.0 
 
 Xo 
 
 vO o^ 
 
 c- 
 
 
 ^- .:^^ 
 
 
 A' 
 
 -^^ 
 
 v^ 
 
 
 
 '\" 
 
 sO^' 
 
 ^, 
 
 \X- 
 
 
 •p. 
 
 
 -.- <^^ 
 
 c^^-. 
 
 
 ^^^■ '--P 
 
 -. ,^^^ 
 
 A^^ 
 
 -N^' 
 
 'fj 
 
 .. .V 
 
T II E 
 
 L IFE 
 
 OF 
 
 COL. ETHAN ALLEN. 
 
 BY 
 
 JARED SPARKS, LI. J). 
 
 o'. GOODRICH & COMPANY. 
 
MEMOIR 
 
 OF 
 
 BY- 
 
 JARED SI'AEKS. LL. D. 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 
 
 Tni: first settlement of Vermont, and the 
 early struggles of the inhaLitants not only 
 in 8ul)duing a "wilderness, but establishing 
 an independent government, aftbrd some of 
 the most remarkable mcidcnts in ximerican 
 history. AVhen ue now survey that flour- 
 ishing State, presenting in all its parts pop- 
 ulous towns and villager., and witness the 
 lilgh degree of cultiu'e to which it has at- 
 tained, and which, under the most favored 
 social organization, is usually the slow achieye- 
 ment of time, we can hardly rcahze that sev- 
 enty years ago the whole region from the 
 Connecticut River to Lake Champlain was a 
 waste of forests, an asylum for wild beasts^ 
 and a barrier against the inroads of th<? sav- 
 ages upon the border settlements of the 
 New England Colonies. This change has 
 l»oen brought to pass in the first place hy a 
 bold and hardy enterprise, and an indomita- 
 ble spirit of freedom, which have rarely been 
 equalled ; and afterwards by the steady per- 
 
90 MEMOIR OF 
 
 severance of an enllglitened and industrious 
 population, deriving its stock from the sur- 
 rounding States, and increasing rapidly from 
 its own resources. To the historian this is 
 a fertile and attractive theme. Bj the bi- 
 ographer it can only he touched, as bearing 
 on the deeds and character of the persons, 
 •who have been the principal actors in the 
 train of events. 
 
 Among those, T?ho were most conspicuous 
 in laying the foundation upon which the in- 
 dependent State of Vermont has been reared, 
 and indeed the leader and champion of that 
 resolute band of husbandmen, w'ho first plant- 
 -od tliemselves in the wildemes of the Green 
 Mountains, -was Ezeia]^ Allen. He was a 
 native of Connecticut, -where his father and 
 mother w^re likewise bom, the former in 
 Coventry, and the latter in Woodbury. Jo- 
 seph Allen, the father, after his marriage 
 i^-ith Mary Baker, resided in Litchfield^ 
 where it is beheved that Ethan and one or 
 two other childi^en were born. The parents 
 afcerwa,rd3 removed to Cornwall, where other 
 .children v^ere bom, making in all six sons 
 and two daughters, Ethan, Heman, Heber, 
 Le^d, Znnri, Ira, Bydia, and Lucy. All 
 the brothers grew up to manhood, and four 
 or five of them emigrated to the territory 
 ivest of the Green Mountains among the first 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. VI 
 
 settlors, and wore prominent members of tlio 
 social and political compacts into "wliicli the 
 inhabitants J2;raduallv formed tliemselves. 
 Bold, active, and enterprising, they espoused 
 with zeal, and defended with energy, the 
 cause of the settlers airainst ;vbat avoi ' d 
 
 the encroaching schemes of their lu., . :s, 
 and with a keen interest sustained their share 
 in all the border contests. Four of them 
 
 were c- :! in the militr."- ^ rations of 
 
 tlie K 11, and by a ha - and suc- 
 
 cessful adventure at the breaking out of the 
 war, in the capture of Ticor.deroga, the 
 name of Ethan Allen :::ained a renown, 
 which spread widely at ihe time, and has 
 been perpetuated m history. 
 
 Bur. ' '■ ^ ;d in our narrative, 
 
 it is n ^ few particulavs ex- 
 
 planatory of what will follow. Among the 
 causes of the controversies, Avhich existed 
 between tlie colonies in early times, and con- 
 tinued down to the llevolution, was the un- 
 certainty of boundary lines as described hi 
 the old charters. Considerinir the i-im^rance 
 of all parties, at the time the charcei-s were 
 granted, as to the extent and ioterior situit- 
 tion of the country, it was not surprising 
 that limits should be vaguely detlned, and 
 that the boundaries of one colony should en- 
 croach ujKJU those of another. A ditHcult/ 
 
92 MEMOIR OF 
 
 of this kind arose between the colony of 
 New York and those of Connecticut, Massa- 
 chusetts, and New Hampshire. By the 
 grant of King Charles the Second to his 
 brother, the Duke of York, the tract of 
 country called New York was bounded on 
 the east by Connecticut River, thus conflict- 
 ing with the express letter of the Massachu- 
 setts and Connecticut charters, which ex- 
 tended those colonies westward to the South 
 Sea, or Pacific Ocean. After a long con- 
 troversy, kept up at times with a good deal 
 of heat on both sides, the line of division 
 between these colonies was fixed by mutual 
 agreement at twenty miles east of Hudson's 
 Kiver, running nearly in a north and south 
 direction. This line was adopted as a com- 
 promise between Connecticut and New 
 York, upon the consideration that the Con- 
 necticut settlers had established themselves 
 so far to the westward under patents from 
 that colony, as to be within about twenty 
 miles of the Hudson. The Massachusetts 
 boundary was decided much later to be a 
 continuation of the Connecticut line to the 
 north, making the western limit of Massar 
 chusetts also twenty miles from the same 
 river. This claim was supported mainly on 
 the ground of the precedent in the case of 
 Connecticut, and was long resisted by New 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 93 
 
 York, as interfering with previous grants 
 from that colony extending thirty miles east- 
 Ava.;l from the Hudson/ 
 
 Meantime New Hampshire had never 
 hecn brought into the controversy, because 
 tlie Lands to the westward of that province 
 beyond Connecticut River had been neither 
 settled nor" surveyed. Thci • was indeed a 
 small settlement at Fort Dunimer on the 
 western marL:in of the River, which was un- 
 der the protection of Massachusetts, and 
 supposed to be within that colony, till the 
 dividhig line between New Hampshire and 
 Massachusetts Avas accurately run, when 
 Fort Dimimcr was ascertained to be north 
 of that line, and was afterwards considered 
 as being within the jurisdiction of the sister 
 colony. Such was the state of things when 
 Benning "Wentworth became governor of 
 New Hampshire, with authority from the 
 King to issue patents for unimproved lands 
 within the limits of his province. Applica- 
 tion was made for grants to tiie west of Con- 
 necticut River, and even beyond the Green 
 Mountains, and in 1749 he gave a patent 
 for a township six miles square, near the 
 northwest angle of Massachusetts, to be so 
 laid out, that its western limit should be 
 
 *See/l State of the Rirjlit of the Colon)/ of Neiv York, 
 with licspcct to its Eastern Boundary on Connecticut Riv- 
 er, ^c. pp. 5, 7. 
 
94 MEMOIR 0? 
 
 twentj^ miles from the Hudson, and coincide 
 with the boundary hne of Connecticut and 
 Massachusetts continued northward. This 
 township was called Bennington. 
 
 Although the governor and council of 
 New York remonstrated against this grant, 
 and claimed for that colony the whole terri- 
 tory north of Massachusetts as far eastward 
 as Connecticut River, yet Governor Went- 
 worth was not deterred by this remonstrance 
 from issuing other patents, urging in his jus- 
 tification, that New Hampshire had a right 
 to the same extension westward as Massa- 
 chusetts and Connecticut. Fourteen town- 
 ships had been granted in 1754, when the 
 French war broke out, and, by the peril it 
 threatened on the frontiers, discouraged set- 
 tlers from seeking a residence there, or vest- 
 ing their property in lands, the title to which 
 might be put in jeopardy, or their value 
 destroyed, by the issue of the contest. Nor 
 was it till the glorious victory of Wolfe on 
 the Plains of Abraham had wrested Cana- 
 da for ever from the French power, secured 
 these border territories against all further 
 invasion from an ancient foe, and ODened 
 the prospects of a speedy and lasting peace, 
 that the spirit of enterprise, perhaps of ad- 
 venture, combining with the' hope of gain, 
 revived a desire of possessing and setthng 
 
ETJLAN ALLEX. 95 
 
 these "wild lands. Applications for now pa- 
 tents thronged daily up(An Governor AVent- 
 worth, and within four years' time the "whole 
 ninnber of townships granted by hini, to the 
 westward of Connecticut Eiver, was one 
 hundred and thirty-eight. The territory in- 
 cluding these townships Avas known by the 
 name of the Kcw Ham.j>sldrc Grants, which 
 it retained till the opening of the Revolu- 
 tion, "when its present name of Vermont be- 
 gan to be adopted. 
 
 At what time Edian Allen and his breth- 
 ren emigrated to the Grants is uncertain. 
 It "was not, however, till after the reduction 
 of Canada, and probably not till the peace 
 between Endand and France had been con- 
 eluded. Meantime among the inhabitants 
 of the New England colonies, a market had 
 been found for the lands, and settlers "were 
 flocking over the mountains from various 
 (juartcrs. Many persons had passed through 
 those lands on their "way to the army in Can- 
 ada, and become acquainted with their val- 
 ue. The easy terms upon which the toAvn- 
 ships had been ])atented by G over nor Went- 
 wortli enabled the original purchasers to dis- 
 pose of shares, and single farms, at very 
 low prices, thus holding out strong allure- 
 ments to settlers. Apprehensions as to the 
 validity of the 'title must also have induced 
 
B6 MEMOIR OF 
 
 the first proprietors to prefer a quick sale, 
 with small profits, to the uncertain prospect 
 of larger gains at a future day. By this 
 union of policy and interest the lands were 
 rapidly sold, in tracts of various dimensions, 
 to practical farmers, who resolved to estab- 
 lish themselves as permanent residents on 
 the soil. Of this number were the Aliens, 
 w^ho selected their lands in the township of 
 Bennington, to which they removed in com- 
 pany with several other persons from Con- 
 necticut. 
 
 While these things were going on, the 
 governor of New York did not remain an i- 
 dle spectator. He wrote letters to the gov- 
 ernor of New Hampshire protesting against 
 his grants, and published proclamations de- 
 claring the Connecticut River to be the boun- 
 dary between the two colonies. But nei- 
 ther proclamations nor remonstrances pro- 
 duced conviction in the mind of Governor 
 Wentworth. He continued to issue his war- 
 rants ; a population of hardy yeomanry was 
 daily increasing in the New Hampshire 
 Grants ; a formidable power was taking root 
 there, nurtured by the local feelings, united 
 objects, and physical strength of the settlers ; 
 and the government of New York thought 
 it time to seek redress in a higher quarter, 
 and appeal to the Crown as the ultimate ar- 
 
ETIUN ALLEN. 97 
 
 biter in all controversies of this nature. Ac- 
 cordini^ly the matter was brought before the 
 King in Council, and his Majesty decided 
 by a royal decree, in the year 17(34, that 
 the Connecticut River was the dividing line 
 between New York and New Hampshire. 
 In this decision all parties seemed to ac- 
 quiesce. Governor Wentworth granted no 
 more patents on the west side of the river, 
 and the settlers showed no symptoms of un- 
 easmess, as the only difference made in their 
 condition by the royal decree was, that they 
 were now declared to be under the jurisdic- 
 tion of New York, whereas they had hither- 
 to regarded themselves as under that of New 
 Hampshire ; but this change they did not 
 contemplate as a grievance, presuming their 
 property and civil rights would be as well 
 protected by the laws of the one colony as 
 by those of the other. 
 
 But herein they soon discovered them- 
 selves to be in an error, and to differ widely 
 in sentiment from thoir more astut<^ neigh- 
 hoi's. Men learned in the law and of high 
 station in Now York had made it appear, 
 that jurisdiction meant the same thing as 
 right of property ; and?ince his Majesty had 
 decided Connecticut River to be the east<'rn 
 limit of that province, the governor and coun- 
 cil decreed, that all the lands west of tlie 
 
 7 
 
98 MEMOIR OF 
 
 said river appertained to New York, libwev= 
 er long they miglit have been in possession 
 of actual occupants. This was a strange 
 doctrine to men, who had paid their money 
 for the lands, and by their own toil added 
 ten-fold or a hundred-fold to their value ; 
 who had felled the forests by the strength of 
 their sinews, and submitted for years to all 
 the privations and discomforts of the woods- 
 man's life. In a tone of just indignation 
 they said to these new masters, we will o- 
 bey your laws, but you shall not plunder us 
 of the substance we have gained by the 
 sweat of our brows. The New York gov- 
 ernment, however, in conformity with their 
 interpretation of the royal decree, proceed- 
 ed to grant patents covering the lands on 
 which farms had been brought to an ad- 
 vanced state of culture, houses built, and 
 orchards planted, by the original purchasers 
 and settlers. It is true that to all such per- 
 sons was granted the privilege of taking out 
 new patents, and securing a New York ti- 
 tle, by paying the fees and other charges, 
 which were greatly enhanced upon those paid 
 at first to Governor Wentworth ; that is, in 
 other words, they were allowed the right of 
 purchasing their own property. This was 
 a proposition perfectly comprehensible to 
 the most ilhterate husbandman. With a ve- 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 99 
 
 rj few exceptions tlicy refused to comply 
 ■with it, alleging that they had bought their 
 lands by a fair purchase, and had a just 
 claim to a title, under -whatever jurisdiction 
 the King might tliink proper to place them ; 
 that it was not their business to interfere 
 "with the controversies of the colonies about 
 their respective boundaries, but it was their 
 duty, and their determination, to retain and 
 defend theii' lawful property. The case 
 was aggravated by an order of the governor 
 and council of New York, calling on all the 
 claimants under the New Hampshire grants 
 to appear before them, the said governor 
 and council, with the deeds, conveyances, 
 and other evidences of their claims, vdthin 
 three months, and declaring that the claims 
 of all persons not presented within that time 
 should be rejected. This had no effect up- 
 on the settlers, and of course their titles 
 were looked upon as forfeited, and the lands 
 they occupied as being the property of the 
 colony of New York. 
 
 It would seem, that certain speculators 
 entered deeply into the affair, influenced 
 more by the literal construction or ambigaious 
 meaning of charters and royal decrees, than 
 l)y the power of the settlers to support their 
 claims, or the absolute justice of their cause. 
 Uence repeated applications for large grants 
 
100 MEMOIR OF 
 
 were made to the governor, wliicli lie was 
 nowise inclined to refuse, since every new 
 patent was attended with a liberal fee to 
 himself. Foreseeing the mischiefs, that 
 would result to them from this growing com- 
 bination of powerful and interested individu- 
 ate in ISTew York, the settlers despatched 
 one of tlieir number to England as an agent 
 in their behalf, instructed to lay their case 
 before the King, and petition for relief. 
 This mission was successful, so far as to ob- 
 tain an order from the King in Council, Ju- 
 ly, 1767, commanding the governor of New 
 York to abstain from issuing any more pa- 
 tents m the disputed territory, " upon pain 
 of his Majesty's highest displeasure,'^ till 
 the intentions of the King oti the subject 
 should furtlier be made known. 
 
 This decision, having only a prospective 
 effect, did not annul the grants already be- 
 stowed, and the New York patentees resolv- 
 ed to gain possession of the lands by^civil pro- 
 cess. Writs of ejectment were taken out, 
 and served on several actual occupants. In 
 a few instances the officers were resisted by 
 the people, and prevented from serving the 
 writs ; but, for the most part, the New Hamp- 
 shire grantees inclined to meet their oppo- 
 nents on this ground, and refer the matter 
 to a judicial tribunal. Ethan Allen j ha\ing 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 101 
 
 already become a leader among them, by his 
 zeal in opposing the New York party and by 
 the boldness of his character, was appointed 
 an agent to manage the concerns of the de- 
 fendants before the court at Albany, to 
 which the writs of ejectment had been re- 
 turned. Ilis first step was to proceed to 
 New Hampshire, and obtain cojaes of Gdv- 
 crnur AVentworth's commission and instruc- 
 tions, by which he was authorized to grant 
 the lands. He next went to Connecticut, 
 and engaged the services of Mr. Ingcrsoll, 
 an eminent counsellor of that day. When 
 the time of trial arrived, these gentlemen ap- 
 jicared in AH^any, and produced to the court 
 tlie above papers, and also the original par 
 tents or grants to those persons on whom 
 the writs of ejectment had been served. 
 These papers Avere at once set aside, as hav- 
 ing no weight in the case, since they pre- 
 supposed that the boundary of New Hamp- 
 shire reached to the west of Connecticut 
 River, a point not to be admitted by any 
 New York court or jury. The verdict was 
 of course given for the plaintiffs. Indeed 
 tlie whole process was an idle piece of for- 
 mality. It being the theoretical and prac- 
 tical doctrine of tlie New York government, 
 that all ( Jovemor Wentworth's grants were 
 illegal, and many of the judges and lawyers 
 
1^2 MEMOIR OF 
 
 being personally interested in the subsequent 
 New York patents, a decision adverse to 
 their declared opinion of the law, and to 
 their private interests, was not to be expect- 
 ed. This was soon perceived by the peo- 
 ple of the New Hampshire Grants, and no 
 one of them again appeared in court, though 
 sundry other cases of ejectment were brought 
 up, and decided against the occupants. As 
 all their grants stood on precisely the same 
 footing, a precedent in one case would ne- 
 cessarily be followed in the other. 
 
 It is recorded, that after Allen retired 
 from the court at Albany, two or three gen- 
 tlemen interested in the New York grants 
 called upon him, one of whom was the King's 
 attorney-general for the colony, and advised 
 him to go home and persuade his friends of 
 the Green Mountains to make the best terms 
 they could with their new landlords, intima- 
 ting that their cause was now desperate, and 
 reminding him of the proverb, that '' might 
 of ten prevails against rig! it. '''^ Neither ad- 
 miring the delicacy of this sentiment, nor 
 intimidated by the threat it held out, Allen 
 replied, " The gods of the valleys are not 
 the gods of tlie hills.^^ This laconic figure 
 of speech he left to be interpreted by his vis- 
 itors, adding only, when an explanation was 
 asked by the King's attorney, that if he 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 103 
 
 ■■would accompany liim to Bci. t^ton the 
 sense should be made clear. 
 
 The purpose of his mission being thug 
 brought to a close, Mr. Allen returned and 
 reported the particulars to his constituents. 
 The news spread from habitation to habitci- 
 tion, and created a sudden and loud mur- 
 mur of discontent among tho people. See- 
 ing, as they thought, the door of justice shut 
 against them, and having tried in vain all 
 the peaceable means of securing their rights, 
 they resolved to appeal to the last arbiter of 
 disputes. The inhabitants of Bennington 
 immediately assembled, and came to a form- 
 al determination to defend their property by 
 force, and to unite in resisting all encroach^ 
 ments upon the lands occupied by persons 
 holding titles under the warrants granted 
 by the Governor of New Hampshire. This 
 was a bold step ; but it was promptly taken, 
 and with a seeming determination to adliere 
 to it at any hazard, and without regard to 
 consc(iuenccs. Nor was this decision chang- 
 ed or weakened by a proposition on the part 
 of the New York patentees, made about tliis 
 time, which allowed to each occupant a fee 
 simple of liis farm, at the same price for which 
 the unoccupied lands in his neighborhood 
 were sold. The first purchasers still insisted 
 that this was reipiiring them to pay twice 
 
104 MEMOIR OF 
 
 for their lands, and that in any view the pm- 
 posal was not just, inasmuch as the vahie of 
 the unoccupied lands depended mainly on 
 the settlements, which had been made in 
 their vicinity by the toil and at the expense 
 of the original occupants. In short, the 
 time for talldng about charters and bounda- 
 ries, and courts of judicature was past, and 
 the mountaineers were now fully bent on con- 
 ducting the controversy by a more summary 
 process. The wisdom or equity of this deci- 
 sion I shall forbear to discuss, and proceed 
 to narrate some of its consequences. 
 
 Actions of ejectment continued to be 
 brought before the Albany courts ; but the 
 settlers, despairing of success after the pre- 
 cedents of the first cases, did not appear in 
 defence, nor give themselves any more trou- 
 ble in the matter. Next came sheriifs and 
 civil magistrates to execute the writs of pos- 
 session, and by due course of law to remove 
 the occupants from the lands. At this cri- 
 sis the affair assumed a tangible shape. The 
 mountaineers felt themselves at home on the 
 soil, which they had subdued by their own 
 labor, and in the territory over wliich they 
 had begun to exercise supreme dominion, 
 by meeting in conventions and committees,, 
 and taking counsel of each other on public 
 concerns. To drive one of them from Ms. 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 105 
 
 house, or deprive him of his hard-earned sub- 
 stance, ■s^■a3 to tlireaten the whole communi- 
 ty "svith an issue fatal alike to their dearest 
 interests, and to the rights, Avhich every man 
 deems as sacred as life itself. It Avas no 
 wonder, therefore, that they should unite hi 
 a common cause, "which it ref|U]Li'ed their 
 combined efforts to maintain. 
 
 As it was exf)ected the sheriffs would soon 
 make their appearance, precautions were ta- 
 ken to watch their motions, and give due 
 notice of their approach. In the first in- 
 stance, when the sheriff arrived at the house, 
 on the owner of Avliich lie was to serve a writ 
 of possession, he found it surrounded by a 
 body of men, who resisted his attempts, and 
 defeated his purpose. Complaints were sent 
 to Lord Dunmore, then governor of New 
 York, accompanied with the names of the 
 loaders of this '' riotous and tumultuous" as- 
 semblage ; and the governor forthwith pub- 
 lished a proclamation on the 1st day of No- 
 vember, 1770, denouncing this presumptu- 
 ous act, and commanding the sheriff of Al- 
 Itany county to apprehend the offendere, 
 whose names had been mentioned, and com- 
 mit them to safe custody, that they might 
 1)0 l)rought to condign punislmfient ; author- 
 izing him to call to his assistance the ^.?os8t? 
 eomitatus, or the whole power of the county. 
 
