Letter from Gov. Chittenden to Gen. Washington, Upon The Course And Policy of Vermont in the Revolutionary War

by Thomas Chittenden

LETTER FROM GOV. CHITTENDEN TO GEN. WASHINGTON, UPON THE COURSE AND POLICY OF VERMONT IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

Arlington, Nov. 14, 1781.

SIR, — The peculiar situation and circumstances with which this state, for several years last past, has been attended, induces me to address your Excellency, on a subject which nearly concerns her interests, and may have its influence on the common cause of the states of America. Placing the highest confidence in your Excellency's patriotism in the cause of liberty, and disposition to do right and justice in every part of America, (who have by arms supported their rights against the lawless power of Great Britain,) I herein transmit the measures by which this state has conducted her policy, for the security of its frontiers ; and, as the design and end of it was set on foot, and has ever since been prosecuted on an honorable principle, (as the consequences will fully evince,) I do it with full confidence that your Excellency will not improve it to the disadvantage of this truly patriotic, suffering state ; although the substance has been communicated by Capt. Ezra Hicock, employed by Major General Lincoln, by your Excellency's particular direction, and who arrived here with the resolutions of congress of the seventh day of August last, which appeared in some measure favorable to this state. I then disclosed to him the measures this stats had adopted for her security, which I make no doubt has by him been delivered your Excellency. And though I do not hesitate that you are well satisfied of the real attachment of tho government of this state to the common cause, I esteem it, nevertheless, ray duty to this state; and the common cause at large, to lay before your Excellency, in writing, the heretofore critical situation of this state, and the management of its policy, that it may operate in your Excellency's mind, as a barrier against clamorous aspersions of its numerous (and, in many instances, potent) adversaries. It is the misfortune of this state to join on the frontier of Quebec, and the waters of the Lake Champlain, which affords an easy passage for the enemy to make a descent with a formidable army on its frontiers, and into the neighborhood of the several states of New York, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, who have severally laid claims, in part or in whole, to this state, and who have used every art which they could devise to divide her citizens, to set congress against her, and, finally, to overturn the government, and share its territory among them. The repeated applications of this state to the congress of the United States, to be admitted into the federal union with them, upon the liberal principles of paying a just proportion of the expenses of the war with Great Britain, have been rejected, and resolutions passed, ex parte, tending to create schisms in state, and thereby embarrass its efforts in raising men and money for the defence of her frontiers, and discountenancing the very existence of the state. Every article belonging to' the United States, even the pickaxes and spades, has been by the commissioners ordered out of this state, at a time when she was erecting a line of forts on her frontiers. At the same time the state of New York evacuated the post of Skeensborough, for the avowed purpose of exposing this state to the ravages of the common enemy.

The British officers in New York, being acquainted with the public disputes between this and the claiming states, and and between congress and this state, made overtures to Gen. Allen, in a letter, projecting that Vermont should be a colony under the crown of Great Britain, endeavoring, at the same time, to draw the people of Vermont into their interest. The same day Gen. Allen received this letter, (which was in August, 1780,) he laid it before me and my council, who, under the critical circumstances of the state, advised that no answer, either oral or written, should be returned, and that the letter be safely deposited till further consideration : to which Gen. Allen consented. A few months after, he received a second letter from the enemy, and same council advised that Gen. Allen should send both letters to congress, (inclosed in a letter under his signature,) which he did, in hopes that congress would admit Vermont into union ; but they had not the desired effect.

In the fall of the year 1780, the British made a descent up the Lake Champlain, and captured the forts George and Ann, and appeared in force on the lake. This caused the militia of this state, most generally, to go forth to defend it. Thus the militia were encamped against the enemy near six weeks when Gen. Allen received a flag from them, with an answer to my letter, dated the preceeding July, to Gen. Haldemand, on the subject of an exchange of prisoners. The flag was delivered to Gen. Allen, from the commanding officer of the enemy, who was then at Crown Point, with proposals for a truce with the state of Vermont, during the negotiating the exchange of prisoners. Gen. Allen sent back a flag of his to the commanding officer of the British, agreeing to the truce, provided he would extend the same to the frontier parts of the state of New York, which was complied with, and a truce took place, which lasted about three weeks. It was chiefly owing to the military prowess of the militia of this state, and the including the state of New York in the truce, that Albany and Schenectady had not fell a sacrifice to the ambition of the enemy that campaign.

Previous to the retreating of the enemy into winter quarters, Col. Allen and Maj, Fay were commissioned to negotiate the proposed exchange of prisouers. They proceeded so far as to treat with the British commissioners on the subject of their mission, during which time they were interchangeably entertained with politics, which they treated in an affable manner, as I have been told, but no cartel was settled ; and the campaign ended without the effusion of blood.

