Chittenden

BARNEY, Thomas 

Vermont Historical Magazine, No XI, October 1867, pp 832-833

Deacon Thomas BARNEY, the son-in-law of Gov. Thomas CHITTENDEN, was born 
about 1745. Mabel CHITTENDEN, his wife, was born about 1750. They resided 
in the latter part of their life in Jericho [Chittenden County, Vermont], 
with their son, Truman BARNEY, Esq., and his wife, Hannah BENTLEY, the first 
[white] child born in Middlebury [Addison County, Vermont]. Deacon [Thomas] 
BARNEY died in 1828; Mrs. [Mabel] BARNEY died in 1838. We recollect him 
[Thomas BARNEY] well, a tall, strong, grave, resolute man. We have taken 
pains to recover, as far as possible, his account of his famous capture of a 
number of Tory [British] "Cowboys," from those who heard him relate it. 
Better accounts may be in existence, but the following is what his 
grandchildren relate:

Capt. BARNEY's Famous Exploit

A number of Tories, in the vicinity of Manchester [Bennington County, 
Vermont], had been collecting cattle which they intended to drive to Gen. 
BURGOYNE's army. The minute men had been watching their operations and 
learned that they had a number of cattle collected in a back pasture, and 
were anxious to ascertain the time they intended to start with them, that 
they might surprise them in the act. Aware that the minute men were on the 
alert, and well knowing their resolute character, the Tories were very 
cautious and chose well their time, a starlit night, when their movements 
could not be observed at any considerable distance. Up to the very time they 
had kept their secret. The minute men, having so much on their hands, had no 
special spies set on their movements, trusting to the fact that every true 
American man, woman, boy and girl were, to the extent of their ability and 
means, spies on all the enemies of freedom.

The evening the Tories intended to move, no one was a special watcher, except 
a true Whig girl who had a lover whom she suspected of being a Tory, from his 
relationship to some who were generally regarded as such. She was watching 
him as he was doing his most agreeable, and from his appearance, thought him 
possessed of some valuable secret. Of course that was contraband in love, 
and he was obliged to give it up to confiscation, or be banished from the 
Eden of love. Getting hold of the secret, she managed to communicate it to 
another member of the family, and still detain her sweetheart, even to 
unseasonable hours. Of course any one at liberty carried such a secret as 
speedily as possible to one of the minute men. He lost no time in rallying 
Capt. BARNEY and others; but settlers were so scattered that it required 
considerable time to assemble sufficient force to arrest the Tories; so that, 
with the advantage of darkness they seemed likely to escape.

The Capt., however, with two others, speeding on their informant to rally 
more, hastened towards the field where the cattle were known to be. There 
were two paths by which this was usually approached. Directing the other two 
men to take one of these and meet him at the bars, Capt. BARNEY proceeded by 
the other path alone. Before reaching the field, he found himself in the 
vicinity of the body of men of whom he was in search. He soon learned that 
prompt action of some sort was necessary, and resolved to try alone to detain 
them till assistance could be brought up. Being near enough to be heard but 
not seen distinctly, he commanded in a loud and well known voice giving 
orders to a large company of minute men, and at the same time, making such a 
rush among the trees of cockingguns and cracking breakwood as he was capable 
of, commanded the tories to "Surrender or die instantly!" Believing 
themselves surrounded by men whose disposition they knew was not to be 
trifled with, in obedience to his orders they grounded their arms together 
and retired to a seat on a fallen tree, which there was just enough light for 
him to discern within convenient range of the battery which their guns 
supplied him. Taking immediate possession of this battery, he told them that 
to stir from the position directed would be instant death. Knowing him to be 
a man of his word they obeyed, and he detained them there till help enough 
was rallied to secure them all prisoners of war.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly