The Pictorial Field-Book of the Revolution, Vol. 1 (of 2): or, Illustrations, by Pen And Pencil, of the History, Biography, Scenery, Relics, and Traditions of the War for IndependenceLossing, Benson John
History
The Pictorial Field-Book of the Revolution, Vol. 1 (of 2): or, Illustrations, by Pen And Pencil, of the History, Biography, Scenery, Relics, and Traditions of the War for Independence
Lossing, Benson John
United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783
In May, 1778, he was exchanged for Colonel Campbell,
and returned to his fireside in Vermont. He never afterward actively
engaged in military service. He died at Colchester, Vermont, February
13th, 1789, and his remains repose in a beautiful cemetery near the
Winooski, at Burlington. Ethan Allen was a blunt, honest man, of purest
virtue and sternest integrity. In religion he was a free-thinker, and
passed for an infidel. An anecdote is related of him, which illustrates
the purity of his principles. He owed a citizen of Boston sixty pounds,
for which he gave his promissory note. It was sent to Vermont for
collection. It was inconvenient for Allen to pay, and the note was put
in suit. Allen employed a lawyer to attend the court, and have the
judgment postponed until he could raise the money. The lawyer determined
to deny the genuineness of the signature, as the readiest method of
postponing the matter, for in that case a witness at Boston would have
to be sent for. When the case was called, it happened that Allen was in
a remote part of the court-house, and, to his utter astonishment, heard
his lawyer gravely deny the signature of the note. With long and fierce
strides he rushed through the crowd, and, confronting the amazed "limb
of the law," rebuked him in a voice of thunder. "Mr.--------, I did not
hire you to come here and lie. That is a true note--I signed it--I'll
swear to it--and I'll pay it. I want no shuffling, I want time. What I
employed you for was to get this business put over to the next court,
not to come here and lie and juggle about it." The result was, that the
postponement of the claim was amicably arranged between the two lawyers.
Montgomery's March upon Montreal.--Flight and Capture of Prescott.--
Escape of Carleton.--Mutiny in Montgomery's Camp.
181siderable to say of the character and career of the brutal Prescott,
while commanding afterward on Rhode Island.
The cause of Major Brown's failure to cross, and, with Allen, attack
Montreal, has never been explained. The plan was good, and would
doubtless have been successful. Half carried out, it proved disastrous,
and both Brown and Allen were blamed, the one for proposing, the other
for attempting, such a hazardous enterprise.
After the fall of St. John's, General Montgomery pressed on toward
Montreal. Carleton knew its weakness, and at once retreated on board one
of the vessels of a small fleet lying in the river. Montgomery entered
the town in triumph the day after Carleton and November 13, 1775 the
garrison left it. He treated the people humanely, and secured their
confidence and good will. Finding there a large supply of woolen goods,
he set about clothing his army, so that those who accompanied him
further in the campaign might be prepared for the rigors of a Canadian
winter.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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