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Page 17
Come out, ye continentallers!
We're going for to go
To fight the red-coat enemy,
Who're plaguy "cute," you know.
Now, shoulder whoop!--eyes right and dress--
Front!--Davis, wipe your nose--
Port whoop!--that's slick--now, carry whoop!
Mike Jones, turn out your toes.
Charge bagnet!--that's your sort, my boys:
Now, quick time!--march!--that's right;
Just so we'd poke the enemy,
If they were but in sight.
Halt!--shoulder whoop!--stop laughing, Nick--
By platoons, wheel!--halt--dress!
Hold up your muzzles on the left;
No talking, more or less.
Bill Sneezer, keep your canteen down,
We're going for to travel;
"Captain, I wants to halt a bit,
My shoe is full of gravel."
Ho--strike up music--for'ard march!
Now point your toes, Bob Rogers;
See! yonder are the red-coat men--
Let fly upon 'em, sogers.
This song was written in the early part of the revolutionary war to
burlesque the meeting of the country militia, and afterwards became very
popular. Although Brown had not much voice, he managed to give a correct
and exceedingly laughable expression to the old song.
"That may be all true enough of some of the country militia," said
Robinson, "but in our village, there was no such foolery. Regulars--and
British ones at that--couldn't have gone through a better training, or a
better rill. One of the British officers at Saratoga said that the New
England militia were equal to regulars; and as far as marching up to
cannons' mouths and driving back dragoons goes, I think they were,
myself. You see, for a long time previous to the battle of Lexington, we
had trainings all around the country, and some of our officers were men
who had seen some hard service in the old French War. Why, just look at
the men that Ethan Allen and Arnold led against Ticonderoga, as strong a
place as was ever fortified in the northern states. There was not a
bolder or better conducted enterprise in the whole war."
THE EXPEDITION AGAINST TICONDEROGA.
"Were either of you in the expedition against Ticonderoga?" enquired
Hand, wishing to learn the particulars of that affair.
"Ay," replied a little old man, who had quit eating and fallen asleep
during Davenport's narrative, and had only wakened up at the sound of
the drum and fife, playing "Come out, ye Continentallers." "I was with
Ethan Allen. I was one of the Green Mountain Boys, that did the thing."
"Then perhaps you can tell us something about it," said Kinnison, "and
about the quarrel between Allen and Arnold. I never heard the facts of
the case, but from what I know of the two men, I feel sure Arnold was
wrong."
"To be sure he was," said old Timothy Ransom. "To be sure he was. But
I'll tell you all I know about the matter. I was at work on my farm when
I heard of the battle of Lexington. I belonged to a regiment of militia
that used to meet for drill on a neighbouring farm. Ethan Allen was the
Colonel, and he was fit to be the leader anywhere. He would lead where
any would follow, was as honest a man as ever breathed, and had a great
share of strong sense. As soon as Colonel Allen heard that the war had
really begun, he determined to seize Ticonderoga, where a great quantity
of munitions of war were stored. I forgot to tell you, however, that
Allen was commissioned a colonel by the government of Vermont. He
collected our boys at his residence, and marched to Bennington, where he
expected to be joined by more volunteers. At Bennington we met Colonel
Easton, with some men from his regiment of militia. Our party then
amounted to two hundred and seventy men; and, though I was one among
'em, I may be allowed to say, that a more daring, and a tougher set of
men were never assembled. About dusk on the 7th of May, we reached
Castleton--that's about fourteen miles east of Skenesborough. There we
were to make our final arrangements. A council of war was held. Colonel
Allen was appointed commander of the expedition, Colonel Easton second
in command, and Seth Warner, third. Allen, with the main force, was to
march to Shoreham, opposite Ticonderoga, Captain Herrick with thirty men
was to push up to Skenesborough, and capture the young Major Skene,
confine his people, and seizing all the boats he could find there,
hasten to join Allen at Shoreham; and Captain Douglas was to proceed to
Panton, beyond Crown Point, and secure all the boats that should fall
in his way. On the 9th of May, Arnold arrived at Castleton, with a few
officers and men, and after introducing himself to our officers, showed
a commission from the Massachusetts Committee of Safety, by which he
claimed the supreme command. But our boys wouldn't hear anything of the
kind. We all said that Ethan Allen was our leader, and if he had not the
command, we would march back to our homes. So Colonel Arnold found that
he would have to join us without a command, or go back where he came
from. He chose to join as a mere volunteer, smothering his claim till
another occasion. On the same day on which Colonel Arnold arrived, Mr.
