Boston : 
 
THE LIFE 
 
 OF 
 
 ISRAEL P TJ T I A M, 
 
 MAJOR-GENERAL IN THE ARMY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 AMERICAN REVOLUTION, 
 
 COMPILED FROM 
 
 THE BEST AUTHORITIES. 
 
 BY WILLIAM CUTTER. 
 
 \ FOURTH EDITION. 
 
 BOSTON: 
 
 JOHN PIIILBRICK, 
 
 62 HANOVER STREET. 
 1854. 
 
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1846, by 
 
 GEORGE F. COOLKDGE. 
 in the Clerk s Office for the Southern District of New York. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 THERE are three sources to which the writer of bio 
 graphy may repair, for materials to accomplish his 
 work. The first is an intimate personal acquaintance 
 with his subject, derived from long intercourse, and a 
 daily participation in the scenes which it is his purpose 
 to describe. The next is, a detailed narrative of inci 
 dents and events, taken down from the lips of his 
 subject, giving to his delineations the spirit and au 
 thenticity of an autobiography. The third is found in 
 the testimony of neighbors and acquaintances, corrobo 
 rated by contemporaneous history, correspondence, 
 &c. When the veracity and honesty of the party are 
 unimpeachable, there is no source so reliable as that 
 which is here placed second in the list. No person 
 can possibly be so well acquainted with the acts of 
 another as himself. And when, to the proper appre 
 ciation of these acts, it is necessary to know some 
 thing of the motives and purposes from which they 
 sprung, and the feelings with which they were accom 
 panied, this is the only source to which we can look. 
 And when to this is added an intimate personal ac 
 quaintance of a compiler of approved integrity and 
 faithfulness, it affords the highest species of evidence 
 in favor of his narrative, which can possibly be desired. 
 Of th;s nature is the evidence in favor of the prin- 
 
 103235 
 
IV PREFACE. 
 
 cipal incidents in the life of General Putnam. His 
 original biographer, Colonel David Humphreys, was 
 intimately associated with him, having served as Aide- 
 de-camp in his staff, during a portion of the Revolu 
 tionary War. He had many parts of the narrative 
 direct from the lips of the General. That he was 
 competent to discharge well the duties of a biographer 
 that he was entitled to the confidence of his readers 
 will not be questioned by any who have honestly 
 consulted the history of the times, and weighed the 
 opinions of those who knew him best. 
 
 When General Putnam s health failed, in 1779, and 
 he was compelled to retire from the service, Colonel 
 Humphreys served, for a short time, as Aid to General 
 Greene ; after which he became a member of General 
 Washington s family, and served him as Aide-de-camp, 
 during the remainder of his military career. That he 
 occupied a very high place in the esteem of " the 
 Father of his country," and of others eminent in the 
 councils of the nation, is abundantly manifest in the 
 correspondence of Washington. 
 
 Among a multitude of letters which might be refer 
 red to, an extract from one only will be given. It 
 was addressed to Colonel Humphreys in Europe, un 
 der date of the 25th of July, 1785. General Wash 
 ington, apparently in reply to a suggestion from Hum 
 phreys, that he (Washington) should apply himself 
 to preparing commentaries upon the Revolutionary 
 W T ar, says : u In a former letter, I informed you, my 
 dear Humphreys, that if I had talents for it, I had no 
 leisure to turn my thoughts to commentaries. * * * 
 I should be pleased indeed to see you undertake this 
 
PREFACE. V 
 
 business. Your abilities as a writer, your discernment 
 respecting the principles which led to the decision by 
 arms, your personal knowledge of many facts as they 
 occurred in the progress of the war, your disposition 
 to justice, candor, and impartiality, and your diligence 
 in investigating truth, all combining, Jit you, when 
 joined with the vigor of life, for this task. I should, 
 with great pleasure, not only give you the perusal of 
 all my papers, but any oral information of circum 
 stances, which cannot be obtained from these, that my 
 memory will furnish ; and I can with great truth add, 
 that my house would not only be at your service, dur 
 ing the period of your preparing this work, but ( I say 
 it without an unmeaning compliment) I should be 
 exceedingly happy if you would make it your home. 
 You might have an apartment to yourself, in which 
 you could command your own time. You would be 
 considered and treated as one of the family, and meet 
 with that cordial reception and entertainment, which 
 are characteristic of the sincerest friendship." 
 
 Colonel Humphreys returned home in May, 1786 ; 
 after which he was often at Mount Vernon, a member 
 of Washington s family. It was there that he wrote the 
 Life of General Putnam, in 1788, under the eye of 
 Washington, and with the best possible means of 
 knowing that great man s opinion of the subject of 
 his work. The work was written for the Society of 
 Cincinnati, of Connecticut, and by them, and under 
 their sanction, presented to the world. This Society 
 was composed of surviving officers of the Revolution, 
 the compeers of Putnam, and the sharers and eye 
 witnesses of his heroic and daring achievements. 
 
VI PREFACE. 
 
 In addition to the testimony of Colonel Humphreys, 
 we have that of a large number of the cotemporaries 
 of General Putnam. Numerous letters, written at the 
 time when, and on the spot where, the several promi 
 nent events occurred, as well as the verbal testimony 
 of the few aged witnesses who yet remain among us, 
 confirm, and more than confirm, the narrative of his 
 original biographer. It would appear that Putnam 
 had not been disposed to estimate his own services 
 very highly, or to present in any very strong colors 
 his own acts of heroism ; since Colonel Humphreys, 
 who gathered much of his material from personal con 
 versations with his subject, is far more modest and 
 unpretending, in many of his statements, than authen 
 tic documents, furnished both by friends and by foes 
 of that period, would warrant. 
 
 In bestowing the above high commendation on 
 Colonel Humphreys, it is not intended to hold him 
 up as infallible ; but only to say, that, with respect to 
 the general truthfulness and fidelity of his sketches, 
 and the degree of reliance to be placed upon his narra 
 tive, though there may be some slight errors and mis 
 conceptions, the testimony is unquestionable, and the 
 character of the witness above suspicion. 
 
 The present compilation is, of course, indebted to 
 the original memoir,. for its main outline, and princi 
 pal incidents. It will be seen, however, to have de 
 viated from it, in some points, upon a careful compa 
 rison of authorities ; while large additions have been 
 made from other authentic sources. 
 
 Brooklyn, L. /., Oct., 1846. 
 
IN the preparation of this work, the following authorities have been 
 consulted. There are some discrepancies among them, in relation 
 to several points of considerable importance. Without attempting to 
 account for these discrepancies, I have endeavored as far as pos 
 sible to reconcile them, by a rigid and laborious comparison of 
 each with all the rest, and by an impartial consideration of the 
 amount of responsibility attached to each. How far I have succeed 
 ed in doing justice to all, and to my subject, it must be for others to 
 decide. 
 The Life of General Putnam. By Colonel David Humphreys. With 
 
 Notes and Additions. Boston. 1818. 
 The Life of Israel Putnam. By Oliver W. B. Peabody. Sparks 
 
 American Biography, Vol. vii. 
 Memoirs of the American Revolution, &c. By William Moultrie. 
 
 New York. 1802. 
 
 History of the American Revolution. By Bernard Hubley. North 
 umberland, Penn. 1805. 
 History of the Origin, Progress and Termination of the American 
 
 War. By C. Stedman. London. 1799. 
 Annals of the American Revolution, &c. By Jedediah Morse, D.D. 
 
 Hartford. 1824. 
 
 History of the American Revolution. By Paul Allen. 
 Botta s American Independence. 
 History of the Rise, Progress and Establishment of the Independence 
 
 of the U. S. A. By William Gordon, D. D. New York. 1789. 
 Pemberton s Historical Journal of the American War. 
 Thatcher s do. 
 
 Holmes Annals of America. Second edition. Cambridge. 1829. 
 Sandford s United States and Aborigines. Phil. 1819. 
 Anecdotes of the Revolutionary War in America. By Alexander 
 
 Gordon. First and Second Series. 1822 and 1828, 
 Marshall s Life cf Washington. Second Edition. 2 vols. Phil. 
 
 1832. 
 
 Ramsay s Life of Washington. 
 Sparks do. do. Boston. 1839. 
 
 Writings of Washington. 12 vols. Edited by Dr. Sparks. 1829. 
 Rogers Biographical Dictionary. Phil. 1829. 
 Gorton s do. do. London. 
 
(viii) 
 
 Library of American Biography. By J. Sparks. 
 
 American Portrait Gallery. 
 
