Ethan Allen is captured
September 25, 1775
After aborting a poorly planned and ill-timed attack on the British-controlled city of Montreal, Continental Army Colonel Ethan Allen is captured by the British on September 25, 1775. After being identified as an officer of the Continental Amy, Allen was taken prisoner and sent to England to be executed.
Although Allen ultimately escaped execution because the British government feared reprisals from the American colonies, he was imprisoned in England for more than two years until being returned to the United States on May 6, 1778, as part of a prisoner exchange. Allen then returned to Vermont and was given the rank of major general in the Vermont militia. In 1777, Vermonters had formally declared their independence from Britain and their fellow colonies when they created the Republic of Vermont. Forever loyal to the colony he founded, Allen spent the rest his life petitioning the Continental Congress to grant statehood to Vermont
On September 25, 1780, Benedict Arnold defected to the British, a pivotal moment revealing his betrayal of the American cause. After his accomplice, Major John André, was caught with incriminating documents, Arnold fled his post as commander of West Point and narrowly escaped capture. His defection stemmed from feelings of being overlooked for promotion, financial struggles, and bitterness over his treatment after a court-martial, leading him to conspire with the British to surrender the strategic fortress.
"I have not yet begun to fight!"
spoken by American Revolutionary War naval commander John Paul Jones during the Battle of Flamborough Head on September 23, 1779, in response to a British request for surrender. Jones, commanding the USS Bonhomme Richard, was locked in a desperate and bloody battle with the British frigate Serapis. Despite severe damage to his own ship, Jones refused to yield and continued to fight, ultimately leading his crew to a hard-won victory.
Jones's squadron, including the Bonhomme Richard, engaged the British warships Serapis and Countess of Scarborough off the coast of Yorkshire, England.
Jones's determination led to the capture of the Serapis and was a crucial victory for the American cause during the Revolution, solidifying his reputation as a legendary naval hero
Nathan Hale (June 6, 1755 – September 22, 1776) was an American Patriot, soldier and spy for the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He volunteered for an intelligence-gathering mission in New York City but was captured by the British and executed.
TRY REENACTING!
Do you want to fire a musket, help crew a cannon, or just enjoy an evening around the fire?
Our Units are excited to host folks who want to try out the hobby.
They will supply the necessary gear and clothing for you (and your family) to join us for a weekend reenacting the American Revolution!
What are you in for? Read our “What Re-enacting with the NWTA Looks Like.”