106 MEMOIR OF 
 
 But proclamations were of as little avail as 
 writs of possession ; and tlie sheriif was nev- 
 er lucky enough to seize any of the rioters, 
 who doubtless had the forethought to keep 
 out of his reach. 
 
 The next exploit was at the house of Janies 
 Brackenridge, whose farm was within the 
 township of Bennington, and on whom the 
 sheriif came to serve a writ. The house was 
 filled with armed men, who treated this civ- 
 il officer with much disrespect, and set his 
 authority at naught. A few days after- 
 wards he returned with 2bj)osse, such as he 
 could collect for the purpose ; but in this in- 
 stance he was again repelled by a still more 
 numerous party armed with muskets, which 
 they presented at the breasts of the sheriff 
 and his associates, and exhibited other atti- 
 tudes of menace and contempt, against which 
 these pacific messengers, armed only with 
 the mandates and terrors of the law, did not 
 think it prudent to contend. The rioters, 
 as they were called, and perhaps by no ve- 
 ry forced construction of language, came off 
 a second time triumphant ; and thus the bold- 
 ness of their resolutions received a new in- 
 citement. These examples, however, did 
 not deter the c'wil officers from endeavoring 
 to discharge their duty. They appeared in 
 other places, and in one or two instances 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 107 
 
 ■with success ; but they could not evade the 
 vigilance of the people, who kept a watchful 
 eye upon their movements, and who, when 
 they caught the intruders, resorted to a 
 mode of i)unishment less perilous than that 
 with powder and ball, but attended with 
 scarcely less indignity, to the unfortunate 
 sufferers. This summary process was de- 
 nominated chastisement with the tivigs of 
 th: wilderness, a phraseology too significant 
 to need explanation. 
 
 As open war now existed, and hostilities 
 had commenced, the (rreen Moioitain Bof/s^ 
 as the belligerents were dcnominated,thought 
 it advisable to organize their forces, and 
 prepare for the contest, in a manner worthy 
 of the cause at stake. In all the feats of 
 enterprise and danger, as well as in matters 
 of state policy, Ethan Allen had hitherto 
 been the chief adviser and actor. It was 
 natural, that, in arranging their military es- 
 tablishment, the people should look up to 
 him as the person best fpialified to be placed 
 at its head. He was appointed colonel- 
 commandant, with several captains under 
 liira, of whom the most noted were Seth 
 "Warner and Remember Baker. Commit- 
 tees of safety were likewise chosen, and in- 
 trusted with powers for regulating local af- 
 fairs. Conventions of delegates, represent- 
 
108 MEMOIR OF 
 
 ing the people, assembled from time to time 
 and passed resolves and adopted measures, 
 Trliich tended to harmonize their sentiments 
 and concentrate their efforts. 
 
 Thus prepared and supported, Colonel 
 Allen, with a promptness and activity suited 
 to his character, drew out his volunteers in 
 larger or smaller numbers, as the exigency 
 of the case required, and either in person, 
 or by the agency of his captains, presented 
 a formidable force to the sheriffs and consta- 
 ])lcs wherever they appeared within the lim- 
 its of the ISTew Hampshire Grants. The 
 convention had decreed, that no officer from 
 New York should attempt to take any per- 
 Bon out of their territory on the penalty of a 
 Revere punishment ; and it was also forbid- 
 den, that any surveyor should presume to 
 run lines through the lands, or inspect them 
 with that intention. This edict enlarged the 
 powers of the military commanders ; for it 
 was their duty to search out such intruders, 
 and chastise them according to the nature 
 of their offence. A few stragghng settlere, 
 claiming titles under New York grants, had 
 ventured over the line of demarkation. 
 These were forcibly dispossessed by detach- 
 ments of Colonel Allen's men, frequently 
 led on by him in person. The sheriffs and 
 their ^osse comitatus continued to be pursu- 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 109 
 
 cd witli unremitting eagerness, whenever 
 tliey dared to set their feet on the forbidden 
 ground. With these various aftairs on his 
 hands, it will readily be imagined that the 
 commander of the Green jNlountain Boys 
 was not idle ; nor was it surprising, that he 
 sliould attract the particular notice of the 
 New York government. So many com- 
 plaints were made of the riotous and disor- 
 derly proceedings of his volunteers and as- 
 sociates, such was the indignation of the 
 New York party on account of the harsh 
 measures adopted by them towards the per- 
 sons whom they seized as trespassers upon 
 their property, and so entirely did they set 
 at defiance the laws of New Y^ork, to which 
 their opponents accounted them amenable, 
 tliat the governor was tempted to try the 
 virtue of another proclamation, in which he 
 branded the deed of dispossessing a New 
 York settler with the approbrious name of 
 felony, and offered a reward of twenty 
 pounds to any person, who would apprehend 
 and secure Allen, or either of eight other 
 persons connected with him, and mentioned . 
 by name. 
 
 Whether this proclamation was thought 
 too mild in its terms, or whether new outra- 
 ges had added to the enoimity of the oftencc, 
 it is not easy to decide ; but another was 
 
110 MEMOIR OP 
 
 promulgated, enlarging the bounty for Allen 
 to one hundred and fifty pounds, and for 
 Seth Warner and five others to fifty pounds 
 each. Not to be outdone by the author- 
 ity of New York in exercising the prerog- 
 atives of sovereignty, Colonel Allen and 
 his friends sent out a counter proclamation, 
 offering a reward of five pounds to any per- 
 son, who would take and dehver the attor- 
 ney-general of that colony to any officer in 
 the military association of the Green Moun- 
 tain Boys ; the said attorney having render- 
 ed himself particularly obnoxious to the set- 
 ^tlers, by the zeal andpertinacityTnth which 
 he had entered into the contest against 
 them.* Notwithstanding the frequency of 
 proclamations, it is believed that no person 
 was apprehended in consequence of them, 
 wMch is a proof that the people of the parts 
 of New York adjoining the New Hampshire 
 Grants were more favorable to the settlers, 
 than vfere prominent men of the colony ; 
 otherwise the allurement of the reward 
 would have induced combinations for seizing 
 individual offenders, particularly as the peo- 
 ple were required by law to assist the sher- . 
 iff in the execution of his office. Allen 
 never denied, that the conduct of himself and; 
 his momitaineers, interpreted by the laws of 
 
 * Ira Allen's History of Vermont, p. 29. 
 
ETHAN ALLEX. Ill 
 
 New York, or the laws of any well ordered 
 society, was properly called riotous ; but ho 
 contended, that they were driven to this ex- 
 tremity by the oppression of their stronger 
 neighbors, that no other means were left by 
 which they could defend their property, and 
 that under such circumstances they were 
 perfectly justified in resorting to these means. 
 They encroached not upon the possessions 
 of other people, they remained on their own 
 soil, and, if riots existed, they were caused 
 by those who came among them for molest- 
 ation and injury. A^iewmg things in this 
 light, he thought it hard, and with reason, 
 that ho should first be called a rioter, then 
 a crimhial rioter, and last of all be denounc- 
 ed to the world as a felon, with a price set 
 upon his liberty, and threats of condign pun- 
 ishment if he should be taken. 
 
 But he was equally regardless of threats, 
 and faithful in executing the charge reposed 
 in him by his associates. Affairs had now 
 been brought to such a stage, that it was 
 the fixed determination of the settlers at all 
 hazards to maintain their ground by expel- 
 ling every person, who should presume to 
 approach their territory under the auspices of 
 the New York claimants. An hicident oc- 
 curred, which indicated the temper andspir-- 
 it of the people. News came to Eenning- 
 
112 MEMOIR OF 
 
 ton, that Governor Trjon was ascending tli^ 
 North River with a body of British troops, 
 who were on their way to subdue the refrac- 
 tory Green Mountain Boys, and to quell the 
 disputes by an overwhelming force. This 
 report at first produced alarm. The Com- 
 mittee of Safety and the military officers 
 held a consultation. Their perilous situation -^ 
 was viewed in all its aspects, and it was fi- 
 nally resolved, that, considering the mea- 
 sures they had already pursued, and that 
 their vital interests required a perseverance 
 in the same, " it was their duty to oppose 
 Governor Tryon and his troops to the utmost 
 of their power." They immediately pro- 
 ceeded to devise a plan of operations, by 
 which a few sharp-shooters were to be sta- 
 tioned in a narrow pass on the road leading 
 to Bemiington, who were to lie concealed 
 and shoot down the officers as they approach- 
 ed with tlie troops. These same marl^sman 
 were then to hasten forward through the 
 woods, and join another party of their com- 
 rades at a similar position, where they were 
 to exercise their unerring skill -with their ri- 
 fles, and then retreat to the main body, who 
 would be prepared to receive the invading 
 ti^oops, much disordered and dispirited as it 
 was supposed they would be by the loss of 
 officers. Colonel Allen despatched a trusty 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 113 
 
 person to Albany, "with instructions' to await 
 the arrival of Governor Tryon's army, to 
 take particular note of the officers, that he 
 might know them again, and to ascertain all 
 that he could as to the numbers of the ene- 
 m}^ the time of marching, and other useful 
 intelligence. The messenger returned with 
 the information, that the troops were wind- 
 bound down the river, that they were des- 
 tined for the posts on the Lakes, and had 
 no designs upon Bennington. Although the 
 people were thus relieved from the necessi- 
 ty of putting their valor to the test, yet their 
 prompt and bold preparation for the onset 
 was a pledge, that in no event could it have 
 terminated to their dishonor. 
 
 Affairs were proceeding in this train of 
 civil commotion and active hostilities, when 
 Governor Tryon, in a spirit of candor and 
 forbearance hardly to have been expected at 
 that crisis, wrote a letter to the inhabitants 
 of Bennington and the adjacent country, dat- 
 ed on the 10th of May, 1TT2, censuring the 
 illegality and violence of their conduct, but 
 at the same time expressing a desire to do 
 them justice, and inviting them to send a 
 deputation of such persons as they might 
 choose, who should lay before him a full 
 state of their grievances, and the causes of 
 their complaints. To any deputies thus sent 
 
 8 
 
114 MEMOIR 01? 
 
 be promised security andprotection, except 
 ing Ethan Allen, Seth Warner, and three 
 others, who had been named m his proclama- 
 tion as offenders against the laws, and for ap- 
 prehending whom a reward had been offered. 
 On receiving this letter the people of Ben- 
 nington and the neighboring towns assem- 
 bled bj their committees, took the subject in- 
 to consideration, and without delay acceded 
 to the proposal. They appointed two dele- 
 gates, Stephen 'Fiij and Jonas Fay, to re- 
 pair to New York, and wrote a letter in an- 
 swer to ^Governor Tryon's, briefly setting 
 forth the grounds of their discontent and the 
 reasons of their conduct, and referring to 
 their agents for particular explanations. 
 From the style and tone of the letter, it was 
 obviously penned by Ethan Allen. 
 
 Neither v/as the opportunity^ to be passed 
 over, by Allen, and his,,- proscribed friends, 
 of vindicating themselves against the asper- 
 sions cast upon them by their enemies, and 
 the stigma of being pointed out to the world 
 as rioters, abettors of mobs, and felons. — 
 They sent a joint despatch to Governor Try- 
 on, in the nature of a protest against the 
 treatment they had received, and in justifi- 
 cation of their motives and acts. Allen was 
 again the penman for his brethren, and con- 
 sidering their provocations^ and the degree 
 
ETHAN ALLrX. 115 
 
 of excitement to -svliicli tlioy had been wrought 
 up, their remonstrance was clothed in Uui- 
 guagc sufficiently respectful, breathing tho 
 spirit of men conscious of their dignity, and 
 resolute in the defence of their rights, but 
 ready to meet the awards of justice and a- 
 bide by the decision of a fair and impartial 
 tribunal. Some of their arguments arc put 
 in a forcible manner. " If wc do not op- 
 pose the sheriff and hisj;osse," say they, 
 ** he takes immediate possession of our houses 
 and farms ; and when others oppose officers 
 in taking their friends so indicted, they are 
 also indicted, and so on, there being no end 
 of indictment against us so long as we act 
 the bold and manly part and stand by our 
 liberty. And it comes to this at last, that 
 we must tamely be dispossessed, or oppose 
 officers in taking possession, and, as a next 
 necessary step, to Appose tho taldng of riot- 
 ers, so called, or run away like so many cow- 
 ards and quit the country to a number of 
 cringing, polite gentlemen, who have ideal- 
 ly possessed themselves of it already." 
 
 Again ; " Though they stylp us rioters 
 for oiiposing them, and seek to catch and 
 punish us as such, yet in reality tliemselves 
 are the rioters, the tumultuous, disorderly, 
 stimulating faction, or in fine the land-jol> 
 bers ; and every violent act they have done 
 
116 MEMOm OF 
 
 to compass tlieir designs, though ever so 
 much under pretence of law, is in reality a 
 violation of law, and an insult to the consti- 
 tution and authority of the Crown, as well 
 as to many of us in person, who have been 
 great sufferers by such inhuman exertions of 
 pretended law. Right and wrong are eter- 
 nally the same to all periods of time, places, 
 and nations ; and coloring a crime with a 
 specious pretence of law only adds to the 
 criminality of it, for it subverts the very de- 
 sign of law, prostituting it to the vilest pur- 
 poses."* 
 
 These statements embraced the substance 
 of their defence, considered in its theory and 
 principles, although they were strengthened 
 by a series of collateral facts and a combi- 
 nation of particulars, which were all made 
 to assume a bearing favorable to the gener- 
 al cause. Governor Try on received the 
 deputies with affability and kindness, list- 
 ened to their representations, and laid the 
 matter of their grievances before his coun- 
 cil. After due deliberation the council re- 
 ported to the governor, that they wished him 
 to give the people of the New Hampshire 
 Grants all the rehef in his power, and re- 
 commended that the prosecutions, on ac. 
 
 * Ethan Allen's Brief Narrative of the Proceedings of 
 the Government o/Nciv York,^x. pp. 58, 62. 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 117 
 
 c Hint of crimes mi\\ -wliich tliey were charg- 
 ed, should cease till his ]\Iajesty's pleasure 
 could be ascertained, and that the New York 
 grantees should be requested till such time 
 to put a stop to civil suits respecting the 
 lands in controversy. This vote of the coun- 
 cil was approved by the governor, and with 
 this intelligence the deputies hastened back 
 to their constituents, who hailed them as 
 the messengers of peace and joy. Tho}^ had 
 never asked for more than was implied by 
 these terms, being well persuaded, that, how- 
 ever the questionof jurisdiction might be set- 
 tled, the King would never sanction a course 
 of proceeding, which should deprive them of 
 their property. The impulse of gladness 
 spread quickly to the cabins of the remotest 
 settlers ; a meeting of the people was called 
 at Bennington, where a large concourse as- 
 sembled ; the minutes of the council and the 
 governor's approval were read, and applaud- 
 ed with loud acclamations, and for the mo- 
 ment the memory of all former griefs was 
 swept away in tlie overflowing tide of enthu- 
 siasm for Governor Tryon. The single can- 
 non, constituting the whole artillery of Colo- 
 nel Allen's regiment, was drawn out and dis- 
 charged several times iu honor of the occa- 
 sion ; and Captain Warner's company of 
 Green Mountain Boys, paraded in battle ar- 
 
118 MEMOIR OF 
 
 ray, fired three volleys with small arms ; the 
 surrounding multiudes at the same time an- 
 swering each discharge with huzzas, and ev- 
 ery demonstration of delight. It v>^as ac- 
 counted a day of triumph to the heroes of 
 Bennington, and a harbinger of tranquillity 
 to the settlers, who had hitherto been har- 
 assed by the incessant tumults of the pres- 
 ent, or the vexatious uncertainty of the fu- 
 ture. 
 
 But unluckily this season of rejoicing was 
 of short duration. It was indeed premature; 
 for although the terms brought back by the 
 commissioners held out an appearance of re- 
 conciliation, yet the seeds of miscliicf were 
 not eradicated, and they immediately began 
 to spring up with their former vigor. The 
 conciliatory resolve of the governor and coun- 
 cil moreover contained an ambiguity, which 
 seemed at first to escape the notice of the 
 people, in the excess of their hilarity. The 
 JSTew York grantees were desired to cease 
 from prosecuting any more civil suits, till 
 the King's pleasure should be known ; but 
 nothing was said about putting in execution 
 the suits already decided in their favor, and 
 no prohibition intimated against their taking 
 possession of lands claimed in consequence 
 of such decisions, or sending surveyors to 
 fix boundaries and localities. Hence it is 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 119 
 
 obvious, that all tlic actual sources of dis- 
 sension aiid tumult remained in tlieir full 
 force. 
 
 It was unfortunate, that an example occur- 
 red -while the nei^otiation was pending. Soon 
 after the commissioners set oft' for New York, 
 intelligence was brought to Benningtonjthat 
 a noted surveyor, emplo3-ed by the New 
 York claimants, had found his way into some 
 of the border townships, and was busy in run- 
 ning out lands. A small party rallied, with 
 Colonel Allen at their head, went in pursuit 
 of the surve3"or, fell upon his track in the 
 Tvoods, overtook and seized him, intending 
 to punish him in a manner suited to their 
 ideas of the audaciousness of his offence. 
 They broke his instruments, examined and 
 tried him before a court or2;anized accord- 
 ing to their manner, found him guilty, and 
 passed sentence of banishment, threatening 
 the penalty of d(^th, should he ever again 
 be caught within the limits of the interdict- 
 ed territory. At this juncture they heard 
 of the success of the mission to New York, 
 wliich occasioned them to dismiss the sur- 
 veyor without personal injury, and to re- 
 scind their hai*sh sentence. 
 
 During this expedition Colonel Allen and 
 Lis party also di^; I the tenants of an 
 
 intruder, near tli ■ j.m ■ i.h of Otter Creek, 
 
120 IVIEMOIR OF 
 
 •where, under the shield of a New York ti- 
 tle, he had taken a saw-mill and other prop- 
 erty from the original settlers, and appro- 
 priated them to liimself, adding tenements 
 and improvements for his laborers. Colo- 
 nel Allen expelled the tenants, burnt their 
 habitations, restored the saw-mill to its first 
 owner, and broke the millstones of a grist- 
 mill, which he could not burn without en- 
 dangering the saw-milL 
 
 The fame of these exploits travelled with 
 speed to New York, and kindled the anger 
 of Governor Try on and the members of his 
 council. The Governor wrote a letter of 
 sharp rebuke to the inhabitants of the Grants, 
 complaining of this conduct as an insult to 
 government, and a violation of public faith. 
 This letter was taken into consideration by 
 the committees of several townships assem- 
 bled at Manchester, who voted to return an 
 answer, w^hich was drafted by Ethan Allen, 
 secretary to the convention. In regard to 
 the prominent points, Mr. Allen argued in 
 behalf of his associates, that the public faith 
 was not phghtedontheir part, till after the rat- 
 ification at Bennington of the terms brought 
 back by their commissioners, and that the 
 transactions so severely censured took place 
 previously to that event. If there was any 
 breach of faith in the case, it was declared 
 
ETH^VN ALLEX. 121 
 
 to have been on tlie part of tlio land-jobbers 
 in New York, who sent a surveyor into the 
 disputed domain, ^Yhilc the commissioners 
 were negotiathig for a reconcilement of dif- 
 ferences. As to putting the intruders at 
 Otter Creek again into possession, which the 
 governor had demanded in a somewhat per- 
 emptory manner, they declined doing it, as- 
 signing as a reason tliat those persons were 
 justly removed, and that the governor could 
 not fail to be of the same opinion when duly 
 hifurmed of facts. The assembled commit- 
 tees moreover declared cx])licitly, that, by 
 the terms of reconciliation, they did not ex- 
 pect any settlements or locations would bo 
 attempted on the lands in question, till his 
 Majesty's pleasure should be known. If 
 sucli were not the meaning and intent of the 
 governor, in the proposal he had sent by the 
 commissioners, tlien theii' act of ratification 
 was a nullity. 
 
 To put the matter on this footing was at 
 once to revive all the okl difficulties ; for the 
 governor had no power to stop the course of 
 law, by prohibiting those persons from tar 
 kiivj^ possession of their lands, who had been 
 confirmed in their claims by the regular de- 
 cisions of the courts. All such claimants, 
 and agents acting in their behalf, the settlers 
 had determined to resist bv force, and had 
 
122 MEMOIR OF 
 
 given practical proofs of their resolution, 
 which were not to be mistaken. Thej had 
 also resolved to pursue, expel, or otherwise 
 punish an}^ person within the disputed dis- 
 trict, Yfho should presume to accept an office 
 civil or military under the authority of New 
 York. Like the tories of the Kevoliition, 
 these people were considered as the worst 
 kind of enemies, and treated with uncom- 
 mon severity. In an unlucky hour, two or 
 three of them accepted from Governor Try- 
 on commissions of justices of the jjeace, and 
 had the hardihood to act in their ofhcial dig- 
 nitv. The indignation and wrath of the 
 Green Mountain Boys were roused. In one 
 instance the unhappy delinquent was brought 
 before the Conmiittee of Safetj^, where the 
 resolve of the convention was read to him, 
 forbidding any one in the territory to hold 
 an office under the colony of New York ; 
 and then judgment was pronounced against 
 him, in the presence of many persons, by 
 which he was sentenced to be tied to a tree, 
 and chastised " with the twigs of the wilder- 
 ncs" on his naked back, to the number of 
 two hundred stripes, and immediately ex- 
 ]ielled from the district, and threatened with 
 iieathifhe should return, unless specially 
 ■permitted by the Convention. 
 
