1775.

Ticonderoga and Ethan Allen.

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drawn up on the parade ground inside the fort and in possession of it. Then the Green Mountain Boys gave three cheers in honor of their bloodless victory.

The officers were asleep in their apartments. A frightened soldier pointed out the door of the commanding officer to Colonel Allen, who called out, "Come forth instantly, or I will sacrifice the whole garrison." At this, Captain Delaplace, who had not had time to dress, made his appearance, with his breeches in his hand.

"Deliver this fort instantly," said Allen sternly.

"By what authority?" asked Captain Delaplace.

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'In the name of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress," replied Colonel Allen.

The captain would have said more, but Allen held his drawn sword near Delaplace's head, and the latter prudently determined to surrender. Accordingly he gave orders that the garrison should be paraded without arms.

Thus, before the commander of the fort had learned that the war had begun, he and his entire command of about fifty men were made prisoners. The Americans also secured more than two hundred pieces of cannon, with a very large quantity of other arms, an immense amount of ammunition, and other property, all without losing a

man.

The volunteers immediately proceeded to take Crown Point, where they were quite as successful, and then surprised and captured an armed sloop on the lake. This gave them complete control of Lake Champlain and its forts, which was a great advantage to the colonists. The Continental Congress, whose name Allen invoked, disapproved of the whole proceeding, but subsequent events showed how much wiser were the daring spirits who conceived it, and carried it into execution, than the more prudent and timid statesmen of the day.

On the 25th of May several English ships-of-war dropped their anchors in Boston Harbor. It was rumored that they brought large reinforcements under Howe, Burgoyne, and Clinton, the best generals England possessed. Shortly it became known that Gage now felt himself strong enough to break out upon his rustic besiegers. But the choice of time and place for the encounter was not to be left with General Gage.

On Charlestown peninsula, within easy gun-shot of Boston, there are two low hills, one of which, the higher, is called Bunker Hill, and the other, Breed's Hill. In a council of war the Americans determined to seize and fortify one of these heights, and there abide the onslaught of the English. There was not a moment to lose. It was said that Gage intended to occupy the heights on the night of the 18th of June. But Gage was habitually too late. On the 16th, a little before sunset, twelve hundred Americans were mustered on Cambridge Common for special service. Colonel Prescott, a veteran who had fought against the French, was in command. Putnam was with him, to be useful where he could, although without specified duties. Prayers were said; and the men, knowing only that they went to battle, and perhaps to death, set forth upon their march. They marched in silence, for their way led them under the guns of English ships. They reached the hilltop undiscovered by the supine foe. It was a lovely June night, warm and still. Far down lay the English ships, awful, but as yet harmless. Across the Charles River, Boston and her garrison slept the sleep of the unsuspecting. The "All's well!" of the sentinel crept, from time to time, dreamily up the hill. Swift now with spade and mattock, for the hours of this midsummer night are few and precious, — swift, but cautious, too, for one ringing stroke of iron upon stone may ruin all !