisoners, releasing 100 captives, who had been taken at the battle of Ilubbardton, and in capturing a large number of English boats on the hike. In these captures Colonel Ilerrick's rangers bore apromi- nent part. Ebenezer Allen, also a Vermonter, scaled the heights of Mt. Defiance and dislodged the enemy. General Lincoln himself, with about 700 men, was about to march to Fort Edward, when he received an urgent request from General Gates to join him at once. He accordingly gave up his own plans, and, accompanied by Colonel Warner and his continental regiment, hastened to reeuforce Gates. The British army was now at Saratoga, ill-supplied with provisions, and unable to retreat or to advance. After fighting two ineffectual battles near by, Burgoyne, despair- ing of relief, surrendered to General Gates, October 17, 1777, an army reduced to less than G,000 able-bodied men. The Evacuation of Ticonderoga. — When the news of Burgoyne's surrender reached Ticonderoga, the garrison made quick prejoarations to evacuate, burning barracks and houses at Ticonderoga and Mt. Lidependence, and sinking boats and breaking or spiking their cannon. Close in their pursuit followed Ebenezer Allen with fifty of Ilerrick's rangers, striking a blow at every opportunity. He rescued forty-nijie prisoners, captured quantities of stores, three boats, and many horses and oxen. Among his prisoners was a slave named Dinah Mattis and her child, whom he THE REVOLUTIOX 157 afterward set free, after having obtained the permission of the Green Mountain Boys to do so. No longer having the British army as a menace on their left, the Green Mountain Boys returned to their homes in season to save some of their crops to sustain them through the severe Vermont Avinter. A Plucky Woman. — To those who braved the perils of frontier life rather than flee to places of greater safety in times of danger, came many sad but interesting experiences. Tliey were constantly exjDosed to the depredations of the Indians ; but as the red men seldom troubled the women and children, it was customary for the men of a settlement to flee to the woods on the approach of the Indian and there remain in hiding until the work of plunder was over. At one time a party of Indians approached the house of a Mr. Stone, one of the first settlers of Bridport. They were discovered by Mrs. Stone in season to give her time to throw some of the things she valued out of a back window, con- ceal others about her jierson, and sit down to her carding before they entered. Suspecting that she was concealing something in her clothing, an Indian attempted to search her, whereupon she gave him a sharp slap in the face with the teeth side of her card. Spirit in man or woman was much admired by the Indians, and thereupon an old Indian broke into a loud laugh and cried, " Good squaw ! good squaw I " and she was not again molested. Another instance of the indomitable courage of Mrs, Stone is shown in the following : After the capture of Burgoyne and about tJiree weeks before the evacuation of Ticonderoga by the British, Mr, Stone was taken prisoner by the British and carried to Ticonderoga, Expecting that he would be sent to Quebec, and knowing that he lacked suitable clothing, Mrs. Stone rowed a distance of twelve 15S VERMONT FOR YOUXG VERMOKTERS miles to see him witli no other company thtin a brother ten years of age. Slie had left two children, the older but four yeai's of age, in the house alone. Not being able to gain admission to the fort till morning, she was obliged to remain over night. Anxiously returning to her home the next day she was much relieved to find botli her little ones safe, the elder, with spirit akin to that of her mother, having bravely assumed the protection and care of the younger. CHAPTER XVIII STATE GOVEEKMEKT — FIRST GOVERNOR — RETURN OF ETHAN" ALLEN Vermont's Condition for the next Five Years. — The year 1777 practically ended the war, as far as Vermont was concerned ; for, after that time, the Green Mountain Boys were not brought into active service. Early in the year 1778 the regular troops stationed at Albany were ordered to the south, thus leaving the inhabitants of Vermont to their own protection. For five years, or till the end of the war, the inhabitants of the northern and western frontiers were constantly menaced by hostile Indians, who, instigated by the British in Canada, often invaded the Green Moun- tain State for the purpose of 2)lunder, killing or carrying into captivity her inhabitants. Neither was there any protection against the British army in Canada. For these reasons it was not safe for the inhabitants of the State to lay down their arms ; and so military organizations were kept up and constantly strengthened, and the frontier pro- tected on the north and west by forts from which scouting parties Avere sent out to watch the movements of the enemy and report if danger were apprehended. These circum- stances greatly retarded the establishment of townships to the north, especially along the French and Indian road, which was much frequented by the enemy. But Vermont, if not actually engaged in fighting the British, was by no means at peace. Her internal govern- 12 169 160 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS ment, her relations to the neigliboring States, to Congress, and to the British forces in Canada, for the next five years, will now be considered. State Government Organized. — On the first Tuesday in March, 1778, the first election of State officers, under the constitution, was held. On the twelfth of the same month the Legislature convened in the Old Constitution House at Windsor ; and this first meeting of the General Assembly was indeed a memorable one. After organizing, the votes for Governor were counted, and it was found that Thomas Chittenden had been chosen by a large majority. As no one had obtained a majority of the votes for Lieutenant-Governor or Treasurer, Colonel Joseph Marsh, of Hartford, was chosen by the Legislature for the former office, and Ira Allen for the latter. At this session the State was divided into two counties : Cumberland, east ; and Bennington, west of the moun- tains. Each county had two shires. Those of Bennington were Bennington and Rutland ; and those of Cumberland, Westminster and Newbury. At this meeting also, sixteen towns east of Connecticut River applied for admission into the new State ; with what result we shall learn later on. One of the most important measures considered was that in relation to the disposition of the Tory lands. As has been previously stated, the Council of Safety had the year before seized and sold the personal property of such as had gone over to the enemy ; they had also leased some of their farms for a limited time, but had as yet made no further disposal of them. It was now voted that it should be left to the Governor, Lieutenant-Governor and Council to effect their sale, the proceeds to be paid into the treasury THE REVOLUTION 161 of the State. It is said that the estates of 1G2 persons residing on the west side of the mountains were ordered to be confiscated and sold. It may be well to add here that the income derived from this source was sufficient for some time to cover the greater portion of the State ex- penses. After continuing in session for two weeks, the Legislature adjourned to meet at Bennington the follow- ing June. The Constitution. — The constitution, as adopted in the July convention of 1777, consisted of three parts ; namely, the preamble, a declaration of rights, and the plan of government. The preamble gave the reasons for Ver- mont's declaring herself an independent State, but this did not long remain a part of the constitution. The dec- laration of rights, as its name indicates, was a statement of the just rights of the inhabitants of the State. The plan of government was a statement of the laws themselves, and consisted of forty-three parts. To these have since been added amendments. Throughout, the instrument breathed of the spirit of freedom, and was in tone moral, liberal, and manly. The constitution declared that the government of the State should be vested in a Governor (or Lieutenant-Gov- ernor), a Council of twelve members, and an Assembly of representatives. It also provided that courts of justice should be maintained in every county in the State, and that a council of censors, thirteen in number, should be chosen every seven years, their term of office to last one year. Duties of Departments. — The entire legislative power was vested in a single house, the House of Representatives, instead of a House and Senate as at the present time. The 162 VEEMONT FOE YOUNG VEEMONTEES representatives were chosen by ballot annually, each town being entitled to one representative, and towns having more than eighty taxable inhabitants to two. Seven years afterward the rule of the present day, one representative and no more for each town, was established. The executive authority was vested in a Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, and twelve Councilors, elected also annually by the freemen of the State. They could advise but had not the vetoing power. However, they often proved a strong check upon hasty and unwise legislation ; for all bills passed by the House had to be laid before the Governor and Council for approval before they could be- come laws ; and that body might, if they wished, propose amendments, and