transparent gif - 0.0K

Green Mountain Boys

The flag of the Green Mountain Boys was green to represent the name they called themselves by and had thirteen stars to represent each of the colonies they fought for.

Most of the Green Mountain Boys came from Vermont. They were groups of men carrying arms who were led by Ethan Allen. They were vigilantes who that used threats, intimidation, and violence first to keep the New Hampshire Grants, which is now land in the State of Vermont, from becoming part of New York. They later used this strategy in the Revolutionary War.

Their first major battle of the war was on May 10, 1775 when they invaded Fort Ticonderoga in New York and under the leadership of Ethan Allen captured the fort from the British. They demanded the surrender of the sleeping British soldiers "in the name of the great Jehovah and the Continental Congress." With the fort they captured cannons and mortars that were sent to New England where they were used on the heights of Boston Harbor. These cannons and mortars played a big part in forcing the British to leave Boston Harbor.

Later in 1775, when General Schuyler and General Montgomery asked them to join the Canadian invasion, they refused. When Ethan Allen tried to convince them to go, they chose Seth Warner to be their leader.

On August 16, 1777, the Green Mountain Boys fought under General John Stark at the Battle of Bennington. This was a very important victory for the Continentals.