USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > Wilkes-Barre > A history of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania : from its first beginnings to the present time, including chapters of newly-discovered early Wyoming Valley history, together with many biographical sketches and much genealogical material. Volume III > Part 53
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108
"I would, then, seud to him a person of confidence with this proposal: That his case had been favorably represented to Government, that the injury he had suffered was some extenuation for his crime, and that it arose from the abuse of an order of Council which was never meant to dispossess the settlers on the lands in debate between the two Provinces. If he has a mind to return to his duty, he may not only have his pardon from Getteral Howe, but a company of Rangers, and, in the event if he behaves well, his lands restored.
"On these terms he and his men shall be sent back to Boston, at liherty. If he does not accept them, he and they must be disposed of as the law directs. If he hehaves well, it is an acquisition. If not. there is still an advantage in fin i ng a decent reason for not immediately proceeding against him as a rebel. Some of the people who came over in the ship with him, or perhaps Kay himself, might easily settle this bargain, if it is set about directly."
At London, on the same day that the foregoing letter was written and delivered, Lord George Germain, Secretary of State for the Colonies, wrote to the Admiralty that it was the King's pleasure that Allen and his fellow prisoners should be "forthwith sent to Boston."
Out December 29, 1775, Col. (later Lieut. General) the Earl of Cornwallis and Sir Peter Parker , Admiral of the Fleet, with three British war vessels (one of which was the Bristol, of fifty gutts), sailed from Portsmouth, England, for Cork, Ireland, to convny from that part to America certain troop-ships. One of these war vessels-the Action -- put it at Falmouth and took on board Colonel Allen and his fellow-prisotters, who, on January 5, 1776, were transferred to His Majesty's Ship Solebay; about which time the leg-irons and handcuffs, with which Allen had been encumbered and harrassed continuously from the day of his capture, were removed. In due time the Solebay and her consorts an- chored in the harbor of Cork, and a few days later a gentleman in Cork writing to a friend in America said: "When Col. Ethan Allen, with about fifty other prisoners, arrived in the Solebay two gentlemen went on bead to inquire into their situation. Allen's treatment on the Solebay is far different from the barbarous and cruel usage he experienced in his passage from Quebec. A subscription was hegun this morning to buy clothes and necessaries for Allen."
At Salisbury, Connecticut. under the date of January 27, 1776, Levi Allen (previously mentioned) wrote to Gen- eral Washington as follows: "I have rode some 100 miles in consequence of my brother, Ethan Allen (commonly called Colonel Allen), being taken prisoner near Montreal. * * * I have some thoughts of going to England incognito after my brother. * * * Your Excellency may think at first thought I can do nothing by going to England. I feel as if I could do a great deal by raising a mob in London, bribing the jailor, or by getting into some servile employ- ment with the jailor and, by overfaithfulness, make myself master of the key! Your Excelleucy must know Allen was not only a brother, but a real friend that sticketh closer than a brother. I have two brothers in the Continental army-oue a Captain, the other a Lieutenant."
Congress, on July 22, 1776, resolved that "the several commanders-in-chief in each department be directed to exchange for Col. Ethan Allen any officer in the British service, of or under the rank of Colonel, now [then] a prisoner n any of the. States."
1484
It was not until February 10, 1776, that the war vessels and troop-ships under the command of Admiral Parker set sail from Cork. Ethan Allen and the other American prisoners were on board one of the vessels, and on the troop- ships were seven British regiments under the command of Cornwallis. Owing to bad weather the fleet did not reach the shores of America until early in May, when the vessels came to anchor at Cape Fear, North Carolina. There Parker and Cornwallis learned that on March 17, 1776, the British troops under Howe bad evacuated Boston and set sail for Halifax, Nova Scotia. Detained at Cape Fear until June 28th, the troops of Cornwallis and the American prisoners sailed on that date for Halifax. Colonel Allen was detained on shiphoard until August 5th, when he was transferred to the Halifax jail. Within the next few days he wrote two communications to the General Assembly of Connecticut which are printed in "American Archives", fifth series, I: 860, 928. In the following October the As- sembly adopted the following preamble and resolution:
"It being represented to this Assembly that Col. Ethan Allen, together with about eighteen other natives or in- habitants of this State, having been captivated in the service of this [State] and the United States of America by a party of armed forces of the king of Great Britain near Montreal, * * * have suffered great hardships during their captivity, and are now confined in a suffering condition promiscuously in a common jail at Halifax; and Mr. Levi Allen of Salisbury is now about to attempt a visit to his brother the said Ethan, by whom a supply [of money] may be transmitted to said prisoners, to whom considerable wages are due. Resolved, That the Governor be desired to write on the subject to General Washington, the Continental Congress, or the commanding officer at Boston, re- questing such seasonable and friendly interposition as may be necessary and most likely to procure a speedy exchange of said prisoners; and that an order on the Treasurer of the State be drawn for £120 to Levi Allen, to be paid to the prisoners on account of their wages."