 Ill the midst of these rigors, the mode of 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 123 
 
 f ■ :ii; vras sometimes rather ludicrous 
 
 ti; re. In tiic town of Arliuii;toii lived 
 
 a , who openly professed himself a par- 
 
 -tiftuii ui" x-i^ew York, and Avas accustomed to 
 bp ■ ''-respectfully of the convention and 
 f"' .'S, espousing the cause of the New 
 
 ■»rk claimants, and advising people to pur- 
 c*.ase lands under their title. He was ad- 
 monished hy his neighbors, and made to un- 
 derstand, that this tone of conversation was 
 not acceptable, and was recpiested to change 
 it, or at least to show his prudence by re- 
 maining silent. Far from operating any re- 
 form, these hints only stirred up the ire of 
 the courageous doctor, -Nvho fortlnvith armed 
 liimself with pistols and other weapons of de- 
 fence, proclaiming his sentiments more bold- 
 ly than ever, setting opposition at defiance, 
 and thrcateninui; to trv the full effects of his 
 jjersonal prowess and implements of warfare 
 on any man, who should have the temerity 
 to approach him with un unfriendly design. 
 Such a boast was likely to call up the mar- 
 tial sjiirit of his opponents, who accordingly 
 came upon the doctor at an unguarded mo- 
 ment, and obliged him to surrender at dis- 
 cretion, lie was thence transferred to the 
 Green Mountain Tavern, in Bennington, 
 tshcre he was arraigned before the commit- 
 tee, who, not salisiicd with his defence, sen- 
 
124 MEMOIR OF 
 
 tenced him to a novel punishment, which 
 thej ordered to be put in immediate execu- 
 tion. 
 
 Before the door of tliis tavern, which serv- 
 ed the double purpose of a court-house and 
 an inn, stood a sign-post twenty-five feet high, 
 and the top of which was adorned with the 
 skin of a catamount, stuffed to the size of 
 life, with its head turned towards New York, 
 and its jaws distended, showing large naked 
 teeth, and grinning terror to all who should 
 approach from that quarter. It was the 
 judgment of the court, that the contumacious 
 doctor should be tied in a chair, and drawn 
 up by a rope to the catamount, where he 
 was to remain suspended two hours ; which 
 punishment was inilicted, in the presence of 
 a numerous assemblage of people, much to 
 their satisfaction and merriment. The doc- 
 tor was then let down, and permitted to de- 
 part to his own house. 
 
 On two or three occasions Colonel Allen 
 was near being taken, in consequence of the 
 rewards offered for him in the governor's 
 proclamations. When he made excursions 
 abroad, whether for mihtary or other pur- 
 poses, he commonly went armed with a mus- 
 ket and a brace of pistols. Being on a tour 
 to the north, in company with a single friend, 
 he one evening entered a house not many 
 
 \ 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 125 
 
 miles from Crown Point, in -wlilcli, to liissur- 
 }>n.so and after it was too late to retreat, ho 
 found there were two sergeants and ten 
 men. lie was known to the sergeants, and 
 soon had reason to suspect, that thej intend- 
 ed to seize him. Putting the best face up- 
 on the matter, however, and conceahng his 
 suspicions, he called for supper, conversed 
 in great good humor with the sergeants, ask- 
 ed them to drink with him, and the evening 
 passed away merrily till bed-time. It then 
 appeared, that there were no spare Ijcds in 
 the house, as they had allbeen taken by tho 
 first comers ; but these persons very civilly 
 proposed to yield their claims to Colonel Al- 
 ien, and pressed him with a show of earnest- 
 ness to accept their oflcr. He declined it, 
 with thanks for their courtesy, declaring that 
 he could not think of depriving them of their 
 rest merely for his personal accommodation, 
 and that, as the weather was warm, he and 
 his companion would seek lodgings in tho 
 bam. To hi'lc their real design they left 
 their guns behind. The sergeants accom- 
 ]ianied them to the bam, saw them safely in 
 their quarters, wished them a good night's 
 repo.^e, and returned to the house. By a 
 previous concert, a j'oung girl in the family 
 took the first opportunity unseen to carry 
 the guna to the barn. The sergeants wait- 
 
12i> MEMOIR- OF 
 
 ed till they supposed tlie two travellers were 
 asleep, and that there would be no danger 
 from their pistols, and then stole softly out, 
 flushed with the prospect of speedily entrap- 
 ping the renowned leader of the Green Moun- 
 tain ^Boys. But their imaginary victory 
 ended in disa})pointment. Colonel Allen, 
 having succeeded in his scheme of deceiv- 
 ing his pursuers, had arisen and departed, 
 and the night screened him from the search. 
 
 At another time, while he was on a visit 
 to his brother in Sahsbury, Connecticut, a 
 plot w^as laid by several persons, residing be- 
 tween that place and Hudson's Biver, to 
 come upon him by surprise, seize, and car- 
 ry him to Poughkeepsie jail. This plot was 
 accidentally discovered in time to defeat the 
 designs of the conspirators. 
 
 Meantime the spirit of hostility between 
 the two parties continued to increase, the 
 New York claimants being resolved to en- 
 force their claims by all the power they could 
 put in action, and the original settlers e- 
 qually determined to resist aggression by ev- 
 ery species of force, which they could wield. 
 Hence commotions, riots, mobs, and blood- 
 shed were common occurrences, though the- 
 settlers adhered strictly to their declared 
 principle of acting on the defensive, never 
 pursuing oiFenders beyond their own do- 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 127 
 
 main, but showing little mercy to those, who 
 dared to violate their decrees, question their 
 authority, and above all to step over the line 
 of demarkation as the agents of their ene- 
 mies. At last the New York grantees, dis- 
 couraged with this mode of conducting so 
 fruitless a contest, combined their influence, 
 and applied to the Assembly of that prov- 
 ince for legislative aid. The result was a 
 law, purporting to be an act for preventing 
 tunuiltu'jus and riotous assemblies, and pun- 
 ishing rioters, which may safely be pronounc- 
 ed the most extraordinary specimen of legis- 
 lative despotism, that has ever found a place 
 in a statute-book. After naming Ethan Al- 
 len, Seth Warner, Remember JJaker, and 
 several others, as the principal ringleaders 
 in the riots, the laAV empowers the governor 
 and council to send out an order, requiring 
 tlioso persons, or any others indicted for oi- 
 fences, to surrender themselves for commit- 
 ment to one of his Majesty's justices of the 
 peace within seventy days from the date of 
 the order; and in case the summons should 
 not bo obeyed, the person neglecting to sur- 
 render h'imself was to be adjudged and 
 deemed as convicted, and to suiier death if 
 indicted for a capital ofience ; and moreover 
 the Supreme Court was authorized to award 
 execution, in the same manner as if there 
 
128 MEMOIR OF 
 
 had been an actual trial, proof of guilt, and 
 a judicial sentence.* 
 
 On the same day that this law was enact> 
 ed, the governor sent out another proclama- 
 tion, offering a reward for apprehending and 
 imprisoning Ethan Allen and seven of his 
 associates, as if never tired of exercising 
 this prerogative of his oflSce, although hith- 
 erto without the least shadow of success. 
 The object of the law and of the proclama- 
 tion was to draw from their strong-holds the 
 principal rioters, as they were called, and 
 inflict upon them such punishments as would 
 quell their opposition, and dishearten their 
 followers. The effect was far otherwise. 
 The committees of the several townships as- 
 sembled in convention, and took up the sub- 
 ject with more calmness, than could have 
 been anticipated under circumstances so ir- 
 ritating. They reviewed the causes of the 
 controversy, asserted anew their rights, af- 
 firmed that they were not the aggressors, 
 that all the violence to which they had been 
 accessory was fully justified by the laws of 
 self-preservation, and that they were deter- 
 mined to ma intain the ground they had ta- 
 
 * This act, certainly one of the most curious in the 
 annals of legislation, was passed on the 9th of Marcli, 
 1774, and may be seen in Ethan Allen's Narrative of 
 the Proceedings of the Government of Neio York, ^c.,p. 
 23. And also inSlade's Vermont State Papers, p. 42. 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 129 
 
 ken, •^itliout fear or favor, at every liazard 
 and every sacnficc. They closed their pub- 
 lic proceedings by a resolve, that all neces- 
 sary preparations should bo made, and that 
 the inhabitants should hold themselves in 
 readiness at a minute's -warning to defend 
 those among them, " who, for their merit in 
 the great and general cause, had been false- 
 ly denominated rioters ;" declaring at the 
 sam« time, that they would act on-ly on the 
 defensive, and that in all civil cases, and 
 criminal prosecutions really such, they would 
 assist the proper oiiicers to enforce the exe- 
 cution of the laws. 
 
 In addition to tlicso public doings of the 
 people at large by their representatives, the 
 proscribed persons, at the headof^shom was 
 Ethan Allen, published a manifesto, to which 
 they jointly affixed their names, containing 
 a defence of themselves and free remarks on 
 the New York act and proclamation. To 
 look for moderation as a shining quality in a 
 paper of this kind, is perhaps more than 
 would bo authorized by the nature of the 
 case, or the character of the individuals 
 concerned ; yet it expresses sentiments, 
 which we should be sorry not to find in men, 
 whom wo would respect, and in whom we 
 would confide in the hour of peril. It speaks 
 in a tone of deep complaint of the injuries 
 
180 MEMOIR OF 
 
 they have suffered from tlie vindictive per- 
 secutions of their enemies, protests against 
 the tyrannical abuse of power, which would 
 arraign them as criminals for protecting 
 their own property, and threatens retaha- 
 tion upon all, who should attempt to put in 
 execution against them the sanguinary e- 
 dict, of the New York Assembly. But in 
 the midst of the sea of dangers, with which 
 they seemed to be surrounded, they braced 
 themselves up with the consolatory reflec- 
 tion, " that printed sentences of death wiU 
 not kill us ; and if the executioners approach 
 us, they will be as likely to fall victims to 
 death as we." They furthermore proclaim- 
 ed that, should any person be tempted, by 
 the "wages of unrighteousness offered in the 
 proclamation,'* to apprehend any of them 
 or their friends, it was their deliberate pur- 
 pose to inflict immediate death upon so rash 
 and guilty an offender. 
 
 To this pitch of legalized infatuation on 
 the one part, and of animosity and violence 
 on the other, had the controversy attained 
 by imbibing new ahment at every stage, 
 when it was suddenly arrested by events of 
 vastly greater moment, wliich drew away 
 the attention of the political leaders in New 
 York from these border feuds to affairs of 
 more vital interest. The revolutionarj^, 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 131 
 
 struggle Tva3 on the eve of breaking out, and 
 the ferment, whieh had ah'eady begun to ag- 
 itate the pubhc mind from one end of the 
 continent to the other, was not less active in 
 New York than in other places. From this 
 tune, therefore, the Green Mountain settlers 
 were permitted to remain in comparative 
 tranquillity. Several years elapsed, it is 
 true, before they released themselves entire- 
 ly from the claims of their neighbors, and 
 established their independence on an undis- 
 puted ])asis ; yet they always acted as an ui- 
 dependcnt community, assumed and exer- 
 cised the powers of a sepai'ate body politic, 
 and secured at last, to the fullest extent, 
 tlieir original demands and pretensions. E- 
 than Allen had a large share in bringing the 
 contest to its happy termination ; but before 
 wo proceed any further with this subject, it 
 is neccss^ary to follow him through a difibr- 
 ent career, and trace the series of mcidonts, 
 which befell him in the war of the Revolu- 
 tion. 
 
 At this point in our narrative, it is prop- 
 er to turn our attention for a moment to a 
 literary performance by Ethan Allen, which 
 had some influence in its dav, and which is 
 still valuable for the historical matter it em- 
 bodies. Having zealously embarked in the 
 cause of the Green IMountain Boys, to which 
 
132 MEMOIK OP 
 
 he was prompted botli by interest and ambi- 
 tion, he applied his vigorous mind to a thor- 
 ough investigation of the subject. He pur- 
 sued his researches into the ancient char- 
 ters, followed out their bearings upon each 
 other in regard to boundary lines, studied 
 the history of the colonies, and thus collect- 
 ed a mass of authentic materials, which, 
 with an account of recent events known to 
 him personally, he compiled into a volume 
 extending to more than two hundred pages. 
 He, who in this work shall expect to find 
 flowers of rhetoric, or a polished diction, or 
 models of grammatical accuracy, or the art 
 of a practised writer, will be disappointed ; 
 but, clothed in the garb of an unformed style 
 and confused method, there are many sagar 
 cious remarks and pertinent expressions, 
 many strong points of argument stated with 
 force, if not with elegance, many evidences 
 of a mind accustomed to observe and think, 
 draw its own inferences, and utter its senti- 
 ments witli a fearless reliance on its own re- 
 sources and guidance.* 
 
 '■"^ The work is entitled A Brief Narrative of the Pro- 
 ceedinqsoftlie Government of New York, ^-c,, printed at 
 Hartford, 1774. The supplementary part contains a 
 ACply to apamplilet publislied a short time before in 
 Nev/ Yorl:,by authority, entitled A Stats of the Right 
 of thi Colony of New York, vjitlt Respect to ils Eastern 
 Boundari/, ^-c. Jt is hardly necessary to observe, that 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 133 
 
 Early in the year 1775, as soon as it was 
 made manifest by the attitude assumed on 
 the part of the l^ritish government agaitist 
 the colonics, and by the conduct of General 
 Gage in Boston, that open hostihties must 
 inevitably commence in a short time, it be- 
 gan to be secretly Avhispered among the prin- 
 cipal politicians in New England, that the 
 capture of Tieonderoga was an object de- 
 manding the first attention. In the month 
 of March, Samuel Adams and Dr. Joseph 
 Warren, as members of the Committee of 
 Correspondence in Boston, sent an agent 
 privately into Canada, en a political mission, 
 Avith instructions to ascertain the feelings of 
 the people there m regard to the approacli- 
 ing contest, and to make such reports as his 
 observations should warrant. Faithful to his 
 charge, a.nd \'igilant in his inquiries, this a- 
 gent sent back intelligence from Montreal, 
 and among other tilings advised, that by all 
 means the crarrisonof Ticonderoi^a should be 
 seized as quickly as possible after the break- 
 ing out of hostilities, adding that the people 
 of the New ITam] shire Grants had already 
 agreed to undertake the task, and that they 
 
 the pnrticnlars of the present memoir have thus far been 
 chiefly derived from these two puMications •, to which 
 mav be added Ira Allen's History of Vermont. 
 
134 MEMOIR OF 
 
 were the most proper persons to be employ- 
 ed in it. 
 
 This hint was given three weeks anterior 
 to the battle of Lexington, and how far it in- 
 fluenced future designs may not be known ; 
 but it is certain, that, eight days after that 
 event, several gentlemen at that time at- 
 tending the Assembly in Hartford, Con- 
 necticut, concerted a plan for surprising Ti- 
 conderoga, and seizing the cannon in that 
 fortress, for the use of the army, then march- 
 ing from all quarters to the environs of Bos- 
 ton. Although these gentlemen were mem- 
 bers of the Assembly, yet the scheme was 
 wholly of a private nature, without any o- 
 vert sanction from the authority of the colo- 
 ny. A committee was appointed, at the 
 head of which were Edward Mott and No- 
 ah Phelps, with instructions to proceed to 
 the frontier towns, inquire into the state, of 
 the garrison, and, should they think proper, 
 to raise men and take possession of the same. 
 To aid the project, one thousand dollars were 
 obtained from the treasury as a loan, for 
 which security was given. 
 
 On their way the committee collected six- 
 teen men in Connecticut, and went forward 
 to Pittsfield, in Massachusetts, where they 
 laid open their plan to Colonel Easton and 
 Mr. John Brown, who agreed to join them. 
 
ETHAN ALLEl?. 135 
 
 and tlicy proceeded in company to Benning- 
 ton. Colonel Easton, being in command of 
 a regiment of militia, proposed to engage 
 some of them in tlio expedition, and enlist- 
 ed vol mite ers as lie passed along, between 
 forty and fifty of \Yhom reached Bennington 
 the next day. As no time was to bo lost, a 
 council of war was immediately called, in 
 which it was voted that Colonel Ethan Al- 
 len should send out parties to the north- 
 ward, secure the roads, and prevent intelU- 
 gence from passing in that direction. This 
 was accordingly done. Colonel Allen'j^ 
 Green ^lountain Boys having been collected 
 as speedily as possible, the little army march- 
 ed, and arrived at Castleton on the evening 
 of tlio 7th of May. 
 
 Here another council of war was held, 
 and Ethan Allen was appointed the com- 
 mander of the expedition, James Easton tho 
 second in command, and Seth Warner the 
 third. Being thus organized they proceed- 
 ed to fix a plan of operations. It was deci- 
 ded that Colonel Allen and the principal of- 
 ficers, with the main body of their forces, 
 consisting of about one hundred and forty 
 men, should march directly to Shoreham, 
 opposite to Ticonderoga. A party of thir- 
 ty men, commanded by Captain Ilerrick, 
 vwas at the same tunc to move upon Skencs- 
 
136 MiaiOIR OF 
 
 borough, take Major Skene* and Lis people 
 into custody, seize all the boats that could 
 be found there, and hasten -with them down 
 the Lake to meet Colonel Allen at Shore- 
 ham. Captain Douglass was also despatch- 
 ed to Panton, beyond Crown Point, in search 
 of boats, which were to be brought to Shore- 
 liam, as it was supposed the boats at that 
 place would be inadequate to the transport- 
 ation of the troops across the Lake, 
 
 The position now occupied was nine miles 
 from Skenesborough, and twenty-five from 
 Ticonderoga by the route to be traversed. 
 Just as these arrangements were settled, 
 the men selected for each party, and the 
 whole prepared to march. Colonel Arnold ar- 
 rived from Massachusetts, having been com- 
 missioned by the Committee of Safety of 
 that colony, without any knowledge of what 
 had been done in Connecticut, to raise men 
 and proceed on the same enterprise. He 
 brought no men with him, but had agreed 
 wdth officers in Stockbridge to enlist and 
 send forward such as could be obtained, ma- 
 king all haste himself to join the expedition, 
 which he did not hear was on foot till he 
 came to that town. A difficulty now arose, 
 
 *Th6 son of Governor Skene, who w^qs likewise 
 called Major Skene, and who was at this time absent in 
 
 England. 
 
EXnAN ALLEX. 13T 
 
 ^'hich tlii'catcncd for tlic moment to defeat 
 the -vvliolc scheme. Arnold claimed the com- 
 mand of all the troops, bj virtue of his com- 
 mission from the Massachusetts Committeo 
 of Safety, averring that this was a superior 
 apponitment to that of any other ofKcer con- 
 cerned, and demanding the preference as 
 his right. The rumor soon got to the ears 
 of the soldiers, ^Yho broke out into vehe- 
 ment clamors, and -were on the point of mu- 
 tiny, declaring that they would serve under 
 no officers except those with wliom they had 
 engaged, and that they would club their 
 muskets and march home. The flame was. 
 quenched hy the prudent conduct of Colo- 
 nels Allen and Easton : and when Arnold 
 discovered, that his pretensions met with no 
 favor eitlier from the men or their leaders, 
 he yielded to necessity' and agreed to unite 
 with them asTl volunteer. 
 
 The march was pursued according to the 
 original plan, and Colonel Allen arrived 
 without molestation on the shore of tin.' 
 Lake opposite to Ticonderoga. It was im- 
 portant to have a guide, who was aci^uaint- 
 cd with t!ie grounds around the fortressy 
 and the jdaces of access. Allen made in- 
 (juirics as to those points of ^Ir. l>oman. a 
 farmer residing near the Lake in Shoreham. 
 who answered, that he seldom crossed to Ti- 
 
138 MEMOIR OF 
 
 conderoga, and was little acquainted witli 
 the particulars of its situation ; but that his 
 son Nathan, a young lad, passed much jof 
 liis time there in company -with the boys of 
 the garrison. Nathan was called, and ap- 
 peared by his answers to be familiar with ev- 
 ery nook in the fort, and every passage and 
 by-path by which it could be approached. 
 In the eye of Colonel Allen he was the ve- 
 ry person to thread out the best avenue ; 
 and by the consent of the father and a little 
 persuasion Nathan Beman was engaged to 
 be the guide of the party. The next step 
 v/as to procure boats, which were very defi- 
 cient in number, as neither Captain Herrick 
 nor Captain Douglass liad sent any from 
 Skenesborough or Panton. Eighty three 
 men only had crossed, when the day began 
 to dawn ; and while the boats were sent back 
 for the rear division. Colonel Allen resolved 
 to move immediately against the fort. 
 
 He drey/ up his men in three ranks, ad- 
 dressed them in a short harangue, ordered 
 them to face to the right, and placing him- 
 self at the head of tlio middle file, led 
 them silently but with a quick step up 
 the heights on which the fortress stood, and 
 before the sun rose, he had entered the gate 
 and formed his men on the parade between 
 the barracks. Here they gave three huz- 
 
ETHAlSr ALLEN. 1S9 
 
 zas, wliicli aroused the sleeping inmates. 
 When Colonel Allen passed the gate, a sen- 
 tinel snapped his fusee at him, and then re- 
 treated under a covered way. Another 
 sentinel made a thrust at an officer ^vith a 
 bayonet, -Nvliich slightly wounded him. Co- 
 lonel Allen returned the comjiliment with a 
 cut on the side of the soldier's head, at which 
 he threw down his musket and asked quar- 
 ter. No more resistance was made. Al- 
 len demanded to be shown to the apartment 
 of Captain Delaplace, the commandant of 
 the garrison. It was pointed out, and Col- 
 onel Allen, with Nathan Beraan at his elbow, 
 who knew the way, hastily ascended the 
 stairs, which were attached to the outside of 
 the barracks, and calleil out with a voice of 
 thunder at the door, ordering the astonished 
 captain instantly to appear, or the whole 
 garrison should be sacrificed. Started at so 
 strange and unexpected a summons, he 
 sprang from his bed and opened the door, 
 when the first salutation of his boisterous and 
 unseasonable visitor was an order immediate- 
 ly to surrender the furt. llu])birjg his eyes 
 and trying to collect his scattered senses, the 
 captain asked by what authority he presum- 
 ed to make such a demand. *' In the name 
 of the Great Jehovah and the Continental 
 Congress,'' rei)lied Allen. Not accustomed 
 
140 MEMOm OF 
 
 to hear mnch of tlie Continental Congress 
 in this remote corner, nor to respecfc its au- 
 thority -when he did, the commandant be- 
 gan to speak ; but Colonel Allen cut short 
 the thread of his discourse by lifting his 
 sword over his head, and reiterating the de- 
 mand for an immediate surrender. Having 
 neither permission to argue nor power to re- 
 sist. Captain Delaplace submitted, ordering 
 his men to parade without arms, and the 
 garrison was given up to the victors.* 
 
 This surprise was affected about four o^- 
 clock in the morning of the 10th of May. 
 "\yarner crossed the Lake with the remain- 
 der of the troops, and marched up to the 
 lort. The v/holo number of men under Col- 
 onel Allen, as reported by the committee on 
 the spot, in a letter to the Provincial Con- 
 gress of ilassachusetts, dated the day after 
 the assault, was one hundred and forty from 
 the New Hampshire Grants, and seventy 
 from Massachusetts, besides sixteen from 
 Connecticut. The prisoners were one cap- 
 
 *Tbo facts respecting: Nathan Beir.an were related 
 to me by a gentleman, who I'cceivcd them from Na- 
 than Beman himself. Whether this exploit of his 
 boyhood was the only one performed by him during 
 the war, I know not ; but his martial aptitude was dis- 
 played in another career, he having been for many 
 years a noted banter of wolves, on the northern bor- 
 ders of New York between Lakes Cluimplain and On- 
 tario. 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 141 
 
 tain, one lieutenant, and forty-eight subal- 
 tems and privates, exclusive of wonoien and 
 children. They were all sent to Hartford, 
 in Connecticut. The principal advantage 
 of the capture, except that of possessing the 
 post, was one hundred and twenty pieces of 
 cannon, also swivels, mortars, small arms, 
 and stores. Tho cannon only were of much 
 importance. 
 