had also the power, if it did not meet their approval, to order a bill to be left over till the next session of the Legislature. Sucli bills must then be printed and circulated before the people ; and, if the people did not ajoprove of them, it was their right to send rei^resenta- tives to the next Assembly who should carry out their wishes. In case of an emergency, temporary acts might be passed without delay. Bills could originate in the Council as well as in the House of Eepresentatives ; and, in case there was a disagreement, the measure was discussed in a joint assembly, on which occasion the Governor pre- sided. But when it came to voting on the measure, that privilege was accorded to the House alone. The framers of the constitution, realizing that the plan of government which they had adopted would not be sufficient to meet the needs of the people when their con- ditions should change, as they must in future years, made provision to have the constitution examined and revised every seven years. They provided that a council of censors THE REVOLUTION 163 should be chosen every seven years, whose duty it should be to inquire whether in the last seven years the constitution had been preserved inviolate ; whether the State officers had been faithful in the discharge of their duties ; whether the laws which had been passed had been right and just ; whether the public taxes had been justly laid and collected ; and also to investigate the manner in wliicli the public moneys had been expended. If, in their opinion, unjust laws had been passed, they might recommend to the House of Representatives their repeal, and might also propose amendments to the constitution, and call conventions to adopt or reject such proposals. The second council of censors proposed that the legis- lative power be vested in a Senate as well as a House of Representatives, and succeeding councils repeated the pro- posal from time to time, only to be rejected in conven- tion until years afterward, when the measure was finally adopted. Governor Chittenden. — The people of Vermont made no mistake in choosing Thomas Chittenden Governor of the new State. He was a man preeminently fitted by nature and training for the work before him. In the year 1774 he had moved his family (a wife and ten children) and all his effects from Connecticut to the town of Williston, on the Winooski, where he had bought a large tract of fertile land for a farm. He was a pioneer in every sense of the word, and fully realized the privations and dangers of such a life ; for at the time of his coming there were only a few families north of Rutland. He built a log liouse, but had scarcely got well estab- lished when the retreat of tlie Americans from Canada left the western settlers in such danger from the invasion of 164 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS the enemy that Thomas Chittenden was obliged to remove his family to a place of safety. Having sunk all the heavy pieces of ironware in a duck-pond, he and his family started south on foot, guided only by blazed trees, and carrying their household goods upon the backs of two horses. ■ They lived among friends for a time and then went to Arlington, residing there upon a farm formerly owned by a Mr. HaAvley, a Tory, whose property had been confiscated. Here they remained until some time after the close of the war, when they returned to their old home in Williston. While in Arlington Governor Chitten- den was a near neighbor of Ethan Allen ; and to this day an old well d ug by E than Allen is pointed out to the tourist. Governor Chittenden was tall and athletic, had calm, strong features, natural insight, a kind heart, ready sym- pathy for his fellow men, great common sense, remarkable tact, and great strength of purpose. Without seeming to force them, he usually carried his points. He had been an influential man in Connecticut; and very soon after coming to the grants, gained distinction for himself among the stalwart Green Mountain Boys. Simple in his own habits, he enjoined upon the inhabitajits of the State industry and frugal living ; and he himself for several years after he became Governor lived in a log house without once thinking that he needed a better one. Thomas Chittenden. THE REVOLUTION 165 He served the State as Governor altogether eighteen years, resigning then on account of declining health. He passed away that very year (1797), universally loved and respected. Origin of the State Seal. — In Ira Allen's account-book, bearing the date of October 26, 1778, we find a charge of £1 for two days' work at Windsor, drawing a plan for a State seal and employing a Mr. Dean to make it. In a copy of the Vermont Historical Magazine we learn where Allen got his idea. While Governor Chittenden was living at Arlington, an English lieutenant who used secretly to bring letters to the Governor, was there at one time sev- eral days, sparking the Governor's hired girl. Be- ing something of an artist, he engraved the scene from his window on one of the Governo r's cups (made from a section of a horn and bottomed with wood). This engraving attracted the notice of Ira Allen, who adopted the device, with some changes, for the State seal. In the original the cow was reaching State seal. 166 vermo:nt for young vermontees over a fence trying to get at the grain ; but when Allen took hold of it, he brought the cow over the fence into the grain-field. The device of this seal has since undergone several variations, and now bears no very close resemblance to the original. The mountains in the present design are Mans- field and Camels Hump, as seen from Lake Champlain. The cow, the pine-tree, and the wheat-sheaves are still seen upon the State seal ; but the pine and wheat, at least, can no longer be considered as significant of her products. Around the landscape in a circular border are the words "Vermont" and "Freedom and Unity," the latter the State motto. The Return of Ethan Allen. — Early in the summer of 1778 Ethan Allen returned to Bennington, having been released on exchange. He was gaunt and worn by his suf- ferings, but unsubdued in sj)irit and as loyal to his country as ever. The people thronged to greet him, and, bringing forth an old cannon, thundered a welcome salute of thirteen guns for the United States and one for the infant State of Vermont. After his exchange, Allen visited the American cam]) at Valley Forge, where he was associated with Washington. The tribute which that great man paid him in a letter to the president of Congress is here quoted in part : "I have been happy in the exchange and a visit from Lieutenant- Colonel Allen. His fortitude and firmness seem to have placed him out of the reach of misfortune. There is an original something in him that commands admiration, and his long captivity and sufferings have only served to in- crease, if possible, his enthusiastic zeal." On the advice of General Washington, Congress con- THE REVOLUTION 167 ferred upon Allen a brevet commission of colonel. Allen took no active part in military service for the United States after his return, believing that his services were needed by his struggling State. He was made brigadier- general of tbe Vermont militia, holding that office till 1780, when he resigned in consequence of having been falsely accused of traitorous correspondence with the enemy. He was of great service to his State in his own rough way until his death, which occurred at his home in Burlington in 1789, two years before Vermont was admitted into the Union. However justly he may be criticized for his rough and oftentimes overbearing manner, there is much in his his- tory to commend him to our favor. About two years after his return from captivity, an incident occurred which well illustrates his large-heartedness and untiring persever- ance. The Babes in the Woods. — In the spring of 1780 two little daughters of Eldad Taylor, of Sunderland, aged seven and four years, wandered into the woods and were lost. A search party was quickly organized, of which Ethan Allen was a member ; and, after an unavailing search of three days, they were about to disband and return to their homes. At this Juncture, Ethan Allen mounted a stump, and, with tears rolling down his cheeks, pointed to the grief- stricken parents and appealed to the party to make the case of these parents their own, and urged that they make one more effort to save the dear little ones. The appeal had effect ; and the words, " I'll go ! I'll go ! " were heard throughout the assembly of several hundred men. In a few hours' time the lost children were found and restored to their overjoyed parents. CHAPTER XIX VERMONT MAINTAINS HER INDEPENDENCE — INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL RESISTANCE New Hampshire Towns annexed to the new Common- wealth. — It has previously been stated that, at the first meeting of the Legislature, sixteen New Hampshire towns applied for admission to the new State. At first there was little disposition on the part of Vermonters to listen to this petition. Most of the towns west of the mountains were greatly opposed to such union ; but many of those border- ing on the Connecticut strongly urged annexation, and threatened in case of refusal to unite with these suppliant towns in establishing a new State. One of the main arguments of the New Hampshire towns in favor of their right to join the new commonwealth was