 History of Massachusetts. Ay Alden Bradford. Boston. 1829. 
 
 History of Connecticut. By J. Trumbull. 
 
 History of the Battle of Bunker Hill. With a plan. By S. Swetn 
 
 Third Edition. With Notes. 
 Life of Aaron Burr. By Matthew L. Davis. 
 American Archives consisting of a collection of authentic records, 
 
 state papers, debates, letters, and other notices of public affairs j 
 
 &c., &c. Prepared and published under the authority of an Act of 
 
 Congress. Fourth Series, in six quarto vols. 
 Almon s Impartial Remembrancer. London. 1775, et seq. 
 Mante s History of the French War. London. 1772. 
 Historical Journal of the Campaigns in North America, for 1757, 
 
 1758, 1759 and 1760. By John Knox. London. 1769. 
 Journals of Major Robert Rogers, &c. London. 1765. 
 Also numerous pamphlets, MS. Orderly Book, &e. 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 EARLY LIFE AND YOUTHFUL ADVENTURES OF PUTNAM. 
 
 His ancestry His birth The old homestead His early 
 life Deficiency of the means of education Early develop 
 ment of character The bird s nest Hazardous exploit 
 Coolness and intrepidity in danger Singular escape Per 
 severance in pursuit of an object The prize secured His 
 activity, industry, and wit His first visit to Boston In 
 sulted in the street His able defence Slavery Anecdote 
 ofCudge The sequel. .......21 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 PUTNAM S MARRIAGE AND SETTLEMENT IN CONNECTICUT. 
 
 His marriage Removes to Pomfret His prosperity as a far 
 mer His operations as a wool-grower Ravages in his 
 sheep-folds The veteran she-wolf Her annual visits to 
 Pomfret Her extensive operations there Combination 
 against her The pursuit Tracked home to her den At 
 tempts to smoke her out Putnam descends into the cave 
 Description of the passage His sudden exit Returns with 
 his gun Despatches his enemy Returns the third time and 
 drags her out Triumphant procession Reception in the 
 village Exaggerated versions of the story. 33 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE FRENCH WAR. PUTNAM S FIRST CAMPAIGN. 
 
 Mr. Putnam s general popularity Receives a Captain s com 
 mission under General Lyman His company Generally 
 1* 
 
X TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 employed as rangers and scouts Nature and difficulty of 
 that service Inauspicious commencement of the war Sir 
 William Johnson s successful expedition Its object and plan 
 Fortifications Position of the French at Tinconderoga- 
 They attempt to arrest the English works Dieskau marches 
 upon Fort Edward Changes his course towards Lake 
 George Encounters Colonel Williams The battle Hen- 
 dricks, the Mohawk chief Williams and Hendricks slain 
 The retreat The assault upon Johnson s camp Re 
 pelled Dieskau a prisoner The pursuit Captain McGin- 
 nes Joseph Brant Fort William Henry built Captain 
 Rogers His Journal Its omissions His character and 
 subsequent history Goes on a scout with Putnam Rogers 
 in imminent danger Rescued by Putnam Army in win 
 ter quarters Putnam returns to his family. 43 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE CAMPAIGN OF 1756. PUTNAM S SERVICES AS A RANGER 
 
 Putnam re-appointed Plan of the campaign Montcalm s 
 success at Oswego and Fort George The English put upon 
 the defensive The active services of the Rangers Adven 
 ture of Putnam and Durkee at " The Ovens " Arrange 
 ment of the French camp The scouts within the lines 
 Fired upon Their narrow escape Their lodgings Can 
 teen sprung a leak Baggage train plundered at Half- Way 
 Brook Putnam and Rogers sent in pursuit of the plunder 
 ers Successful encounter with the boats Pursued in their 
 turn Rencontre with a superior force at Sabbath-day Point 
 The enemy defeated and dispersed Another adventure 
 Putnam sent out to take a prisoner Cowardly conduct of 
 his men Defeated in his object His escape His ultimate 
 success Importance of this kind of service Putnam s pe 
 culiar fitness for it. - - - - - - - 55 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE CAMPAIGN OF 1757. 
 
 Putnam promoted to be a Major Inefficiency of the British 
 Generals Hopes of the colonies Lord Loudoun suddenly 
 disconcerted General Webb visits Fort William Henry 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 xi 
 
 Putnam reconnoitres the enemy An attack on the lort threat 
 enedWebb returns to Fort Edward Sends a reinforce 
 ment to Fort William Henry Summons from Montcalm 
 to surrender Timid policy of Webb The fortress capitu 
 latesShameful massacre by the Indians Putnam visits 
 the scene of carnage Unexpected assault upon Captain 
 Little and his fatigue party Relieved by Major Putnam- 
 DisobedienceFire in the barracks Putnam s heroic and 
 successful exertions in subduing the flames Narrow escape 
 of the garrison. ---------67 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 CAMPAIGN OF 1758. ABERCROMBIE S ASSAULT UPON TICON- 
 DEROGA. 
 
 Mr. Pitt Prime Minister of England Lord Loudoun super 
 seded by General Abercrombie Putnam on a reconnoiter- 
 ing expedition Constructs a small parapet at South Bay 
 Shoots a buck Starts an enemy Molang and his party 
 Their stealthy advance Suddenly arrested A sharp con 
 flict in the dark The enemy defeated in an attempt to turn 
 Putnam s flank Immense loss of the French Putnam or 
 ders a retreat Unexpected meeting with a party of friends 
 A reinforcement Ticonderoga An expedition under 
 General Abercrombie against the French Skirmish with ad 
 vanced guard Death of Lord Howe His high reputa 
 tion His death speedily avenged Putnam s kindness to 
 the wounded A new encampment The assault The 
 retreat Major Putnam s activity General Abercrombie 
 responsible for the disastrous issue of the expedition. 81 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 CAMPAIGN OF 1758 CONTINUED. MAJOR PUTNAM A PRISONER. 
 
 Putnam s perilous escape down the rapids of the Hudson 
 Superstitious notion of the Indians Putnam and Rogers 
 pursuing a party of French Rangers Lying in wait at 
 South Bay and Wood Creek Discovered Rogers incau 
 tious sport Molang in ambush Our Rangers threading the 
 forest Putnam in the van The ambush springs upon him 
 
Xll TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 He is made a prisoner by an Indian His perilous po 
 sition during the fight The French retreat, taking Putnam 
 with them His cruel treatment Severely wounded in the 
 cheek About to be burned alive Rescued by Molang 
 Comparative humanity of his captor His ludicrous confine 
 ment at night Arrival at Ticonderoga Carried to Mon 
 treal Kindness of Col. Schuyler He contrives to have 
 Putnam included in a cartel of exchange The return- 
 Story of Mrs. Howe. - 93 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 THE CAMPAIGN OF 1759 AND 1760. EXPEDITION AGAINST THE 
 WEST INDIA ISLANDS. 
 
 British successes in 1759 Putnam promoted to a Lieutenant- 
 Colonelcy Large and vigorous plans of General Amherst 
 The army in three divisions proceeds to Montreal Put 
 nam with the General in-chief on Lake Ontario Two 
 French vessels captured in the St. Lawrence Fort Oswe- 
 gatchie capitulates The three divisions of the army meet 
 before Montreal Surrender of that Fortress, and of all the 
 French posts in Canada Conquest of Martinique, and 
 all the Caribbees Expedition against Havana Putnam in 
 command of the Connecticut regiment Wrecked on the 
 coast of Cuba Putnam s good management and discipline 
 Opportune arrival at Havana The harbor and fortifica 
 tions The Moro carried by storm The capitulation 
 Peace in Europe Improving prospects of the Colonies. - 105 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE PONTIAC WAR. 
 
 Results of the late contest between England and France Con 
 dition, character, and hopes of the Indians Pontiac, the 
 Otoway chief His first successes and plan of Union 
 Movements of General Amherst Captain Dalyell ordered 
 to Detroit His bold sortie from the fort His glorious death 
 Putnam, now a Colonel, accompanies Col. Bradstreet to 
 Detroit Supplies thrown into the fortress Pontiac, over 
 awed by the superior numbers of his enemy, proposes con- 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS. xl 
 
 ditions of peace Colonel Putnam s letter from the camp 
 Enlarged views and bravery of Pontiac Review of Colonel 
 Putnam s military career His high reputation as an offi 
 cer Retires to his farm Honorable testimonials of public 
 confidence Domestic affliction. - - - - -115 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 CAUSES OF THE REVOLUTION. 
 
