Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-06-06

the most remarkable retreats ever
known. No person who was not pres
ent can conceive a tenth part Of the
difficulties attending 1T; the enemy at
our heels, 1900 of our men sick with
the smallpox. those who were most
healthy Ike so many walking appari-
tons All our baggage, stores, and
artillery to be removed officers as well
as men all employed In hauling cannon.
etc. Our batteaux loaded were all
| moved up the rapids six miles; one
hundred of them were towed by our
wearied men up to their armpits In
water. This was performed in one day
and a half; our sick and baggage all
safely landed at st. Johns, and from
thence to Grown Point, with the loss OF
| only three cannon. which, being poor
ones, were abandoned. All this was
accomplished through the amazing ex-
ertions of General Sullivan, who per-
| formed what appeared to be almost
| impossible to have been done by mortal
! man"
| AS our army fell back the Indian
allies OF the British commenced to al
| tack the frontier settlements thus lett
| unprotected. AS soon as Crown Point
was reached Lieut.-Col. Joseph Wait
| asked to be detailed to defend the
frontier from these savage incursions.
| General sullivan at once ordered him
with n force OF two hundred OF mis-
! regiment to proceed upon that duty
! Immediately. They advanced upon the
eastern shore of the lake to the Wi
nooski or onion river The state of
affairs there on the frontier at this
time is shown by tho following letters:
onion River, July 10, 1876.
To tho Committee of Safety:
conference.-the savaFcs have killed
and scalped a number of our men, whom
the will visit us or you is uncertain.
Advise you to look sharp and keep
scouts out Last Saturday was at
Crown Point with General Sullivan.
He assured me he would do all in his
power to protect the frontier settle
ments. I proposed a line of forts by
this river to Cohos He said he believ-
ed that to be the best plan and made
| no doubt but it would be done He i'm
mediately ordered colonel Wait, and
! two hundred men to this place here to
remain and grant all protection in his
power to the inhabitants. before I
left there Generals Schuyler, Gates and
Arnold arrived Tho vessels are pre-
pairing for war. l hope in short time
| they will be able to beat all the powers
| OF Britain on this lake. Crown Point
is proposed for headquarters
In haste, IRA ALLEN
estate papers of New Hampshire, vol
viii, page 300)
ITaverhill. Coho'os, 10th July 1776
To the Committee of Safety:
Sirs-Upon my coming into this town
last Tuesday | found the people had
been in great CONSERVATION about the
Indians. Most of the women and chill
dren have come down from upper
| Coho'os, through fear and got into gar
rison Tho Haverhil and Newbury
committee have kept constant scouts
going for some time past between Lake
Champlain and this river and by 4
scout that went ont yesterday to Onion
river. and another to Crown Point.
took the liberty to write to General
John Sullivan and Colonel Wait, in
forming them what our general court
had done, and how we imagined our
selves most exposed to the enemy
which I hope may be in some way ser.
| viceable
JOHN HURD.