THE RAID UPON COLONEL REID'S SETTLERS.--ALLEN'S OUTLAWRY.--CREAN
BRUSH.--PHILIP SKENE.
But "best laid schemes of mice and men gang aft agley." While these
negotiations were pending, New Yorkers were quietly doing the
necessary work for stealing more Vermont lands. Cockburn, the Scotch
New York surveyor, was surveying land along Otter Creek. The Green
Mountain Boys heard of it, rallied, and overtook him near Vergennes,
and found Colonel Reid's Scotchmen enjoying mills and farms. For
three years these foreigners had been there. In 1769, with no legal
title, they had found, seized, and enjoyed the land, with a mill.
Vermonters had then rallied and dispossessed these dispossessors, but
a second raid of Reid's men redispossessed them. In the summer of
1772, Vermont, seizing Cockburn, turned out Reid's tenants, broke up
mill-stones and threw them over the falls, razed houses, and burned
crops.
The Scotch story is as follows: John Cameron made affidavit that
he and some other families from Scotland arrived at New York in
the latter part of June, and a few days afterward agreed with
Lieutenant-Colonel Reid to settle as tenants on his lands on Otter
Creek, in Charlotte County. Reid went with them to Otter Creek, some
miles east from Crown Point, and was at considerable expense in
transporting them, their wives, children, and baggage. The day after
their arrival at Otter Creek they were viewing the land, where they
saw a crop of Indian corn, wheat, and garden stuff, and a stack of
hay and two New England men. Reid paid these two men $15 for their
crops, the men agreeing to leave until the king's pleasure should
be known. Reid made over these crops to his new tenants, gave them
possession of the land in presence of two justices of the peace
of Charlotte County, and bought some provisions and cows for his
tenants. On or about the 11th of August, armed men from different
parts of the country came and turned James Henderson and others
out of their homes, burnt the houses to the ground, and for two
days pastured fifty horses which they had brought with them in a
field of corn which Reid had bought. They also burnt a large stack
of hay, purchased by Reid. The next day the rioters, headed by
their captains, Allen, Baker, and Warner, came to Cameron's house,
destroyed the new grist-mill, built by Reid (Baker insisting upon
it), broke the mill-stones in pieces and threw them down a precipice
into the river. The rioters then turned out Cameron's wife and two
small children, and burnt the house, having in the two days burnt
five houses, two corn shades, and one stack of hay. When Cameron,
much incensed, asked by what authority of law they committed such
violences, Baker replied that they lived out of the bounds of law,
and holding up his gun said that was his law. He further declared
that they were resolved never to allow any persons claiming under New
York to settle in that part of the province, but if Cameron would
join them, they would give him lands for nothing. This offer Cameron
rejected. While the rioters were destroying his house and mill on
the Crown Point (west) side of Otter Creek, he heard six men ordered
to go with arms and stand as sentinels on a rising ground toward
Crown Point, to prevent any surprise from the troops in the garrison
there. Having destroyed Cameron's house and the mill, the rioters
recrossed the river. Cameron reports that he saw among the rioters
Joshua Hide, who had agreed in writing with Reid not to return, and
had received payment for his crop. Hide was very active in advising
the destruction of Cameron's house and the mill.
Cameron stayed about three weeks at Otter Creek, after the rioters
dispersed, hoping to hear from Reid, and hoping also that New York
would protect him and his fellow-settlers, but having no house, and
being exposed to the night air, the fever and ague soon compelled
him to retire. Some of his companions went before, the rest were
to follow. What became of his wife and children he does not state.
Cameron stayed one night at the house of a Mr. Irwin, on the east
shore of the lake, five miles north of Crown Point. Irwin, an elderly
man, holding a New Hampshire title, told Cameron that Reid had a
narrow escape, for Baker with eight men had laid in wait for him a
whole day, near the mouth of Otter Creek, determined to murder him,
and the men in the boat with him, on their way back to Crown Point,
so that none might remain to tell tales. Fortunately Reid had left
the day before. Irwin disapproved of such bloody intentions, and
said if his land was confirmed to a Yorker, he would either buy the
Yorker's title or move off.
James Henderson, settler under Colonel Reid, deposed that on
Wednesday, August 11, he and three others of Colonel Reid's settlers
were at work at their hay in the meadow, when twenty men, armed
with guns, swords, and pistols, surprised them. They inquired if
Henderson and his companions lived in the house some time before
occupied by Joshua Hide. They replied no, the men who lived in that
house were about their business. The rioters then told Henderson and
his companions that they must go along with them (as they could not
understand the women), and marched them prisoners, guarded before and
behind like criminals, to the house, where they joined the rest of
the mob, in number about one hundred or more, all armed as before,
and who, as Henderson was told by the women, had let their horses
loose in the corn and wheat that Reid had bought for his settlers.