 The Navigation Acts Writs of Assistance Stamp Act Re 
 sistance in the colonies Activity and zeal of Colonel Put 
 nam Stamp officers compelled to resign Case of Mr. In- 
 gersol His public resignation at Weathersfield Putnam s 
 interview with the Governor Prevalence of the same 
 spirit Results Stamp Act repealed A season of tranquil 
 lity Putnam opens a public house General Lyman s mis 
 sion to England Obtains a grant of land on the Mississippi 
 Proceeds with Putnam and othens to locate it Forms an 
 establishment at Natchez Putnam returns to take, part in 
 the agitations of the country. ------ 127 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 AGITATIONS PRECEDING THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE. 
 
 Duties on glass, paper, tea, &c. Board of trade Resistance 
 Associations to suspend commercial intercourse with Eng- 
 gland Other measures Brief view of the difficult position 
 of the colonies Resolution of leading men The part taken 
 by Colonel Putnam His conferences with British officers 
 His opinion of the result of a war His confidence in 
 American women Committees of correspondence An 
 alarm Putnam s letter Defence of his course. - - 137 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 FIRST ACT IN THE DRAMA OF THE REVOLUTION. 
 
 Condition of the colonies Preparations for war Pitcairn s 
 and Smith s secret expedition to Concord Skirmish at Lex 
 ington Stores destroyed at Concord American yeomanry 
 roused Difficult retreat of the British In danger of being 
 
XIV TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 cut off Reinforced by Lord Percy Closely pursued, and 
 severely handled by the Americans Narrow escape of Ma 
 jor Pitcairn His pistols The alarm Putnam at his plough 
 Flies to Cambridge Boston invested Organization of 
 the army Putnam s position General Ward American 
 officers tempted with bribes General Gage s treatment of 
 the Bostonians Fortifications round Boston Hazardous 
 exploit Skirmish at Noddle Island Exchange of priso 
 ners. 147 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL. 
 
 An intrenchment ordered on Bunker Hill Divisions in the 
 Council respecting this measure The detachment The 
 Peninsula of Charlestown Detachment pauses at the foot 
 of the Hill A discussion Breed s Hill selected for a re 
 doubt Colonel Gridley Description of the redoubt Indus 
 try and spirit of the men Surprise of the British Severe 
 cannonade Preparations for a battle Putnam goes to Cam 
 bridge for reinforcements General Ward s opinion Put 
 nam s position His desire to fortify on Bunker Hill Land 
 ing of the British " The Breastwork" The rail fence 
 Accessions to the American forceWarren, Pomeroy, 
 Stark, Reed, &c. Putnam s activity Terrible slaughter 
 among the British They retreat Captain Callender Bri 
 tish compelled to retreat again and again Burning of Char 
 lestown Putnam s reception of the incendiaries Arrival 
 of Captain Foster with a wagon-load of powder Heavy 
 loss of the British Storming the redoubt The retreat- 
 Putnam bringing up the rear Intrenchment on Prospect and 
 Winter Hills. 161 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 ARRIVAL OF WASHINGTON AT CAMBRIDGE. ORGANIZATION OF 
 THE ARMY". FORTIFICATIONS. 
 
 Position of the colonies Congress assumes command of the 
 arm y Washington appointed commander-in-chief Arrives 
 at Cambridge Subordinate appointments Putnam aMajor- 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS. XV 
 
 General Jealousies How reconciled Putnam s hign re 
 putation Courts of inquiry The British fortifying Bun 
 ker Hill Organization of the American camp Washing 
 ton s regard for Putnam His opinion of him New for 
 tifications Putnam s activity Rev. Mr. Harvey Anec 
 dotes " Declaration" of Congress, how received by the army 
 Incidents at Cobble-Hill Major Knowlton s sortie upon 
 Charlestown neck Scene in the Boston theatre Peculiar 
 character of the continental army Influence and arduous 
 duties of the officers. 185 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 BOSTON EVACUATED BY THE BRITISH. 
 
 General Lee ordered to New York Volunteers raised in 
 Connecticut Washington s desire for an attack on Bos 
 ton Genera] Thomas takes possession of the Heights of 
 Dorchester Lord Percy attempts to dislodge him A severe 
 storm interrupts his movements Intended attack on Boston 
 by General Putnam The council of war Nook s Hill 
 fortified General Gage suddenly evacuates Boston Put 
 nam takes possession Wooden sentries on Bunker Hill. - 201 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 PUTNAM IN COMMAND AT NEW YORK. 
 
 General Putnam ordered to New York His instructions 
 His Head Quarters His family Loyalists, or Tories in 
 New York Martial law- Police of the city Intercourse 
 with the enemy forbidden Fortified posts in the vicinity 
 Washington s arrival at New York Goes to meet Congress 
 at Philadelphia Instructions to General Putnam Letter 
 from Philadelphia Fire ships ordered to be built General 
 Howe s arrival at Staten Island His plans and hopes 
 His army Arrival of the British fleet Declaration of In 
 dependence Its reception by the American army. - - 207 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 THE BRITISH FLEET AND ARMY AT STATEN ISLAND. 
 CONTRIVANCES TO ANNOY THEM. 
 
 Comparative force of the English and Americans Two fri- 
 
XVI TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 gates pass up the North River Confined to Tappan Sea 
 Conflict with the American galleys Ckevaux-de-frise 
 Described by General Putnam Its ill success The fire- 
 ships alike unsuccessful BushnelPs American Turtle The 
 expedition of Abijah Shipman. ------ 223 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 THE BATTLE OF BROOKLYN, AND RETREAT FROM LONG ISLAND. 
 
 Fortifications on Long Island General Sullivan in command, 
 in consequence of the illness of General Greene Land 
 ing of the British at the Narrows Sullivan reinforced 
 Putnam sent to take the command His orders Relative 
 position of the armies General Clinton seizes one of the 
 passes through the hills General Grant makes a feint in 
 the opposite direction General Stirling detached to meet 
 him De Heister advances towards Bedford Clinton gains 
 the rear of Sullivan, while De Heister attacks him in front 
 Sullivan, in an attempt to retreat, is taken prisoner 
 Stirling, attempting to regain the lines, is met by Corn- 
 wallis Engages him, to cover the retreat of his division Is 
 made prisoner The greater part of his division escapes 
 Loss of the Americans Washington in the camp, a witness 
 of the battle The difficulty of his position Comments upon 
 the Battle Masterly retreat. ... - - 233 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 RETREAT OF THE CONTINENTAL ARMY FROM NEW YORK. 
 
 Extension of the British lines on Long Island Preparations to 
 attack New York Washington prepares to abandon the city 
 Overruled by his council Division of the army Put 
 nam commanding the rear division in the city A second % 
 council advises its abandonment Sir Henry Clinton lands 
 at Kip s Bay Dastardly conduct of the American soldiers 
 Imminent exposure of Washington He establishes his 
 Head-duarters on the Heights of Haerlem Putnam, with 
 his division, commences his retreat His extraordinary 
 exertions Stratagem to detain the enemy Mrs. Murray 
 Narrow escape of the division General Howe s position 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS. XVI) 
 
 The American posts Successful skirmish with the ene 
 my Colonel Knowlton slain Major Leitch mortally 
 wounded Character of Knowlton Happy effect of this little 
 success. ---------- 249 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 LOSS OF FORT WASHINGTON, AND RETREAT THROUGH NEW 
 JERSEY. 
 
 An attack expected Annoying the enemy Plunderers 
 Howe attempts to gain the rear of the American army 
 Lands at Frog s Point Advances towards New Rochelle 
 The American lines Skirmishes of Colonels Haslet and 
 Hand General McDougall s post at Chattel-ton s Hill As 
 saulted and carried Putnam marches to reinforce him, but 
 arrives too late Washington retires to North Castle Howe 
 turns towards New York Fort Independence evacuat 
 ed Putnam ordered into New Jersey Loss of Fort Wash 
 ington Cornwallis crosses the North River Retreat of the 
 American army, step by step, to the Delaware Discou 
 raging prospects Firmness of Washington, and good con 
 duct of Putnam. UG 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 PUTNAM S COMMAND AT PHILADELPHIA AND PRINCETON 
 
 Designs of General Howe upon Philadelphia Putnam or 
 dered . to defend it Washington s views of the importance 
 of that place Putnam s general orders Conference with 
 Congress His arduous labors Battles of Trenton and 
 Princeton Part intended to be assigned to Putnam Wash 
 ington s correspondence Ordered to Crosswicks Stationed 
 at Princeton Smallness of his force Captain McPherson 
 Severity and unwise policy of the British Humanity 
 of Putnam His success in protecting the country from law 
 less plunderers General Dickinson s successful skirmish 
 with a foraging party Success of Colonel Gurney and Ma 
 jor Davis Major Stockton surprised and taken by Col 
 onel Nelson Severe treatment of Major Stockton The 
 Skinners, Cow-boys, and Yagers" Gallant conduct of Major 
 
XV111 TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 Smith at Bound Brook Reinforcement of the British army 
 Putnam ordered to keep a good look out towards Phi 
 ladelphia Little vexations Results of his winter opera 
 tions in New Jersey Aaron Burr. * - 271 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 PUTNAM S COMMAND IN THE HIGHLANDS. 
 
