The history of Vermont, from its earliest settlement to the present time

Front matter

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Preface

The present History of Vermont is from the pen of a gentleman whose fine literary abilities have often

been favourably acknowledged by the public. It has been written expressly for this Cabinet series of State Histories, and, like the volumes which have preceded it, is wholly original.

The responsibility of perfect accuracy rests upon those whose names are on the title page ; the only duty devolving upon them, in this instance, having been that of careful collation with the original authorities.

Chapter I

Samuel Champlain — Indian tribes and their wars — Character of French colonization — Champlain's alliance with the Algonquins — Hostility of the Iroquois — French missionaries — Lake Cham plain — First permanent settlement in Vermont — Crown Point erected by the French — Opening of the New Hampshire grants — Increase of emigration — Steady progress of settlement Page 19

CHAPTER 11.

Boundary line between Massachusetts and New Hampshire established — New Hampshire required to support Fort Dummer — Township grants by the governor of New Hampshire — Bennington founded — Claims of New York — Number of grants issued — Fees for the same — Controversy with New York — Duke of York's patent — Its vagueness — Cadwallader Colden of New York — His proclamation — Counterproclamation from New Hampshire — Eastern boundary of New York defined by England — Jurisdiction asserted over Vermont — The grants from New Hampshire declared null and void — Resistance by the people — Their appeal to the British ministry — Royal orders to New York — Writs of ejoctment obtained — Inability to execute them — Land speculators — Hatred of them in Vermont — Ethan Allen — His character — The Green Mountain Boys Page 25

Chapter III

The Green Mountain Tavern — Its sign — Convention at Bennington — Determination of the settlers — Organized opposition to New York — Committees of Safety formed — Military associations — Indictment of Allen, Warner, and others — Rewards offered for their apprehension — Attempted arrest of Warner — Conciliatory efforts of Governor Tryon — Exception of the ringleaders — Proclamations and counter-proclamations — Decree of the Green Mountain convention — Green Mountain law — The Beach Seal — Action of the New York Assembly — General convention west of the Green Mountains — Resolutions adopted — Sanguinary laws of New York — Response of the Mountaineers — Colonel Skeen's mission to England — Approach of the Revolution 36

Chapter IV

The tenure of the royal judges in the colonies — Governor Hutchinson and the Massachusetts legislature — Petition for the removal of Chief Justice Oliver — His impeachment — Oliver sustained by Hutchinson — Appointment of counsellors by the crown — The opening of the Massachusetts courts of law obstructed hy the people — Sympathy of the Green Mountain Boys — Possession taken of Westminster court-house — Its surrender demanded by the sheriff of New York — The building fired into — Subsequent disposal of the prisoners — Westminster . convention renounce the government of New York — Colonial disputes with Great Britain — Battle of Lexington — Population of Vermont — War of the Revolution 48

Chapter V

Benedict Arnold — The surprise of Crown Point and Ticonderoga recommended — Arnold commissioned and authorized to attempt it — A detachment of volunteers organized in Connecticut for the same purpose — Form a junction with Ethan Allen and a party of the Green Mountain Boys — Meeting with Arnold — Appointed second in command — Disputes between Arnold and Allen — Capture of Ticonderoga — Of Crown Point — Of Skeensboro — St. John's surprised by Arnold — 'Approach of the British — Congress provides for the restitution of the captured property — Massachusetts and the Continental Congress — Surrender of authority to the latter — George Washington appointed commander-in-chief of the colonial forces — Powers assumed by Congress — Petitions and addresses to Great Britain — Judicious conduct of the English Parliament in respect to Canada — Ticonderoga and Crown Point eflSciently garrisoned Page 57

Chapter VI

Colonel Allen — Volunteer officers — Their difficulties with respect to rank in the continental army — Arnold superseded in command at Ticonderoga — Returns to Massachusetts — Attempt upon Canada — Defenceless condition of that province — Regiment of Green Mountain Boys raised by Colonel Warner — Schuyler and Montgomery appointed to command the invading army — Supineness of the Canadians — Activity of General Carleton — Advance of Schuyler and Montgomery — Abortive attempt on Montreal — Ethan Allen captured and sent to England — Incidents of his captivity — Taking of Chambly by the Americans — Repulse of Carleton at Longue-isle by Colonel Warner — Surrender of St. John's to Montgomery — Surrender of Montreal —

