The Bennington daily banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1877-1877, 1877-08-10

and JOHN STARK, OF New Hampshire.
[Mr. Chittenden gives several pages Of very
interesting history and "reminiscences follow.
ing the above extract. Thesepages we must
slrp, but will favor our readers with the
following column Of bis answer to the Ques-
tion, "Who took TicOnderogarl
The earnest controversy which had long
existed between the settlers of the New
| Hampshire Grant and the leading officials OF
New York, not always free from scenes Of
violence and blood, some years before the
battle of Lexington, had called into exist
ence, upon the Grants, an effective military
organization known by the name of the
Goeen Mountain Boys. Many ot these set
tiers were old s0ldirs, who became acquaint-
ed with the attractions Of the country, when
they were Provineials or Rangers. under
Putnam, Stark and Rogers
Their colonel and leader was Ethan Allen.
| They were formed into regiment as early
as 1771. We can now trace the existence OF
five companies, each formed In its own ln-
cality, aud there were doubtless Others. Seth
| Warner was captain of the Bennington
company, which was organized in l764 Re-
member Baker was captain OF the company
raised in Arlington; Robert Cochran u the
Rupert company, and Gideon Warren Of that
raised in Sunderland and vicinity. Another,
raised near the New York line, was Conn
lmanded by DT, Ebenezer Marvin, OF STU iva
ter. These and other cqmlrpies ny y, were We'll
the value of discipline and prompt obe-
dience. They were raised, not for holiday
display, but to defend their homes ana pro-
perty. The prUmptness with which they
obeyed the call of their leaders is illustrated
in the pursuit and rescue of Baker from his
captors in March, 1772.
Having no legally organized government
these settlers gave the direction of their
civil affairs into the bands of small body
of their wisest men, which was first known
as the Grand Committee" and later. asthe
Council of Safety.D This body exercised all
the executive powers of State government,
for many years. Its sessions we're frequent; /;
and. before the Revolution. were usually
held in Bennington. 1t is safe to say. that
IN the year 1775, the Grants had as efficient
a civil government as any Of the colonies;
and, assuredly, no colony had more thor
Ough military orRrnizatiOn.
With few exceptions, these settlers were
New England men-attached to her lnst1tu-
tions, intrenched in her habits-warm disci-
pies of the doctrine of self-gOvernment.
The same fuel which fed the ires OF liberty
in Fanueil Hall was abundant on the Grants
Resistance to oppression nowhere met with
a more hearty, unanimous response than
from the piOueers among the Green Mount
aims.
1t was to such q people, thus organized.
J0ub JOnu DTOWu, VI ElItSuclus Cdu1og inbc
in February, 1775, on his way to Canada.
On the 18th of that month, the CONGRESS of
Massachusetts, impressed with the necessity
of keeping the Canadians and Indians neu-
tral, If they could not be won to the popular
cause in the struggle which they knew was
near; by resolution, directed their commit
tee to open a correspondence to that end.
The committee sent Mr.. Brown upon the
mission and furnished him with letters and
documents to promote his success. Pittsfeld
was not half days ride from Bennington,
where Allen lived and the Grand Committee
held its sessions. 1t was the principal town
upon the great route Of emigration to the
Grants. Its patriotic minister bore Aliens
name and was hJs friend. Communication
between these two TOWNS was frequent, and
the condition of affairs upon the Grants
must have been well known to Brown and
his neighbOTs. he acted promptly upon that
knowledge. He DELAYED long enough to visit
Albany, and put himself in communication
with DIR. Young, and then took the shortest
route across the Grants, to Canada. It was
a part of his business to establish reliable
means of communication through the
Grants.O That he was in close relations
with the leaders, we know, for one of them
became his guide to Canada. This was Peleg
Sunderland, one of the eight whom the Of
ticials of New York had Outlawed and con-
demned to death. without the trouble Of ar
rest, or the expense Of trial. He was sent
pie, and he must have met Col, Allen, con-
suited with the Grand committee, and have
known OF the organization, for he declares !
