The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-05-04


and the next day, having augmented our
company to the number Of sixteen in the
whole, we concluded it was not best to
add any more, as we meant to keep our
business a secret and ride through the
country unarmcd till we came TO the new
settlements on the grants We arrived
at Mr.. Dewey's in Sheffield, aud there
we sent off Mr.. Jer. Halsey and Capt.
John Stephens, to 60 to Albany in order
to discover the temper Of the people in
that place, and to return and inform us
as soon as possible.
That night, we arrived at Col. Easton's
in Pittsfeld, where we fell in company
with John Brown, Esq, who had been at
Canada and Ticonderoga about month
before; on which we concluded to make
known our business to Col. Esston and
said Brown, and to take their advice on
the same. | was advised by Messrs.
Deane, Leflingwell and Parsons, at Hart
ford, not to raise our men till we came
to N. Hampshire grants, lest we should
be discovered by having too long march
through the country; but when we
advised with said Easton and Brown,
they advised us that as there was great
scarcity Of provisions in the grants, and
as the people were generally poor, it
would be difficult to get a sufficient
number of men there,-therelore we had
better raise number of men sooner.
Said Easton and Brown concluded to go
with us, and Easton said he would assist
me IN raising some men in bis Regiment.
We then concluded for me to 90 with
Col. Easton to Jericho and Williamstown
TO raise men, and the rest Of us to 90
forward to Bennington and sec if they
could purchase provisions there. We
raised "a men in Jericho, and 10 in
WiIliamstown, and got them equipped
ready to march. Then Col. Easton and
I set out for bennington. That evening,
we met with an express from our people
informing US that they had seen a man
directly from Ticonderoga, and that he
informed them that they were reinforced
at Ticonderoga, and were repairing the
garrison, and we're every way on their
guard therefore it was best for us to
dismiss the men VIC had raised, and
proceed no further, as we should not
succeed. / asked who the man was,
where be belonged, and where he was
going, but could get no account on which
ordered that the men should not be
dismissed, but that we would proceed.
The next day arrived at Bennington.
There, overlook our people, all but Mr..
Noah Phelps and Mr. Hescock who were
, gone forward to reconnoiter the Fort, and
MIR. Ilalsey and Mr. Stephens had not
got back from Albany. | inquired why
, they sent back to INC to dismiss the ex-
petition, when neither our men from
, Albany nor the recounoitering party
were returned They said they did not
think that We should succeed. ! told
,hem that fellow they saw knew nothing
about the garrison that | had seen HIN
since, and had examined him strictly, aDc
t that he was a lying fellow and had no
e been at the fort. | told them with the
D two hundred men that we proposed t.
: raise, | was not afraid to 20 round thu
s Fort in open light if it was re'eniorce'
. with five hundred men, they would no
. follow us out into the woods; that thu
l.. accounts we had would not do to 90 bach
Q with, and tell 10 Hartford. While oil
:. this discourse, Mr., Halsey and Stephens
Q came back from Albany, and both agreed
Il with me that it was best to 90 forward
after which. Mr.. Halsev and Mr.. Bul
i both declared that they would not g
r back for no story, till they had seen The
c Fort themselves. On which it was cen
o cluded that we would proceed; and a
e provisions were very scarce on the Grants
It we sent Capt. Stephens and Mr.. Hewitt
}. to Albany New City to purchase pro
is visions and send to us, as soon as the
:. could and Mr. Romans left US and joinc'
Y no more; we were all glad, as he ha'
been u trouble to us, all the time he wa
c with US.
t Then we proceeded to raj Sc tbc men a
d fast as possible, and sent forward men NJ
} whom We could depend, to wavlav IN
It roads that lead fiom those places we wer
r, raising men in to Fort Edward. LAX
d George, skenesborough, Ticouderoga o
C Grown Point'-with orders to take up al
&c those who were passing from either @
u those garrisons and send to us to be ex
% amlned, and that all who were passin
Is towards those garrisons. from us, shoul
. be stopped, so that no intelligence sboul
. 60 from us to the garrisons; and on Sun
Il day night, the seventh of May, we al
Is arrived at Cassel Town (Castleton, tn
=, place where We had appointed for tn
- men all to meet and on Monday the st
! OF May, the Committee all got together
'e to conclude in what method We woul
u proceed in order to accomplish our desgr
u of which Committee, was chairman
~ And after debating nm the differcr
" methods to proceed and in what mamie
= :, to retreat in case Of repulse, we resolve
u :, and voted. that we would proceed in tn
= following manner, viz a: that a party {
% thirty men. under the command of Cap
a Herrick, should, the next day in the afte
~ noon take into custody Major Skene an
= his party, ard boats and that the rest {
-. - the men, which consisted Of about l4O
~ should go, through Shoreham, TO til
Lake, opposite to Ticonderoga and tn;
part of the men that went to Skene
borough should. in the night following. G
D. down the Lake, by Ticonderoga, in tt
ne boats, to Shorebam. in order to carry me
Il. across the Lake to Ticonderoga. "
ne also sent Cant Douglass to 60 to Crow
eu Point and see if he could not agree vii
le his brother.in law who lived there, to hiI
| the kings boats, on some stratagem. an
5. send up the Lake from there, to assist
ut carrying over our men. 1t was furth'
I'd agreed that Col. Ethan Allen shoul
be have the command Of the party th'
Of should 90 against Ticonderoga, agreeab
a to my promise made to the men when
ht engaged them to go, that they should