Narrow escape of Carleton — March of Aniold through the wilderness to Quebec — He forms a junction with Montgomery — Attempt on Quebec and death of Montgomery — Gallantry and hardihood of Arnold Page 68

Chapter VII

The people of the New Hampshire grants apply to Congress for advice — Their anomalous position — Convention at Dorset and petition to Congress — The memorial withdrawn — Resumption of operations in Canada — Difficulties of Arnold with the Canadians — Breaking out in camp of the small-pox — Arnold takes command at Montreal, and is succeeded by General Thomas before Quebec — Arrival of relief to Quebec — E^etreat of the Americans to Sorel — Death of General Thomas — Unfortunate attempt to surprise Three Rivers — Retreat to St. John's — To Isle-aux- Noix — To Ticonderoga — General Sullivan is superseded. by General Gates — Organization of a naval force — Difficulties with which it was attended — British preparations — General Arnold appointed to command the American flotilla — Engagement on the 11th of October — Great superiority of the British force — Renewed engagement on the 13th — Gallant conduct of Arnold — Summary of results — Sir Guy Carleton menaces Ticonderoga, but returns to winter quarters without an attack 87

Chapter VIII

Declaration of Independence by Congress — Its effects — Anecdote of Colonel Skeene — Renewal of the difficulty with New York — Action of the New York convention — Counter-action in Vermont — Convention at Dorset — Resolutions to support the common cause — Preparations for a state government — Convention at Westminster — Vermont declaration of independence, and memorial to Congress —

Counter memorial from New York — Second New York memorial — Letter of Thomas Young to the inhabitants of Vermont — Third New York memorial — Rejection by Congress of the petition of Vermont — Meeting in Vermont to adopt a constitution — Action upon the instrument reported — Abandonment of Ticonderoga by the American force and consequent alarm Page 103

Chapter IX

Jealousies and disputes among the continental officers — Dislike of Schuyler by the New England troops — Schuyler tenders his resignation — Inquiry into his conduct — Honourable testimonial — Ordered to take command of the northern army — Carleton superseded by Burgoyne — Activity of Burgoyne — War feast with the Iroquois — Humane attempt of Burgoyne to restrain the barbarities of his Indian allies — Its futility — Manifesto to the Americans — Advance on Ticonderoga — Retreat of St. Clair — Death of Colonel Francis — Greenleaf's journal — Colonel Francis's watch restored to his mother — Concentration of American forces at Fort Edward — Burgoyne's halt at Skeensboro — Murder of Jane McCrea — The modern narrative — The popular version — Letter of Gates to Burgoyne — The reply of the latter 117

Chapter X

Action of Vermont and New Hampshire upon the fall of Ticonderoga — Orders of General Stark — Resolves in Congress — Schuyler's judicious measures — General Burgoyne's second proclamation — Vain appeal of Major Skeene — General Stark's insubordination — Resolution of censure in Congress — British attempt to secure the stores at Bennington — Battle of Bennington^ Attack on Colonel

Baum's entrenchments — Complete success of General Stark — Renewal of the engagement by Colonels Warner and Breyman — Defeat of the latter — Important effects upon the American cause — Extract from Burgoyne's instructions to Colonel Baume — General Burgoyne's opinion of the people of the New Hampshire grants — Appointment of Gates to supersede Schuyler — General Gates arrives at Stillwater — Battle of Stillwater, or Behmu's Heights — Victory claimed by both parties, but the real advantage with the Americans — Battle of the 7th October — General Burgoyne retreats to Saratoga — Capitulation of Burgoyne , Page 13c