Meanwhile all sorts of inducements were being offered by British emissaries to the leader of the Green Mountain Boys to get him to desert the cause of the Colouists, but he stoutly refused. Finally, early in 1777, he was transferred from Halifax to the city of New York, where he was incarcerated in the city prison presided over by the infamous Provost Marshal Cunningham.
This prison was a handsome and strongly constructed building, was known for some years as the "Debtors' Gaol", and later as the "Provost Prison". Beneath the marble floor of the first story were six dark and damp dungeons with walls three feet thick. The prison itself was horrible, but it had a greater horror in these dungeons, crowded with murderers and the worst criminals, and to which the prisoners in the stories above were consigned at the will of the Provost. During the occupation of New York hy the British, this prison-which could accommodate about 800 inmates- was crowded promiscuously with felons of the worst character, prisoners of war, and others who had incurred the enmity of the British authorities. Although not exposed to the disease and pestilence which prevailed in the holds of the prison-ships in Wallabout Bay, at Brooklyn, nevertheless the inmates of "the Provost" are said to have suf- fered worse things from the insolence and uumixed cruelty of their tyrant, Cunningham. Among some of the instru- ments of torture which he utilized iu "breaking the wills of the stubborn Yankees" were searing irons, the cat-o'-tite-
tails, and a "slow" gallows. The northern half of the second floor of the prison was ironically termed "Congress Hall" by the Provost, because he herded together the bulk of his prisoners in this part of the building. Here they were said to lie so close together on the floor when sleeping that when one wished to turn over he had to awaken all the others and give the word of command for all to turn at ouce.
The Provost Prison stood in the northern part of what, since about 1803, has been called City Hall Park, and for a considerable number of years prior to its demolition in the Spring of 1903, it was known as the Hall of Records.
In November, 1777, Colonel Allen was released from "the Provost" on parole, and allowed the liberty of the town; but, some months later, it being alleged that he had attempted to break his parole, he was again placed in confinement. Finally, on May 8, 1778, he regained his liberty, being exchanged for Col. Alexander Campbell. He immediately crossed over to Elizabethtown Point, New Jersey and, to use his own words, "in a transport of joy set his foot on Liber- ty's ground." As he advanced across the State he everywhere received the enthusiastic acclamations of the people. As expeditiously as possible he made his way to Valley Forge, where Washington then had his headquarters, and there he met Putnam, Gates, La Fayette and other general officers. Congress was then in session at York, Pennsylvania, distant about seventy miles from Valley Forge, and as soon as the news of Allen's release became known at York, the Congress conferred upon him the rank of Brevet Colonel. Taking leave of Washington, Allen set out for Bennington, Vermont, where he arrived on the last day of May, 1778, some days subsequently to the death of his brother Heman. His unexpected and unheralded appearance there was greeted with joy mingled with surprise, for by his old friends and followers, he had been given up as dead.
At Philadelphia, in 1806, the following verses were printed in The Portfolio, referring in part to Ethan Allen, and being based on the story that, while he was confined by the British, he one day, in a fit of rage, bit off the head of an iron nail.
"Whose were those brave and warlike sons, Who at the field of Bennington The vict'ry of the battle won?
Green Mountains'! When Britons did our land assail, Our brethren snatch'd and put to jail, Whose son, in rage, bit off a nail? Green Mountains'!