taken 10 capture ficondofora, saiisiisd I
with the condition If affairs on the Grants, |
be forced his way through many difficulties
TO Canada made use of his two companions, |
one of whom had been o captive among |
them, TO win over the Indians, and having |
executed his mission, ON the 10Th Of March, |
writes an account of 1t from Montreal, to |
DR.. Warren and Samuel Adams. the Massa- |
chusetts COMMITTEES, and, as lfhe were making |
a new and important suggestion, brought to |
his NOTICE while on the Grants, says
"0ne thing muEt mention, to be kept a
profound secret, The fort Of TcOnderOga |
must be seized as soon as possible, should |
bostilities be commenced by the Kings |
troops. The people on the New Hampshire |
Grants have engaged to do this business;
and, IN my opinion, they are the most pro- |
per persons for this job. This will ctfectually |
curb this pr lyince, and all the troops that
may he sent here"
A moments reflection makes the fact evi- |
dent the proposal to capture Ticonderoga |
came to Brown from, and was not suggested |
TO, the people Of the Grants. He commune |
Gated it to the Massachusetts Congress as
proper thing to be done, because he supposed |
IL had not occurred TO them. He wrote the |
letter after he had had an interview with
the YermonteTs IN which they "engageq 70
before he visited the Grants, he would prob, |
ably have spoken Of it to his associates, and |
there would, have been no necessity tor this |
Which is the more prOba- |
BILE, that the YermOnters, who lived in the
vicinity, on an exposed frontier, winch
would be protected by the capture-whO
knew that 1ic0nderOga was the very Gate |
of the country" land the only Onel, through |
which hostile expedition from Canada |
could enterit-manY of whom had been tight
ing through half dozen campaigns so take |
1t, should have been impressed with the ne
cessity to themselves, as well as to the colo
nies, of surprising these forts before they |
were reinforced, and should have seized the |
first opportunity through Brown OF making
its value known to the other colonies; OF that |
Brown, resident of Western Massaehu-
setts, and acomparatiye stranger to the taet.
VermOnters There Is ngthjlg IN Mr.,
Browns letter indicating that the idea Of |
the capture originated With him and posi-
tive proof will be cited that " was first pro-
posed by the VermOnters
Nor is there any evidence that the prOpo-
sitiOn Of Mr.. Brown received any attention |
in Massachusetts That colony was folly |
occupied with its own concerns for II was |
the central point Of revolution II bad no
time TO devote to matters which directly |
concerned only this remote northern from
tier. Although the letter of Mr. Brown |
shows that the capture of this fort was dis |
Guessed Rmong the VermOnters earlier than |
elsewhere. do not regard the fact as of any |
considerable Importance In view OF the |
impending contest it may have Oepqrred to |
thousands; it must have occurred to these |
who were acquainted with the value Of the |
position in past wars, But they who organ |
lied the expedition, and dWerg 70 act at the |
proper time, and who finally made the cap |
mre, are entitled TO the credit, although a |
multitude of others had spoken Of the enter
prise as desirable.
The next witness, In chronological order, |
Is Ethan Allen. His full account Of the |
cOndi ion of affairs upon the Grants. and the |
events which preceded the capture, has aOt |
been cited by any Of the numerous writers |
npOn this subject. A surprising omission, in |
view Of the inet that his account vas pub |
lished when there. was half regiment of
living witnesses, shortly after the even, and |
before any controversy in relation to II had |
arisen. II is found in Aliens 'VindicatiOn,"
as it is called, published in l779, only four |
years after the capture,
This account not only throws light upon |
the question we are discussing, but it also |
proves the spontaneous Loyalty Of the Yer |
mOnteIs TO the cause Of liberty, II points |
out their vital interests In the coming r6YO- |
luton, for their controversy with the New |
Vnrl-ara had inst baan an hmittpd IN tha him |