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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m^thode. r%.: 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 •J^^ ^*^'^^ r% yOViWQES AND TMyi^g, "^ ^ ^ ^ p '1 MMfUm, |P0fuwEo.jiifr^1p^^i.ci^.. , } f?wf*Vii*- •»! • V » • f it- j i-^T -'^''^^Mm'^'^ ■A — ^'- •tr I JCk #■ X ■< ^ ■^ w II. ^Miso .••. .; « • 't a 9 • '• • •• • • • • • • • • ••" • • • • • •• #» i •• • •• •< • • I* ••• • • -•-I • • • •• •'• :•• • • • • • . : : ::: • • • ••••• • IM iNrRbw&n6>f. IJWUCED by a teme^ duty to my coUliityy tlfid by theafiftUcation'inf mahy q/^thy 1iieo vfhomarc^ tAeJlrht thu^acteri, I have concluded to /lUd- Uih thc'foUo^ir^ SftarrdHve ^ ihe'ixfi^i>i^y ^i-ddd- lioh^of character urhOng (he'^ple;to"the iodriy iUter 6f the koit, httty ^TAfUiftf 'Weft 'V»C^mcfe9 da 'ihey^ihaUthBXk fihr/ierto ^t^ tnfo 'Ji¥hOie&. 'Smte mih>ai'ed^6ifim iHtb -dffieey tn-in^e ^tdna^^lHo ikdd themitdfy o/V^e i¥lteititfa'6f thii ajfdt^Wifh'f/ltta^e tdrmaairCd^ereflce^ ^m/y'^o Hie fAtl^taofiTie ^diflah Tdiit^y s ^y '*onie •tore ^jfir^frrred-h jith^a ^ mtst dHd'yif^t'by irfe t)tf^fn' Jhhmce. Thehfit'aki'ta b/f'f rn(9frj) W ^hre^akd kWritU mfreemei/i in, -iom^ t^ pfe^mtrnt^r-fa^ili^rlnik^ti^ y»hicki^mynfanr tMrtj^, iv\iutd be the m6at hWhefmH the libertiea and hafipineaa of thia couMi'y ; iwrf, io "^tr aa yUdh >1^^^ VdX^A ftlace, rob ua qf the victory we have obtained at the expense (^«& mneh bloodnndtreaaure, I ahould have exhibited to the public a hiatory qfthe facta herein contained^ aoon after my exchange., had not the urgency of my private affaira^ together vdth more urgent public buaineaa^ demanded my attention^ till a fev> weeka before the date hereof. The reader will readily diactrny that a narrative oj[ thia aort could not have been iv INTRODUCTIO^T' ■ '-. written when Iwaa a ftriaoner : My trunk and writingg were qfien tearched tinder variout firetence* ; to that I never wrote a syllable, or made even a rough minute where- on, I might predicate thit narrative, &ut trusted »olely to my memory for the whole f I have, however, taken the greatest care and paint to recollect the fact* and arrange them : but at they touch a variety qf characters and oppO' site interests, J am sensible that all wiU not btri pleased with the relation qf them : Be this as it will, I have made truth my invariable guide, and stake my honor on the truth qf the facts, I have been very generous with the British in giving them full and ample credit for all their, good usage, of any considerable consequence, which Imet V, mth among them, during my captivity s which was easily done, as Imet with but little, in comparison of the bad* which, by reason qf the great plurality qf it, could not be contained in so concise a narrative ; so that I am certain that I have more fully enumerated the frvours which I receiifsd, than the abuses whicA I suffered. The critic wiU be pleased to excuse any inaccuracies in the per* formante itself, as the authw kff unfortunately miMed^f .u liberal education. ETHAJ^ AIaLEJ^. . fisNsiNGroy,MARea2 5,1779. r '< ■■■iit NARRATIVE OF Col. ETHAN ALLEN'S CAPTIVITY. EVER since I arrived to a state of man- hood, and acquainted myself with the gener- al history of mankind, I have felt a sincere passion for liberty. The history of nations, doomed to perpetual slavery, in consequence of yielding up to tyrants their natural-bom liberties, I read with a sort of philosophical horror ; so that the first systematical and bloody attempt, at Lexington, to enslave A- merica, thoroughly electrified my mind, and fully determined me to take part with my country : And, while I was wishing for an opportunity to signalize myself in its behalf, A 9 ^ A NARRATIVE OF .1 directions were privately sent to me from the then colony (now state) of Connecticut, to raise the Green Mountain Boys, and if possi- ble, with them to surprise 9nd take the fortress, Ticonderoga. This enterprise I cheerfully undertook ; and, after first guarding all the sever4 . f^$aes0 th^t led thitber»to cut off all intelligence between the garrison and the coun- try, made afqre^ march from Bennington, and arrived at the Isike opposite to Ticonderoga, on the evening of tlie. ninth d^ of May, 1775^ with :two himdred and thirty valiant Green Mountain Boys ; and it was with the utmost difficulty th^t I procured boats to cross the Jake, However, I landed eighty three men near the garrison, and sent the boats back fde the rear guard, commanded by Col. Sem W^mcr; but the day began to d^wn, and 1 found myself under a necessity to attack the fort^ before the rear could cross the lake ; and, as it was viewed hazardous, I harrangued the oiScers and soldiers in the manner following : " Friends and fellow soldiers, you have for a ,i(Uimber of yeirs past, been a scourge and ter- ror to arbitrary power. Your Vfdor has been COL. £• AttfeWfe <{AiPtlVITY. by the Advke 9lM Mefi Id me^ Mm ^QMc- ml AsMfnUf of Comcctieuty t^ pucpriie aad tiA;e the garriMH htm bdbR u*. I no^ pro- poae ta JidviiicebefiMe yon^' Mid, » pcnGB» condoct you thrMgh ^hc nvkkxt^gitt} foiwfi must thb fnctuft^ either quit our ^reteflsroae tovalofv^i^posiisBs mamAvm lof this fdrtms in a itw miiiolBv;: «ui, iiushnash^ as it it a dc(^)Cfiite atjiWfitpt, wliich nonel^ut^thfelMiveit «f mm 4^ uiidcrudBC, I do opt urge it on «iif oojfitriry t» his nfilt YoathKl will unden- tafctt^nrfuntarily, poiflt 3roiit*fiiDctek8**^ 'i Tiie men being, at this timey dfiavin up i|i three rank^, eaeh poised his inlec^i i ptder- «d<^ih toihce tothenghft: and/atthe head of (he cent^-tle, ttiarehed them immeilntefy to the wicket gate ^foresaid, where I found a sehtiy posted, whel i^s^mly snapped his ftisee at ttie : I ran hnmcdiatefy tow^dd Win, and hef retreated tiiroughthc covered way into the parade withm the garrison, gave a halibo, and raij under a bomb-proof. My party, who fol- lowed me ipto the fort, 1 fortiicd on the parade i \ fi r ft t { , I v\ f A NARRATIVE OF in such manner as to face the two barracks^ which faced each other. The garrison being asleep, except the sentries, we gave tlire^ huz- zas which greatly surprised them. One of the •entries made a pass at one df my officers with a charged bayonet, and slighdy wounded him: my first thought was to kill him with my sword ; but. In an instant, I altered the design and fiiry of the blow to a slight cut on the side q{ the head ; upon which he dropped hb gun, and asked quarter^ ' which I readily granted him, and demanded cf him the place where the commanding officer kept ; he shewed me a pair of stairs in the front of a barrack, on the west part of ^e garrison, which led up to a jsecond story in said barrack, to which I imme- -diately repaired, and ordered the commander, Capt. Delaplace, to come forth instantly, or I would sacrifice the whole garrison ; at which the Ci^. came immediately to the door, with his breeches in his hand ; when I ordered him to deliver to me the fort instantly : he a^ed ,me by what authority I demanded it : I ans|- weredhim, " In the name* of the great Jehosf vah, and the Continental Congress." The au- COL. E. Allen's captivity. 1> thority of the Congress being very little known at that tune, 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 ; with which he then complied, and ordered his men to be forthwith paraded without arms* as he had given up the garrison : In the mean time some of my offi- cers had given orders, and, in consequence thereof, sundry of the barrack doors were beat down, and about one third of the garrison im- prisoned, which consisted of the said com- mander, a Lieutenat Feltham, a conductor of artillery, a gimner, two Serjeants, and forty- four rank aiid file ; about one hundred pie- ces of cannon, one thirteen inch mortar, and a number of swivels. This surprise was cairi- ed'into execution in the gray of the morning of the tenth day of May, 1775. The sun seemed to rise that morning with a superior lustre ; and Ticonderoga and its dependencies smiled oU its conquerors, who tossed about the flowing bowl, and wished success to Congress, and the liberty and freedom of America. Hap- py it was for me, at that time, that the then 10 7A IWit»R^¥fV^E X)f future fi^gtsof'theb<>Q(kW4kte/VeK^^^^ wards unfokkdaoiiiaWftte^^cttb'rif twb'years and ^ight months ifttpiisoWteeiit>(^c¥e^H5*d from my -view. But to^retuni' t6*ijr'n^rh^ibh : tol. Warner, with the pear .giiarrd, e^Oss^d^trikt, and joined mc early -ih the tmofHiiig. Hv1i6tnl sent of{^ without k>ss of time, with^ibout'bhb hundred men, to take tposses^on of 'Growti Point, which was {garrisoned with ^a serjetfnt and twelve men ; which he took ^posseslsion "df the same day, as alsoof upwards ofK>iie hundrei^ pieces of cannon. But one thing now reHvikled ^obe done, to make ourselves complete masters of lake Champlain; this uas to possess oursetves of a sIoG^ of war, which was then lying at Sti jQ|ih's ; to effect which, it was agreetl in a council of v/ar, to arm and man out a certain schooner, which lay at South Bay, and that Capt. (no\y general) Arnold should command that I should command the batteaux. 1rhe necessary prtparations being made, we set sail troftiT^iconierdga, in quest of the sloop whicK was much larger, and carried more guns and heavier metal than the schooner. Gene- ral Arnold, with the schooner sailing faster 1- ichafter- wbyears nid irom bhVtol. ''Grown s^rjeaflt tiundml emakled masters urse^€« ^ at Sti e. sailed with the prize and scjiopuer for Tic9n-„ deroga. When I met hirfi with my pai*y>, within a few miles of St. John^s, he ss^uted.ine. with' a discharge of cannon, which I return^.4^ with a volley of small arms : This, being re- peated three times, I went on board the sloppy with my party, where several loyal Congress healths were drank. We were now masters of Idee Champlain, and the garrison depenfjing, thereon. This success 1 viewed of conse- la J 9 * ' quence in the scale pf Amerkan pQlitic4V fcr,,, if a settlement^ b^tWiem the"tl^en, colonies arid*' Great-Britattl;.ftad°so6fi takerf -pteoe, it would " r » • , " « . • •« • • •-• 3 V a a a t o ? 12 A NARRATIVE OF ■■f have been easy to have restored these asquisi- tions ; but viewing the then future consequen- ces of a cruel wary as it has really proved to be^ and the comiipiand of that lake, garrisons, artiU leiy, &c; it must be viewed to be of signal im- portance to the American cause, and it is mar- vellous to me, that we ever lost the command of it Nothmg but taking a Burguoyne, with a whole British army, could, in my opinion, atone for it ; and, notwithstanding such an'ex- traordinary victory, we must be obliged to re- gain the command of that lake again, be the cost what it will : By doing this, Canada will easily be brought into union and confederacy • with the Unite4 States of America. Such an event would put it out of the power of the western tribes of Indians to carry on a war with us, and be a solid and durable bar against any farther inhuman barbarities committed on our frontier inhabitants, by cruel and blood- thirsty savages ; for it is impossible for them to carrjc cpiH U^, .except they are supported .b3?jhe 'tVade*and ctelhmerofe of .some civilized •. jfation ; which jtq tjiem would* bcimpracticable, • CC«««CO«t „!>.«. t »■ ae oo I. (ti* !•*• • •• ooc c •••,,,••« e •00000 0( * COL. E. ALLEN'S CAPTIVITY. 13 did Canada compose a part: of the American empire. j . ? ; Early in the fall of the year, the little armvi under the command of the Generals Scuyler and Montgomery, were ordered to advance into Canada.. I was at Ticonderoga, when this or- der arrived ; and the Generals, with most of the field pfficers, requested me to attend them in the expedition ; and, though at that time I had no commission from Congress, yet they engag- ed me, that I should be considered as an offi^ cer, tlie same as though I had a comn>ission : and should, as occasion might require, com- mand certain detachments of the army — This I considered as an honorable offer, and did not hesitate to comply with it, and advanced with the army to the isle Aux-Noix ; from wheiice I was ordered by the general to go in company with Major Brown, and certain interpreters, through the woods into Canada, with letters to the Canadians, and to let them know, that the design of the army was only against the Eng- lish garrisons, and not the country, their liber- ties, or religion: and having, through much danger, negociated this business, I returned to r # B 14 A NARRATIVE OF the Isle Aux ' Noix the fore jMut of September, when Gen. Schuyler returned to Albany • and in consequence the command devolved upon Gen. Montgomery, whom I assisted in laying a line of circumvallation round the fortress, St^ John's. After which I was ordered, by die general, to make a second tour into Canadai upon nearly the same design as before ; and tvithsU to observe the disposition, designs and movements of the inhabitants of the country. This reconnoitre I undertook with reiuctanbe, cboosing rather to assist at the siege of St. John's, which was then closely invested ; but ^y esteem for the general's person, and op^in* ion of him as a politician and brave officer, in- i^uced me to proceed. I passed through all the parishes on the fiver Sorrel, to a parish at the mouth of the $^9ie, which is called by the same name, pr^a^hipg politics ; and went from thence 9.0f osa the Sorrel to the river St. Lawrence, and up the river through the parishes to Lon- gueil, and so far met with good suecess as Hn Uitneraiit. In this round, my guard were C^a^dtwiSf my interpreter^ and some few at- U\']j COL. £. ALLEN'S CAPTIVITY. US tendants excepted. On the morniog; of this 24th day of September, I set out with n^y guard of about eighty men, from LongueiU to go to La Prairie; from whence I dete^** mined to go to Gen. Montgomery '& camj^,^ but had not advanced two miles before I ipet with Major Brown, who has^lnce betrn a4* yanced to the rank of a Colonel, V'ho desir^ me to halt, saying that he had somethiivg, of importance to communlcajte to me and in.y confidants ; upon which I halted the party- and went into an house, and took a private room with him and several of ipy associates, where Gol. Brown prc^oaed that, *• Provid- ed I would return to Longueil, and procure some canoes, so as to cross the river St. Law- rence a little north of Moutrcaljhe woiuUI cross }ta little to the south of the town, with near two hundred men, as he had boats sufficient; and that we would make ourselves masters of Montreal." — This plan was readily a- dopted by me and those in council ; and in consequence of which I returned to Longueil collected a few canoes, and added about tjiirty English Americans. to my party, and u A NARRATIVE OF crossed the river in the night of the 24th, a- greeable to the before proposed plan. Rfy whole party, at this time, consisted of about onehiimlred and ten men, near eighty of whom wei^e Canadians. We were the most 6f the night crossing the river, as we had so few tanoes that they had to pass and re-pasi three times, to carry my party across. Soon aftet day* break, I set a guard between me aiid the town with special orders to let no person whatever pass or re-pais them, atid another guard on the other end of the road, with like directions ; in the mean time, I reconnoitered the best ground to make a de«> fence, expecting Col. Brown's party was lan- ded on the other side of the town, he having the day before, agreed to give three huzzas withhismen early in the morning, which sig- nal I was to return, that we might each know that both parties were landed; but the sun, by this time, being near two hours high, and the sign failing, I began to conclude myelf to be in a premunire, and would have cross- ed the river back again, but I knew the en- emy would have discovered such an at- €0L. E. ALLEN*S CAPtlVltY. 17 tempt ; and, as there could not more than one third part of my troops cross at on^ time, the other two thirds would of course fall into their hands. This I could not reconcile to my own feelings as a man, much less as an officer : I therefore concluded to main- taili the ground, if possible, and all to fare alike. In consequence of this resolution, I dispatched two messenger's, one toLa Prairie, to Col. Brown, and the other to L'Assomp- tion, a French settlement, to Mr. Walker, who wnls in our interest, requesting their speedy assistance^ giving them, at the saine time, to understand tny critical situation : In the mean time, sundry persons came to my guards, pretending to be friends, but were by thepi t'akeii prisoners and brought to me. These I ordered "to confinement, till their friendship coiild be farther coiifirih- ed ; fori was' jealpiis they were spies, as they proved to be ^ftet wards : One of the j^rinqipail of tjiem maldng his escape, expos- ed the weakness/^ my pt«rty, which was the final cause oT niy mibfortune ; for I have bc'c'i since informed ihat Mr. VValker, a- R 2 16 A NARAATiyS OS H* I 1 fgrcjc^^bli^tomy to diH^ulty aiterwacdf ; but, upon heair^ng of my; mis^jptune, he disbanded them again. , The town of Montreal was in great tumult Oen^ Carlton a^4:^!>5i royal party^ m^de ^Vr ery preparation to go on board their vessels pf force, as ^ was ai^ter wards informe^d* bi|i^t the spy^ escaping from my guard to thetawn» occasioned an alteration in, thjsir policy, an4 emboldened Qen* • Carlton to send tjt)|e for|ce>« which he had there collected, out againat me. I had previously, chosen my ground* but when I saw the number of the cnen^j, us they sallied out of the town, I perceived it would be a day^ of trouble, i,f not ,9(.rf buke ; but I had no chance to dee, as Montreal was situated on an island, and the river St. Lau- rence cut off my communication to Oen. Montgomery's camp.. I encouraged my sol- diery to bravely defend themselves, that we should soon have help, and that we should be able to keep the ground, Ji^'no more.