The cabinet council, in the course of the succeeding winter, finding that the enemy in Canada were about seven thousand strong, and that Vermont must needs be their object the ensuing campaign, circular letters were therefore sent from the supreme executive authority of this state to the claimina: states before mentioned, demanding of them to relinquish their claims to this state, and inviting them to join in a solid union and confederation against the common enemy. Letters were also sent to your Excellency and to the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island ; any [one] of these letters stated the extreme circumstances of this state, and implored their aid and alliance, giving them withal to understand, that it was out of the power of this state to lay in magazines and support a body of men sufficient to defend this state against the force of the enemy. But to those letters there has been no manner of answer returned.

From all which it appeared that this state was devoted to destruction by the sword of the common enemy. It ajipeared to be the more unjustifiable that the state of Vermont should be thus forsaken, inasmuch as her citizens struck the first offensive blow against British usurpation by putting the continent in possession of Ticonderoga, and more than two hundred pieces of cannon, with Crown Point, St. John's, and all Lake Champlain; their exertions in defeating General Carleton in his attempt to raise the siege of St. John's; their assisting in penetrating Canada; their valor in the battle of Hubbardton, Bennington, and the landing near Ticonderoga ; assisting in the capture of General Burgoyne, and by being the principal barrier against the power of the enemy in Canada ever since. That the citizens of this state have, by nature, an equal right to liberty and independency with the citizens of America in general cannot be disputed, and that they have merited it from the United States, by their exertions with them, in bringing about the present glorious revolution, is as evident a truth as any other which respects the acquired right of any community. Generosity, merit and gratitude all conspire in vindicating the independence of Vermont ; but notwithstanding the arguments which have been exhibited in sundrv pamphlets in favor of Vcmont, which have been abundantly satisfactory to the itnpartial part of mankind, it has been in the power of her external enemies to deprive her of union, confederation, or any equal advantage in defending themselves against the common enemy. The winter being thus spent in fruitless attempts to form alliances, and no advantages were procured in favor of this state, except that Massachusetts withdrew her claim on condition that the United States would concede to the independence of Vermont ; but that if they •would not, they would have their smack at the south end of its territory ; still New York and New Hampshire were strenuously opposed to the independence of Vermont, and every stratagem in their power to divide and sub-divide her citizens were exerted, imagining that their influence in congress, and the certain destruction (as they supposed) of the inhabitants of this state by the common enemy, could not fail of finally jaccomplishing their wishes.

In this juncture of affairs, the cabinet of Vermont projected the extension of their claim of jurisdiction upon the state of New Hampshire and New York, as well to quiet their own iuternal divisions occasioned by the machinations of those two governments, as to make them experience the evils of intestine broils, and strengthen this state against insult. The legislature accordingly extended their jurisdiction to the eastward of Connecticut River to the old Mason line, and to the westward to Hudson River ; but in the articles of union referred the determination of the boundary line of Vermont and the respective claiming states, to the final decision of congress, or such other tribunal as might be mutually agreed upon by the contending governments. These were the principal political movements of the last winter. The last campaign opened with a gloomy aspect to the discerning citizens of this state, being destitute of adequate resources, and without any alliance, and that from its local situation to Canada, obliged to encounter the whole force of that province, or give up its claim to independence and run away.

Vermont being thus drove to desperation by the injustice of those who should have been her friends, was obliged to adopt policy in the room of power ; and, on the first day of May last. Colonel Ira Allen was sent to Canada, to further negotiate the business of the exchange of prisoners, who agreed on a time and place, and other particulars relating to the exchange. While he was transacting that business, he was treated with great politeness, and entertained with political matters, which necessity obliged him to humor in that easy manner that might serve the interests of this state in its extreme critical situation, and that its consequences might not be injurious to the United States. The plan succeeded. The frontiers of this state were not invaded, and Lord George Germain's letter wrought upon congress and procured that from them which the public virtue of this people could not. In the month of July last, Major Joseph Fay was sent to the British shipping on Lake Champlain, who completed an exchange of a number of prisoners who were delivered at Skeensborough in September last, at which time and place Colonel Ira Allen and Major Fay had a conference with the British commissioners, and no damage had as yet occurred to this or the United States from this quarter. And in the month of October last, the enemy appeared in force at Crown Point and Ticonderoga, but manoeuvred out of their expedition, and were returned into winter quarters in Canada with great safety ; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: — " I will put my hook in their nose, and turn them back by the way which they came, and theyshall not come into this city " (alias Vermont) " saith the Lord."

It remains that I congratulate your Excellency, and participate with you in the joy of capturing the haughty Cornwallis and his army, and assure your Excellency that there are no gentlemen in America who enjoy the glorious victory more than the gentlemen of this state, and him who has the honor to subscribe himself your Excellency's devoted and most obedient, humble servant, THOMAS CHITTENDEN.

His Excellency GENERAL WASHINGTON