 Importance of the Highlands Destruction of American stores 
 at Peekskill and Danbury Good conduct of McDougall, Ar 
 nold and Wooster Generals Greene and Knox examine the 
 posts in the Highlands, and advise a mode of defence Ge 
 neral Putnam put in command at Peekskill, with directions 
 to carry out that plan Obstructions in the river- Arduous 
 labors and exposures of Putnam Washington s opinion of 
 his character Desires him to surprise the enemy s post at 
 King s Bridge Abandons the project, and removes his camp 
 to Middlebrook Putnam s force greatly reduced to rein 
 force the main army-- Reduced still further, to support Ge 
 neral Schuyler, on the northDoubtful movements of the 
 enemy Marches and countermarches of the Americans 
 First anniversary of the Declaration of Independence Eva 
 cuation of Ticonderoga, and advance of Burgoyne Ame 
 rican force concentrated in the HighlandsHowe s clumsy 
 attempt to deceive Washington The latter withdraws his 
 force again into New Jersey Orders and countermands 
 Edmund Palmer, the spy, in Putnam s camp. - - 28? 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 COMMAND IN THE HIGHLANDS CONTINUED. LOSS OF FORTS 
 MONTGOMERY AND CLINTON. 
 
 Extent of Putnam s command Relative position of the forts 
 Plans an attempt on the posts of the enemy His force 
 greatly reduced Sir Henry Clinton in New Jersey De 
 tachments lor the main army delayed Peremptory order to 
 hasten their march Militia of little service Sir Henry 
 Clinton in Haverstraw Bay Favored by circumstances 
 Lands at Tarrytown at Verplanck s Point at Stony Point 
 covered by a dense fog Diverts General Putnam from 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS. XIX 
 
 his main object Gains the rear of Forts Montgomery and 
 Clinton His advance resisted Severe action Gallant 
 assault Putnam orders a reinforcement Works carried 
 Escape of part of the garrison Putnam retires to Fishkill 
 Frigates burnt British advance, burning villages and 
 houses Hearing of the surrender of Burgoyne, they re 
 turn again to New York Death of Mrs. Putnam Peekskill 
 retaken Comments upon the late disasters. - 303 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 DISSATISFACTION WITH PUTNAM S COMMAND IN NEW YORK. 
 
 Putnam reinforced from the northern army Projected en 
 terprise agai-nst New York Colonel Meigs s successful 
 scout Movements on the Delaware Hamilton commis 
 sioned to obtain reinforcements from Gates Visits Put 
 nam at Fishkill Returns to New Windsor His Letters 
 Severe animadversions upon Putnam Comments upon 
 those letters Contrasted with those of Washington Pre 
 judices of the people of New York Their origin Wash 
 ington s action, language, and feeling with reference to 
 them Governor Clinton requested to take the command in 
 the Highlands Explanation of the language of Washing 
 ton on that occasion Dickinson s enterprise on Staten Island 
 Putnam s diversion towards King s Bridge Takes post 
 at New Rochelle Successful enterprises against parties ot 
 the enemy Fires General Delancy s house Takes Colonel 
 Delaricy prisoner Descent upon Long Island Success of 
 General Parsons Colonel Webb a prisoner. - 323 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 NEW FORTIFICATIONS IN THE HIGHLANDS. PUTNAM DISPLACED 
 FROM THE COMMAND. 
 
 Condition of the defences in the Highlands West Point se 
 lected as the principal post Raditire prefers Fort Clinton 
 Putnam consults the Legislature of New York To whom 
 is the credit of this selection due 1 Works commenced in 
 January Wretched state of the army Putnam s letter on 
 that point, and the obstructions in the river He goes to 
 
XX TABLE OP CON TENTS. 
 
 Connecticut The Court of Inquiry into the causes of the 
 loss of Forts Montgomery and Clinton Putnam super- 
 seded by General McDougall Decision of the Court, exone 
 rating Putnam from all blame Ordered to Connecticut, to 
 raise recruits Takes command of the right wing Sta 
 tioned at Danbury Gluells a mutiny Perilous adventure 
 at Horseneck Operations on the North River Putnam in 
 command at the Clove Wayne s success at Stony Point 
 Putnam s command near West Point His name given to 
 the principal fort Results of the campaign. ... 339 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 RETIREMENT AND LAST DAYS OF THE HERO. 
 
 Putnam visits his family in Connecticut Sets out on his re 
 turn to the army Is struck with paralysis, and retires His 
 interest in public affairs Correspondence with Washing 
 ton His efforts to promote temperance His abhorrence of 
 duelling His mode of accepting challenges His peaceful 
 enjoyment of the evening of life Public and private esti 
 mation of his character Testimony of Drs. D wight and 
 Whitney A Christian s death Funeral honors Epitaph. 357 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 NUMBER I. Major Rogers. - - 369 
 
 II. The Battle of Bunker Hill. .... 375 
 " III. Prejudices of the People of New York against 
 
 General Putnam. 380 
 
THE LIFE 
 
 OF 
 
 GENERAL PUTNAM 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 EARLY LIFE AND YOUTHFUL ADVENTURES OF PUTNAM. 
 
 His ancestry His birth The old homestead His early life 
 Deficiency of the means of education Early development of cha 
 racter The bird s nest Hazardous exploit Coolness and intre 
 pidity in danger Singular escape Perseverance in pursuit of 
 an object The prize secured His activity, industry, and wit 
 His first visit to Boston Insulted in the street His able defence 
 Slavery Anecdote of Cudge The sequel. 
 
 AMONG the earliest settlers in Salem, in the Province of 
 Massachusetts, was JOHN PUTNAM ; who, for the free 
 enjoyment of the rights of conscience, and the liberty of 
 worshipping God in the manner which his own judgment, 
 enlightened by a careful study of the Scriptures, approved 
 and required, left the home of his youth, and the sepul 
 chres of his fathers, and cast in his lot with the heroic, 
 self-denying Pilgrims, under the banner of the venerable 
 Endicot. He was a man of eminent piety, and acknow 
 ledged moral worth ; having blended in his character those 
 elements of Christian heroism which distinguished % our 
 Pilgrim Fathers above every other body of men, that 
 ever effected a great revolution in the world, and emi 
 nently fitted them, not only to endure the hardships of a 
 pioneer life in a savage wilderness, but to give substance 
 
22 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 and permanency to the new institutions, which it was 
 their destiny to found in that wilderness. 
 
 The original name of the family was Puttenham. They 
 resided in Buckinghamshire, one of the southern counties 
 of England, and out a short distance from the metropolis. 
 The emigrant brought with him three sons, Thomas, Na 
 thaniel, and John, and two brothers, younger than himself. 
 They pitched their tents, in 1634, in that remote part of 
 Salem which, for a century past, has been included within 
 the limits of Danvers, where they soon established them 
 selves as successful, independent farmers ; and where 
 many of their posterity still reside, in circumstances of 
 respectability and affluence. 
 
 ISRAEL PUTNAM was the son of Captain Joseph Putnam, 
 grandson of Thomas, and great grandson of the worthy 
 John, who planted the family tree in this country. He 
 was born on the seventh day of January, 1718, and was 
 the eleventh of a family of twelve children. His mother s 
 maiden name was Elizabeth Porter. The house in which 
 he first saw the light is still standing, in good order and 
 well-conditioned ; having, like the hardy old settlers who 
 founded it, been built of the best materials which the 
 times afforded. It is an old-fashioned, gambrel-roofed 
 house, two stories in height, with dormer windows in the 
 attic, and painted yellow. It is at present occupied by 
 Mr. Daniel Putnam, grand nephew of the General. It 
 stands on the main road from u The Plains," in Danvers, 
 to Middletown, being the last house on the right before 
 the intersection of that road with the Newburyport turn 
 pike. By the turnpike, it is exactly half way between 
 Newburyport and Boston. 
 
