Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-09-12

HOW BLoDGET CAPTURED THE RED COATS
ON TIE WAY TO TICONDEROGA.

HOW BLODGET CAPTURED THE RED COATS
ON TIE WAY TO TICONDERoGA.
We have all read of the intrepid cour-
rce of the Green Mountain Boys at the
time of the Revolutionary war, and the
usual suppostion is that all those of IL
patriotic spirit were to be found in the
ranks of the American army, but many Il
brave man. perhaps by the force of cir
cumstapces, was obliged to tarry ut home.
At the time the following incident oc-
Cured, the British were in full possession
of Fort Ticonderoga, and the towns for
many miles around were subjected to the
lawess depredations of the red coats, =
which aroused the just Indignation of all
who favored the patriot cause" But as
Il little free speech often deprived II man
of liberty, it was thought best (using Il
homcly eXpression) to grin and bear it, >
One day company of British soldiers,
numbering about twenty, in passing
through the town of Cornwall, VT, lin
gercd around long enough to place GER
tain mark on the Louise of every person
suspected or known to favor the patriots,
that others of the Kings Own" who
should follow after would know by this
mystic sign where to find friend or foe.
Now this raised the ire of one man in
particular, who determined to circumvent
them by a little plot he had formed in his
own mind. So, taking the British officer
aside and speaking in II cautious manner,
This person, (Blodget by name) said " Say,
uow, be you goin' to Ticonderogue?' but
without waiting for a reply, continued,
" for ii you be, me and some of my neigh
bors want to 90 long with ye. We've
been waiting for some chance like this for
long time, and if you'll just march out
of town, so as not to excite suspicion, you
see, and will wait for us ut a certain spot
Gun tell ye of, why I'll see the other
men and we'll join there. What say
you?'
Now the army, both on the American
and British side, was always willing to
take new recruits whenever offered, and
us this mans story seemed plausible
enough, the British captain willingly ac-
ceded to the proposal of Bodget, who
thereupon proceeded TO appoint rem
devious which was where the pub
lie highway OF road was cut through a
ledge of limestone rock forming Il wall
some ten feet high on either side on top of
which was II stunted growth of trees.
Blodget requested the officer to wait there
a certain length of time, and they would
make all expedition in joining him.
As soon as Blodget saw the soldiers out
of sight, he hastily mounted his horse and
started out TO inform his good "Whig y
neighbors of his intentions. 1t needed but
few words in those days to arouse II per
sons patriotism, SO each man taking down
his trusty tirelock, or old fusee, with no
military outfit, except the three.cornered
hat of (GenD Blodget, which he fortu-
nately discovered in some old resting
place, they proceeded by much shorter
route to the point of rendezvous, 50 that
they had time to secrete themselves among
the bushes at the farther end of the lime
stone pass before the Britishers came up.
According to "Morse's History publish
ed some sixty years ago, military tactics
in these days were not by any means per
feet even Gen. Putnam overpowered by
strategy rather than numbers. Soon was
heard the tramp, tramp, tramp of the
soldiers us they marched into the pass.
where they were expecting to halt at the
further end and wait for the recruits tc
Join them, but when midway between
either opening, with the great rocks, ms
impenetlable us prison walls, rising on two
sides of them, even obstructing the sun
light for time, they we're astonished III
hearing II stentorian voice cry haltn
They stopped, surprised, when the I'M
promptu Gen. Blodget, who had reineu
his horse directly in front Of the opening
commanded them to lay down their arms
and surrender. At first the officer at
tempted to parley, but Blodget knew ii
would not do to give time to consider the
position, so he began in II loud voice, amid
great flourish of arms Gin the back
ground), First platoon, rise and
But there was no necessity for him TO add
fire." as the captain, (supposing them
selves surrounded by large body OF
American soldiers) by Il sign gave the
other to understand that he would surren'
der. Then Blodget ordered the twenty
men to walk off few PAGES, stack theil
arms, and fall back again. Having done
so, he ordered five of his own company to
take possession of them, as the five were
all the men he could muster. Strange as
it may appear, they really marched the
twenty as prisoners of war, not to Ticon-
deroga, but to Gen Stark, then at Ben
nington. n.-RochcSlCr, ~ Y, Union.