The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-04-26

ings, which were shared by the merchants
interesting family, who came TO join them.--
BiacIlooods Magasine
TnE FIFLp-BooK 90 TnE REvoLuIIoS.--PaH
II. is devoted 10 tho Revolutionary rcminiscenoes
ebuncctcd with Lake champlaln, Lake GeoVe Fort
Edward, ,So We copy the following account oft The
CAPTURE or TICoNDERoCA. =,
The contempt with which the loy'nl and re-
spoctful addresses of the Grst Continental
Congrnas of liza wore ireated by the British
ministry and a majority ia Parliament; the
harsh measures adopted by the government
carly in i775, 10 coerce the colonista into
submission, and the mcthodicAl tyranny Of
General Gage Of Boston, and of other colo
nial governors, convinced the Americans
that an appeal to arms was inevitable They
were convinced, also, that the province OF
Quebec, or Canada, would remain loyal, and
that thore would bo place of rendezvous for
British troops when the colonies should unite
in open aud ayowod rebellion. The strong
iortrosses Of TiconderOga and Crown Point
formed the key Of all communication between
New York and Canada, aud the Nigilant pat
riots OF Massachusetts, tbo very hot-bcd Of
rebellion, early perceived the necessity Of
securing these posts the moment hostilitics
should commence. Early in March, Samuel
Adams and Joseph Warren, members Of the
Committee oC Correspondence Of Boston, sent
secret agent into Canada TO ascertain tho
opinions and temper Of tic people Of that
province concerning the great questions at
issue and the momcntous events then pend
! ing. Aiter a diligcnt but cautious perform
anco Of his delicate task, the agent sent word
| 80 ti,vIn nom Monucai tnat inc people were,
al best, lakewarin, and advised that, the
moment hostilitcs commenced, TGcondcnga
and its garrison should he seized. This ad-
vice was coupled with the positive assertion
that the people Of the New Hampshire Grants
were ready 20 undertake the bold enterprise.
ifBy the grant OF CfAilcs II. 10 his brother
James, Duke Of York, the tract in America
called Now York was bounded on the east by
the Connecticut River, while the charters OF
Massachusetts, and Connecticut gare- -thasa
provinces westward extent 10 the "South
: Sea" or the Pacific Ocean. When, toward
the middle of the last century, settlements
began TO be made westward Of the Conncci-
cut River, disputes arose, and the line be
twccn Conncsticut and New York was final
! " drawn, by mutual agreement, twenty miles
east of the Hudson. Massachusetts, claimed
a continuation of the Connecticut line rs its
western boundary, but New York contested
the claim as interfering with prior grants TO
that colony. New Hampshire, lying north
of Massachusetts, was not rs yet disturbed by
these disputes, for the country west of the
Green Mountains was wilderness, and had
never been surveyed. When Bcnning Went
worth was made Governor of New Hampshire
he was authorized TO issue patents for unim-
proved lands within his province and in 1749
applications were made 20 him for grants be-
yond the mountains. lie gave patent that
year for n township ak miles square, having
its western line twenty miles east Of the IIud-
son, and in his honor it was called Bcnning-
ton. The Governor and Council of Now
York demonstrated against this grant, yet
Wentworth continued TO issue patents; and in
1884 fourteen townships of this kind were
laid out and settlements commenced. Dur
ing the French and Indian war settlements
increased tariily, but after the victory of
Wolfe at Quebec numerous applications for
grants were made; and az the time of the
peace in 1898, ono hundred and thirty-oight
townships were surveyed west of the Con-
necticut River, and these were termed the
New Hampshire Grants. The controversy
between New York and the Grants became
so violent that military organizations took
place in the latter section 20 resist the civil
power Of New York, and about r772 the mil
! itary thusunroled were called Green Noun
tain Boys; among the most active and daring
of whom were Ethan and Ira Allon and Re-
member Baker, men of whom / shall have
occasion to speak hereafter,-See Sparks
! Life Of Ethan dHtn, and fAompson's Yer
nlpnt. part IL l--A----------,
Within threS weeks afler this information
was received by Adams and Warren, the
battle of Lexington occurred The aeeHt- ~
reused tho whole country, and the patriots
Aocked 10 tho nuighborhood Of Boston from
all quarters. The provincial Assembly of
Connecticut was then in session, and several
OF It's mcnhcrs ruuCcrtcrt- anri=assfeeA upon a
plan to seize the munitions of war at Ticon
deroga, for the use of the army gathering at
Cambridge and Ro:;'"~y. They appointed
Edward Mott and Noah Phelps committee
10 proceed to the frontier townsasccrtain the
condition of the fort and tho strength of the
garrison, and, ifthcy thought il oxpedient to
raise men and attempt the surprise and cap