Bayley Hazen Military Road facts for kids

The Bayley–Hazen Military Road was a special road built during the American Revolutionary War. It was planned to go from Newbury, Vermont, all the way to St. John's, Quebec, which is close to Montreal. About 54 miles (87 km) of the road were built between 1776 and 1779. This part stretched from Newbury to Hazen's Notch, near the Canada–United States border. Today, some parts of this old road are still used as modern roads!

The road is named after two important people who pushed for its construction: Jacob Bayley and Moses Hazen. They were among the people who helped start the towns of Newbury and Haverhill, New Hampshire. Moses Hazen also owned land in St. John's. The idea for this road was a big part of plans to invade Quebec. These plans were suggested by Hazen to George Washington and the Second Continental Congress after the first invasion in 1775 didn't succeed.

Why Was the Bayley–Hazen Road Needed?

After the French and Indian War ended in 1760, many soldiers who fought in it started new communities. These included Haverhill and Newbury, located on opposite sides of the Connecticut River. This area was in the northern part of what was then the British province of New Hampshire.

The land on the west side of the river was called the New Hampshire Grants. This territory later became the state of Vermont. Building a road through this area was important for military movement and settlement.

Building the Road: The First Try in 1776

Work on the road first began in 1776. General George Washington wanted to support the Continental Army's invasion of Quebec. He asked Thomas Johnson, a local landowner, to find a path to St. John's. St. John's is on the Richelieu River near Montreal.

On March 26, 1776, Johnson and four men traveled through the snow. They covered 100 miles (160 km) to St. John's in just 11 days. Several army groups used this path that year. This led Washington to order the construction of a proper road.

Jacob Bayley and 60 men started building. They built about 6 miles (9.7 km) of the road into what is now Peacham, Vermont. However, rumors spread that a British army was coming to stop them. Construction was then stopped because people were worried about an invasion. Only a small group of Canadiens actually came as far as Peacham.

Building the Road: The Second Try in 1779

In the spring of 1779, General Washington ordered Moses Hazen to restart the road construction. Hazen was a colonel in the Continental Army. His regiment, along with Colonel Timothy Bedel's regiment, worked on the road all summer long.

They extended the road through many present-day Vermont towns. These included Cabot, Walden, Hardwick, Greensboro, Craftsbury, Albany, and Lowell.

They also built strong wooden forts called blockhouses along the route. These were in Peacham, Cabot, Walden, and Greensboro. The site in Greensboro is still known as Block House Hill today. Work stopped again when the road reached a place now called Hazen's Notch in Westfield. This was also due to rumors that the British were sending troops to stop them.

How the Road Was Used During the War

Even after construction stopped, the blockhouses along the road were guarded. Sometimes, there were small fights and scouting missions. The British apparently planned to use the road for raids in 1780. The raid against Royalton and other small Vermont towns might have included Peacham as a target.

However, strong local militias may have stopped the raiders from attacking there. The British also tried to kidnap Jacob Bayley using the road. But Bayley found out about the plan, and the attempt failed.

In 1781, the Greensboro blockhouse was attacked by "Indians." Two scouts were killed during this attack. A memorial stone was placed near the site 160 years later to remember them.

The Road After the War

After the Revolutionary War ended, the Bayley–Hazen Military Road was the only road in that area. It became an important path for people moving into and settling the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.

Today, there isn't much left of the original road. Many parts of its route are now used by modern state and local roads. However, archaeologists have found some isolated sections of corduroy road. These are old roads made by laying logs side-by-side.