Chapter XI

Delay in the organization of the Vermont state government — Reassembling of the convention — Recognition by New Hampshire — First election of assemblymen — Continued opposition of New York — Proclamation of Governor Clinton — Steady course of Vermont — Answer of Ethan Allen to Governor Clinton — Constitution of Vermont — Its original features — Modifications — Simple forms of legislation — Governor Chittenden — Anecdote of the Landlord Governor — Biographical notice — Summary of his character — First meeting of the Vermont legislature — Embarrassing proposals from sixteen towns in New Hampshire — Adjournment of the legislators to consult their constituents — The sixteen towns received into union — Remonstrance of New Hampshire — Appeals to Congress — Colonel Ethan Allen visits Philadelphia to consult with the members — New York difiiculty — Vermont hesitates to perfect the union — Secession of a portion of her legislators — They convene to form a new state — Vermont cuts off the sixteen towns — New Hampshire and New York each claim the whole of her territory — Interference of Massachusetts 150

Chapter XII

Trouble witli the adherents of New York ia Vermont — Contrast between the New York and Vermont claimants — Principles involved in the dispute — Vermont Congregationalists — Wallumsehaick — Tenure of Rev. Godfrey Dellius — Convention of "Yorkers" at Brattleboro — Petition to the governor of New York — Military organization — The New York officers captured by Ethan Allen — Appeals to Congress — Commissioners appointed by Congress — New York and New Hampshire authorize Congress to adjudicate between them— Massachusetts declines — Vermont makes an appeal to the world — Extracts from that document — Congress censures Vermont by resolution — Governor Chittenden's reply — Sagacity of Vermont' statesmen — Agents from Vermont sent to observe the proceedings of Congress — Their withdrawal and protest — Indefinite postponement of the matter by Congress — Indian forays — False alarm Page 169

Chapter XIII

Vermont assumes the aggressive — Convention of New Hampshire towns — Second union with Vermont — Union of New York towns with Vermont — Causes which led to this state of things — British overtures to Ethan Allen — Cessation of hostilities to exchange prisoners — Commissioners appointed to arrange the terms — Other business before the commissioners — Ethan Allen encloses the British letters to Congress — Extracts from his letter to that body — Renewal of the negotiations for " exchange of prisoners" — Colonel Ira Allen's three weeks in Canada — Interesting documents — British instructions — Green Mountain diplomacy — Ira Allen's commission — His report to the Vermont assembly — Secret correspondence — Lord Germain's letter to Clinton — Impatience of the British agents — The constitution of the new royal province agreed upon by Colonel Allen and Major Fay — The British demand the new government of Vermont should be proclaimed — Colonel Allen assents on condition of some further delay — The British appear on Lake Champlain provided with proclamations — They send an apology for killing an American soldier — Suspense and curiosity of the American soldiers and citizens — Commotion in Governor Chittenden's office — A dilemma — Skilful escape — Surrender of Cornwallis — Retirement of the British into Canada Page 185

Chapter XIV

Action of Congress in relation to Vermont — Conditions proposed preliminary to her admission into the Union — Protest of Vermont against the action of Congress, and refusal of Vermont to comply — Message of General "Washington to Governor Chittenden — The governor's reply — Threatened disturbances — Letter of General Washington to Governor Chittenden — Vermont recedes from her refusal — Congress fails to perform its conditional promise — Protest of the agents of Vermont — Indignation in Vermont at the evasive course of Congress — British overtures still continued — Remarks of Dr. Williams upon the Canadian correspondence — Disturbances in Windham county — Appeals to Congress — Resolutions of censure passed by that body — Vermont menaced by Congress — Spirited remonstrance of Vermont — Disturbances in Guilford — Martial law — Ethan Allen's proclamation — The "Yorkers" driven out — Death of Colonel Seth Warner — Remarks upon his life and character 206

CONTEXTS. 17

Chapter XV

Condition of Vermont in 1783 — Continued prosperity — Federal constitution, 1788 — Adjustment of the difficulty with New York, 1790 — The close of the Continental Congress — The new Congress and its services — Prosperous condition of the country — Population of Vermont at different periods — Death of Colonel Ethan Allen — Remarks upon his character — Observations of Colonel Graydon respecting him — His personal appearance — His style of conversation — General Washington's opinion of him — Colonel Allen as a man of honour — His rebuke to the lawyer Page 222

