The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-05-08

but upon the impulse of the moment,
caused by the sudden appearance of an
enemy, he snapped his fusee at Allen,
who parried the weapon with his sword, |
and struck blow at the soldiers head, |
and inflicted a wound theron, which |
would probably have killed him, if the |
force of the blow had not been obstruct- |
ed by comb with which the soldiers |
hair was done up. The above statements |
l had from Major Noah Calender, son of
Amos Calender, who was with his father
at the time, and saw the wound"
This quotation is made merely as con-
firmatOry of Aliens statement that Ar
mold entered the fortress with him, and
not to show that Arnold exercised any
authority, whatever.
Third. As TO Aliens language in de-
handing the surrender of the fort.
This subject was discussed in my COM
munIcation to the BANNER, of April 18th,
1889; and it is not my intention to re-
peat. That article was transmitted to
the editor of The Neic England Historical
and Genealogical Register who turned it
over to the writer of the original contri-
button to the Register in which the ut
terance of the famous words historically
ascribed to Allen is called lone of per
sistent and popularity cherished fictions."
That writer has contributed second ar
ticle to the Register, (VOl. Xiv, page
Ill y in which, while not absolutely deny
ing the authenticity of the historical &C
count, he says: "The words of his
tory depend, so far as l can learn, on the
evidence of Allen himself" and ''Is it
probable that Allen could have used two
expressions so different? If he used the
Harris language alone, or with the other
demand, would he have made it a part of
his published narrative?" 1.-The infer
ence of the writer naturally was, that a
man who used one expression would not
have used the other"
Now, what is the truth?
Within less than four years after the
event, Allen published his Narrative"
in which he says: II answered him, In
the name of the great Jehovah, and the
the Continental Congress- No con-
temporary expressed dissenting word.
No other person has expressed one until
the utterance was called zone of persist
ent and popularity cherished fictiOns,"
merely because other language of differ
ent import and at another time was used.
One of the strongest evidences of con-
temporary acquiescence and approval is
found in the before cited History of
Shoreham; work bearing throughout
J its pages, plenary evidence of the most
careful and painstaking investigation,
J clearness in apprehension, sOundness in
Judgment, and caution in conclusion.
Mr.. Goodhue states that nine men, either
then or afterward inhabitants of Shore
ham, were with Allen when he entered
! the fort; and names them; among whom
: were Amos Calender and his son Major
Noah Calender. And Immediately after
the previous quotation and in continue
ton thereof is the following: "Allen
pushed on to the apartment occupied by
Captain De La Place, who was yet in bed,
and demanded the immediate surrender
of the fort. The captain asked, by what
= authority he demanded it? To whom
Allen replied: by the Great Jehovah
, and the Continental Congress- slightly
varying from Aliens narration, but
Strengthening rather than impairing the
evidence. 1t is not known that any other
of the nine, from actual knowledge, cor
robOrated the statement of Major Callen-
: der-had they questioned it, the con-
scientious Mr.. Goodhue would have told
, us.
There remains the inference of my
learned friend and critic that Allen, after
: using the naughty cuss word would not,
in close proximity, utter the reverent
phrase historically ascribed to him; and
the query, ''if used, would he have made
it part of his published narrative?n
AS to the first, adopt the remark of
my esteemed and learned friend Prof.
Butler: my opinion is that he could not
help it," And as to the second, l will let
Allen speak for himself-quoting from
his Narrative" And | will say in
passing that, apparently, Allen was a
] sort of Deist with Universalist proclivi.
ties. During his captivity, while on
board ship and in prison, Allen was sub
iected to hardships, insults and obloquy.
At one time, one DIR. Dace made himself
specially offensive, and Allen says: ''but
flung such flood of language at him
that it shocked him and the spectators
for my anger was very great, and OF
another time he says: 81 was obliged to
throw out plenty of extravagant Ian
T guage, which answered certain purposes,
! at that time, better than to grace his
l tory"