Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-03-12
ETHAN ALIENS NARRATIVE
or His Experience in the Provost Qaol
Afterwards the Hall of Records, in
New York in 1778

NEW I Ork, In lI76.
In September 1775. Col. Ethan Allen
was captured by the British in an ATTEMPT
to take Montreal with q handful of men.
He was imprisoned for a time in Pen
dennis Castle. Falmouth, England, and
then was taken to New York in June
l'16. We copy from his Narrative" first
printed in Philadelphia in 177a, and then
sold at ten paper dollars" a copy, the fol-
lowing account OF his experiences in the
Provost Gaol, in City Hall Park. New
York, which has Just been demolished. in
the course of the subway construction in
that city.
Near the last of November. was ad-
mitted to parole in New York. with many
other American officers and on the I'D
day of January. III, was with them di-
rected by the British commissary of priS-
oners to be Uuartered on the westerly
part of Long Island, and our parole CON
tinued. During my Imprisonment there
no occurrence worth observation happen
cd 1 obtained the means of living as
well az ] desired, which in a great meas
ure repaired my constitution. which had
been greatly injured by the seventies of
an inhuman captivity. ] now began to
feel myself composed. expecting either an
exchange or continuance in good and
honorable treatment but alas. my Wis
ionary expectations soon vanished. The
news of the conquest of Ticonderoga by
General Burgoync, and the advance of
MS army into the country. made the
naughty Hritons again feel their import
nnce. and with that their Unsuitable thirst
for cruelty.
The private prisoners at New York, and
soma of the officers on parole, felt the Sc
BurpOVnp n
denti-eod. To him they paid alterations
in him the tories placed their confidence
land forgot the Lord their God" and
served Howe Burgoyne and Knyphausen
and became vile in their own imagna-
ton and their foolish hearts were dark
ened processing to be great politicians
and relying on foreign and mercless in
"adcrs. and with them seeking the ruin
bloodshed and destruction Of their coun-
try; became fools" expecting with them
to share a dividend in the contiscated
estates Of their neighbors and countrynen
who fought for the whole country and
the religion and liberty thereof. There
fore. God gave them over to strong dclu-
sion. to believe a lie, that they all nigh
be damned
The 18th day of August. was appro-
hend"d, and under pretcxt of artful. mean
and pitiful pretonces. that | had infrng-
cd on my parole taken from tavern
where there were more than a dozen Of
ficers nrecont and in tho ver,, ,,,,c,
where those officers and myself wcrc III
rected to be chartered. put under a strong
guard and taken to New York, where
expected to make my defence before the
commanding officer; but contrary to my
expectations, and without the least solid
pretence of Justice or trial was again on
rircle1 with , stronp punrd win nvo1
bayonets and conducted Ia rho nroyost-
uaol I'm a lonely anartmeni next abnva
th,. dungeon. and was denied All manner
of subsistence either hv nrrchase n.y. nj.
lovance. The second dav offered n
nuinoa for q meal of victuals hIt vas
denied If ana the third dav offered ciqht
Snanish miIled dollars for a l,lko ravor
but was denied and all T couId got ON
IF the scrrcant's mouth uas tbot ~
he would obey his orders I now nnrcrivod
MYSELF ia ho a cain In e,hstanti,i tro,,I,io
In This condition formed m obIio,,o 90.
o,,aint,rrn v,itb a cant T,ayis ~ w
oinin who was in tho dnngeor hoIou r,n
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coon. II was q small cro,ico tbro,,rh
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nart Of bis T,co a. ,,,fo VIVA, no o,rIi,,,
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conductod ~ Tho nn~. intt ~ ,t CIV
thero wero oho,o % oortinon+at ga '.c,,,1