The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1864-02-12
Ryegate-SOmers and Reid.

Ven. DurgOyne hau arrived Oh tNe western
bank of Lake Champlain, had met the Indi-
ans in congress, and given them war feast,
to arouse their courage. Crown Point and
Ticonderoga had been taken, and Burgoyne
had started with the intention of going to
New York with his army. In the midst Of
these disastrous and alarming circumstances
Congress called loudly for men to meet the
impending danger. The Green Mountain
boys, with their usual promptness, respond
ed to the call. None were more prompt than
the members Of the Scotch settlement in
Ryegate and Barnet. The drafted men in
Ryegate were Somers and Ried-Frye Bal
ley, Of Newbury, attended to the raising and
mastering of the men in the surrounding
towns. On their march over the Green
Mountains, and in the state of New York.
they were kindly treated by the inhabitants.
They had got within few mil IS of the Mo.
hawk, when they were met by man or
horseback, who, in the greatest haste inform
ed them that fifteen boats loaded with pro-
visions for Rurgoyne's army, were quietly
going down the river, no one being there to
modest them. He begged Of Capt. Bailey to
hurry his men as fast as possible and capture
he DO its; as it was known that unless the
British army got provisions soon they would
he obliged to surrender. Capt. Bailey and
his men hurried to the river in double quick,
and found the boats as described, rapidly
making their way to relieve the half starved
army. Bailey had no way of getting to the
boats could do very little damage to
them having only few queen's-arms and
fowlins pieces for arms. However they had
come to fight, ard fight they would, so string
ing themselves along the river bank they
fred on The boats but they were too far
away to be injured much, although the men
became frightened and getting to the shore
they fastened the beats and going on to the
land began to make fires. Thus the two
parties stood, one on either side of the river
without the means Of disturbing each other,
Bailey and his men proposing and repropos-
ing modes and ways for capturing the boats:
the men on the other side quietly smoking
thir pipes and drinking whiskey. Things
remained in tbs state until dark when Bal
ley told his men that their was but one way
TO capture the boats and that was to swim
the river and bring one Ct the boats to this
side, and if two men would volunteer for
that purpose they would DO a great service
to the Continental Government. Somers
was the first man who stepped forward; he
was followed by man from New IIamp-
shire, both ready to engage III the hazardous
enterprise. Their clothes We're taken eff and
tied on their shoulders, " hen all marched
down to the river. $50" said Capt Bailey,
" fetch one Of those boats to this sid; il
you are likely to get hit give Us the signal.
God be with YOU" This was the brief com
mand, when the two men entered the river
on their peri.ous journey. Many OF tie men
! believed that their two comrades had gone
to iud grave, consequently the next hon:
was al nour OF great anxiety. Bat n the
midst of their worrying and watching dark
object was seen approaching the shore, and
in few minutes the well known voice Of
Somels was heard in a low tone calling on
Capt. Bailey. The men were prevented from
using any loud expressions Of joy. The
boa. was surrounded ard empted in short
time, and was soon filed with men and push
Ing off for the opposite shore. The New
Hampshire man had gone under in crossing.
and it being a cold October evening was
chilled SO that he had to be LEFT to be taken
care of by the citizens. When They got
over Bailey's men were divided, Somers com
maLdlng the body at the boats while tie
other party went inland, whore they were
soon making loud noise. 1t was not long
before Somers gave the sigma agreed upon,
WhGh all Dfpke out IN !ti,S ana eNOGlS. Inc
men who had charge Of the boats woke up
from whiskey sleep to fad themselves sur
rounded b. yelling enemies, and ran in the
widest confusion; while Bailey "ith Somers
and their men brought the boats over where
a large number OF citizens received them
with loud exclamatjons Of joy. Burgoyne
surrended in lew days, and many of the
men believing thai the Object for which the.
were drafted had been obtained, returned
home, never having joined the main army;
among the others We're Somers and Red.
Patriotic Family.
Mr.. Royal Scott, Of Barnet, has seven
sons, five of whom are in the army. He has