I’m sorry to admit that, as a Midwesterner, the name Ethan Allen mostly reminded me of furniture but he really was so much more. Vermont is a beautiful state with a rich history, and it’s the perfect destination for history buffs and nature lovers alike. In addition to learning about Ethan Allen and the American Revolution, visitors can explore the state’s stunning natural scenery, including the Green Mountains and Lake Champlain.
Getting There
Location: Burlington, VT
Transport: Fly into Burlington’s airport (BVT) on small or major carriers like American, United, or Delta. Car rental is easy at the airport and you’ll want a car to explore the surrounding area.
Who was Ethan Allen?
Ethan Allen was born in Connecticut in 1738. He grew up on the colony’s frontier where his father became a fairly wealthy landowner. He volunteered for the militia in 1757 as part of the French & Indian War but did not end up participating in much of the fighting.
As an adult, he inoculated himself against smallpox, which upset the local counsel as they had repeatedly warned him not to do so without their consent. He celebrated his vaccination at a local tavern, where he unleashed a barrage of profanity against the council who had told him he needed permission. Ironically, it wasn’t breaking the inoculation law that he was taken to court over. Instead, it was his display of indecency and blasphemy that he was called upon to defend. Historians haven’t found records of the proceedings, but he seems to have escaped severe punishment.
The episode soured his impression of Connecticut and he eventually bought a land grant from New Hampshire and moved his family to the area around modern day Burlington.
Enter the Green Mountain Boys
Upon visiting the Ethan Allen Homestead Museum, I learned both New Hampshire and New York claimed the land now known as Vermont! Both states felt they owned the land and would grant competing property rights to the residents.
New Hampshire grant owners (like Allen) would often be harassed from settlers claiming ownership of the land from New York. Allen organized the Green Mountain Boys, an unofficial, unauthorized militia in the late 1760’s to defend property rights granted by New Hampshire. New York regulators were furious at their antics. Thus, Allen and his crew disrupted government efforts even before the Revolution!
At the outbreak of the Revolution, the Green Mountain Boys signed on quickly, thinking this may be their opportunity to negotiate a separation and statehood for what would become Vermont. Their biggest contribution came in May 1775, when fewer than 100 men, under joint command of Ethan Allen and, future blaggard himself, Benedict Arnold, captured the British fort at Ticonderoga.
The Americans Capture Fort Ticonderoga, May 1775
The French built Fort Ticonderoga to defend their property in Canada. However, British forces captured the fort three years later during the French & Indian War. It was the bloodiest known battle in North America until the US Civil War.
The Green Mountain Boys (and Arnold) rowed across Lake Champlain early in the morning of May 10 and surprised an understaffed garrison, quickly overtaking the site.
The capture of Fort Ticonderoga was a tremendous boost for the Americans early in the war, and the canons recovered from the site were later moved to Boston to relieve the siege there. The heroic efforts of Henry Knox to accomplish that task will get its own post someday!
Allen’s leadership and bravery inspired many others to join the fight for independence, and his name became synonymous with the spirit of the American Revolution.
Aftermath of Capturing Ticonderoga
Benedict Arnold was less than impressed by the conduct of the Green Mountain Boys following their victory. They proceeded to get drunk and have a giant party (frat boys!) and refused to listed to Arnold. One story I heard at the site was that Washington reportedly enticed Allen to capture the fort with the promise of whatever alcohol it contained. Allen and his men surely took that to heart!
Ethan Allen would later volunteer in General Philip Schuyler’s campaign in Canada. Fans of the musical “Hamilton” will know Philip Schuyler as Eliza’s father and Alexander Hamilton’s father-in-law.
Captured by the British
It was during this service that Allen led a rash attempt at capturing Montreal. British forces quickly captured Allen during the failed raid. The British treated Allen as a prisoner of war. As a result, he endured a forty day Atlantic crossing to serve three years in prison in England.
Fortunately, because he was considered a prisoner or war and not a criminal, he avoided a sentence of death for his actions. Upon his release, he eventually published an account of his imprisonment.
Letter from Ethan Allen to George Washington dated 2 November 1776, written while Allen was imprisoned in England. In the letter Allen shares that he expects to be released soon. Courtesy of the Library of Congress item MSS 44693: Reel 038.
Ethan Allen's legacy
Following his eventual release from prison in Cornwall, England, Allen returned to Vermont, which had declared itself independent from both England the United States. At one point, Allen was a negotiator with the governor of Canada to become part of Canada but nothing came of it. Allen died in Burlington February 12, 1789. Two years later, Vermont joined the United States.
Vermont still celebrates Allen’s legacy today. Visitors learn about his life and accomplishments at the Ethan Allen Homestead Museum in Burlington. The museum stands on Allen’s original farm site he purchased in 1787. It features exhibits on Allen’s life, as well as the history of the area.
I highly recommend visiting at a time when guided tours are available. Our guide was very engaging and did a great job explaining the site and sharing information about the Allen family.
Interested in the life of Ethan Allen? I recommend “Ethan Allen: Frontier Rebel” by Charles Jellison, 1969. Available free online HERE (you may need to register for a free Internet Archive account).
Ethan Allen isn't all there is to see in Vermont!
The State House in Montpelier is about 30-40 minutes from Burlington by car and well worth a visit. The cider and ice cream in Vermont also can’t be beat! Ben and Jerry’s is on the drive between Burlington and Vermont or you can try a creemee from food trucks and stands all over Burlington. Just don’t call it soft serve!
Another ‘green’ active during the American Revolution was Nathanael Greene from Rhode Island.
This shirt captures the struggle of the colonists but their tenacity as well, as Greene reported to George Washington “We fight, get beat, rise and fight again”
