PAPERS RELATING TO TICONDEROGA AND CROWN POINT. Benedict Arnold to the Committee of Safety. Cambridge, April 30, 1775. GENTLEMEN:-You have desired me to state the number of cannon, &c., at Ticonderoga. I have certain information, that there are at Ticonderoga, eighty pieces of heavy cannon; twenty brass guns from four to eighteen pounders; and ten or twelve large mortars. At Skenesborough, on the south bay, there are three or four brass cannon. The fort is in a ruinous condition, and has not more than fifty men, at the most. There are large numbers of small arms, and considerable stores, and a sloop of seventy or eighty tons on the lake. The place could not hold out an hour against a vigorous onset. Your most obedient servant, BENEDICT ARNOLD. Hon Joseph Warren, and the honorable Committee of Safety. Committee of Safety to the Congress of New York. Cambridge, April 30, 1775. GENTLEMEN:-It has been proposed to us to take possession of the fortress of Ticonderoga. We have a just sense of the importance of that fortification, and the usefulness of the fine cannon, mortars, and field pieces which are there. But we would not, even on this emergency, infringe upon the rights of our sister colony of New York; but we have desired the gentleman who will carry this letter, to represent the matter to you, that you may give such orders as are agreeable to you. We are, with the greatest respect and affection, Your most obedient servants, JOSEPH WARREN, Chairman. To Alexander McDougall, Esq. Edward Mott to the Provincial Congress. To the honorable Provincial Congress, or to the Council of War for the Province of Massachusetts Bay: Shoreham, May 11, 1775. GENTLEMEN: I would congratulate you on the surrender of the garrison of Ticonderoga to the American forces. The affair was planned and conducted after the following manner: a number of the provincial gentlemen of the assembly at Hartford, on Friday the 28th of April, conversing on the distressed condition of the people of Boston, and the means necessary to relieve them, fell on the scheme to take that fortress, that we might have the advantage of the cannon that were there, to relieve the people of Boston. I told the gentlemen, that in my opinion, it might be taken by surprise with a few men, if properly conducted; on which, they desired me, if I was willing to serve my country in that way, to join Capt. Noah Phelps, of Simsbury, and Mr. Bernard Romans, on that design; and furnished us with £300 in cash from the treasury, and desired us to go forward to the upper towns and search into the situation of said garrison, and if I thought proper, to proceed to take possession of the same. On which, we collected to the number of sixteen men in Connecticut, and proceeded forward till we came to Col. Easton's, at Pittsfield; and there we consulted with Col. Easton, and John Brown, Esq., who, after they heard our plan of operation, agreed to join us, and after informing them that we intended raising our men on the Grants for the aforesaid purpose, as it would be difficult to raise and march a number of men through the country any distance without our plans being discovered, Col. Easton and Mr. Brown told us, that the people on the Grants were poor, and at this time of year it would be difficult to raise a sufficient number of men there to take and hold said garrison; whereon Col. Easton offered to raise men in his own regiment for the aforesaid purpose, to join with the green mountain boys; on which I set out with him for the town of Jericho, where Col. Easton raised between forty and fifty men, and proceeded to Bennington, at which place the men arrived the next day. At this place a council of war was called, Col. Easton being chairman, and it was voted, that Col. Allen should send forward parties to secure the roads to the northward, to prevent all intelligence from arriving before us. On Sunday evening, the 7th of this instant May, we arrived at Castleton, where, on the next day, was held a council of war by a committee chosen for that purpose, of which committee I had the honor to be chairman. After debating and consulting on different methods of procedure in order to accomplish our designs, it was concluded and voted, that we would proceed in the following manner, viz.: that a party of thirty men under the command of Capt. Herrick, should, on the next day, in the afternoon, proceed to Skenesborough, and take into custody, Major Skene and his party, and take possession of all the boats that they should find there, and in the night proceed up the lake to Shoreham, with the remainder of our men, which were about one hundred and forty, who were under the cominand of Col. Ethan Allen, and Col. James Easton as his second, and Capt. Warner, the third in command; as these three men were the persons who raised the men they were chosen to the command, and to rank according to the num ber of men that each one raised. We also sent off Capt Douglas, of Jericho, to proceed directly to Panton, and there consult his brother in law, who lived there, and send down some boats to Shoreham, if possible, to help our people over to the fort. All this it was concluded should be done or attempted, and was voted universally. After this affair was all settled, and the men pitched on to go in each party, all were preparing for their march, being then within about nine miles of Skenesborough, and about twenty-five miles on the way we went, from Ticonderoga. Col. Arnold arrived to us from you with his orders. We were extremely rejoiced to see that you fully agreed with us, as to the expediency and importance of taking possession of the garrisons. But we were shockingly surprised when Col. Arnold presumed to contend for the command of those forces that we had raised, whom we had assured, should go under the command of their own officers, and be paid and maintained by the colony of Connecticut; but Mr. Arnold, after we had generously told him our whole plan, strenuously contended and insisted, that he had a right to command them and all their officers; which bred such a mutiny amongst the soldiers, as almost frustrated our whole design. Our men were for clubbing their firelocks and marching home, but were prevented by Col. Allen and Col. Easton, who told them, that he should not have the command of them, and if he had, their pay would be the same as though they were under their command; but they would damn the pay, and say they would not be commanded by any others but those they engaged with. After the garrison was surrendered, Mr. Arnold again assumed the command, although