this : The province of New Hampshire, as originally granted to John Mason, extended only sixty miles inland ; all territory west of that, which had been added later, was by royal commission to the governors of that province. These commissions were no longer in force, now that the royal authority was overthrown ; and hence it was for the people of that section west of Mason's line to determine what government they should be under. So much pressure was brought to bear upon the Assem- bly that it determined to submit the question to the con- sideration of the people of the State, who should instruct their representatives what action to take in their next ses- 168 THE REVOLUTION 169 sion, to be held in Bennington the following June. The .time between the two sessions was taken advantage of by securing the support of a majority of the representatives for this measure ; so that when that Assembly met, a large majority voted in favor of annexation. Then an act was passed authorizing the towns to elect representatives to the Assembly ; and it was further resolved that other towns might be admitted also, if they so desired. The Dissolution. — The New Hampshire Legislature pro- tested to Governor Chittenden against this union, and also appealed to Congress to interfere. To learn the views of Congress concerning this matter, Vermont despatched Ethan Allen to Philadelphia ; and there Allen became con- vinced that Congress viewed the action so unfavorably that it would at least be policy on the part of Vermont to re- trace her steps, if she desired to keep in the good graces of that body. Allen strongly recommended that the union be dissolved, and said that, in his opinion, if this were done, none of the members of Congress, except those from New York, would oppose Vermont's independence. Acting on his suggestion, the union was declared null and void in the early part of the following year (1779) ; but the act on the part of Vermont had been an unhappy one, for it aroused a feeling of unfriendliness on the part of New Hampshire, the ill effects of which lasted for many years. The Frontier Line. — As all continental troops had been withdrawn from Vermont, a feeling of insecurity prevailed among the inhabitants of the State. To guard against in- vasion they built and strengthened forts as the need pre- sented itself. In 1778 a stockade fort was built at Rutland and called Fort Ranger. This was strongly garrisoned and made the headquarters of the State forces, and from it scouts 170 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS were constantly traversing the country to the northward. The next year forts Warner, at Pittsford, and Vengeance, at Castleton, were built and garrisoned by small forces. As the State was unable to guard an extended frontier, these three forts were constituted the frontier line of defense in western Vermont ; and the inhabitants north and west of this line were warned to remove their families to the south of it. On the east side of the mountains, forts were kept up for at least a part of the time at Newbury, Peacham, Cor- inth, Bethel, and Barnard, and at times in other places. An Underground Room. — A Mrs. Story, of Salisbury, who had already retreated to Pittsford several times during the Revolution, at length became tired of being disturbed. She, therefore, with the aid of a neighbor, a Mr. Stevens, prepared for herself and family a safe retreat. By digging a hole into a bank just above the water of the Otter Creek, an entrance was effected into a spacious underground room. This served as a sleeping-room for the family. The en- trance was covered by overhanging bushes ; and, as the family went to their lodgings in a canoe after dark at night, and left before light in the morning, strict secrecy was maintained. Mrs. Story and her underground room occupy a prominent place in Thompson's The Green Mountain Boys. Resistance in Cumberland County. — From the time the State government was organized, there were persons in the State who were opposed to its jurisdiction; and these were the most numerous in the southeastern part of the State, especially in the towns of Brattleboro, Halifax, and Guilford, the population of the last-named at that time numbering about three thousand and being the most populous town in the State. THE EEVOLUTION 171 Drafting the militia for service, raising taxes, or ex- ercising any form of government under the authority of Vermont, met with serious opposition in that quarter. These towns had even gone so far as to form a militia, officered by men holding commissions under New York authority, for the purpose of opposing the State govern- ment, this being under the advice of Governor Clinton, of New York, who was quite lavish in his promises of pro- tection to those who still adhered to New York ; but it is safe to say, the protection never came except in the way of assurances. In some towns there were two sets of town officers, one professing allegiance to New York and the other to Vermont ; and there were frequent skirmishes between the two factions. It soon became apparent that, if Vermont were to maintain her authority, it would be necessary to put down such opposition ; and Ethan Allen was sent with troops to that part of the State. He accomplished his mission most successfully, arresting between thirty and forty persons, who were brought to trial as rioters and fined according to their influence as leaders of the opposition. For several years trouble from this quarter continued to exist ; and at times troops were sent to bring the offenders to subjection. Some of the leading offenders were ban- ished from the State, not to return on the penalty of death ; and many of their goods and estates were confiscated and sold to replenish the finances of the State. An Attempt to arrange a Settlement. — Incensed by these acts on the part of the Green Mountain Boys, Gov- ernor Clinton, of New York, begged the interposition of Congress. Accordingly a committee of five was appointed to visit Vermont and to inquire into the reason for the 172 VEEMONT FOR YOUNG VEEMONTEES disturbances and arrange an amicable settlement, if pos- sible. Only two of the committee visited Vermont ; and as it required three to act, no report was ever made of the visit to Congress. Among other questions asked of Governor Chittenden by the committee was this : " If the lands were restored to you would you be willing to return under the jurisdiction of New York ? " Governor Chittenden answered as fol- lows : "We are in the fullest sense as unwilling to be under the jurisdiction of New York as we can conceive America would be to revert back under the powers of Great Britain." He also said that they would be willing to leave the settlement of their differences to Congress, if that body would give the Vermonters equal privileges with other States in supporting their cause. Three States claim the Whole or Portions of Vermont. — Encouraged by the fact that Vermont had relinquished her claim to the annexed towns, the New Hampshire As- sembly soon laid claim to the whole tract of land contained in Vermont and applied to Congress for a confirmation of her claim. New York also demanded of that body re- cognition of her title to the territory in question. It was firmly believed by many of Vermont's leading men that a plot was brewing between the two States to divide the bone of contention between them, making the Green Mountains the divisional line, as soon as Congress should decide in favor of New York, as it was strongly expected she would do. Just at this juncture Massachusetts interposed, setting up a claim to a portion of the State on an ancient grant of the Plymouth Company, but whether to thwart the pur- pose of New York and New Hampshire or to secure a THE EEVOLUTION 173 portion of the disputed territory for herself, were it to be cut in pieces, is not known. Dispute before Congress. — Congress could not now well avoid noticing the matter, and that body earnestly recom- mended that the three claiming States should authorize Congress to determine their boundaries. This recommen- dation treated the entire matter as a dispute among the three States regarding their boundaries, recognizing no such power as the Vermont government. Naturally this did not please the Vermont people, who realized that they must either submit to the overthrow of their territory or support with firmness their independent jurisdiction. They determined upon the latter course. New York and New Hampshire agreed to comply with the recommen- dation of Congress; but Massachusetts neglected to do so, perhaps to prevent the sacrifice of Vermont ; at any rate, she later agreed to relinquish her claim on the condition that Congress should declare the independence of Vermont. Vermont enlightens the Public Mind. — The day for the hearing before Congress had been set for February 1, 1780. To further her cause Vermont made good use of her time in taking measures, to enlighten the public mind in regard to her right to independence. Ethan Allen prepared an elaborate pamphlet, which was signed by the Governor and Council, setting forth the cause of Vermont ; and Ira Allen was appointed by vote of the Assembly to visit the legislatures of several of the States, confer with their members, distribute the pamphlets among them, and thus produce a favorable impression of the just rights of Vermont to independence. He seems to