--<- This, and much more, I affiy^mcd with the COL. E. AI^L^Hr S CAPTIVITY. w gveatett necming a«5Ui»ac«:» and wbtcfa in «64>ty ) though to be in vm^ 40gF€« pr<4>^ The eitemy qonmted of nottnore thaiviprv- t^ regular troopS} together with a mixed 9jultitu4e» chieflyC^nadiana, yt'nly ^ numr ^ Oif English who lived in the town, and some Indians-; in a|l t;o the number of nca^ fivehitnclred. The reader will notice that most of my par- ty were Canadiansi; indeed it was a motley pjircel of sddieiy which composed, both par- ties. However, the enemy began the attack ^m wood-piles, ditches, buildiiigs, and such like places, at a considerable dist^u^^e^ and I returned the fire from a situation more than equaUy advantageous^ The attack began be- tween, two and three of the clock in the after- noon, just before which I ordered a volunteer, by the name of Richard Youftg, with a detach- ment of men as a flank guard, whiph, under the cover of the bank of the river, could not on- ly annoy the enemy, but at the same time, serve as a flank guard to the lell of the main body. 4 i 1 S V u 20 A NARRATIVE OF h V' ' I 1 til The fire continued for some time on both sides ; and I h^s confident that such a remote method of attack could not carry the ground, provided it should be continued till night : But near half the body of the enemy begtm to flank round to my right ; upon which I ordered a volunteer, by the name of John Dugan, who had lived many years mCknada, and under- stood the French language, to detach about fif- ty of the Canadians, and post himfelf at ail ad- vantageous ditch, which was on my rigUt, to prevent tny being surrouhded : He advanced with the detachment, but, instead of occupying the post, made his escape, as did likewise Mr. Young ^pon the left, with their detachments. 1 soon perceived that the enemy was in posscL- sion of the ground, which Dugan should have occupied. At this time I had but about forty- five men with me,* some of whom were wound- ed t the enemy kept closing round me; nor was it in my power to prevent it ; by which means, my situation, which was advantageous in the first part of the attack, ceased to be so in the last ; and, being almost entirely surrounded with such vast unequal numbers, I ordered u COL. £< ALLEN'S CAPTIVITY. 21 retreat, but found that thoistebf the cilery who were of the country, and their Indians, could run as fast as my men, thoiigli the regulars could not. Thus I retreatfed near a mile, and some of the enemy, with the savages, kept fiank- ing me, and others crowded hard in the redrl In fine, I ekpected, in a very short time, to try the world of spirits : for I was apprehensive that no qiiarter would be given to me, and therefore had determined to sell my life as dear as I could. One of the enemy's officers, boldly pressing in the rear, discharged his fusee at me; the ball whistled near me, as did many others that day. I returned the salute, and missed him, as runtiing had put us both out of breath ; fori conclude ^ve were not frightened ; I then sa- luted him with my tongue in' a harsh manner, and told him that, inasmuch as his numbers were so far superior to mine, I would surretil der, provided I could be treated with honor; and be assured of good quarter for myself and the men who were with me ; and he answered I should ; another officer, coming up directly after, confirmed the treaty ; upon which I a- greed to surreoder with my party, which then S K 22 A NARRATIVE OF consisted of thirty-one effective men, and seven wounded. I ordered them to groi^nd their arms, which they di^. The officer I capitulated with, then directed me and my party to advance towards him, which was done ; t handed him my sword, and in half a minute after, a savage, part of %vhose head was shaved, being almost naked and painted, with feathers intermixed with the hair of the other side of his head, came running to me with an in- credible swiftness ; he seemed to advance with ifiore than mortal speed ; as he approached near me, his hellish visage was beyond all descrip- tion ; snakes* eyes appear innocent in compari- son of his ; his features distorted ; malicci death, murder, and the wrath of devils and damn, ed spirits arc the emblems bf his countenance ; and, in less than twelve feet of me, presented his firelock ; at the instant of his present, J twitched the officer, to whom I gave my sword, between me and the savage ; but he flew round with great fury, trying to single me out to shoot me without killing the off cer ; but by this time I was near as nimble as he, keeping, the officer in such a positaon that hiis danger was my de- a COL. s. Allen's captivity. 23 fence ; but, in less than half a minute, I was at- tacked by just such another imp pf hcH : Then I made the officer fly round with incredible re. loci^, for a few aeooiidsof time^ when 1 per- ceived a Canadian, Who hadloiit one eye, as ap. peared afterwards, taking my part against the savages ; and in an instant an Irishman came to my assistance with f^ fixed bayonet, and drove away the ^ends, swearing by JasUshe would kill them. This tragic .scene composed my xtund. The escaping from, so awful a deatli, made ev^n imprisonment happy ; the more so as my conquerors on the field treated me with great civility and politeness. . The regular officers said that they were very luppy to see Col. Allen : I answered them, that I should rather chose to have seen diem at Gen* Montgomery's camp. The gentlemen replied, that they gave full credit to what I said, atid, as I walked to the town, which was, a$ I should guess, more than two miles, a British officer walking at my right hand, and one of the French noblesse at my left ; the latter of which, in the action, had his eye-brow carried away by a glancing shot, but was nevertheless very ), r ■ V. ! t 34 A NARRATIVE QF merry and facetious, an4 no abuse was offered me till. I came to the barrack} ard^ at Mont- real, wjifre J met general Prescott, who asked m^.niy; i>ame^).which I teidhim : He then ask- ed me, wheilier I was that CoL Allen Who took Ticonderoga. I told him I was the very man t Then he shook his cane over my head, calling many hard n&mes, among 'which he frequently uied the word rebel j ^d put himself in a great rage. I told him he would do well hbt to cane me, for I was not accustomed to it, and shook my fist at him, telling him thiat was the be^stle of mortality for him, if he offered to strike ; upon which Capt. M'Cloud of the British, pulled him by the skirt, and whispered to him, as he afterwards told me, to this import : that it was inconsistent with his honor to strike a prisoner. He then ordered a sergeant's com- - mand with fixed bayonets to come forward, and kill thirteen Canadians, which were included in the treaty aforesaid. ^ It cut me to the heart to see the Canadians in so hard a case, in consequence of their hav-- ing been true to me ; they were wringinjj their- ' hands, saying their prayers, as I concluded, COL. E. ALLEN SCAPTIVITV. 25 was offered and expected immediate death. I therefore stepped between the executioners and the Canadians^ opened my clothes, and told Gen. Prescott to thrust his bayonet into my breast, for I was the sole cause oi the Canadians tak- ing up arms. The guard in the mean time, rolling their eye-balls from the General to me, as though impatiently waitmg his dread commands to sheath their bayonets in my heart ; I could however plainly discern, that he was in a sus^ pence and quandary about the matter : This gave me additional hopes of succeeding ; for my design was not to die, but to save the Ca^ nadians by a finesse. The general stood a minutCj- when he made me the following reply : " I will not execute you now ; but you shall grace a halter at Tyburn, God damn you.'* I remember I disdained his mentioning such a place ; I was, notwithstanding, a little pleas* ed with the expression, as it significantly con- veyed to me the idea of postponing the present appearance of death ; besides his 'sentence was by no means final, as to " gracing a halter," al- though I had anxiety about it after I landed C ./I 26 A NLARRATIV£ Of in' England, astheceader will-find in the course of this history. Gen. Prescott then ordered one of his officers to take me on board the'Ofis. pee schooner of war, and confine mt^ hands and feet, in irons, which was done. the same af- ternoon I \vas taken. The adtion continued an hour afid three quartets^ by the watch, and I know not to this vas rescued by some of the generous enemy; and so far re- covered of his wounds, that he afterwards went with the other prisoners to England. i Of the enemy were killed, a Major Garden, who had been wounded in eleven different bat- tles, and an eminent merchant, Pattei'son, of Montreal, and some pthers, but I never knew their whole loss, as their accoimts were idiffer- ent. I am apprehensive that it is rare, tliat so much ammunition was expeaided, and so little execution done by it ; though such of my par- COL E. ALLEJJ'S CAPTIVITY. 27 \ :'" ty as stood' their ground, behaved with great foirtitud'*, inuch exceeding that of the enemy, butireii not the best ^marksmen, and, I am apprehensive, • were all killed 'or taken; the wounded-were all put into the hospital at Mont- r^l, aM those that were not, were put on board of diflferent vessels in the river, and shackled together by pah's, viz. two men fastened to- gcthcf by one liand-cuff, being closely fixed to onf wrist of each of them, and treated witll the greatest severity, nay as cf iminalsi I now come to the- description* of the* irons j \vhich were pfut oft me : The hand- cuff was of a common size^ and form, but my leg irons, I should imagine, would weigh thirty pounds ; th^ bar was eight feet long, and vefV substan- tial ; the shackles which encompassed my an- cles, were very tight. I was told by the offi» cer who put them on, that it was the king's platd, and I heard other of their officers say, that it - would weigh forty weight. The irons were so close upon my ancles, that I could not lie down in any other manner than on my back. iWas put into the lowest and most wretched part of the vessel, where I got the favor of a >.'. ; ^:' ;*s«»t&!'i:.*tV; l^j^^^'^}-^ m 2S A !9ARRATIV£ of chest to sit on ; the same answered for my bed at night ; and having procured some lit- tle blocks of the guai4, who, day and nigjit^ with fixed bayonets, watched over ine, to lie under each end of the large bar of my leg irons,, to preserve my ancles from galling, while I sat on the chest, or lay back on the same, though ipost of the time, night and day, I sat on it ; but at length, having a desire to lie down on my side, which the closeness of the irons for- bid, I desired the captain to loosen them^^for that purpose ; but was denied the favor. The Captain's name was Royal, who did not seem, to be an ill-natured man ; but oftentimes said, that his express orders were to treat me with such severity, which was disagreeable to his own feelings ; nor did he ever insult me, tho' many others, who came on board, did. One of the officers, by the name of Bradley, was very generous to me ; he would often send me vic- tuals from his own table ; nor did a day fail, but that he sent me ia good drink of grog. The reader is now invited back to the time I was put into irons. I requested the privilege to write to Gen. Prescott, which was granted. COL. £. ALLEN^S CAPTIVITY. 29 I remindedhim of the kind and generofil$ manner of my treatment of the prisoners I took at Ti- conderoga ; the injustice and ungentleman-like usage which I had met with from him, and de- manded gentlemanlike usage, but received no answer from him. I soon after wrote to Gen. Carlton, which met the same success. In the mean while, many Of those who were permitted to see me, were very insulting. I was confined in the manner I have related, on board the Gaspee schooner, about six weeks ; during which time I was obliged to throw out plenty of extravagant language, which answered certain purposes at that time, better than to grace a history. To give an instance, upon being insulted, in a fit of anger I twisted ofFa nail with my teeth, which I took to be a ten-penny nail ; it went through the mortice of the bar of my hand- cuff, and at the same time, I swaggered over those who dbused me ; particularly a doctor Dace, who tdd me that I was outlawed bv New- York, and deserved death for several years pa:.t ; was at last fully ripened for the halter, and in a fair way to obtain it. When I C 2 /, A \ ' i k i a criminal j but I flung such a flood of language at him that it shocked him and the spectator^, for my anger \vas very great. I heard oiie say, danvH him, can he eat iron ? After that, a smail pad* lock wavfixed to the hand-cuft', instead of the nail i and as they were mean spirited in their treatment to me, so it appeared to me, that they M^ere equally timorous and cowardly. I was afterwards sent with the prisoners ta* ken with me to an armed vessel- in the river, which lay off" against Quebec, under the com. r^and of Capt. M'Cloud, of the British, who treated me in a very generous^ and obliging mannner, and according to my rank $ in about twenty-four hours, I bid him farewell with re- gret ; but my good fortune still continued. — The name of the captain of the vessel I was put on board, was Littlejohn ; who, with his offi* cers, behaved in a polite, generous and friend- ly 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 COL. E» ALLE-N'S CAPTIVITY. 31 swore, that a brave mah should not be uee^aft a rascal, on board his shtj^i ' Thfis I found myself in possession of ha^pi*" ness oiice iiiord, and thfe evils, I had lately annf- fered,' ^vcl me an uncommon relish for it. . Gapt; Littlejohn used to go to Qudpec aU iridst every day, in order to pay his respects to certain gehtletiien and^ ladies ; being-there on^a certain day; he happCrtM to irieet with somt disagreeable' trcatm^nti - as^ie imagined; fix)m a Lieiit. of-a man of war, ahd one word brought on another, tiU the Lieut, dialletiged him td^ a duel ' Ofi the plains of Abraham i Capt; Little* John ^vaS a gentleman, who entertained a high sense of honor, anchcould do no less thaii accept the challenge^ At nine o'clock the next morning they were to fight. The Capt. returned in the evening, and acquainted his lieutenant and' me with the afiair : His Lieutenant vvas? a high blooded Sfcotchnian ; - as ' Well as- himself, who replied to his Gapt. that he should not want for a second. With this I interrupted him and ^ve the Gaqit; to understand that since an opportunity had presented^ I would' be glad to testify my grati' 't •J 32 A NARRATIVE OF ^1. tude 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. 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 hr- iher , " You must engage me, upon the honor pf a gentleman, that whether I die or live, or whatever happens, provided you live, that you will return to my Lieut, on board this ship." All this I solemnly engaged him. The com- batants were to discharge each a pocket pistp], 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. Now having enjoyed eight or nine days^ happiness, from the polite and generous treatment of Capt. Littlejohn and his offi- cers, 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 mfcmory, was the eleventh of November: Wher a detachment of Gen. Arnold's little m piOiHw^ *^-™'Yf.fl RW^g:: COL. E. ALLEN'S CAPTIVITY. 33 army appeared on point Levi> opposite Quebec, who had performed an extraordU nary, march through a wilderness, country, with :design to have surpized tlie capital of Canada; I was then taken on board ;a ve$sel called the Adamant, together with the pris- oners taken with me, apd put under the pow -; er 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 bis malevolence, by a junto of tories, who sail- ed with him to England ; among whom lycre Col. Guy Johnson, Col. Closs, and their attendants and associates, to the num^ ber of about thirty. All the ship's crew, Col. Closs, in his per- sonal behavior excepted, behaved towards the prisoners with that spirit of bitternes%^ 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 de- ceit which they exercise towards the whigs. A small place in the vessel, enqlosed with M .-^ ; V 34 .A NARRATIVE OF i ^ if / \rhite-oak plank\ was assigned fur the p.^s- oners, and for mb amoiVg^thb rbst. I should ^ imagine thatit wias not more' thian twenty feet- one wa^y arid twenty -two ^the other : In^' tr humanity >; that any tithing short of a)hal. would be my, portion soon . after ^I arrived :in Eiig«- laiid;nfor .whioh.pqrfKMe only .1 .was sent thither. About the same time vj Lieiit.