whittier originally wrote the poem in 1828. it was published anonymously by "the new-england magazine" in 1838. similarities in the last stanza with prose by ethan allen caused many to believe the entire work to be by allen. for nearly sixty years the poem was republished with credit going to ethan allen. the confusion was perpetuated in part by henry stevens, a co-founder of the vermont historical society. in 1843, stevens presented the poem to the society as one by allen which he had "discovered". the discovery was also reported in the "vermont chronicle". the poem was republished anonymously in england by the "northern star" in july 1847 in an issue which included two other poems by whittier.