have met with considerable success. The famous '^ Appeal to the Candid and Impartial 174 VERMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS World" was also published and circulated freely amoug influential men throughout the country. This was the production of Hon. Stephen Row Bradley, one of the best lawyers of that time, and was conceded to be a strong and able paper. After giving a fair statement of the claims of neighboring States and asserting the right of A^ermont to independence, it declared, among other things, that the State existed independently of the thirteen United States and was not accountable to them for liberty, the gift of the beneficent Creator alone ; that since Vermont was not represented in Congress, it could not submit to resolutions passed without its consent or even knowledge ; that after four years of war with Great Britain it would not give up everything worth fighting for, the right of making its own laws and choosing its own mode of government, to the decision of any man or body of men under heaven. Postponement of the Decision. — Jonas Fay, Moses Rob- inson, and Stephen Row Bradley were appointed by the State to be in attendance at Philadelphia in February, the time set by Congress to consider what disposition should be made of the disputed territory. Twice the subject was taken up during this session of Congress, but no decided action was taken upon it. On one pretext and another the settlement of the dispute was jjost- poned. It was evidently the policy of Congress to pacify, if possible, all parties while the war lasted, not deeming it wise to take steps in any direction for fear of incurring the enmity of the contesting States, needing as it did the co-operation of all in the greater struggle in which it was involved — that of the Revolution. This undoubtedly was the course most favorable to Vermont at that time, for it is not probable that a decision would then have been made in her favor. CHAPTEK XX EVENTS OF THE BURNING OF ROYALTON The Burning of Royalton. — In October, 1780, Major Carleton came up Lake Champlain with a fleet of eight ships and about 1,000 men. This invasion caused great alarm, but in reality meant little danger to the Vermonters ; the reason for which will be explained later on. Passing up the lake they took a few small forts and then returned to Canada. While this invasion was going on, a force of about 300 men, all Indians except four, set out from Canada, with the avowed object of capturing a Lieutenant Whitcomb, at Newbury, who, several years before, while scouting on the Eichelieu, had killed and robbed a British general. They proceeded from Lake Champlain up the Winooski Kiver past rich meadows and deserted houses, till they came to the place where our State capital now stands, but which was then a wilderness overgrown with spruces, hemlocks, pines, and maples. Here they came upon several hunters from Newbury, whom they took prisoners. But the wily captives succeeded in turning them from their purpose by causing them to believe the town was strongly fortified, which was contrary to the reality. The Indians Avere greedy for plunder and unwilling to return from a fruitless excursion. Partly to pacify them, the guide, a despicable villain by the name of Hamilton, 13 175 176 VEEMOKT FOR YOUNG VERMOKTERS now conducted tliem toward Royalton, passing through the present limits of Barre and Chelsea to Tunbridge. Here they encamped over Sunday to make plans for an attack on Royalton and neighboring places. Hamilton was well acquainted with this locality. He had been captured with Burgoyne and had been on parole the previous summer at Newbury and Royalton. On a pre- tense of wishing to do some surveying at the north, he had escaped to the British. Royalton had been chartered but the year before, though quite a settlement had been made previously ; and the town was then in a very thriving condition. Barns and store- houses were filled witli the garnered harvests, and large herds of cattle grazed in the meadows. So far removed were they from the noise of the war, that they feared no danger ; and had, indeed, a short time previous to this, removed the small garrison by which they had been de- fended, to the fort at Bethel. On the 16th, in the gray of the morning, when many of the inhabitants were still in their beds, the invaders fell upon the unsuspecting inhabitants. By the time the day was half gone, the Indians had killed two men, taken twenty-six men and boys prisoners, burned over twenty houses and nearly as many barns, destroyed all household goods that they could not take away with them, killed a large number of cattle, sheep, and swine, captured 3 number of horses, which they appropriated to their own use, driven helpless women and children into the forests for safety, and liad themselves started for Canada. They encamped over night near Randolph, where they killed two of their prisoners. Here they were overtaken by a rescue force under Colonel House, of Hanover. As they THE EEVOLUTION 177 threatened to kill all their prisoners should he attack them. Rouse decided to encamp for the night a few miles away ; but by so doing he allowed the enemy an opportunity to escape. The Indians moved on in the early morning, chan- ging their course to evade their pursuers. This brought them past the house of Zadock Steele, whom they took prisoner, after burning his house. Most of the prisoners were exchanged and returned to their homes the following summer ; but Steele, and Simeon Belknap, who was taken at Royalton, were separated from the rest and imprisoned elsewhere, and did not escape for two years after their capture. This sketch of the burning of Eoyalton would be incom- plete without relating two interesting stories connected with the event — those of Mrs. Hendee and Zadock Steele. Mrs. Hendee's Story. — On learning of the approach of the enemy, Mr. Hendee instructed his wife to take the boy and girl, both children under seven years, to a neigh- bor's for safety, as he was going to Bethel for the purpose of giving the alarm at the fort. She had gone but a short distance when she was met by a party of Indians, who took the boy away from her. Mrs. Hendee was a woman who wasted little energy in vain lamentations, but, on the contrary, saved her strength for fighting purposes ; and she now followed on after them with a strong determination to rescue her son. In her search for the commander she was obliged to ford a brook ; and an Indian, seeing that she wished to do so, offered to carry her over on his back. At first she refused the proffered aid, but allowed him to carry her little daughter ; but, coming to a place where the water was pretty deep, she finally consented to let him carry her the rest of the way. 178 VEEMONT FOE YOUNG VEEMONTEES Then seeking out the commander, she pleaded for the release of her son, arguing that he was too young to make the journey to Canada and would be killed and left on the way. Moved with pity, the commander promised to do all he could to gain the child's release from the Indians ; but this he found some difficulty in doing, though happily the release was finally effected. Emboldened by her first success, she now made suit for several of her neighbors' boys and succeeded in gaining the release of eight lads, whom she conducted back in triumph, to the great joy of their parents, thus gaining for herself the well-deserved fame of being the heroine of the day. The Captivity of Zadock Steele. — The captivity of Zadock Steele, as told by himself, is quaint in the extreme ; but it furnishes a vivid picture of the perils of the Ver- mont settlers of that time, and relates a few of the strange customs of the Indians that are worthy of notice. At the time of his captivity, Zadock Steele was a young man of twenty-one years ; he had, a short time previous to this, bought a farm in Eandolph, and was at the time alone, though during the summer had had with him a young man who had gone back to his home in Connecticut after har- vesting was over in the fall. After taking Zadock Steele prisoner, the party hastened on to Berlin and encamped that night on Dog Eiver, not far from where Montpelier City is now located. Here the Indians built a fire some rods in length, which gave all an opportunity to approach, and thus get the benefit of its warmth. The prisoners were then fastened together by means of a long rope passing around each of their bodies ; and, when they lay down for the night, an Indian lay upon the rope between the prisoners, so that no two of them THE REVOLUTION 179 might lie side by side, thus making it impossible for any to escape. Leaving Dog River tliey passed down the Winooski till they came to Bolton, where they stopped and made bread of some fine flour that they liad brought with them from Canada, a n d h a d there secreted on a steep mountain. Making a stiff dough, they wound it around sticks which they then stuck into the ground near the fire, and in this manner the bread was baked. Reaching Lake Ciiamplain they re- covered their ba- teaux, in which they had come from Can- ada, and passed over to Grand Isle, where they encamped that night. The next day they went to Isle aux Noix and thence to St. Johns, where the Indians bartered some of their plunder for strong drinks, and many of them now became very savage under its effects. Suddenly one of them, under the influence of intoxication, pointed a gun at Steele's head and was about to fire when another Indian interposed and thus saved his life. It was a custom among the Indians to paint the faces Middlesex Narrows, Winooski Uivlt. 