On the return of Mr. Allen to Bennington, the people met in convention, and passed a resolution to support their rights and property by force, inasmuch as justice was denied them by the intriguing land-jobbers controlling the civil power of New York. This was a bold stroke of one hundred men thus to oppose the most favored and influential colony under the Crown; but the Vermonters rightly conjectured their quarrel was with the governor of New York and a few land speculators only, and not with the body of its inhabitants.

Matters were daily becoming more serious. Civil officers were opposed by the people of the Grants; the latter were in turn indicted for riot, and sheriffs were sent to apprehend the delinquents. These officers were seized and severely chastised with twigs of the wilderness; that is to say, they were bound to trees and treated to an application of beech rods on their bare backs, well laid on. Every day produced new events: the settlers resolved to form themselves into a military association for mutual protection.

Before the close of the year 1770, committees of safety had been organized for purposes of defense against the New York claimants. These committees afterwards met in general convention, when important issues were to be determined. Ethan Allen was commissioned Colonel Commandant, and Seth Warner, Remember Baker, Robert Cockran, Gideon Warren and others, were appointed captains.

The Governor of New York had threatened to drive the Vermonters into the Green Mountains, which occasioned their taking the name of “Green Mountain Boys.” The committees of safety passed a resolution in general council, in 1771, that no officer from New York be allowed to carry out of the Hampshire Grants any person, without permission given by the committees, or the military commanders. Surveyors of land under New York were forbidden to run any lines within the Grants; and transgressors in this particular were to be punished according to the judgment of a court formed among the military officers or elders of the people.

“Hugh Monroe, an old offender, was taken, tried, and ordered to be whipped on his naked back. He was tied to a tree, and flogged till he fainted; on recovering he was whipped again till he fainted; he revived and underwent a third lashing till he fainted; his wounds were then dressed, and he was banished the district of the New Hampshire Grants.” These severities proved a salutary lesson, and the Green Mountain Boys became a terror to their adversaries.

The convention next issued a decree forbidding all persons taking out grants, or confirmations of grants, under New York. This had the effect of uniting the settlers very much in the common cause. About the same time the Colonial Assembly of New York authorized the sheriffs to call out a posse comitatus in case of opposition to the execution of their office; and the Governor offered a reward of £150 for Colonel Ethan Allen, and £50 each for Warner and five others therein named, to any person that should take and confine them in any jail in New York. As a measure of retaliation, Allen and the other proscribed persons offered a reward of £5 for the taking of John Taber Kemp, Attorney General of New York, and published the same in the newspapers of the day.

The Supreme Court at Albany, having awarded a judgment on a writ of ejectment against James Breckenridge, of Bennington, the sheriff of Albany County summoned a posse to the number of seven hundred and fifty men to go and assist in serving the same. The officers collected about three hundred, and reaching Breckenridge’s house some hours in advance of the sheriff’s party, stationed their men in ambuscade in readiness to receive them.

An officer and eighteen men were placed inside the house. One hundred and fifty were secreted behind trees, in a wood, near the road by which the sheriff must pass, and where he would naturally halt his men while he went to demand possession of the premises. The other division was stationed behind a ridge of land, in a meadow, within gun-shot of the house, but out of sight of the sheriff’s men. This arrangement of the ambuscade enabled the Green Mountain Boys to have a cross-fire on the Yorkers without endangering themselves; and they were instructed to hold themselves in readiness to commence the attack in case the sheriff forced the door, the signal to be a red flag hoisted above the chimney top.

When the sheriff and his party approached, all was silent; and exultingly they marched directly into the trap without being aware of their critical situation. Mr. Ten Eyck, the sheriff, went to the house and demanded entrance as Sheriff of the County of Albany; and threatened in case of refusal, to force the door. The answer was, “Attempt it, and you are a dead man.” He repeated his demand; and was answered by “hideous groans from within.”

At this juncture, the two divisions exhibited their hats on the points of their guns, which made them appear more numerous than they really were. The sheriff and his men, realizing the danger of their situation, “and not being interested in the dispute,” beat a hasty retreat, without a gun being fired on either side. This affair served not only to cement the union of the people, but also to cause a higher estimate to be placed on them by the neighboring colonies.

On another occasion, an armed party of fifty men proceeded to Arlington, where they took prisoner Captain Remember Baker, one of the seven proscribed persons, severely wounding both him and his wife. Baker was put into a sleigh, and the party set out with all speed for Albany. An express was dispatched to Bennington with tidings of the occurrence. Ten men promptly mounted fleet horses, and after a ride of thirty miles, intercepted the kidnapping party at a crossroad. The ten horsemen impetuously charged upon the fifty Yorkers; and the latter, supposing them to be the advance guard of a larger force, left their prisoner and fled. Captain Baker was nearly exhausted with loss of blood; but he was kindly cared for, his wounds dressed, and he was restored to his wife and children, to their no small joy, and that of his friends.