Chapter XVI

Vermont from 1791 to 1814 — Reservation of lands for religious and educational purposes — Foundation of Vermont school fund — University of Vermont — Donation from the state — Endowment by individual subscription — Liberality of Ira Allen — College buildings and library — Middlebury and Norwich colleges — Medical schools — -Academies and common schools — Care of the early settlers for the education of their children — Its practical direction — Remarks of Dr. Williams — Ira Allen — Notices of his life — His History of Vermont — Governor Chittenden's quiet policy — Election of Governor Tichenor — Introduction of gubernatorial messages and replies by the legislature — Decided Federal majority — The Democrats elect their governor in 1807 — Tichenor re-elected in 1808 — The Democrats again successful in 1809 — Their candidate re-elected for five years — Party excitement increases — Declaration of war with Great Britain — Strong measures of the Democratic majority — Political revolution — Displacement of the Democrats — Election of Martin Chittenden — Repeal of the

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18 CONTEXTS.

Democratic war measures — Capitulation of Hull — Destruction of stores at Plattsburg — Abortive attempt to invade Canada — Governor Chittenden recalls the Vermont militia — Battle of Lake Erie — Chippewa and and Lundy's Lane — Battle of Plattsburg — Defeat and death of Captain Downie, and retreat of Sir George Prevost Page 234

CHAPTER XVIL

Re-election of Governor Chittenden — His annual address — Vermont refuses to send delegates to the Hartford Convention — The victors of Plattsburg complimented for their services — Grant of land to McDonough — Treaty of Ghent — Review of the war — Honesty of the war and peace parties — Statistics of Vermont — Population, agriculture, manufactures — Cotton, wool, and iron — The lumber business — Miscellaneous statistics — Inland navigation — Railroads — Banks — Benevolent institutions — State income and expenditure — Religious denominations — Closing remarks. 251

HISTORY OF YERMONT.

Chapter I

Samuel Champlain — Indian tribes and their wars — Character of French colonization — Champlain's alliance with the Algonquins — Hostility of the Iroquois — French missionaries — liake Champlain — First permanent settlement in Vermont — Crown Point erected by the French — Opening of the New Hampshire grants — Increase of emigration — Steady progress of settlement.

The long and irregular lake which forms the western boundary of the State of Vermont, bears the name of the European who earliest explored any portion of its territory, Samuel Champlain, the first successful founder of French settlements in North America. He was for man}'- years the governor of New France, as the French Canadian possessions were called ; and he has left behind him a monument which has survived the last trace of French dominion on this continent. He published a curious Avork entitled "Voyages and Travels in New France," or Canada. It possessed sufficient interest to call for a modern reprint ; and in 1838, more than two hundred years from its first appearance, was republished in Paris.

Champlain's observations on the aborigines were so exact that his successors have in few cases found reason to depart from his conclusions. Perhaps we should except such writers as invest the American Indian with imaginary traits of impossible heroism, and with savage virtues of a higher than the civilized standard. He rtoords a very minute account of their shocking barbarities to their prisoners, of which he was, most probably, the first European witness. And he gives us relations of their garrulity and nimble-tongued vituperations and rejoinders, which contrast very strongly with the dramatic Indian, reserved and dignified. He describes hostile Indian nations making ready for a fight at dawn by dancing in hearing of each other, and preparing themselves for the encounter by a whole night of mutual reviling ; and when, by the aid of European strategy, he had enabled an Indian besieging force to take a position commanding the enemy's entrenchment, the martial Frenchman was astonished to find the siege delayed while the combatants hurled curses at each other.

From various causes the French coalesced with the Indians better than any other colonists have done. There was less repugnance of race and caste between them. And the wisdom of the Jesuits, who were efi'ective leaders in all French intercourse with the Indians, procured a

1608.] FRENCH COLONIZATION. 21

clause in the charters which performed wonders for French enterprise. Every convert, upon baptism, became ipso facto a French subject. He was entitled to equal privileges with the colonists. He was identified with their success, and bound to them by much stronger ties than the subsidies of the English could ever purchase. Whatever may be charged against the Jesuits, their heroism and self-denial cannot be gainsaid^ and, without entering into a discussion of the matter of their teaching as compared with that of the Protestant missionaries, they certainly made firmer temporal allies of their Indian converts.