 As soon as tho prisoners were secured, 
 and the bustle of the occasion had a little 
 subsided. Colonel Allen sent ofi' Warner with 
 a detachment of men to take Crown Point. 
 Strong head-^vinds drove back the boats, 
 and the whole party returned the same ev- 
 ening. The attempt was renewed a day or 
 two afterwards, and proved successful. A 
 sergeant and eleven men, being the whole 
 garrison, were made prison er^^. Sixty-one 
 good cannon were found there, fifty-three 
 unfit for service. Previously to this affair, 
 Colonel Allen had sent a messenger to Cap- 
 tain Remember Eaker, who was at Onion 
 Kiver, recjucsting him to join the army at 
 Ticonderoj^a with as lar^rc a number of men 
 as he could assemble. Baker obeyed tho 
 fiummons ; and when he was coming up the 
 Lake with his party, he met two small boats, 
 which had been despatched from Cpotsti 
 Point to carry mtelligencc of the reduction 
 
142 MEMOia OF 
 
 of Ticonderoga to St. John's and Montreal, 
 and solicit reinforcements. The boats were 
 seized by Baker, and he arrived at Crown 
 Point just in time to unite with Warner in 
 taking possession of that post. 
 
 Thus the main object of the expedition 
 was attained ; but the troubles of the leaders 
 were not at an end. No sooner had the fort 
 surrendered, than Arnold assumed the com- 
 mand, affirming that he was the only officer 
 invested with legal authority. His preten- 
 sions were not heeded, and although he was 
 vehement and positive, yet it was in vain to 
 issue orders, which nobody would obey ; and 
 jQnally he consented to a sort of divi^ded con- 
 trol between Colonel Allen and himself, he 
 acting as a subordinate, but not wholly with- 
 out official consideration. He had behaved 
 ydth bravery in the assault, marching on the 
 left of Colonel Allen, and entering the forir 
 ress side by side with him. V/hen the Con- 
 necticut committee perceived his design, 
 they repelled it upon the principle, that the 
 government of Massachusetts had no con- 
 cern in the matter, that the-men from that 
 colony under Colonel Eacton were paid bj 
 Connecticut, and that he could be consider- 
 ed in no other light than a volunteer. The 
 same committee installed Colonel Allen a- 
 new in the command of Ticonderoga and its 
 
ETHAIT ALLEN. 143 
 
 dependencies, wliicli by a formal commission 
 they authorized him to retain, till Connecti- 
 cut or the Continental Congress should send 
 him instructions. A narrative of the partic- 
 ulars '^^-as despatched by an express to the 
 Provincial Congress of Massachusetts, who 
 confirmed the appointment, and directed Ar- 
 nold not to interfere. 
 
 The party that -went to Skenesborough 
 came unawares upon Major Skene the 
 younger, whom they took prisoner, seizing 
 likewise a schooner and several batteaux, 
 with all which they hastened to Ticondero- 
 ga. Allen and Arnold now formed a plan 
 to make a rapid push upon St. John's, take 
 a Idng's sloop that lay there, and attempt a 
 descent upon the garrison. The schooner 
 and batteaiLX were armed and manned ; and, 
 as Arnold had been a seaman in his youth, 
 the command of the schooner was assigned 
 to him, while the batteaux were committed 
 to the charge of Allen. They left Ticon- 
 deroga nearly at the same time, but the wind 
 beincT fresh tlio schooner outsailed the bat- 
 teaux. At eight o'clock on the evening of 
 tlic ITthof May, Arnold was within thirty 
 miles of St. John's ; and, as the weather was 
 calm, ho fitted out two batteaux with thirty- 
 five men, leaving the schooner behind and 
 proceeding to St. John's, where he arrived 
 
144 MEMOIR OF 
 
 at six o'clock tlie next morning, surprised 
 and took a sergeant and twelve men, and 
 the king's sloop of about seventy tons vvith 
 two brass six-pounders and six men, without 
 any loss on either side. The wind proving 
 favorable, he stayed but two hours and then 
 returned, taking with him the sloop, four 
 batteaux, and some valuable stores, having 
 destroyed five batteaux, being all that re- 
 mained. He was induced to hasten away, 
 because large reinforcements were momen- 
 tarily expected from Montreal and Cham- 
 blee. 
 
 About fifteen miles from St. John's ho 
 met Colonel Allen, pressing onward with his 
 party. A salute of three discharges of can- 
 non on the one side, and three volleys of 
 mus5ketry on the other, was fired, and Allen 
 paid Araold a visit on board the king's sloop. 
 After inquiring into the situation of things, 
 Allen determined to proceed to St. John's 
 and keep possession there with about one 
 hundred men. He arrived just before night, 
 landed his party, and marched about a mile 
 towards Laprairie, where he formed an am- 
 buscade to intercept the reinforcements hour- 
 ly expected. But finding his men greatly 
 fatigued, and ascertaining that a force much 
 superior to his own was on its approach, he 
 retired to the other side of the river. In 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 145 
 
 this position ho was attacked early in the 
 mornhig by two hnndrcd men, and driven 
 to his boats, with which he returned to Ti- 
 <;ondcroga. His loss was three men taken 
 prisoners, one of whom escaped in a few 
 <lays. 
 
 While this train of events was in pro- 
 gress, Colonel Easton had repaired to Mas- 
 sachusetts and Connecticut, instructed by 
 Colonel Allen and the committee to explain 
 to the governments of those colonies the 
 transactions attending the capture of Ticon- 
 deroga and Crown Point, and to solicit aids 
 to secure these conquests. Since the af- 
 fair had begun in Connecticut, the Provin- 
 cial Congress of Massachusetts seemed Tvell 
 inclined to let that colony have both tliehon- 
 or and burden of maintaining the acquisi- 
 tions, which had been gained under her aus- 
 pices, and wrote to the governor of Connec- 
 ticut, disclaiming all motives of interference, 
 and recommending the business to his spe- 
 cial charge . Governor Trumbull immediate- 
 ly prepared for sendmg up a reinforcement 
 of four hundred men. But in truth, nei- 
 ther party was ambitious of assuming the re- 
 sponsibility of further operations, till the 
 views and intentions of the Continental Cen- 
 grcss should be known. ^Messengers were 
 acordingly despatched to Philadelphia : and 
 
 :o 
 
146 MEMOIR OF 
 
 also to the Convention of New York, m 
 ■wHch province the conquered posts were situ- 
 ate. Policy as well as courtesy required that 
 New York should be consulted, since the co- 
 operation of that colony was essential to the 
 harmony and success of any future meas- 
 ures. The Continental Congress approved 
 what had been done, and requested Govern- 
 or Trumbull to send a body of troops to Lake 
 Champlain, sufficient to defend the garrisons 
 of Ticonderoga and Crown Point, till further 
 orders from the Congress, and at the same 
 time desired the Convention of New York 
 to supply the said troops with provisions. 
 This arrangement was carried into effect, 
 and one thousand troops were ordered to 
 march from Connecticut under the con> 
 mand of Colonel Hinman. 
 
 Meantime Allen and Arnold kept their 
 stations, the former as commander-in-chief at 
 Ticonderoga, and the latter at Crown Point, 
 where he acted the part rather of a naval 
 than of a military oflicer, having under hig 
 care the armed sloop and schooner which had 
 been taken, and a small flotilla of batteaux. 
 Some of Colonel Allen's men went home, 
 but others came in, both from the New Hamp- 
 shire Grants, and from Albany county, so 
 that his numbers increased. A few men al- 
 so joined Arnold, whom he had engaged m 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 147 
 
 Massachusetts, when he crossed the country 
 to execute the commission of the Commit- 
 tee of Safety. 
 
 Fhished with his successes, and eager to 
 pursue them. Colonel Allen began to extend 
 hit! views more widclv, and to think of the 
 conquest of Canada. Persuaded that such 
 an undertaking was feasible, and foreseeing 
 its immense importance to the cause in which 
 the country was now openly embarked, he 
 wrote the following letter to the Provincial 
 Congress of New York. 
 
 ''Crown Point, 2 June, 17 75- 
 
 ^' Gextlemex, 
 *^ Before this time you have undoubtedly 
 received intelligence, not only of the teiking 
 of the fortified places on Lake Champlain, 
 but also of the armed sloop and boats there- 
 in, and the taking possession of a schooner, 
 which is the property of Major Skene, which 
 has Jjeen armed and manned, and of the con- 
 version of them, with a largo train of artil- 
 lery, to the defence of the liberty and the 
 constitutional rights of America. You have 
 likewise undoubtedly been informed, that 
 the expedition was undertaken at the special 
 encouragement and request of a number of 
 respectable gentlemen in the colony of Con- 
 necticut. The pork forwarded to subsist 
 the army by youi* dii'cctivus evinces your ap- 
 
148 MEMOIR OF 
 
 probation of the procedure ; and, as it was 
 a private expedition, and common fame re- 
 ports that there is a number of overgrown 
 Tories in the province, you will the readier 
 excuse me in not taking your advice in the 
 matter, lest the enterprise might have been 
 prevented by their treachery. It is here re- 
 ported, that some of them have been convert- 
 ed, and that others have lost their influence. 
 " If in those achievements there be any 
 thing honorary, the subjects of your govern- 
 ment, namely, the New Hampshire settlers, 
 are justly entitled to a large share, as they 
 had a great majority of the soldiery, as well 
 as the command, in making those acquisi- 
 tions ; and, as you justify and approve the 
 same, I expect you already have or soon 
 will lay before the grand Continental Con- 
 gress the great disadvantage it must inevi- 
 tably be to the colonies to evacuate Lake 
 Champlain, and give up to the enemies of 
 our country those invaluable acquisitions, the 
 key either of Canada or of our o^vn country, 
 according to which party holds the same 
 in possession, and makes a proper improve- 
 ment of it. The key is ours as yet, and 
 provided the colonies would suddenly push an 
 army of two or three thousand men into Can- 
 ada, they might make a conquest of all that 
 would oppose them, in the extensive province 
 
ETUAN ALLEN. 149 
 
 of Quebec, unless reinforcements from Eng- 
 land should prevent it. Such a division 
 ■would Aveaken General Gage, or insure us 
 Canada. I would lay my life on it, that 
 Tvith fifteen hundred men I could take Mon- 
 treal. Provided I could be thus furnished, 
 and an army could take the field, it would 
 be no insuperable dithculty to take Quebec. 
 
 '' This object should be pursued, though 
 it should take ten thousand men, for Eng- 
 land cannot sparebut a certain number of her 
 troops ; nay, she has but a small number 
 that are disciplined, and it is as long as it is 
 broad, the more that are sent to Quebec, the 
 less they can send to Boston, or any other 
 part of the continent. And there will be 
 this unspeakable advantage in directing the 
 war into Canada tliat instead of turning the 
 (Canadians and Indians against us, as is 
 wrongly suggested by many, it would una- 
 voidably attach and connect them to our in- 
 terest. • Our friends in Canada can never 
 lielp us, until we first help them, except in 
 a passive or inactive manner. There are 
 now about seven hundred regular troops in 
 Canada. 
 
 '' It may Ije thought, that to push an ar- 
 my into Canada would be too premature and 
 imprudent. If so, I propose to make a 
 stand at the Isle-aux-Noix, which the French 
 
150 MEMOIR OF 
 
 fortified by intrenclinients the last war, and 
 greatly fatigued our large army to take it. 
 It is about fifteen miles on this side of St. 
 John's, and is an island in the river, on 
 which a small artillery placed would com- 
 mand it. An establishment on a frontier, 
 so far north, would not only better secure 
 our own frontier, but put it in our power 
 better to work our policy with the Canadi- 
 ans and Indians, or if need be, to make in- 
 cursions into the territory of Canada, the 
 same as they could into our country, pro- 
 vided they had the sovereignty of Lake 
 Champlain, and had erected head-quarters 
 at ' or near Skenesborough. Our only hav- 
 ing it in our power, thus to make incursions 
 into Canada, might probably be the very 
 reason why it would be unnecessary so to 
 do, even if the Canadians should prove more 
 refractory than I think for. 
 
 " Lastly, I would propose to you to raise 
 a small regiment of rangers, which I could 
 easily do, and that mostly in the counties of 
 Albany and Charlotte, provided you should 
 think it expedient to grant commissions, and 
 thus regulate and put them under pay. 
 Probably you may think this an impertinent 
 proposal. It is truly the first favor I ever 
 asked of the government, and, if granted, I 
 shall be zealously ambitious to conduct for 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 151 
 
 the l)cst good of my country, and the hon- 
 or of the government. I am, Gentlemen, 
 kc, 
 
 "Ethan Allen.'* 
 
 In forming an estimate of this letter, it i3 
 to be remembered, that no person had as 
 yet ventured pul)hcly to recommend an in- 
 vasion of Canada. It had in fact hitherto 
 ])ccn the policy of Congress to give as httle 
 offence to the Canadians as possible, this 
 course being thought the most likely to con- 
 ciliate their friendship. A resolve passed 
 that af^sembly, the day before the above let- 
 ter was written, expressing a decided opin- 
 ion, that no colony or body of colonists ought 
 to countenance any incursion into Canada.. 
 The same sentiments had been declared in a 
 public manner, hy the New York Provincial 
 Congress. Ethan Allen's letter, therefore, 
 had little chance of meeting with favor from 
 the persons to whom it was addressed. The 
 merit of beincr the first to su2^2;est plans which 
 were afterwards adojtted by the national 
 councils, as of great political moment, was 
 nevertheless due to him. Before the end 
 of three months from the date of jiis letter, 
 an expedition against Canada was set on foot 
 by Congress, and seconded by the voice of 
 the whole nation. Colonel Allen's advice 
 
152 MEMOIR OF 
 
 was deemed bold and incautious when it -was*, 
 given, but subsequent events proved, that 
 its basis was wisdom and forethought ; and 
 had it been heeded, and a competent force 
 pushed immediately into Canada, before the 
 British had time to rally and concentrate 
 their scattered forces, few in numbers and 
 imperfectly organized, there can be no reas- 
 sonable doubt, that the campaign would have 
 been successful, instead of the disastrous 
 failure, which actually ensued, and which 
 may be ascribed more to the wavering sen- 
 timents and tardy motions of Congress m 
 projecting and maturing the expedition, than, 
 to any defect m the plan or in the manner 
 of its execution. 
 
 As Colonel Allen knew it was at this time 
 the prevailing policy to secure the neutrality 
 of the Canadians, he made no hostile demon- 
 strations towards Canada, after the prudent 
 measure in conjunction with Arnold of seizing 
 all the watercraft at St. John's ; unless the 
 sending of a reconnoitering party over the 
 lino may beconsidered a belligerent act. It is 
 evident, however, that he did not look upon 
 it in that light ; for when his party of four- 
 men returned, and reported that they had. 
 been fired upon by about thirty Canadians^ 
 he interpreted it as a breach of peace on tho 
 side of the assailants. Embracing this as a 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 153 
 
 fit opportunity, he wrote a paper, comljining 
 the two properties of a complaint and an ad- 
 dress, Tvhich was signed by him and Colonel 
 Easton, and despatched to a confidential per- 
 son at Montreal, with directions to have it 
 translated into French and circulated among 
 the people. The idea of neutrality was put 
 f<n'ward in this paper, as the one which tho 
 Canadians ought to cherish, since they had 
 no direct interest in taking part with the 
 English, and certainly no cause for joining 
 in a quarrel against their neighbors of tho 
 other colonies. 
 
 The troops from Connecticut under Col- 
 onel Ilinman at length arrived at Ticonder- 
 oga, and Colonel Allen's command ceased. 
 His men chiefly returned home, their term 
 of service having expired. He and Seth 
 "Warner set off on a journey to the Conti- 
 nental Congrcss, with the design of procur- 
 ing pay for the soldiers, who had served un- 
 der them, and of soliciting authority to raise 
 a new regiment in tho New Ilampshiro 
 Grants. In both tliese objects they were 
 successful. By an oi-der of Congress they 
 were introduced on the floor of the House, 
 and they communicated verbally to the mem- 
 bers such information as was desired. Con- 
 gress voted to allow the men, who had been 
 employed in taking and garrisoning Ticoa- 
 
154: MEMOm OF 
 
 deroga and Crown Point, the same pay as 
 was received by officers and privates in tlie 
 American army ; and also recommended to 
 the Provincial Congress of New York, that, 
 after consulting with General Schuyler, 
 '•^ they should employ in the army to be rais- 
 ed for the defence of America those called 
 Green Mountain Boys, under such officers as 
 the saidGreen MountainBoys should choose." 
 This matter was referred to the government 
 of New York, that no controversy might a- 
 rise about jurisdiction, at a time when af- 
 fairs of vastly greater moment demanded the 
 attention of all parties. 
 
 Allen and Warner repaired without delay 
 to tlie New York Congress, presented them- 
 selves at the door of the hall, and requested 
 an audience, the resolve of the Continental 
 Congress having already been received and 
 discussed. An embarrassing difficulty now 
 arose among the members, which caused 
 much warmth of debate. The persons, who 
 asked admittance, were outlaws by an exist- 
 ing act of the legislature of New York, and, 
 although the Provincial Congress was a dis- 
 tinct body from the old assembly, organized 
 in opposition to it, and holding its recent 
 principles and doings in detestation, yet 
 some members had scruples on the subject 
 tof disregarding in so palpable a manner the 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 155 
 
 laws of the land, as to join in a public con- 
 ference with me)i, who had been proclaimed 
 by tlie highest authority in the colony to be 
 rioters and felons. There was also another 
 party, whose feelings and interest were en- 
 listed on the side of their scruples, who had 
 taken an active part in the contest, and 
 whose antipathies were too deeply rooted to 
 be at once eradicated. On the other hand, 
 the ardent friends of liberty, who regarded 
 the great cause at stake as paramount to ev- 
 ery thing else, and who were willing to show 
 their disrespect for the old assembly, argued 
 not only the injustice but tyranny of the act 
 in question, and represented in strong colors 
 the extreme impolicy of permitting ancient 
 feuds to mar the harmony and obstruct the 
 concert of action, so necessary for attaining 
 the grand object of the wishes and eftbrts of 
 every member present. In the midst of the 
 debate, Captain Sears moved that Ethan Al- 
 len should be admitted to the floor of the 
 House. The motion Avas seconded by Mo- 
 lancton Smith, and was carried by a major- 
 ity of two to one. A similar motion prevailed 
 in regard to Seth Warner. 
 
 "When these gentlemen had addressed the 
 House tliey withdrew, and it was resolved, 
 that a regiment of Green ^lountain Boys 
 should be raised, not exceeding five hun- 
 
156 MEMOIR OF 
 
 dred men, and to consist of seven companies. 
 Tbej were to choose their own officers, ex- 
 cept the field-officers, who were to be ap- 
 pointed bj the Congress of New York ; but 
 it was requested that the people would nom- 
 inate such persons as they approved. A 
 lieutenant-colonel was to be the highest offi- 
 cer. The execution of the resolve was re- 
 ferred to General Schuyler, who immediate- 
 ly gave notice to the inhabitants of the 
 Grants, and ordered them to proceed in or- 
 ganizing the regiment. 
 
 Meantime Allen and Warner had finished 
 their mission, and returned to their friends. 
 The committees of several townships assem- 
 bled at Dorset to choose officers for the new 
 regiment. The choice fell on Seth Warner 
 for lieutenant-colonel, and on Samuel Saf- 
 ford for major. This nomination was con- 
 firmed by the Kew York Congress. Wheth- 
 er Colonel Allen declined being a candidate, 
 or whether it was expected that the regi- 
 ment would ultimately have a colonel, and 
 that he would be advanced to that post, or 
 whether his name was omitted for any other 
 reason, I have no means of determining. 
 At any rate he was not attached to the reg- 
 iment, and in a few days he joined General 
 Schuyler at Ticonderoga as a volunteer. He 
 wrote a letter of thanks to the New York 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 157 
 
 Congress in the fullowiDg words. *^ AVlicn 
 I reflect on the unliappy controversj, \>liich 
 has many years subsisted between die gov- 
 ernment of New York, and the settlers on 
 the iSTcw Ilampsliire Grants, and also con- 
 template the friendship and union that have 
 lately taken place, in making a united resist- 
 ance against ministerial vengeance and slave- 
 ry, I cannot but indulge fond hopes of a rec- 
 oncihation. To promote this salutary end 
 I shall contribute my influence, assuring you, 
 that your respectful treatment not only to 
 iSFr. Warner and myself, but to the Green 
 ^lountain Doys in general in forming them 
 into a battallion, is by them duly regarded ; 
 and I will be responsible, that they will re- 
 ciprocate this f\ivor by boldly hazarding their 
 lives, if need be, in the common cause of A- 
 mcrica." 
 