 A little above this house, near the angle of a small hill, 
 on the right side of the road, stands a locust tree, in a 
 gentle hollow. On that spot formerly stood a small, one 
 
HISEARLYLIFE. 23 
 
 story house, which the General once occupied, and where 
 he kept a sort of bachelor s hall, previous to his marriage. 
 When the house was taken down, some fifty years ago, 
 the locust tree was planted there by one. of the family, to 
 designate the spot where it had stood. 
 
 Of the early life of the General, however it might have 
 been marked by incidents illustrating or foreshadowing 
 those eminent traits of character which were developed 
 by the stirring scenes of his after years, we have no authen 
 tic records, and but few reliable traditions. To use the 
 words of a kind correspondent, and a talented antiquarian 
 of Salem,* to whom application was made for materials 
 for this part of the memoir u Putnam migrated from 
 Massachusetts more than a century ago, while he was 
 young and undistinguished. His neighbors and relatives 
 were employed in rural pursuits, and while he dwelt with 
 them they did not regard him as a future great man 
 they noticed not i the lambent flame on the crest of 
 Tullius. " 
 
 The few incidents, relating to this period that have been 
 preserved, are in perfect keeping with the character which 
 he exhibited in after years. The same fearless daring, 
 the same insensibility to danger, the same generous, manly 
 disposition, and the same ready good humor, which made 
 him through life the boon companion and the idol of his 
 friends, as well as the foremost leader in all kinds of adven 
 ture. Unfortunately, we have nothing of his school-boy 
 days. Schools, especially in the scattered settlements of 
 the country, were more rare at that period than now, and 
 the advantages of education difficult to be obtained by 
 those whose circumstances and mode of life, like those of 
 our hero, demanded the unceasing application of their 
 energies in cultivating the soil. The want of those advan- 
 
 * Benjamin Merrill, Esq. 
 
24 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 tages, and of the benefits which he might have derived 
 from them, was sensibly felt in all his subsequent career. 
 And it is probable, had he been permitted, at the close of 
 his life, to address the youth of the country, or to leave a 
 legacy of caution and instruction to coming generations, 
 he would have dwelt much and strongly upon the duty 
 and privilege of a thorough early education. He would 
 have urged the young to neglect no opportunity for acquir 
 ing knowledge, and preparing themselves, not only to win 
 an honorable eminence in society, and adorn it when won, 
 but to enjoy it with that conscious ease and self-reliance 
 which, to an ingenuous mind, constitutes its principal 
 attraction. 
 
 There are few who have the native strength of character 
 to rise above the inauspicious circumstances of early life, 
 and carve out their own fortunes, by the mere dint of their 
 own irrepressible genius. Putnam was one of the few. 
 The times in which he lived demanded marked and strik 
 ing peculiarities in the class of men, whose duty it was to 
 go forward and " guide the current of events." And it is 
 one of the most interesting and instructive cases of the 
 history of that exciting period, to notice how wonderfully 
 its leading characters were fitted for the crisis, and how 
 wisely and kindly the various " gifts " required for the 
 service were distributed among them. 
 
 That the heroic character of Putnam was inborn, a part 
 of his very nature, and not the result of temporary excite 
 ment, or a transient exhiliration of spirits, will appear from 
 the following anecdote, which is related of his boyish 
 days. It exhibits a cool serenity and self-possession in 
 times of great peril, which are of inestimable value to the 
 leader of an enterprise, placing him, in a manner, above the 
 vicissitudes of fortune, and making him the master, rather 
 than the slave, of circumstance. The charge of cruelty, 
 
THE BIRD S NEST, 25 
 
 which attaches to it, must be set down to the score of the 
 heedlessness of youth ; for his whole subsequent life 
 shows that he had a kind, generous, noble heart, keenly 
 alive to the sufferings of others, and ready, almost to a 
 fault, even to aid his enemies. Friends and foes alike 
 accord him this praise. 
 
 In common with most boys in the same situation in life, 
 Putnam found great amusement in " bird s-nesting." Like 
 many other boys, too, whose experience has not been 
 written, he found it a very hazardous sport, having nearly 
 lost his life in one of his hair-brained attempts to perpetrate 
 this species of heartless piracy. It was customary, on 
 these occasions, for several boys to go out in company ; 
 but Putnam was always the leader of the band. In the 
 case referred to, they had discovered a fine nest, lodged on 
 a frail branch, near the top of a very high tree. The tree 
 stood apart from others, and was difficult to climb. The 
 nest was so far out of the way that it could not be reached 
 by a pole, or any other contrivance, which they could 
 command. The only possible way, therefore, to secure 
 the prize, was for some one to venture upon one of those 
 frail branches, neither of which, in the opinion of all the 
 party, was sufficient to sustain the weight of any one of 
 their number. 
 
 Putnam regarded the nest and the limb in silence for 
 some minutes. At length he said : 
 
 " That bird has some of the qualities of a good soldier ; 
 she has selected her post with excellent judgment, and 
 fortified it with great skill. I ll wager there is not a boy 
 within ten miles that can reach that nest." 
 
 No one was disposed to accept the implied challenge. 
 
 They were about quitting the spot in quest of some more 
 
 practicable sport, when Putnam, deliberately taking off his 
 
 jacket, and rolling up his pantaloons to his knees, said, 
 
 2 
 
26 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 " There s nothing like trying," and proceeded to climb the 
 tree. 
 
 His companions used their utmost eloquence to dissuade 
 him from the mad attempt ; but all to no purpose. He 
 never flinched from any undertaking when he had once 
 made up his mind to it. The tree was ascended, and the 
 limb gained, nearest to that which held the nest. It seemed 
 stouter than the others. The daring boy placed his foot 
 on it by way of trial. It creaked ominously ; while the 
 mother-bird, with a shrill cry, abandoned her nest, hover 
 ing anxiously around, and uttering many a touching com 
 plaint. 
 
 Stepping boldly out upon the limb, it bent under him. 
 The boys below warned him of his danger, and entreated 
 him not to venture any further. Getting down upon one 
 knee, he reached toward the nest, but before he could 
 grasp it the limb cracked. His comrades shouted to him 
 to come down, but still he persevered. His fingers touched 
 the w r ished-for prize. In his eagerness he cried, u I ve got 
 it it is mine." At that instant the limb broke quite off, 
 and Putnam fell ; but not to the ground. His fall was 
 arrested by one of the lower branches of the tree, which 
 caught in his pantaloons, and held him suspended in mid 
 air with his head downward. 
 
 "Put, are you hurt ?" inquired one of the boys. 
 
 " Not hurt," answered the undaunted heart, u but sorely 
 puzzled how to get down." 
 
 " We cannot cut away the limb for you because w r e 
 have no knife." 
 
 " You must contrive some other way to relieve me 
 then, for I cannot stay here till you get one." 
 A- " We will strike a light, and burn the tree down." 
 
 " Ay ; and smother me in the smoke. That will not 
 do." 
 
l 
 
 Bird s Nesting Putnam suspended in tlie Tree Page 26 
 
HIS COOLNESS AND INTREPIDITY. 27 
 
 There was a boy named Randall in the group, who was 
 noted for being a crack marksman, and who afterwards 
 fought bravely at Putnam s side. Fortunately, he seldom 
 \vent out without his rifle, and had it with him on this oc 
 casion. 
 
 " Jim Randall," said he, " there s a ball in your rifle. " 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " Do you see that small limb that holds me here ?" 
 
 "I do." 
 
 "Fire at it. * 
 
 " What ! to cut you down ?" 
 
 " Of course ; for what else could I ask it." 
 
 " But I might hit your head, perhaps." 
 
 " Shoot ; better blow out my brains at once, than see me 
 die here by hanging, which I shall certainly do in fifteen 
 minutes. Sh^ot" 
 
 "But you will fall." 
 
 " Jim Randall, will you fire ?" 
 
 Randall brought his rifle to his shoulder. Its sharp 
 crack rang through the forest the splinters flew and 
 Putnam fell to the ground. He was severely bruised by 
 the fall. He laughed it off* however, and nothing more 
 \vas thought of it. 
 
 Not many days after, Putnam, who could never endure 
 the thought of being defeated in an enterprise, returned 
 alone to that tree, and succeeded, though with the greatest 
 difficulty, in securing the nest, which he bore away in 
 triumph to his companions. 
 