Having soon recovered his health, which had been somewhat shattered by his long imprisonment, Allen began to renew his opposition to the jurisdiction and authority which the State of New York was endeavoring to exercise over Vermont. In August, 1778. some of his friends in Congress endeavored to have issued to him a commission as Colonel in the Continental establishment, but their efforts were defeated. Relative to this matter Gouverneur Morris, at that time a Delegate in the Congress from New York, wrote from Philadelphia under the date of September 27, 1778, to Governor George Clinton of New York, in part as follows: "Application was made for a commission of Colonel to Ethan Allen, which I opposed. When he was redeemed [from captivity] I moved a brevet rank for him, which was granted, and he would certainly have had a commission [of Colonel] if I had not learnt that he hath lately interfered in opposition to the authority of the State of New York." (See the "Public Papers of George Clinton", IV: 100.)
At Dresden, (near the lower end of Lake Champlain) New York, under the date of November 27, 1778, Ira Allen previously mentioned) issued a printed address "to the inhabitants of the State of Vermont", in which he set forth reasons and arguments for the establishing of Vermont as an independent Commonwealth. At Poughkeepsie, New York, under the date of December 17, 1778, Governor Clinton forwarded a copy of Allen's "Address" to the Delegates from New York in Congress, and wrote concerning the same as follows: * * "The enclosed publication of Ira Allen, Treasurer of the pretended State of Vermont. Copies of it are now circulating through the towns on the [New Hampshire] Grants. This paper is calculated to incourage the inhabitants in their revolt from this State and to persist in their plan of forming a separate Government."
About this time the Legislature of Vermont appointed, and the Governor commissioned, Ethan Allen as Brigadier General of the militia of Vermont. In this capacity Allen redoubled his activities with respect to the controversy with New York, and in the Spring of 1779, at the head of a considerable force of armed men, made a raid across the Green Mountains into the south-eastern end of Vermont. The following letter (see the "Public Papers of George Clinton", IV: 846), written at Brattleboro, Vermont, May 25, 1779, by the local Committee of Public Safety, and for- warded to Governor Clinton of New York, gives a partial account of this raid.
"Being now met for the purpose of opposing the authority of the State of Vermont, we take this opportunity to inform your Excellency that Col. Ethan Allen, with a number of Green Mountain Boys, made his appearance in this county yesterday well armed and equipped, for the purpose of reducing the loyal inhabitants of this County to a submission to the authority of the State of Vermont, and made prisoners of Colonel Patterson, Lieutenant Colonel Sergeant, and all the militia officers except one in Brattleboro. They have also taken the militia officers in Putney and Westminister, with others. Colonel Allen declared that he had 500 Green Mountain Boys with him. We are not a blcto ascertain the number, but believe there is not quite so many who are come from the west side of the Mountains. 'I hey are assisted by a number of the inhabitants of this county. Where they will carry the prisoners we cannot tell. "Colonel Allen treated the people her e with the most insulting language; assaulted and wounded several persons with his sword, without the least provocat on, and hids defiance to the State of New York; declares they will establish
1485
their State by the sword, and will fight all who shall attempt to oppose them. Nothing but the reluctance the people bere have to the sbedding of buman blood could hinder them from attempting to rescue the prisoners. They had every insult which the humane mind is able to conceive of to prompt them to it. Our situation is truly critical and distress- ing. We therefore most humbly beseech your Excellency to take the most speedy aod effectual measures for our relief; otherwise our persons and properties must be at the disposal of Ethan Allen, which is more to be dreaded than Death, with all its Terrors!"
It was during this raid into south-eastern Vermont that Allen, with about 100 of his "Boys", arrived at the small town of Guilford, a few miles from Brattleboro. Some of the inhabitants of this place had manifested opposition to Allen's views and methods, and to them he issued the following unique proclamation: "I, Ethan Allen, declare that, unless the people of Guilford peaceably submit to the authority of Vermont, I will make the town as desolate as were the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, by God!" It is needless to say that submission was soon promised.
