BY ETHAN ALLEN
Ethan Allen (1742-1789): An officer of the Revolutionary War, the leader of the famous Vermont soldiers called the "Green Mountain Boys." He was made prisoner by the English in 1775; after remaining in captivity two years and a half, he was exchanged for an English officer. He wrote a narrative of his captivity and some political papers.
The first systematical and bloody attempt at Lexington to enslave America thoroughly electrified my mind and fully determined me to take part with my country. And while I was wishing for 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 Ticonderoga.
This enterprise I cheerfully undertook; and, after first guarding all the several passes that led thither, to cut off all intelligence between the garrison and the country, made a forced march from Bennington, and arrived at the lake opposite to Ticonderoga on the evening of the 9th day of May, 1775, with two hundred and thirty valiant Green Mountain Boys; and it was with the utmost difficulty that I procured boats to cross the lake.
However, I landed eighty-three men near the garrison and sent the boats back for the rear-guard, commanded by Colonel Seth Warner; but the day began to dawn, and I found myself under the necessity to attack the fort before the rear could cross the lake; and, as it was viewed hazardous1, I harangued2 the officers and soldiers in the manner following:--"Friends and fellow-soldiers: You have, for a number of years past, been a scourge and terror to arbitrary3 power. Your valor has been famed abroad and acknowledged, as appears by the advice and orders to me from the general assembly of Connecticut, to surprise and take the garrison now before us. I now propose to advance before you and in person conduct you through the wicket-gate; for we must this morning either quit our pretensions to valor or possess ourselves of this fortress in a few minutes; and, inasmuch as it is a desperate attempt, which none but the bravest of men dare undertake, I do not urge it on any contrary to his will. You that will undertake voluntarily, poise your firelocks4."The men being at this time drawn up in three ranks, eachpoised his firelock. I ordered them to face to the right, and, at the head of the center file, marched them immediately to the wicket-gate aforesaid, where I found a sentry posted who instantly snapped his fusee4 at me. I ran immediately toward him, and he retreated through the covered way into the1Hazardous: dangerous; daring.
2Harangued: addressed; made a speech to.
3Arbitrary: bound by no law; possessing and abusing unlimited power. 4 Firelock, fusee: old-fashioned guns.
parade1 within the garrison, gave a halloo, and ran under a bomb-proof. My party, who followed me into the fort, I formed on the parade in such manner as to face the two barracks, which faced each other.
The garrison, being asleep, except the sentries, we gave three huzzas, which greatly surprised them. One of the sentries made a pass at one of my officers with a charged bayonet and slightly wounded him. My first thought was to kill him with my sword; but, in an instant, I 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 I readily granted him, and demanded of him the place where the commanding officer slept.
He showed me a pair of stairs in the front of the barrack, on the west part of the garrison, which led up to a second story in said barrack, to which I immediately repaired, and ordered the commander, Captain de la Place, to come forth instantly or I would sacrifice the whole garrison; at which the captain came immediately to the door, when I ordered him to deliver me the fort instantly. He asked me by what authority I demanded it; I answered him, "In the name of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress."The authority of the Congress being very little known at that time, he began to speak again; but I interrupted him, and with my drawn sword over his head, again demanded an immediate surrender of the garrison; with which he then complied and1 Parade: ground where troops are drilled.
ordered his men to be forthwith paraded without arms, as he had given up the garrison. In the meantime, some of my officers had given orders, and in consequence thereof, sundry of the barrack doors were beat down and about one-third of the garrison imprisoned.
This surprise was carried into execution in the gray of the morning of the 10th day of May, 1775. The sun seemed to rise that morning with a superior luster; and Ticonderoga and its dependencies smiled on its conquerors.