The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-06-09
THE EVENING BANNER
BENNINGTON VERMONT
Friday, June 9, 1916.
WINDHAM COUNTY REBELLION
The Center of Opposition to Collection
Of Taxes Was in GuiIford.

How many Nermonters of the pres
ent day ever heard of the Windham
County Rebellion? An interesting ac-
count of this important event, and of
the trials of our forefathers to found
a 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 those 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 leyying 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 had been seized was taken
| from him by mob acting under d
| Captain Phelps, commissioned by New
York. In leyying on the property CT
| Timothy Church of Brattleboro, the
sheriff was resisted by Church's
| friends. Being unable to execute his
warrant the sheriff asked for a mill
| tary force to assist him, whereupon by
| advice 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 Aliens approach, Phelps in a
loud voice announced himself as the
high sheriff of Cumberland county, and
tade Allen go about his business; de.
nDunced his conduct and that of his
men as rioters and ordered the mill
try to dispense With his usual
rCughness 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
forces. Since morning the strength OF
the Vermonters had been considerably
augmented by the militia OF Windham
county. Col. Stephen r. Bradley led
the militia of Westminster and the
detachments from other towns present
ed force of more than 400 men. Al
len made several arrests and met with
no serious resistance until they were
marching toward Brattleboro when
they were fired on by about 80 Gull
ford men, in ambush. Allen at once
marched his men back to Guilford On
reaching the town he made procla
nation in these words: 81, Ethan Al
len, do declare that | will give nc
quarter TO the man, woman, or child
who shall oppose me, and unless the in
habitants OF Guilford peacefully sub
nit to the authority of Vermont,
swear that / will lay it as desoa,c as
Sodom and Gomorrah," ending with
an oath. Then without farther moles
tations, for the Workers feared Aller
more than the Devil" conveyed the
prisoners, more than 20 in all, tC
Westminster and lodged them in Jail
When brought to trial, fines were i'm
posed on the lesser offenders, whi'C
four of the principal ones we're Danish
ed from Vermont, not to return under
pain of death, and their estates werC
forfeited TO the state. During this
disturbance the militia of the ives
parish of Westminster, though regu
larly organized. were for some time il
doubt what course to take
True to the cause of Vermont, they
were still unwilling to assist in hostil
tiles against their neighbors, who diff
ferred from them on the question o
jurisdiction. But on the morning o
Tuesday, the 10th of June, although
their captain. Deacon Ephraim Rannel
refused to lead them, they concluded
to wait on General Allen, and will
this intention were advancing TO Brat
tleboro, when on the edge of Dunn
merston" they met him and his forces
turning about they joined his retinu,
and accompanied him to Westminster
During the following winter the dis
turbance became still more serious. Or
the night of Jan. II, 1854, a party o
Workers from Guilford attacked tn,
inn of Joseph Arms in Brattleboro
which was the quarters Of several of
flcers under the government of Yer
mont. The Workers demanded the i'm
mediate surrender of Constable Wat
ers. who they claimed had been guilt!
of eXtorting taxes from persons profe!
sing allegiance to New York Not be
ing in condition to make resistance t
an armed force, Waters surrendered.
After this affair at Brattleboro, find
ing the people of Guilford determined
to oppose the collection of taxes. Col
S. II. Bradley at the head of 200 Yer
mont troops. from Westminster Divis
ion, including my greatgrandfatheI
Capt. Azariah Wright, marched Jan. Il
for the purpose OF forcing collections
The number of men who reported
themselves on the way at Brattleboro
on the morning of the 18th. was NOR,
than 800 Snow had begun to fall an,
when the troops resumed their marcel
/ Ia, L..