180 VEEMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTEES of those they designed to save ; and Steele's face Avas now painted by his liberator, who now adopted him in place of a son whom he had recently lost. The ceremony of his adoption Steele thus describes : " All the Indians, both male and female, together with the prisoners, assembled and formed a circle, within which one of their chiefs, standing upon a stage erected for the purpose, harangued tlie audience in the Indian tongue. Although I could not understand his language, yet I could plainly discover a great share of native eloquence. His speech was of considerable length, and its effects obviously manifested weight of argument, solemnity of thought, and at least human sensibility. I was placed near by his side and had a fair view of the whole circle. After he had ended his speech, an old squaw came and took me by the hand and led me to a wigwam, where she dressed me in a red coat, with a ruffle in my bosom, and ordered me to call her mother." Soon after the prisoners were given their choice of remaining with the Indians or being delivered into the hands of the English at Montreal as prisoners of war. They chose the latter ; and the Indians then took them to Montreal, where they were sold for " half a joe" each, or about eight dollars a head. Here they were kept impris- oned for about a year, suffering great hardship, Steele and Belknap were then removed, with other prisoners, to an island in the St. Lawrence, about forty-five miles above Montreal. As the water flowed very rapidly on both sides of the island and for some distance below, it was considered impossible for the prisoners to escape without proper boats. Here they were treated with great cruelty ; and, after en- during it for about a year, a party of them determined to THE REVOLUTION 181 make their escape. Steele and Belknap were among this number. Digging with a jack-knife an nndergronncf passage twenty feet in length, which led from the barracks outside the barricade, they crawled through ; and, under cover of night, made their way to the river in September of the year 1782. Here they divided into small comjoanies ; and Steele, Belknap, and two others now hastily constructed a raft for themselves by tying logs together with ropes made of their stripped-up blankets, and, clinging to this, they made their perilous way down the rapids and escaped to land. It was now their purpose to get to the fort at Pittsford ; but three weeks of weary wandering in the wilderness fol- lowed before they were able to accomplish it. They could take but little provision, and unfortunately their compass was spoiled while they were making the rapids, and this greatly retarded their progress. Their only guides now were the sun, and the moss upon the trees, which they knew grew thickest upon the north side. As it does not grow at all upon cedar trunks, they were often obliged to remain inactive in cedar woods when the sun was hid. They traversed the west side of the lake till they came to Split Rock, where there is a narrow place in the lake, and here they effected a crossing on a raft which they con- structed, and landed at Charlotte. Not daring to keep very near the lake, for fear of the British, they now took to the hills and became lost, wandering aimlessly about upon Bristol, Ripton, and Han- cock mountains, not knowing whither to go to reach the fort, and living upon frogs, late berries, twigs, roots, etc. Finally, turning southwest, they happened upon a road. 182 VEEMONT FOE YOUNG VEEMONTEES This greatly encouraged them, for there was now hojie of their reacliing some human habitation. Soon they found horses and a colt. Killing the colt they roasted some of its meat ; and the horses they appropriated to their use in con- veying them to the fort, which proved not very far off. They reached this the next day, in tattered clothing, spent with fasting, and having been gone from home two years that month. CHAPTER XXI FUBTHER ACTS OF VERMONT GOVERNMENT — HALDIMAND CORRESPONDENCE — CLOSE OF WAR A Further Division of Counties. — In the early part of the year 1781 a new division of counties was made. The western part of the State was divided into two counties : Bennington, with its present limits, and Rutland, extend- ing from that county to Canada. The eastern part was divided into three counties : Windham and Windsor, with present boundaries, and Orange, extending from Windsor County to Canada. Vermont adds to her Strength. — Vermont was indeed in a trying situation. She was but little favored by Con- gress, and New Hampshire and Xew York were both striving by every means in their power to annihilate her jurisdiction. Well for the infant commonwealth, she had statesmen who were equal to the situation. They believed themselves in the right and did not hesitate to declare their independence of both the claiming States and of Congress; they boldly asserted that they had the right to even cease hostilities with Great Britain at any time, if they so desired, and that they cared no longer to continue to maintain an important frontier for the United States if they were not to be one of them, and could hope for nothing better in the end than to be divided between their covetous neigh- bors. The sixteen New Hampshire towns west of Mason's 183 184 VEEMONT FOR YOUNG VERMOXTERS grant had not ceased to desire a union with the new State ; and were now, with the addition of several other towns, for a second time admitted to her jurisdiction. About the same time the inluibitants of some of the towns of eastern New York presented a petition to the Vermont Legisla- ture asking that they also might be admitted as a part of the new commonwealth. Left defenseless by their own government they wished to avail themselves of the better protection offered by Vermont. " Otherwise/' said they, " we will be compelled to leave our homes and go into the interior part of the country for safety." To them also Vermont stretched forth a welcome hand, and tbat part of New York adjoining Vermont, and east of Hudson River and a line running from that stream north to the Canada line, was added to the new jurisdiction. By these two unions, Vermont had doubled her ter- ritory, greatly weakening her adversaries, and increased largely both her population and resources. She further strengthened herself by disposal of her unappropriated lands to citizens in other States, thereby interesting them in the establishment of her independence. Nothing but this bold grasp upon the territory of her enemies could have so increased her importance and placed her in a posi- tion to demand the respect of friend and foe alike. No wiser policy could have been adopted to secure her inde- pendence of the claiming States, and she was equally wise in the manner by which she secured the safety of her in- habitants from tlie invasion of the British on the north. The next subject will treat of the latter. The Haldimand Correspondence. — The geographical sit- uation of Vermont, the fact that she was at variance with the neighboring States, and the knowledge of the oft-repeat- THE REV0LUTI0:N^ 185 ed refusal of Congress to admit her as an independent com- monwealth, greatly encouraged the British in thinking that Vermont, at last exasperated by her treatment, might be induced to espouse the British cause, furnish troops for its aid, and either unite with Canada or make arrangements with the British to become a province of that nation. To that end they opened a correspondence with Ethan Allen in the spring of 1780, in a letter written by Colonel Beverly Robinson, inviting the people of Vermont to join the Brit- ish cause and intimating that such a course would be much to their advantage. Allen at once showed the letter to Governor Chittenden and a few other confidential friends, all of whom agreed that no notice should be taken of it. In about a year another letter came from the same source, enclosing a copy of the first, which they supposed must have been miscar- ried, as no other answer had been made to it. Neither did Allen answer this, but sent them both to Congress, with a letter of his own assuring that body of his sincere attach- ment to the cause of his country, but declaring that Ver- mont had a right to cease hostilities with Great Britain provided Congress persisted in rejecting her application for admission into the Union. He further declared, ''I am as resolutely determined to defend the independence of Vermont as Congress that of the United States." The colonial troops, as has been stated, had been with- drawn from the State ; New York had withdrawn her troops from Skenesboro, leaving no protection in that quarter; their own militia was insufficient to protect them against a hostile army of 10,000 men, organized for the purpose of invasion, upon their northern borders ; they fully believed that support had been withdrawn to compel 186 VEKMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS them to place themselves under the protection of New York ; they had no mind to accept any such protection, and knew full well that only adroit management on their part would save them and their homes from destruction. Therefore, they determined to