was educated at Christ's Hospital School and Sidney Sussex College Cambridge, where he took history and philosophy. He holds a Ph.D in philosophy from McGill University. He spent much of his working life in the labor movement, ending his career in 2006 as National Director of Health, Safety and Environment at the Canadian Labour Congress. He is widely published in the areas of workplace health and environmental protection and has published several articles, op-ed pieces and reviews on the Second World War.
"...makes an interesting assessment on Ethan Allen's character and
commitment (or lack-there-of) to the Continental Cause; appearing
instead as staunch supporter of Vermont's future as an independent
and thriving powerhouse."-- "The Colonial Review"
"...a very scholarly book...the history is covered closely and
well, it is easy to be swept up in the fervor of the times. I
recommend this book to those who want to know much more about a
little known but interesting facet of our early nation."-- "San
Francisco Book Review"
"...lays out a three way relationship between Allen, the British in
Canada during the ARW and the Republic of Vermont...delves into
archival sources to reveal how Ethan and other members of the Allen
family were very serious about turning Vermont into a crown colony.
Their efforts came close to becoming an open and public issue in
late 1781...The Ethan Allen who emerges from this 276 page
hardcover book still ranks as an opportunistic war hero. But he was
a unique combination of patriot and betrayer of the public trust.
His Fight was for Vermont's autonomy, not the independence of the
American Colonies as a whole. The businessman, farmer, land
speculator, philospher, writer and politician's greatest success
was as an ardent Vermont seperatists. Allen is justly celebrated as
the prinicipal founder of the Green Mountain State.-- "Toy Solder &
Model Figure"
"...may be the best American Revolutionary War era book to come out
in years... exhaustive research challenges many previous
researchers... Historians and biographers alike will be impressed
with the author's depiction of Allen and his efforts to ensure
Vermont's sovereignty ...a must read for all those with an interest
in the period of American Revolutionary."-- "Military Review"
"...presents close readings of early documents as well as secondary
sources on Vermont and Allen. .. Insightful, viewing Vermont's
history with fresh eyes and offering original analysis...reveals
continuing power of Ethan Allen on the imagination, even in the
face of criticism.-- "Vermont History"
"an outstanding work, a major contribution to early vermont history
and a must read for anyone seriously interested in the latest
research on Ethan Allen and his associates"-- "Walloomsack
Review"
"weaves together several little told but quite interesting stories
to give us an informative and revealing look at one of the heroes
of the American Revolution and that curious corner of in the
Revolutionary War, the self-proclaimed "Republic of Vermont."
Bennett's account does not stop with the capture of Ticonderoga,
where most accounts of Allen's life more or less end. He carries
the story of Allen and the "Republic" of Vermont through the
Revolutionary War, during which there were British campaigns and
raids against the mountaineers, as well as efforts by both New York
and New Hampshire to claim the territory, and battles not only in
the field but also in Congress, and even gives a thoughtful little
essay on "The Political Philosophy of Ethan Allen." In the process
he touches upon English colonial policy, disputed land claims,
"state" rivalries, contemporary religious thought, local loyalties,
woodland warfare, frontier "democracy," Patriot, Royal, Vermont
policy and strategy, and more. From Bennett's account, Allen
emerges less as an American patriot than as a Vermont patriot, as
well as a successful businessman and self-promoter. An very
interesting book."-- "The NYMAS Review"
"A different angle on the history of Ethan Allen has come out this
year, and it will surprise those who look on Ethan as an
untarnished hero."-- "The Rutland Herald"
"A Few Lawless Vagabonds has much to praise. Bennett's command of
the primary-source material from archives in Ontario and Vermont is
impressive. His methodology of extracting goals from actions rather
than assuming Allen's place as a hallowed Paul Revere-like figure
is also laudable. Military historians will take an interest in his
chapters on the seizure of Fort Ticonderoga and of John Burgoyne's
southerly thrust in 1777, which Bennett calls "sheer folly" (p.
13). His analysis of the Haldimand Negotiations is the most
exhaustive and compelling to date... Bennett does an excellent job
highlighting the fierce competition between colonies and states for
land and resources. The author reminds us that British North
America and the Confederation-era United States were composed of
mini-settler empires that were frequently at odds with each other.
His book illuminates the strength of David C. Hendrickson's
argument in Peace Pact: The Lost World of the American Founding
(2003) that the Constitution of 1787 was a "peace pact" between
rival states on the verge of civil war. By focusing on Ethan Allen,
his brothers, and their allies, enemies, and potential friends,
Bennett resurrects a Revolutionary-era world fraught with myriad
hopes, aspirations, political philosophies, and intriguing
possibilities."-- "H-Net Reviews"
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