rown's conduct as an accuser though respecting him
as a brave man.

I am unable to account for the record which accredits him with
thirteen months' and eighteen days' service at German Flats, New York.
From April 1, 1776, to May 18, 1777, he was Lieutenant-colonel of
Elmore's Connecticut Regiment, which was stationed at Albany and later
at Fort Stanwix. I suppose his resignation from the Continental army
was accepted about May 18, 1777, but, whatever his loyal service in
New York may have been, he again marched in September, 1777, in
command of Massachusetts militia under direction of General Lincoln,
from Pawlet, Vt., with a separate detachment to harry the British at
Ticonderoga and Lake George. On the 18th of September, 1777, early in
the day he made sudden and successful attacks on the landing-place
near Ticonderoga, Mount Defiance, and that neighborhood, demanding the
surrender of the fortress; but this time General Powel, of the
British army, made a manly reply. His captures of men and material
were very valuable. Some American prisoners were released, and a
Continental standard of colors was recaptured and sent to General
Lincoln with much delight. All the joy of conquest is expressed in his
report from Pawlet, Vt., October 4, 1777, but in his letter of
September 20, written at eleven o'clock at night to General Lincoln,
he said he was censured by officers and men for not suffering them to
make a rash attempt to carry the fortress at Ticonderoga, although on
mature consideration he thought it impossible to take possession
without too great loss of life. Here as late as 1777 appears the
tendency of the militia to be insubordinate. He withdrew from Lake
Champlain, and planned the capture of Diamond Island in Lake George, a
place where some German troops were guarding a large amount of
supplies. He had manned an armed sloop and boats, but was thwarted by
the escape of a prisoner and a sudden and violent storm on the lake.
The prisoner gave warning to the garrison, and the result of the storm
gave time for the preparation of a defence, so that after two hours'
hot engagement he withdrew after destroying some of his boats. General
Lincoln commended him highly for the success of this expedition. He
wrote to General Lincoln September 19, 1777, telling him he had given
the men all the plunder to encourage them before the attack, although
"going beyond the letter of the law." This action General Lincoln
approved.

The