Stephen H. P. Pell

In 1775, while the trouble in Boston was brewing, Samuel Holden Parsons, Colonel Samuel Wyllys and Silas Deane, all of Connecticut, and probably at the suggestion of Colonel John Brown of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, conceived the idea of seizing Ticonderoga and capturing the great quantities of military supplies known to be stored in the Fort.

The Colony of Massachusetts voted a considerable sum and Colonel Benedict Arnold was authorized to raise a force and seize the fort. About the same time, however, Ethan Allen, leader of a body of irregular troops known as the Green Mountain Boys, also conceived the idea. Allen and Arnold met in Castleton, Vermont, and both claimed the command. The Green Mountain Boys absolutely refused to serve under anyone but Allen. Eventually a compromise was made and a joint command agreed on. A rendezvous was agreed on in Hand’s Cove on the east side of Lake Champlain about two miles north of the Fort and on the night of May 9th about 350 men had gathered. There was a scarcity of boats, however, and the few obtainable were rowed back and forth all night, landing just north of the present Fort Ticonderoga Ferry. Shortly before daylight only 83 men and a number of officers had reached the west shore. Not daring to postpone the attack, Allen proceeded by the wood road then running across the swamp which formerly existed in what is now the North Field. His own account of the capture is as follows:

“I landed eighty-three men near the garrison, and sent the boats back for the rear guard commanded by Col. Seth Warner; but the day began to dawn, and I found myself under a necessity to attack the fort, before the rear could cross the lake; and, as it was viewed hazardous, I harangued 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 arbitrary power. Your valour 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 valour, or possess ourselves of this fortress in a few minutes; and, in as much 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 firelocks.’

“The men being (at this time) drawn up in three ranks, each poised his firelock. I ordered them to face to the right; and, at the head of the centre-file, marched them immediately to the wicket-gate aforesaid, where I found a centry posted, who instantly snapped his fusee at me; I ran immediately toward him, and he retreated through the covered way into the parade 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 a manner as to face the two barracks which faced each other. The garrison being asleep, (except the centries) we gave three huzzas which greatly surprised them. One of the centries made a pass at one of my officers with charged bayonet and slightly wounded him: My first thought was to kill him with my sword; but, in an instant, 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 a 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 (Capt. Delaplace) to come forth instantly, or I would sacrifice the whole garrison; at which the capt. came immediately to the door with his breeches in his hand, when I ordered him to deliver to me the fort instantly, who asked me by what authority I demanded it; I answered, ‘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; to which he then complied, and 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, which consisted of the said commander, a Lieut. Feltham, a conductor of artillery, a gunner, two serjeants, and forty-four rank and file; about one hundred pieces of cannon, one 13 inch mortar, and a number of swivels. 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 lustre; and Ticonderoga and its dependencies smiled on its conquerors, who tossed about the flowing bowl, and wished success to Congress, and liberty and freedom of America.” The flowing bowl evidently had its effect as Allen’s first account of the capture of the Fort reads as follows:

Catamount Tavern in Bennington Where Ethan Allen And the Others Laid Plans To Capture The Fortress of Ticonderoga

To the Massachusetts Council,

“Gentlemen: I have to inform you, with pleasure unfelt before, that on the break of day of the tenth of May, 1775, by the order of the General Assembly of the Colony of Connecticut, I took the fortress of Ticonderoga by storm. The soldiery was composed of about one hundred Green Mountain Boys and nearly fifty veteran soldiers from the Province of Massachusetts Bay. The latter was under command of Colonel James Easton, who behaved with great zeal and fortitude,—not only in council; but in the assault. The soldiery behaved with such resistless fury, that they so terrified the Kings troops, that they durst not fire on their assailants, and our soldiery was agreeably disappointed. The soldiery behaved with uncommon rancour when they leaped into the Fort; and it must be confessed, that the Colonel has greatly contributed to the taking of that fortress, as well as John Brown, Esq., attorney at law, who was also an able counsellor, and was personally in the attack. I expect the Colonies will maintain this fort. As to the cannon and war-like stores, I hope they may serve the cause of liberty instead of tyranny, and I humbly implore your assistance in immediately assisting the Government of Connecticut in establishing a garrison in the reduced premises. Colonel Easton will inform you at large. From, gentlemen, your most obedient, humble servant.

