John Brown - A Stan Klos Biography
BROWN, John, soldier, born in Sandisfield,
Massachusetts, 19 October, 1744; died in Stone Arabia; New York, 19 October,
1780. His parents early settled in Rutland, Vermont. He was graduated at Yale in
1771, and studied law with Oliver Arnold in Providence. After being admitted to
the bar he began practice at Caghnawaga (now Johnstown), New York, where he was
appointed king's attorney.
In 1773 he removed to Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and
became an active patriot. He was sent to Canada to excite the people to revolt
in 1774, and again in 1775. His pretence was the purchase of horses; but the
Canadians remarked that he was a singular jockey, for the horses never suited
him. In 1775 he was a delegate to the provincial congress, and was among those
from Massachusetts who were associated with Ethan Allen in the capture of Fort
Ticonderoga and entrusted with the conveying away of the prisoners.
During July of 1775 he accompanied Allen on his
expedition to Canada, and on 24 September captured Fort Chambly. As he failed to
cooperate with Allen at the engagement before Montreal, the latter was captured
and Brown severely censured, He was present at the attack of Quebec on 31
December, 1775, when Gen. Montgomery fell, and successfully accomplished the
firing of St. John's gate.
Congress, on 1 August, 1776, voted him a commission as
lieutenant colonel, with rank and pay in the continental army from November,
1778. During the early part of 1777 he was actively engaged in the fighting
along the shores of Lake George, and on 18 September, 1777, he surprised the
outposts of Fort Ticonderoga, liberating 100 American prisoners and capturing
293 of the British forces, together with a large quantity of supplies. He then
joined the main army under Gen. Gates, to whom during the following month Gen.
Burgoyne surrendered his army.
Soon after this event Colonel Brown retired from the
service on account of his detestation of Benedict Arnold, whom he charged with
having levied contributions on the Canadians for his own private use and
benefit. He said that Arnold would prove a traitor, as he had already sold many
lives for money. Subsequently he was employed occasionally in the Massachusetts
service, and was a member of the state legislature in 1778.
In the autumn of 1780 he marched up the valley of the
Mohawk for the relief of General Schuyler, but was led into an ambuscade of
Canadians, tories, and Indians at Stone Arabia, in Palatine, where he was killed
with forty-five of his men.
Edited Appletons Encyclopedia by John Looby, Copyright © 2001
StanKlos.comTM
BROWN, John, soldier, born in Sandisfield, Massachusetts, 19 October, 1744; died in Stone Arabia; New York, 19 October, 1780. His parents early settled in Rutland, Vermont. He was graduated at Yale in 1771, and studied law with Oliver Arnold in Providence. After being admitted to the bar he began practice at Caghnawaga (now Johnstown), New York, where he was appointed king's attorney. In 1773 he removed to Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and became an active patriot. He was sent to Canada to excite the people to revolt in 1774, and again in 1775. His pretence was the purchase of horses; but the Canadians remarked that he was a singular jockey, for the horses never suited him. In 1775 he was a delegate to the provincial congress, and was among those from Massachusetts who were associated with Ethan Allen in the capture of Fort Ticonderoga and entrusted with the conveying away of the prisoners. During July of 1775 he accompanied Allen on his expedition to Canada, and on 24 September captured Fort Chambly. As he failed to cooperate with Allen at the engagement before Montreal, the latter was captured and Brown severely censured, He was present at the attack of Quebec on 31 December, 1775, when Gen. Montgomery fell, and successfully accomplished the firing of St. John's gate. Congress, on 1 August, 1776, voted him a commission as lieutenant colonel, with rank and pay in the continental army from November, 1778. During the early part of 1777 he was actively engaged in the fighting along the shores of Lake George, and on 18 September, 1777, he surprised the outposts of Fort Ticonderoga, liberating 100 American prisoners and capturing 293 of the British forces, together with a large quantity of supplies. He then joined the main army under Gen. Gates, to whom during the following month Gen. Burgoyne surrendered his army. Soon after this event Colonel Brown retired from the service on account of his detestation of Benedict Arnold, whom he charged with having levied contributions on the Canadians for his own private use and benefit. He said that Arnold would prove a traitor, as he had already sold many lives for money. Subsequently he was employed occasionally in the Massachusetts service, and was a member of the state legislature in 1778. In the autumn of 1780 he marched up the valley of the Mohawk for the relief of General Schuyler, but was led into an ambuscade of Canadians, tories, and Indians at Stone Arabia,, in Palatine, where he was killed with forty-five of his men.