Under the date of June 7, 1779, Governor Clinton of New York wrote to General Washington in part as follows: "It is with infinite regret I inform your Excellency that in consequence of some violent outrages lately committed in the County of Cumberland [later, and now, the County of Windham, Vermont], and which the resolutions of Congress do not in my opinion tend to remedy, the duty I owe to the State will soon constrain me to quit the field in order to convene the Legislature [of New York] and to make the necessary arrangements for vindicating the authority of this Government.
"I had flattered myself that in consequence of my representation (that Ethan Allen, baving the rank of Colonel under Congress, had, with his associates, seized and imprisoned the principal civil and military officers of this State in the County of Cumberland), the justice and wisdom of Congress would have adopted such measures as might have prevented tbis State from the cruel necessity that it will probably be reduced to in a short time, of opposing force to force. * * * I have, therefore, to request that your Excellency will give tbe necessary directions for returning within the State the six brass 6-pounders, together with their apparatus, which the State lent for the use of the army in 1776."
On June 23, 1779, the Hon. John Witherspoon and Colonel Samuel John Atlee arrived at Bennington as mem- bers of a committee sent by Congress "for the express purpose of endeavoring to bring about an amicable settlement of the differences between the State of New York and the inhabitants of the New Hampshire Grants who have {bad] formed themselves into a State called by them the State of Vermont."
At Norwich, Vermont, under the date of July 13, 1779, Ira Allen, in a clear and exhaustive printed address of considerable length, presented to the inhabitants of the State "Vermont's Claim to Statehnod.". The document (see the "Public Papers of George Clinton", V: 132) contained the following paragraph: "The State of Vermont is at this time formidable against its old adversary, New York, and has little or nothing to fear from her power in arms or influence at Congress. * * * All governmentaf power was given by God Himself to the people; therefore the inhabitants of the now State of Vermont did associate together and assume to themselves that inestimable bles- ing of Heaven, Civil Government. Tbis they did on the same grand original basis, or great rule of eternal Right, on which the United States of America revolted from Great Britain. The inhabitants of Vermont, for more than ten years last past, have nobly exerted themselves for the defence of their liberties and property, and in the present Revo- lution did most heartily join their bretbren for the joint defence of the liberties and property of the Americans in general."
On October 20, 1779, the General Assembly of Vermont, in session at Manchester, chose General Allen and four other gentlemen, as "agents in behalf of the freemen of the State, to appear at the Congress of the United States in February, 1780, authorized and empowered to vindicate Vermont's right to independence and to settle Articles of Union and Confederation in behalf of Vermont with the United States."
At Bennington, Vermont, July 25, 1780, Thomas Chittenden, Governor of the State, wrote to the Han. Samuel Huntington of Windham, Connecticut, President of the Continental Congress, denying the right of Congress to deter- mine the claims of jurisdiction, set up by the inhabitants of Vermont; and warning Congress that the State would "resist by force of arms, and hold itself at liberty to offer ar accept terms for the cessation of hostilities with Great Britain" without the approbation of any other man or body of men.
"Inasmuch", declared Governor Chittenden, "as neither Congress nor the Legislatures of the States which they [the Delegates in Congress] represent will support Vermont in her independence, but devote her to the usurped Govern- ment of any other power, she has not the most distant motives to continue hostilities with Great Britain and maintain an important frontier for the benefit of the United States, and for no other reward than the ungrateful une of being enslaved by them." Further the Governor set forth the services of Vermont, and argued at some length on the in- validity of the claims of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New York to the territory occupied by Vermont.
Reference is made hereinbefore to the efforts made, or suggested to be made, to win Ethan Allen over to the side of Great Britain. It seemed to be the opinion of some of the British military officers that, owing to the dissensions existing with respect to jurisdiction over the New Hampshire Grants, it would be an easy matter to tempt Allen and his adberents to desert the cause of the Colonies and establish Vermont as a British Province. According to a "Report on Canadian Archives," issued at Ottawa, in 1887, by the Dominion Government, "negotiations with Vermont were begun [by certain British authorities] in March, 1779, and in the course of that year Ethan Allen promised Sir Henry Clinton [commander-in-chief of the British forces in North America] that he would raise a body of 4,000 men to attack the Americans, and that his magazines were ready.