Ethan Allen”

On the 12th, however, he sent a more temperate account to the Governor of Connecticut, the original manuscript of which is now in the Fort Library and reads as follows:

“Hon’ble Sir: I make you a present of a Major, a Captain, and two Lieutenants in the regular Establishment of George the Third. I hope they may serve as ransoms for some of our friends at Boston, and particularly for Captain Brown of Rhode Island. A party of men, under the command of Capt. Herrick, has took possession of Skenesborough, imprisoned Major Skene, and seized a schooner of his. I expect, in ten days time, to have it rigged, manned and armed, with six or eight pieces of cannon, which, with the boats in our possession, I purpose to make an attack on the armed sloop of George the Third, which is now cruising on Lake Champlain, and is about twice as big as the schooner. I hope in a short time to be authorized to acquaint your Honour, that Lake Champlain, and the fortifications thereon, are subject to the Colonies.

“The enterprise has been approbated by the officers and soldiery of the Green Mountains boys, nor do I hesitate as to the success. I expect lives must be lost in the attack, as the commander of George’s sloop is a man of courage, etc.

“Messrs. Hickock, Halsey and Nichols have the charge of conducting the officers to Hartford. These gentlemen have been very assiduous and active in the late expedition.

“I depend upon your Honour’s aid and assistance in a situation so contiguous to Canada.

“I subscribe myself, your Honour’s ever faithful, Most obedient and humble servant.

Ethan Allen

“At present commander at Ticonderoga. To the Hon’ble Johnathan Trumbull, esq., Capt. General and Governor of the Colony of Connecticut.”

Ethan Allen and Captain Delaplace at The Capture of Fort Ticonderoga

It is interesting to note that in neither of Allen’s reports does he mention Arnold, who had a joint command with him. Hard feeling between the two commanders had already developed. Arnold was a commissioned officer in the Connecticut Militia and Allen, an amateur. Professional soldiers and amateurs never have hit it off.

Letter From Ethan Allen, Ticonderoga, May 12, 1775, Manuscript in the Museum Collection

Ticonderoga 12^th. May 1775

Hono^bl Sir I make You a Present of a Major a Captain and Two Lieut^s in the regular Establishment of George the Third I hope they may serve as ransoms for some of our Friends at Boston and particularly for Capt Brown of Rhodiseland a Party of men under the Command of Cap^t Herich has Took Posession Scenesborough Imprisoned Major Sceen^e and Seized a Schooner of his, I Expect in ten days Time to have it rigged and man’d and armed with 6 or 8 Pieces of Canon which with the Boat in our Possession I Purpose to make an attack on the armed Sloop of George the Third which is Now Cruising on Lake Champlain and is about Twice as bigg as the Schooner. I Hope in a Short Time to be authorized to acquaint your Hoour that Lake Champlain ^^& the fortifications thereon are subjected to the Colonies The Enterprise has been approbated by the Officers and Soldiary of the Green Mountain Boys Nor do I hesitate as to the Success I Expect Lives must be Lost in the attack as the Comander of George’s Sloop is a man of Courage &c.

Letter, continued

I Conclude Cap^t Warner is by this time in Possession of Crown Point the Ordnance Stores &c I Conclude Governor Carlton will Exert himself to oppose us & Command the Lake &c—Messers Hickock Halsey & Nichols have the Charge of Conducting the ^Officers{illegible} to Harford These Gentlemen have been Very Assiduous and active in the Late Expedition I depend upon Your Honours Aid and Assistance in a Situation so Contiguous to CanandaigaCanada—I Subscribe my Self Your Honours Ever Faithfull most Obedient and Humble Servant

Ethan Allen,

at Present Commander of Ticonderoga

THE BRITISH SIDE OF THE CAPTURE

A few years ago Mr. Allen French discovered the manuscript of Lieutenant Feltham’s report, which reads as follows:

New York, June 11th 1775.

“Sir

“Capt. Delaplace of the 26th regt has given me directions to lay before you in as plain a narrative as I can the manner of the surprizal of the fort of Ticonderoga on 10th May with all the circumstances after it that I thought might be of any service in giving you Exy any light into the affair.

