Ethan Allen was a key leader in the American Revolutionary War and fought for Vermont’s incorporation as a separate state. He led the Green Mountain Boys and, with Benedict Arnold, raided British outposts to provide resources for colonial forces. Allen continued to fight for Vermont’s recognition as an independent state and even negotiated with Canada. He died before Vermont became a state, but was honored as a pioneer in statehood.
Considered one of the key leaders in the American Revolutionary War effort, as well as a fighter for the incorporation of Vermont as a separate state within the United States of America, Ethan Allen left a permanent impression on the nation’s history.
Born on January 21, 1738, Ethan Allen was a great man who was thought to have a large and colorful vocabulary, which he used often. While his choice of verbiage often tended towards the layman, Allen was also an articulate speaker with the ability to captivate audiences with his oral presentations. After serving in the colonial militia during the French and Indian War, Allen settled in present-day Vermont.
At the time, the land was the subject of much dispute, with the Colony of New York claiming the rights and New Hampshire also claiming the territory as their own. Ethan Allen soon distinguished himself as the leader of a dissenting militia called the Green Mountain Boys. The group had enough public support to lead to the creation of a Vermont Republic which would later become a state of the Union. Meanwhile, however, the New York governor issued a warrant for Allen’s arrest, with a substantial reward offered to anyone who turned Ethan Allen over to state officials.
As the colonies began moving towards independence from Great Britain, Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold teamed up to lead raids on British outposts that would help provide the colonial forces with much-needed resources. Together, they were able to raid and capture Fort Ticonderoga, although there are some historians who believe that the two were actually latecomers to the plot and that colonial backers in Connecticut were actually the power behind the raid. In any event, forces under the command of Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold seized the British outposts at Crown Point and La sur-Roichelieu Island in Quebec. It is commonly accepted that the cargo secured in all of these raids enabled the colonial forces to break the blockade on Boston Harbor which had been imposed by British forces.
After the Revolutionary War, Ethan Allen returned to Vermont and continued his efforts to have Vermont recognized as an independent state by both New York and New Hampshire. When the newly formed Continental Congress seemed to drag its feet on the issue, Allen opened negotiations with Canada between 1780 and 1783, with the goal of joining Vermont as part of a British recognized province. In retaliation, the Continental Congress brought a charge of treason against Allen, but failed to pursue it, as his actions were obviously intended to trigger action on the state issue for Vermont.
Unfortunately, Allen did not live to see Vermont gain state recognition within the Union. Suffering from a stroke shortly after his 51st birthday, Ethan Allen died on February 12, 1789. However, he was honored as a pioneer in statehood when Vermont officially became the 14th state of the United States on March 4, 1791.
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