GREEN MOUNTAIN BOYS
The roots of American History run deep in Vermont. The state is known for its fierce sense of independence – and it’s no surprise, really. The trail of independent thought and action stretches back over 250 years.
In the mid-1700s, Great Britain established the provinces of New York and New Hampshire (which was known as the New Hampshire Grants and later became the state of Vermont). The Green Mountain Boys were established in the 1760s as an independent militia organization, gathered together by Ethan Allen and members of his extended family.
They disputed and opposed New York’s attempts to control the region which would eventually be identified as Vermont. When the Vermont Republic was formed in 1777, the Green Mountain Boys became the state’s militia. They were known for their fearless attitude in battle and were fronted by a tenacious leader in Allen.
Many of the Green Mountain Boys went on to serve in the American Revolutionary War. With Ethan Allen at the helm, the Green Mountain Boys captured Fort Ticonderoga at Lake Champlain on May 10, 1775, and also played major roles in the battles at Hubbardton and Bennington.
When Vermont was admitted to the Union in 1791, the original organization went virtually idle. The Green Mountain Boys could have called it a day. But they mustered together again for the War of 1812, the Civil War and the Spanish American War.
Today, the Green Mountain Boys continues as the informal name of the Vermont National Guard, which incorporates both the Army and Air National Guards.