 Knowing the value of Colonel Allen's ex- 
 perience a'nd activity. General Schuyler per- 
 suaded him to remain in the army, chiefly 
 with the view of acting as a pioneer among 
 the Canadians. In pursuance of this design, 
 as soon as the army reached Isle-aux-Noix, an 
 address to the people of Canada Avas written 
 by General Schuyler, the drift of which was 
 to convince them that the invasion was ex- 
 clusively against the British, and in no de- 
 gree intended as an encroachment on the 
 
158 MEMOm OF 
 
 rights and liberties of the ancient inhabit- 
 ants. On the contrary they were invited to 
 unite with the Americans, and participate in 
 the honorable enterprise of throwing off the 
 shackles of an oppressive government, as- 
 serting the claims of justice, and securing 
 the enjoyment of freedom. This address 
 was committed to the hands of Ethan Allen, 
 who was instructed to proceed with it into 
 Canada, make it known to the inhabitants in 
 such a manner as his discretion should dic- 
 tate, and ascertain as far as he could their 
 temper and sentiments. 
 
 He went first to Chamblee, where he 
 found many persons friendly to the Ameri- 
 can cause, and among them several men of 
 the first respectability and influence. He 
 was visited by these gentlemen, and by the 
 militia captains in that neighborhood, who 
 seemed well disposed to join with the Amer- 
 icans, if there was any chance of their com- 
 ing forward in such numbers as to hold out a 
 probabihty of success. They furnished Col. 
 Allen with a guard, who constantly attend- 
 ed him under arms, and escorted him through 
 the woods. He sent a messenger to the 
 chiefs of the Caghnawaga Indians, proffer- 
 ing to them peace and friendship. They re- 
 turned the compliment by delegating two 
 of their tribe, with beads and a belt of warn- 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 159 
 
 puni, to hold a conference with Colonel Al- 
 len and confirm the friendly disposition of 
 the Caglmawagas. The ceremony was per- 
 formed with mucli parade and solemnity, ac- 
 cording to the Indian manner. After spend- 
 ing eight days on this mission, traversing 
 diiferent parts of the com:- try between the So- 
 rel and St. Lawrence, and conversing with 
 many persons. Colonel Allen returned to the 
 army at Isle-aux-NoLx. The result of his 
 observation was, that, should the American 
 army invest St. John's, and advance into 
 Canada with a respectable force, a large 
 number of the inhabitants would immediate- 
 ly join in arms with the ximericans ; but till 
 such a movement should be made, it was 
 not likely that there would be any open in- 
 dications of hostility to the British power. 
 His conduct in executing this service was ap- 
 proved by General Schuyler. 
 
 Just at this time the command of tho 
 Canada expedition devolved on General 
 ^lontgomery, who advanced to St. John's, 
 and laid siege to that garrison. Colonel 
 Allen was immediately despatched to retrace 
 his steps, penetrate the country, and raise 
 as many of the inhabitants as he could to n- 
 nite in arms with tlie American forces. He 
 had been absent a week, when ho wroto as 
 fgllows to Genoral Montgomery. 
 
160 MEMOIR OP 
 
 " I am now at the parish of St. Ours, 
 four leagues from Sorel to the south. I 
 have two hundred and fifty Canadians un* 
 der arms. As I march, they gather fast. 
 There are the objects of taking the vessels 
 in the Sorel and General Carleton. These 
 objects I pass by to assist the army besieg- 
 ing St. John's. If that place be taken, the 
 country is ours ; if we miscarry in this, all 
 other achievements will profit but little. I 
 am fearful our army will be sickly, and that 
 the siege may be hard ; therefore I choose 
 to assist in conquering St. John's. You 
 may rely on it, that I shall join you in about 
 three days with five hundred or more Can- 
 adian volunteers. I could raise one or two 
 thousand in a week's time, but I wall first 
 visit the army with a less number, and, if 
 necessary, go again recruiting. It is with 
 the advice of the officers with me, that I 
 speedily repair to the army. God grant 
 you wisdom and fortitude and every accom- 
 plishment of a victorious general." 
 
 Unluckily these anticipations were blight- 
 ed in their bloom. In an evil hour Colonel 
 Allen was induced to change his judicious 
 determination of joining General Montgom- 
 ery without delay, and to give ear to a pro- 
 ject; which proved the ruin of lus bright 
 hopes, and led him into a fatal snare. He 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 161 
 
 liad marched up the eastern bank of the St. 
 Lawrence as far as Longueil, nearly oppo- 
 site to Montreal, and ^yaa pressing on towards 
 St. John's, according to the tenor of his let- 
 ter. Between Longueil and Laprairie he 
 fell in with Major Brown, who was at the 
 head of an advanced party of Amoricans 
 and Canadians. Brown rcc|ucsted liim to 
 stop, took him aside, and proposed to unite 
 their forces in an attack on Montreal, re- 
 presenting tho defenceless condition of the 
 town, and the case with which it might be 
 taken by surprise. Relying on the knowl- 
 edge and fidehty of Brown, and ever ready 
 to pursue adventures and court danger, Co- 
 lonel Allen assented to the proposal, and 
 tho plan wag matured on the spot. Allen 
 was to return to Longueil, procure canoes, 
 and pass over with his party in the night a 
 little below IMontreal ; and Brown at the 
 same time was to cross above the town, with 
 about two hundred men, and the attack was 
 to be made simultaneously at opposite points. 
 True to his engagement, Allen crossed 
 the river on the night of the 24th of Sep- 
 tember, with eighty Canadians and thirty 
 Americans, and landed them undiscovered 
 before daylight, although tho oanccs were so 
 few and small, that it was necessary to pass 
 back and forth three times in conveying o- 
 
 11 
 
162 MEMOIR OF 
 
 ver the whole party. The wind was high 
 and the waves rough, which added to the 
 peril of an adventure sufficiently hazardous 
 in itself. The day dawned, and Colonel Al- 
 len waited with impatience for the signal of 
 Major Brown's division having division land- 
 ed above the town. He set guards in the 
 road to stop all persons that were passing, 
 and thus prevent intelligence of his approach 
 from being carried into Montreal. When 
 the morning was considerably advanced and 
 no signal had been given, it was evident 
 that Major Brown had not crossed the river. 
 Colonel Allen would willingly have retreat- 
 ed, but it was now too late. The canoes 
 would hold only one third of his party. A 
 person detained by his guard had escaped 
 and gone into the town, and presently arm- 
 ed men were seen coming out. He posted 
 his men in the best manner he could, and 
 prepared to maintain his ground. About 
 forty British regulars, two or three hundred 
 Canadians, and a few Indians, constituted 
 the assailing force. The skirmish continued 
 an hour and three quarters, when Colonel 
 Allen agreed to surrender to the principal 
 British officer, upon being promisee! honora- 
 ble terms. His men had all deserted liim 
 in the conflict, except thirty-eight, who were 
 included in his capitulation. Seven of these 
 
ETIIAN ALLEN. 163 
 
 were wounded. They were treated civilly 
 by the officers while raaiThin<^ into Montre- 
 al, and till they were delivered over to Gen- 
 eral Preacott, whose conduct is described as 
 having been peculiarly harsh, and in all re- 
 spects unworthy of an officer of his rank. 
 Ilis lanizua^e was coarse and his manner un- 
 feeling. After conversing with his prison- 
 er, and asking him if he was the same Colo- 
 nel Allen, who had taken Ticonderoga, he 
 burst into a passion, threatened him Avith a 
 halter at Tyburn, and ordered him to be 
 bound hand and foot in irons on board the 
 Gaspee schooner of war. In this situation 
 Colonel Allen wrote the following letter to 
 General Prescott. 
 
 " Honorable Sir, 
 
 '' In the wheel of transitory events I find 
 myself a prisoner and in irons. Probably 
 your honor has certain reasons to me incon- 
 ceivable, though I challenge an instance of 
 this sort of economy of the Americans du 
 ring the late war towards any officers of the 
 Crown. On my part, I have to assure youi' 
 Honor, that when I had the command and 
 took Captain Delaplacc and Lieutenant Fel- 
 ton, with the garrison at Ticrnderoga, 1 
 treated them with every mark of friendship 
 and irenerositv, the evidence of which is no- 
 
164 MEMOIR OF 
 
 torious even in Canada. I have only to add, 
 that I expect an honorable and humane 
 treatment, as an officer of my rank and mer- 
 it should have, and subscribe myself your 
 Honor's most obedient humble servant. 
 
 "Ethan Allen."* 
 
 No answer to this letter was returned. 
 Colonel Allen's irons were massive, and so 
 fastened as to give him constant pain. He 
 was handcuffed, and his ankles were con- 
 fined in shackles, to which was attached a 
 bar of iron eight feet long. In this plight 
 he was thrust into the lowest part of the 
 ship, where ho had neither a bed nor any ar- 
 ticle of furniture except a chest, on which 
 by the favor of some humane sailor he was 
 allowed to sit, or lie on his back, the only 
 recumbent posture that his irons would suf- 
 fer him to assume. His companions inarms, 
 who capitulated on the same terms as their 
 leader, were fastened together in pairs with 
 handcuffs and chains. 
 
 =* The account of the capture of Ticonderoga, which 
 has been given above, and of the subsequent events of 
 Colonel Allen's life till he was taken prisoner, has 
 been drawn entirely from original manuscripts, in the 
 public offices of Massachusetts and New York, and 
 among General Washington's papers. The particu- 
 iilars respecting his captivity are chiefly gathered from 
 his own " Narrative^'' written and published shortly af- 
 ter his release. 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 1G5 
 
 For more than five weeks the prisoners 
 were kept in this manner on board the Gas- 
 pee, treated as criminals, and subject to ev- 
 ery indignity from the officers, and from per- 
 sons who came to see them out of curiosity. 
 After the repulse of Governor Carleton at 
 Longueil, by "Warner and his brave Green 
 iMountain Boys, the state of aficiirs in Mon- 
 treal began to j)ut on a more doubtful as- 
 pect. It was deemed advisable to send off 
 the prisoners, that there might be no danger 
 of a rescue, in case of the sudden approach 
 of General Montgomery's army, which 
 might be daily expected. 
 
 In a short time Colonel Allen found him- 
 self at Quebec, where he was transferred to 
 another vessel, and then to a third, a change 
 most favorable to his health and comfort. 
 Cajjtain Littlejohn, the commander of the 
 last vessel, was particularly civil, generous, 
 and friendly, ordering his irons to be knock- 
 ed off, taking him to his own table, and de- 
 claring that no brave man should be ill 
 used on board his ship. Unhappily this re- 
 spite from suftering was of short continuance. 
 Arnold appeared at Point Levi, on the 9th 
 of November, with an armed force, descend- 
 ing from the forests like an apparition of en- 
 chantment in "some fairy tale. The news of 
 tiie surrender of St. John's and the capitu- 
 
166 MEMOIR OF 
 
 lation of Montreal to General Montgomery 
 came soon afterwards. These events were 
 looked upon as the harbinger of greater dis- 
 asters, in the downfall of Quebec, and the 
 conquest of the whole province. In antici- 
 pation of the fate of St. John's and Montre- 
 al, a vessel of war, called the Adamant, had 
 been got in readiness to carry despatches to 
 the government. The prisoners were put on 
 board this vessel, and consigned to the 
 charge of Brook Watson, a merchant of 
 Montreal. Several other loyalists were pas- 
 sengers, and among them Guy Johnson. ■ 
 
 Under his new master, Colonel Allen 
 soon discovered, that he was not to expect 
 the urbanity and kindness of Captain Little- 
 john. His handcuffs were replaced, and 
 lie and thirty-three other prisoners, mana- 
 cled in the same manner, were confined to- 
 gether in a single apartment, enclosed with 
 oak plank, which they were not suffered to 
 leave during the whole passage of nearly 
 forty days. Where there is so much to 
 censure in the hardened insensibihty, which 
 could inflict sufferings like these on prison- 
 ers, whose only crime was their bravery, it 
 should be mentioned as one softening fea- 
 ture, that as much provision was served to 
 them as they wanted, and a gill of rum a 
 day to each man ; so that the negative mer- 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 1<37 
 
 it of not adding starvation to confinement, 
 insults, and chains, should be allowed to 
 have its full weight. Tho name of Brook 
 "Watson had already become notorious. 
 Three or four months previously to his sail- 
 ing for England, he had been at New York 
 and I*hiladclphia, visited many persons 
 of distinction, especially members of the 
 Continental Congress, and conducted him- 
 self in such a manner as to leave the impres- 
 sion, that he was a wann friend to the A- 
 merican cause. Immediately after his re- 
 turn to Montreal, letters written by him to 
 persons m General Gage's army at Eoston 
 were intercepted, which proved him to have 
 deserved the character rather of a spy than 
 a fiiend. He had art, insincerity, and tal- 
 ent. He was the same Brook Watson, who 
 was afterwards Lord Mayor of London. 
 
 It was a joyful day for the prisoners when 
 the Adamant entered the harbor of Fal- 
 mouth. Their long and close confinement 
 liad become extremely irksome and painful. 
 They were now brought on deck, and per- 
 mitted to breathe the fresh air, and were 
 cheered with the light of day. In a short 
 lime they were landed, and marched to 
 Bendennis Castle, about a nile from the 
 town. Great crowds were atirrcted to wit- 
 ness so novel a sight ; and if all jLo prison- 
 
168 MEMOIR OF 
 
 ers were habited in the costume of Colonel 
 Allen, it is no "wonder that their curiosity 
 v/as excited. While he was on his recruit- 
 ing tour he had clothed himself in a Can- 
 adian dress, consisting of a short, fawn-skin, 
 double-breasted jacket, a vest and breeches 
 of sagathj, worsted stockings, shoes, a plain 
 shirt, and a red worsted cap. In this garb 
 he was taken ; and, as it had never been 
 changed during his captivity, he was exhib- 
 ited in it to the gazing multitudes of Fal- 
 mouth. Robinson Crusoe on his island could 
 hardly have presented a more grotesque ap- 
 pearance. The people stared, but no insult 
 was oiFered to the prisoners on their Avay to 
 the castle. 
 
 In this new abode they found their con- 
 dition much improved, being lodged in an 
 airy room, and indulged with the luxury of 
 bunks and straw. Their irons were still 
 kept on, but they were kindly treated, and 
 furnished with fresh and wholesome provis- 
 ions. Colonel Allen was particularly favor- 
 ed by the commandant of the castle, who 
 sent him a breakfast and dinner every day 
 from his own table, and now and then a bot- 
 tle of wine. Another benevolent gentle- 
 xnan supplied his board witli suppers, and in 
 the article of good living his star of fortune 
 had probably never been more propitious. 
 
ETHAN ALLEX. 1G9 
 
 Tlio rcno^^l of liis adventure at Ticondero- 
 ga had gone before liim ; and as that for- 
 tress had a notoriety in England, on ac- 
 count of its importance in former wars, the 
 man who had conquered it was looked upon 
 as no common person, though now in chains 
 and stigmatized with the name of rebel. Ho 
 was [jermitted to walk on the parade-ground 
 within the walls of the castle, where many 
 respectable people from the neighborhood 
 paid him a visit, and conversed with him on 
 various topics. His bold and independent 
 manner, fluency of language, and strong na- 
 tive talent, contrasted with the singularity 
 of his appearancQ, in his Canadian dress 
 and handcufls, awakened the surprise and 
 contributed to the amusement of his audi- 
 tors. Though in bondage, and completely 
 at the mercy of his enemies, he was elo- 
 quent on the theme of patriotism, boasted 
 the courage and firmness of his country- 
 men, and pledged himsi If that they would 
 never cease to resist oppression, till their 
 just claims were allowed, and their liberty 
 secured. These political harangues, if they 
 had no other effect, served to lighten the 
 weight of his chains, and to give a seeming 
 impulse to the leaden wings of time. 
 
 Notwithstanding the comparative amelior- 
 ation of liis circumstances. Colonel Allen's 
 
170 MEMOIR OF 
 
 mind was not perfectly at ease in regard to 
 the future. General Prescott's hint about 
 his gracing a halter at Tyburn rested upon 
 his thoughts, and gave him some uneasiness 
 amidst the uncertain prospects now before 
 him. But despondency and fear made no 
 part of his character, and, even when hope 
 failed, his fortitude was triumphant. Pre- 
 pared for the worst that might happen, he 
 bethought himself of trying the efect of a 
 stratagem. He asked permission to write a 
 letter to the Continental Congress, which 
 was 2;ranted. lie dcoicted in vivid colors 
 the treatment he had received from the be- 
 ginning of his captivity, but advised the 
 Congress not to retaliate, till the fate that a- 
 waited him in England should be known, 
 and then to execute the law of retahation 
 not in proportion to the small influence of 
 his character in America, but to the extent 
 demanded by the importance of the cause 
 for which he had suffered. The despatch 
 was finished, and handed over for inspection 
 to the officer, who had permitted him to 
 write. This officer went to him the next 
 day, and reprimanded him for what he call- 
 'ed tlie impudence of inditing such an epis- 
 tle. " Do you think we are fools in Eng- 
 jland," said he, " and would send your letter 
 >^o Congress with instructions to retaliate on 
 
FTIIAN ALLEN. 171 
 
 our o^Yn people ? I have sent your letter 
 to Lord North." Thi=- Tvas precisely the 
 destination for •\vliicli the writer intended it, 
 and he felt a secret satisfaction that his ar- 
 tifice had succeeded. lie wished the mhi- 
 istry to know his situation and his past suf- 
 ferings, and to reflect, that his countrymen 
 had it in their power to retahate in full 
 measure any acts of violence meditated a- 
 gainst his person. A letter on these sub- 
 ject s, written directly to a minister by a 
 prisoner in irons, would not have been for- 
 warded. 
 
 AVhatever ideas the ministry may have en- 
 tertained when the prisoners were landed, 
 it was soon perceived that lenient measures 
 were the most advisable. The opposition 
 made a handle of an act so outrageous, as 
 that of treating; as malefactors and chain- 
 ing men, who had been taken bravely fight- 
 ing in a cause, for which a whole continent 
 was in arms ; and it was riow too late to talk 
 of hanging the revolted colonists on the 
 i)lea of rebellion. Moreover it was known, 
 that St. John's and Montreal had surren- 
 dered to Montgomery, and that the very 
 officei*s, who had captured these men and 
 sent them to England, were in the hands of 
 the Americans. It was furthermore rumor- 
 -ed, that certain gentlemen had resolved Uf 
 
172 MEMOIR OF 
 
 try the effect of the Hah eas Corpus act in 
 setting the prisoners at liberty, or at least 
 in bringing them to a trial before a proper 
 magistrate, to ascertain whetJier they were 
 legally guilty of any offence, which justified 
 their confinement. To silence popular cla- 
 mor, and prevent rash consequences, the 
 government determined to regard them as 
 prisoners of war, and to send them back to 
 America. For this purpose they were or- 
 dered on board the Solebay frigate, where 
 their irons were taken off, after they had 
 worn them about three months and a half. 
 Just at this time the grand armament 
 
 o 
 
 was preparing to sail from Ireland, under 
 Sir Peter Parker and Lord Cornwalhs, with 
 troops to act against North Carolina, accord- 
 ing to a plan formed by the ministry in con- 
 sequence of the representations of Govern- 
 or Martin, that a numerous body of loyalists 
 was ready to take up arms in that colony, 
 as soon as they should be encouraged by the 
 co-operation of a sufficient force from Great 
 Britain. The troops were to be put on board 
 in the harbor of Cork, where the vessels 
 destined for the expedition rendezvoused, 
 and among them the Solebay frigate. From 
 the captain of this ship Colonel Allen had 
 early proofs, that the prisoners Avere to ex- 
 pect neither lenity nor civil treatment. His 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 173' 
 
 first salutation Tvas to order tlicm in an im- 
 perious tone to leave the deck, and never ap- 
 pear there again, adding that the deck was 
 the '' place for gentlemen to walk." Allen 
 was conducted down to the cahle-tier, where 
 he was left to accommodate himself as well 
 as he could. Leing ill of a cold, and liis 
 health much impaired by his late suftcrings, 
 the natural buoyancy of his spirits failed 
 him in this comfortless abode, and he felt 
 himself, as he has expressed it, " in an evil 
 case," imagining his enemies to have devis- 
 ed this scheme of efiecting, by a slow and 
 clandestine process, what it was impolitic for 
 them to do in the open face of day with the 
 eyes of the public upon them. 
 
 Uis despondency, however, gradually 
 wore off, and, two days afterwards, wanting 
 fresh air .and exercise, ho resolved to try 
 the experiment of appearing on deck, hav- 
 ing washed, shaved, and adjusted his dres3 
 in the best manner liis scanty wardrobe 
 would allow. The captain saw him, and de- 
 manded in an angry voice, if he had not 
 been ordered not to come on deck. Colonel 
 Allen replied, that he had heard such an or- 
 der from him, but at the same time he had 
 said, " the deck was the place for gentle- 
 men to walk," and, as he was Colonel Allen 
 and a gentleman, ho claimed the privilege of 
 
174 MEMOIR OF 
 
 liis rank. Whether influenced bj this kind 
 of logic, or by some other reason, the cap- 
 tain contented himself with uttering an oath 
 and cautioning the prisoner never to be seen 
 on the same side of the ship with him. 
 There was encouragement even in this harsh 
 greeting, since it did not amount to an ab- 
 solute prohibition ; and, by taking care to 
 keep at a proper distance from the captain, 
 he was afterwards permitted to walk the 
 deck, though sometimes capriciously and 
 rudely ordered off. His condition below was 
 somewhat amended by the generosity of the 
 master-at-arms, an Irishman, who offered him 
 a place in a little berth fitted up for himself 
 with canvass between the decks, in which 
 he was kindly allowed by the occupant to re- 
 main till the ship arrived in America. 
 
 When it was known at Cork, that Colo- 
 nel Allen and his fellow-prisoners were in the 
 harbor on board the Solebay, several gen- 
 tlemen of that city determined to convey to 
 them substantial evidences of their sympa- 
 thy. A full suit of clothes was sent to 
 each of the privates ; and Colonel Allen's 
 wardrobe was replenished with fine broad- 
 cloth sufficient for two suits, eight shirts, and 
 stocks ready made, several pairs of silk and 
 worsted hose, shoes, and two beaver hats, 
 one of which was richly adorned with gold 
 
ETITAX "aLLEX. 175' 
 
 lac(?. Kor did the bounty of the philanthro- 
 pists of Cork end hero. Although they had 
 clothed the naked, they did not consider 
 the work of benevolence finished till they 
 had fed the hungry. A profuse supply of 
 sea-stores came on board for Colonel Allen, 
 consisting of sugar, coffee, tea, chocolate, 
 pickled beef, fat turkics, wines, old spirits, 
 and other articles suited for a voYa;rc. Each 
 of the privates also received tea and sugar. 
 Added to this, a gentleman visited Colonel 
 Allen,in behalf of the donors, and offered him 
 fifty guineas, which, after the other tokens 
 of their munificence, he declined to accept, 
 retaining only seven guineas as a relief in 
 case of pressing necessity. 
 
