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Ethan Allen at Ticonderoga During the American War of Independence

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Ethan Allen at Ticonderoga During the American War of Independence
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Author(s): Ethan Allen
Date Published: 2010/08
Page Count: 112
Softcover ISBN-13: 978-0-85706-267-3
Hardcover ISBN-13: 978-0-85706-268-0

A patriot of the War of Independence

Connecticut born Ethan Allen was a complex, ruthless, driven personality. He formed 'the Green Mountain Boys' who were little more than a gang of thugs intent on driving legitimate settlers off their land in New York to further his own business interests. Nevertheless he was also a patriot and politician with a clear sense of the potential of an emergent American nation. Allen was instrumental in the creation of state of Vermont. He was quick to respond as the War of Independence broke and in 1775 rapidly took the important fortification at Ticonderoga which had played such a pivotal role during the late French and Indian War. Allen was a canny self publicist and this account of the action at Ticonderoga is written in his own words. Available in softcover and hardcover with dust jacket

I was after sent, with the prisoners taken with me, to an armed vessel in the river, which lay off against Quebec, under the command of Capt M’Cloud, of the British, who treated me in a very generous and obliging manner, and according to my rank; in about twenty-four hours I bid him farewell with regret; but my good fortune still continued. The name of the captain of the vessel I was put on board, was Littlejohn; who, with his officers, behaved in a polite, generous, and friendly manner. I lived with them in the cabin, and fared on the best, my irons being taken off, contrary to the order he had received from the commanding officer; but Captain Littlejohn swore, that a brave man should not be used as a rascal, on board his ship.<br>
Thus I found myself in possession of happiness once more, and the evils I had lately suffered, gave me an uncommon relish for it.<br>
Captain Littlejohn used to go to Quebec almost every day, in order to pay his respects to certain gentlemen and ladies; being there on a certain day, he happened to meet with some disagreeable treatment, as he imagined, from a lieutenant of a man of war, and one word brought on another, until the lieutenant challenged him to a duel on the plains of Abraham. Captain Littlejohn was a gentleman, who entertained a high sense of honour, and could do no less than accept the challenge.<br>
At nine o’clock the next morning they were to fight. The captain returned in the evening, and acquainted his Lieutenant and me with the affair. His lieutenant was a high blooded Scotchman, as well as himself, who replied to his captain that he should not want for a second. With this I interrupted him and gave the captain to understand, that since an opportunity had presented, I would be glad to testify my gratitude to him, by acting the part of a faithful second; on which he gave me his hand, and said that he wanted no better man.<br>
Says he, “I am a King’s officer, and you a prisoner under my care; you must, therefore, go with me, to the place appointed in disguise,” and added further; “You must engage me, upon the honour of a gentleman, that whether I die or live, or whatever happens, provided you live, that you will return to my lieutenant on board this ship.” All this I solemnly engaged him. The combatants were to discharge each a pocket pistol, and then to fall on with their iron-hilted muckle whangers; and one of that sort was allotted for me; but some British officers, who interposed early in the morning, settled the controversy without fighting.<br>
Now having enjoyed eight or nine days’ happiness, from the polite and generous treatment of Captain Littlejohn and his officers, I was obliged to bid them farewell, parting with them in as friendly a manner as we had lived together, which, to the best of my memory, was the eleventh of November: when a detachment of General Arnold’s little army appeared on Point Levi, opposite Quebec, who had performed an extraordinary march through a wilderness country, with design to have surprised the capital of Canada; I was then taken on board a vessel called the Adamant, together with the prisoners taken with me, and put under the power of an English Merchant from London, whose name was Brook Watson: a man of malicious and cruel disposition, and who was probably excited, in the exercise of his malevolence, by a junto of Tories, who sailed with him to England; among whom were Colonel Guy Johnson, Colonel Closs, and their attendants and associates, to the number of about thirty.<br>
All the ship’s crew, Colonel Closs, in his personal behaviour excepted, behaved towards the prisoners with that spirit of bitterness, which is the peculiar characteristic of Tories, when they have the friends of America in their power, measuring their loyalty to the English King by the barbarity, fraud and deceit which they exercise towards the Whigs.<br>
A small place in the vessel, enclosed with white oak plank, was assigned for the prisoners, and for me among the rest. I should imagine that it was not more than twenty feet one way, and twenty-two the other. Into this place we were all, to the number of thirty-four, thrust and handcuffed, two prisoners more being added to our number, and were provided with two excrement tubs; in this circumference we were obliged to eat and perform the offices of evacuation, during the voyage to England; and were insulted by every black-guard sailor, and Tory on board, in the crudest manner; but what is the most surprising is, that not one of us died in the passage.<br>
When I was first ordered to go into the filthy inclosure, through a small sort of door, I positively refused, and endeavoured to reason the before named Brook Watson out of a conduct so derogatory to every sentiment of honour and humanity, but all to no purpose, my men being forced in the den already; and the rascal who had the charge of the prisoners commanded me to go immediately in among the rest. He further added that the place was good enough for a rebel; that it was impertinent for a capital offender to talk of honour or humanity; that anything short of a halter was too good for me; and that that would be my portion soon after I landed in England; for which purpose only I was sent thither.
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