The Green Mountain Boys

In Short

This historical narrative details the formation of Vermont as an independent republic during the American Revolutionary era. It focuses on the "Green Mountain Boys," a group of rugged settlers who resisted the legal and physical encroachments of New York land speculators. By chronicling their transition from an embattled frontier community to a sovereign political entity, the book highlights the grit required to sustain a state born of conflict. Its enduring value lies in its portrayal of how humble, self-reliant people maneuvered through the complex, often corrupt, political machinery of the eighteenth century to secure their own future.

The Story

The narrative begins with the "New Hampshire Grants," a series of land tracts issued by Governor Benning Wentworth in 1749. Settlers flocked to the region, carving homes out of the wilderness, only to face aggressive opposition from New York officials who sought to invalidate their titles through legal chicanery. When the courts proved biased in favor of wealthy speculators, the settlers, led by the charismatic Ethan Allen, opted for resistance. They organized as the "Green Mountain Boys," employing force and intimidation to drive off surveyors and officials sent by New York.

The struggle escalated alongside the American Revolution. Recognizing the strategic value of the region, the Green Mountain Boys captured Fort Ticonderoga in 1775, asserting their military significance. Yet, they faced a double burden: fighting the British while fending off the political claims of New York and the indifference of the Continental Congress. When Congress repeatedly snubbed Vermont’s petitions for recognition, the settlers took the bold step of declaring themselves a free and independent state.

The story moves through the pivotal Battle of Bennington, where General John Stark, supported by local militia, turned back a British force and proved the tactical necessity of these frontier fighters. As the war raged, Vermont’s leaders engaged in a dangerous game of "private negotiations" with the British in Canada. By hinting at a potential alliance with the Crown, they effectively neutralized the threat of invasion, keeping their borders secure while the rest of the colonies remained occupied with the war effort.

The narrative concludes with the successful establishment of Vermont's own civil government. Despite being treated as outlaws by their neighbors and ignored by federal authorities, the Vermonters maintained their defiance. Their success is presented not as a conventional victory within the framework of the young American government, but as a triumph of local persistence against the "machinations of the favorites of royalty" and the rigidity of distant, uninterested bureaucrats.

How It Unfolds

The land conflict arises Governor Wentworth grants territory along the Connecticut River, but New York speculators soon challenge these titles. When Ethan Allen attempts to defend the settlers' rights in Albany, he finds the legal system hopelessly rigged against the pioneers.

Resistance takes hold The settlers form a defensive militia to confront New York officials and "kidnapping parties." They use intimidation and direct action to protect their homes, maintaining that they are defending justice against official corruption.

Military intervention The Green Mountain Boys capture key strategic forts, including Ticonderoga, to secure their frontier. They find themselves in a complex tug-of-war as Benedict Arnold and others clash over the command and credit for these victories.

The battle for sovereignty Vermont declares itself an independent state, a move that prompts outrage from New York. Congress dismisses the settlers' petitions, forcing the new republic to govern itself without federal backing or recognition.

Diplomatic brinkmanship To protect their borders from the British, Vermont’s leaders open secret communication with Canada. This high-stakes diplomacy keeps the enemy at bay and proves that these frontier leaders are as skilled at statecraft as they are at warfare.

The People

The narrative is anchored by Ethan Allen, the indomitable leader of the Green Mountain Boys. Allen is portrayed as a man of "robustness of mind and body," possessing a "rough kind of eloquence" that binds his followers together. His primary obstacle is the systemic greed of New York’s governing elite, such as Cadwallader Colden, who represent the corruption of established power.

Seth Warner serves as a steady, vital partner in command, often tempering Allen’s more impulsive instincts. Governor Thomas Chittenden emerges as a key figure in the realm of policy, navigating the delicate negotiations with British authorities. General John Stark is introduced as a reluctant but essential military leader whose victory at Bennington proves pivotal. Unlike the typical heroes of revolutionary lore, these men do not seek glory for a distant cause; their motivations are entirely local. They end the book not as subordinates to a central government, but as the architects of a sovereign state, having successfully outmaneuvered both royalist forces and the political hostility of their fellow colonists.

In Its Own Voice

"The story of the Vermont troubles has one rare quality--the poor hard-working settlers were ultimately successful; and for once the cause of the humble cottager prevailed against the machinations of the favorites of royalty."

The author frames the entire struggle as a rare victory of the common settler over corrupt, powerful interests.

"The Green Mountain Boys were the actual settlers. Each family had its log house in the midst of the clearing, with luxuriant crops of corn and potatoes growing among the charred stumps."

The author highlights the material reality of the pioneers, contrasting their physical labor with the speculative greed of their opponents.

What It's Really About

At its core, the book examines the tension between local autonomy and centralized authority. It argues that the American Revolution was not a monolith, but a collection of distinct regional struggles, some of which—like Vermont’s—were fought against fellow Americans as much as against the British. The work questions the morality of "law" when it is used as a tool for dispossession, suggesting that when a government acts to protect the interests of wealthy speculators over the rights of those who have "carved a home out of the wilderness," the citizens have a moral obligation to resist. It is a study of how a small, determined population can survive by playing larger powers against one another.

Why Read It Today

This account is for those who enjoy the "by-ways of history"—the intense, localized struggles that often get smoothed over in standard textbooks. You will appreciate the book if you are interested in the grit and resourcefulness of frontier life or the complexities of how state borders were negotiated in the 18th century.

The reading experience is earnest and occasionally dry, as it balances broad narrative arcs with detailed summaries of legal disputes and diplomatic correspondence. Readers should be prepared for the author’s strong, unapologetic bias in favor of the settlers; he makes no pretense of objectivity regarding the "Yorkers." Furthermore, the book includes references to period attitudes and occasional flourishes of 19th-century prose that may feel dated. However, the vivid descriptions of Ethan Allen’s defiance and the sheer precariousness of the frontier remain compelling. It is a sturdy piece of regional history that leaves you with a deep appreciation for the "mountainous" independence of the early Vermont spirit. If you want to understand how a state was forged through pure force of will, rather than through the benevolence of a central government, this book provides a rare, grounded perspective.