ission signed by the Massachusetts Committee of
Safety, declaring that it entitled him to take charge of all the
troops. Now, although I'm not a soldier--the corporal says I never
will be--I've got sense enough to understand that if I enlisted under
Colonel Easton, and was willing he should give way to Colonel Allen so
we might have the Green Mountain Boys with us, the Massachusetts
Committee of Safety have got nothing to do with saying who shall lead
in the battle--though I hope to goodness we shan't see one.

"The corporal says that no committee is going to scare Ethan Allen,
and it's certain, so those of the Green Mountain Boys with whom I've
talked say, that this stranger won't get himself into command of the
company, even though, as is said, he brings one hundred pounds in
money, two hundred pounds' weight of gunpowder, the same of leaden
balls, and one thousand flints, to carry all of which, and himself, he
has ten horses.

"Now, the corporal claims that these things, including the money, are
munitions of war, and that if Colonel Arnold doesn't deliver them over
to Colonel Allen, they will be taken from him, and he, Corporal 'Lige,
I mean, went early this morning to Master Phelps, offering to see to
it that this property was delivered up to us; but for some reason or
other--neither the corporal nor I can understand what--his offer was
not accepted.

"I have heard it said, and the corporal is of the opinion it is true,
that when the council of war was held last night before this gentleman
from New Haven arrived, Colonel Allen was chosen commander of the
whole expedition, Colonel Easton second in command, and Seth Warner
third. It was decided that the greater number of us, with the
principal officers, would march from here to Shoreham--which you know
is opposite Ticonderoga--and Captain Herrick with thirty men would at
the same time go to Skenesborough to capture young Major Skene, whose
father, the governor, is now in England; seize all the boats they can
find, and join us at Shoreham. Captain Douglas is to go to Panton with
a small troop, and get whatever craft is in the water roundabout. The
corporal says he shall be quite well satisfied with this arrangement,
providing the remainder of the plan is mapped out as he thinks right.

"However, nobody seems to know whether Colonel Arnold will manage to
get his commission from the Massachusetts