A report reached Bennington that Governor Tryon was on his way by water to Albany, with British Troops, with a purpose to subdue or destroy the Green Mountain Boys. This was the more readily credited, as the royal troops had lately been used on Bateman’s[B] Patent, in the colony of New York, to quell some disputes about the titles or rents of lands; and it was known that the subsequent grantees of the New Hampshire Grants had applied to the Governor of New York for a similar favor.

The committees of safety met the military officers to consult on the measures proper to be taken. They felt themselves at a crisis that would either compel them to submit, or take the field against a royal Governor and British troops. Having reflected on the justice of their cause, the labor and expense of building and the cultivating of their lands, they unanimously resolved “that it was their duty to oppose Governor Tryon and his troops to the utmost of their power, and convince him and his council that they were punishable by the Green Mountain Boys for disobeying his majesty’s prohibitory orders of July, 1767.” The elders of the people assured the military officers that they would afford them all the assistance in their power, and advised them to concert among themselves the plans of defense, and then withdrew.

A messenger was sent to Albany to ascertain the truth of the report, and learn the strength of the enemy and the order of marching. On his return, the messenger reported that “the British troops were wind-bound some distance below Albany, and were destined to relieve the garrisons at Oswego, Niagara, and Detroit, and that Governor Tryon was not with them.” Of course all preparations for a battle were suspended.

The Governor and land agents of New York were in due time apprised of this “note of preparation,” and were thus assured the Green Mountain Boys would fight even the King’s troops on provocation. This affair served the purposes of Vermont as well as a bloody victory could have done; and prompted the Convention to forbid “all inhabitants of the New Hampshire Grants to hold or accept any office of honor or profit under the colony of New York, and requiring all civil and military officers who had acted under New York to suspend their functions under penalty of being viewed.[C]”

The first settlers of Clarendon were adherents of New York. Disturbances had often sprung up in that place, and Mr. Spencer, who had acted as Justice of the Peace under New York, had often sent writs against the people. Colonel Allen and a few hundred men set off for Clarendon, to frighten Spencer out of the country. Acting on information received of Allen’s intended visit, Spencer fled into the woods, and was not to be found when the party reached the house.

After scouting the woods in vain, they marched three miles and put up for the night. Towards daylight, Allen and his two men went again to Spencer’s house. Forcing the door with a log, they rushed in with their guns and pistols, crying out for Spencer to appear; but he had not ventured to return home.

As they rejoined the main force, a small dog was discovered, which, unfortunately for the dog, bore the name of Tryon. This animal they cut into pieces with their swords for no other cause than that its name was Tryon; they held up the pieces of the dog on the points of their guns and cried out—“Thus will we do with Tryon!” Spencer was so much alarmed at these proceedings that he fled to New York, and matters remained quiet for a time.

In the spring of 1772, Governor Tryon, through the medium of a minister residing in Bennington, made overtures to the people of the Grants for a pacification. He promised if they would send agents to negotiate an accommodation, they would be received and protected, only excepting Ethan Allen, Seth Warner, Remember Baker, and Robert Cockran.

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.

M’Cormick parted from his companions at some distance from Heman Allen’s house. He was kindly received, and offered a bed for the night. It was noticed he was unusually reticent, and quite reserved in his participation in the hospitalities tendered him. He made some indirect inquiries after Colonel Allen, who had ridden out that afternoon, but who was momentarily expected to return.

From these circumstances Heman was led to suspect some plot was on foot against his brother, and so expressed himself on that gentleman’s return. The Colonel thereupon taxed M’Cormick at his unusual concern, and so pressed the poor fellow that he confessed there was a plot to capture him, and that he had come for the purpose of privately informing him of it. M’Cormick departed soon after, and told the gang of what he had done. Preparations were made for defense by the household, but they remained through the night unmolested.

The scene of this adventure was the birthplace of Ethan and Ira Allen, from which, at an early age, they removed with their parents to the Hampshire Grants. Ethan was remarkable for the boldness with which he declared his opinions, and a self confidence that was abashed by no consciousness of ignorance. He acquired a wide notoriety as a pamphleteer during the Vermont troubles, there being no paper published there at that time. His enemies tried to fix on him the stigma of an outlaw; and even so careful a historian as Irving is led to make the observation that he was “a kind of Robin Hood among the mountains.” The late T. S. Arthur once wrote of him as being a “guerilla chief,” forgetting that he acted under the direction of a committee of safety—an authority universally adopted by the other colonies during the Revolution.

Ira Allen was still further traduced. The Western Star, a paper published at Stockbridge, Mass., in 1797, styles him the “Vermont Land Jobber;” and states he was at the time under arrest for treasonable designs against the government of Great Britain, concluding with the observation—“All humane men should shudder at the idea of a halter; and many honest men will rejoice if Allen’s liberation puts an end to his restless career in future.” Allen, it seems, had been charged with supplying the Irish, then in rebellion against England, with arms: after eight years of litigation he was acquitted.