Year: 1877

we nave all read of the intrepid
courage of Green Mountain Bows n,
the time OF the revolutionary war. and
tue usual supposi,ion i. that all those OF
patriotic spirit were TO be found in
the ranks of the American army. bp,
many brave man perhaps by The force
OF circumstances. was obliged t, tarry
at home


At the time the following incident
occurred the British were in possession
OF Fort iconderoga, an 4 the towns for
many miles around were subject to law.
less depredations of the "red coats. "
which aroused the just Indignation Of
all who favored the patriotic cause. A"
But as a little free speech often de
prived a man of liberty, it was thought
best (ising homely expression) to grin
and bear it.


One day company of British SOL
diers, numbering about twenty. in pass
ing through the town of Cornwall
Vermont, fingered around long enough
to place certain secret mark on the
house of every person suspected or
Known TO favor the patriots, that others
OF the Kings Own" who should fol-
low after would know by this mystic
sign where to find friend or foe.


Now this raised the ire of one man
In particular, who determined to cir
cumyent them by little plot he had
formed IN his own mind So, taking
the British officer aside and speaking
IN a cautious manner, this person,
(Blodget by name) said: "Say, now be
you going to Ticonderoga:" but with
out waiting for reply continued, 'for
If you be me and some of my neigh
bors want to 60 along with ye We've
been waiting for some chance like this
for long time, and if you'll just
march out of town, so as not to excite
suspicion, you see, aud will wait for us
at certain spot can tell ye of. why,
I'll see the other men and we'll join
there. What say your"


Now the army, both on the American
and British side. was always willing to
take new recruits whenever offered,
and as this mans story seemed plausi-
BILE enough, the British captain willing
ly acceded to the proposal of Blodget,
who thereupon proceeded to appoint q
rendezvous which was where the public
highway or road WAS cat through a
ledge Of limestone rock, forming wall
some ten feet high on either side, on
top of which was q stunted growth Of
trees. Blodget requested the officer to
wait there a certain length Of time, and
they would make all expedition in join
ing him.


As soon as Blodget saw the soldiers
out of sight, he hastily mounted his
horse and started out to inform his
good "Whig" neighbors of his inten-
tions. 1t needed but few words in
those days to rouse persons patriot
ism, so each man, taking down his
trusty tirelock, or old fuscc, with no
military outfit, except the thrce-crown.
ed hat of (Gen.D Blodget, which he had
fortunately discovered in some old rest
ing place, they proceeded by much
shorter route to the point Of rendezvous.
so that they had time to secrete them
selves among the bushes at the farther
end of the Limestone pass before the
Britishers came up. According to
Morse's History, published some 60 years
ago. military tactics in those days were
not by any means perfect; even Gen.
Putnam overpowered by strategy Iath-
er than numbers. Soon WIS heard the
heavy tramp, tramp. tramp Of the SOL
diers as they marched into the pass,
where they wers expecting to halt at
the further end and wait for the recruits
to join them. but when midway be-
tween either opening. with great rocks.
us impenetrable as prison walls, rising
on two sides of them, even cbstrncting
the sunlight for the time, they were as
tonished at hearing a stentorian voice
e.y halt" They stopped. surprised.
when the impromptu Gen. Blodget,
who had reined his horse directly ip
front of the opening. commanded them
to lay down their arms and surrender.
At first the officer attempted to parley,
but Blodget knew it would not do to
give them time to consider the position.
so he again cried in u loud voice. amid
q great flourish Of arms tin the back
ground). First platoon. rise and -"
But there WAS no necessity for him to
add fire T. as the captain. supposing
themselves TO be surrounded by large
body Of American soldiers. 10y sign
gave the other to understand that he
would surrender. Then Blo'igct ordered
the twenty men to walk off some PAGES,
stack their arms and fail back again.
Having done so, lie ordered five Of his
own company to take possession of
them. and as tie ire iras all the men he
could muster. strange as i, may appear,
they really marched the twenty men as
prisoners of war. not TO Ticonderoga,
but to General Stark. then at Benning-
ton, Vermont. t.-Rockester Caioa.