The mob desired the things to be taken out of the house, and then
set the house on fire. Ethan Allen, the ringleader or captain,
then ordered part of his gang to go with Henderson to his own house
(formerly built and occupied by Captain Gray) in order to prepare it
for the same fate. Henderson and his wife earnestly requested the mob
to spare their house for a few days, in order to save their effects
and protect their children from the inclemency of the weather,
until they could have an opportunity of removing themselves to some
safe place; but Captain Allen, coming up from the fore-mentioned
house, told them that his business required haste; for he and his
gang were determined not to leave a house belonging to Colonel Reid
standing. Then the mob set fire to and entirely consumed Henderson's
house. Henderson took out his memorandum book and desired to know
their ringleader's or captain's name. The captain answered: "Who
gave you authority to ask for my name?" Henderson replied that as
he took him to be the ringleader of the mob, and as he had in such
a riotous and unlawful manner dispossessed him, he had a right to
ask his name, that he might represent him to Colonel Reid, who had
put him, Henderson, in peaceable possession of the premises as his
just property. Allen answered, he wished they had caught Colonel
Reid; they would have whipped him severely; that his name was Ethan
Allen, captain of that mob, and that his authority was his own arms,
pointing to his gun; that he and his companions were a lawless mob,
their law being mob law. Henderson replied that the law was made for
lawless and riotous people, and that he must know it was death by
the law to ringleaders of rioters and lawless mobs. Allen answered
that he had run these woods in the same manner these seven years
past [this would carry it back to the year 1766, when Zadoc Thompson
says Allen's family was living in Sheffield] and never was caught
yet; and he told Henderson that if any of Colonel Reid's settlers
offered hereafter to build any house and keep possession, the Green
Mountain Boys, as they call themselves, would burn their houses and
whip them into the bargain. The mob then burnt the house formerly
built and occupied by Lewis Stewart, and remained that night about
Leonard's house. The next day, about seven A.M., August 12, Henderson
went to Leonard's house. The mob were all drawn up, consulting about
destroying the mill. Those who were in favor of it were ordered
to follow Captain Allen. In the mean time Baker and his gang came
to the opposite side of the river and fired their guns. They were
brought over at once, and while they were taking some refreshment,
Allen's party marched to the mill, but did not break up any part of
it until Allen joined them. The two mobs having joined (by their own
account one hundred and fifty in number), with axes, crow-bars, and
handspikes tore the mill to pieces, broke the mill-stones and threw
them into the creek. Baker came out of the mill with the bolt-cloth
in his hands. With his sword he cut it in pieces and distributed it
among the mob to wear in their hats like cockades, as trophies of the
victory. Henderson told Baker he was about very disagreeable work.
Baker replied it was so, but he had a commission for so doing, and
showed Henderson where his thumb had been cut off, which he called
his commission.
Angus McBean, settler under Colonel Reid, deposed that between seven
and eight A.M., Thursday, August 12 last, he met a part of the New
England mob about Leonard's house, sixty men or thereabouts, he
supposed, armed with guns, swords, and pistols. One of them asked
Angus if he were one of Colonel Reid's new settlers, and having been
told he was, asked him what he intended to do. McBean replied he
intended to build himself a house and keep possession of the land. He
was then asked if he intended to keep possession for Colonel Reid.
He replied yes, as long as he could. Soon after their chief leader,
Allen, came and asked him if he was the man that said he would keep
possession for Colonel Reid. McBean said yes. Allen then damned his
soul, but he would have him, McBean, tied to a tree and skinned
alive, if he ever attempted such a thing. Allen and several of the
mob said, if they could but catch Colonel Reid, they would cut his
head off. Joshua Hide, one of the persons of whom Colonel Reid bought
the crop, advised the mob to tear down or burn the houses of Donald
McIntosh and John Burdan, as they both had been assisting Colonel
Reid. Soon after several guns were fired on the other side of the
creek. Some of the mob said that was Captain Baker and his party
coming to see the sport. Soon Baker and his party joined the mob, and
all went to tear down the grist-mill. McBean thought Baker was one
of the first that entered the mill.
However strong our indignation at the New York usurpations, we cannot
read of the violent ejectment of families without a feeling of
repugnance to such a method. Turn to the vivid and romantic account
of Colonel Reid's settlement in "The Tory's Daughter," and remember
that in civil strife the innocent must often suffer. The Green
Mountain Boys' immunity from the penalty of the law for their riotous
acts shows not only their adroitness, but suggests half-heartedness
in their pursuit. Laws not supported by public sentiment are rarely
enforced.
John Munroe wrote to Duane during the Clarendon proceedings:
The rioters have a great many friends in the county of Albany,
and particularly in the city of Albany, which encourages them
in their wickedness, at the same time hold offices under the
Government, and pretend to be much against them, but at heart I
know them to be otherwise, for the rioters have often told me,
that be it known to me, that they had more friends in Albany than
I had, which I believe to be true.