Phelps, one of the Connecticut Committee who were with us, disguised
himself as a countryman who wanted to be shaved, and visited
Ticonderoga, to spy into the condition of the garrison. He found that
the walls of the old fort were broken down, and that the small garrison
were careless of all discipline. As soon as Colonel Allen was informed
of this state of things, he resolved to move on at once. We marched to
the shore of the lake, opposite Ticonderoga, during the night of the 9th
of May. Allen had secured a guide in a boy named Nathan Beman, who was
fully acquainted with every secret way that led into the fortress. But
we found that we hadn't boats enough to carry all the party over the
lake. Allen, Arnold, Easton, and eighty-three of the men, of whom I was
one, had crossed just as the day was beginning to dawn. To wait would
have been too hazardous, as the garrison, if aroused, might make a stout
resistance; and we wanted to buy success as cheap as possible. Colonel
Allen resolved to commence the attack at once. We were drawn up in three
ranks on the shore nearly opposite the fort. Allen then made a short
address to us. He was never a man of many words. He said he knew our
spirit, and hoped we would remember the cause for which we were about to
strike; that would nerve the arm of a coward. He concluded by conjuring
us to obey orders strictly, and to commit no slaughter that could be
done without. Then, with Arnold at his side, Allen led us stealthily up
the rocks to the sally-port. I saw the sentinel snap his fusee at our
bold leader, and rush into the covered way that led into the fort. We
followed upon his heels, and were thus guided right into the parade
within the barracks. There another sentinel made a thrust at Easton. But
Colonel Allen struck him on the head with his sword and the fellow
begged for quarter. As we rushed into the parade, we gave a tremendous
shout, and filed off into two divisions. The men of the garrison leaped
from their beds, seized their arms, and rushed into the parade, only to
be seized by our men. I snatched a musket from a red-coat's hand just as
he was taking aim at Captain Herrick, and made the fellow shriek for
quarter, by merely striking him alongside of the face with my fist.
While we were securing the men, Colonel Allen and the boy, Nathan Beman,
went up stairs to the door of the room in which Captain Delaplace and
his wife were sleeping. Allen gave three loud raps with the hilt of his
sword on the door, and with his strong voice, ordered the captain to
surrender, or the whole garrison should be slaughtered. Our shouting had
awakened the captain and his wife, and they sprang to the door.
Delaplace appeared in his shirt and drawers, and recognising Colonel
Allen as an old friend, boldly demanded why he was disturbed. Allen
replied, by ordering him to surrender instantly. Delaplace then said,
'By what authority do you demand it?' 'In the name of the Great Jehovah
and the Continental Congress,' replied Colonel Allen, with the full
thunder of his voice, as he raised his sword over the head of the
Captain. This convinced the captain that the wisest course was to
comply, and so he gave the order for the troops to parade without arms.
Forty-eight British regulars surrendered prisoners of war, and the fort
and every thing in it became ours. The regulars, with the women and
children, were sent to Hartford. We found nearly two hundred pieces of
ordnance, and an immense quantity of ammunition of all kinds and plenty
of eatables. Just after the surrender, Seth Warner, with the rear
division, crossed the lake and joined us. The prisoners were secured and
then we all took a hearty breakfast. We had been up and on duty all
night, and that, together with our success, made us enjoy that breakfast
more than an every-day one. Colonel Arnold again attempted to take the
command of our men and the fort. But none of us would obey his orders,
and the Connecticut Committee said that Colonel Allen was the rightful
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