with every secret way that led into the fortress.  But we found that we hadn’t boats enough to carry all the party over the lake.  Allen, Arnold, Easton, and eighty-three of the men, of whom I was one, had crossed just as the day was beginning to dawn.  To wait would have been too hazardous, as the garrison, if aroused, might make a stout resistance; and we wanted to buy success as cheap as possible.  Colonel Allen resolved to commence the attack at once.  We were drawn up in three ranks on the shore nearly opposite the fort.  Allen then made a short address to us.  He was never a man of many words.  He said he knew our spirit, and hoped we would remember the cause for which we were about to strike; that would nerve the arm of a coward.  He concluded by conjuring us to obey orders strictly, and to commit no slaughter that could be done without.  Then, with Arnold at his side, Allen led us stealthily up the rocks to the sally-port.  I saw the sentinel snap his fusee at our bold leader, and rush into the covered way that led into the fort.  We followed upon his heels, and were thus guided right into the parade within the barracks.  There another sentinel made a thrust at Easton.  But Colonel Allen struck him on the head with his sword and the fellow begged for quarter.  As we rushed into the parade, we gave a tremendous shout, and filed off into two divisions.  The men of the garrison leaped from their beds, seized their arms, and rushed into the parade, only to be seized by our men.  I snatched a musket from a red-coat’s hand just as he was taking aim at Captain Herrick, and made the fellow shriek for quarter, by merely striking him alongside of the face with my fist.  While we were securing the men, Colonel Allen and the boy, Nathan Beman, went up stairs to the door of the room in which Captain Delaplace and his wife were sleeping.  Allen gave three loud raps with the hilt of his sword on the door, and with his strong voice, ordered the captain to surrender, or the whole garrison should be slaughtered.  Our shouting had awakened the captain and his wife, and they sprang to the door.  Delaplace appeared in his shirt and drawers, and recognising Colonel Allen as an old friend, boldly demanded why he was disturbed.  Allen replied, by ordering him to surrender instantly.  Delaplace then said, ‘By what authority do you demand it?’ ’In the name of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress,’ replied Colonel Allen, with the full thunder of his voice, as he raised his sword over the head of the Captain.  This convinced the captain that the wisest course was to comply, and so he gave the order for the troops to parade without arms.  Forty-eight British regulars surrendered prisoners of war, and the fort and every thing in it became ours.  The regulars, with the women and children, were sent to Hartford.  We found nearly two hundred pieces of ordnance, and an immense quantity of ammunition of all kinds and plenty of eatables.  Just after the surrender, Seth Warner,