Chap. 4. 



CIVIL POLICY DURING THE REVOLUTION. 



■ 63 



FLAG OF TRUCE SENT INTO CANADA. 



EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS. 



pie, most miserable, were she obliged to 

 defend the independcaice of the United 

 claimin;r States, and they be, at the same 

 time, at full liberty to overturn and ruin 

 the independence of Vermont. When 

 Congress consider the circumstances of 

 this state, they will, I am persuaded, be 

 more surprised that I have transmitted 

 them the inclosed letters, than that I have 

 kept tliem in custody so long ; for I am 

 as resolutely determined to defend the in- 

 dependence of Vermont, as Congress is 

 that of the United States ; and rather than 

 fail, I win retire with the hardij Green 

 Movntain Boijs into the ihsolate caccrns of 

 the mountains, and wage tear with human 

 nature at large." 



During the spring of 1780, some of the 

 scouting parties, belonging to Vermont, 

 had been taken hy the British and carried 

 prisoners to Canada. On the application 

 of their friends to Governor Chittenden, 

 he, in the month of July, sent a flag, with 

 a letter to the commanding officer in 

 Canada, requestincf their release or ex- 

 change. In the fall, the British came up 

 lake Champlain in great force, and a very 

 favorable answer wais returned by Gen. 

 Haldimand to Goveriror Ciiittenden's let- 

 ter. A flag was at ths'same time sent to 

 Ethan Allen, then a brigadier general and 

 connnanding officer in Vermont, propos- 

 ing a cessation of hostilities with Vermont, 

 durino- negotiations for the exchange of 

 prisoners. This proposal was accepted 

 by Allen, on condition that tlie adjacent 

 frontier of New York should be included 

 with Vermont. The British officer at 

 first objected, but finally agreed to every 

 thing which Allen proposed. 



The governor appointed Colonel Ira 

 Allen and Major Joseph Fay, commis- 

 sioners on the part of Vermont, to nego- 

 tiate the proposed exchange of prisoners; 

 who, soon after, had an interview with 

 Captain J. Sherwood and George Smith, 

 ao-ents on the part of the British. During 

 this interview, the British agents availed 

 themselves of the opportunity to explain 

 their views, and to make proposals for 

 the establishment of Vermont under the 

 royal authority. The commissioners from 

 Vermont received these proposals with 

 some attention ; and, although ti:ey avoid- 

 ed expressing a decided opinion on the 

 subject, the British flattered themselves 

 that they were in a fiiir way to effect their 

 purposes. 



The next year the British entered upon 

 the . business with high expectations of 

 success ; and as the British army in Cana- 

 da was 10,000 strong, and the frontiers of 

 Vermont without any adequate means of 

 defence, it was evidently the interest of 



Vermont not to undeceive them, but to en- 

 deavor to effect that by policy, which they 

 could not do by power. And as the cabi- 

 net council of Vermont believed, that the 

 forces of the United States had been with- 

 drawn from her territory, for the purpose 

 of driving them to seek the protection of 

 New York, they felt that it was clearly 

 their duty, by managing the British at- 

 tempts to corrupt them to their own ad- 

 vantage, to make the best provision re- 

 maining in tlieir power, for the safety of 

 the people. 



In April, 1781, Col. Ira Allen wa« ap- 

 pointed to settle a cartel with the British 

 for an exchange of prisoners. Taking 

 with him one subaltern, two sergeants, 

 and sixteen privates, he started, with a 

 fair wind, on the 1st day of May, and 

 soon arrived at Isle aux Noix, where he 

 was politely received by Major Dandas, 

 the British commander at that post. The 

 cartel was soon agreed to, and the British 

 agents, Sherwood and Smith, now enter- 

 ed upon the subject of the armistice and 

 the establishment of the roj^al authority 

 in Vermont with high hopes of accom- 

 plishing their object. Allen acknowl- 

 edged that the people of Vermont were 

 growing remiss in the prosecution of the 

 war, being afraid that its termination in 

 favor of America, would subject them to 

 the government of New York, which they 

 considered the most detestable in the 

 known world : and that, to such an event, 

 they would prefer to become a separate 

 colony under the crown, and that the 

 United States should be again brouo-ht 

 under the dominion of the British gov- 

 ernment. 



The British agents gave assurance on 

 their part, that Vermont could become a 

 royal colony with privileges equal to those 

 enjoyed by any other colony ; and that 

 they who assisted in accomplishino- such 

 an object, would be suitably honored and 

 rewarded. With such consummate skill 

 did Allen manage this negotiation on the 

 part of Vermont, that without committing 

 himself, he completely effected his own 

 views ; and by leading the British agents 

 to an agreement that hostilities should 

 not be commenced against Vermont till 

 after the next session of the assembly, he 

 succeeded in keeping an army of 10,000 

 of the enemy inactive upon the frontiers." 

 This business was accomplished after a 

 conference of 17 days, and the commis- 

 sioners parted in high friendship ; Allen 

 and his suite being furnished liy Major 

 Dundas with ample stores for their return 



* The militia of Vermont did not at this time ex- 

 ceed 7000 mcn.—.dlleH^s History. 



