III. REPORT OF CAPTAIN EDWARD MOTT
In the Journal of Captain Edward Mott, of Preston, Connecticut, published in the Collections of the Connecticut Historical Society, Vol. I, pages 163-174, may be found the report of Captain Mott on the expedition to Ticonderoga and the part taken by the troops under his command. Therein will be found a discussion of the demand made by Col. Benedict Arnold that he be placed in command of the men who had assembled to attempt the capture of Ticonderoga and the reasons assigned for refusing such demand. An order was finally issued by Captain Mott as follows:
To Col. Ethan Allen,
Sir: Whereas, agreeable to the Power and Authority to us given by the Colony of Connecticut, we have appointed you to take the command of a party of men and reduce and take possession of the garrison of Ticonderoga and its dependencies, and as you are now in possession of the same,—You are hereby directed to keep the command of said garrison, for the use of the American Colonies, till you have further orders from the Colony of Connecticut or from the Continental Congress.
Signed per order of Committee,
Edward Mott, Chairman Committee.
Ticonderoga, May 10th, 1775.
The foregoing order appears to have been issued without direct authorization, but it was acquiesced in by Col. Arnold, who submitted to the command of Col. Allen and accompanied him in the attack. They were guided by young Nathan Beman, who was familiar with every passage of approach to the fort. After the capture of Ticonderoga, Captain Mott returned to Hartford and was sent to Philadelphia to inform Congress of the capture of Ticonderoga. And thereafter he resumed command of his company in the northern army and was present at the taking of Chambly and the surrender of St. John’s. His elder brother, Samuel, was appointed engineer and was stationed at Ticonderoga and Crown Point, and in August became Chief Engineer under General Schuyler of the northern army. Captain Edward Mott became major in the regiment under Col. Gay. The devotion and distinguished services of Captain Mott and Samuel Mott, his brother, during the Revolution were recognized in their rapid promotion in the northern army.