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Boatman

Ellis Drake

United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service — Washington, DC
Felonious
United States flag District of Columbia flag
End of Watch August 3, 1808
Age 20
The Vigil Panel 1 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 93

Incident

Boatman Ellis Drake and Boatman Asa Marsh were shot and killed along the Onion River (modern day Winooski River), in Vermont, while they and other Customs officers attempted to stop a ship that was smuggling illegal goods through Canada into the United States. A militia lieutenant and a militia captain were also wounded. Boatman Drake was aboard the cutter Fly when he was shot in the head by smugglers who were on land. Boatman Marsh had gone ashore when he was shot and killed by the smugglers. Eight suspects were indicted by a jury, but only four were in convicted: one was sentenced to death, reprieved and then executed; two were sentenced to 50 lashes and to stand for an hour in a pillory. The two that received lashes and another suspect were were sentenced to 10 years in prison and to pay court costs. All three suspects were pardoned by the state Governor between 1811 and 1815. The funerals of both officers were held at the Chittenden County Courthouse, Vermont.

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August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

218 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Boatman Drake served with the United States Department of the Treasury.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service
Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usdtuscsfed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 3, 1808
Age 20
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Rifle

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Ellis is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1808, 5 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 182nd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Ellis was 20. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

August holds 8.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was rifle, in 5.9% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service has 94 officers remembered here, Ellis among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Boatman Ellis Drake

United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service · End of Watch August 3, 1808

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 33-W

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