^ a- mong the t^ies, iASiiltedi:.me.in>a grieviuis. iQaqerisayi^gl ovight to jiave: beea eoceculed Sox my rebelHon ag^iQ^t^iKeM''* Y|Ofik>'.and;qfiit in my face ; upon wluch^tkoUgh/Lw^hand- civfied, I sprang at him .with both hands, and knocked him partly dowji,^ but he scram- . bled >aIong into the cabin, and I.afiter him ; there he got .vUnder the protection of some men with ifiixed bayonets, who were ordered to make ready to drive roe into .the place a- fore mentioned. I challenged him to fight, notwithstanding the; impediments that were on. my hands, and had the exalted pleasure to see the rascal tremble for fear; his name I have forgot,, but Watson ordered his guard to get me into the.jsiace with, the other pris- oners, d^ad or alive; and I had almost as lieve die as to do. it, standing it out till they i 36 A NARRATIVE OF ;.5. ^.1 c environed lAef^round with bayonets ; and -brtitiab, pejudked, abandoned wretches tlief were, 1 from: whom I could espect nothing Ibut death or wounds ; However, I told them t)iat they were good honest fellows ; that I could not l>lame them ; that I was ^\y in a dispute witii a calico merchant, who knew •not how to behave towards a gentlbman of the military establishment. This was ^>oke rather to appease them for my own preser- vation^ as well as to treat W^on with: I submitted to their indignities, being drove with bayonets into the filthy dungeon, with the other prisoners, where we were denied fresh water, except a small allowance, which was very inadequate to our wants; and, in consequence of the. stench of the place, each of lis. was soon fol- lowed with a diarrhoea and fever, which oc- casioned an intolerable thirst. When we asked for watery we were, most commonly, f ^* - . » - COL. E. all£n's captivity. 37 instead of obtaining it, insulted and derided ; and, to add to all the horrors of the place, it was so dark that we could not see each other, and were overspread with body lice. We had, notwithstanding these severities, full allowance of salt provisions, and a gill of rum per day ; the latter of which was of the utmost service to us, and, probably, was the means of saving several of our lives. About forty days we ex- isted in this manner, when the land^s end of England was discovered from the mast head ; soon after which the prisoners were taken from their gloomy abode, being permitted to see the light of the sun, and breathe fresh air, which to us was very refreshing. The day following we landed at Falmouth. A few days before I was taken prisoner. I shifted my clothes, by which I happened to be taken in a Canadian dress, viz. a short fewn- skin jacket, double breasted, an under- vest and breeches of sagathy, worsted stockings, a de- cent pair of slioes, two plain shirts, and a red worsted cap : This was all the clothing I had, in which I made my appearance in England. When the prisoners were landed, multitudes D / 38 A NARRATIVE OF n of the citizens of Falmouth, excited by eurio- stty, crowded together to see us, which was equally gratifyitig to us. I saw numbers of l^eople on the tops of houses, and the rising adjacent grounds were covered with them of both sexes: The throng was so great, that .the king's officers were obliged to draw their swords, and force a passage to Pendennis castle, which was near a mile from the town^ where we were closely confined, in co08e>* quence of orders from gen. Carlton, who ihim commanded in Canada. The rascally Brook Watson then set out for London in great haste, expecting the reward of his zeal; but the ministry received him> a^ I have been since informed^ rather qooUy ; for the mmority in parliament took advantage, ar- guing that the opposition of America to Great Britain, was not a rebellion : If it is, say they, why do you not execute col. Allen, according to law? but the majority argued, that I ought to bq executed, and that the oppositioti was really a rebellion, but that policy obliged them not to do it, inasmuch as the Cqngress liad then most prisoners in their power ; so that my J COL. E. ALLEN'S CAPTIVITY. 39 being sent to England, for the purpose of be- ing executed, and necessity restraining them, was rather a foil on their laws and authority, and they cpnsequenty disa[^roved of my being sent thither : But I never had heard the least hint of those debates, in parliament, or of the working of their policy, till some time after I kft England* Consequently the reader will readily con- ceive I was anxious about my preservation, knowing thul I was in the power of a haughty and cruel nation, considered as such. There- fore, the first proposition which I determined in my own mind was, that humanity and moral suasion vfcould not be consulted in the deter- mining of my fate \^ms^ those that daily came in great numbers^ out of curiosity, to see me, both gentle and simple, united in this, that J would be hanged. A gentleman from Ame- rica, by the name of Temple, and who was friendly to me, just whispered me in the ear, and told me, that bets were hid in London, that I would be executed ; he likewise priva- tely gavi me a guinea, but durst say but little t6m^. K>" h i' ■I 40 A NARRATIVE OP However, agreeable to my first negative pro- position, that moral virtue would not influence my destiny, I had recourse to stratagem, which I was in hopes would move in the circle of their policj% I requested of the commander of the castle the privilege of writing to congress, who, after consulting with an officer that lived in town, of a superior rank, permitted me to write. I wrote, in the fore part of the letter, a short n?\rative of my ill treatment ; but withal let them know that, though I wa^treated as a criminal iii England, and' continued in irons, together with those taken with me, yet it was in consequence of the orders which the com- mander of the castle received from general Carlton ; and therefore cMred congress to de- sist from matters of retalli^Qn, till they should know the result of the government in England, I'especting their treatment towards me, and the prisoners with me, and govern themselves ac- cordingly, with a particular request, that if re- taliation should be found necessary, it might be exercised not according to the smalln^ss of my character in America, but in proportion to the importance of the cause for which I suffered* COL. E. ALLEN S CAPTIVITV. '4't This is, according to my present recollection, the substance of the letter, inscribed, 7b the illustrious Continental Con gres^. This letter was wrote with a view that it should be sent to the ministry at London, rather than to con^ss, with a design to intimidate the haughty Eng- lish government, and screen my neck from the liaker, . . The next day the officer, from whom I ob- tained licence to write, came to see me, and frowned on me on account of the impudi^nce of the letter, as he phrased it, and farther add- ed, ** Do you think that we are fools in Eng- land, and would send your letter to congress, with instructions to retaliate on bur own peo- ple? I have sent your letter to Lord North." This gave me inward satisfaction, though I carefully concealed it with a pretended resent- ment, for I found J had come Yankee over him, and that the letter had gone to the identical person I designed it for. Nor do I know, to this day, but that it had the desired effect, though I have not heard any thiiig of the let- ter since. P 2 h fi^ A NARRATIVE OF b- I My persond treatment by lieut. Hamilton^ whojopmmanded the castle, was very geiterous. He seat me every day a fine tn^eaki^st and dia- ner from his own table, and a bottle of good wine. Anotheir aged gendeman, who^e name I cannot recollect, sent me a good supper: But there was no distinction in public support between me and the privates ; we all lodged on a sort of Dutch bunks^ in one common a- ^rtment, and were allowed straw. The pri- vates were w^U supplied wiUi fresh provisi^oni and with me, took effectual measures to rid ourselves of lice. . I could not but feel, inwardly extremely anxious for my fate. This I however conceited from the prisoners, as well as from the enemy, who were perpetually shaking the halter, at va^k I nevertneless trealed them with scorn and con- tempt : andliavi^g sent my letter to tlie minis- tr}% could concieve of nothing more in my »power but to keep up my spirita^^Jbehave ia a daring, soklieir-like Htaiiner, that i might ^^o hibit a goojl sample of American fortitjude*-^ Such a conduct, I judged, would have a more probable tendency to my pr^ervation than con- »t. Hamilton^ ery generoiis. efest and dia. ^tle of good ^hoa^ name 3od supper : blic support e all lodged ' common a- The pri- I provis^n, iuresto rid . [ > i extremely c concefil^d the enemy, liter, at m^k II and con- tlie mini.5- re in my 6ehave ni might ex. tiiwde,^ e a more fhwncon- COL E. AtLEN's CAPTIVITY. 43 cession and timidity. This, therefore, was my deportment ; and I had lastly determined, in my own mind, that if a cruel death must in- eyitably he my portion, I would face it undaunt- ed; and, though I greatly rejoice that I have returned to my country and friends, and to see the power and pride of Great Britain humbled ; yet I am confident I could then have dic;d with- out the least appearance of dismay. I now clearly recollect that my mind was so resolved, that I would not have trembled or shewn the least fear, as I was sensible it could not alter my fate, nor do more than reproach my memory, make my last act despicable to my enemies, and eclipse the other actions oi my life. Fori reasoned thus, thut nothing was more common than for men to die with tixeir fnends around them, weeping and lament- ing over them, but not able to help them, which was in reality not difi^ent in the conse- quence of it from such a dec^h as I was aji|?je- -hensiveof f and, to death was the naturalleon- •aequenee of animal life to which the Ijiws |f natitrt^. subjeQt mankind, to be timorous, and ,uneasy as f^^ event or miamer of it, was in- 1 7^ i 4 } 1 'id i 44 A NARRATIVE OF consistent with the character of a philosopher or Soldier. The caiise I \Vis engaged in, I ev- er viewed worthy hazarding my life for, nor was I, in^ the most critical moments of trouble, sorry that I engaged in it ; iind, as to the world of spirits, though I knew nothing of the mode or manner of it, I expected nevertheless, when I should arrive at such a world, that I should be as well treated as other gentlemen of my merit. Among the great numbers of people, who came to the castle to see the prisoners, som^ gentlemen told me, that they had come fifty miles on purpose to see me, and desired to ask me a number of questions, and to make free with me in conversation. I gave for answer, th^t I chose freedom in ievery sense of the word : The one of them asked me what my occupation in life' had been ? I answered him, that in my younger days I had studied divinity, but was a conjurer by profession. He re];^ied, that I 9ifil|pred wrong at the time that I was taken ; v|^cl I was obliged to own, that I mistook a fig- '%tt at that time, but that I had conjured them out of Ticonderoga. This was a place of great ribtonety in England, so that the joke seemed to go in my favor. COL. E. ALLEN'S CAPTIVITT. 45 r answer. It was a common thing for me to betaken out of close confinement, into a spacious green in the castle, or rather parade^ where numbers of gentlemen and ladies were ready to see and hear me. I often entertained such audiences with harrangues on the impracti^- cability of Great Britain's conquering the then colonies of America. At one of these times, I asfeed a gentleman for a bowl of punch, and he ordered his servant to bring it, which he did, and offered it to me, but I refused to take it from the hand of his ser- vant, he then gave it to me with his own hand, refusing to drink with me in conse'- quence of my being a state criminal : how- ever, I took the punch and drank it all dosvii at one draught, and iianded the gentleman the bowl ; this made the spectators as Well as tny self merry. I expatiated on American freedom ; this gained the resentment of a young beardless gentleman of the comj)any, who gave himself very great airs, and replied, that he ** knew the Americans very well, and was certain that they could not bear the smell of powder. ,v , ^.,^ 46 ^A NARRATIVE OF I replied, that I accepted it as a challenge, and was 4ready to convince him on the spot, that an American could bear the smell of powder ; at which he answered that he should Hot piit himself on a' par with me. I then demanded ^£ him to treat the character of tJie Americans with due respect. He an- swered that i was an Irishman ; but I assu- i^d him, that I was a full blooded Yankee, and, in fine, bantered him so much, t) at, he left tme in possession of the ground, i id the Jaugh Went against him« Two cleigymen came to see me, and, inat^much as they be- haved with ctvHity, I returned them the same ; we discoursed gn s&veral parts of moral philosophy ^nd chc&stianity ; and they seemed to beisufrprise^, that I should be ac- quainted with suph topics, or that I should understand a syllogism, or regular modi of argumentation. I am apprehensive my Ca- .padian dress contributed not a little; to. the' surprise and excitement of curiosity : to see a gelntleman in England) regularly dressed and Well behaved, would be no sight at all ; but «uch a rcbcl^ SB they we W pleased to call ^ COL. E. Allen's captivity. 47 me, it lis jjfbklaibte, was never before seen iil England. The prisoners were landed at Falmouth a few days before Christmas, and ordered oii board of the Solcbay frigate, Capt. Symbnds, the eighth dajr of January, 1776, when our hand irons were taken off. This remove was in consequence, as I have been since informed, of a writ of habeas eorpus^ whilch^ had been procured by some' gentlemen, in England, ki order to obtain me my libcHy,,, • The Solebay, with sundry other men, aft war, andabout forty transports, rendezvous., ed at the cove of Cork, in Ireland, to take in provision and water. When we were first brought on 'board,; Capt. Symonds ordered all the prisoners,; and most of the hands on board, to go on the deck, and caused to be read, in their hearing a certain code of laws, or rules for the regu- lation and ordering of their behavior ; and, then, in a sovereign manner, ordered the prisoners, nae in particular, off the deck, and nelland shirts and stocks ready made, with a nu mber of pairs bf ijHk and worsted hose, two pair bf shoes, two beaver hais, one risoiiers, and con^^^d. it to; tl^e use of the slup's crew. Our clothing was iiot taken .away, 'but the pri- vates w^re forced to da duty on board; Soon after, this : th^re ' came, a boot to the side of the ship, and capita 3yn^ond;»' asked a gditlemah who was in it,; in^ my hearing, what his busi- ness was? who Answered that he was sent to deliver sbme sea-stores to col. Allen, which, if I remember right, he said were sent from Dub- lin; but the capt. damned him very heartily, E2 ;•>*•: 54 A KARRATIV£ OF I : I i m ^"^ ordered hiiiKaway from the ship^ and would not suffer him to deliver the stores. I was futher^ more informed, that the gentlemen in Cprk re^ quested of capt. Symonds, that I might be d- lowed to come into the city, and thjrt they would be responsible I should return to the frigate at a given time, which was denied them* We sailed from England the 8th day of Jan^ uary. and from the cove of Cork the I2th day,, of February. « Just before we sailed, the priw soners withme were divided, and put on board threes different shpis of w^r. This gave me some. uneasiness, ioc they were to a man zea* ^ous in the cause of liberty, and behaved with a becoming fortitude in iie various scenes of their captivity ; but those, who were distribu- ted on board pther ships of war, were much better used than those who tarried withirie, ai appeared afterwards. When the fleet, consist*^,, ing of about forty*five sail, including five men of war, sailed from the cove with a fresh breeze, the appearance was beautiful, abstracted from the unjust and bloody designs tliey had in view. We had not sailed many days, before a migh- ty storm arose, which lasted near twenty -four ■■^4. •^^ COL. £^ ALLEN*S CAPTIVITY. SS hours without intermission : The wind blew with relentless fury, and no man could remain on deck, except he was lashed fast, for the ^vaves rolled over the deck by turns, with a forcible rapidity and every soul on board wag anxious for, the preservation of the ship, alias their lives. In this storm the Thunder-bomb maii of war sprang a leak, and was afterwards iioaled to some part of the coast of England; and the crew saved. We were then said to be in the l>ay of Biscay. After the storm abated, I could plair^i 'i^ctm that the prisoners were better used fc " r^at considerable time. Nothing of consequence happened after this^ t;ll we had sailed to the island of Madeira, ex- cept a certain favor which I received of capt. Symonds, in consequence of an application I made to him, for the privilege of his tailor to make me a suit of clothes of the cloth bestowed on me in Ireland, which he generously grant- ed. I could then walk the deck with a seem- ing better grace. When we had reached Ma- deira, and anchored, sundry gentlemen with the capt. Went on shore. Who I conclude, gave the rumor that I was in the fiigate ; upon which ' I I 1/ § » S6 ,7TrAf»*^J»A''^«ir*\^I.v -.u>:> I i «W«>i!lfe poller ^lia^ki^i^^ ll^gf^- ^im to fervid m^, n^Kt^thstapi^g ibp c!Q)^iiq9»- ;lao«i he n^t witlji'faidppfe : ^J(4jfecte4|he.S|^^ ty in neeid pf : ^ s^jgnal .a Ciha^itj^i ai4/<3c^(»»^ ibff, yomng genttenwai | 9, m^k<5 thCv uUifi9f|t ^is- IHUtoh^ - whiic4^ ; Jbe did[ ; J^iut, in the mew tii|i<:^ oapu Symonds ai^d fa^ Pffi<^9)!^ <^^*^ ^^^^9^^ »ncl tmmedktely made T^ady; forsailuigif Uie ^d^t tihe a#me time being fair, set^ wh^n the yout^ gaitleman was i^ fyk sight witjKtbe afojfew^ st«|re. . ..,•.,.; .;.• -. ^:,,-_ ■ ,^. ,4 1^,_^, „jTbe, reader wiU doubd^sa re(K^lc;ct the sey» en gtupeas l- rec^iyed fit the tXVITY. #7 irhni i;i«88 «ick, ^' w ft liis jie^uMr €4^(?ili( |n diead; and kide«d 0ttt(«f|i|i;)he;^ta^ g^geHbfiiiio&t of the^a)!