 Though we cannot apologize for the cruel act of rob 
 bing a harmless bird of her home and her young, nor do 
 otherwise than censure the fool-hardiness of the boy, who 
 could twice put his life at hazard for such a prize, we can 
 not but see in this incident the germ of that indomitable 
 spiritj which was so often displayed amid the more fearful 
 
28 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 perils of his subsequent career. His conduct, while sus 
 pended in the tree, displays the same coolness and self- 
 possession, and the same promptness of action, which cha 
 racterized his daring leap at Horseneck, and his perilous 
 trip down the rapids of the Hudson. 
 
 As would naturally be expected from those traits of 
 character which have already been exhibited, Putnam was 
 eager to excel in all the manly athletic exercises, which 
 constitute so large a part of the sports of a country village. 
 In running, leaping, wrestling, pitching the bar, and in feats 
 of horsemanship, he displayed great agility and physical 
 power, and was scarcely ever second among his competi 
 tors. Even in the labors of the field and the wood, it 
 was his early ambition to do the part of a man, .and not to 
 be outdone, even by his elders, in anything, which patient, 
 persevering toil could achieve. 
 
 But with all his restless activity, and his fondness for 
 athletic amusements, he never loved a quarrel. He was 
 not easily provoked. His disposition was frank, generous 
 and confiding, and his uniform good humor often preserved 
 the peace among his more inflammable companions, when, 
 ELS is too often the case, the heat and excitement of their 
 game began to wear a threatening aspect, and parties at 
 play to assume the tone and bearing of combatants. His 
 wit and humor gave him great influence on such occasions, 
 and he always employed it in allaying excitement, and har 
 monizing and adjusting difficulties. It seems to have been 
 his principle, that a man should never fight except with his 
 enemy, and with him only when he could not manage him 
 in any other way. 
 
 On his first visit to Boston he was rudely assailed in the 
 street by one of the young aristocrats of the town, who 
 was considerably his superior both in age and size. The 
 coarse homespun dress and awkward air of the country 
 
HIS FIRST FIGHT STORY OF CUDGE. 29 
 
 boy, as he sauntered along, gazing into the shop-windows, 
 and wondering at the number, size and magnificence of 
 the buildings, excited the mirth of the well-dressed and 
 self-important city boy, whose superior education did not re 
 strain him from showing his contempt in the most rude and 
 ungentlemanly manner. His insults were borne in silence 
 for a considerable time. At length, disgusted and exaspe 
 rated by this unprovoked and continued abuse, and finding 
 that it was attracting the attention of the people who were 
 passing in the streets, he turned fiercely upon his assailant, 
 and gave him so complete and satisfactory a drubbing, that 
 he was glad to haul down his colors, and beat a retreat, 
 much to the amusement of a large number of spectators, 
 who made -a ring to watch the issue of the contest. 
 
 At that period there were slaves in all the colonies. It 
 is true, they were not very numerous in New England. 
 Still, slavery existed, and African bond-men, and bond 
 women, and bond-children, were found tell it not in 
 Gath ! in all the towns, and scattered over the farming 
 districts of Massachusetts. It fell to the lot of one of 
 Putnam s neighbors to have one of these slaves in his 
 family, who was noted and feared for his fierce, ungoverna 
 ble temper, and a disposition that would have served a 
 savage or a fiend. There seemed to be no way to subdue 
 him but with the lash ; and that, though often repeated, 
 was far from being as effectual as could have been wished. 
 
 On one occasion, when Cudge had been particularly 
 unruly, so that his master could do nothing with him, he 
 called upon Putnam to assist him in administering the 
 proper chastisement. 
 
 " Well, neighbor, what do you propose to do ?" he 
 inquired. 
 
 " I intend to tie him up in the barn, and give him such 
 a flogging as he will be likely to remember." 
 
30 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 "Very well," replied Putnam, " you catch him, and I 
 will tie him up. You can then do what you please with 
 him." 
 
 Accordingly, the exasperated master went out into the 
 field, seized Cudge, and brought him into the barn. Put 
 nam, in the mean time, had fastened his rope to a beam, 
 and prepared a noose. Cudge resisted, and his master 
 was obliged to exert all his strength to hold him. In this 
 position, Putnam threw the noose over them both, so as 
 completely to secure their arms, and render it impossible 
 for them to help themselves, or each other, drew them up 
 together, and left them to their reflections. 
 
 Going coolly into the house, he lighted his pipe, sat 
 down and smoked it out. Then, calling to the mistress of 
 the house, he proposed to her to go out with him and see 
 how the Captain and Cudge were getting along. 
 
 Arrived at the barn, the good woman was almost thrown 
 into hysterics, on seeing her husband bound up in this 
 manner with that terrible negro, whom she feared scarcely 
 less than she did a certain other character in black, whose 
 name it would not be polite to mention, and of whom she 
 regarded Cudge as the living representative, or counter 
 part, After a little persuasion, and some words of stronger 
 import, Putnam unbound his prisoners, endeavoring to 
 pacify the now doubly enraged master by assuring him, that, 
 however disagreeable to himself, the effect upon Cudge 
 would be better than a dozen floggings. 
 
 The event justified the assertion. Cudge was so delight 
 ed with the joke, that he did not get out of humor for a 
 long time after. At the same time, with that kind of 
 instinctive regard which the slave naturally feels for his 
 master, he could not help being hurt on his account. His 
 heart was softened. He was more respectful and more 
 obedient than he had ever been before. 
 
THE SLAVE DISPOSED OF. 31 
 
 The sequel of Cudge s history is too good a story to be 
 lost ; arid, though it has no relation to the subject of this 
 memoir, we take leave to preserve it here, for the special 
 benefit of those peculiar friends of Africa, who claim for 
 New England an entire freedom from the plague-spot of 
 slavery, and from any participation in " the price of 
 blood." 
 
 By some means, his mistress had grievously offended 
 the negro. He became so enraged, that he swore he 
 would take her life ; and neither soothing words, nor 
 threats, had any effect to pacify him. The family was 
 thrown into the greatest alarm, knowing that his temper 
 was of that ungovernably savage character that nothing 
 would restrain him from indulging it. In this state of 
 things, his master devised a plan for the permanent relief 
 of his family. Having made his arrangements, he went 
 out into the field with his hoe in his hand, and said 
 
 ". Cudge, you have had rather hot work getting in the 
 potatoes." 
 
 " Yes, massa, hot enough." 
 
 " Well, I am going to give you a play-day. I have 
 sold fifty bushels, to be delivered on board a vessel at the 
 wharf in Salem, and if you would like it, you may go in 
 with the load." 
 
 " Oh ! yes, massa ; like it very well." 
 
 " You may have the whole day, Cudge. You can 
 take your fiddle with you, and play a jig for the sailors, 
 and so get a few coppers for yourself." 
 
 Cudge was highly pleased with the proposal, and started 
 off in great glee. 
 
 Having unloaded his potatoes, the sailors, who had 
 been let into the secret and received their instructions 
 beforehand, called upon Cudge to bring out his fiddle and 
 
32 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 play them a jig, that they might have one merry dance 
 before going to sea. 
 
 The negro showed his teeth, and his riddle too ; and 
 presently the deck of the brig was as merry as a country 
 ball-room at Thanksgiving. Meanwhile, the dancers were 
 not niggardly in "paying the piper." The coppers fell 
 on this side and that, and Cudge was somewhat discon 
 certed in his measure,by the necessity of breaking off and 
 running after them, to prevent them from going out at the 
 scuppers. Presently, one of the sailors said 
 
 " Cudge, your fiddle is getting dry ; you must go be 
 low and rosin your bow." This was another phrase for 
 " wetting his whistle," or taking a dram. 
 
 Cudge took the hint with alacrity, and adjourned with 
 two or three of the party to the forecastle. Here, with 
 drinking, riddling, singing and dancing, two or three hours 
 passed away, and Cudge had almost filled his pockets 
 with coppers. At length, starting up, as from a dream, he 
 exclaimed : 
 
 " Yah ! I must go up, and see how the cattle stand." 
 
 He went up ; but, to his utter amazement, there was 
 neither cattle nor cart to be seen ; no, nor houses, nor 
 wharf. The brig was many miles out at sea, and Cudge 
 was bound to a southern clime, where slaves could be 
 more easily managed than on the hardy soil of New Eng 
 land. He went to the same market with his potatoes, 
 and w r as sold for the samp account. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 PUTNAM S MARRIAGE AND SETTLEMENT IN CONNECTICUT. 
 
