The British had given Vermont to both New Hampshire and New York. New York won the dispute but New Hampshire's governor had already granted over 100 townships. New York re-granted some of the same townships but settlers drove out the surveyors. New York kept sending them.
In 1770, the New York Supreme Court said that all of the New Hampshire grants were invalid. Settlers were mad because that meant that they would have to buy back the land because of New York's attempt to enforce its rights. They formed a defense regiment called the Green Mountain Boys and Ethan Allen was appointed colonel. The New York governor declared him an outlaw and put a price on his head.
When the American Revolution started, the Green Mountain Boys and Allen supported the patriots. On May 10, 1775, Allen and Colonel Benedict Arnold led a force of 83 men and attacked Fort Ticonderoga. They didn't have much trouble beating the British and capturing weapons for the Americans.
Allen was appointed colonel in the Continental Army but he played no major role in the Revolution. Vermont had declared itself independent and the British plans of annexing it to Canada fell through with the end of the revolution.
Allen settled in Burlington, Vermont in 1789 and died there two years later, and two years before Vermont became a part of the United States. A statue of Allen represents Vermont in Sanctuary Hall in the Capitol in Washington D.C.
Return to Blue Darter's Guide to the American Revolution
Send us email