%'^ G tat^, notcmlywith tlife i^taiii, but wil^ o£h^ efgeaiienf^n onboard, on the ^inreiulotiid^eiieai^ of suchl^sajge ; ififerrkig that^ uiasmuch «% Ihe government in England did not: proceed ag^iiaflfc iheasaca|)italoftnder,tbey shouldnot; for tbot thejr were by no means empowered by any au- thbjr sending me back a prisoner of war to Americsj, and that they should treat ime as such. I far. djier drew an inference Of impolicy on them, provided they should, by haid usage, destroy rtiy life $ inasmuch as I might, if Jiving, re- deem one of their officers ; but the cajptain re- plied, iiat he needed no directions of muie how t6 treat a rebel ; that the Briti^ih would con- quer the American rebels, hang the congress, mtdsuch as promoted the rebellion, me in par- ticular, and retake their own prisoners ; so that s- I 7 f 1/ SB • * ■-" 'i •S^^A HARRATrVE OF I my Ufdjma c^no cdnsequenoe in the sdtile of ikftk policj. r gave him for ansmrer, that if they stayed till they conquered Atneirica, befor^ they hanged me^ IghoulddteofoMage^ and de- sired •that* till suth an event took f>lace, he wonid at least allow me to purchase of the pur- ser, teFitiy own irioney, inch articles as 1 grditty needed ; but he would not permit it, arid when I reminded him of the generous aiid ^ivil usag^ their pirisbtlers in captivity in Amer- ica Aet witbV^^ 'said that it \vas hot owing to their goodness, but to their timidity ; for, .said he, they expect to be conquered, and therefore dare not misuse our prisoners ; and, in fact, tliis was the language of the British blficers, till Gen. Kurguone was taken ; happy event ! and not only of the officers, but of the wti6le Brit- ish army. I appeal to all mjr brother prison- ers, who have been with the British m the southern departmeni^," for a confirmation df what I have advanced on this subject. The surgeon of the Solebay, whose name is North, was a very humane obliging man, and took the best care of ♦he prisoners who were sick. 1 r'i i 'V adiit of that if jbefctt'^ andde- Eice, he the pur- fs as 1 jrmit it, ous aiid Amer- wing to of, .said lerefore in fact, cers, tin r\t ! and )le Brit- prison^ I m the ition df t. The \ North, ook the I. ^ ' COL £. ALLEN'a CAPTIVITY. $$ The third day of May we cast anchor in the harbor of C^pe Fe«r,inNorth Carolina, as did sirP^r Parker's ship, of fifty guns, a little back of the bar; for there was no depdiofwft^ ter for him to come into the harbor : These two men of war, and fourteen as*-' of transports and others, came after, so t-. t m of the fleet rendezvoused at cape Fear, for three weeks. The soldiers on board the transports were sick- ly, in consequence of so long a passage ; add to this, the small pox carried off many of them : They landed on the main, and formed a camp ; but the riflemen annoyed them, and caused them to move to an island in the harbor ; but such cursing of riflemen I never heard. A detachment of regulars was sent up Briinswick river i as they landed, they were fired on by those marksmen, and they came back next day damning the rebels for their un. manly way of fighting, and swearing that they would give no quarter, for tliey took sight at them, and were behind timber, skulking about, One of the detachments said they lost one man ; but a negro man who was with them, and heard what was said, soon after told me that he help- i ep Al mA^RMTlVM^ OW Juiir$^- iwnilltid: at tiMil tiBie iT audi AiK' afl to-^iiik ito^ wm feillijkhottaiaid tiiafi^ ,thou|^i not two* tUrda tif thmni fit £jr 4ult^i) < Ij^heard ntimbm of tbem say^ ^t ih« trees ki Ameiica ^loukjb !i^ wdl widitifeuit that o^ they would ^e. no ipiarter : This was in: t^ie imnlths of nuMst who I heard speak on the $ub^ |ect, officer OS; iirellasjSOldier^ IiVishedlitll!^ time my wu»trymefe;knewj as weU «s J M^ whata xEiurderinfif and c^niel eneoiy theyjbad to deal wiith; ntHit.eKjperience has since tai^ht this cottntiy,. what! th^y are to expect at the hands ofBritDnawheaim their po^yer. The piisoneirs^ who had been sent oa bosurd^ different men of war at; the cave of Cork, weie coUectedtogether^ and the whole of them put on board the Mercury frigate, capt, James Montague, except one df the CanadiansK who died on the paasage ifrom Ireland, and Peter Noble, who^made bis escape from the Sj^y^ix' man of warin Ifaislurbor^and, by esttaordina. \ .._^. r' COL. E% ALLIN*8 CAPTIVITY. 61 eniigiii norttava mmbm ashoiildi for they Km tjic s I (^ %BX the ry si^imiWi got aftfe home to New-England^ aad gave intelligeiice of the usage of his bro- ther prisoners, 'f he Mercury set sail from this port for Halifax, about the 20th of May, and Sir Peter Parker was about to sail with the Ii^d forces, under the command of gen. Clin- ton, for the reduction of Charleston, the capi- tal of South-Carolina, and when I heard of his defeat in Halifax, it gave me inexpressible satisfaction. I DOW found myself under a worse capt. than Symohds j for Montague was loaded with re- , ju^ices against every body, and every thing; that tli^hi not Stamjk:^ with royalty; and/ be- ingby nature uhd^rwitted, his wrath wias hea- vier than the others, or at least his mind was in no instance liable to be diverged by good sense, humof or bravery, of which Symonds was by turns susceptible. A capt. Francis Proctor was added to our number of prisJoners .when we were first put on board this ship : This gentleman had formerly belonged to the Etiglish service. The capt. and, in fine, all the gentlemen of the ship, were very much in- censed against him, and put him in iroils with- F \. G2 A NARRATIAE Ot f L' ii out the least provocation, and he was continu- ed in this miserable situation >b6utthrjee months. In this passage tKe prisoners Were infected with the scurvy, some more and some, le&s, but most of them severely. The shijp's crew was to a great degree troubled with it, and I concluded that it was catching : Several of the crew died with it on their passage, 1 was weak and feeble in consequence of so long and cruel a captivity, yet had but little of tlie scurvy. The purser was again expressly forbid by the capt. to let me have any thing out of lus store ; upon which I went on degjc, and, ii> the handsomest manner requested the favor of pur- chasing a few necessaries of the purser, wpjcn was denied me; he further told me, that I should be hanged as soon as I arrived at Hali- fax. I tried to reason the matter with him, but *ound him proof against reason ; I also held up his honor to view, and his behavior to me and the prisoners in general, as being deroga^ tory to it, but found his honor impenetrable. I then endeavored to touch his humanity, but found he had none ; for his prepossession of ;■ ^.. COL. E. ALLEN'>S captivity. 63 bij^try to his own party, had confirined him ip. ad opinion, that no humanity wasc*.ue to ui^- roYalists, but seemed to think that heaven and earth were made merely to gratify tlie king and "'hi&creatuffes;' he uttered considerable unintel. ♦*'., '•■ -,,' ^ "(igiijle/Vnd grovelling ideas, a litde tinctured .vvitli Monarchy, but stood well to his text of , Hanging irie. He afterwards forbade his sur- geoi^ to. administer any help to the sick priso- iiei^. I was every night shut down in the cable 4ire,* ivith the rest of the prisoners, and we tM 'lived miserably while und<*r his power : But I receivi^d some generosity from several of the midsliipmeh^ who i:i a dej^ree atlevlated my ^Irti^^rv; cine tSP^heif liames- was Putrass, the Aanies of the Others t do iiot recoUett: t)ut ' they Si'bre obliged to Be private in the bestow- inent of their favoi*, which was sometiines good wine bitters, and at others, a generous drintbfgrog. ;' '' ''/^ ' Some time iii thelfirdt week of Juiie, we came tloanclibrat the Hook off New- York, where ¥e i^mained but three days ; in which time ■"^dvlTi'yon, Mr; Kemp; the old attorney gen. of Kew-York, and several other perfidious and A 64 A NARRATIVE OF r- ' -■ I- .( oy^r-grovirn tories and land-jobbers, came on board. Try on viewed .ae with a stern coun- tenance, as I was walking on the leeward side of the deck, with the midshipmen ; and he and his companions were walking with the capt. and lieut. on the windward side of the same, but never spoke to me, though it i^i al- together probable that he thought of the old quarrel between him, the old government of of New- York and the Green Mountain fioys: Then they went with the capt. into the cabin, and the same afternoon returned on board a vessel which lay near the Hook, where at that time they took sanctuary from the re« sentment oC their injured fl ^j ptry. What passed between the, officors^fhe ship ai^l these visitors I know npt ; but this I ki)ovif, tj^lkt my treatment frqig^^e principal officer^s was more severe afteipwards. We arrived at Halifax not far from the i|[li4dle of IHne, where the ship's crew, which w^/ infested with the scurvy, ^yejce taken on shore, and shallow trencher dug, ii^ta which they were put, and partly , coy^r- Mmyii^§P^5r Indeed Werjr jprpp^|,»s8.. I COL. E.ALLEN'S CAPTIVITY. 65 sore was taken for their relief : The priso- ners were not permitted any sort of medi. cine, but were put on board a sloop which lay in the harbor, near the town of Halifax, surrounded with several men of war and their tenders, and a guard constantly set over them} night and day. The sloop we had wholly to ourselves, except the guard, who occupied the forecastle ; here we were cruelly pitched with hunger ; it seemed to me that we had not more than one third of the common allowance : We were all seiz- ed with violent hunger and faintness ; we divided our scanty allowance as exact as possible. I shared the same fate with th rest, and, though they offered me more than an even share, I refused to accept it, as it was a time of substantial distress, which in fay opinion I ought to partake' equally wi;h the rest, and set an example of virtue and fortitude to our little commonwealth. • I sent letter after letter to capt. Mdbt?;gae, who still had the care oflus, and also to his lieutenant, whose nftme I cannot call to mind> biitcould obUi^n no miswer,^much less l^re- F 3 ty m A NARRAtlVB OT ^ij dress of grevancetr; and, fd adcf tb t^he e^ar- mity, iieaii a doaeii^of tlife' priBoners wcfe dangerously ill of the scurvy. I wrote pri- vate letters to the itoctorsi tdprociifci if -pos- sible) some remedy for the siok, but in vain. The chief physician came by in a boat, so close that the oars touched the sloop we were in, and I uttered my complaint Mi the gen^ teelest manner to him, but he never 66 much as turned ,hii head, ormide me any answer, though I. continued speaking till he got out of hearing. Our cause then bedan^e very deplorable* Stit) I kept writing to the captain, till he ordered the guard »\ as thef told me, not to bring any more letters from me to him. In the mean time an event hApi pened worth relating: Oae of the metit sK most dead of the scurvy, Ity by the side o£ the sloop, and, a canoe of Indians Cbmingby^ he purchased tiyo quarts of strawberries', and at€ them at once, and it almost cui^d him. The money: he gave for them , was all the money lie had in the world. After ^that we tried every way to procure more of that fm It, reatonnig; from analog^ that ihtff tl n ft tc COL. E. Allen's captivity. 67 might have ths same effect on otbers infesU ed with the same disease, but could obtaif^ Meanvvhile the doctor^s mate of tlie Mer- cury came privately on board the prison Bloop, and presented me with a large vial of Hmart drops, which proved to be good for the scurvy, though vegetables and some o^ ther ingredients were requisite for a cure ; bdt the drops gave at least a check to the 'dis- ease : This was a well-timed exertion of hu- manity, but the doctors name has slipped my iMind, and, in my opinion, it was the means of saving the lives of several men. ' The guard, which was set over us, \^S by this time touched with the feelings of compassion; and I finally trusted one of them with a letter of Complaint to governor Arbnthnot, of Halifax, which he found mean's to communicate, and which had the d( sired effect ; for the governor sent an of- ficer and surgeon on board the prison sloop, to know the truth of the complaint. The officer's name was Russel, who held the rank of lieut. and treated itie in a friendly and polite i ii 68 U NARRATIVE OF H^nher, and' ^vas really angry at the cruel atid unmanty us^;e the prisoners met with ; and, with the surgeon, made a true report of mat- toGbv. Arbuthnot, who, either by his order Or influence, took us the next day from the prisott sloop to H^ifax goal, where I first became ac- quainted with the now Hon; James Lovel, Esq. one of the members of Congress for the state of Massachusetts- Bay b The sick were taken to the hospital, and the Canadians, who were ef- fective, were employed in the King's works . and when their countrymen were recovered from the scurvy and joined them, they all d^- serted the king's employ, and were not heard of at Halifax, as long as the remainder of the pri- soners continued there, which was tiU i^ear the middle of October. ) We were on board the prison sloop about six weeks, and were landed at Halifax neai' the middle of i^ugust. Seve- ral, of our English American prisoners, who were cured of the scurvy at the hospital, made their escape from tlience, and after a long time readied their old habitations. I had now but tliirteen with me, of those wI|o were taken in Canada, sx\d remained in goal uel add ti ; and> of mat- order 6r ; prison ame ac- el, Esq. state of ken to ^ere ef- works . » covered T all de^ leard of the pri- ^ear the •ard the landed Seve- whp , made g time sewHo n goal COL E. Allen's captivity, 09 with nie ia Halifax, who, in addition to thpse that were imprisoned; before, made our number about thirty four, who were all locked up in one common large ;'oom, without regard to ranky education, or any other accompUshmentf where we continued from the setting to the ris- ing sun ; and, as sundry of them >vere .infect- ed with the goal and other distempers, the fur- niture of this spacious room consisted princi- pally of excrement tubs. We petitioned for a removal of the sick into the hospitals, but were denied. We remonstrateu against the ungen- erou&us&ge of being confined with the privates, as being contrary to the laws and customs of nations, and particularly ungrateful in them, in consequence of the gentleman-like usage which the, British ipiprisoned officers met with in A- merica ; and thus we wearied ourselves, peti- tioning and remonstrating, but to no purpose at all ; for gen. Massey, who commanded at Hal- ifax, was as inflexible as the devil himself, a fine preparative this for Mr. Lovel, member of the continental congress. Lieut. Rusself whom I have mentioned be- ^Qftty came to visit me in prison, and assured i m in 'I f i S i ilifisfej/- 70 A NARRATIV^E OF I ! me that he had done his utmost tb prociire tiiy parole for enlargement ; at which a British cap- ' taih, who was then the toivii majof, expres- ^^ed compaission for the ^eiitfeinen coitfiheS in ' the fihhy place, and asstired me tliat he-had used his influence to procure, their enlarge- ment J his name was near like Ramsay. j\mdng the prisoners, there were five in number, who had a legal claim to their parole, viz. James Lovel, Esq. capt. Francis Proctor, a Mr. How- land, master of a continental armed vessel, a Mr. laylor, his mate, and myself. ' As to the article of provision, we were Well ' served, much better than in any part of my captivity; and, since it was Mr. Lovers mis- fortune and mine to be prisoners, at^d in so wretched circumstances, I was happy that we Were together as a mutual support to each oth- er, an^ to the unfortunate prisoners with us. Our first attention was the preservation of bur- selves and injured little republic ; the rest of our time we devoted interchangeably to poli- tics and philosophy, as patience was a needful exercise in so evil a situation, but contentment mean and impracticable. ^:2:3is^- ''■^t/p^^Wfw'T' ' •> ;! '''^ T' *:; tish *cap- , expreis- lifiheSin ■ enlarge - ^Among iber, who z. James Ir. How- vessel, a were Well t of my v^el's hiis- aiid in so y that we each oth- witli us. )n of bur- e rest of to poli- needful Itentment \ COL. E. ALLEN S CAPTIVITY. 71 I had not been in this gaol many days, before a worthy and charitable woman, Mrs. Blacden, by name, supplied me with a good dinner of fresh, meats every day, w ith garden fruit, and s(>i>ietimes with a bottle pf wine ; notwithstand- , ing which I had not been more three weeks in this place, before I lost all appetite to the most . delicious food, by the gaol distemper, as also did sundry of the prisoners, particularly a ser- geant Moore, a man of courage and fidelity • I have several times seen him hold the boat- swain of the Solebay frigate, when he attempt- ed to strike him, and laushed him out of con- , ccit or usmg him as a slave. ® . ; • ■■ • . .iff u oi *!