 His marriage Removes to Pomfret His prosperity as a farmer 
 His operations as a wool-grower Ravages in his sheep-folds 
 The veteran she-wolf Her annual visits to Pomfret Her exten 
 sive operations there Combination against her The pursuit 
 Tracked home to her den Attempts to smoke her out Putnam 
 descends into the cave Description of the passage His sudden 
 exit Returns with his gun Despatches his enemy Returns the 
 third time and drags her out Triumphant procession Reception 
 in the village Exaggerated versions of the story. 
 
 IN 1739, at the age of twenty-one years, Mr. Putnam was 
 married to Miss Hannah Pope, daughter of Mr. John Pope, 
 of Salem, by whom he had ten children, four sons and six 
 daughters. The following year he removed from his na 
 tive place, and settled upon a tract of land which he had 
 purchased in Pomfret, in Connecticut. This is an inland 
 town in Windham County, thirty-six miles east of Hart 
 ford, and situated on the Quinnebaug, or Mohegan river, 
 one of the tributaries of the Thames. It is blessed with a 
 good soil, and all the ordinary requisites for a thrifty and 
 successful husbandry. 
 
 In those days of comparative simplicity, the expenses 
 of living, particularly in the farming districts, were very 
 moderate, and easily acquired. Few of the costly luxu 
 ries of the present day were known. The hard and bur 
 densome yoke of European fashion, which grinds so many 
 of us into the dust, was not then laid upon the colonies 
 
34 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 It is a singular anomaly in the history of Independent 
 America, that she wears, without complaint, the fetters of 
 a voluntary slavery, ten times more expensive and burden 
 some than that which roused the dependent colonies to 
 resistance, and severed for ever the bonds which had so 
 long united them to the mother-country. Our good old 
 fathers and mothers, particularly those who maintained the 
 independent life of cultivators of the soil, would have 
 scorned the servile imitation of the multitude in our day. 
 They would have deemed it the extreme of folly to sacri 
 fice one real comfort to the mere outside show of equality 
 to the rich and the great. 
 
 With these simple, unaffected tastes, and no merely 
 artificial wants to drain off all the fruits of their toil, the 
 industrious and skilful were almost sure of success. This 
 w r as the issue of Mr. Putnam s labors upon his new farm. 
 A very few years found him in the enjoyment of a com 
 fortable and substantial home ; his clearings well fenced 
 and cultivated ; his pastures handsomely stocked ; and his 
 entire establishment, with one exception, in the full tide 
 of prosperous increase. This exception, as it serves to 
 illustrate the heroic and independent character of our sub 
 ject, and furnishes the explanation of one of the peculiar 
 sobriquets, by which he was often distinguished among 
 his military comrades in after life, deserves particular 
 notice. 
 
 Mr. Putnam s pastures were well adapted to the culti 
 vation of sheep. With his usual promptness he availed 
 himself of this facility to carry on quite an extensive busi 
 ness in wool. His flocks were numerous and thrifty, and 
 he prided himself not a little in having as extensive folds, 
 and as good fleeces, as any in New England. He was, 
 therefore, particularly nettled when this part of his exten 
 sive establishment was selected as the object of nightly 
 
T H E W O L F . 35 
 
 ravages, by some of the farmers enemies, that were 
 prowling- about in that region. His fields had suffered 
 occasionally from drought in summer, and mildew in har 
 vest. The severity of the winter had carried off some of 
 his cattle. But these inroads upon his folds had come to 
 be exacted as an annual tribute, and were quite too severe 
 to be tolerated. His losses were very great, so much so 
 as to threaten the entire destruction of that department of 
 his business. All this havoc appeared to have been com 
 mitted by one she-wolf, and her annual whelps ; though 
 it is not improbable they were sometimes accompanied by 
 a stronger force. The young were usually destroyed in 
 the course of the season by the vigilance of the hunters 
 and their dogs ; but the old one was too sagacious to 
 allow herself to be caught, or even to be seen. She had 
 once unwarily set her foot in a trap that was laid for her, 
 but had escaped by leaving her toes behind. When too 
 closely pursued to carry on her depredations any longer 
 with safety, she would abandon the vicinity altogether for 
 the season. But she invariably returned the ensuing 
 winter, with another family of hungry whelps to feed. 
 
 Mr. Putnam was not the only sufferer by these annual 
 visits of the wolf. His neighbors, all around, shared in 
 his losses, though none of them were quite as heavily 
 taxed as he. At length, finding the nuisance intolerable, 
 he entered into a combination with five of his neighbors to 
 watch and hunt alternately, and never abandon the pursuit 
 till she was destroyed. Two of them, by turns, were to 
 keep on her track until she was overtaken, or driven home 
 to her den. Commencing the pursuit immediately after a 
 light fall of snow, in the opening of winter, they were soon 
 on a trail that could not be mistaken. The accident of 
 the steel trap had made one foot much shorter than its 
 mate, so that the fugitive robber made her mark as she 
 
36 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 went. In this manner she was pursued over hill and 
 valley, through forest, and brake, and swamp, to the bank 
 of the Connecticut river. Arrested in her flight here, she 
 turned back in a direct course for Pomfret, with the hunt 
 ers in close and vigilant chase. Early in the morning, 
 the day after their return, they had driven her into a den, 
 about three miles from the house of Mr. Putnam. Here 
 she was carefully guarded, till a large company of men 
 and boys had assembled, with dogs, guns, straw and sul 
 phur, prepared to finish the work which had been so well 
 begun, by inflicting summary vengeance upon the common 
 enemy. 
 
 It was a scene of general interest and excitement. Rare 
 sport was expected by some of the younger and less expe 
 rienced. It was soon found, however, that the enemy 
 had chosen her retreat with good judgment ; and was pre 
 pared, not only to stand an obstinate siege, but to defend 
 herself with a fierceness and bravery that were quite appal 
 ling. Some of the hounds, who had become heated in 
 the chase, ventured into her fastness, but soon retreated, 
 yelping bitterly and covered with wounds. And no ur 
 gency could induce them to return to the charge. 
 
 It was now attempted to smoke her out. The mouth 
 of the cave was filled with straw. The torch was applied. 
 The smoke rolled up in heavy volumes, and filled every 
 crevice of the cave ; but the wolf came not forth. She 
 seemed resolved to die where she was, rather than suffer 
 herself to be taken, or face the weapons of such a company 
 of exasperated foes. The fumes of sulphur produced no 
 better effect. It is probable, indeed, that the imprisoned 
 animal was not so much annoyed by them as her tormen 
 tors supposed. There may have been some fissure by 
 which they escaped, without finding their way into the 
 inner recess of the cavern where the wolf was. 
 
HE ENTERS THE WOLF s DEN. 37 
 
 In these fruitless efforts to dislodge her, the time had 
 flown by, till it now wanted only two hours of midnight. 
 It was clear that something more effectual must be done, 
 or all their labor would be lost. Another effort was made 
 to induce the dogs to go in, but without success. They 
 had had enough of that sport already, and would not budge 
 an inch. Mr. Putnam then proposed to his servant to 
 take a torch and a gun, and descend into the cavern and 
 shoot the wolf. As his master doubtless expected, he 
 declined the honor of so hazardous an enterprise. Find 
 ing no one in the company who was willing to attempt 
 the perilous descent, and declaring he was ashamed to 
 have a coward in his family, he resolved at once to go in 
 himself, and put a certain end to the ravager of his flocks, 
 lest she should escape by some unknown passage, and 
 become once more the scourge of the country. 
 
 His neighbors remonstrated against so mad an exposure 
 of his life, but in vain. He w r as bent on accomplishing, 
 that very night, the death of his victim. He knew that 
 all wild animals have instinctive dread of fire. He, accord 
 ingly, provided himself with a quantity of birch-bark, 
 which he tore into strips convenient for use these being 
 the only torches which he could then command. Thus 
 provided, he stripped off his coat and waistcoat, lighted 
 one of his torches, and crawling on his hands and knees, 
 without any weapon in his hand, commenced the bold 
 descent. 
 
 " The aperture of the den. on the east side of a very high 
 ledge of rocks, is about two feet square ; from thence it 
 descends obliquely fifteen feet ; then, running horizontally 
 about ten feet more, it ascends gradually sixteen feet 
 towards its termination. The sides of this subterranean 
 cavity are composed of smooth and solid rocks, which 
 seem to have been divided from each other by some for- 
 
38 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 mer earthquake. The top and bottom are also of stone, 
 and the entrance, in winter being covered with ice, is ex 
 ceedingly slippery. It is in no place high enough for a 
 man to raise himself upright, nor in any place more than 
 three feet in width. 
 
