Year: 1875

. ETHAN ALIENS ACCOuNT OF THE CAP


TURE OF TIcoNDERoGA.
Every since arrived at the state Of
manhood have felt q sincere passion
for liberty. The history of nations
doomed to perpetual slavery in conse-
quence of yielding up to tyrants then
natural born liberties, read with a
sort of philosophical horror, so that the
first systematical and bloody attempt
at Lexington to enslave America thor.
oughly electrified my mind, and fully
determined me to take part with my
country. And while was waiting tor
an opportunity to signalize myself in
its behalf directions were privately
sent to me from the then colony, now
State, of Connecticut to raise the Green
Mountain Boys, and, if possible, with
them to surprise and take the fortress
Of Ticondcroga. This enterprise
cheerfully undertook, and, after first
guarding all the several passes that led
thither, to cut off all intelligence be-
tween the garrison and the country, /
made a forced march to Bennington,
and arrived at the lake opposite Ticon-
deroga on theevening Of the 9th of May,
l775, with 230 valiant Green Noun
tain Boys. 1t was with the utmost
difficulty that secured boats TO cross
the lake. However, | landed eighty
three men near the garrison and sent
the boats back for the rear guard, com
manded by Col. Seth Warner. But
the day began to dawn, and ! found
myself under necessity TO attack the
fort before the rear guard could cross
the lake, and, as it was viewed hazard
ous, harangued the officers and men
as follows


"FnESDs AND FELLOW soLpiERs You have
for number Of years past been scourge and
terror to arbitrary power, Your ssior has been
famed abroad, as appears by advice and orders TO
me from the General Assembly Of Connecticut to
surprise and take the garrison now before us.
now propose to advance before you and in person
conduct You through the wicket gate for we
must this morning either quit our pretentons to
yalor or possess ourselves Of the fortress n few
minutes and inasmuch as 1t is a desperate at
tempt, which none but the bravest Of men dare
undertake, do not urge Il on any contrary to his
viii. You that will undertake voluntarily poise
your frelocks."


The men being at this time drawn
up in three ranks, each poised his fire
lock- ! ordered them TO face the right,
and, at the head of the centre file
marched them Immediately TO the
wicket gate aforesaid, where | found a
sentry posted who instantly snapped
his fusee at me. | ran Immediately
toward him and he rctrcated through
the covered way 70 the parade within
the garrison, gave a halloo and ran un-
der bomb proof. My party, who fol-
lowed mo into the tort, | formed in
such manner as to face the two bar
racks which faced each other. The
garrison being asleep, except the SEN
tries, we gave three huzzas which
greatly surprised them. One Of the
sentries made q pass at one of my Off
GERS with a charged bayonet and slight
ly wounded him. My first thought
was to kill him with my sword, but in
an instant | altered the design and
fury of the blow to a slight cut on the
side Of the head, upon which he dropped
his gun and asked quarter which
readily granted him, ard demanded Of
him the place where the commanding
officer kept. He showed me a pair Of
stairs in the front of barrack, on the
west part Of the garrison, which led up
a second story in said barrack, to which
Immediately repaired and ordered
the commander, Captain De La Place,
to come forth instantly or | would sac
rificc the whole garrison, at which De
La Place came Immediately to the
door with his breeches in his hand,
when ordered him to deliver me the
fort instantly. He asked me by what
authority demanded it. / answered
him, "ln the of the great Jehovah
and the Continental Congress- The
authority Of Congress being very little
known at that time, he began to speak
again. interrupted him, and with
my drawn sword over his head, again
demanded an immediate surrender Of
the garrison, with which he then CON-
piled, and ordered his men to be forth
with paraded without arms, as he had
given up the garrison. In tho mean
time some of my officers had given
orders, and in consequence thereof
sundry of the barrack doors were beat
down and about onc-third of the garri-
son imprisoned, which consisted OF said
commander, a Lieutenant Feltham, a
conductor of artillery, gunner, two
sergeants and forty-four rank and file,
besides one thirtoen-inch mortar and a
number of swivels. This surprise was
carried into execution in the gray of
the morning of the 10th of May, 1875.
The sun seemed to rise on that morn
ing with superior lustre, and Ticon-
deroga and its dependencies smiled TO
its conquerors, who tossed about the
flowing bowl and wished success to
Congress and the liberty and freedom
of America"