^3 . A doctor visited the sick, an4 aid the best, as r suppose, he could for them, to no appar- ent purpose. I grew weaker and weaker, as did the rest. Several of them could not help themselves. At last I reasoned in my own mind, that raw onion would be good : I made use of it, au4 fpund immediate relief by it, as did the sick in general, particularly sergeant, Moore, whom it recovered almost from the shades ; though I had met with a little revival, still I found the malignant hand of Britain had t>L '^\ H '}i y ^ m I i, ' 1 Ik Hi i h /rn'Mtofmriar^ ! n ' k,*^ -i I 72 ^ A' NARRATIVE Of AO-.i upon ktrokef. E^uireLoveV and myself used et'iery aff^untbiiiand entreaty tfeat tould be well conceived of, in order to obtain gentlemaplJi*^ uss(ge| to no purpose. I then wijote gen/ JSw- • 5^3^ assevere a Utter as I possibly could, wim niy fAtiid JLoveTs Assistance : ^fce cont^s of'rt was 'te ^ive tlie mtUti, as a nation, and hini as ah ihcirvidukirtneir tn& character. This roused the i^scid, for he could not bear to sec his and ^^is nation's defbrniity in that tra?ispar- ent letter, wiueh 1 sent him ; He therefore put himself in ^a great rag^ abblit it, and shevi^d the letter to a number of British officers, p§r- ticuiarly id cairt. Smith ci" the Lark frigate, whts^ instead of joining Witti hhn 'in disappio- bation,tommertdeld'th6 spirit of It; ti^oriWhicli geni'M^ssey ^id to hini; do you take the part of a reb^l against ine f Capt. Smith answered, that lie rather spoke his sentiments, and there was adissei^isibni^ opinion between them. Some officers took thi part of the geiieral, and others of the ^^^ih : This I wa^s inlbM- ed by a gef^mdft Xvho' had it from caption 1 Hi Ti ait stroke ;|fu6ed be well 1. AW- • d, wim ontdits Ml, aiid • This to sec tispar- ire but . m i- 5, I^- rigjfte, appi o- e part v^red, there them. !, aitd fontt- COL. £• ALXIN'S C^FJIVITY. 73 In a few days ate-^us, tbe prisfiiieirs mrt oidered to go on board of a rim of iMsur, ,which was boimd for New-YoA f but iWo of tli€»ii lifare not able to go oa bo»rd> .^d were leUt at H^ax; one died, and the other recovered. Tiiis was about the 12th of Octob<^r, and-spon after we had got on board, the :;aptain sent for me in p^icular to come pn the quarter deck,: I went, not konwing that it was capt. Smith, or his ship at that time, and expected tq meet the ' SBxap rigorous usage I bad cpmmoiily met with, and prepared my mind accordingly ; but when I came on deck, jthe captain met me wiUv his hand, welcomed me to his ship, invite^ me to dine with him that day, and assured n*e that I should be treated as a gentleman, and that he Imd given orders, that I should be treated with respect by the ship's crew. This was so unes- . pected and sudden a transition, that it drew tears from my eyes, which all the ill usages I . had before met with, was not able to produce, nor could I at first hardly speak, but soon re- covered myself and expressed my gratitude for so unexpected a favor ; ind let him know that I felt anxiety of mind Ihfeflecting th^ius^tu- a' it r 4 ;*4 fi ^i] fy 74 A NARRATIAE OF .l\ ation and mkie was such, that it was.not proba- ble that it would ever be m my power to re- turn the favor. Capt Smith replied that he had no reward in view, but only treated me as a gentleman ought to be< treated; he said this is a mutable world, and one gentleman never knows but it may be in his power to help anO^ ther. Soon after I found this to be ti^ same capt. Smith who took my part against ^h, Massey ; but he never mentioned any thing of it to me, and I thought it impolite in me to interrogate him, as to any disputes which might have arisen between him and the gen. on my account, as I was a prisoner, and that it was a^ his option to make free with me on tliat subject, if he pleased ; and, if he did not, I might take it fw granted that it would be unpleasing for me to query about it, though I had a stiorig propensity to converse with him on that sub- ject. I dined with the captain i\greeable« to his in. vitation, and oftentimes vrith the lieutenant, in , the gun room, but in general ate and drank with my friend Lovel .and the other gendemen, who were prisoners with me, where I also slept. .\\ -■■■ \ COL E. Allen's captivity. 75 Wie had a litde birth enclosed with canvas, between decks, where %ve enjoyed ourselves very well, in hopes of^ an exchange ; besides, Qur friends at Haiilax had a little notice of our departure, and supplied us with spirituous li- quor, and many articles of provision for the coasts Capt. Burk, having been taken prisoner, was added to our company, (he had command- ed an American armed vessel) and was gene- rously treated by the captain and all the officers of the ship, as well as myself. We now had in all hear thirty prisoners on board, and as we were sailing along the eoast, if I recollect right, oflF l^dde-Island, eapt. Burk, with an under officer of the ship, whose name- 1 do not recol- lect, eame to our little birth, proposed to kill capt> Stnith and the principal officers of tlie fri- gdte and take it ; adding that there were thirty five thousand ponnds sterling in the same, capt* Burk likewise averred that a strong party out of the ship's crew was ih conspiracy, and urg- ed me, and the gentleman that was with me, to use our influence with the private prison ners, to execute the design, and take the ship with the cash into one of our own ports* ^;l t I 76 A NARKATIVl OP . Upon which I replied, that we had been loo weU used on board tO' murder the officers ; that I could by no means retoncile it to my con- ffcience, and that in fact it should not be done ; and, while I was yet speaking, my friend Lov- el confirmed what I had said, and farther point- ed out the ungratefulness of such an aet ; that it did not fall short of murder, and in fine all the gentlemen in the birth opposed capt Burk and his colleague : But they strenously urged that the conspiraGy would be found out, and it Would cost them their lives, provided they did not execute their design. I then intqr* posed spiritedly, and put an end to farther Ar- gument on the subject, and told them they might depend upon it^ upon my honor, that I wouM faithfully guard capt. Smith's life : If they should attempt the assault, I would assist him, for they desired me to remain neuter, and that the sfatiie honor that guarded capt. Smith's Kfc, would also guard theirs ; and it Was agreed by those presisnt not to reveal the conspiracy, totheintentthat noman should be put to deaths in consequence of what had been projector ; and ca|)t. Burk md his colleague went to s^ — >I»F' "» ^"Wi^^** 'v^ -MA-V ^ cot. !• AiLEJr'S CAPTIVITY. 77 "srUiat ly con- idone; dLov- rpoifitK t} Oat fine all LBurk ' argcd ut, and edthey n int^« her ir- 1 they , that I fe: If d assist er, and smith's agreed piraciy, deatb^ lectQfi; tostiie Ibe 'itutler amotig tiieir «ssociates. I could upl help calling to mind what capt Smith said to v^f when I first came on board ; ** This is a mutable world, and one gentleman never l^iows but that it may be in his power to help another*" Captain Smith and his officers still behaved with their usual courtesy, and I nev- •^r hea]f4 ^uiy more of the conspiracy. Wc ^ived before New York, end cast an- fit^ the latter >art of October where we rc- Jna^led several days, and where capt. Smith informed me, that he had recommended me to ad^li* JSowe and gen. sir William Howe, as a gentleman of honor and veracity, and desired 4iat I might be treated as such. Capt. Burk was then ordered onboard a prison^ip in the harbor. I took my leave of capt. Smith) and, widi tlie other prisoners, was sent on board a transport-ship, which lay in the harbor, com. manded by capt. Craige, who took me into die cabin 'with him and his lieut. ' I fared as they ^, and was in every respect well treated, in cQiisequenQe of xl^^^'^tioiis from capt. Smith. Ifia.&w weeks after this I had th^ happiness to part with my friend Lovel, for his sa!&e, G 8 78 A NARRATIVB OT whom the tricniy tMettid to tretti as H pTivai^ ; he was a gcifitlenlan of merit, iaiid KbertHyed- ucated, but had nb comniiteion ; they malign- ed him on aecouilt of his' unshaken attachtnent to the cause of his country. He was exchan- ged for a^Ov. Phillij) SkeneoftheBritish. I was conthraed in this ship tiH the latterpart of No^ vember,' where I contracted an acquahltance with the captain of the British ; his Yiame has •slipj^ed my memory. He was what we may call a genteel hearty fellow. I remember an expression of hb over a bottle of wine, to this import : " That there is greatness of soul for personal friendship to subsist between you and me, asv we are upon opposite sides, and may at another day be obliged to face each other in the field." I am confident that he was as faithftil as any officer in the British army. At another sitting he offered to bet a dozen of wine, diat fort Washington would be in die hands of the British in three days. I stood the bet, and would, had ! known thatthat would have been the case, and the third day afterwards we heard a prodigious heavy cannonade, and diat ^y the -fort was taken sure enough. Some- Itionths COL. £. ALlEN*S CAPTIVITY. ftligti- it^cnt :chan- Iwas »fNo, itanee tie has ;• may to this oul for )u and nay at in the mthfiil nother e^diat s of the tt, and e been i heard at ^y ftoAths 79 after^.wfaen 1 ivas 6h ^rdle^^ called' u{>on me with his Uflual humor^and mctitioiied the bet. 1 a^knowledgeil Ihat I hieA lost it, but he said he did not ^^n' to ti&e it th^, as I w^s a pH- s(Aier ; that he Wonld aitothei* day call on mc ^vhen then* army came to Benningttm. I ie- pHed, that he was q(uite tob generous, as I had fiiirly lost it: besides, the Green Mounts boys would not suffer them to come to Beh- ningtoti. This was ^1 in good humor.' I should have been glad to have seen him after the defeat at Bennington, but did not. It was customary for a guiatd to attend the prisoners, which Was 6ft^h Changed. One was compos- ed ttftdHcs from Connecticut, in the vicinity of Faitfield and Green Farms, the sergeant's name was Hoit. They were very full of their invectives against the countiy, s^vaggfered of theit" loyalty *o their king, and exclaimed bit- teHy against tiie *^ cowardly yankies," as they < were pleased to term them, but finally contet^- ed themselves with saying that, when the country was overcome, they should be well -rewarded for their .loyalty,, out of the estates '<$f-^ ^vi4Hg6, -wMch WGold be, confiscat- 1:1 I '! tro JL NARAATtVX OF ed. This I found t»b^^ gqieralJaDguage of tories, after I univod from England on the American coa»t. V I^)?ieard aundry of t|iem re- faite, that the Briiish generals had, engag(^ them an ample reward for all their ipsseSv dis- appointments and expenditurejs, out of the for- jfeited rebeb' estates. This language esa^ly taught me what to do with tones' estates, as far as my influence can go. For it is really a ganfe of hazard between whig and tory : The is^igs mu$t inevitably have lost all, in conse- quence of the abilties of the tories, >and their good friends, the British ; and it is no more than right the tories should run the same risk, in consequence of the abilities of the whigs : ^ But of this more will be observed in the sequel of this narrative. Some, of the last days of November, the pris- . oners were landed at New York, and I was ad- mitted to parole with the other officers, viz. • Procter, Howland and Taylor. The privates were put into the filthy churches in New York, with the distressed prisoners that were taken at fort Washington : and the second ni^t, ser- geant Roger Moore, who was^ Md and tn^er- aguage OQ the em re- e&, dis- (he foe 5 early Ltes, as leally a : The conse- d their > more ie risky rhigs : sequel e pris- mas ad- yiz. ivates York, ken at t, s^r- cmcr- COL. £. ALhZV S CAPTIVITY. fQHOd ^1 1: pria;ing, iQUQd iQeans to liia)K^ Ms escape wjil|| every of the r^mainifig prisoiia's tli^t were V^r en with me, ejgcept thl^> who were soon alter exch^ged ; ,So that, put^oC^irty-on^. prison- ers, who went with me the. round exhi)i>lted in these sheets, two oAly died w^th the enemy, and three only were exclianged ; oiie oC whom died alter he came within pur lines ; and th^, rest, at different tipd^s, made tht^lr qscape jiirom the enemy. ,4 npw^bund myself on parole, and restrict- ed, t^ the limits of the cityofNew York, where I soon projected means, to live in some measure agree^e to my rank, though I was destitute of cash. My constitution was almost worn out by such a long and barbarous captivity. The enemy gave out that I was crazy ,and whol- ly unmanned, bi^t my vitals held sound, nor was I delirious any more than I have been frcm youth up ; my extreme circumstances at cer- tain times, repdered it political to act m some meiysure the, madman ; and, in consequence of a regular diet and exercise, my blood re- cruited, a|m|;my nerves in a gieat measure rr- :\i li tu ^*. w IP 'I I m A HARRATIVE OF covered their Ibrikier totie, strength tmd usel^^ ness, in the coarse of six months. i next invite the Mraider to a retrospective sight and consideratiohof the doleful scene of inhumiinity, exercised by gen. sir William ttowe, and the army under his command, to- wards the prisoners taken on Long I^nd, on the 27th day of August, 1776; sundry of whom were, in an inhuman and barbarous manner, murdered after they had surrendered theirarms ; particulariy a gen. Odel, or Wood- hul, of the militia, who was hacked to pieces with cutlasses, when alive, by the light horse- men, and a capt. Fellows of the Continental ar- my, who was thrust through with a bayonet, of which wound he died instantly. Sundry others were hanged up by the neck till thfcy were dead ; five on the limb of a white oak tree, and without any reason as- signed, except that they were fighting in dcr fence of the only blessing worth preserving : And indeed those who had the misfortune to fall into their hands at fort Washington, in the month of Nov. following, msX with but very little better usage, except that they were COL. E. ALL£N'& captivity. 83 €ctive 5cne of William rtd, to- and, on dry of rbdrous indercd Wood- a pieces ithorse- ntal af- )ayonet, eneck h of a ison as- g in dcr rving •• tunc to ton, in ith but ley were reserved £rom immediate death to famish and die with hunger ; in fiiie, the word rebel,^ apr plied to any vanquished persons, without re- gard to rank, who \vete* in the contipental service, on tlie 27th of August aforesaid^ was thought, by the enemy, sufficient to sanctif;^ whatever cruelties they were fileused to infiict, death itself not excepted; but to pass over particulars which would swell my narrative far beyond my de^gn— The private soldiers, who were brought to New-York, were crowded into churches, and environed with slavish Hessian guards, a peo- ple of a strange language, who were sent to A- merica for no other design but cruelty and de- solation ; and at others, by merciless Britons, whose mode of communicating ideas beitig in~ teliigible in this country served only to tan talize and insult the helpless and perishing ; but, above all, the hellish delight* and triumph of the tories over them, as they were dying by hundreds : This was too much for me to bear as a spectator ; for I saw the tories exulting over the dead bodies of their murdered coun- trymen, I have gone into the churches, and \^^ ■| s '111 1 i i\\ i 11 m A NARRATIVE OF seen sundry of the pmone#ft in the agonies (^deatii, in conseq!»ence of very hunger, and others speechless, and near death, biting pieces of chips; others pleading for God's sake, for something jto eat, and at the same time, shiver- ing with the cold. Hollow groans saluted my ears, and despair seemed to be imprinted on every of their countenances. The filth in these churches in consequence of fne fluxes, was almost beyond description. The floors were covered with excrements. I have care- fully sought to direct my steps so as to avoid it, but could not. They would beg for God's sake for one copper, or morsel of bread. I have seen in one of these churches seven dead, at the same time, lying among the excrements of their bodies. It was a common practice with the enemy, to convey the dead from these filthy places in carts, to be slightly buried, and ! have seen whole gangs of lories making derision, and ex- ulting over the dead, saying there goes another load of damned rebels. I have obserwrd the British soldiers to be full of their black-guard gonies er, and pieces k€, fcMT shiver- itcd my nted on filth in B fluxes, le floors ve care- to avoid >r God's •ead. I en dead, ;rements enemy, n. places ave seen and ex- i another r\cd the ik-guard COL. E. ALLZN's CAFTIVXTy^. &5 ; jokes and vaunting on those occ^s ons» . h^t' they appeared to me less malignant than tlie tories. The provision dealt out to the prisoners was by no means sufficient for the support of life* It was deficient in quantity, and much more so in quality. The prisoners often pre^jcnted me widi a sample of their bread, which I certify was damaged to that degree, that it was loath* some and unfit to be eaten, and I am bold to aver it, as my opinion, that it hail been con-, demned, and was of the vtry worst sort. I have seen and been fed upon damaged bread, in the course of my captivity, and observed the quality of such bread as has been condemned by the enemy, among which was very little so effectually spoiledas what was dealt out to these prisoners. Their allowance of meat (as they told me) W2L3 quite trifling, and of the basest sort. I never saw any of it, but was informed bad as it was, it was swallowed almost as quick as they got hold of it. I saw some of them sucking bones after they were speech- less; others who could yet speak, and had the use of their reason, urged me, in the H 1 {■ I ", ^i I K 86 A NARRATIVE OF It strongest and most pathetic manner, to uae my interest in their behalf ; for you plainly see, said they, that we are devoted to death and destruction ; and, after I had examined inore particularly into their truly deplora- ble condition, and had become more fully ap* prized of the essential facts, I was pcrsuad. -eu