he had not one man there, and demanded it of Col. Allen; on which, we gave Col. Allen his orders in writing, as follow, viz.: To Col. Ethan Allen: SIR: Whereas, agreeably to the power and authority to us given by the colony of Connecticut, we have appointed you to take the command of a party of men and reduce and take possession of the garrison at Ticonderoga, and the dependencies thereto belonging; and as you are now in actual possession of the same, you are hereby required to keep the command and possession of the same for the use of the American colonies, until you have further orders from the colony of Connecticut, or the Continental Congress. Signed, per order of the committee of war, EDWARD MOTT, Chairman of said Committee. Col James Easton, was of great service both in council and action, and in raising men for the above expedition, and appeared to be well qualified to be not only a colonel of the militia at home, but to command in the field. Also, John Brown, Esq., of Pittsfield, we recommend as an able counsellor, and full of spirit and resolution, as well as good conduct. We wish they may both be employed in the service of their country in a situation equal to their merits. I have the pleasure to add, that on Wednesday morning last, the 10th of this instant May, about the break of day, our men entered the gate; till then they were undiscovered, and in the most courageous and intrepid manner darted like lightning upon the guards, so that but two had time to snap their firelocks at us, and in a few minutes, the fortress and its dependencies were delivered into our hands. There are about forty soldiers taken prisoners of war, including officers, and excluding those taken at Skenesborough. Not one life was lost in these noble acquisitions. I am, Gentlemen, in haste, your most obedient humble servant, EDWARD MOTT, Chairman of the Committee of War. Certificate of Col. Easton, and others. Ticonderoga, May 11, 1775. To the Provincial Congress now sitting at Watertown : This is to certify, that previous to Col. Benedict Arnold's arrival to the forts Ticonderoga and Crown Point, a committee sent from the colony of Connecticut, furnished with money for the purpose of reducing and garrisoning said forts, had, with the assistance of eighty men from Massachusetts, and one hundred and forty men from the New Hampshire Grants, marched within a few miles of Ticonderoga, and this morning, at day break, took possession of said fort, and gave the command thereof into the hands of Col. Ethan Allen. Col. Arnold refuses to give up his command, which causes much difficulty; said Arnold not having enlisted one man, neither do we know that he can do so. As said committee have raised the men, and are still raising supplies for the purpose of repairing said fort, taking the armed sloop, and defending the country and the fort, we think said Arnold's further proceeding in the matter, highly inexpedient both in regard to expense and dispute. JAMES EASTON, Committee of War for the expedition against Ti EDWARD MOTT, conderoga and Crown NOAH PHELPS, Point. Benedict Arnold to the Committee of Safety. Ticonderoga, May 11, 1775. GENTLEMEN :-I wrote you yesterday,1 that arriving in the vicinity of this (1) The letter of the 10th of May, was not received by the Committee of Safety. place, I found, one hundred and fifty men, collected at the instance of some gentlemen from Connecticut, designed on the same errand on which I came, headed by Col. Ethan Allen; and that I had joined them, not thinking proper to wait the arrival of the troops I had engaged on the road, but to attempt the fort by surprise; that we had taken the fort at four o'clock yesterday morning, without opposition, and had made prisoners, one captain, one lieutenant, and forty odd privates and subalterns; and that we found the fort in a most ruinous condition, and not worth repairing; that a party of fifty men were gone to Crown Point, and that I intended to follow with as many more, to seize the sloop, &c.; and that I intended to keep possession here, until I had further advice from you. On and before our taking possession here, I had agreed with Col. Allen, to issue future orders jointly, until I could raise a sufficient number of men to relieve his people; on which plan, we proceeded, when I wrote you yesterday; since which, Col. Allen, finding he had the ascendency over his people, positively insisted I should have no command, as I had forbid the soldiers' plundering and destroying private property. The power is now taken out of my hands, and I am not consulted, nor have I a voice in any matters. There are here, at present, near one hundred men, who are in the greatest confusion and anarchy, destroying and plundering private property, and committing every enormity, paying no attention to the public service. The party I advised were gone to Crown Point, have returned, having met with head winds; and that expedition, and taking the sloop, mounted with six guns, are entirely laid aside. There is not the least regularity among the troops; but every thing is governed by whim and caprice; the soldiers threatening to leave the garrison on the least affront. Most of them must return home soon, as their families are suffering. Under our present situation, I believe one hundred men could retake the fort, and there seems no prospect of things being in a better situation. 1 have, therefore, thought proper to send an express, advising you of the state of affairs, not doubting you will take the matter into your serious consideration, and order a number of troops to join those 1 have coming on here; or that you will appoint some other person to take the command of them and this place, as you shall think most proper. Col. Allen is a proper man to head his own wild people, but entirely unacquainted with military service; and as I am the only person who has been legally authorized to take possession of this place, I am determined to insist on my right, and think it my duty to remain here, against all opposition, until I have further orders. I cannot comply with your orders in regard to the cannon, &c., for want of men. I have written to the governor and general assembly of Connecticut, advising them of my appointment, and giving them an exact detail of matters as they stand at present. I should be extremely glad to be honorably acquitted of my commission, and that a more proper person might be appointed in my room; but, as I have, in consequence of my orders from you, gentlemen, been the first person who entered and took possession of the fort, I shall |