Ethan Allen
American, 1738 - 1789
Ethan Allen (1738–1789) was an American Revolutionary War patriot, leader of the Green Mountain Boys, and a founder of Vermont. He is best known for leading the capture of Fort Ticonderoga in May 1775, which secured vital artillery for the Continental Army. After being captured by British forces later that year during the invasion of Canada, Allen spent over two years as a prisoner of war. Upon his release, he returned to Vermont, where he unsuccessfully petitioned the Continental Congress for statehood and engaged in controversial, secretive negotiations with the British to preserve Vermont's independence