that it was a premeditated and systema- ticul plan of the British council, to destroy th^ youths of our land, with a view thereby vo ilcter the country, and make it submit to (heir despotism ; but that I could not do them any material service, and that, l)y any public attempt for that purpose, I might en- danger myself by frequenting places the most nauseous and contagious that could be conceived of. I refrained going into the churches, but frequently conversed with such of the prisoners as were admitted to come out into the yr\rd, and found that the systematical usage still contiu'^ed. The guard would often ci. ive me away with their fixed bayonets. A Hessian one day follow- ed me five or six rods, but by making use of my legs, I got rid of ih* lubber. Some- r II' COL £. Allen's captivity. ^'^ to uae ) death mined iplora- Uy ap- rsuadi i itema- estroy lereby mit t6 ibt do t)y any jht en- ?s the uhi be ito the with ted to lat the The b their follow- u^e of Some- times I could obtain a little conversation, notwithstanding Uieir severities. I was in one of the church yards, and it |vas rumoured among those in the church, and sundry of the prisoners came with their usual complaints to me, and among the res| a krge 'boned, tall young man, as he told me, from Pennsylvainia, who was reduced to a atere skeleton ; he said he was glad to see me befbrv he dsed, which he had expected to have done last night, but was a little ret vived ; he furthermore informed me, that he and his brother had been urged to enlist in »- to the British, but had both resolved to die &*st ; that his brother had died last night, in consequence of that resolution, and that he expected shortly to follow him ; but I made the other prisoners stand a little off, and tokl him with a low voice to enlist ; he then ask- ed, whether it was right in the sight of God ; I assured him that it was, and that duty to himself obliged him to deceive the British by eiriisting and deserting the first oppor unity ; u pon which he answered with transport, that he would enlist. I charged him not to men- I 88 A NARRATIVE Of I tion my name as his adviser, least it should get air, and I should be closely confined, in cofi- sequence of it.' The integrity of these auf- iering prisoners is hardly credible. Many hundreds. lam confident, submitted totidatk) rather than enlist in the British service,* ,wliiGh,: I am informed^ they imos« generally iH^er6 pressed to doi I -was astonished at the resolution of the two brothers, particularly ; at seemi^that they could n^t be stioiulat^d tQ such exertions of heroism firoi^ambition^ as tb^ were but obscure soldiers;^ strong im deed must the internal principle of virvuetjie, which supported them to brave death, and one of dheni went through the operation^ is did many hundred others. I readily grant t\m. instances c^ public virtue«are lio excite^ ' ^nt to the sordid and vicious, nor oh the o- ther hand, will all the barbarity of Britain -and Hesse awaken them to a sense of their diity tb the public $ but these things wiil have their proper effect on the generous and brave. -^The officers on parole were iwost of them zealous, if possible, to afford the miserable soldiery relief, and often consulted Lildget tncon- se fliuf- Many tddeitb, •rvice,* nerftUy i 9t tlie ilarly; ated tQ :ionr as ta,'and 10 11) as r grant excite- 1 the o- ainaiid ir dttty I have s arid i most >rd the )8Uit^d COL. E. Allen's CAPTIVITY. «9 tKith one, another 00 the subj/ec^ but to iiq effect^ being destitute of the means of sub^. sistence, which^ they needed ; nor could ttM(i officers project any masui;e* which they thought would alter their fate» or so muck asi be a mean of getting them out of those filthy places to the priviledge of fresh air* Some projected that all the officers should go in procession to gen. Hovire, and plead the cause of the perishing soldiers; but this proposal was negatived for the Hollowing rea- sons, ¥iz, because thatgen. How^mustneeds l?c well acquainted, and have a , thorough Imowledge of the state and condition' of the prisoners in every of their wretched apart-, ments, and that much more particular and ex- act than any officer on parole could, be siip« posed to ha ve^ as the geneVal hada i£turn of thecircumstancesof the prisoners, by his owii officers, every morning, of the number which were alive, as also the number which died every twenty-four hours; and consequently the bill of mortality, as collected from the daily returnsf lay before him with all the material situations and circumstances of the H3 ■I f- 90 ^a' Ij^arhatiae Of P* '-Mf ' ' I t K'f ,. gb in procession id gen. HoWe^ iio6o^. 11^ i6 the |»^r jectioh*! it w^uid g^iVe him the l^re^^r affk-ont^ and that he would eittbr retdft nfow theifi; tha(t it was no part cif theit ptitdk to^ instruct him in his conduct to«pri« sdn^rr;' tliiat they were mutinying agall^ his authority^ am!, by affronting him, had . f6Yfehed their paMe ; or that more probab^ tyj instead of saying one word to thenii wsouid order them all into as wretcheds cont finement as the soldiers whom tfiey-80Xi|^t to relieve; for, at that time, the Beitish^^ fmni tue g'^^tral to the privaie centiAcI, wer6 in full confidence, nor did they so much K$ hesitate, but that they should conquer t3m country* Thus the consultation o£ the ofi> ficcrs was cioofdunded and broken to pieces, in consequence of the dread, which atthftt time lay 6n their minds, .of offending gem Howe; for they conceiyed soMnurdecous a tyrant would riot.be too goodta d^troy eren the officer^, oni the least pretence of ah afsr front, as they wei'e equally in his. poivfr with the soldiers; and, as gcn^ Howe p^^ctly V-»»' that the very school boys in the str^^ts> kneiv the mental design of it ki some measure f at leiistv they Jcnevr that they w^re starved tb death. Some poor wotnen dbntribb ted tb their necessity, till their children tvere al» most stat-ved, and all persons of comihen uhderstanding knew that they IV^fe ^vdied to the cnielest and worst of deaths. It lvtt& also proposed by some tb make a written re- presentation of the cbndition of the sokii^fj^, and the officers to sigin it, and that it shbbM be couched in such terms, asthbugh the^ w&t apprehensive that the general was ii!ft- posed Upon bjr bis bflkel^y in their daily re- ( * /' \ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I ■^^■2.8 |2.5 1.25 III 1.4 III 1.6 Photographic Sciences Corporation 7' ^ /- c ^° {/. %o SJ :\ \ \ ^V^ >VV WnS 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14S80 (716) 872-4S03 .^ . ^ % »♦-**»•*-- »t- 1 ' .1 1 ,i di i tAllTAftliKtlVl Of ^^ I tkmm&t^Mt^ie^itKitM^ md esiiditioitof the g«Aifnili>%Mg^ifere4 fabo^^ iki^ fot|| laiich. ibe Wttfticonjectyred that^g^i/IkriV4»^» iailigpg^ wtud^tflu andoot! the offiiiersirHo made the litu^ f)iEtim»r 'tti^ ^lesdrvitkn iMrbt writing ^ ias^nhp iht cmti4eifa^im^mtiti m^w^ putposuht^i. tibe Stressed wcmlSflie rl nwdesevefttl rou|^ dirafttf dathe «u|j^ I one of whidi I ^exhiiiltiBd t<» Ihe c^li; Magairi §dilmi 9lid Adetv a?id libf)P>«iid^ifitillM^ iirMd ^siibi^/^ matUsT:^ todn tftei- Si^ddlod W^ tfaffm^ «iii^9Qinfr<>f Ibetgi^tlenioiiihfoniied^i^^ that ^ey h|4; written to thejge^. pn the «id>* }iitm> COL. E. Allen's captivitt. 9S ject) and I concltidedthat the gendemen thougiiit it bestdiat di€^ iteld^#^ ii theit wks BUbh st^i^fi^^Tl^il^^ii]^ tween ^ Witli^itidPnlc^* ' ^ i v %. ew |«ris6iier; laAd biHIIi^ht^ M«^^ ga^e out^hat tlK e6uiltr!fr 4i^riiiiirtl^nifl^^ ity, aniifieit t)^t« iirofiili be VkU or no m^e oppdiiitidn'toOfe^&haiiii: Tiu8«t irstlgave the officers a Hktte^Miekv but in» fewidajift di^ retoveitd thc^mjeWeSi; forrtMft tiA. Hufiiecli# er^ bett^ & Gersiaii) iras leialing^^ intli g^ De Heister, hb^ouiiltF3fipii%iu)d fiioiii^his ooii>^ iluct they^ ' were a^rehenslv^ Iha^i jhe 1199 , f kmive, at least he^ iiraSf esteemed s^ \>yM^ of t^e o%ersf| it waf oei^^qrthel^^ a dlis^. ^ lroi^i))|e. The enemy blasphem^<}» Our Uttl^ army was retreating in New-'Jersey, and p^ young men murdered by hundreds in £G|%f York. ; Thearmyof Bri^in and I)esl^Und|i% Vfiiled for a little season, as 'though it W|t li^ dered by heaven to shew, to the latest posterity, what the British, would have ^one if they could [C ) ; ). i '. 1 M VW^ r«i«!* 94 A KARK-ATIVB OF s and wiiat the gpi»^C8li|iiut7 must bav^ been in oooa^^imcb (rf the# icoAqu^^ cpnn. tiy^ m^ih€i$eitt ev^r lloi^ man to stand ftttli*in ^ defence of liberty ^i^ib ektabUsfi ^nldependenefof die United Staler of i^i^er. Hia4bff¥er -^ 9irt tMi^ sotfnec^ adVet^^rtune 4iid^iiot.^ao90li§er a^ WMihig^ : Hie' iBus* tiioa» Anieri^aii^ hefo^i^inaiiieif hilnioveai^ In Hberty Vemu|B^ie took i^ hia smmei : This reif^^tion watf m»: Jt>f^ort tmd con^o^M^^ in llie dtf of hniiSil^imKt #hen he retiwe^ ^j^^ §arbibsiMBnty^iSa^ into'^ena- i^l^i^mift. Their triumph onlf rotisttd his in^ d%itilbii r find the inipofiairt^ cau^e ef his ^m^tfi ifi^ilh 1^ iiettr hii heaici in his in* eiibfm er ' kftd !^nd wofth >f f««e^ >mnton itie ^ This surpiizb Und capture of ^ {f^Misns em^ tbt ^letny, who iveres^ vasllyr more h^merouB than the continental Irqopa : Tho^ therrfoit cdllected, an4 mafched fmm'FHiice^ town, fo attack gen. 'Washington, wliowftS ifi^n'atlVenton, having, preykwaly left a de- tf^^hmeiit froni their main body at Frineetown^ foi^'lhe sKi)^^bf diatcplaoe* This wasatryf; nig time, fre- sefiltatlbns Which I hai^ since received from wumisfert bf ^eb^e who lived itt atld adji^eiit tb'^mch parts of the^ countrj', where they were recdived from the- enemy, I apprehend that ihoit of them died inconsequence of die vile usageHof the enemy. Some, whb were eye- witnesses of that scene of mortalitv, more es- pecially in that part which cdntihued alkr the exclitrtge tcidk place, are of opinion, that it was psirtly in' cbnsequenie. bf a slow poison ; but this! t#fer to the doctbrs^that attended thpm, who are dertiiffily the best judges. Upon the best calculation I have been able to 'thaike from personal knowledge, and the many eviderices 1 have collected in support of i "•t . A HAHf 4TXV1 OF the facts, I kigi; ^, pf ^jpprisciiers taken on Lpn^-Ulaa^ fc^ Wa^ngton, and aome rcii^^d|M:r8^^([Ufei«nt times 9nd places, about t^o j^onsund nerished with bnng;^, cold sM sickk)e$8y.5>ccaaJoned by the filth of the prisons, at $rew^yorl^ and a number more on Uieir pas- sage to the continental lines ; most of the re^. due, who reached their friends, having reteiV- ed their death wound, could not be restored by the assistance of physicians and friends; but, like their brotiier prisoners, fell a sacrifiee to^ relentless and scientific barbarity of Bntab. I took as much pains as my circumstances would admit of, to inform myself not only of mirtters of fect^ but likewise of the very design ^pd aims of gen. Howe and his council: The. lat- ter of which I predicated on the former, and submit it to the candid public. And lastly, the aforesaid success of the A- merican arms had a happy effect on the con- tinentSil officers, wIk) were oh parole at New York : A number of us assembled, but not in a public manner, and, with full bowls and glas- xeSj drank gen. Washington's healthj and #ere net unmindful of Congress and our. wortl^y COL. S. ALLtir'i €Af TIVITY. 99 {ek&ison tKe continent, md idmopt forgot thtit we were prt9b]>^ A femdajs afitr this itcreation, a DHtish pftcer oir r^itk and importancx* ih their army, whose name I tAtsiXL not iKieittion itithis narra- tive, for certain reasons, though I have men- tioned it to some of my close friends and con* fidants, sent for me to his lodgings, and told me, " That faithfulness, though in a wrong cause, had nevertheless feeommended me to gen. Sir William Howe, who was minded to makeine a colonel of a regiment of new levies, dias tones, in the British service ; and propos- ed that I ^uld go with him^ and some other officers, to . Sngland,^ who would embark for that purpose ki^ few days,' and there be intro- duced to Lord G. detmsin^, and probably to the king; and, that pt^v^^ously I should be Uothed equal to such an ititroduction, and, in- stead of paperirags, b^ paid in hard gumesto ; after tikis should embark with gen.< Bur goync^i and assist in the reduction ef tho cbuniif , whidh infi^ibly would be conquered^ and, when that should be dcitn^, I shouUI Havea large tniet of land, cither in the Neiv-Hamp- \] Vv, ipo ▲ NARRATIYZ or shire grants, or in Connecticut, it would^ make no odds, as the country would be fi^rfeited to the crw^." , I then rtstdicd, " Hiat, it hy fdthltilness I had recommefided tnysdf to g<^i Howe, I should he loth, by itofkithfiilnessj to lose the genml's good ppinion ; bcMde^, that I viewed the bflfer of lai^d to be similar to that which the devil oficred Jesus Christ, "Tog^e Jiim all the kingdoms of the world,if he would fall down and worship him;'* when at the sam^ time, that the damned soul had not one foot oi land upon earth." This closed the conversa- tion, and the gendeman turned from 4ne wtth an air of dislike, flaying, that I wfes a bigot j upon which I rcdred to vfky lo<^ftg» Near the last of Norembbr I wasi adnntted to parole in New- York, widi matoy other lAm^^ ri^an oflicers, on the 22d day^ of January, 17ff7i was'withtheni directed hf the Britt&h comtnist saiy 0f pritoners tbibe qiiattered on t^e w^er^ ^r port of Long-Ibland, and oul; parole ; ^miihp Ued. Duriitg my imprisonment lUere; no'ecn QtirrenCes wor4ih obsdr vatton hashed! I bb# tatned the m^anil of living as welias I desir^, whicb in a great measure repaufed my consti^ ^. cot. t* Aiteir t cAvrivitr. 101 ttttiom wllick hid been gKaltyin|iirec|i^ the •everitlMflCaniiiliuiiiAnjcaptiiiity. d aumrliei. gMi tfi. fe«k mywt\£. compopied, ' txpectng'i^- tlier im coDbhaoge, ^or cQatanuafied liigoodf mid honorable treatment; but alas! my y'hSmmf^ topectatkinia waan Vain^d. The newrcifl^e odmi^en of Tiodndefoga b^ gm. Bvrgc^iw^ |M tlfeadvance 9£lib arm|r into ^ amullf^f!^ nadc ^. haugb^ firiioi\Si again to: leel 6i6ir iaapmianee» and with.tfiat thdr insatM|bk thkil 'l^ioriwl^* .... J :. ."; :.!3slw,'>?asfef Th(e pny^ pii^^i9.Al .NewriYorHi and ^ijie of % .ofl|<»^ on p^e, f$l| t^ ^e^filf ofU. 9iirgp|ii^ W09. to >tand Ibair dsy^ placed t)^ ogof^^l^^s^^ 'f *i|4 feigpt^tti^ liWdi, and relying oft^c»iiga and mmilessitimrjidbtsit ai)4 wid^tl^ IQ^k^Jji$tcu|»|NoQd9b(Bdalld d^s|ruc{|is>n »f their ,i^»iry,. *?• beeamftftph^'? ^]pec|i^ 9i^h :^Mto.^id^ mM^oMniihiliim QonfiUQat^ estates of iheb !l1eMbo■ia^>ahd 12 \ A VAllAriTS^atfl .10 > "^t-' cotiy J t»ieii/i ithei« Hv«ia aaoi« i^Mi; 1^ ^toeniofficci^ piU^eni and m the verjr place where tfaose officers and myse^ weie 41- IWBie^ to ibe ^faattered^^m jMiei^ i atyong g«ii^ and adien to^New^Y^k^ where I ^x- ^ttHjf/^m mi^e n^ deiince befdre tlie comt- man^ag^officeff'; b^t oontirary to mj exfiecla^ ^dm^ I«mI H^tfaoiit^lli^ IMak'if^ ptetenoe of j^f(k«>«r^«iai;'%^ agaM en^l^ with^a mmt4^ML #lilili^bBfottets, and dcMduct' €4^16 iMcM^flo^'^gaQ) > In a kxieljf' iqpartittetit, iWMCtiifciio^ dia ^dw^seoiiy and wai deflied aitt nnttner oi^siibsiileaoe eidier byftorchase or ^#afy^t tie aeixMiid^ I ofered a^giti- iieiiollr^afilioalof ykioi^ but waa^ deaiedtat, aia^dikr4liBd4afr i oSenM mghl S|Miftiah mm- edjddia!!9 J^ a like iayot> but was dei^dt^ and COL. S. ALttlfV CAPTIVITY. i^ aft ihtt I could ^ei but of Ihe aeijeaAt't noi^ wtt Mib, by God lie woilld obey hb iMerv: i liibliripcrcdved ttiysdf to be ftgaiii m gMlMi^ tiil trouble;^ la this condidon.! form^iti oiK liqae abqdtdiitance with a capt Travb,joif f^^- (^, iii^ Was- inr this dungeon beknv'tti^l diHA^ aKtde hole^whidi waaicut^ w^a |^s. jkniib, through 'die floor of my apartment >l^hich ^^e^ntrnj^eikeid^ wit^ it watca ^al^ crevice, thiroagb vlu^ I coi^ disedii ^ a veif s^all part "df Mi fice atonce, iftili9t|s,f|f the ^jSbers i|^ t}^ prpvis^ sj^ oCJ#^<^ to Oie^^itwntsj^ClJij^filij hi dg;*^':!^;- ,j$iii4 ^djt 9^ipe l9lpas%iQn 1?^ t^^ J^ ?|^ailowa»ce,^rKi I fefJ s^tjy pii^ {santic^ but J[ TOfluiged my^3^tit^by^degre!?s,|i^^^^ a few days more, .w£^ taken fr^pm itmt upagL iQ^nt. and conducted ^ the nej^t loftor story. 