Of the Capture of Ticonderoga: His Captivity and Treatment by the British

In Short

This narrative serves as a firsthand account of the American Revolutionary experience from the perspective of an unconventional militia leader. It begins with the successful surprise attack on Fort Ticonderoga and follows the author’s painful transition from victor to captive. Throughout his confinement on prison ships and in city jails, he observes the moral decay of his captors and the grim suffering of his fellow prisoners. Its endurance lies in the raw, unpolished voice of a man who refused to be broken by humiliation or physical deprivation.

The Story

The narrative opens with a high-stakes moment of military audacity: the surprise of the formidable Fort Ticonderoga in May 1775. The author, leading a group of volunteers, secures the fortress through rapid, decisive action, viewing the victory as a vital strategic asset for the American cause. He emphasizes the importance of controlling Lake Champlain, arguing that this success could have unified Canada with the nascent United States and spared the northern frontiers from further conflict.

However, the tide of his personal fortunes turns quickly. During a later engagement, the author finds himself surrounded by vastly superior numbers. Despite attempting to hold his ground, he is forced to surrender, securing a promise of honorable treatment that the British authorities promptly disregard. His captivity begins in earnest aboard the Gaspee and other vessels, where he is placed in irons and subjected to insults from officers and civilians alike. He describes these years as a descent into the "world of spirits," defined by constant uncertainty regarding his eventual execution.

As he is transported to England, the narrative captures the public curiosity he inspires as a "rebel" specimen. Despite being held in Pendennis Castle and later on British warships, he manages to navigate his circumstances through a mix of defiance and tactical politeness. He records the shifting attitudes of his captors—some treat him with genuine honor, while others force him into the filth of the cable tier. Throughout, he maintains his status as an unyielding advocate for American liberty, even when reduced to wearing a tattered Canadian fawn-skin jacket.

The climax of his suffering occurs upon his return to New York, where he witnesses the horrific mortality rates among American prisoners. He writes with visceral precision about the "scientific barbarity" of the British, detailing how starvation and disease were used as weapons of war. He survives through a combination of physical resilience, occasional "politic" madness to deflect suspicion, and the eventual shifting of political winds. The story concludes with his release and exchange. After meeting with General Washington at Valley Forge—an encounter that marks his restoration to the military fold—he makes a triumphant return to Bennington. There, the man long presumed dead is greeted with cannon fire, and his narrative ends on a note of "rural felicity" and shared toasts to the rising United States.

How It Unfolds

The Capture of Ticonderoga The author rallies his volunteers to undertake a desperate, rapid strike against the fortress, emphasizing that they must act immediately or abandon their claims to valor. They successfully swarm the fort, surprise the sentry, and secure the garrison, establishing a critical foothold on the lake.

The Descent into Captivity Following a failed tactical maneuver, the author is surrounded and forced to surrender, leading to his shackling. He suffers through months of confinement on prison ships, where he is subjected to verbal abuse and forced to navigate the unpredictable temperaments of his captors.

The English Passage Transported to England to face potential execution for treason, the author becomes a subject of intense public fascination. He engages with clergymen and officials, using his wit and moral arguments to defend the American cause, all while remaining anxious about his impending fate.

The Return to New York Back in America, the author is held on parole within the city, where he documents the systemic starvation of his fellow soldiers. He observes the cruelty of his captors firsthand, recording the deaths of his companions and the strategic failure of the British to break the spirit of the prisoners.

The Final Release After years of deprivation, the author is finally exchanged and travels to Valley Forge to meet General Washington. He then completes his journey home to Bennington, where he is welcomed by his community, marking the formal end of his long and grueling captivity.

The People

Ethan Allen acts as the central consciousness—self-assured, prone to "extravagant language," and deeply committed to the idea of American liberty. He views himself as a representative of a "motley" but brave citizenry. His primary obstacles are the British commanders, most notably General Prescott and the "rascally" Brook Watson, whose cruelty he constantly contrasts with his own concept of honorable warfare.

General Washington emerges as a figure of authority and validation. His recognition of the author, after the long, isolating years of imprisonment, serves as the final, necessary restoration of the author's identity as a soldier and citizen. Figures like Captain Littlejohn and Captain Smith provide necessary relief; their willingness to treat a "rebel" with the respect due to a "gentleman" highlights the author's belief that chivalry and individual conscience could exist even in a bitter, systemic conflict. Finally, the "Green Mountain Boys" represent the collective spirit the author seeks to embody—a group defined by their resilience, their impatience with traditional hierarchies, and their reliance on a leader who has "weighed" them and found them "nothing lacking."

In Its Own Voice

"I now propose to advance before you, and in person, conduct you through the wicket-gate; for we must this morning either quit our pretensions to valor, or possess ourselves of this fortress in a few minutes."

The author addresses his men before the daring surprise attack on the British garrison at Ticonderoga.

"I then saluted him with my tongue in a harsh manner, and told him that, inasmuch as his numbers were far superior to mine, I would surrender provided I could be treated with honor, and be assured of good quarters for myself and the men who were with me."

The author describes the moment he negotiated his surrender after being surrounded by British forces.

"I twisted off a nail with my teeth, which I took to be a ten-penny nail; it went through the mortise of the bar of my hand-cuff, and at the same time I swaggered over those who abused me."

The author recounts an act of defiance while imprisoned on a British ship, highlighting his reaction to his captors' insults.

What It's Really About

At its core, this book is an exploration of the fragility of human dignity under the weight of absolute power. The author is obsessed with the concept of the "gentleman"—a code of conduct that he insists must apply even to those branded as rebels. He explores the tension between civilization and "barbarity," arguing that the British, by starving prisoners and denying them basic rights, have abandoned the very moral high ground they claim to represent. The text is also a defense of the American identity, asserting that self-reliance, "natural endowments," and a firm commitment to universal liberty are superior to the aristocratic, arbitrary rule of the British crown. Ultimately, it asks whether an individual can maintain his humanity when every institution around him is designed to strip it away.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate the raw, unfiltered voice of the American frontier will find this book compelling. It is written in the "plain language" of a self-educated man, and it does not shy away from the author’s own vanity or the intense, often bitter, political divisions of the 18th century. Those who admire military history or prison memoirs will find the descriptions of the prison ships and the moral decay of New York City under British occupation both chilling and remarkably detailed.

However, the modern reader should be prepared for the author's period-specific prejudices, particularly his views regarding Native Americans and the "motley" groups he led. Furthermore, the prose is unpolished; the publisher’s original insistence on keeping the text "without any alteration" means that the rhythm of the writing is idiosyncratic, occasionally dense, and deeply personal. It is not a detached, academic account of the revolution, but a furious, proud, and deeply human document. What remains with the reader is the image of a man clinging to his own sense of honor in the face of "scientific barbarity," offering a glimpse into the individual psychological cost of the fight for independence.