“Allen Needs You at Ti”
(Courtesy National Life Insurance Company of Vermont)

“Capt. Delaplace having in the course of the winter applied to Gen. Carleton for a reinforcement, as he had reason to suspect some attack from some circumstances that happend’d in his neighborhood, Gen Carleton was pleased to order a detachment of a subaltern and 20 men to be sent in two or three separate parties the first party of which was sent as a crew along with Major Dunbar who left Canada about the 12th April, I being the first subaltern on command was ordered down with 10 men in a few days more, to give up to Capt Delaplace with whom Lt Wadman was to remain, having receiv’d orders from the regt some time before to join there. as he was not arrived when I came I had orders to wait until he did. I was 12 days there before he came which was about an hour after the fort was surprised. I had not lain in the fort on my arrival having left the only tolerable rooms there for Mr. Wadman if he arrived with his family, but being unwell, had lain in the fort for two or three nights preceding the 10th May, on which morning about half an hour after three in my sleep I was awaken’d by numbers of shreiks, & the words no quarter, no quarter from a number of arm’d rabble I jump’d up about which time I heard the noise continue in the area of the fort I ran undress’d to knock at Capt. Delaplaces door & to receive his orders or wake him, the door was fast the room I lay in being close to Capt Delaplace I stept back, put on my coat & waist coat & return’d to his room, there being no possibility of getting to the men as there were numbers of the rioters on the bastions of the wing of the fort on which the door of my room and back door of Capt Delaplaces room led, with great difficulty, I got into his room, being pursued, from which there was a door down by stairs in to the area of the fort, I ask’d Capt Delaplace who was by now just up what I should do, & offer’d to force my way if possible to our men, on opening this door the bottom of the stairs was filld with the rioters & many were forcing their way up, knowing the Commg Officer lived there, as they had broke open the lower rooms where the officers live in winter, and could not find them there, from the top of the stairs I endeavour’d to make them hear me, but it was impossible, on making a signal not to come up the stairs, they stop’d, & proclaimd silence among themselves, I then address’d them, but in a stile not agreeable to them I ask’d them a number of questions, expecting to amuse them till our people fired which I must certainly own I thought would have been the case, after asking them the most material questions, I could think viz by what authority they entered his majesties fort who were the leaders and what their intent &c &c I was informd by one Ethan Allen and one Benedict Arnold that they had a joint command, Arnold informing me he came from instructions recd from the congress at Cambridge which he afterwards shew’d me. Mr. Allen told me his orders were from the province of Connecticut & that he must have immediate possession of the fort and all the effects of George the third (those were his words) Mr. Allen insisting on this with a drawn sword over my head & numbers of his followers firelocks presented at me alledging I was commanding officer & to give up the fort, and if it was not comply’d with, or that there was a single gun fired in the fort neither man woman or child should be left alive in the fort. Mr. Arnold begg’d it in a genteel manner but without success, it was owing to him they were prevented getting into Capt Delaplaces room, after they found I did not command. Capt. Delaplace being now dress’d came out, when after talking to him some time, they put me back into the room they placed two sentry’s on me and took Capt Delaplace down stairs they also placed sentrys at the back door, from the beginning of the noise till half an hour after this I never saw a Soldier, tho’ I heard a great noise in their rooms and can not account otherwise than that they must have been seiz’d in their beds before I got on the stairs, or at the first coming in, which must be the case as Allen wounded one of the guard on his struggling with him in the guard room immediately after his entrance into the fort. When I did see our men they were drawn up without arms, which were all put into one room over which they placed sentrys and allotted one to each soldier their strength at first coming that is the number they had ferry’d over in the night amounted to about 90 but from their entrance & shouting they were constantly landing men till about 10 o’clock when I suppose there were about 300, & by the next morning at least another 100 who I suppose were waiting the event & came now to join in the plunder which was most rigidly perform’d as to liquor, provisions, &c whether belonging to his majesty or private property, about noon on the 10th May, our men were sent to the landing at L. George, & sent over next day, then march’d by Albany to Hartford Connecticut where they arrived on the 22d they would not allow an Officer to go with them tho’ I requested it. They sent Capt Delaplace his Lady, family & Lt Wadman & myself by Skenesborough to Hartford where we arrived the 21st.”

Shortly after Allen’s capture of the Fort Congress decided to garrison the place, and what was afterwards called the Northern Army was concentrated there. It consisted mostly of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania troops with the Pennsylvanians the best equipped and organized. General Philip Schuyler of New York was in command through 1775. The Fort was repaired and the old French Lines strengthened and a number of redoubts started.