Deane, Wooster, and Parsons, formed the bold design of seizing these fortresses by surprise; and borrowed, on their individual credit, a small sum of money from the legislature of the colony, to enable them to carry on the enterprise. As success depended absolutely on secrecy and dispatch, it was determined not to encounter the delay and danger of discovery, which would attend their waiting to receive the sanction of Congress; and it was deemed most advisable to proceed immediately with a sufficient quantity of ammunition, in the confidence, that the number of men necessary for the expedition might be raised with more advantage among the hardy mountaineers inhabiting the country that borders on the lakes. For this purpose, about forty volunteers set out from Connecticut towards Bennington, where the projectors of the expedition proposed meeting with Colonel Ethan Allen, and engaging him to head their enterprise, and to raise the men which would be required to aid them in its execution.

Colonel Allen very readily entered into their views, and engaged to meet them with the requisite .number of men, at Castleton, whither they were to repair as soon as the necessary preparations could be made. At this place about two hundred and seventy men assembled, who were joined by Colonel Arnold. This officer had marched to Boston with a body of Connecticut troops, imme$ 4 diately

diately after the battle of Lexington; and without having had the slightest communication with those who had undertaken the enterprise, had engaged the Committee of Safety of Massachussetts to authorize him to raise four hundred men for the same object. He joined Colonel Allen, with whom he was associated in the command, and they reached lake Champlain, opposite to Tyconderoga, in the night of the ninth of May. With some difficulty boats were obtained sufficient for the transportation of the troops; and both Allen and Arnold embarked with the first body, consisting of eighty-three men, who effected their landing without being discovered. They immediately marched against the fort, which was completely surprised, and surrendered without firing a single gun. The garrison, consisting of only forty-four rank and file, commanded by a Captain and one Lieutenant, was incapable of making any resistance.

Tyconderoga having fallen, Colonel Seth Warren was detached to take possession of Crown Point, where a serjeant and twelve men performed garrison duty. This service was immediately executed, and the place was taken without opposition.

At Crown Point, as well as at Tyconderoga, military stores fell into the hands of the Americans, of very considerable value to them in their present situation.

The pass at Skenesborough was seized at the

same

same time by a detachment of the volunteers from Connecticut.

To complete the objects of the expedition, it was necessary to obtain the command of the lakes, which could be effected only by seizing a sloop of war lying at St. John's. This service was effected by Arnold, who, having manned and: armed, for the purpose, a schooner found in South Bay, surprised the sloop, and took possession of it without opposition.

Thus, by the enterprise of a few individuals, and without the loss of a single man, were acquired the very important ports of Tyconderoga and Crown Point, with the command of the lakes on which they stand. Nor was it among the smallest of the advantages attending the expedi-. tion, that the success with which it was crowned,' tended to raise still higher the confidence which the Americans felt in themselves,

Intelligence of the capture of Tyconderoga was immediately communicated, by an express, to Congress, then just assembled at Philadelphia; and the resolution entered into in consequence of that event, furnishes strong evidence of the solicitude felt by that body, to exonerate the government, in the opinion of the people at large, from all suspicion of aggression, or of provoking a continuance of the war beyond the limits of selfdefence. Indubitable evidence was asserted to

have been received, of a design formed by the British ministry for a cruel invasion of the colonies from the province of Canada, for the purpose of destroying their lives and liberties; and it was averred that some steps had actually been taken to carry this design into execution. To a justifiable desire of securing themselves against so heavy a calamity, was attributed the seizure of that post by the neighbouring inhabitants; and it was recommended to the committees of New York and Albany, immediately to take measures for the removal of the cannon and military stores from Tyconderoga to some place on the south end of lake George, there to be preserved in safety. An exact inventory of the stores thus removed, was directed to be taken, "in order that they might be safely returned, when the restoration of the former harmony between Great Britain and the colonies, so ardently wished for by the latter, should render it prudent and consistent with the over-ruling law of self-preservation.”

Measures, however, were afterwards adopted to maintain the posts which had been taken; but probably from an apprehension that their having thus seized the keys of Canada, might alarm the people of that province, and have some tendency to impress them with sentiments of hostility towards the united colonies, a resolution was soon afterwards entered into, declaring, that as Congress

gress had nothing more in view than the defence of the colonies, no expedition or incursion ought to be undertaken, or made by any colony, or body of colonists, against or into Canada.

This resolution was translated into the French language, and transmitted to the people of that province, accompanied by a letter, in which

all

* "To the oppressed Inhabitants of Canada.

"Friends and Countrymen!

"Alarmed by the designs of an arbitrary ministry to extirpate the rights and liberties of all America, a sense of common dan ger conspired with the dictates of humanity, in urging us to call your attention, by our late Address, to this very important object.

"Since the conclusion of the late war, we have been happy in considering you as fellow-subjects; and from the commencement of the present plan for subjugating the Continent, we have viewed you as fellow-sufferers with us. As we were both entitled by the bounty of an indulgent Creater to freedom, and being both devoted by the cruel edicts of a despotic administration to common ruin, we perceived the fate of the protestant and catholic colonies to be strongly linked together, and therefore invited you to join with us in resolving to be free, and in rejecting, with disdain, the fetters of slavery, however artfully polished.

"We most sincerely condole with you on the arrival of that day, in the course of which the sun could not shine on a single freeman in all your extensive dominion. Be assured, that your unmerited degradation has engaged the most unfeigned pity of your sister colonics; and we flatter ourselves you will

not,