Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-05-14

could see the misty outlines of the fort,
which was already apparently their own if
they only had the means Of ferriage. Those
must have been anxious moments to Allen
and his comrades. Herrick was nowhere
to be seen. and even Douglass had failed to
come to time with its boats. Bat the at
tempts had to be made that night or not
at all. Finally, after some waste Of time, a
few boats were found, and the crossing
began. Alien. Arnold, and young Beman
were among the first to cross, and, to his
great dismay. when the first streaks OF dawn
began to appear, Allen found that only
eighty-three men were over, and the boats
Just putting back to bring Seth Warner
and the remainder. 1t was not question
for long debate, nor did Allen debate it at
all. Stepping to the front of his little band,
he said - Friends and fellow-sOldiers We
must this morning quit our pretensions to
yalor or possess ourselves of this fortress,
and inasmuch as it is desperate attempt,
do not urge it on contrary to will. You
that will undertake Voluntarily, poise your
fre-locks." There was not faint heaIt in
all the band, for hardly had the words been
spoken when every tre-lock was poised.
. Face to the right" cried Allen cheerily,
and placing himself at the head of the centre
file the word was given and the rush up the
height and upon the fortress was made.
Allen kept always to the front, and Arnold
kept always at his side. When the gate was
reached it was found to be closed, but the
wicket was open. The surprise was COM
plete. A solitary sentry was at the gate,
who, having snapped his fusee harmlessly
a; the invaders, rushed in terror into a
covered way. With wild Indian war
whoop, with which the II tort had
echoed so often in the DAYS Il Montcalm,
the Americans rushed in and formed in
hollow square ON the parade ground.
As they did so another sentry was met, who
thrust his bayonet into one Of the Americans.
inhicting slight wound. In return, Allen
cut him over the head with his sword, max
ing hesh-wound only and this was all the
fighting. But the position of the little band
was still critical in the extreme. They were
in the fort, but it had not surrendered, and,
without losing an instant, Allen, guided by
young Beman, dashed up II stairway to the
room of Capt. Delaplace, the commandant.
That officer had just been aroused from his
slumbers by the uproar below, when Allen
Numbered at bis door Come out and sur
son ~ cried Allen. At the words Delaplace
appeared undres>ed, and was greeted BY his
unwelcome visitor with demand for an in
slant surrender. by what authority
asked Delaplace. and instantly came the ia !
nous retort, in the name Of the Great ,Je
hoyah and the Continental Congress" In
those Northern wilds the latter was at that
time an unknown power, and Delaplace
was about to speak IN rem0nstrance. Bat
Allen. lifting his sword over the head of
the officer, repeated his demand, and find
ing himself fairly caught, Delaplace surren- |
dered the fort, ordering his men TO parade
without arms. After securing his prison
ers, consisting Of one Captain, one Lieu
tenant, and torty-eight privates, all Of whom
were subsequently sent TO Hartford, Conn.
Allen toOk an inventory of his spoils, and
found himself in possession Of l20 cannon,
besides numbers OF swivels. small arms, and |
stores.
soon after the capture had been made |
seth Warner came over with the remainder 4
Of the force, and Allen found himself in |
this British stronghold at the head OF 326 |
men. of whom 40 were from the New /
Hampshire Grants and known far and wide /
a Green Mountain Bows. seventy were from
Massachusetts. and sixteen were from Con
necticut. Warner was sent Of instantly 10 take
Crown Point which he did next dav capturing
eleven men and sixty-1ne seryiceah.e cannon.
The conquest having been made reasonably
secure, the old dispute between Allen and
Arnold broke out again. but it was at last
arranged by sort ola joint command under
which y. John wa seized and all British
craft ON the lake captured. The enemy
having been swept ont Of the North,
Ethan Allen went away 10 receive the plan
dts due 10 his exploits. lie Was accorded
the honor Of public reception on the floor
Of the Continental Congress, and similar
mark Of public gratitude was accorded nim
by the Provincial Congress Of Massachusetts,.
The whole land rang wiki bis name and
fame I'm the name of the Great Jehovah
and the Continental Congress became
watchword and pecan In the midst OF bis
glory Ethan Allen organized an expedition
To take Montreal and Quebec At the out
set of this enterprise he was taken himself,
and the next two years and seven month,
he spent a. a prisoner in British dungeons
and war vessels Most of the time he was
in irons. and hardly ever wes he treated
u prisoner OF war. In British eyes he
was an audacious rebel and the wonder l.
he was not hanged Bat at last be was
exchanged at the Staten Island Station, and
was home again in the American lines at
New Brunswick, y. j.. Congress sought 10
him Tor his sutferinss by voting
him a commission as Colonel IN the Con-
tinental Army. He accepted II, but 1t does
not appear that he ever rci)ined the Army.
I ertaIn It j. that be never again did any