Ask men who own those towering trees, Or plant the hillock steep; The school-boys, bounding back from school, Or watching well the sheep; The housewives, where in thrifty homes The generous meals are spread; The sisters, gently handing down The Book when prayers are said; Ask all, who value aught they own, Whose fame all value most?— The flashing eye and flushing cheek Will figure him they boast. FOOTNOTES [1] The British forces, nicknamed “red-coats,” were reinforced after the battle of Lexington.—_Lossing’s Pict. Field Book of the Rev._, vol. i., p. 537. [2] “The provisional Assembly of Connecticut, after the battle of Lexington, concerted a plan to seize the munitions of war at Ticonderoga, for the use of the army ... at Cambridge and Roxbury.”—_Lossing’s Pict. Field Book of the Rev._, vol. i., p. 123. [3] “Ed. Mott and Noah Phelps ... committee to ascertain ... strength of ... fort and to raise men.... Sixteen men went with them.”—_Idem._ [4] “At Pittsfield Col. Easton and John Brown (afterwards Col.) joined them.... Col. Easton by the time he reached Bennington had enlisted forty of his men.”—_Idem._ [5] “At Bennington, they found Ethan Allen ... he sent the alarm through the hills ... about one hundred Green Mountain Boys and near fifty soldiers from Massachusetts ... rallied.”—_Bancroft’s Hist. U. S._, vol. vii., ch. 32, p. 339. [6] Lossing says in all about two hundred and seventy men went on the expedition.—_Pict. Field Book_, vol. i., p. 124. [7] “The men unanimously elected Ethan Allen their chief.”—_Bancroft’s U. S._, vol. vii., ch. 23, p. 339. [8] “Arnold joined them here with a commission from the Committee of Safety in Cambridge, and claimed the right to command. After Ticonderoga was taken, he assumed command, but his orders were not heeded. He then sent a written protest to Massachusetts, but this State sustained Allen.”—See _Lossing’s Pict. Field Book_, vol. i., p. 124, etc. [9] “It was arranged that Allen ... with the main body should march to Shoreham, opposite Ticonderoga; that Capt. Herrick should push to Skenesborough, ... seize all the boats there and join Allen at Shoreham, and that Capt. Douglas should go ... beyond Crown Point and secure all boats that way.”—_Idem._ [10] “With the utmost difficulty ... eighty-three men crossing the lake with Allen, landed near the garrison. The boats were sent back; ... if ... waited for their could be no surprise.”—_Bancroft’s U. S._, vol. vii., ch. 32, p. 339. [11] “As the first beams of morning broke ... Allen addressed them, ... ‘we must ... quit our pretentions to valor, or possess this fortress ... it is a desperate attempt, I do not urge it contrary to will. You that will undertake voluntarily, poise your firelocks.’”—_Idem._ [12] “At the word, every firelock was poised.”—_Idem._