bring about by strategy what they could not accomplish by force. They were far- seeing enough to recognize the advantage that a negotia- tion with the British might be to them, and so invited not only correspondence, but personal interviews as well. This correspondence was carried on with the utmost secrecy for nearly three years, aiid has always been known as the " Haldimand Correspondence," because the negotia- tions with Vermont were under the management of Gen- eral Haldimand. It consisted, on the part of the British, in repeated trials to persuade the leading men of Vermont to abandon the American cause and declare themselves a British province, making most generous and noble offers to the State and to its leading men if they would but do so ; on the part of the Vermonters it consisted in answers and proposals which were intended to give the British strong hopes of ultimate success without coming to any definite agreement. They even went so far as to plan with the British a form of government for the consideration of the people, the British having strong expectations that it would in a short time be subjected to the people and without doubt be accepted by them. This bit of strategy was known at the time to but few Vermonters, probably less than a dozen in number. Prominent among the leaders were Thomas Chittenden, Ethan and Ira Allen, Samuel and Moses Robinson, Jonas and Joseph Fay, and Samuel Safford. Through its means several scouts who had been taken prisoners in the spring THE EEVOLUTION 187 of 1780 and most of those who had been taken at Eoyalton were exchanged on most generous terms ; for tliree suc- cessive years a British fleet had passed up the hike without making any attempt to injure the people of Vermont, their designs being noticeably against New York ; an army of 10,000 had been kept back — a State had been saved. It is true the policy adopted occasioned the suspicion of both friend and foe. The fre- quent exchange of flags with Canada, and the evident friend- liness of tlie British toward the people of the State, excited strong suspicions in other States, as well as in Vermont, that something wrong Avas go- ing on. Ira Allen, distinguished for his civil rather than military service, and the man who Governor Chittenden said, "had done more good work for the State than any other two men," was much censured by Vermonters be- cause of the prominent part played by him ; even Warner and Stark suspected the leaders of disloyalty. Many firm- ly believed that it had been their intention to unite with Canada ; but we cannot conceive how any unprejudiced person, acquainted with the characters of these leaders and their previous history, can for a single moment doubt their patriotism. In speaking of the men, Hiland Hall says : " These men were among the most ardent patriots of the State, who during the whole revolutionary period and afterwards, so long as they lived, enjoyed the full coufi- Ira Allen. 188 VERMOXT FOE YOUNG VEEMONTEES dence of the people and were called by them to occupy the most honored and trustworthy positions in their gift. They liad no idea of submitting to the British authority; but, under the circumstances in which they were placed, deemed it proper to resort to stratagem, always practised and deemed justifiable in war, to Avard off the expected blows of an enemy/' Congress shows a Willingness to admit Vermont into the Union. — But all the time negotiations were going on with Canada, Vermont was not idle with reference to ob- taining a recognition of her independence from Congress. Having completed her eastern and western unions, she ap- pointed Jonas Fay, Ira Allen, and Bezaleel Woodward to go to Philadelphia, as agents to represent her cause before the national body. Several things had now occurred to make Congress view more favorably the cause of Vermont. New Hampshire was now quite willing to acknowledge the independence of Vermont providing the annexed lands east of the Connecticut Eiver might be restored to her, illus- trating the fact that a little wholesome fear sometimes works wonders with the unruly. Massachusetts had with- drawn her claim on condition that Vermont should be admitted into the Federal Union. Many in other States believed that Vermont would unite with Canada rather than submit to New York. Through an intercepted letter it had become known that the British generals of New York and Canada had had orders to receive and support the people of Vermont, and Congress knew that the ad- mission of Vermont into the Union would prevent any alliance on the part of that State Avith the British. Influenced by these conditions, on the 20th of August, Congress passed resolutions intimating a willingness to THE REVOLUTION 189 admit Vermont into the Union, if she wonld give nji all claims on her eastern and western extensions and confine her territory to its original limits. Accompanying these resolutions was a verhal message sent hy General Washing- ton to Governor Chittenden, asking whether they wonld be satisfied with the independence offered, or did they seriously contemplate joining the enemy and becoming a British province. At first the Vermont Assembly would not consent to the dissolution of its unions ; for, naturally, such action was much opposed by the representatives of the annexed territories. In a letter to Washington, Governor Chittenden ex- plained the situation, and also gave an account of the transactions with the enemy, explaining the purpose of the negotiations. He also said that no people on the con- tinent were more loyal to the cause than Vermonters, but boldly asserted that they would join the British in Canada rather than submit to the New York jurisdiction. In a reply in a letter dated Januaiy 1, 1782, Washington said, '^ You have nothing to do but withdraw your juris- diction into the confines of your old limits, and obtain an acknowledgment of independence, etc." This he strongly urged them to do. When this letter was laid before the General Assembly of February, 1782, it produced the effect which might reasonably be expected from such a communication from such a man. As a result that body I'esolved to comply with the conditions and the unions were dissolved. Vermont now fully believed that her independence would at once be declared, but she was doomed to disappointment. The committee to Avhom it was referred reported as favorable the recognition of the 190 VEEMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS indej)endeiice of Vermont, and there the matter was left. The subject was afterward several times referred to in Congress, but as frequently postponed and finally dropped. Vermont at length lost all confidence in the promises of Congress. But we must not censure that body too severely ; for no decision could have been made at that time without causing dissatisfaction on the part of some of the contest- ants, that would have worked injury to the cause of the United States. Her policy was to wait until matters could be adjusted in a more pacific manner ; and perhaps she was wise. Close of the War. — The war of the Revolution closed with the year 1783, and its closing put an end to the negotiations with Canada. The population of Vermont was now estimated at 30,000, though no actual census had been taken. If this estimate were at all correct, Vermont had gained during the war a population of 10,000 people. TEST. 1. What was the condition of the forts at Ticonderoga and Crown Point at the beginning of the Revolution ? 2. Wliy were they important, and why were the colonists anxious to seize upon them at once when hostilities sliould begin ? 3. Relate the story of the capture of Ticonderoga. 4. Who captured Crown Point ? 5. Tell the story of the siege of St. Johns. 6. What was the occasion of Ethan Allen's capture by the British ? 7. What service did Warner's troops render in the invasion of Canada ? 8. What defeat did the Americans meet the last day of the year 1775 ? 9. Why was Mt. Independence so named ? 10. What two navy-yards were on Lake Champlain in the year 1776 ? 11. Tell the story of tlie naval battle near Valcour Island. 12. When and where did Vermont declare herself independent ? THE KEVOLUTIOX 191 13. Give some of tlie important items in Vermont's Declaration of Independence. 14. What name was given to the New Hampshire Grants in this con- vention ? 15. What was the origin of the name " Vermont ?" 16. Where and in what year was the Vermont constitution adopted? 17. What was used as a model ? 18. What plans did the British have for putting a speedy termination to the war ? 19. Tell the story of the evacuation of Ticonderoga and Mt. Independ- ence. 20. Describe the battle of Hubbardton. 21. What was the effect of this battle on the people of western Ver- mont ? 22. Tell the story of the Churchills. 23. What steps were now taken for defense ? 24 What was the cause of the battle of Bennington ? 25. Relate the story of the contest. 26. What was gained by the Americans ? 27. When and where was the first session of the Vermont Legislature held? 28. What was done at this session ? 29. Tell something of the plan and the contents of the Vermont con- stitution. 30. Wliat were the duties of the Governor ? Council ? Representa- tives ? Council of Censors ? 31. Who was the first Governor ? 32. Tell something of his life. 33. Give the origin of the State seal. 34. What is Vermont's State motto ? 