The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-01-31


ent dav ever heard of the Windham
County Rebellion2 An interesting ac-
count of this important event, and Of
the trials of our forefathers to found
new state, has been preserved in
Halls Eastern Vermont, but modern
history barely alludes to the subject
and this, like many other interesting
stories of our forefathers, seem to
have gone into oblivion.
The facts gathered from history are
as follows:
1t was the last of these stirring
events, during the struggle against the
| New York party.
! Since the close of the war the New |
Workers sought every opportunity to .
embarrass the newly organized govern /
ment of Vermont.
| The center of this opposition was at
Guilford, which at that time was the
most populous town in the state. Here
was the most active opposition to the
collection of taxes and the levying of
| troops.
The adherents of New York who
were drafted refused to serve and the
sheriff of Windham county was direct
ed to seize their goods and chattels to
the amount expended by the state in
hiring their substitutes. When the of
ficer attempted to execute his warrant
a cow which he had seized was taken
from him by a mob acting under a
Captain Phelps, commissioned by New
York. In levying on the property of
Timothy Church of Brattleboro, the
sheriff was resisted by Church s
friends. Being unable to execute his
warrant the sheriff asked for mill
tary force to assist him, whereupon by
tadvice of the council, Gov. Chittenden
ordered Brigadier- General Ethan Al
len "to raise $50 men to support the
civil authority. Not many days pass
ed before Allen started from Benning-
ton with 100 Green Mountain Boys
and marched into the rebellious re-
gion.
Upon Allen s approach, Phelps in a
loud voice announced himself as the
high sheriff of Cumberland county, and
bade Allen 90 about his business; de-
nounced his conduct and that of his
men as rioters and ordered the mill
tary to dispense. With his usual
roughness Allen knocked the hat from
the head of the doughty sheriff and
ordered his attendants to "take the
d-n rascal off, and galloped away
TO superintend the operations of his
the Vermonters had been considerably
augmented by the militia of Windhan
county. Col. Stephen r. Bradley lee
the militia of Westminster, and the
detachments from other towns present
ed force of home than 400 men. Al
len made several arrests and met Will
no serious resistance until they were
marching toward Brattleboro wheI
they were fired on by about 80 Gull
ford men. in ambush. Allen at one,
marched his men back to Guilford
On reaching the town he made procla
= nation in these words: CT Ethan Al
Y len, do declare that | viii give n
I quarter to the man, woman, or chill
Z who shall oppose me, and unless the in
I habitants of Guilford peacefully sub
1 nit to the authority of Vermont,
4 swear that | will lay it as desolate a
4 Sodom and Gomorrah,' ending wit
! an oath. Then without farther mole>
ny tations, for the Workers feared ALE
- more than the Devil conveyed tn
prisoners, more than 20 in all, t
10 Westminster and lodged them in iai
w When brought to trial, fines were in
er posed on the lesser offenders, Will
p four of the principal ones were banisl
r ed from Vermont, not to return undo
va pain of death, and their estates WEI
*. forfeited to the state. During tn
ne, disturbance the militia of the we
. parish of Westminster, though reg
70 larly organized, were for some time
doubt what course TO take
ce True to the cause of Vermont, the
TO were still unwilling to assist in host
. tiles against their neighbors, who di
on ferred from them on the question
aen jurisdiction. But on the morning
Tuesday, the 10th of June, althouG
an. their captain, Deacon Ephraim Ram,
zee, refused to lead them, they conclude
AZ to wait on General Allen, and wi
- this intention were advancing to Bra
Zee tleboro, when on the ledge of Dun
M; lmerston - thew met him and his force
"a turning about they joined his retin
and accompanied him to Westminstt
777.
irs: The End of Resistance.
esi
- During the following winter the
81 3s. turbance became still more serious. {
p. the night of Jan. Il, 1894, party
? 9. Workers from Guilford attacked t
~ inn of Joseph Arms in Brattlebo
tile which was the quarters of several
o 8. faors nndar tho Government ne Y
ian. mont The yorlxoTs demanded tba !
lint. mediate surrender of Constable w
aill. ers, who they claimed had been gui
and of extorting taxes from persons prof
'nlce sing allegiance to New York. Not
ing in condition to make resistance
.na an armed force, Waters surrendered.
and