"In consequence of his {Allen's] nearer vicinity, Clinton advised Allen to fall back on Canada and cooperate with and act under Sir Frederick Haldimand [mentioned in the note on page 963, Vol II]. Instructions to that effect bad previously been received by the latter from Lord George Germain in a letter dated April 10th, in which (referring to a letter of March 3rd to Clinton authorizing him to hold nut encouragement 'to the inhabitants of the country they styled Vermont, to induce them to return to their allegiance') he suggests that Haldimand's situation might enable him to have a more ready access to them; that agents were to be employed, and that he (Haldimand) and Clinton were to act in concert. From the first, the strongest suspicions were entertained by these two officers [Clinton and Haldimand] af the sincerity of the Vermont leaders-those who were most prominent being Governor Chittenden, Gen. Ethan Allen Col. Ira Allen and Colonel Fay."
At the City of New York, March 30, 1780, Col. Beverly Robinson (a native of Virginia, but a resident of New York, who had raised and become Colonel of a regiment of Loyalists, or Tories, was prominent in diplomatic efforts to uphold the royal cause, and was closely connected with the treason of Benedict Arnold) sent by the hands of a con- fidential messenger a letter to Ethan Allen, the substance of the same being as follows: That he (Robinson) had been informed that Allen and most of the inhabitants of Vermont were "opposed to the wild and chimerical scheme of the Americans to separate from Great Britain and set up an independent State", and that he (Allen) would willingly assist in uniting America to Great Britain. That if he (Robinson) had been rightly informed, be begged that Allen would communicate the proposal he would wish to make to the British commander-in-chief. That he (Robinson) could make no proposals till he should know Allen's sentiments; but he thought that, by taking an active part and embodying the inbabitants of Vermont in favor of the Crown-to act as the commander-in-chief should direct-Allen might obtain a separate Government, and the men raised would be formed into regiments, with such officers as Allen would recommend, to be placed on the same footing as other Provincial corps. That, being an American himself, and feeling for the distressed condition of his poor country, be bad ventured to write to Allen, and he hoped that Allen would be as candid as he had been. That the reason for the long continuance of the war was that those who wished for an equit- able connection with Great Britain did not communicate their sentiments to each other. That, should these hints be disapproved af by Allen, be hoped no insult would be offered to the bearer of his (Robinson's) letter to Allen
To this letter Allen made no answer, whereupon, at New York, under the date of February 2. 1781, Colonel Rob- inson wrote to him again. to this effect: Believing from what he had heard that Allen was still inclined to join the King's cause "be [Robinson] makes another trial, especially as he can now state with authority that Vermont can get the terms mentioned, provided the people take a decided and active part in favor of Great Britain."
Meanwhile, between the receipt by Allen of this letter and Robinson's former letter, the treason of Benedict Arnold had been uncovered (in September, 1780) and he had fled to the British lines, while Major André had been hanged. At Sunderland, Vermont under the date of March 9, 1781, Allen forwarded to the Hon. Samuel Huntington President of Congress, the two letters which he had received from Colonel Robinson as aforementioned, accompanying them by a communication in which he stated that he desired to have the letters laid before Congress. He declared
1486
hat they were the only letters he had received from Robinson, and that to them no answer had been sent. That they had been laid by him (Allen) before Governor Chittenden, and others of the principal men of Vermont, and it had been thought best to take no notice of Robinson's proposal. He stated that he believed Congress would not dispute his (Allen's) sincere attachment to the cause of his country; though he did not hesitate to say be was fully grounded in the opinion that the State of Vermont had a right to agree on a cessation of hostilities with Great Britain, provided the United States persisted in rejecting her (Vermont's) application for a union with them.
On August 2, 1781, Sir Frederick Haldimand, at Quebec, writing to Sir Henry Clinton relative to the condition of affairs in Vermont, said: "If this [the Revolutionary] contest should eventually point to a favorable termination for Great Britain, Vermont will become loyal and offer assistance we shall not stand in need of; but if, unhappily the contrary, sbe will declare for Congress. Eleven weeks later, on October 19, 1781), the surrender of Lord Corn wallis at Yorktown, virtually put an end to the Revolutionary War. Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.