Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1855-07-18
miscellaneous.
From Putnam Magazine
ETHAN ALIENS CiPTIVITY.

Among the eplSOueS OF Tue heFOlullOn-
airy War, none is more strange than that
of Ethan Allen in England the event
aud the man being equally uncommon
Allen seems to have been a curious
CON- bination of Hercules, Joe Miller,
Bayard, and Tom Hyer; He had a
person like the Belgian giants, mountain
music in him like a Swiss, and a heart
plump as q Ceur de Lions Though
born in New England, lie exhibited no
traces OF her character, except that his
heart beat wildly for his countrys free
dom He was frank. bluff, companiona-
bic as u pagan, convlvial as Roman,
hearty as harvest His spirit was es-
sentially Western-and herein is his pc
culiar Americanism-for the Western
spirit Is the American one.
For the most part, Aliens manner
while in England was scornful and fero
cious in the last degree; however quail
fed by that wild. heroic sort of levity.
" hich IN the hour of oppression or peril
seems inseparable from nature like his
the mode whereby such temper best
evinces its barbaric disdain of adversity-
aud how waggishly it lolds its malice.
even though triumphant Of its foes Aside
pertaining to pine trees, spires and giants,
there we're, perhaps, two special incident
al reasons for the Titanic Vermouter's
singular demeanor abroad Taken cap
tive while heading forlorn hope before
Montreal, he was treat with lnexcusa
bic cruelty and indignity something as
if he had fallen into the hands of the
Dyaks. Immediately upon his capture,
be would have been deliberately suffered
10 have been butchered by the Indian al.
lies, in cold blood on the spot, had he not
with desperate intrepidity. availed him
self of his enormous physical strength.
/ by twitching a British officer to him. and
using him FOR living target. whirlng
( him round aid round against the murder
I Gus tomahawks of the savages Shortly
afterward, led into the town. fenced about
/ by bayonets Of the guard, the commander
/ of the guard. the commander of the enc
\ my, one Colonel McClaud, fourished his
cane over his captlve's head with brutal
! insults, promising him rebels halter at
| Ty yburn. During his passage to England
IN the same ship wherein went passenger
/ Colonel Guy johnson, the implacable to
~, be was kept heavily ironed in the hold,
/ and In all was treated as a mutIneer or
it may be rather as lion of Asia, which.
though Gagged, was still too dreadful to
/ behold without fear and trembling and
consequent cruelty. And no wonder, at
/ least for the fear. for on one occasion
when chained hand and foot, he was in
suited by an officer, with his teeth he
I twisted off the nail that went through the
mortise of his handouts, and so, having
/ his arms at liberty, challenged his insulter
to combat Often at Pendennis Castle,
when no other revengement was at hand,
/ he would hurl on his foes such bowling
tempests of anathema. as fairly to shock
them into retreat Prompted by some
wi at similar motives, both on shipboard
aud in England, he would often make the
most vociferous allusions to Ticonderoga
and the part he played in its capture
well knowing that of all American names
! Ticonderoga was, at that period, by far
the most famous and CALLING to English
/ men.
! Israel Potter, an exiled Englishman,
while strolling around the Pendennls
/ Castle. where Allen was confined. chanced
to hear him IN one of his outbursts of ln-
diguation and madness, of which the fol-
lowing is specimen
"Brag no more, old England consider
that you are but an island Order back
YOUR broken battalions Home aud re-
pent in ashes Loug enough have your
hired tories across the sea, forgotten the
Lord their Gcd and bowed down to Howe
and Kniphausen--the Hessian Hands
of, red skinned jack-alll Wearing the
Kings plate as | do (meaning probably,
certain manacles) | have treasures of
wrath against you British
Then came clanking as of a chain !;
many vengeful sounds, all confusedly to
gether, with strugglings. Then again the
voice:
"Ye brought me out here, from my
dungeon to this green-affronting yon
Sabbath sun-to see how rebel looks
But I'll show you bow true gentleman
and christian car :, nduct In adversely.
Back, Dogs respeo. gentleman and a
christian, though he be in rags, and smell
of bilge water Yes, shine on glorious
sun IT'S the same that warns the