1^1^ there were abpv^ twend^r ctj^^^fita^, ^ ^me militia <)fficers/who had been t9ken> and iil^|Mrii50i)ed there, besides some private gj^n^* m^n, who had beeii dragge4 Irom t|if ^ tiyn hpjpe^ to tlu^t ^th)? pifice, by torie$. ^ven|) of every denomination mentioned diejdj they^ $<^t||e before, and ot|iei^ ^ter I >v.iis put there* The history of the proceedings relative t^ the provoal only, were | particular,, would i COL s. axlen's caftivity. loa s«^ a vblttsie largii' thiui^lto whole nuaai^ di^i^B^s ii4i^ an^ moki«xttii(iir VawljMe bbve^ vith^ an uhcomiiiqii fEKtitude, Bear t\«^i# months' cohfinemetlt k this jpkUsty aitd'in' ihe tnean time was very ser^ viceal^' toothers whowere confined with htiri* The si^ega$ioifi agiunsthim as theoatUse of his eohfiheihent was yety iextrabrdinary : H^ wai accused of seeing fire to thddit^ of B7ew-Yofk> at^'ttirne the west part of>it Was ieonrotiwedt Wheti h was a knowii il^t Ihat he had beegiifi provost a week before thefire broke oui^ ai^ i% Me maimert ^ivokius were the oiCeni»blc acoasation;t( against iiiOs^ of those wl|o w^re thei^ confined; the rcase pf twamiUtiftjafficci^s oxcepted, who wiere taken io th<^r attemptli^ to eaeajpe fipnt their pai-ole ; n and iirobably th^ thay be some other insianceswhich itiight justiiy suchia doiifinemo^j : > j : Mr«>Williaiii Miller, a committee man from WesiCh^ter oount^, and 'state of New»York^ was taken from his bed in the dead of nighty by his tory nejl^hors, aiid was Btarved for three days as|d nights in an apartment of t|^ r^- '%' I .1 ). !. M / '} u. \ s he iidUifd ^ iildanlglit, tx^i , 40^|li|f^or4^«vi Wells, and ^8{>t,Qzias;^ssd^ l^re s^prehended and taken under gyard from thdF!p(irole on Long Island, to ^hej^avosly oh 919 fallacious pretence» as the former, and were th^re continued till their eKchsnge took place, which W4S near five months. rTheir.fidteii.ty and zealous attachment to their countty^s OKQse, which was more than commonly con&j^l- C^oiifl was undoubtedly the real cause iftttheil' cohfinCinentr .mm >M9Jor Brinton Payne, capt Fiahaveav ^d «4aGed>t^ neartOil^epiC«nto£deaitlii;^ heMWis indeje^igw? en i mfet' % his friends whoi wa^* aboiit ihm and himself concloikd ht must die« l^^pduid not eisdutie^tlie^Hiitght ^t sa «^iE>ithy'|(ijRriend iXj^'Anveriea^iiiildl Iiive4iis4ff6 stolen #cttiifiitia ffi^such d mcanf^ li^s^e^ atid^ soindalous nuaMi^ and ihiA . hh i^taSiy iihenI^u X therefore wrote ^ letter l# gtn. BebelrtsQTi) who comimandedin town^ nhd being touched with the most^eflsible feelings of humanity,' which di etated iny pen to paints dying distress in sudh Kveiy eolors that it wrought conviction <^n the obduracy - of a ^Brit- ish general, and produced his order to remove tiie now honorable John Fell, esq; out of a gaol, to private lodgings in town ; in xibnsequence^ of which he «lowfy recovered his health. There* is so extraordinary acircurastance Which inter* vaied concerning this letter^ that it is worth COL S. jKLfiltlr's CAPTIVITY. m I^Henpfoortd aen^nf iti I titMBitM the same liNlie gdltlCfittAft cif' #BiMe behalf it nf^swrlc^ ten, ^ l^i i|>pr6batidiiv iM be^fm^$m ^ ^f imifiiilsi ^wnil most iqfainoii^ wfet^s ^.ijheir ^^ ,IMnilj^ where aaftny gentlemen 4>f the AaMrlcaii lyr? my^i aa^'Gi^ens ther epi^ iiiar# pri»iini«Q|i|i^iia- ly pppifinedi with every i^ei^es of carpMaals; I?ut they dividecl intp tjiliilfre^japai^milli, aii4 kieft at asgreat a reniove as circ^aialltii^ eet permitted j hiitit wi^neyerthelesa at Jbe ^fitiiHi o^at^Hlii^iia jserjeaiit, iiha haci the 'shfufge / of the j^pvgst^ t0 ^ tahe any g«i^«- m^ iroiti their room, and jiui them Into 'i^ (^UQgeon, ; whieh was oflbcn th^ ibase: ^t tvyp 4iflref ent , times I was taken damn j^tair^ fox I that purpose, by a file of soldiora jidth4,xt4;ba)^pniets, and the^aeijeapt brand- ishing his aword at the, ^ame time, «id hav- ing been brought tpfbedopr of th^dungeoo, I :tbere,vflaf|erf^'!Ae yai^ity of iho seijeaat, jfhose nama tw#a Ki^li by which m^^i^ I pr^dciired Aie, siurprizl^g fayor ^|o retuni tb r\ COL. B« ALLKlkV-CATTITITy* 111 iOii^ydtiif' gtntStmen td^ bevt Mk' Misbldlicf »' ' attd dfet^rof tned^ td ie6|^ «t 'a ^H- litov bttt fidn«^^oirid kerp clear of his atni«e; litfwc^r ttlild measuren were th^ best r he '4i the getottetthdh, uhd6i' the ajfeverities dTtlia fdti^ek' ; and i^Mbftif rating igainat his '4itiSH(*^ e' — •*■-- COL. X. ALLlM't CAPTIVITY. 113 Plf|ftedil|ie41jri in qold blood, nfar pr ^yjlir )0lmAlu$mnd helplctft.priii0oti!i»4afK) ibiidii Iktiy i»oit ; claiictesdne^ ikiaiii aofl ibainelul llittiiie^^ at New^York; He ii thenio^ m#n ji^iiyy^ cofrjuncijr, deceitful*, ttid dettrnctiye iMiiufl itivOod'8 creation beloir, and legions lif^i^mal devils/ with all their tremendom iKnrrorli^'ai^ Impatiently readf to receive Howe and Mini, with all Iheir dete»ti|ble ac- oompHlbes; into the thpst exquisite agonies ofthie hottest region of hell fire. ' / 1the amy und^ his coin evacuatr. 4iM!^iitfeebia ^^ir Jcyt^lng t(f was inear (j^ite ti»Tfe%ousai^^ psirtbfWhi^ were ■^*i \4 11 kJ "'-"■'-'■^■•*^-^' Ir. ou^ el the wliolelib brougMiintdvotiMuI ^ lln elMMijr' adlviiGed^bsUl^t^ aftdl tlii umdHMk fdtMeidr Withio;fibtlw fin mj iiuMimmjh)^ to^tiiipeei^iitidimi^ldlM,' ite!tu^ M^ OniHtP- Thir ^tfin^r't^ss 1 leailit fronrild fAnkf^ tliai: the Qltcn M«Niiniaii^^ltdys(^)tied| a^r* Tbe i^xi mOVfekent df tfiW eltfeniv, ^f ai^ inabenair consequence, w^ theii- iriveat^ in^ B ei ij fi mg tV Hi , #ith 1 4esi^ to dentdli^ ^| aii#sufojcct! it^ MoBntaineeri, to whiclr i^y hli^WigMest avavMn,^^^^ oi^ Iliindii^ranA fi% 1ch08«n'1aie&i^ liM^d^ toitd^ witii 1^ hil^Mi exj^ec te tioif t ^of gucfepsi^ and hs»riiii|* c^dsiBik iofc emihnioe c# kixmg froiM fefllffi ed«]l %irttii iKght'U^t^^i^^ ple«^ cfliMniOKS! bttt die goyiaul M iC otf^tlie yooi^ 3ttdb an :««iiiiipC> o^^^^ eii^liy^, aii§ in^ Mfc tktitHM pt«iciiM$i a nuiiiliiiti 6^^ Hanipattee; wft in ftiMiber \«tie abouidiuiiA to the enen^^ CpL' Hetikk^ w^o. m die Greeii Mountain Rangers, and who-inraa seoOfid^H coQimand, b^mglhomoghl)'^ acquainCbd iridi the uround wheit thd emmf had fortified, pr6^ pos^ to 'ftttaich t|iet«l in then* f^ofks tipon «ai pans, at the satlne tiilie. This plan b^iiig adopted by the< General and his cbiihcH of ivar, tlk little militia brigade cX undtisciplin^ he^ roJsi^' With iheir long brown firddcks, the best Purity of i free pieople, without either dati- Aon Or bayonets^ w^j*'Ofi the Idth day of AW^ gust, led on to the attack by dieir bold com- manders, in facet>f diii enemy's dreadftil fim, and to iheti^onishmentbf the worid, and hnn lesque of diacipUnef carried eyeiy ^art of ihdir lines in Mss than one quarter of an hour after the attaek became general, took their caiitiiogi^ k^led and captivated more than- two ifalMs of iheir number, which immortalned Gen. Stark; andm»deBeg to B:ft iil 0U 8tay^tdityl ^ yAttoBg die eneitijff^'slain'^w^ "^^tod'Cdl; U ^ .- cot. 1. 4LLlN*t CAf TIVITr. 117 Baiim» their comnuuider, a Col^ Pfetter^ who headed an iniamous gang of toriea, and a krgt part of> his command ; and among the prismi^ era was Major Meibome, their second in command, a number of British and Hessian officers, surigeonsr&c. and more than one hun^ dred of the aforementioned Pfiester's com- mand. The prisoners being collected tc^th- cr, were sent to the meeting-house in the town, bjr a strong .guard, and General Stark not iniagining any present danger, the militia 9C»jttered from him to rest and refresh them- selyes -» in this ^tuat|on,hi^ waa oi^ a sudden a|tacke4 hy a reinforcement of (Hie thousand atud oi^e hi|^ men p{ |4^ pgjmenj^ li^rt nqt in the $rst action; aniyedaiM^ attacked the \i, i ^> m A VArllATITB/ OF ,y ^nemy wi^. great fury, bem^ detefttiiiiedto have ample revenge on aecotmt of the qoterel at Hubbutlton, which btx)Ugiit^hem to^astanc^ and soon after Gen^ Stark and Col. HeiTick| brou^t on more of die scattered militiff» and the action became general ; inr a few minutles the enemy were forced fixMn their camion, ^te way on all ptrts and fled» and the shouts of victory were a second time proclaimed in fa^ vor of the militiaw The enemy's loss in kitt- ed and prisoners, in these two actions, amblm^ ed to more than Onr the tisand and tw6 hjiin* dred men, and oin« loss did not exceed fifty m&f^ Thi^wits a bitter stroke to the ^tiemy, but their pride A^UldT not perttiit theih to hi^. sitate but that thfey conttl vanqufeh the coun- t3r*y, and as a specimen of their arrogand}* I shaii insert General B'rtrgoyne'^ prbtJfamaiAon. "By John Bdrguoyrte esq. lieutcrta^nt gene- ral of hi» majesty's armies in America, colonel of the^queen's regiment of light dragoons, gov- ernor ot fprt WilKam, in North Britain, one of the represrentatiVes of the commons of Gteat Brit&in in ptirliamefit,.and commanding an ar* COL. E. ALIr£.N'S OAFTlVITy. ii{> my and Aeet ^mpkfed^Mian expedition from C#9§4a lc€* &c, &c. <* The; .foRses eBtmsfced to my .ootnmand are de3igfied to act in ooBccrt.itnd upon a common pdnciple, witbthe numerous armies and fleets which ali^ady display in every quarter of A- merica, the. power, tfae> justice, and, when prop, ody 430ught^ the mercy of the king, *V The cause in which the British amis are thus exertedy applies to the most affecting in- terests -of the human heart ; and the military servants, of the crowns at first called forth for tfic sole purpose of restoring the rights of the constitution, now combine with love of their co^ntryy andduty to their sovereign, the oth- ef^ e?ctcnsive incitements which spring from a due sense of the general privileges of mankind. To the eyes and ears of the temperate part of the public, and to the hrea&ts ofsufFering thou- sands in the provinces be the melancholy ap* peal, whetlier the present unnatural rebellion has not been made a foundation for the com- pletest system of tyranny that ever God in his displeasure, suiFered for a time to be exercised over a froward and stubborn generation. ■i' t1 1 S\ :^ ,'iJ 120 A NARHATIVE OF \ \ k < I f ih y ♦* Arbitrary imprisonment, confiscation of property, persecution and torture, unf .^edcn- ted in the inqubitioiu of the Romish church, are among the palpable enormities that verify the affirmative. These are inflicted by assem- blies and committees, who dare to profess themselves friends to liberty, upon the most qtiiet subjects, without distinction of ageor sex» for the sole crime, often for the sole suspicion of ^ving adhered in principle to the govern- ment under which they were bom, and to which, by every tie, divine and human, they Qweallegiance. Toconsumniate these shocking proceedings, the profanation of religion is add. ed to the most profligate prostitution of com- mon reason ; the consciences of men are set at nought ; and multitudes are compelled not on- ly to bear arms, but also to swear subjection to a usurpation they abhor. " Animated by these considerations ; at the hea itations and families. The intention of this address is to hold forth security, not: depreda- tion to the country. To those whom spirit and principle may induce to partake of the gloriotis taskof redeeming their countrymen from dun- geons, and re-establishing the blessings of le- gal governments I offer encouragement aud employment ; and upon the first intelligence of their associations, I will find means to assist their undertakings. The domestic, the indus- trious, the infirm, and even the timid inhabi- tants, I am desirous to protect, provided they remain quietly at their houses -, that they do not sufifer their cattle to be removed, nor their com or forage to be secreted or destroyed ; that they do not break up their ridges or roads : nor by any other act, directly or indirectiy, en- deavor to obstruct the' operations of the king^s troops, or supply or assist those of the enemy. Every species of provision brought to my camp will be paid for at an equitable rate, and in so- lid coin. I 'ri' ■4 l) 1 1- I 122 A KA&RATiyTE OF :, iii^in conscbusnessofcchmtanity, my fXoyfU mai^ler's clemency, ml Aejionor of 9o|i4i^ ship, I have dwelt upon this invitation^ «iid ^wished £»: more.p^isiiaslve tenm |o giv|i Itim- pression : And let notpeople be^edto disre- gard it, by considering their distanceiirom the immediate situation of my:camp*»rTrl liave but to give stretch to the Indian force9;^nder ixay direction, mid they amount to thousand^y to overtake the hardened enemies. of cGi^eot-Bid- tain and America : I consider thQm the> js^ne wherever they may hirit. ^ ;If^ notwithdtanding-these endeavouss^^aild smcere inclinations to eibctthfim, the p^cj^p^ of host^ity should remain, I trust I ^sfi stand acquitted in the eyes of God and meiii im de- nouncing and executing the vengeance of the state against the wilful outcafi^s. — The mes- sengers of justice and of wrath await them in the field ; and devastation, famine, and every concomitant horror that a reluctant but indis- pensible prosecution of military duty must oc- aasion, will bear the way to their return. J. buiigoyn|/ COL E. A&LEI^'S CAPTIVITY. 123 .**1^0fder of his excellency the Ueut. gene- ralf ROBT. KiKGSTOH, *. Seeretart/. i " Can^ near Ttconderoga, AithJuly^ 1777. Geii. Bargoyne was still the toast, and the severities towards the prisoner's were in great measure! increased or diminishedv in proportion to the ej^pectation of conquest. His vety Os- tentatious proclamation was in the haiid and mouth of the soldiery, especially the tories, and from it, their faith was raised to assiihince — I ivish my countrymen in general could but have an idcft of the assuming tyranny, and haughty, malevolent, and insolent behivior of the enemy at that time ; and from thence discern the in- tolerable calamities which this country have extricated themselveg from by their public spi- ritedness and bravery.— The downfall of gen. Burgoyne ; and surrender of his whole army, dashed the aspiring hopes and expectations of the enemy, and brought low the imperious spirit of an opulent, puisdant and haughty na- tion, and made the tories bite the ground with 124; A NARRATITl OF M anguish, exalting the valor of the free-born sons of America, and raised their fame and that of their brave commanders to the clouds, and immortalized gen. Gates with laurels of eternal duration.-— No sooner had the knowl- edge of this interesting and mighty event reach- ed His Most Christian Majesty, who in £u. rope siiines^ith a superior lustre in goodness, policy and arms, but the illustrious potentate, auspiciously influenced by heaven to promote the reciprocal interests .-^ud happiness of the an- cient kingdom of t'rance, and the m w and ris- ing states of America, passed the great and de- cisive decree, that the United States of Ameri- ca, should be free and independent,— r Vaunt no more, Old England ! consider you are but an j^nd ! and that your power has been continu- td longer than the exercise of your humanity. Order your broken and vanquished battalions to retire from America, the scene of your cru- elties. Go liome and repent in dust and sack- cloth for your aggravated crimes. The cries of bereaved parents, widows, and orphans, reach the heavens, an .1 you are abominated l^y every friend to America. Take your friends CL?*'J'-a:f«r-r"'-'- :■ •; COL. £• Allen's CAPTIVITY. 1^5 th^tories with you, and be gone, and drink deep of the cup. of humiliation. Make peace with the princes ofv the house of Bourbon, for you are in no condition to wage war' with them. Your veteran soldiers are fallen in America, and your glory is departed. Be quiet and pay your debts, especially for the hire of the Hessians. There is no other way for you to get into credit again, but by re* formation and plain honesty, which you have despised ; for your power is by no means Sufficient to support your vanity. I have had opportunity to see a great deal of it, and felt its severe effects, and learned lessons of wis- dom and policy, when I wore your heavy irons, and bore your bitter revilingsand re. preaches. I have something of a smatter- ing of philosophy, and understand hitman nature iii all its stages tolerably well ; am thoroughly acquainted with, your national crimes, and assure you that they not only cry aloud for heuven's vengeance, but excite mankind to rise up against you. Virtue, wisdom and policy are, in a national sense, always connected with power, or in other L 2 i-*y vJ>4 126 A KARRATfAS 0¥ ) ^ IH' words, powei* is ^ir dfArpdfng, tocf'^ureh power as is not directed by viirtUe, wisdbifi and policy^, never fails finally t<> destVoy it- self as yours has done.— ft is. so in th^ tii- ture qf things, and unfit that it should be otherwise ; for if it wali not so, vainity, injus- tice, and oppression, might reign triuttiphant forever. I know yoii have in^dividuals^, who still retain their virtue, and consetfUently theif honor and humanity. Those I really pity, as they must more or less suflTer in the calamity, in which the nation is pltiHged headlong ; but as a natioii t hate and d^- pise you. My affections are Frenchified. — Iglbry in Louis the sixteenth, the generous and pow^ erful ally of these st^Us; am fond of a coti;. nection with so enterprizing, learned, polite, courteous, and commercial a nation, and am sure that r express the sehttments' and fbel- ings of all the friends to the present revolu. tion. I begin to learn the French tqngae, and recommend it to my countrymen before Hebrew, Greek or Latin, (provided but one % pf thein bnly are to be attended to) fdr the \ COL. B. AXI)£M*S captivity. 