The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-01-31
.WINDHAM COUNTY REBELLION
The Center of Opposition to Collection of Taxes Was
in Guilford, Then the Most Popuous Town in the
State

After this affair at Brattleboro, find
ing the people of Guilford determined /
to oppose the collection of taxes, COL
S. R. Bradley at the head of 200 Yer
mont troops, from Westminster Divis- |
ion, including my great grandfather
Capt. Azariah Wright marched JAN Is |
for the purpose of forcing collections. |
The number of men who reported |
themselves on the way at Brattleboro,
on the morning of the 10Th, was more |
than 300. Snow had begun to fall and |
when the troops resumed their march
the storm had become so severe and |
the roads were so INSTRUCTED that
snowshoes were found necessary. AS
the little army advanced a violent
Southwestern blowing the snow upon
their faces increased the unpleasant
ness of the undertaking.
On the morning of Tuesday, the
Goth, hostilities commenced. The
Workers were dispersed without much
resistance Several of the leaders
We're sent to Westminster and punished
j by whipping fine, and pillory.
| On the 22d Ethan Allen arrived
with ammunition and re-inforcements.
Another skirmish occurred on the 9Th
of March in which several Workers
were killed and wounded, (the Yer
monters also suffered casualties) and
before the close of the year the York
ers found their property mostly con-
fiscated and themselves so harshly
handled by the civil and military au-
thority of Vermont that they either
submitted and took the oath of ale
glance to the state, or abandoned the
country. A greater part of them fed
into the state of New York and set
tied upon lands granted by that state
for the benefit of the sufferers.
, This dispersion of her partisans
: from the county of Windham termi-
: mated the attempts of New York 70
by means of military force, and al
though she did not readily acknowl
4 edge the independence of Vermont, she
e from this period relinquished all hope
! of overthrowing its government
During the session of the court
$ Westminster had presented more the
: appearance of a military encampmen1
j than of peaceful village With the
n departure of the dignitaries of the
/ bench, the lawyers of the bar, and tn,
e prisoners in the dock, it again as
= sumed its wonted aspect, and the rol
s of the drum and shrill notes of tn
f fife gave place to the music of tn
v sleighbells of winter. and left TO thei
II .iingling notes the monopoly of nois
d for the rest of the season.
: Congress Hostile to Vermont
/ During the next season a New Yor
h delegation, aided by Charles Phelp;
e had succeeded in bringing Congress il
n to hostility to Vermont. The ac.icn C
- Vermont towards her rebellious i1hlI
! itants was denounced, ana 'the pel
a. pie inhabiting said districts claimin
! independence were required to max
- full restitution to the persons who ha
n been banished and deprived of thei
- property.
= Gov. Chittenden returned forcib7
and spirited answer, reminding Coz
!, gress of its solemn engagements I
i. Vermont. The course pursued towaI
- the rebellious persons at Guilford W.
=, justified on the ground that nearly a
- of those banished or fined had take
~ ~ the oath of allegiance to Vermont an
y were according to the resolutions
IL Congress itself, amenable to no 9TH
n laws but those of Vermont Go
~ Chittenden IS remonstrance closed
IL earnestly soliciting the admission
er Vermont to the Union.
re Mai Stephen Roe Bradley of Yves
us minister, and Gen. Ethan Allen, ca,
'st prepared printed proclamations d
"a Tending the policy of the Vernon
IN Republicans, and these papers wei
widely circulated in the Continent
ey Army and in Congress.
IL The threat of Congress certainly b;
if not the effect of awning Vermont i
OF to any compliance with its deman
of No reparation was made; and wis
gh two of the banished men Church al
ey Phelps ventured to return, they we
ed seized and imprisoned, but were
it'll leased on their promise of submissi,
at to the laws of Vermont.
MI For eight years after peace had be
es, signed with Great Britain, Congre
ue continued to vacillate and evade Y,
er. mont s plea for admission to t
Union. But after this long delay the
was small reason for the little Sta
unencumbered by debt and growing
lis wealth and population at an imp
On cedented rate. to desire admission
of an uncertain Union; for now she W
the to all intents and purposes an I'M
,ro, pendent nation. A code of laws h
of been enacted, a standard of weigl
-er- and measures prescribed, the value
i'm coins regulated, and postal serv
lat established.
lily In the United States, taxes W
fes- heavy and pressing. Silver money |
be nearly disappeared, and the cir
to lating medium of continental bills
depreciated. so that in some cases