The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-08-17


ton and formed an Independent gov
eminent in 1777.
In 1872 a military organization was
formed by the different towns to
watch over and protect their inter
ests and resist any attempt of the
WORKERS (as they were called To
take their lands. This organization
became known as the Green Noun
tain Boys and has gone down in
his tory by that name.
Ethan Allen was colonel, and Seth
Warner, captain of one of the com
paniea, and right well they performed
the duties assigned them. For three
years and until the Revolution they
gave their services and the best years
of their lives to the cause of the in
habitfnts of the New Hampshire
grants. They were everywhere pres
ent. No Yorker settled on the
Grants whom they did not find and
he must either acknowledge allegi
anoe to the Grants" or go from
whence he came, and go quickly.
SO resolute was Warner in the dis
charge of his duties that Governor
|Tryon, then governor of New York
offered a reward of one hundred
pounds each for the arrest of him and
Remember Baker; and at the same
time an act of the Assembly of that
province was passed in effect con
demning them and others of theiI
associates, to death without trial.
II would be impossible to recall al
this time all Warner and his associ
ates did for the protection of the
grants during those three years, one
incident will illustrate:-
One Benjamin Hough, who at times
Lived on the grants and had accepted
an appointment of justice of the peace
from the governor of New York and
attempted to exercise his authority
under ii, after being repeatedly warn
ed TO desist, was finally captured neal
Whitehall and brought to Sunderland
and there tried, as an enemy to the
grants; not by judge-for they hac
none, but by some of the Green Noun
tain Boys -Allen, Warner and five
others. He was found guilty and sen
fenced TO receive two hundred lash
es; and he then and there received
them.
After having been punished he was
given certificate as follows
Sunderland, January 30, 1775
"This may certify to the inhabi
tants of the New Hampshire grants
that BENJAMIN Hough hath this day
received a full punishment for his
crimes committed heretofore against
this country, and our inhabitants are
ordered to give him, the said Hough
free and unmolested passport toward
the city of New York or to the west
ward OF our grants, he behaving as
becometh.
Given under our hands the day ant
date aforesaid,
Signed.
Ethan Allen
Seth Warner"
This was the last time the "Beecl
Seal was administered to the enem!
during the strife, for although New
York continued to claim the right t'
the lands in the grants, II did not at
tempt to assert its jurisdiction b,
force after the Westminster Massa
ere" which occurred March 10, 1775.
This affair at Sunderland was als'
the last. or one OF the last acts o
Warner solely In behalf OF the grants
for other events we're crowding on
which transformed him to other ant
greater actiyites,-the Revolutionary
war.
The event in Sunderland was II
January 1775 and the battle OF Lex
ington, which startled the colonies
and aroused them to arms was on thu
18th day of April following, and To-
time that great struggle overshad
owed the contest with New York.
On the 10th day OF May, l775, Eth
an Allen captured Ticonderoga I'll
the name OF the Great Jehovah an'
the Continental Congress- and tina
event made his name immortal
Seth Warner was with him there II
command of accompany OF Green Moul
tain Boys which he raised for that pu
pose. mostly from Bennington ant
neighboring towns.
4
Green Mountain Boys captured Crow
Point. a strong fortress on LAX
lChamplain, few miles above Ticon
deroga.
| II is needless to say, that Warne
and the Green Mountain Boys wer
ardent in their loyalty to the caus
of American Independence; but wer
equally loyal to the New Hampshlr
grants: and while they were desirou
Ito serve their country in the wal
lthey were not willing to do so In NeN
York regiments, or under New Yor
IofIlcers. They could not forget eve
lin their patriotism, the contest the
lhad carried on so long with that pre-
vince: and knew full well, II they III
dertook to join its regiments,
would be only at the sacrifice OF wha
lthey had attained during those year
of strife.
II was therefore resolved by a couI
ell of officers held at Crown Point o
the 10th of June following its captur
that Ethan Allen. Seth Warner an
Remember Baker should go to Pm
adelphia and lay the matter betor
| the Continental Congress then In Sc
sion there. Allen and Warner wen
and presented the situation.
The result was that the New HAM
shire grants were permitted to rails
n regiment OF FIVE hundred men fo
the war. to be called the Gree
Mountain Boys" and to elect the
own field officers.
The men were soon raised. an
on the eth OF July. committees
the grants, met at Dorset and electe
THE officers.
Allen expected to be elected Liel
tenant Colonel, the highest office !
their gift; but instead they electe
Seth Warner to that command, an
Samuel Stafford of Bennington maiol
On the goth OF September l775 Wa
lner. with his command, Joined Gene
mi Montgomery, who was then besiel