127 trade and cotkiittveree of these stiftes hif fli. iMt>t fimst inttviubljr^ shift its cHanneT frbm Englaiic^tb^ratiice, Spain and' Forttigai'; arid! therefor^ tHe statesman, p6liti(iii(ni and n(ier- v chant, need'be acquainted with their sei^eral languages, particularly the French, whieli is much in vogue in most parts of Europe. INlbthing could have served' sd effectually to illuminate, polish, and enrich these states as the present revolution, as Well as preserve their liberty. Mankind are naturally too na- tional, even to a degree of bigotry, and com- mercial intercourse with foreign nations, has a great and necessary tendency to improve mankind, and erase the superstition of the mind by acquainting them that human na- ture, policy and interest, are the same in all nations, and at the same time they are bar- tering commodities for the conveniences and the happiness of each nation, they may reci- procally exchange such part of their cus- toms and manners as may be beneficial, and learn to extend charity and good will to the whole world of mankind. ——-I was confmed in the provost- gaol at New- York the 26th 4 4.: H f t 138 A XAIHATIVS Of I n day of August, and continued there to the third day of May» 1778, when I waa tali^n out under guard,, and conducted to a slopp in the harbor at Nc;w^York, in whic|i I was guarded to Staten-Island, to general Campbell's quarters, where I was admitted to eat and drink with the general and sever, ai other of the British field officers, and treat- ed for two days in a polite >nanner. As I was drin]|:'>ng wine with them one evening, I made an observation on my transition from the pro: vost-criminals to the company of gentlemen, adding that I was the same man still, and should give the British credit by him (speaking to the general) for two days good usage. The next day col. Archibald Campbell, who was exchanged for me, came to this place, conducted by Mr. Boudinot, the then Ameri- can commissary of prisoners, and saluted me in a handsome manner, saying that he never was more glad to see any gentleman in his life, and I gave him to understand that I was equal- ly glad to see him, and was apprehensive that it was from the same motive. The gentlemlen present laughed at thc'fancy, and conjectured / COL. B. alien's captivity. that sweet liberty was the foundatiofi of our gladness ; so we took a glass of wine together, and then I was accompanied by g^n; Camp* bell, col. Campbell, Mr» Boudinot, and a num- ber of British officers, to the boat, which was ready to sail to EHzabethtown-point Mean while I entertained them with a rehearsal of the cruelties exercised towards our prisoners ; and assured them that I should use my influ- ence, that their prisoners should be treated m future in the same manner, as they should in future treat ours ; that I thought it was right in such extreme cases, that their example should be applied to their own prisoners ; then •exfchanged the decent ceremonies of compli- ment, and parted. I sailed to the point afore- said, and, in a transport of joy, landed on lib- erty ground, and, as I advaflced into the coun- try, received the acclamations of a grateful peo* pie. I soon fell into company with col. Sheldon, of the light horse, who in a polite and oblig- ing manner, accompanied me to head-quarters. Valley Forge, where I was courteously receiv- ed by ^en. Washington, \yith ptculiar niark^ / : '; V 1 x > •m ^fiXtw-ii i i im Mf^A^tAtitk of i / P \ dttCed Xi^ moiit of HhA geti^rab; toid matiy of the priiicif^al- oiBcers of the aitny ' ivhd treated me with re^ct, ahd after having ofifered gen. cral Washihgtoil my farther service, irt behalf of nty country, as soon as my health, which wds Very much imp^red, would admit, and ob- tiuh his licence to return home, I took my leave of Ms excellency, and set out from Valley Forge with gen; Gates and his suit for Fish Kill, where we arrived the latter end of May. In this tour the gen; was pleased to treat me with the familiarity of a companion, aiid gen- erosity of a lord, and to him I made known some striking circumstances which occurred in the course of my captivity. I then bld'fkre- well to my noble gen. and the gentliemen of his retinue, and set out for Bennington, the capital of the Green Mountain Boys, where I arrived the evening of the last day of May, to their great surprise ; for I was to them as one rose from the dead, and now both their joy and mine was complete. Three cannon were fired that evening, and next morning col. Herrick g^ve orders, and fourteen more were discharged' COL. E. ALIEN'S CAPTIVITY. 131 welcoming me to Berniihg^on, my usual place of abode ; thirteen for the United States, and one for young Vermont. After tlus ceremony was ended we moved the flowing bowl, and rural felicity, sweetened with friendship, glowed in each countenance, and with loyal healths to the rising States of America, concluded that evening, and with the same loyvl spirit, I now conclude my narra- tive. I n I , i! iti i^i il'^ A ^i 'Ji. i' u Ml ■11 ' ,(l ^j fiiiW''£)* • &f". '■\ fU mi 'fMiu^ -iX. '' ■iii«Kv; .<> -in' OF ■fl i^ia. £ir»AM^ AULKnr •• -f J ■/.■ Ft ftoii Tsa iiifiCAt a brtg«4M*^g«|Mial% tlie wair, ^ff^t-Britaiiii WM born In $ali»buiy> C^ineeiicul^ WhUe,, he wap youngs bis paveotK emimtcd to Vej*-. m«nt.. At tl|^CQni^i|enpMa«nt of. the dlaturhepiceim; New-Toi^» An act oFov^viy, against hlmwaspaiav ed bjr tbl^ ctftet and 500 guinea^ were offer«<| for bit^ ai>pi^riieni|on 4- but hia |larty waa too numeroua' au4 fiiiil$hiiU.tq j^mtt him to be duiufb^d bjf W •pprebefif , aim tor M. wfet]^ » III all the •tnigglea ot the dajr hig, was ■vct^eM^il.i and he not onlf proved i| valiMbl^ friend to tbptei whose cause he had espou«e4 bi^ he wai hiM^ane and generous toward those* with whbi^ he« had to o^tend^ ; When called to take the field* lb ^owed hiinsellan able leader and an intrepid soldier. The news of the battle ol Lexington determined col- onel Allen to engai^ Ml the ^de tn his countrv^ and.iii- spiredhim with tHe desire of dcumo^strating his ftttacii- ment to liberty by some bold, ex^it. VVlule his mibd was in this state a plan for taking Ticondei-og|S snd Qrowii Point by surprise, which waa &med by several gentle-^ men in Coopeqttcut* waa communicated to Mnit wid he readily engaged in the project. Receiving directionH iVom the genend assembly of Connecticut to raise tlie green mountam buys, and conduct the enternrUe* he M '.. -^ 1 (■ t y 134 BIOGIAFHY aF cdlected330 of the hardjr settlers and proceeded to Castleton. Hem hp ww umDxpectedljr joined bf c»i. Arnold) who had bech c ommiiii o ned by toe Mfiiiohfi setts comnuttee to raise 400 meui and effect Ibe UMpw object) which was now about lo be accompUaliod* As he had not raised the meO) he was admitted to act as pn assistant toxoloi^L Allen., ThqUpeached the lake op- posite T^MUd^wgaion tW iVeningc^ibei fitb^cfBAajr, 1775. With the utmost difficulty boats were procured* and 83 men were landed near the garrison. The ap- pjhiacli of day rendering, it danp;e^HS to wajiljlbs tb« rear, h was ^termined imme^tdy to proceed. The commander in chief now addressed his men* represe;^tr ing that they had been for a number of years ^ ^Qurgp to arbitrary powers and famed* for their valor^ and^ c)^ ckidi^ widi saying) <* I now propose to advance before fw, and in person conduct vilu throiigh the wicket gate, and yoU) that will go with me Voluntarily in ^s desperate attempt) poise your fineloeks/' At tho h(»d of the centre file he inarched ihstantfy to the gate) where li sentry snapped hb gim at himi^nd rcftreated through the covered way ; he pressed forward into thefint) and ^rmed his men on the parade in^uch a manner as to face two opposite barracks. Three huzzas awaked the garriami. A sentry) who «sked quarter) pointed out the apartments of the coihmanding oflicer.; and Allen wiUi a drawn sword over tha head of caption De la Place) >yho was undressed) demanded the surrender of the fbrt. ** By what authority do you demand i^?*' inquired th^ mtonivhfjd commander; ** 1 demand it)" sakl Allen, M-in the name of the great Jehovah and of tlie continen- tal congress." The summons could not be disobeyed, and the' fort with its very valuable stores and 49 pnsoh- ers was immediately sorrendered. Crown Point was tuken the~ same day, and the capture of a sloop of war soon afterwards made Allen and his brave party com-f plete masters of Lake €hamplain. In the ^It of 1775 he was sent twice into Canada to observe tiie dispositions of the people) and attach ^em, if possible)' to the American cause. During this lait col;'%. allbh. isS loiir'e^l^l Bt<)Mrn thdt him, af^ prbpos^d an littapk ujb^Mi^fvarinei^liidert The pto^»oial vai eagerly ei^iMlldt>^6ibi9ika Allctt^^^^ near 80 of ^»)iMh wei^CiDad!an% river Iti die night of Bept^her 34* In ^e moining he waited i»ith impa* tience ifbr the 8!||hal fron^ col^l' ftrowiiy who agreed to coHipeTaiO wiui him ; ^ut he waited in ydn. He made ii reaolutp defenciB i^tl^t an iittaeli of f(00 men* and it wna not till his own party was Fedticed by desier- tions to the number of 31, aha Ihe had retreated near a mili^ that he surrendered. A moment afterwards a fu- liqus savage rusho«ri^ wisdom than seek Instructfon fhiitlii h^#en, *^nii|^'eTnbrace'ab6urdiiies, which w(^ld disgt^ace the un- '1|erstan^i)g of a child, tf e believed^ with Pythaigotias, thSirmfin after death would trahsmigrate into bba^s, bM^fiiihef, reptiles, &c. and often informed his Mesi^, '^hat.heMmselt expected to live again in the fofrti df a ^ large white ^^orse. >'* ^l^ides a number of pamphlets in the eontrovefiy Wlji ^JeW-YoA, l^c published in 1779 a narraiiv* of his ^WpVyations during his captivity, which has been lately "rc^Med ; ai^indication of the Opposition of the inhab- 'Ij^nis of Vermont to the government of New- York,' ind ^'tWir' right to form an hidependent state, 1779 r«Wd ^'At|^s theology, Or the oracW of reason, 1786. This 7aii|rWork wa^unended to iidicule the doctrine of Mosea ' ntiul the prophets. It would he unjust to bring M;til|8t ft; tho charge of having effected great mischief jnitht ihMy for few haviB hdd the patience to read hr* • ' ^ •'*■ ^ ■ . : ■ - . , ■*■■■■ tn'^ •GEN. GREENE. 13: ^r Mfw,-^* #** OF GEN. GRIIeNE. j»dappefait* i^nentt atidiie soon gained his entire confidencoi : ^e VliSMt Appointed by congress maior genend in Au, tst .ilir76> In the battles- of Trenton on the twenty-sixth ^MofrDjBcember following, and of Princeton on the. third vof January 1777 he was much distmguished; He cohi- smanded the left wing of ttiii^-Amerlcan army at the btt- .^l#of Germantown on the fiM^ilrth. of October. In Mavch ^4(Ff6- h0' was appointed <|natter nua^er general^ which , pflftce he accepted on conoiiion, that hb.vai^ inithoar- limy should not beiffiscte^ and that he dhoiikl retahi bin command in the time of action. Thia^^ri^^ he exertia- ed on the twenty-eighth of Jiin*.at the ty^ttle of Mon- ad 2 168 BtOGRAPHT OF "-^' mouths HH courage and alull wsrr 4g«ti| diaolUMd on tUo tWehtf-nlmli of Attgast fa RlMde^IMM^ Hi f» signed in this year the office of tie semottt a detadimem tinder the brave fiiiefid- Morv gan, wha gained the important victory at the Cttrjpiiii January 1 7, 1 78 1 . 'Greene effected a junction withliiii on the seventh of February, but on acooteibo^ tb#'e«- perior numbers of Oymwaltts he vetfiQated mkk-ffmu skiil l!o Virginia. Having received an ' t tee e s ai oK t» Ms forces, he returned to North CoroliM^ andlnthe battle of Guilfidrd on the Meenthof Mafcb' »as defeeniiti ■ The victory hovrever #as dearly iMMightlif the BviMy . for their loss was greater than that of the AMitfiitfain, an^i no advantages were derived from it. In «>^Mr Aiyi ComwaUis begian to mareh towards WttmingteiHlia»i> ing many of his wounded behind him, wiiielr had lite ai^peaninte of a retreat, and Greene fbHowedifimHror some time. But altering his plan, he resolved 40 ve- commence oflbnsive operationsin South Carolina. He accontttngly marched direetly to Oamden, where oh tike twetHy^finh of April he was engaged with lord Rawdon. Victory inclined for some time to Che AlRSerieane, iMt the retreat of two companies oecasionedihe'd/ifeatitf the whoie army. Greene -retwated in good orders ai^ took such measures as eflbetuoily prevented lord Rmt' don from improving his si|ieceas,and obliged him in 4Aio beginning of May to retire beyond the Stuitee. While he wids in the neighborhood of Santee, Greene hung in one day eight soldiers, who had desenM front his arniy. For tt^'ee months afterwards no instance of deaei^ion took niace. > A number of forts and garrisons in South CaroUna now i«ll jtMo his h«ids. He commenced Ae -siege ofNinety «ik oil the twenty second of May, but he w^s obli^d &n the approach of 4ort(i Rawdoo in June CEK. 01S2H1. 13^ to ntelte rf<^; The army* which had hM« highV eneouta^d ^ lli« ht» ■ucc«m» wm now Eodtteod $b th* niftliiieholijr necetilty of retreii^b^ to the t«tr«mlty of th(kiitii#. tlie AvMi&ui comnuiiidtr wis iidfliM ,to ttfdM to Vir^faU i tout to uig|eition» of ^hU hindiW YOfflM, « t wul recover South IpeniUiiai or die. In tlie M/mim-r Waltbg till tbo Qfitish forcot weic ifevided. iMrJBKedibout} and lord R«wdo9 waapoitiied tnhia ti|i«|y 'and wttk offered battle after he reached hie eneairtninenr at Oklu^pritergh, but hedeipttiie^U^ Qn the eigpilh.of 'SiBplemtMtr Greene coTerad htoiaelf with glorjr by the victory at the Eutaw springi, b which the Britiah« who fought with the utmost bi«verjr« loat eleven hundred men» and the Americuit aSout half that number. For hb .good^condttct in^iii aotion cnngcesa areiented him with^ iiridsh tundard and a gold^ medah Thb en- gagement majr be conaidered aa cloung the rexolutionf aif 'Wi^ in Smith CarOlUia. Durinc the reminder of hit eointtuind he had to airuggle imh the greatekit lif- - ieMltiea fitifh the waiit of auppBea tat , hit trpcpa.iw Stt en g ^finpuMn tit mutiny eppeai^ but faia ftmliieta -Mfi deelafain conipleteljr quelled it. '1 Aftbr ibn cdiicliiaiiMi of the war he hrtumed to Rhbde -lalahd) #liere the greateat dlNithaiona prevfAed, and Klatinden^i'aira to reatore harmony were attended with anifjeis. fn October 1785 he tailed to Georgfa* «here he hada conaidenible estate hot far (!Sitani;lii^ Savannah. Hehs he paiued hit time as a private ^«> nett) bdeupied bf doRi(Bfltic concerns. While walking w^lhdttt an umbrellaf the infenie raya of the sun over- petered liim» and 'occasioned an inflammatidn of Uie bNtin,cf irhfeh he died Juiie 19, 1786, in theforty- -sevehth year of liis age. In Augusjt following, con- greas ordered a mondment to be erected to Ms memo- ry ait the seat of the federal government. " Ctenerttl Qreene possessed a humane and benevolent disposition, and abhorrhig the cruelties and excesses, of nhieh parthMiiBon both sides were guilty^ he uni- • ibrmly inculcated « spHit of thuQeratron. Yet he was resolutely aevtre, wlwn the preservation of discipline :l 11 •.4^ 140 I f r ' ftlQCBAFHY OF rendered severifjr n^easaiy. In the V^MAjM 'th« t>ttKtenifte, the MW^ iieittlBdint)ftid, ikiid^hieti'^lli^ ^ifw Wl l^tfi We wy8, tW ^ Jrto^ ^nOuVnr« imhm ,.. ^ _.__.. ^^. I V ' • ,s&dmi:(i I. U»!i :.ie- iiU-.: ^Ttfs. A^OG^ *BY Ot'GRi, «r tJie,tJ|u]ted S atei, lyaa born in Ct^esler q^umibj^pw- Jffi^^iAf lti^74^^, }^ \773 he was #ifp ^HarlesTlnM- jttju ani^^ othf^r gentlemen he took an a^y«,|^|}|tU^,op- ppadqn to the, plaint^ of Great^rjitain^ i^ l^lliJe Jilted the opuncits of his co}int{y fqr the 1^)4* Ifk-WI- tipred the ^t;my iisjt cqjlondl).^nd at.the clqae of tb<» yfwr ^^^f^i|9|ued jepiBt^^ Thomson to Canacbi. Whvg forward vkh hi* men tmdev jt trt- vl4iAiiiilff of: vuiaquetrir tnd grape ihot> d^mdnad to carry the woirka at the point of the bajronetf he Was struck hf a musquet hall i||^ his head. He was for a moment stunned ; but as mod jis he was able to rise so asto res^ on «oe knee, believing that his wound was moral, he cried to one tf hit aids, *^ carrjr me forward, and let me die in the fort.*' WJiefi he entered i^ he gi^^e 'i^ir^iers'te «t<^'the eilbsion of blood. In 178 1 1>e. #as or- dered to. fHAtch with the femifylnnift liiie from tMe noHhwmrd, and forin a junction wfth La INifette iti Vn*- ^ia. On the sixth of lUlr, after reetfrin^ ihferma- non, that the main body-of ]thr eneifi^'lindteV CotnwnlHs had crossed James' river, he i^ressed fomraiid at the hea^ ^ eight hundi^d men to attack the^tatrrard.*^ fint%6 Hii utter ti^to^iiihment, irhteti he reached the place, he ibirAd the whole British army, ccMlslMingbf wkKr ^o«i^and*HU\9n) ^Wh u^ rieUdy to receive Mili.-^ ' AVtMs ifi6m<^1ie cohceived of but ohe Way td* escape. Ift»1*b!^i^ t^NvittHil the enemy till he came wlthTn t^^o '^li^'Syirds) trhi^n he cottimenced a golTant alta«k, #hl6h he stipported for a f(&W minutes, atM then retr^- ^'i»ith fh« tfthxii^t exper of the Pernisvlvtt* nia convention, which ratified the constitution of die United Sttttes. ^^ In 179$ he sticceeded St. Clldrin die ^omifiland'of the army to be emplbyed against iheln? ditost-'fn'tfie battle of the Mtomls Anguit 30, .17f4, hegoitibd i& cBmpWte Victory over the ehemir : and af* ter#ird!f desol-ft^d their country. Oft the third of AUf ,1 142 BlOCkAPHV OF i* i i^ I !/• gust 1795 he coneluckd a treitv with iho hostUe locUans northlreit df the Ohb. While in the ser?iow to the great diversion -of A crowd of spectators. In rubning, leafMng and wrest- ling lie almost always bore away the pFice« In 1 73^ Ke removed to Pomfret in Connecticut, where No culti/at- cd a considerable tract of land. During the 'Fretieh wSr -he was appointed, to command a company of the >fi|fery near, reminded them of their skill, and tffld ^em to take good aim. They did so, and the execu- tipn was terrible. After the retreat, he made a stand at flitter hill and drove back the enemy under cover of their ships. When the army was organizeti by genend Washmgton lA Cambridge, Putnam was appoiated t» command the reserve. In Ai^ust 1776 he was sta- tioned at Brooklyn, on Long Island. After the defeat .of our army on the twenty-seventh of that month, he went to New-York and was very serviceable in the city .and neighborhood. In October or November he was sent to Philadelphia to fortify that city. In Januuy )777 he waa directed to take post at Princeton, wheh^ he continued until spring. At this place a sick prison- er, a caption, requested that a friend in the British ar- my at Brunswick might be sent for to assist him in mak- ing his will. Putnam was perplexed. He had but fif- ty men under his command, and he did not wish to have his weakness known ; yet he was unwilling to deny the request. He however sent 9 flag of ti uce, and directed the^ officer te be brought in the iiight. In the evening l^hts were, placed in all the college windows, and in every apartment of the vacant houses throughout the eU 144 BIOGRAPHY, 8CC. toWtii* T!ie officer on hit return reported that general Putnam's army could not condst or leta, than ibur or five tftouaand ttien. In the sprliig he iraa appointed to the comihand of a iiepa]:ate army In the highlanda Of New-York. One Palmer, a lieutenant in the tory new levies, was detected in the camp ; governor T>7^