Hugh Munro lived near the west line of Shaftsbury. He took Surveyor
Campbell to survey land in Rupert for him. He was seized by Cochran,
who said he was a son of Robin Hood, and beaten. Ira Allen says
Munro fainted from whipping by bush twigs. Munro had not a savory
reputation with the Vermonters. After Tryon's offer of a reward for
the arrest of Allen, Baker, and Cochran, he, with ten or twelve other
men, had seized Baker, who lived ten or twelve miles from him, a mile
east of Arlington. After a march of sixteen miles, they were met by
ten Bennington men, who arrested Munro and Constable Stevens, the
rest of the party fleeing. Later Warner and one man rode to Munro's
and asked for Baker's gun. Munro refused, and seizing Warner's bridle
ordered the constable to arrest Warner, who drew his cutlass and
felled Munro to the ground. For this act of Warner's, Poultney voted
him one hundred acres of land April 4, 1773.
In 1774 Allen published a pamphlet of over two hundred pages, in
which he rehearsed many historical facts tending to show that
previous to the royal order of 1764, New York had no claim to extend
easterly to the Connecticut River. He portrayed in strong light the
oppressive conduct of New York toward the settlers. This pamphlet
also contained the answer of himself and of his associates to the Act
of Outlawry of March, 1774. Another man was busy this year drawing up
reports of the trouble in Vermont.
Crean Brush, the first Vermont lawyer, was a colonel, a native of
Dublin. In 1762 he came to New York and became assistant secretary
of the colony; in 1771-74 he practised law in Westminster, Vt. He
claimed thousands of Vermont acres under New York titles, and became
county clerk, surrogate, and provincial member of Congress. He was
in Boston jail nineteen months for plundering Boston whigs, and
finally escaped in his wife's dress. The British commander in New
York told him his conduct merited more punishment. A Yorker, always
fighting the Green Mountain Boys; a tory, always fighting the whigs;
with fair culture and talent, he became a sot, and, at the age of
fifty-three, in 1778, he blew his brains out, in New York City. He
left a step-daughter who became the second wife of Ethan Allen.
On February 5, 1774, Brush reported to the New York Legislature
resolutions to the effect "that riotousness exists in part of
Charlotte County and northeast Albany County, calling for redress;
that a Bennington mob has terrorized officers, rescued debtors,
assumed military command and judicial power, burned houses, beat
citizens, expelled thousands, stopped the administration of justice;
that anti-rioters are in danger in person and property and need
protection. Wherefore the Governor is petitioned to offer fifty
pounds reward for the apprehension and lodgment in Albany jail of
Ethan Allen, Seth Warner, Remember Baker, Robert Cochran, Peleg
Sunderland, Silvanus Brown, James Breakenridge, and John Smith,
either or any of them." It was ordered that Brush and Colonel Ten
Eyck report a bill for the suppression of riotous and disorderly
proceedings. Captain Delaney and Mr. Walton were appointed to present
the address and resolutions to the governor.
A committee met March 1, 1774, at Eliakim Weller's house in
Manchester, adjourning to the third Wednesday at Captain Jehial
Hawley's in Arlington. Nathan Clark was chairman of the committee
and Jonas Clark clerk. The _New York Mercury_, No. 1,163, with
the foregoing report in it, was produced and read. Seven of the
committee were chosen to examine it and prepare a report, which was
adopted and ordered published in the public papers. They speak of
their misfortune in being annexed to New York, and hope that the
king will adopt the report of the Board of Trade, made December 3,
1772. In consequence, hundreds of settled families, many of them
comparatively wealthy, resolved to defend the outlawed men. All were
ready at a minute's warning. They resolved to act on the defensive
only, and to encourage the execution of law in civil cases and in
real criminal cases. They advised the General Assembly to wait for
the king's decision. The committee declared that they were all loyal
to their political father; but that as they bought of the first
governor appointed by the king, on the faith of the crown, they will
maintain those grants; that New York has acted contrary to the spirit
of the good laws of Great Britain. This declaration was certified by
the chairman and clerk, at Bennington, April 14, 1774.
It was in 1774 that a new plan was formed for escaping from the
government of New York; a plan that startles us by its audacity and
its comprehensiveness. This was to establish a new royal colony
extending from the Connecticut to Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence,
from forty-five degrees of north latitude to Massachusetts and the
Mohawk River. The plan was formed by Allen and other Vermonters.
At that time Colonel Philip Skene, a retired British officer, was
living at Whitehall on a large patent of land. To him the Vermonters
communicated the project. Whitehall was to be the capital and Skene
the governor of the projected colony. Skene, at his own expense, went
to London, and was appointed governor of Ticonderoga and Crown Point,
but the course of public events prevented the completion of this
scheme.