 The above articles were admitted on board 
 by the second lieutenant, wliile liis superiors 
 were on shore ; but when the captain re- 
 turned and was informed what had been 
 done, he was angry, and swore that " the 
 American rebels should not be feasted at 
 this rate by the rebels of Ireland." He 
 took away all the liquors, except a small 
 quantity, which was secreted by the conni- 
 vance of the second lieutenant, and he ap- 
 propriated to tho use of the crew all the 
 tea and sugar, that had been given to the 
 privates. The clothing they were permit 
 ted to keep. 
 
176 MEMOIR OF 
 
 The fleet put to sea from Cork on the 
 13th of February, consistmg of forty-three 
 sail, "with about two thousand five hundred 
 troops. The weather was fine, and the ef- 
 fect was beautiful as the ships sailed out of 
 the harbor ; but they had been out only five 
 days, when a terrible storm arose, which rag- 
 ed with unabated violence for twenty-four 
 hours, dispersed the fleet, and shattered sev- 
 eral of the transports so much, that they 
 were obliged to put back to Cork and the 
 southern ports of England. The Solebay 
 received no essential injury, and she pro- 
 ceeded on her voyage. Before they left 
 Cork the prisoners were divided and as- 
 signed to three different ships. This gave 
 their leader some uneasiness, for they had 
 been brave, and true to the cause in which 
 they suffered, and had borne all their calam- 
 ities with a becoming fortitude. It turned 
 out, however, that they were better treated 
 on board the other ships, than they had been 
 while with him. The only incider-t worthy 
 of being commemorated, which happened 
 to Colonel Allen during the voyage, was the 
 change of his Canadian costume for one fab- 
 ricated from the superfine broadcloths re- 
 ceived in Cork. This metamorphosis was 
 effected by the aid of the captain's tailor, 
 whose services were granted on this ocga- 
 
ETfl.VN ALLEN. 177 
 
 Mon a3 a special favor. Clad in his new 
 .^iiit -svith his silk stockings and laced hat, 
 the prisoner made a more respectable fig- 
 ure on dock, and enjoyed privileges, which 
 at first had been denied. 
 
 It was with some regret, therefore, that, 
 after his arrival at Capo Fear River, in 
 North Carolina, he found himself transferred 
 to the Mercury frigate, the captain of which 
 he describes as tyrannical, narrow-minded, 
 and destitute of the common feelings of hu- 
 manity. The only consolation in this change 
 of circumstances was, that his original com- 
 panions in captivity were brought together 
 again on board this ship, except one who 
 had died on the passage from Ireland, and 
 an<.>ther who had escaped by an extraordm- 
 ary exertion of swimming, after the fleet 
 arrived on the coast, and who safely reach- 
 ed his home in New England. The captain 
 (•rdered the purser not to let the prisoners 
 have any thing from his store, and forbade 
 the surgeon's attending them in sickness. 
 Every night they were shut down in the ca- 
 ble-tier, and indeed they passed a miserable 
 existence both day and night, being t<)ld, 
 when they complained of such treatment, 
 that it was a matter of little consequence, 
 as they would be hanged when they arrived 
 in Halifax. 
 
178 MEMOIR OF 
 
 The Mercury sailed from Cape Fear Riv- 
 er on the 20th of May, and touched at the 
 Hook off New York the first week m June. 
 At this time General Yf ashington with the 
 American Army had possession of New 
 York, and the British shipping lay in the 
 outer harbor near the Hook. The Mercu- 
 ry remained here three days, during which 
 time Governor Tryon, and Mr. Kemp, the 
 attorney-general of New York under the 
 old government, came on board. Tryon 
 eyed Allen, as they were w^alking on differ- 
 ent parts of the deck, but did not speak to 
 him. It is natural to presume, that the late 
 governor saw with a secret satisfaction the 
 man in safe custody, who had caused him so 
 much unavailing trouble in wTiting procla- 
 mations. Kemp was the same attorney, 
 whom Allen had met at Albany, w^hen he 
 attended the court there as agent for the 
 patentees of the New Hampshire Grants. 
 No man had l)een more active in pressing 
 the New Y^ork claims, or in stirring up per- 
 secutions against the Green Mountain Boys ; 
 and of course no one had acquired among 
 them a more odious notoriety. This acci- 
 dental meeting with Ethan Allen must have 
 called up peculiar associations in the minds 
 of botli the governor and the attorney-gen- 
 eraL 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 179 
 
 The Mercury amvcd in Halifax after a 
 Fhort passage from New York. The pris- 
 onere were put into a sloop, then lying in the 
 harbor, and a guard watched them day and 
 night. In this confinement they were serv- 
 ed with so scanty an allowance of provisions, 
 that they suficred cruelly from the distress 
 of hunger, which, added to attacks of the 
 pcurvy, made their condition more deplora- 
 l>lo than it had been at any former time. 
 The}" were still under tlio direction of the 
 captain of the IMercury, to whom they wrote 
 letter after letter, imploring medical aid and 
 other assistance, but in vain. The captain 
 was deaf to their calls, took no notice of 
 their complaints, and, to get rid of their im- 
 portunities, he ordered the guards to bring 
 liim no more letters. Their case seemed noA7 
 reduced to the verge of despair. Allen re- 
 solved, however, to make one more eftbrt. 
 lie wrought so far upon the compassion of 
 one of the guards, as to persuado him to 
 take a letter directed to Governor Arbuth- 
 not, which was faithfully communicated. 
 Touched with the claims of humanity, the 
 governor immediately sent a surgeon to the 
 prisoners, with instructions to adni mister 
 such relief to the sick as was necessary, and 
 d?o an officer, to ascertain and report the 
 grounds of their complaint. This officer di,^- 
 
180 MEMOIR OP 
 
 charged his duty well, and the result was, 
 that the next day they were removed from 
 their dismal quarters on board the prison- 
 sloop to the jail in Halifax. 
 
 To seek the asylum of a jail is not a u- 
 sual experiment for attaining happiness. In 
 the present instance, however, it was a for- 
 tunate one for the sufferers, inasmuch as it 
 was the means of relieving them from the 
 pains of hunger, and procuring for them 
 the attendance of a physician. In other re- 
 spects their condition was little amended, 
 since more than thirty persons were shut up 
 in one room, several of them in various stag- 
 es of sickness, with hardly a single accom- 
 modation, that could in any manner contrib- 
 ute to their comfort or convenience. Some 
 of Allen's fellow-prisoners had been sent to 
 the hospital, and others employed in the pub- 
 lic works, so that only thirteen of those ta- 
 ken in Canada now remained with him. 
 
 Among the American prisoners, whom Al- 
 len met in Halifax jail, was Mr. James Lov- 
 ell of Boston, a gentleman eminent for his 
 learning and character, who, after his re- 
 lease, was many years a member of the 
 Continental Congress. His zeal in the cause 
 of his country, and frankness in avowing 
 his sentiments, had made him an object of 
 suspicion and odium to the British com- 
 
ETEAN ALIJEN. 181 
 
 mandcr in Boston, where he was first im- 
 prisoned : and, -when tliat city was evacuatr 
 ed, he was carried into ca])tivity, and locked 
 up in the jail of llahfax in the same apart- 
 ment with prisoners of the lowest class. 
 
 There were now together four American 
 officers, besides Mr. Lovell, who, by the cus- 
 tom of war and the practice then existing 
 in re.irard to British prisoners taken by the 
 Americans, had a right to their parole ; but 
 tliis was never granted. They were keptiu 
 close confinement till orders came from Gen- 
 eral Howe to send them to New York. Par- 
 tial negotiations had commenced between 
 General Washington and Goneral Howe for 
 the exchange of prisoners, and certain prin- 
 ciples had been laid down, by the mutual a- 
 greoment of the parties, as a basis up<m 
 ^vllich to proceed. Moreover Congress had 
 instructed General Washington to make a 
 special ajiplication in favor of Mr. Tx)vell 
 and Colonel Allen, proposing to exchann;o 
 Governor Skene for the fonner, and an ofti- 
 cer of equal rank for the latter. The leg- 
 islature of Connecticut had also interfered 
 in b(^alf of Allen, and eighteen of the pris- 
 oners taken with him, who were natives of 
 that State, and solicited Congress and the 
 (^'ommandcr-in-chief to use all practicable 
 means for cficcting their release. The same 
 
182 MEMOIR OF 
 
 had been done by the Massachusetts legis- 
 lature in the case of Mr. Lovell. 
 ( After the intelligence of Allen's bein;^ in 
 
 / Halifax reached his friends, a project was 
 i formed by his brother, Levi Allen, to visit 
 / him there and attempt to procure his liber- 
 ty. The State of Connecticut voted money 
 to pay the expense of this enterprise, but 
 the arrival of the prisoners in New York 
 rendered it unnecessary. 
 
 The Lark frigate, on board of which y/ere 
 Mr. Lovell, Colonel Allen, and their com- 
 panions, sailed from Halifax about the mid- 
 dle of October. Luckily they found them- 
 selves at last under an officer, Captain 
 Smith, who treated them with the politeness 
 of a gentleman, and with the feelings of a 
 man capable of sympathizing in the distress- 
 es of the unfortunate. The first interview 
 is thus described by Colonel Allen. "When 
 I came on deck, he met me with his hand, 
 welcomed me to his ship, invited me to dine 
 with him that day, and assured me that I 
 should be treated as a gentleman, and that 
 he had given orders that I should be treat- 
 ed with respect by the ship's crew. This 
 was so unexpected and sudden a transition, 
 that it drew tears from my eyes, which all 
 the ill usages I had before met with were 
 not able to produce ; nor could I at first 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 183 
 
 hardly speak, but soon recovered myself, 
 and expressed my gratitude for so unexpect- 
 -'d a lavor, and let him know, that I felt anx- 
 iety of mind in reilectmg, that his situation 
 and mine was such, that it was not probable 
 it would ever be in my power to return the 
 favor. Captain Smith replied, that he had 
 no reward in view, but only treated me as a 
 gentleman ought to be treated. He said, 
 this is a mutable world, and one gentleman 
 never knows but it may ])C hi his power to 
 help another.'* 
 
 An opportunity soon occurred of verify- 
 ing this last remark. They had not been at 
 sea many days, when it was discovered that 
 :i conspiracy was on foot to destroy the cap- 
 tahi and the principal officers, and seize tho 
 ship. An American captain, who had com- 
 manded an armed vessel, and been recently 
 taken prisoner, vras tho chief conspirator, 
 lie revealed his designs to Colonel Allen, 
 and Mr. Lovell, requesting their co-operiv 
 lion in bringing over the other prisoners, a- 
 bout thirty in number, and telling them that 
 several of tho crew were ready to join in 
 the plot. It was known that there were 
 thirty-five thousand pounds in money on 
 board, and the plan of the conspiracy was 
 to take the ship into an American port, 
 where they expected to divide the booty ae- 
 
184' " MEMOIPw OF 
 
 cording to the usual rules of captures. 
 Without waiting to discuss the laws of ,wary 
 or to reason about the infamy and criminal- 
 ity of such an act with men, who were pre- 
 pared to execute it, Colonel Allen declared' 
 with his usual decision and vehemence, that 
 he would not listen a moment to such a 
 scheme, that, in its mildest character, it was:- 
 a base and wicked return for the kind treat- 
 ment they had received, and that he would 
 at every personal hazard defend Captain 
 Smith's life. This rebuff was unexpected 
 by the conspirators, and it threw them into 
 a distressing dilemma, since the fear of de- 
 tection was now as appalling to them as the 
 danger of their original enterprise. They 
 then requested him to remain neutral, and 
 let them proceed in their own way, but this 
 he peremptorily refused ; and he finally suc- 
 ceeded in quelling their conspiracy, by ad- 
 hering to his resolution, and promising, that 
 as he had been consulted in confidence, he 
 would not divulge the matter, if the leaders 
 would pledge themselves instantly to aban- 
 don the design. In the present state of 
 things they were glad to accept such terms. 
 At the conclusion of this affair Colonel Al- 
 len was forcibly reminded of the words of 
 Captain Smith. 
 Before the end of October the Lark fris:- 
 
ETHAN" ALLEX. 185 
 
 ate anchorcLl in the harbor of New York, 
 and the prisoners were removed to the Glas- 
 <5ow trans[iort. ^Mr. Lovell was exchanged 
 in a few davs for Governor Skene ; and Co- 
 lonel Allen, after remaining four or five 
 weeks in the transport, where he met with 
 \ ery civil usage, was landed in New York 
 and admitted to his parole. Here he had 
 an op])ortunity of witnessing the wretched 
 condition and extreme suftcrings of the A- 
 merican prisoners, who had been taken in 
 the battle of Long Island and at Fort AVash- 
 ington, and Avho were left to perish of hun- 
 ger, cold, ami sickness in thej churches of 
 New York. He speaks- of these scenes as 
 the most painful and revolting, that could 
 bo conceived. Indeed numerous eoncur- 
 rinir testimonies have established it as a fact 
 of which not a shadow of doubt can now be 
 entertained, that human misery has seldom 
 been seen in such hcart-jcnding forms or un- 
 der circumstances so aggravating. The mo- 
 tives of the enemy for practising or permit- 
 ting cruelties so little consonant to tho 
 dictates of humanity, the customs of civil- 
 ized warfare, and every principle of sound 
 policy, are not a fit theme of iufjuiry in thia 
 narrative. The fact itself is an indelible 
 Ftain, deep and dark, in the character of 
 Sir William Howe, which no array of prt- 
 
186 MEMOIR OF 
 
 vato virfcues, of miiitaiy talents, or public 
 .acts, -will hide or obscure. The picture 
 drawn by Alien, colored as it may be by the 
 ardor of his feelings, is vivid and impres- 
 sive, and its accuracy is confirmed by the 
 •declarations of several other persons, who 
 also related what they saw. 
 
 While he was on his parole in I^ew York, 
 a British officer of rank and importance sent 
 for him to his loddngs and told him thathia 
 fidelity, though in a wrong cause, had made 
 an impression upon General Howe, who was 
 disposed to show him a favor, and to ad- 
 vance him t(^ the command of a regiment of 
 loyalists, if he would join the service, hold- 
 ing out to him at the same time brilliant 
 prospects of promotion and money during 
 the war, and large tracts of land at its close. 
 Allen replied, " that if by faithfulness he 
 had recommended himself to General Howe, 
 he should be loth by unfaithfulness to lose 
 the general's good opinion;" and as to the 
 ■lands, he was by no means satisfied, thattho 
 King would possess a sufficient quantity in 
 the United States at the end of the war to 
 redeera any pledges on that score. The of- 
 ficer sent him away as an incorrigible and 
 hojieless subject. 
 
 In the month of January, 1777, he was 
 directed with other prisoners to take up his 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 187 
 
 abode on tlio "western side of Long Island, 
 bcin;:; still on parole, and allowed the usual 
 freedom under such circum.^tances "^N-itliiu 
 ccrtaift prescribed limits. Hero bo remain- 
 ed in a condition of comparative comiort till 
 August, "when he was suddenl}^ apprehend- 
 ed, environed "^ith guards, conducted to the 
 provost-jail in New York, and put into soli- 
 tary coniincment. This act was on the ])rc- 
 tencc of his having infringed his parole, 
 which he affirmed was untrue, and the whole 
 proceeding unjui-;t and malicious. But the 
 cause was now of little moment, since he was 
 chicdy concerned with the ellect. For tho 
 space of three days ho was immured in 
 liis cell without a morsel of food. Tho ser- 
 geant, who stood at the door, refused to bo 
 removed by offers of money or appeals to 
 his compassion, and repelled every advance 
 with a soldier's oath and tho brief reply, 
 that he would obey his orders. The pains 
 of hunger l)ccame extreme, but they were 
 at last assuaged ; and in a fev/ days he was 
 transferred to another apartment of the jail, 
 where he fouu'l himself in company with 
 more than twenty American officers. 
 
 From this place he was not removed till 
 the end of his captivity. After being shut 
 up for more than eight months in the pro- 
 vost-jail, a confinement of wliich the prison- 
 
188 MEMOIR OP 
 
 ers Tvere ever accustomed to speak with dis- 
 gust and horror, the day of liberty dawned 
 upon him. 
 
 Neither his countrymen generally, nor 
 the supreme council of the nation, had at a- 
 ny time lost sight of his sufferings, or ceased 
 to express their sympathy. Congress had 
 on several occasions proposed his exchange ; 
 but it was prevented after his arrival in New 
 York by the difficulties, which embarrassed 
 and defeated all attempts for effecting a gen- 
 eral cartel between Washington and Howe. 
 It was finally agreed, that he should be ex- 
 changed for Lieutenant-Colonel Campbell ; 
 and on the 3d of May, 1778, he was taken 
 from prison and conducted under guard to 
 a sloop in the harbor, and thence to Staten 
 Island. Here he was politely received by 
 the British commander, and kindly treated 
 for two days, when Colonel Campbell arriv- 
 ed from Elizabeth town, under the charge of 
 Mr. Elias Boudinot, the American Commis- 
 sary-General of prisoneK-\ It may easily 
 be conceived that the meeting was one of 
 mutual congratulation and joy.^ The two re- 
 leased captives drank a glass of wine to- 
 gether in celebration of the event, and Co- 
 lonel Allen returned immediately with Mr. 
 Boudinot to Elizabethtown. 
 
 His feelings, on once more touching the 
 
ETHAN ALLEX. 189 
 
 soil and breathing tlio air of freedom, ^vlll 
 be left to tlio iraa^:^ination of the reader. 
 lie was now restored to his country, the ob- 
 ject of a patriotic devotion, that neither the 
 cruelty nor the enticements of the enemy 
 could diminish ; in Avhoso cause he had suf- 
 fered a captivity of two years and seven 
 months, under all the rigor of chains, hun- 
 ger, and harsh usage. Insensibility made 
 no part of his nature, and the soul must be 
 callous indeed, that would not thrill with e- 
 motion at the recollections of the past, the 
 reaUties of the present, and the visions of 
 tlie future, that now thronged upon his 
 miml. 
 
 Notwithstandinir the stronir associations 
 
 iJ CD 
 
 and tender ties, which drew him towards his 
 home and friends, the impulse of gratitude 
 Avas the first he obeyed. The hvely interest 
 taken in his condition by the Commander- 
 in-chief, and liis efibrta to procure his release, 
 were known to him, and he resolved to re- 
 pair without delay to head-quarters, and ex- 
 press in person his sense of the obhgation. 
 The army Avas at Valley Forge, and as ho 
 advanced mto the country on his way to 
 that place, he Avas everyAvhere greeted by 
 the people Avitli demonstrations of strong in- 
 terest, not unmixed with curiosity at seeing 
 a man, the incidents of whose lifo had given 
 
190 MEMOIR OP 
 
 lilm renown, and wliose fate "while in the 
 hands of the enemy had been a subject of 
 pubKc concern. General Washington re- 
 ceived him cordially, and introduced him to 
 the principal officers in camp, who showed 
 him many civilities. 
 
 Having thus discharged a dutj^, which he 
 believed to be demanded by justice and 
 gratitude as the first fruit of his liberty,and 
 having remained a few days only at Valley 
 Forge, he turned his face towards the Green 
 Mountains, and hastened to join his family 
 and former associates. From Valley Forge 
 to Fishkill he travelled in company with Gen- 
 eral Gates, who was proceeding to take com- 
 mand of the army on North River. In the 
 evening of the last day of May, Colonel Al- 
 len arrived in Bennington, unexpected at 
 that time by his friends, and a general sen- 
 sation was immediately spread throughout 
 the neighborhood. The people gathered a- 
 round him, and, with a delight vvhich could 
 be realised only under circumstances so pe- 
 culiar, he witnessed the joy that beamed 
 from everv countenance, and heard the ac- 
 cents of a hearty welcome uttered by every 
 voice. It was a season of festivity with the 
 Green Mountain Boys, and the same even- 
 ing three cannon were fired, as an audible 
 expression of their gladness. Nor did the; 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. IDI 
 
 Bcene of hilaritv end vrith that clav. Tlic 
 next momin.i^ Colonel Ilerrick, who Jiad dis- 
 tinguislicd himself by his ])raverY under the 
 veteran Stark in the battle of Eenninoiton, 
 ordered fourteen discharges of cannon, 
 " thirteen for the United States and one for 
 Youno; Vermont," as a renewed and more 
 amjile comuliment to the early champion 
 and fiiithful associate of the Green Moun- 
 tain ]5oys. 
 
 Congress was equally mindful of the ser- 
 vices and of the just claims of Colonel Al- 
 len. As soon as he was released from cap- 
 tivity, they granted him a brevet commission 
 of colonel in the Continental armv, "in re- 
 ward of his fortitude, firmness, and zeal in 
 the cause of his countrj^, manifested during 
 the course of his long and cruel captivity, as 
 well as on former occasions." It was more- 
 over resolved, that he should be entitled, du- 
 ring the time he was a prisoner, to all the 
 lienefits and privileges of a lieutenant-colo- 
 nel in the service of the United States. 
 That is, he was to receive the pa}- and oth- 
 er emoluments of that rank. As the bre- 
 vet commission of colonel did not entitle 
 him to pay, he was allowed seventy-five dol- 
 lars a month from the date of that commis- 
 sion, till he should be called into actual ser- 
 vice. How long this allowance was contin. 
 
192 MEMOIR OP 
 
 ued, I have no means of ascerfcaining. It 
 does not appear, tliat he ever joined the Con- 
 tinental armj. From the above proofs, how- 
 ever, it is evident, that the proceedings of 
 Congress in regard to him were generous 
 and honorable, manifesting at the same time 
 a proper sense of his past sufferings, and re- 
 spect for his character. 
 
