Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-05-14
From the N. Y. J lines.


10, l1I3. In Its actual incioeh's' 'ne anaii
was skirmish so trivial as to be hardy
worthy of mention. Not man was killed
a;.S.rs ida hlooa r,s hardly drawn and
="
yet II was an achievement 'ha' was no' on'y
to live in song and story through centuries,
but was to have an immediate and lasting
effect upon the politics Of the world and the
fate Of nations. Concord and Lexington had
merely put the patriots of America In de-
fensiye attitude to the power and crown OF
Britain. Alter the bloody scene on Lexlng-
ton Common alter the skirmish at the
rude Concord bridge. even after the long
and deadly pursuit of the British until they
found themselves safe under the guns OF the
irigates lying in Boston Harbor, reconcilia-
ton with the King was possible, for even a
crafty stubborn King like George Ill. might
see in all this nothing more nor worse than
a people defending themselves. But Ticon-
deroga was something very different. 1t was
an act of aggressive warfare. 1t was
revolted subjects seizing the possessions Of
| the King IL was the prototype OF Sumter
Ii meant war and closed all the avenues to
peace. Ii was the real prelude to indepen-
/ dence. of which only the first feeble and I'M
certain notes had been heard at Concord and
/ Lexington.
| 1t Is Il matter of no little interest and i'm
portance, after the lapse of hundred years,
| 10 remember that we do not owe the cap
ture of Ticonderoca and Crown Point to any
organized public action. Neither the Con-
tinental Congress nor any Provincial Con-
gress authorized the expedition. Like every
other early impetus to the American Reyo-
| luton. it can be traced back to Samuel
Adams. Even before the Concord fight, the
sturdy. far-seeing patriot, who alone of all
his c0untrymen seems to have known that
n nation was about to be born in the travail
Of war and agony, had dreamed of opening
a way into Canada by the possession of Il
conderoga But even Adams saw the future
only dimlv. For his enterprise he needed
peculiar man. and how could he know
that in a remote village of the territory,
then known a. the New Hampshire Grants,
which now comprises the State of Vermont,
was precisely the man he required 1t was
ia the town Of Bennington that he was
found who was to achieve Immortality in
les than half an hour, and give the world
wltchword in his demand for a surrender
''ln the name Of the Great Jehovah and the
Continental Congress" While the charac-
ter of Ethan Allen emiLently lifted him for
the task upon which he entered, his whole
life seemed to have been spent in rendering
him more 1t for it. He was bluff. hrusque pc
tulant tenacious OF his individual rights and
Of those Of his community; fearless to the
verge Of recklessness so fond Of disputes
that be was n-yer at home out Of hot water;
be added 10 these qualities 4 sincere pat
rioti>m that never cooled, and courage and
sagacity equal to any emergency Such
Character uil nor Legu 'ne OPPORTUNITIES Of
'-ron,.3 NJ afr,irs and Iong bef,re ,be Pc
luton was imminent, or even probable.
Lthan Allen 4 was noted man. larry ehron-
- ~, ~, " NJ ~ VI otS - ~ " NJ '-l'
cbe-etts and Connecticut in relation to
boundary lines. The charters granted to
e1eA 10y the crown hau not only Ieit TINS
a. 3- '1''' .I - 90 -; !, -
themscIve, Il was kpottv subject and
but for the war with the mother country il
is likely they would have GOT into a war
among themselves about it. Ii Is not sinru-
lar. therefore. 10 find such a man As Ethan
Allen amonr the foremost. in this dispute
Dat of his fierce zeal in the end came the
STATE of Vermont and the establishment OF
the boundaries Of the Eastern states. sub
stantialiv Us they are at present but in do
ine il he PASSED through many notable
scenes and stirred up much had blood His
whole life had been one of strife and the 1
Spring of I77j found him well advanced in
year- and linc for treason. strancems. and |
spoil,
Al.f..f. ,,... NOM, ,,.,. ~.,l =, .. biz. bo,,F.
-, -
'''' '-'i-S Ane" il No'- liAe"'Se nc
ia not know that Others were about % steal /
h., dream and make it . reality. The idea /
60 ,s-.. ia e,.-...i = .t-.,...t. /
~,
MASSACHUSETTS, Ht Tue neishooFAnS provinces,
even belJrc the Concord fight. Hartford, /
Conn. las .he honor OF being the place .
.t.. ,-,...,,.;.. - RI.
l-S> 1i'eI 'iie Ounc'ru Asut several helhoers
OF tie Connecticut Provincial Assembly met
- tax the matter over, not o. officials but
Is individuals. They knew that four weeks
before. Adams and DR.. Joseph Warren had
sent al agent into Canada to feel the people
in regard 20 the dispute between the Crown
and the colonies, and that this agent had
earnestly advised the immediate seizure of
Hc1nderoga. They determined that it should
be done. Ol their individual responsibility
they borrowed 81 600 from the Treasury Of
the province % help defrav the expense.
Then they sent out a committee, headed bv
Edward Mott and Noah Phelps, 10 the from
tier towns. 10 spy out the land and start the
expedition The committee got sixteen men
10 Connecticut At Pittsheld, Mass, they
were ilined by Colonel james Easton.
Mr.. John Brown. and Others. At this time
here was no thought or mention of Ethan
Allen but the party went on and made the
next halt at Bennington, in the New Hamu-
.hire grants. There the master spirit Of
he enterrrise was found Ethan Allen not
,uly Joined II but took il into his own keen
NJ Then for the first time il became n
augible fact, Here was held the first eoun-
I'll Of war. as the leaders OF the little band
Insisted on calling their deliberations. 1t
vas decided that parties should be sent out
% the northward to secure the roads and
prevent intelligence of the movement from
preadinr through the country and thus
eaching the British garrison in iiconderora.
The business was intrusted to Allen, and il
vas thorou -hly and impetuously done. Re
ruits having been obtained the band moved
n. and. on the evening of Nav eth. halted !
/ Castleton. twenty-five miles from Ticon-
eroga. Here another council of war was
ED, and the first thing done was to effect /
n organization. Ethan Allen was made
commander in Chief, Col James Easton be- ,
% second in rank, and Seth Warner third.
he muster-rol showed less than 200 men. ,
holly without cannon and poorly armed in :
Their respects. With this basis the leaders :
ketched campaign against formidable ,
,rtre-s. leebly garrisoned, it was true. but =
ristliug with armament. Allen. with 40 ;
ZEN, was To march directly and swiftly to !
rwell. Immediately opposite Ticonderoga, !
d Lake Champlain, while Captain Herrick. ,
18th thirty men. was to make detour TO I.
Seensborough, where he was to make 9
lai1r Skeon a prisoner, and. having seized :
4 the boats he could find. was 10 hasten y