With all his sagacity, Champlain's love of adventure led him into a capital error ; a mistake which did not cease to operate until the French were entirely dispossessed of Canada. He sought a north-west passage to Cathay — a problem which, even unto the present day, promotes incidental benefits to commerce and geographical knowledge, without any approach to its own solution. The error to which we refer, was that of espousing the quarrel of one Indian tribe or family of tribes against another. The Indians who held the lands on the Atlantic were the Algonquins. From Lake Champlain, as far west as^uron, the warlike Iroquois, sometimes called, the Six Nations, were in possession. Champlain, on condition of being guided through the territories of tliese fierce tribes, readily undertook to aid the Algonquins in their wars against them. His visit to Lake Champhiin and Lake George, which took place in 1609, was made under such unlucky auspices ; and the first knowledge which the Iroquois had of the French was as the allies of their hereditary enemies. Three Frenchmen only appear to have been present, but their arquebuses decided the day in favour of the Algonquins ; and this commencement entailed persecution and death'ipon many an unfortunate missionary, and provoked the L'oquois to adhesion to the Dutch and English in New^ York.

Vermont was not in the path to Cathay, and the French seem to have paid little heed to the territory of the future fourteenth state in the American confederacy. The French missionaries and explorers were confined to the north of the St. LawTcnce, and north and west of the Lakes Erie and Ontario. They were in friendly relations with the Ifdians near Lake Superior, while they could not venture upon the Ontario or Erie; and their unceasing wars with the Mohawks forced their missionaries to run the gauntlet through fierce tribes before they could reach their stations near Lake Huron. These Mohawks were Iroquois, the tribe whose first acquaintance with the French we have mentioned as derived

1724.] FIRST SETTLEMENT. 23

from their fire-arms, which scattered death in a new and wonderful manner.

Lake Champlain divided the country of the Iroquois and the Algonquins. Its waters, as thev had been before Champlain saw them, still remained the highway of war parties for nearly two hundred years. Yermont west of the mountains was uninhabitable. Even the savages avoided it for any purpose of permanent residence ; and it merited the name which has been given to another portion of our continent, '' The Dark and Bloody Ground." English and French expeditions followed the old war-paths, guided by savage allies; and the Hudson River and Lakes George and Champlain seemed practically useful only as military avenues. In 1760, when the French lost Canada, this state of things ceased ; but Lake Champlain was again the scene of hostilities during the revolutionary period, and during the second war between the United States and Great Britain.

It does not come within our scope to give the details of the murderous Indian conflicts of which the territory of Vermont was the theatre before its settlement. Many of these events belong to the history of another state, and are there treated. The first permanent settlement in Vermont was made in 1724, in its southeastern corner, on the land now embraced within the town of Brattleborough. This post was

24 HISTORY OF VERMOXT. [1760.

called Fort Dummer, and was supposed to be within the jurisdiction of Massachusetts. The French, in 1731, made a settlement on Lake Champlain, within the limits of the present town of Addison. They also established on the opposite or New York shore, a fortress which they called St. Frederick, but which was afterward known as Crown Point. In 1759, Crown Point and the settlements on the Vermont side were abandoned by the French, who retreated to Canada before the victorious arms of Lord Amherst. No European settlements now remained in Vermont, except a few in the southeast corner, which had been undertaken under the protection of New Hampshire. The land still remained in its primeval wilderness. But a military road from Charlestown, in New Hampshire, to Crown Point, crossing the territory of the present State of Vermont, had apprized the public of the character and value of the land ; and when the French war was ended, in 1760, there were abundance of applicants for tracts. Vermont, so long closed to emigrants, now became a land of promise, and population flowed toward it with what was then considered great rapidity. The spirit of the hostile Indians had been subdued by several exemplary inflictions, the ferocity of which can only be excused by the exasperation which the borderers felta2;ainst a ruthless foe, with whom no argument except force seemed to avail.

1760.] BOUNDARY LINE. 25