35. Tell about the return of Ethan Allen, 36. What addition did Vermont make to her territory in the year 1778? 37. What was the result of this ? 38. What constituted the frontier line of defense ? 39. What was the necessity for its existence ? 40. What was the cause of the disaffection in Cumberland County ? 41. Wliat States now claim Vermont territory ? 42. What advice did Congress give them ? 43. What was the result ? 44. What method did Vermont use to enlighten the public mind ? 14 193 VERMONT FOE YOUNG VEEMONTERS 45. Tell the story of the burning of lloyalton. 46. IIow did Vermont add to her strength and popularity ? 47. Give an account of the Ilaldiniand correspondence. 48. What eifect did this and Vermont's bold grasp upon tiie territory of other States have upon Congress ? 49. Locate Shoreham, Rutland, I'ittsford, Brandon, Middlebury, Dorset, Orwell, Hubbardton, Koyalton, Kandolpli, Windsor, Valcour Island. FIFTH PERIOD EAPID SETTLEMENT (1783-1812) CHAPTER XXII Vermont's prospeeity — her admission into the union Rapid Increase in Population. — The fifth period, which covers a space of about thirty years, may well be called the period of rapid settlement ; for never before or since in the history of the State have such gigantic gains in popu- lation been realized. From the close of the war to the time Vermont entered the Union her population had more than doubled, numbering at that date (1791) over 85,000. In the next ten years it had nearly doubled again ; and the census of 1810 showed another long stride, the population numbering at that date 217,895. The Indians of Swanton had generally withdrawn from the State ; and bow that the war with Great Britain was ended and Vermont was no longer threatened by invasion on the north, her settlements began to spread rapidly in that direction, emigrants flocking in great numbers from the other States. Many of the lands in this section had been granted by Benning Wentworth as early as 1763, but most of the original shares had* been transferred and were no longer the 193 194 VERMONT FOE YOUNG VEEMONTERS property of the original shareholders. The Aliens, espe- cially Ira Allen, had come into possession of very extensive tracts in different localities ; there was scarcely a town in the western border of the State in which Ira Allen had not some landed property. Indeed, it is said that in 1786 fifty- nine of the sixty-four original shares of the town of Swan- ton were owned by that gentleman ; and a dozen years previous to this time he had owned the greater part of the town of Burlington. Prosperity and Contentment, — Vermont was no longer in danger of a foreign foe ; she had more than once proved that she was able to defend herself against the claims of neighboring States ; she had a well-organized government, which was daily increasing in strength and efficiency ; she coined her own money ; she had her own standard of weights and measures ; she had established a postal ser- vice and had appointed a postmaster-general ; taxes were low ; the State still had large quantities of valuable laud to dispose of, out of the avails of which she was able to supply her treasury and pay her debts without greatly burdening the people ; moreover, allured by the cheap- ness of these lands, the light taxes and the democratic government, settlers were constantly coming into the State from all parts of the New England States, thus swelling her numbers and consequently her importance. In a word, Vermont was prosperous. To be sure, Vermont was still nominally under the jurisdiction of New York, but for all practical purposes she was as independent as any republic on earth. In striking contrast, the close of the war found the United States heavily in debt ; her paper currency, issued during the war, worthless; and the country itself without EAPID SETTLEMENT 195 any adequate means to furnish the way for its payment ; her government was weak ; it could advise but could not compel, and had to depend upon the will of each individual State for the carrying out of its resolves. Many of the States were also heavily burdened with debt. From the very fact that Vermont had not been admitted into the Union, she was in a great measure free from the embarrass- ments in which other States found themselves. Entirely outside of the sister- hood of States, she was under no obligation to help meet the national debt and was, evident- ly, happy to be free from it. The people of Ver- mont were not uncon- scious of their own powers and well real- ized that they were much better off than their neighbors. A union with the United States was certainly no longer a necessity ; and, indeed, as time went on, most of the inhabitants of the State ceased to regard it as a thing to be desired. Postal Service; Currency. — In the year 1784, the Legis- lature of Vermont established five post-offices in the State. They were at Newbury, Windsor, Brattleboro, Bennington, and Rutland. To post-riders was given the exclusive right of carrying letters and packages, and these were A post-nder 196 VEEMONT FOE YOUNG VEEMOJ^TEES transmitted once a week each way between these points. The postage was the same as that established by the United States. To be sure, the post-offices of that day differed some- what from those of the present, consisting, in the main, of a drawer in the village store or a shelf in the bar-room of some tavern, where j^apers and letters alike were piled to- Early Vermont coins. gether in great disorder to be searched over on the entrance of each inquirer. For many years after Vermont organized her State government, a majority of her leading men were much opposed to the issue of paper money, in spite of tlie fact that bank-bills were the circulating medium in other States. Although we had nothing that we could call a bank pre- vious to the year 180G, the Legislature was, during the year 1781, obliged to issue bills of credit for the payment of the State debts, the carrying on of the war, and the KAPID SETTLEMENT 197 enlargement of the circulating medium. These bills were to be redeemed in about a yearns time ; and to raise the money necessary for their redemption a tax was laid on the grand lists of the State. Be it said, to the credit of the State, that these bills were all faithfully redeemed. To Reuben Harmon, of Eupert, was given the exclusive riglit of coining copper within the State. Specimens of these coins are seldom to be met with at the present day, but are of rare interest. The accompanying are fac- similes of some of them. The first records the fact of the former existence of the Green Mountain Republic ; the second proclaims the sentiment of her people : "- Indejiend- once and Liberty," and is known as the baby-head coin. Vermont regains Confidence in Congress; at Peace with New York.— By the year 1789, the aversion which the Vermont people had felt to a union with the United States had become much lessened. The United States had adopted a constitution, and there were indications that the government was now founded upon a strong and creditable basis. The public confidence in that body was everywhere being restored ; and at the head of the nation, as President, stood George Washington, a man in whom the people of Vermont had unlimited confidence. The question as to whether New York or Philadelphia should be the permanent seat of the Federal Government had been recently decided by Congress in favor of Phila- delphia by a small majority. This showed that the south- ern influence was stronger than the northern ; and the fact that Kentucky, another southern State, would, undoubt- edly, become a member of the Union at no distant day, thus increasing southern influence, caused all the northern States some little anxiety. New York, among the rest. 198 VEEMONT FOE YOUNG VEEMONTEES had become very anxious to have Vermont admitted to the Union to increase the representation of the North in Congress. Such New York men as General Schuyler, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay had long favored the claim of Vermont to independence, notwithstanding the obstinate resistance of Governor Clinton against such claim ; and it was fast becoming apparent that the public sentiment of New York was in favor of reconciliation with that State also. Alexander Hamilton emphatically and repeatedly declared that the independence of Vermont had already become a fixed fact and that it would be worse than useless to try to overthrow it. He had for some time been in correspondence with Nathaniel Chip- man, an able Vermont jurist, who was as anxious as he to bring about an adjustment of the difficulty between the two States. The only point of controversy now existing seemed to be that concerning lands that had been previously granted by the New York government and regranted' under the authority of the State of Vermont. The New York claimants were constantly complaining that tbey were not allowed to take possession of their property. Commissioners were now appointed by the legislatures of both States with powers to settle all matters of contro- versy between them. After two or three meetings, the matter was amicably adjusted by Vermont's agreeing to pay New York the sum of $30,000 as a compensation for lands claimed by New York citizens. New York declaring her consent to the admission of Vermont into the Ujiion, and agreeing also that upon such admission, tliat gov- ernment would relinquish all claims