The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1858-12-16
8lographies,
IFoR THE pREss.l
Ethan Allen.
GcoSrINuED.l

to Castleton. Here he was Unexpectedly Joined
the Massachusetts committee to raise 400 men
and affect the same object which was now about
to be accomplished. AS he had not raised the
men, he was admitted to act as an assistant to
Colonel Allen
They reached the lake opposite Ticonderoga
on the evening of the 9th of May, IT'S. With
the utmost difficulty boats were procured and
83 men were landed near the garrison. The
approach of day rendering it dangerous to wait
for the rear, it was determined Immediately to
proceed The cummander-in-chief now adj
dressed his men, representing that they had
been for number of years a scourge to arbi-
trary power, and famed for their valor, and
concluded with saying, II now propose to adj
vance before you and in person conduct through
the wicket gate, and you that will go with me
voluntar1ly in this desperate attempt, poise
your freloc&s!" At the head of the centre
file he marched instantly to the gate, where
sentry snapped his gun at him and retreated
through the covered way; he pressed forward
into the fort, and formed his men on the parade
in such manner as to face two opposite bar
racks. Three huzzas awakened the garrison.
A sentry, who asked quarter, pointed out the
apartments of the commanding officer; and
Allen, with drawn sword over the head OF
Captain De-la-Place, who was undressed, de-
manded the surrender of the fort. "By what
authority do you demand it /? !" inquired the
astonished commander. II demand it," said
Allen, "in the name of the great Jehovah and
the Continental Congress-" The summons
could not be disobeyed, and the fort, with its
very valuable stores and forty-nine prisoners,
was Immediately surrendered. Crown Point
was taken the same day, and the capture of
sloop of war soon afterwards made Allen and
his brave party complete masters of Lake Cham
plain.
In the fall of ITS, he was sent twice into
Canada to observe the dispositions of the peo-
pie, and attach them, if possible, to the Amer
lean cause.
During this last tour, Col. Brown met him,
and proposed an attack on Montreal, in concert
The proposal was eagerly embraced, and Col
Allen, with lilo men, near 80 of whom were
Canadians, crossed the river in the night of
Sept. oath. In the morning he waited with
Impotence for the signal from Col Brown, who
agreed to cooperate with him; but he waited
in vain
lie made resolute defence against an attack
of 500 men, and it was not till his own party
was reduced by assertions to the number of 81,
and he had retreated near a mile, that he sur
rendered. A moment afterwards furious saw
age rushed towards him, and presented his fire.
lock with the intent of killing him. 1t was only
by making use of the body of the officer Ito
whom he had given his sword as shield, that
he escaped destruction.
He was now kept for some time in irons and
treated with great cruelty. He was sent to
England as prisoner being assured that the
halter would be the reward of his rebellion
when he arrived there. After his arrival about
the middle of December, he was lodged for a
short time in Pendennis Castle, near Falmouth
On the Sth Of January, 1916 he was put on
board frigate, and by circuitous route ar
rived at Halifax. Here he remained confined
in the Jail from June to October, when he was
removed to New York
During the passage to this place Capt Burke,
daring prisoner, proposed to kill the British
captain and seize the frigate but Colonel AL
len refused to engage in the plot and was prob
ably the means of preserving the life of Captain
Smith, who had treated him very politely He
was kept at New York about year and half,
sometimes imprisoned and sometimes permitted
to be on parole. While here, he had an oppor-
tunity to observe the inhuman manner in which
the American prisoners were treated
In one of the churches, in which they were
crowded he saw seren lying dead at one time,
and others biting pieces of chips from hunger
lie calculated that, of the prisoners taken at
Long Island and Fort Washington near 0OO
persisted by hunger and cold, or in consequence
of diseases occasioned by the impurity of their
persons.
Colonel Allen was subsequently exchanged
for Colonel Campbell, May 6th 1878, and after
having repaired to head quarters, and offered
his services to General Washington in case his
health should be restored, he returned to Yer
mont His arrival on the evening of the last of
May gave his friends great joy, and it was an
nounced by firing of cannon AS an expression
of confidence in bis patriotism and military tai
ents, he was very soon appointed to the COM
mand of the State militia