 During his absence, important changes 
 had taken place in the afiairs of the New 
 Hampshire Grants. The inhabitants had 
 made a gradual progress in maturing and es- 
 tablishing a new form of government, hav- 
 ing declared their territory an independent 
 State, under the name of Vermont, framed 
 and adiOpted a new constitution, and organ- 
 ized the various branches of government by 
 the election of a governor and other civil of- 
 ficers. In effecting these objects they had 
 encountered numerous obstacles, both from 
 the internal distractions caused by the inva- 
 sion of Burgoyne's army, and from the mach- 
 inations and adverse influence of external 
 foes. The embers of the old feud with New 
 York were stirred up afresh, when the peo- 
 ple of Vermont presumed to talk of inde- 
 pendence and a separation from that State. 
 Governor Clinton, and several other prom- 
 inent individuals in New York, had been 
 >Yarmly enlisted at an early day against the 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. lOB 
 
 pretensions of the Green Mountain Boys ; 
 and although they -were far from abetting 
 or vindicating the rash measures of the col- 
 onial administration, yet they were strenu- 
 ous in asserting the supremacy of New Yor>k 
 over the whole teriitory as far as Connect- 
 icut River, and in demanding from the ]^eo- 
 ple an obedience to the laws of that State. 
 Ilence it followed, that the controversy was 
 only narrowed in its extent, but not at all 
 changed in it.-^ principles. 
 
 Ethan Allen arrived just in time to buckle 
 on his armor, and enter with renovated vig- 
 or into a contest, in which he had been 
 so conspi(?uou3 and successfid a combatant 
 from its very be_ginriing, and with all the 
 tactics of which he was perfectly familiar. 
 Govenior Clinton, by the authority of the 
 New York Legislature, had recently sent 
 out a proclamation, reprobating and annul- 
 ling the bloody statute heretofore mention- 
 ed, acknowledging that attempts contrary to 
 justice and policy had been made to dispos- 
 sess the original patentees of their lands, 
 and putting forth certain overtures for a re- 
 conciliation of differences, but taking carr 
 to assert the absolute power of New Y.ork 
 over the persons and property of such, as 
 did not choose to accept these proposals. 
 According to the tenor of these overtures. 
 
 ^6 
 
194 MEMOIR OF 
 
 the patents of the governor of New Hamp^ 
 shire were all to be confirmed, but a con- 
 tinuance of the quit-rents was claimed from 
 the purchasers, as under the colonial sys- 
 tem, and the unsettled lands were reserved 
 as the property of the State. 
 
 The grand feature of the proclamation 
 was the assumption of supremacy, and this 
 was the point most essential to the people of 
 Vemiont, since it struck at the root of their 
 poUtical existence. The overtures were 
 dressed up in such a manner, as to have a 
 plausible appearance, and to be likely to 
 lead astray those persons, who thought less 
 of preserving their political rights, than of 
 the immediate security of their possessions. 
 The more Avise and wary, however, took the 
 alarm, and among these was Ethan Allen. 
 He savf a fatal danger lurking beneath a 
 'Sliow of proifered indulgences and fair pro- 
 fessions. The cautious Trojan distrusted 
 the Greeks even in their acts of apparent 
 generosity ; and the leader of the Green 
 Mountain Eoys looked with an eye of equal 
 suspicion on the spontaneous advances of 
 the New Yorkers. In short, every propo- 
 sal, come from what quarter it might, which 
 did not imply the entire independence of 
 Vermont as a separate State and govern- 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 195 
 
 ment, was in liis view to be disdained and 
 repelled. 
 
 In this spirit ho wrote an address to the 
 inliahitants of Vermont, stating briefly the 
 grounds of their claims to the privilege of 
 self-government, and exhorting them not to 
 relax for a moment in their efforts to attain 
 the end for which they had struggled so 
 long and so hard. A large part of his ad- 
 dress w^is taken up in animadverting on 
 Governor Chnton's proclamation, in wliich, 
 as with a good deal of ingenuity and force 
 he made it appear, the overtures of New 
 York held out to them nothing which they 
 did not already possess, and would deprive 
 them of the dearest of earthly treasures, 
 their libcrtv. His arguments and his mode 
 tif stating them were suited to the people, 
 whom ho addressed, and without doubt 
 produced the desired effect of confirming 
 their confidence in themselves, and inciting 
 them to union and perseverance. 
 
 Sometimes he touches on personal inci- 
 dents. Alluding to the bloody act of pro- 
 scription, which had been passed under 
 Governor Tryon, ho observes : "In the life- 
 time of that act I was called hy the York- 
 ers an outlaw : and afterwards l>y the l^rit- 
 ish I was called a rebel ; and I humbly con- 
 ceive, that there was as much propriety in 
 
196 MEMOIR OF 
 
 the ono name as the other ; and I verily 
 Ijelieve, that the^King's commissionors would 
 now be as willing to pardon for the sin of 
 rebelEon, provided I would afterwards b e 
 subject to Britain, as the legislature above 
 mentioned, provided I would be subject to 
 New York ; and I must confess I had as lief 
 be a subject of the one as the other, and it 
 is well known I have had great experience 
 with them both.'' 
 
 In his concluding remarks on the over- 
 tures in the proclamation he says, still ad- 
 dressing himself to the people ; " The main 
 inducement I had in answering them was, to 
 ■draw a full and convincing proof from the 
 same, that the shortest, best, and most elig- 
 ible, I had almost said the only possible 
 way of vacating those New York interfer- 
 ing grants, is to maintain inviolable the su- 
 premacy of the legislative authority of the 
 independent State of Vermont. This, at 
 one stroke, overturns every New York 
 scheme, which may be calculated for our 
 ruin, makes us freemen, confirms our prop- 
 erty, and puts it fairly in our power to help 
 ourselves in the enjoyment of the great bless- 
 ings of a free, uncorrupted, and virtuous civ- 
 il government. You have fought, bled, and 
 hitherto conquered, and are as deserving of 
 those good fruits of your valor, hazard. 
 
etua:; allex. liiT 
 
 and toil, as any people under heaven. 
 
 '• You have experienced every spocics of 
 oppression, which the old government of New 
 York, with a Tryon at their head, could in- 
 vent and inflict ; and it is manifest, that the 
 now government are minded to follow in 
 their steps. Happy is it for you, that you 
 are fitted for the severest trials. You have 
 been wonderfully supported and carried 
 through thus far in your opposition to that 
 government. Formerly you liad every thing 
 to fear from it ; but now, you Imve little to 
 fear, for your public character is established, 
 and your cause known to be ju^^t. In your 
 early struggles with that government you 
 acquired a reputation of bravery ; this gave 
 you a relish for martial glory, and the Brit- 
 ish invasion opened an ample iield for its dis- 
 play, and you have gone on conquering and 
 to conquer until tall grcnadiei-s are dismay- 
 ed and tremble at your ajijjroach. Your 
 frontier situation often obliges you to Ix^ in 
 arms and battles : and by repeated march- 
 ing, scoutings, and manly exercises, your 
 nerves liave become strong to strike the mor- 
 tal blow. "What enemy of the State of Ver- 
 mont, or what Xew York land-mono[)olizer, 
 shall be able to stand before you in the day 
 of vour fierce an;:^er!" 
 
 By harangues like this, abounding more 
 
198 MEMOIR OF 
 
 in strong expressions, than in good taste or 
 a graceful diction, he wrought upon the minds 
 of the people, and inclined them to his wish- 
 es. But it should be said to his praise, con- 
 sidering the scenes he passed through, that 
 on no occasion did he encourage or counten- 
 ance laxness in government, or disobedience 
 to the laws and magistrates, recognised as 
 such by the people themselves. " Any 
 one," he remarks, '' who is acquainted -with 
 mankind and things, must know, that it is 
 impossible to manage the political matters of 
 this country without the assistance of civil 
 government. A large body of people des- 
 titute of it, is like a ship at sea, without a 
 helm or mariner, tossed by the impetuous 
 waves. We could not enjoy domestic peace 
 and security, set aside the consequences of 
 a British war and the New York strife, with- 
 out civil regulations. The two last consid- 
 erations do, in the most striking manner, ex- 
 cite us to strengthen and confirm the gov- 
 ernment already set up by the authority of 
 the people, which is the fountain of all tem- 
 poral power, and from which the subjects of 
 the State of Vermont have already received 
 such signal advantages." These sentiments 
 he avowed repeatedly, and even when he was 
 stirring up and leading out the mobs of Ben- 
 nington, he always declared it was in self- 
 
ETHAN ALLEX. 1{)9 
 
 defence, the result of a necessity forced up- 
 on them by their cncmioa ; and he never 
 ceased to recommend order, good faith, and 
 submission to the laws, as essential to the 
 prosperity and happiness of the community. 
 
 AVe here discover, in fact, the explanation 
 of the successful progress of the people in 
 rearing up a political fabiic, which became 
 solid and durable, although for-several years 
 they were apparently in a state of confu- 
 sion, if not of anarchy. But tliis was more 
 in appearance than reality. There were no 
 internal broils or commotions, that in any 
 degree disturbed the general order of soci- 
 ety. United in one great object of resisting 
 a common foe, and impelled by the same in- 
 terests and aims, they had fc\y motives for 
 dissensions among themselves ; and this un- 
 nion not only pointed out the necessity of 
 rules of government, but afforded opportu- 
 nities to frame and adopt them in such a 
 manner, that they were acceptable and effi- 
 cient. The inhabitants of the Grants were 
 mostly natives of the New England colonies, 
 and possessed a similarity in their sentiments 
 and habits, which enabled them ot harmon- 
 ize tlie more easily in regulating public con- 
 cerns. 
 
 Committees of safety and conventions 
 were the contrivances to which they resorted. 
 
200 MEMOIR OF 
 
 for setting in motion and sustaining the ma^- 
 chinery of government. These were or- 
 ganized on the strictest republican princi- 
 ples, being created and constituted by the 
 people themselves, acting at first voluntari- 
 ly in theii' individual capacity, and agreeing 
 to be controlled by the voice of a majority. 
 Upon this basis the committees were intrust- 
 ed with all the power requisite to form reg- 
 ulations for local purposes. The conventions 
 attained the same objects in a broader sphere, 
 and with higher authority. The system was 
 pecidiarly felicitous in being adapted to com- 
 munities of every description, and to small 
 numbers as well as large. Its principles 
 were likewise the elements of the best con- 
 structed governments; and hence the peo- 
 ple were gradually trained up in the art of 
 self-control, and qualified to assume and 
 maintain the character of an independent 
 State, even while embarrassed by the hostil- 
 ity and interference of the neighboring pow- 
 ers. It is remarkable, that the plan of con- 
 ventions and committees, which was adopted 
 by all the States at the beginning of the 
 Ee volution 5 had previously been eight years 
 in practice among the first settlers of Ver- 
 mont. 
 
 Considering the part, which Ethan Allen 
 had acted before his captivity, and the con- 
 
ETUAX ALLEN. 201 
 
 eistoncy of Lis conduct, it was to ho expect- 
 ed, that he would embark witli liis accus- 
 tomed zeal in a cause, which had now ac- 
 •|uired a new importance, and especially as 
 it was still involved in the old quarrel with 
 Isew York. As his countrymen had nut for- 
 gotten the militaty rank to which they raised 
 him in the season of tlicir foniier perils, nor 
 tlie services he rendered at the head of the 
 <irecn Mountain Boys, and were disposed 
 to profit again by his sword, as well as by 
 his pen and liis counsels, he was, soon after 
 his return, appointed a general and com- 
 mander of the miUtia of the State. A 
 stronger proof of the confidence could not 
 have been shown, more particularly at this 
 time, when an invasion of the British from 
 Canada might at any moment be apprehend- 
 ed, and when the delicate relations subsist- 
 ing between Vermont and two adjoining 
 States threatened an ultimate resort to arms 
 as a possible consequence, either to quell 
 internal factions, or to resist aggressions from 
 abroad. 
 
 Meantime an incident occurred, which en- 
 cumbered the afihirs of Vermont with other 
 dithculties. For certain political reasons, 
 sixteen t<jwnships in the western juarts of 
 New Hampshire, bordering on Connecticut 
 river, formed a combination to desert from 
 
202 MEMOIR OF 
 
 that State and join themselves to Vermont. 
 They sent a petition for that purpose to the 
 Vermont legislature ; but it was at first no 
 farther acted upon than to refer it to the 
 people. At the next meeting of the legis- 
 lature it was found, that a majority of the 
 legal voters was in favor of admitting the 
 sixteen to"\vnshipB. Hence a new enemy 
 was raised up, and the field of discord en- 
 larged. The governor of New Hampshii^ 
 wrote a spirited protest to the governor of 
 Vermont, claiming the sixteen townsbips as 
 a part of that State, and deprecating such 
 an unwarrantable dismemberment. He wrote 
 at the same time to the Continental Con- 
 gress, demanding their interference in a mai>- 
 ter of vital moment, not only to New Hamp- 
 shire, but to every State in the Union, 
 should such a disorganizing act be tolerated 
 as a precedent. 
 
 The Vermont Assembly saw their error 
 too late to retract it, since they had referred 
 the subject to the people, and were bound to 
 abide by their decision. To set the thing in 
 as fair a Hght as it would bear, however, 
 they appointed General Allen a special a- 
 gent to proceed to Philadelphia, and explain 
 to Congress this point and others requiring 
 explanation, and endeavor as far as possible 
 to ascertain the views of the members in re- 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 203 
 
 gard to the independence of Vermont, and 
 •what wa=5 to be expected from tlie future de- 
 liberations of that body. 
 
 Furnished with proper instructions, Gen- 
 eral Allen repaired to Philadelphia, and ap- 
 plied himself to the duties of his mission. 
 lie soon discovered the undertaking to be 
 surrounded ■\\ith more difficulties, than he 
 had anticipated. Distinct from the abso- 
 lute merits of the case, there yfcvo in Con- 
 gress party di\dsions, emanating from vari- 
 ous sources, which prevented any union of 
 action or sentiment on the subject of Ver- 
 mont. The New England members Avcre 
 mostly in favor of granting independence. 
 This was not less the dictate of sound poli- 
 cy, than of the natural feelings of attach- 
 ment to people closely allied to themselves 
 and their constituents. Another State in 
 the bosom of New En2;land would of course 
 strengthen the power and influence of the 
 whole in the general scale. It was to be 
 presumed, therefore, that the New England 
 States would second the claims of Averment ; 
 nor was this presumption weakened by any 
 hereditary good will, that had formerly ex- 
 isted between those States and New York. 
 
 Unfortunately New riam[ishire, for tlie 
 reasons above stated, had Iteen induced to 
 deviate from the line of her neii^hbors, un- 
 
204 MEM OIK OF 
 
 der the apprehension that her interests -^yere 
 in jeopardy. She was indeed meditating 
 ambitious projects of her own, and forming 
 a design to defeat the pretensions of Ver- 
 mont, by extending her jurisdiction as far 
 as Lake Champlain, and drawing the whole 
 territory within her limits. She thus placed 
 herself in rivalship with New York, in hos- 
 tility to Vermont, and at variance with the 
 other adjoining States. 
 
 Taking these considerations into ^dew, 
 and the known enmity of the New York 
 members, General Allen's prospects of car- 
 rying back a satisfactory report to his friends 
 were faint and discouraging. The southern 
 delegates were diJBferent, or only adhered to 
 one side or the other as a means of exert- 
 ing a party influence. It is doubtless true, 
 also, that several members were conscien- 
 tiously opposed to any decision by Congress, 
 behoving the question not to come within 
 the powers iQti'usted to that assembly. 
 They argued, that the subject could not 
 rightfully be brought before them in any 
 shape, except in obedience to special instruc- 
 tions from the respective States, Others 
 again denied the power of Congress to in- 
 terfere at all, affirming that Vermont was 
 in fact independent, and had a right to set 
 up such a scheme of government as she 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 205 
 
 cliosc. Tills was a short mode of settling 
 the controversy, but it would hardly satisfy 
 the scruples of New York, or the aspiring 
 hoped of New Hampshire. 
 
 On his return from this mission, General 
 Allen presented a rcpc^rt to the legislature 
 of Yei'mont, containing the result of his ob- 
 servations, in which he gave it as his opin- 
 ion, ''' tliat tlie New York complaints woidd 
 never prov(f of sufficient force in Congress 
 to prevent the estabhshment of the State of 
 Vermont," and ad\-ised the legislature by 
 all means to rcc-edo from the union with 
 the SLxten toTvnships, since it could never be 
 approved by Con<^ress without violating the 
 articles of confederation, by which the rights 
 and original extent of each State were guar- 
 antied. On this topic ho spoke with deci- 
 sion and force. 
 
 In addition to the general objects of his 
 mission, the \isit to Congi'ess was not with- 
 out advantage to himself and his constitu- 
 ents. It made him intimately acquaintod 
 with the views of the delegates in Congress, 
 and with the argTm[ient3 used by various in- 
 dividuals and parties. lie ascertained like- 
 wise how far policy and inrlividual bias on the 
 one hand, and a regard for the absolute mer- 
 its of the question on the other, operated in 
 giving a complexion to the national councils. 
 
206 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Tliis knowledge had an important influ- 
 ence on the future proceedings of Vermont. 
 General Allen turned it to an immediate ac- 
 count^ and he wrote a treatise vindicating 
 the course hitherto pursued by Vermont, 
 and maintainmg the justice of her claim to 
 set up such a form of government, as the 
 people themselves should judge most condu- 
 cive to their prosperity and happiness.* Mr. 
 Jay said of this book, in writiilg to a mem- 
 ber of Congress when it first appeared, 
 " There is a quaintness, impudence, and art 
 in it." He might have added, argument 
 and the evidences of a good cause. 
 
 In these unwearied labors for the defence 
 of the rights and dignity of the State, and 
 in superintending its military aifairs as com- 
 mander of the militia. General Allen's time 
 was fully employed. It was at this period, 
 that the British generals in America began 
 to meditate the scheme of bringing Vermont 
 into a union with Canada, by taking advan- 
 tage of the disputes, which had continued 
 so long and waxed so warm, that it was sup- 
 posed Vermont had become alienated from 
 Congress and the opposing States, and would 
 
 *Thc tract was entiOed, A Vindication of the Opposi- 
 tion of the Inhabitants of Verinont to the Government of New 
 Yoi-]c, and of their Right to form an Indej>e-ndent State. 
 It was published in 1779, by order of the Goyernor 
 and Council, or with their approbation. 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 207 
 
 be ready to accept tempting overtures from 
 the British. This idea received encourage- 
 ment from the circumstance, that Congress 
 aftbrded but _ a slender defence to the fron- 
 tiers of Vormont, although the governor of 
 Canada was in condition to make a descent 
 ■with a force sufficient to bear down any op- 
 position, that could bo interposed by the 
 whole strenirth of the State. The first 
 step was to bring over some of the leaders^; 
 and as Ethan Allen was the most conspicu- 
 ous of these, and also the military cliieftain, 
 the attempt was made upon him. That liis 
 views might be ascertained on this subject, 
 the foUowinG; letter was written to him bv 
 Beverly llobinson, colonel of a regiment of 
 loyal Americans, or, in other words, refu; 
 gees adhering to the British cause and em- 
 bodied in the British army. 
 
 New York, March 30th, ITSO. 
 
 " Sir, 
 
 "I am now undertaking a task, which I 
 hope you will receive with the same good in- 
 tention, that inclines me to make it. I have 
 often been informed, that you and most of 
 the inhabitants of Vermont are opposed to 
 the wild and chimerical scheme of the Amer- 
 icans, in attempting to separate this conti- 
 nent from Great Britain, and tocstabhsh an 
 
208 MEMOIR OP 
 
 independent State of their o\nti ; and that 
 you would willingly assist in imiting Ameri^ 
 ca again to Great Britain, and restoring 
 that happy constitution we have so wanton- 
 ly and unadvisedly destroyed. If I have 
 been rightly informed, and these should be 
 your sentiments and inclination, I beg you 
 will communicate to me without reserve 
 whatever proposals you would wish to make 
 to the Commander-in-chief, and I here prom- 
 ise that I will faithfully lay them before him 
 according to your directions, and I flatter 
 myself I can do it to as good effect as any 
 person whatever. I can make no proposals 
 to you until I know your sentiments ; but I 
 thiak, upon your taking an active part, and 
 embodying the inhabitants of Vermont in fa- 
 vor of the crown of England to act as the 
 Commander-in-chief shall direct, that you 
 may obtain a separate government under the 
 King and constitution of England, and the 
 men be formed into regiments under such of- 
 ficers as you shall recommend, and be on the 
 same footing as all the provincial corps are 
 here. 
 
 " I am an American myself, and feel much 
 for the distressed situation my poor country 
 is in at present, and am anxious to be ser- 
 viceable toward restoring it to peace, and 
 that mild and good government we have 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 209 
 
 lost. I have therefore ventured to address 
 myself to you on this subject, and I hope 
 you will see it in a proper light, and be as 
 candid -with me. I am inclinable to think, 
 that one reason -why this unnatural war has 
 continued so long is, that all the Americans, 
 who wish and think it would be for the inter- 
 est of this country to have a constitutional 
 and equitable connexion with Great Britain, 
 do not communicate their sentiments to each 
 other so often and so freely as they ought 
 to do. 
 
 " In case you should disapprove of my 
 hintmg these things to you, and do not choose 
 to make any proposals to government, I hope 
 you will not suffer any insult to be offered to 
 the bearer of this letter ; but allow him to 
 return in safety, as I can assure you he is 
 entirely ignorant of its contents ; but if you 
 should think it proper to send proposals to 
 me, to be laid before the Commander-in- 
 chief, I do now give you my word, that, if 
 they are not accepted, or complied with by 
 him, of which I will inform you, the matter 
 shall be buried in oblivion between us. J 
 will only add, that if yoii should think prop- 
 er to send a friend of your own here, with 
 proposals to the general, he sliall be protect- 
 ed and well treated here, and allowed to re- 
 
 u 
 
210 MEMOIR OF 
 
 turn whenever lie pleases. I can add noth- 
 ing furtlier at present, but my best wishes 
 for the restoration of the peace and happi- 
 ness of America. I am, &c. 
 
 " Beverly Sobinson." 
 