over territory in the State of Vermont. Thus was terminated a controversy KAPID SETTLEMENT 199 ■which had been carried on with great spirit and bitterness for twenty-six years. New York makes Restitution to the Disaffected. — The $30,000 was divided among seventy-six claimants ; and, although it did not give them a high price for their lands, was, probably, in general, satisfactory. But these claimants were not the only ones who de- manded restitution of the New York government. About three years before this time, some of the people in south- eastern Vermont, who had suffered confiscation of personal property and lands because of their resistance to Vermont authority, petitioned tlie Legislature of New York to make compensation to them for losses which they had suffered. They declared that they had ever been faithful in their allegiance to that State, relying upon Congress and the New York government for protection, in both of which powers they had been disappointed. In response to their petition, the New York Legislature, in 1786, appropriated to the sufferers a township eight miles square on the Susquehanna River, since known as the town of Bainbridge. This was divided among more than a hundred claimants ; and many of the disaffected now removed to that place, while others remained in Ver- mont and were thereafter peaceable and quiet citizens. Admitted into the Union. — As soon as a reconciliation had been effected with New York, the Legislature of Ver- mont called a convention to meet at Bennington in Jan- uary, 1791, to consider the desirability of joining the Federal Union. Among: the delegates were such men as Governor Chit- tenden, Nathaniel Chipman, Moses Robinson, Stephen R. Bradley, Ira Allen, Ebenezer Allen, and others of equal 200 VEKMONT FOR YOUNG VERMONTERS practical good sense and stern integrity. Many of the members of the convention doubted the expediency of joining the Union at all, and others were for postponing the decision ; but there were still others who felt that this was the time when such union could be accomplished without opposition and without difficulty, and tliat any delay would be very unwise. That accomplished scholar, Nathaniel Chipman, was one of the last. In a magnifi- cent speech he gave his reasons for recommending such a course, emphasizing Vermont's insignificance as a separate State, showing in strong light the many ways in which she would be bettered and strengthened by the union, and her probable fate, should war again arise between the United States and Great Britain. Such argument as his prevailed ; and, after a three days' debate, the convention unanimously resolved to make application to Congress for admission into the Union. Hon. Nathaniel Chipman and Lewis Morris were com- missioned to go to Philadelphia and negotiate for its ad- mission. The remainder of the story is soon told. The very next month an act was passed in Congress, without debate and without a dissenting voice, declaring that '*on the 4th day of March, 1791, the said state, by the name and style of the state of Vermont, shall be received and admitted into the Union, as a new and entire member of the United States of America." By this act the republic of the Green Mountains, which had had an existence of fourteen years, was at an end. By it Vermont lost her peculiar and separate character, there- after resembling in her leading features other individual States. Thereafter she was to stand wath her motto of " Freedom and Unity " among the sisterhood of common- EAPID SETTLEMENT 201 wealths on equal terms, with like interests, and in enjoy- ment of the same blessings and privileges. It is to be regretted that neither Ethan Allen nor Setli Warner was permitted to see Vermont's admission into the Union ; for death claimed Warner six years, and Allen two years before its consummation. Vermont's Representation in Congress. — As no actual enumeration of the inliabitants had then taken place, the new State was instructed by Congress to choose two repre- sentatives to the national body until such enumeration should be effected. It was then the rule to allow each State one representative for every 30,000 inhabitants ; and, when the census was taken, Vermont was found to have over eighty thousand, and thus was able to retain her two representatives. In 1806 the number had been increased to four, and in 1812 to six. This number she retained for several years but never has had a greater one. In common with other States she was entitled to two seats in the Senate, and to represent her in that body Moses Robinson and Stephen Eow Bradley were chosen. CHAPTER XXIII GOVERlfMENTAL The Legislature. — During the thirteen years of Ver- mont's existence as a republic, her Legislature met on an average twice a year, and in the year 1781 four times. Before her admission into the Union she had established the rule of meeting once a year; and this was the practise for many years afterward, except occasionally when some- thing arose which called for immediate legislation, in which case an extra session was called. The Legislature convened in October and the business of legislation was usually completed in three or four weeks' time. Most of the legislators went to and from the General Assembly on horseback, though it was not un- usual for these dignified lawmakers to make the way on foot instead. The work of the Legislature consisted in the granting of new townships, the levying of taxes, the making of necessary laws, the granting of petitions, and the like. Avery's Gores. — Besides the granting of townships a number of tracts of land in different parts of the State were also granted under the name of gores. A number of these were, in 1791, granted to Samuel Avery, bearing the name of Avery's Gores ; but most of these, as well as others, have since been annexed to neighboring town- ships. 202 EAPID SETTLEMENT 203 Early Statutes and Petitions.4^'N>oi-eGord.has.^eeiikept of .tlie-laws enacted by the State during. the ;firstj year of its tegislation ; but they were prohably, in. the main, of a temporary nature. The first code of written hxws was enacted by the Legishiture in February, 1779. Some of the statutes passed by the government in its infancy were of a peculiar nature, and are interesting to note. Stocks. Nine offenses were punishable by death ; but that was by no means a large number in those days, when Connecti- cut had twelve upon her list, and in Great Britain no less than one hundred and sixty crimes were subject to the death penalty. A few illustrations of some of the early forms of punishment will serve to give an idea of the nature of all. The following was the statute enacted con- cerning burglary: yoi VMWMONT I'OK V(HIN(J V MU,IVl()N'rMW,H " VV liui'.iH'vi'i itlmll iMiiiiiiil liii if'liii y . . itliiill, I'ur Uiii lliitL iillViii'.ti, III' liiiiinli'd Mil I hi': im I'lii'inl vviUi Mil' ('ll|i|lnJ Irlli'i l'>, Willi II liiil null, iiml i.linJI liii,vii oiin ul' liiii IHM'ri linilnil III II. jiin'.l. illiil rill nil , iilnl r.liiill iiJiio lin vvlll|i|iril (III IJlli llllluill liiilly lin.)':nll Ml.l'l|ir)t. Ami liil Uir l:l'riilli| nlTniirxi, iiiu li |ii'i>'.iiii nliidl Im In iimji'il nil iirnriii'.iud , niiil mIiIiJI IiIIVI' IiIi! lilJirl I'iU IliUlf'll illlll rill nil il.l il 1 1 il'i'MIUl I , illlll I'lllnrv itliilll III! ulil|i|M'i| nil llir hiikril I ii ii I y lunllly livn itliijinM. A ml ll' iMU'li |iii|'rinii iiliiil mIiiiII Im< |i||| In ilnill ll Mm 'I'lir riillllli'll'rllcr Wll Illlll lilh I'If'lil tMir t'lir III' (iml w Ml I lirii rninmil I IIIMimliM III llln lllr T rnmml t Mm I ik<< ll I li 1 1 inhlnlii ill u Arii> sK'rruaiKN r yo^ (KisiMs; H lino; ;iiul. il' iIiohiiumihI of llir llu^fl w iM #."i(l or morv. w liipiunx;, lu'l ovrAUHlmj; llui'l\-iUMo s^liipoM, \vui4 inhUul lo llio |>um.shmoul. Il'llu> Kiiills oiu> whh oiio not i\U\o lo |>H_\ I ho smiifi im|>o.sv*»l, lio whm l>i>uiul oiil to soi\ioo until Ito Inv^l ounooUnl tho vIoM. Mvorv town whs obli^i^oU to tnuintuin u puir of >itv»ol\rt ut i(M owot «>\ponHo, to lu» Hi^t in (lu> nuwt |>uM>o pliioo ; unU llio liiU". |M'\>r!UU* rtwoaior. anil tlrunknid woio oMij^oil lo wit llioi'oin l\>r u lon^lh ol' liino moouioU witU look iuul l\(U!»k(M' w US onoo oontloiunoil to Mtaud toe u r«*r tain nnnil>rr ol' hours in a pilhn'v I'or ^\>tlin>; in hav on Sumlav. Ills wil^^, lo lii;hton I ho |MinishnnM\l, sta\oU lu^ur l»v w It h hor knitting, Itiil Miioh movh\n of |>iini;lnnonl woi'onot ol' loiiii; diU'H lion ; I'or, in ISt>l>. a Statt* prison was hiiill at \\ iiulsor. and I'i'oin that liinoon Iho inipi'isonnn«nl ol' Iho (iIYimuIiM' was inor(M't>innioiilv Miilwlit iitod in thoii' plaro. Tlio praoliso of raising unuiov l>\ lotltnios IVu' puhlio or ohai'itaMo piir|>osos was sanolionod l>v tin* N'onnonI liiH- laluuMii tho oai'ly davs, as it was in niont ol' Ihootlnu" Hlalns. I'ptoahoiil tho \oai' ISt'O mans potitioiiM woro f\i'anlo(l I'or ostahlishin^ lotlAM'ii^s I'oi' Iho hiiihlini; and lo pairing, o\' roads and hiidj-v^s. (Mhois woro f^ranlod lo I'aiso iiionov lor niu'h piirposos a>i tlu< follow mh; : Toaidin oi'ool iiiv, a l>rowoi'v. a roiirt hoii-io, to ropaii' Ioshos hy lli'o, and at loaMl Olio was pi'o.-uMilod a-ikiiiv, I'oi' tho i^ranl ol' a lolloi'V lo hiiild a ohiii'oh. Tlio Huihtluf>' oC K(MuIm. 'I'ho hiiildiiu' ol' load-iwonl on slowlv al IIi'mI. Thov woi'o iiowhoro ^ood and woro ol'ton inino lM'idh< palhH uiaikod oiilv h\ h||u