The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-08-04


ronderoga, on the 10th of MAY.
i7T5:
The first sysiematieal and bloody
attempt at Lexington, to cnsa,e A.
merica. thoroughly electrified my
mind. y fully determined me To take
part with my country. Aud while
| was wishing for an opportunity tn
Signalize myself in il behalf. di-
reetions were priv tely sent To me
from the then colony, now state OF
CONNECTICUT, To raise the Grpcn
Mountain boys. and if possible. TO
surprise and take the fortress ofaTi-
eonderoga. This enterprise cheers
fully undertook; and after guarding
all the several passages that lead
tllther, To cut off all intelligence be-
tween the garrison and the country,
made a forced march from Benning-
ton, and arrived at the lake at Ii
eonderoga, l775. with $50 valiant
brccn Mountain BOYS and II was
with the utmost difficulty that pro-
cured boats to pass the take. How
ever, | had landed 83 men near the
/ garrison, and sent the boats back
Tor the rear guard, commanded by
Col, Seth Warner but the day be-
gan to dawn, and | fcand myselfnc-
cessitated TO attack tlle fort before
the rear could pass the lake /; and as
il was viewed hazardous. harangn-
ed the officers and soldiers in the fol-
lowing manner.
" Friends and fellow soldiers =
you have for number of years past
been the scourge and terror Of arbi-
traiy power. Your Nalour has been
famed abroad. and acknowledged. as
appears by the orders to me from
the General Assembly of Connect
cut, TO surprise and take the garri-
son now before us. now propose
To advance before you and in person.
conduct you through the wicket gate;
for We must this morning either quit
our pretensions 10 ralnr. or possess
ourselves Of this fortress, in few
minutes and, IN as much as it Is a
desperate attempt, which none but
the braNest men dare undertake,
do not urge il on any, contrary to
his will. You tbat viii undertake,
voluntarily Ioise your iireloeks.'
1 he men being at tins time drawn
up in three ranks, each poised his
firclock. ordered them to iare to
the right; and at the head Of the
centre file, marched them imnacdi-
atcIy to the wicket gate, Aforesaid,
whore found a sentry posted, who
instantly snapped his io2cc at INT
] ran Immediately towards him, and
he rcircafed through the covered
way into the parade with the garri-
son, gave a balioo and ran under a
bomb proof. My party followed me
into the iolt | formed on parade
in such manner as to face the bar
racks, which faced each other.
The garrison being asleep except
the scntlies, We gave three hnzzas,
which greatly surprized them. enc
OF the sentrics made pass at one Of
my officers with Il charged bayonct.
and slightly Wounded hin. My
first thought was to Kill him With my
sword, but in an instant altered
the design and fury Of the blow to IA
slight cut on the side Of the head 8
upon which he dropped his gun, ask
ed quarters, which | readily grant
ed him and demanding where the
commanding officer Slept, he showed
me a par Of stairs in front oFthe gar
rison, which led up to the second sto-
ny in said barracks, to which | i'm
mediatcIy repaired, and ordered
the commander, Captain Delaplace,
TO come forth instantly, or | would
Sacrifice the whole garrison. Al
which the Captain came imnedi-
ately to the door, with his breechcs
in his hand. when ordered him to
deliver up tie fort Instantly. lie
asked me by What authority ! de-
manded it. ! answered him. In
the name of the great JehoNall-and
Continental Congress.
The authority Of Congress being
very litde known at that time, he
began, but interrupted him, and
with a drawn sword near his bead,
demanded an immediate surrendered
the garrison with which he then
complied, and ordered his men to be
forthwith paraded without arms, as
he had given up the garrison. In
the mean time some OF my officers
had given orders, aud in CONSCIENCE
thereof, sundry of the barrack doors
.,, ,l,u.,, aud uhout uur