 This letter, artful and plausible as it was, 
 made no impression upon the patriotism of 
 Ethan Allen. Although written in Februa- 
 ry it was not received till July. He imme- 
 diately sent back the meF^senger, and in con- 
 fidence comDniiiicated the letter to the gov- 
 ernor and a few other friends, who all agreed 
 with him, that it was best to pass it over in 
 silence. That they might not be outdone, 
 liowever, in the allowable stratagems of war, 
 they bethought themselves to turn to a prof- 
 itable purpose this advance on the part of 
 the enemy. The British were expected soon 
 to appear on Lake Champlain in great force, 
 and it was a thing of essential importance 
 in the present difficult condition of Vermont, 
 to ward off the impending danger. Several 
 prisoners from this State were now in Cana- 
 da, and it was advised that the governor 
 should" write to the commander in Canada, 
 proposing a cartel for an exchange. A let- 
 ter was written accordingly despatched with 
 a flag. The object was to produce delay,, 
 aiid by a finesse to lead the enemy to pursue 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 211 
 
 tJicir ideas of dra'^Ning Vermont over to 
 their interest. While this shoukl be foster- 
 ed, it was not probable they Ts'ould attack the 
 people, "whom they Avished to conciliate. 
 
 No answer was returned, till the enemy's 
 fle et was seen coming up the Lake in a for- 
 midable attitude, spreading an alaiTQ far and 
 wide, and apparently threatening an imme- 
 diate invasion. Many persons took their 
 arms and marched to the frontier. But no 
 hostile acts were committed. The command- 
 er on board the fleet sent a flas; to General 
 Allen, with a letter to the governor of Ver- 
 mont, assenting on the part of General Hal- 
 dimand, commander-in-chief of the British 
 army in Canada, to the proposal for an ex- 
 change of prisoners, and oifering a truce 
 with Vermont till the cartel should be ar- 
 ranged. 
 
 This preliminary negotiation of a truce 
 was conducted by General Allen. In de- 
 fining the extent of territory ,which the truce 
 should cover, he included all the settlements 
 as far west as the Hudson Biver. To this 
 extension the British objected, as not being 
 within the bounds of Vermont. Such an ar- 
 rangement would moreover prevent the ex- 
 pedition up the Lake from acipiiring honor, 
 or attaining any ostensible object ; whereas, 
 if not hampered with the truce, it might act 
 
212 MEMOIR OP 
 
 with some effect on the frontiers of New 
 York. This was a strong motive for insist- 
 ing, that the truce should be confined strictly 
 within the limits of Vermont, but as Gener- 
 al Allen was unyielding, the officer gave way, 
 and it was definitelv settled as reaching to 
 Hudson's River. This was a dictate of 
 sound policy, as appeared in the subsequent 
 Idstory of Vermont. It had a conciliatory 
 effect upon the inhabitants of that part of 
 New York included in the truce. Their an- 
 tipathy was disarmed, and at one time they 
 even courted a union with Vermont. 
 
 As this was a secret arrangement, and not 
 then made known publicly, the people were 
 surprised to see the fleet retreating down the 
 Lake, and the military disbanded and going 
 home. Commissioners were appointed by 
 the governor of Vermont to meet others 
 from Canada, and settle the terms of a car- 
 tel. The season was so far advanced, how- 
 ever, that they were obstructed in their voy- 
 age across the Lake by the ice, and obliged 
 to return. Nothing was done during the 
 winter. The advantage thus far gained by 
 Vermont was, that a campaign of the ene- 
 my on her borders had been rendered inef- 
 fectual. As a compensation, the British 
 supposed they had made good progress in de- 
 taching from Congress the affections of a dis* 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 213 
 
 contented province, and winning them over 
 to the King. 
 
 As these transactions were well known to 
 tlie enemy in New York, Colonel llobinson 
 was concerned not to have received an an- 
 swer to his letter. Thinking it might liave 
 miscarried, although he had sent a duplicate 
 and triplicate, or assuming such a supposi- 
 tion as a pretence for writing again, he des- 
 patched a second letter to Ethan Allen, dat- 
 ed February 2d, 1781. In this was enclos- 
 ed a fourth copy of the first, an4 it contain- 
 ed the following paragraph. 
 
 " The frequent accounts we have had for 
 three months past, from your part of the 
 country, confirms me in the opinion I had 
 of your inclination to join the King's cause, 
 and assist in restoring America to her for- 
 mer peaceable and happy constitution. This 
 induces me to make another trial in sending 
 this to you, especially as I can now write 
 with more authority, and assure you that 
 you may obtain the terms mentioned in the 
 above letter, provided you and the people of 
 Vermont take an active part with us. I 
 beg to have an answer to this as soon as pos- 
 sible, and that you will, if it is your inten- 
 tion, point out some method of carrying on 
 u corresj^ondenc« for the future ; also in 
 
214 MEMOIR 0P« 
 
 what manner you can be most serviceable to 
 government, either by acting with the north- 
 ern army, or to meet and join an army from 
 hence. I should be glad if you would give 
 me every information, that may be useful 
 to the Commander-in-chief here." 
 
 Shortly after receiving this second epistle, 
 General Allen sent them both to the Conti- 
 nental Congress, accompanied by one of his 
 own, in which he expressed in very emphat- 
 ical language his sentiments in regard to the 
 interests of Vermont, and the unjustifiable 
 attempts of the adjoining States to abridge 
 her rights and even destroy her existence. 
 Having explained the mode in which the let- 
 ters came into his hands, and mentioned his 
 having shown the first to Governor Chitten- 
 den and other gentlemen, he proceeds as 
 follows. 
 
 " The result, after mature deliberation, 
 and considering the extreme circumstances 
 of the State, was, to take no further notice 
 of the matter. The reasons for such a pro- 
 cedure are very obvious to the people of this 
 State, when they consider that Congress 
 have previously claimed an exclusive right 
 of arbitrating on the existence of Vermont, 
 as a separate government ; New York, New 
 
ETUAX ALLEN. 215 
 
 Ilarapsliirc, and Massachusetts Bay at the 
 Bamc time cUiiming this territory, cither m 
 v/hole or in part, and exerting their iniluence 
 to make schisnis among her citizens, there- 
 b}^, in a considerable degree weakening this 
 government, and exposing its inhabitants to 
 the incursion oF tlic British troops, and their 
 savage alhes fi'om the province of Quebec. 
 It seems those governments, regardless of 
 Vermont's contiguous situation to Cana- 
 da, do not consider that their northern fron- 
 tiers have been secured by Iier, nor the mer- 
 it of this State in a long and hazardous TN'ar; 
 but have flattered themselves with the ex- 
 pectation, that tliis State could not fail ("with 
 their holp^ to be desolated by a foreign ene- 
 my, and that their exorbitant claims and av- 
 aricious designs may at some future period 
 take place in this district of country. 
 
 " I am confident that Congress will not 
 dispute my sincere attachment to the cause 
 of my country, though I do not hesitate to 
 say, I am fully grounded in opinion, that 
 Vermont has an indubitable right to agree 
 on terms of a cessation of hostilities with 
 Great Britain, provided the United States 
 persist in rejecting her application for a un- 
 ion with them ; for Vermont, of all people, 
 would bo the most miserable, were she oblig- 
 
216 MEMOIR OF 
 
 ed to defend the independence of the united 
 claiming States, and they, at the same time^ 
 at full liberty to overturn and ruin the inde- 
 pendence of Vermont. I am persuaded^ 
 when Congress consider the circumstances 
 of this State, they will be the more surpris- 
 ed, that I have transmitted to them the en- 
 closed letters, than that I have kept them in 
 custody so long ; for I am as resolutely de- 
 termined to defend the independence of Ver- 
 mont, as Congress are that of the United 
 States; and rather than fail, I will retire with 
 hardy Green Mountain Boys into the deso- 
 late caverns of the mountains, and wage war 
 with human nature at large." 
 
 The concluding words of thi& paragraph 
 may be considered as characteristic of the- 
 writer ; but the sentiments expressed in the 
 letter, respecting the allegiance due from. 
 Vermont to the United States, were unques- 
 tionably entertained by all the principal men 
 of that State. Independence was their 
 first and determined purpose ; and, while 
 tliey were neglected by Congress, and, like 
 another Poland, threatened with a triple par- 
 tition between the adjoining States, they 
 felt at liberty to pursue any course, that 
 would secure their safety, and conduct them 
 towards their ultimate object. It was on,. 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 217 
 
 this principle, that thcj encouraged advances 
 to be made by the British, and not that they 
 ever had the remotest intention of deserting 
 the cause of their country, or submitting in 
 any manner to the jurisdiction of the Eng- 
 lish government. 
 
 ^Vl^le the war continued, however, these 
 negotiations with the enemy were carried on 
 with much address, and so successfully as to 
 prevent any further hostilities from Canada. 
 A correspondence was kept up, which was 
 known only to a few persons, and was chief- 
 ly managed by Etlian Allen and his brother 
 Ira Allen. Messengers came to them se- 
 cretly with letters, and waited in conceal- 
 ment till consultations were held, and ans- 
 wers prepared, Avith which they returned to 
 Canada. 'Hih was a slow process, but it 
 served to amuse the enemy, and keep their 
 hopes alive. While this could be done, Ver- 
 mont was safe from attack, and had only to 
 apprehend the artifices of those, who were 
 striving by the weapons of the civil power to 
 annihilate her freedom. 
 
 The English ministry had at one time san- 
 guine expectations from the prospect of af- 
 fairs in this quarter. I have seen two let- 
 ters from Lord (xermain to Sir Henry Clin- 
 ton, one written in Eebruary and the other 
 in JnnCy 1781, whereia the mmister congrat- 
 
218 MEMOIR OP 
 
 iilates the commander-in-chief on the happy 
 return of the people of Vermont to their al- 
 legiance, and represents it as an important 
 event. He adds, that, should Washington 
 and the French meditate an irruption into 
 Canada, they would find in Vermont an in- 
 surmountable barrier to their attempts ; and 
 also that G eneral lialdimand would undoubt- 
 edly send a body of troops to act in con- 
 junction with the people, secure the avenues 
 through the country, and, when the season 
 should admit, take possession of the upper 
 parts of the Hudson and Connecticut Riv- 
 ers, and cut oiF tlie communication between 
 Albany and the Mohavfk country. Again, 
 he observes, that, should the people of Ver- 
 mont be menaced by a detachment from 
 Washington's army, General Haldimand 
 would have forces ready to throw in among 
 them, by which they would be relieved from 
 any fears of the resentment of Congress, 
 and see it to be their wisest and safest course 
 to return to their loyalty. Such were the 
 vagaries of Lord George Germain in his of- 
 fice at Whitehall, even within a few months 
 of the capitulation at Yorktown. And in 
 truth they present a very just specimen of 
 the strange reveries, surprising ignorance, 
 or wilful blindness of that minister, in regard 
 t'O American affairs, during the whole war. 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 219 
 
 General Allen -was not entirely occupied 
 "VN-ith the duties of his military station. At 
 the next election after his return from cap- 
 tivity, he was cliosea a representative to the 
 Assembly of his State. How long he con- 
 thiued in public life as a legislator, or how 
 long he retained the active command of the 
 militia, I have not been able to ascertain. 
 "When peace was restored, however, he seems 
 to have resumed his agricultural habits, and 
 devoted himself to his private affairs, lie 
 was a practical farmer, accustomed to labor 
 witli his own hands, and sul^mit to the pri- 
 vations and hardships, which necessarily at- 
 tend tlic condition of pioneers in a new coun- 
 try. 
 
 In this retirement he published a work on 
 a series of topics very different from those, 
 wliich had heretofore employed his pen.* 
 lie says in the l*reface, that he had been 
 from his youtli addicted to contemplation, 
 and had from time to time committed his 
 tlioughts to paper. This book purports to 
 be tlie result of his lucubrations, revised, ar- 
 ranged, and prepared with much labor for 
 the press. In its literary execution it is 
 
 * This book is entitled, Reason the only Oracle of 
 Man, or a conipeiulions Syst on of Natural Rd'njion. It 
 ■vvas puhlisho'l at licniiington, iu the year 17S4. The 
 ■prcfiicc is dated July 2d, 1782. 
 
220 MEMOIR OF 
 
 much superior to any of his other -writings, 
 and was evidently elaborated with great pa- 
 tience of thought and care in the composi- 
 tion. It is nevertheless a crude and worth- 
 less performance, in which truth and error, 
 reason and sophistry, knowledge and ignor- 
 ance, ingenuity and presumption, are min- 
 gled together in a chaos, which the author 
 denominates a system. Some of the chap- 
 ters on natural religion, the being and attri- 
 butes of God, aud the principles and obli- 
 gations of morality, should perhaps be ex- 
 cepted from this sweeping remark ; for, al- 
 though they contain little that is new, yet 
 they are written in a tone, and express sen- 
 timents, which may screen them from so 
 heavy a censure. 
 
 Foundino; religion on the attributes of the 
 Deity and the nature of things, as interpret- 
 ed by reason, the author takes it for granted, 
 that there is no necessity for a revelation, 
 and thence infers, that the Christian Revel- 
 ation and miracles are false ; and he argues 
 against the Old Testament upon the same 
 principles. Historical facts and internal ev- 
 idence, the only basis of correct reasoning 
 on this subject, are passed over in silence. 
 There is no proof that the author ever ex- 
 amined them. It must be allowed, however, 
 that he mistook some of the errors of Chris- 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 221 
 
 tian sects for the true doctrines of revealed 
 relii^ion, and that his views, as to the reaUty 
 and nature of the system itself, were per- 
 verted by this misapprehension. 
 
 If we may jud^e, also, from various pas- 
 sages m this book, some of his biographers 
 have not done him strict justice in regard to 
 his religious opinions. They have affirmed, 
 that ; he believed in the metempsychosis of 
 the ancients, or the transmigration of souls 
 after death into beasts, or fishes, and that 
 '' he often informed his friends, that he him- 
 self expected to live again in the form of a 
 large white horse." If he was absurd and 
 frivolous enough to say such a thing in con- 
 versation, he has certainly expressed very 
 different sentiments in his writings. No 
 person could declare more explicitly his be- 
 lief in a future state of rewards and punish- 
 ments, and a just retribution, than he has 
 done in the following passages contained in 
 this book. 
 
 " We should so far divest ourselves," he 
 observes, " of the incumbrances of this 
 world, which are too apt to engross our at- 
 tention, as to acquire a consistent system of 
 the knowledge of our duty, and make it our 
 constant endeavor in life to act conformably 
 to it. The knowledge of the being, porfoc- 
 
222 MEMOIU OE 
 
 tlons, creation, and providence of God, and- 
 the immortality of our souls, is the founda- 
 tion of our rehgion." Again, " As true as 
 mankind now exist and are endowed with 
 reason and understanding, and have the pow- 
 er of agency and proficiency in moral good 
 and evil, so true it is, that they must he ul- 
 timately rewarded or punished according to 
 their respective merits or demerits ; and it is 
 as true as this world exists, and rational and 
 accountahle beings inhabit it, that the dis- 
 tribution of justice therein is partial, une- 
 qual, and uncertain; and it is consequently 
 as true as that there is a God, that there 
 must be a future state of existence, in which 
 the disorder, injustice, oppression, and vi- 
 ciousness, which are acted and transacted, 
 by mankind in this life, shall be righteously 
 adjusted, and the delinquents suitably pun- 
 ished." 
 
 To what extent these doctrines bear out 
 the charge of a belief in the transmigrati on 
 of souls, let the reader judge. 
 
 After the publication of the above work, 
 I have not found recorded any events in the 
 life of Ethan Allen, which are sufficiently 
 important to be commemorated ; unless it 
 be the circumstance of his having been so- 
 licited, by Shays and his associates, to take 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 22SI 
 
 command of tlic insurgents in Massachusetts. 
 He rejected the proposal -with disdain, send- 
 ing back the messengers -vvho brought it, 
 -with a reprimand for tlieir presumption, and 
 at the same time writing a letter to the gov- 
 ernor of Massachusetts, in which he ex- 
 pressed his abhorrence of the insurrection, 
 and assured the governor that his influence 
 should be used to prevent any of its agents 
 and abettors from receiving countenance or 
 takinir refu";o in Vermont. This was con- 
 formable to all his previous conduct ; for, 
 notwithstanding the scenes of turbulence in 
 which he was often engaged, it should be re- 
 membered to his honor, that he was ever, in 
 theory and practice, a firm supporter of civ- 
 il government when founded in equity and. 
 the rights of the people. So rigid was li» 
 in his patriotism, that, when it was discover- 
 ed that one of his brothers had avowed To- 
 ry principles, and been guilty of a corres- 
 ])ondence with the enemy, he entered a pub- 
 lic complaint against him in his own name, 
 an<l petitioned the court to confiscate his 
 property in obedience to the laws of tho 
 tState. 
 
 Before the end of the war, General Al- 
 len removed from Bennington, which had 
 long boon his place of residence, lie was 
 next for a short time an inhabitant of Ar- 
 
224 MEMOIR Oi? 
 
 lington, afterwards of Sunderland, and final- 
 ly he settled himself in the vicinity of On- 
 ion River, where he and his brothers had 
 purchased large tracts of land. He was 
 twice married. His second wife, and chil- 
 dren, by both marriages, survived him. 
 Through life he possessed a robust constitu- 
 tion, and uncommonly good health ; but his 
 <5areer was suddenly terminated by an apo- 
 plexy, at Burlington, in the year 1789. 
 
 We have thus sketched the principal in- 
 cidents in the hfe of a man, who holds a 
 place of some notoriety in the history of his 
 time. His character w^as strongly marked^ 
 both by its excellences and defects ; but it 
 may safely be said, that the latter were at- 
 tributable more to circumstances beyond his 
 control, than to any original obliquity of his 
 mind or heart. The want of early educa- 
 tion, and the habits acquired by his pursuits 
 in a rude and uncultivated state of society 
 were obstacles to his attainment of some of 
 the higher and better qualities, which were 
 not to be overcome. A roughness of man- 
 ners and coarseness of language, a pre- 
 sumptuous way of reasoning upon all sub- 
 jects, and his religious skepticism, may be 
 traced to these sources. Faults of this 
 stamp, and others akin to them, admit of no 
 defence, though, when viewed in connexion 
 
ETHAN ALLEN. 22;") 
 
 ■\vitli their causes, ilicj may linvc claims to a 
 charitable judgment. Had his understand- 
 ing been weak, his temperament less ardent, 
 his disposition less inquisitive, and his desire 
 of honorable distinction less eager, the ^vorld 
 woidd probably never heard of his fudts; 
 the shield of insignificance -would have -ov- 
 cred them ; but it -was his destiny to be con- 
 ,spicuous, Avithout the art to conceal or cul- 
 ture to soften his foiijles. 
 
 Yet there is much to admire in tlie char- 
 acter of Ethan Allen. lie uas brave, gen- 
 erous, and frank, true to his friends, true 
 to his country, consistent and unyielding in 
 his purposes, seeking at all times to promote 
 the best interests of mankind, a lover of so- 
 cial harmony, and a determined foe to the 
 artifices of injustice and the encroachments 
 of power. 1: cw have suftcred more in the 
 cause of freedom, few have borne their suf- 
 ferings with a firmer constancy or a loftier 
 spirit. His courage, even when apparent- 
 ly a})proaching to rashness, was calm and 
 dchberate. No man probably ever possess- 
 ed this attribute in a more remarkable de- 
 gree. He was eccentric and ambitious, but 
 these weaknessc-', if such they were, never 
 betrayed him int<» act<^ dislionorable, unwor- 
 thy, or selfish. His enemies never hr d cause 
 to question ins magnanimity, nor hi i frienda 
 
 15 
 
226 MEMOIE OP ETHAN ALLEN. 
 
 to regret- confidence misplaced or expecta- 
 tions disappointed. He was kind and be- 
 nevolent, humane and placable. In short, 
 whatever may have been his peculiarities, or 
 however these may have diminished the 
 weight of his influence and the value of his 
 public services, it must be allowed, that he 
 was a man of very considerable inportance 
 in the sphere of his activity, and that to no 
 individual among her patriot founders is the 
 State of Vermont more indebted for the ba- 
 sis of her free institutions, and the achieve- 
 ment of her independence, than to Ethan 
 Allen. . 
 
 N«-^ 
 
 EERATtTM. — On the 5th page, 12th line from the bottom, for 
 " ONLY " read " earlt." The reader is desired to make this 
 correction, with a pen or otherwise, as the present reading 
 gives an entirely different meaning from the one intended hy 
 tSic author. 
 
FROM THE ST. ALBANS MESSENGER. 
 
 "We have here the life of the favoritt 
 Hero of Vermont, from the pen of the firsi 
 biographical writer of the present age. 
 
 It was written for, and published by the 
 distinguished Author in his American Bio- 
 graphy, for which every source of informa- 
 tion was examined, and is here copied by his 
 permission. 
 
 No publication can be more opportune at 
 the present time, when the subject is exci- 
 ting so much interest, and it is particularly 
 fortunate that it has been done by such an 
 able and impartial hand. To the people of 
 Vermont we heartily commend it." 
 
-^ 
 
 .•^ 
 
 -i.^ . . \- ' « -¥ 
 
 
 ■0^ >":"^ -^ 
 
 ^-^ A^ 
 
 
 
 O' 
 
 V.P, 
 
 '/^. 
 
 v3 / 
 
 ^/. * '. s ^ . ^>^ 
 
 %-. * » I A-^' ^0- 
 
 '^^ 
 
 / 
 
 
 .^^' 
 
 '"--p. 
 
 /. ^ 
 
 •\ 
 
 cO- 
 
 " v\ 
 
 A^- 
 
 
 ^- -^ >:^ 
 
 
 >0 o 
 
 •.^ 
 
 ,..,v>^' 
 
 
 <> ^■ 
 
 .0- 
 
 
 .\- 
 
 ..\V 
 
 ,x>' '^r.. 
 
 L^ ^> 
 
 <"' 
 
 ^, 
 
 •/• 
 
 >0 o. 
 
 
 /'. 
 
 o\ 
 
 
 
 ■^ 0^ : 
 
 
 -^ 
 
 ^.,^' 
 
 
 
 N 
 
 ,v^%, 
 
 
 
 ^0 
 
 
 -0 A^ 
 
 ^' 
 
 ■>" 
 
 ,00 
 
 ■■'. ^. 
 
 ^> 
 
 ■ o- 
 
 
 ■x^ 
 
 "aH, y ^j rk 
 
 
 ■A^^' 
 
 
 :;^v 
 
 
 <-> 
 
 
 '^' 
 
 
 -<:; 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 011 699 176 7 
 
 ■ 
 
 1