The Green Mountain Boys

by Philip H. Smith

This proposal being accepted, Captain Stephen Fay and Dr. Jonas Fay were sent to represent Vermont before the Governor, to arrange for an adjustment of claims. The most that was effected was a cessation of hostilities until his Majesty’s pleasure could be further known. During this armistice, a surveyor named Cockburn was privately sent to survey out and locate lands within the bounds of the New Hampshire Grants. Ira Allen and a number of men went in search of him. They found the offender at Bolton, one hundred and thirty miles through an almost unbroken wilderness to the north of Bennington. They broke his instruments and allowed him to depart, with an admonition never to be seen in those parts again under pain of death. Only the partial armistice, and the efforts for a restoration of peace then in progress, saved Mr. Cockburn a severe whipping.

Governor Tryon next essayed the plan of establishing a colony of emigrants under the New York proprietors. The settlers were to be Scotchmen, and the colony was to be located at New Haven Falls. Allen was duly apprised of this, who, with a number of trusty followers, repaired to the place and began the construction of a block fort. The Scotch emigrants wisely sent some agents to view the country before coming in with their families; and learning the nature of the dispute as to title, refused to have any more to do in the matter.

One evening while Colonel Ethan Allen and Levi Roberts were at the house of a friend by the name of Richardson, they were surprised by two sergeants and ten soldiers from the garrison at Crown Point, all of them well armed. Allen and Roberts were well known to the soldiers, and realized they were caught in a trap, as, stimulated by the reward on their heads, the soldiers would be certain to take them before the New York authorities. But even in this dilemma, Allen’s presence of mind did not forsake him. Both he and Roberts had their side arms about them, and he judged the soldiers would not immediately risk an open encounter. Calling for liquor, he began to make merry with the men; and such was his address, and his powers of conversation, that they were actually forced to join in the revelry. It was not long before the sergeants were dismayed at beholding their men, one by one, yielding to the seductive influence of their potations. Yet the doughty Colonel kept lustily calling for more liquor; and with well-feigned huskiness of voice, pressed all to drink, swearing they would merit his eternal displeasure if they refused.

At length, after nearly all had rolled from their chairs, stupefied by the quantities of liquor they had swallowed, Allen demanded to be shown to bed. He was answered that the sergeants had engaged the only spare beds in the house. He refused their offer to give up one of the beds to himself and Roberts, with a maudlin remark that two such jolly subjects of the King should have the best the house afforded, and declared his intention to sleep in the barn.

Leaving their guns in the house to disarm suspicion, Allen and Roberts suffered themselves to be conducted to the barn by the sergeants, where they were locked up for the night. The Colonel was apparently so far overcome with liquor as to require the assistance of two men to enable him to walk; and he reeled about, and dropping down helpless upon the straw, fell off into a drunken slumber. Even Roberts began to have serious misgivings as to the condition of his Colonel, whom he had seen drain glass after glass during the evening, enough to turn the heads of half a dozen men. But no sooner had the footsteps of the retreating sergeant died away, than the labored breathing of the Colonel suddenly ceased; and sitting up, drew off his boots and poured therefrom the rum that Roberts was ready to swear he had seen disappear down Allen’s throat.

Allen knew the soldiers had only repaired to the house to allow himself and his companion time to get sound asleep, when they would return and surprise them. What was to be done, must be done quickly. But Allen had no intention of leaving without their rifles. While they debated as to the best method of securing them, those coveted weapons were brought them by Miss Richardson, who had found means to privately remove them from a window; then making their egress from the barn, they hastily sought the safety of the dark forest. An hour later the sergeants went to secure their prisoners, whom they expected to find helplessly drunk, but the birds had flown.

One Hough, of Clarendon, was persuaded to accept the office of Justice of the Peace under New York, and attempted to officiate as such. He was taken before the committee of safety, where he plead in justification that he was authorized by the colony of New York. The committee caused the resolution of the Convention of the New Hampshire Grants to be read to him, forbidding all persons holding any office under New York, and then pronounced judgment on the prisoner that he “be taken and tied to a tree, and there, on his naked back, to receive two hundred stripes; his back being dressed, he should depart out of the district; and in the event of his return, unless leave was granted, he was to suffer death.” It is needless to add the sentence of whipping was summarily executed. This occurred in January, 1775. Hough had signalized himself as being very active in procuring the outlawry acts against Allen and others of the Green Mountain Boys.

Dr. Samuel Adams, of Arlington, was outspoken in his denunciation of the Green Mountain Boys, and counseled the people to purchase lands under New York titles. The Doctor was cautioned to keep silent, and not needlessly incur their displeasure; but he declared he would free his mind, and, providing himself with a pair of good horse-pistols and other weapons, said he was ready to silence any man who dared to cross him. He was soon afterward surprised, and carried to the Green Mountain Tavern at Bennington, where the committee heard his defense. Of course judgment was rendered against him, and preparations made to carry his sentence into execution.

As was common in those days, a post some twenty or more feet in height held the tavern sign. On the top of this sign-post was a stuffed catamount’s skin, showing large teeth, looking and grinning towards New York. Dr. Adams was tied in an arm chair and hoisted up to the sign, where he hung two mortal hours, as a punishment for his treasonable utterances. A large number of the citizens assembled to see the sentence carried out, and they were loud in their jeers and merriment at the Doctor’s discomfiture. He was then let down, dismissed by the committee, and admonished to go and sin no more.

Colonel Ethan Allen was once on a visit to his brother Heman, who was residing at Salisbury, Conn. A plot was laid by some Yorkers to capture and convey him to the Poughkeepsie jail, and so obtain Tryon’s promised premium. Robert M’Cormick, who was on intimate terms with the family, had been engaged to act as decoy. He was to spend the night with the family as their guest, and at a convenient hour, open the door and conduct the gang to the apartment where the Colonel slept. A sleigh was to be in readiness outside, in which their prisoner could be driven with all speed out of Connecticut.