 " Having groped his passage to the horizontal part of 
 the den, the most terrifying darkness appeared in front of 
 the dim circle of light afforded by his torch. It was silent 
 as the house of death. None but monsters of the desert 
 had ever before explored this solitary mansion of horror." 
 It required no slight care and presence of mind, to keep 
 alive the flame by which his course was guided. Though 
 creeping on all fours, he was obliged several times to pause 
 and renew his torch, at the imminent hazard, each time, of 
 being left in utter darkness in the depths of the cave. 
 " Cautiously proceeding onward, he came to the ascent, 
 which he slowly mounted on his hands and knees, until he 
 discovered the glaring eye-balls of the wolf, who was sit 
 ting at the extremity of the cavern. Startled at the sight 
 of fire, she gnashed her teeth, and gave a sullen growl." 
 Having fully reconnoitered the position of the enemy, and 
 formed his plan of attack, the bold scout gave a hearty 
 kick upon the rope, which, by way of precaution, had been 
 secured around one of his legs. His friends, who were 
 waiting in breathless suspense and anxiety at the mouth of 
 the den, hearing the fierce growl of the wolf, which showed 
 that she was yet unhurt, and supposing that Mr. Putnam 
 must be in imminent danger, responded vigorously to the 
 concerted signal, dragging him forth with such violence, 
 ** that his shirt was stripped over his head, and his skin 
 severely lacerated." 
 
 Having adjusted his clothes, and loaded his gun, he took 
 another handful of torches, and descended a second time 
 into the narrow cave. Encumbered with his musket, this 
 
it/ J 
 
RETURNS IN TRIUMPH 39 
 
 descent was much more difficult than the first, though, 
 armed as he was, and somewhat familiar with the bearings 
 and distances of his journey, and the position of his foe, it 
 was certainly much more safe and agreeable. As he ap 
 proached the object of his pursuit somewhat nearer than 
 before, she manifested the most decided symptoms of un 
 easiness at his presence. Her appearance was exceedingly 
 fierce and terrible ; " howling, rolling her eyes, snapping 
 her teeth, and dropping her head between her legs, she 
 was evidently in the attitude, and on the point, of springing 
 at her assailant. At that critical moment he levelled his 
 piece, aiming directly at her head, and fired. Stunned 
 with the shock, and suffocated with the smoke of the pow 
 der, he immediately found himself drawn out of the cave," 
 though somewhat more gently than on the former occa 
 sion. 
 
 Having refreshed himself a few moments in the open 
 air, and given time for the smoke to clear away from the 
 long passages of the cavern, he went down the third time 
 to secure and bring away his prize. His shot had taken 
 good effect. The animal lay stretched on the floor of her 
 inner chamber, weltering in her blood. Applying his 
 torch to her nose, and finding her perfectly insensible, he 
 seized her by the ears ; and, giving the usual signal to his 
 friends without, by kicking the rope, was drawn heavily, 
 but exuliingly out, dragging his victim after him. 
 
 On emerging into the air, and bringing out, amid the fit 
 ful glare of a score or two of torches, that fearful creature, 
 that had so long been the terror and scourge of their fields, 
 he was received with such a shout as made the old woods 
 of Pomfret ring again. Its echoes reverberated along the 
 valley, and reached the wakeful ears of the anxious wives 
 and mothers, whose fears, increasing as the midnight hour 
 approached, had led many of them more than once to ex- 
 
40 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 claim, " I wish they would leave the old wclf alone. I 
 would rather lose every sheep in the fold, than have my 
 husband or child brought home dead or wounded." 
 
 The nature of that shout could not be mistaken, even by 
 a woman. It hushed all their fears in a moment ; and 
 when, some half an hour after, the party was seen winding 
 down tbe valley, with flaming torches, escorting the victor 
 in triumph to his home, with the trophy of his daring valor 
 borne on a sort of litter on the shoulder of the larger boys, 
 who claimed the honor as their perquisite for keeping 
 awake so long the tables were all laid, and a generous 
 hot supper provided for all the volunteers in that cold mid 
 night campaign. 
 
 Mr. Putnam s frank, open, agreeable manners, his gene 
 rous spirit and uniform good humor, had already secured 
 him the good will of all his neighbors ; while his activity, 
 enterprise, good sense and sterling integrity of character had 
 won for him their entire esteem and regard. He now be 
 came, as will naturally be supposed, the hero of the village 
 and the surrounding country. The story of his daring ex 
 ploit with the wolf travelled far and wide, and received 
 many poetical embellishments, in the course of its travels. 
 In some cases the dimensions of the cave, and the difficulty 
 of access to it, formidable as it really was, were greatly 
 exasperated. In some, the den was full of wolves, as 
 
 OO 
 
 that of Daniel was of lions ; while one version repre 
 sented the hero, like Samson or David, as entering her 
 hold unarmed, seizing the wolf, and strangling her in his 
 arms. Another substituted a bear and two cubs for the 
 wolf, and represented the, bear as going off with Putnam s 
 sow in her mouth, while he pursued her with a club, de 
 scending into the den, and destroying the whole family 
 without the assistance of any other person. The story, 
 with all its exaggerations, found its way into the papers 
 
THE UNRULY BULL. 41| 
 
 and journals of England and France, so that Putnam came 
 to be familiarly known abroad as " the old wolf." This 
 was a common designation among his fellow-officers during 
 " the seven years war." 
 
 The description of the cave, given above, is in every 
 particular accurate and exact, and was no doubt the result 
 of actual measurement on the part of Colonel Humphreys 
 
 Mr. Putnam was a man of great personal strength, as 
 well as courage. His frame was large and athletic. His 
 motions were rapid, nervous and impulsive. And though 
 he seldom undertook what he did not successfully accom 
 plish, it often seemed as if he rushed to an act without 
 thought, and achieved it without a purpose. The truth 
 was, that the movements of his mind were as nervous and 
 impulsive as those of his body. His perceptions were 
 quick and accurate, and he jumped to conclusions at which 
 other men would arrive by slow and careful inquiry. This 
 was the true secret of his successful darin^. It was not 
 
 O 
 
 thoughtlessness, but, an instantaneous perception of all the 
 bearings of his position, and a consequent calmness and 
 self-possession which made him master of circumstances, 
 over which other and less active minds would have had 
 no control. 
 
 An incident is related of him at this period, which, 
 though it may seem too trifling of itself to be preserved, 
 will illustrate this peculiar impulsiveness, at the same 
 time that it affords a striking proof of his uncommon 
 strength. He had among his cattle a very fine bull, whom 
 he valued highly for his noble proportions and great 
 strength, but whose fierce, unruly temper made him the 
 terror of the whole neighborhood. Corning up to him in 
 the pasture one day, when he had been peculiarly savage 
 and ugly, he suddenly seized him by the tail and twisting 
 it round a small tree, held him fast, while he 3 d ministered 
 
42 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 a severe and effectual chastisement with an ox goad. 
 The furious animal bellowed and tore the ground in his 
 rage, but it was of no avail. The rod was laid on with 
 such determined energy and good will, that every stroke 
 had its desired effect, while the strong arm that held him 
 gave him no chance of escape. From that time he was 
 master of the bull, and had only to show the rod in his 
 hand, to make him comparatively quiet and submissive. 
 
 The untiring industry and prudent husbandry of Mr. 
 Putnam, during the ten or twelve years that intervened 
 before the breaking out of the French War, placed his 
 affairs on a very sound basis, and secured for him a com 
 fortable independence for life. And when he was after 
 wards called to engage in the active service of his country, 
 in the camp and the field, and to undergo the hardships 
 and privations of war, he had the satisfaction of leaving 
 his family well provided for, and having a quiet retreat to 
 fall back upon, whenever the fortunes of war should either 
 compel or permit him to retire. In this respect, he was 
 more favorably situated than many of his compeers, who, 
 in hazarding their lives for a cause which was too poor 
 to reward them for their services, sacrificed their all, and 
 returned, when their liberties were achieved, to wear 
 away the evening of their days amid the cares and priva 
 tions of poverty, as broken in fortune as in physical con 
 stitution. 
 
LAKE GEORGE 
 
 _ASI> Tilt 
 
 T.EDWARD ADJACENT FORTS. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE FRENCH WAR. PUTNAM S FIRST CAMPAIGN. 
 
 Mr. Putnam s general popularity Receives a Captain s commission 
 under General Lyman His company Generally employed as 
 rangers and scouts Nature and difficulty of that service Inaus 
 picious commencement of the war Sir William Johnson s success 
 ful expedition Its object and plan Fortifications Position of. 
 the French at Tinconderoga They attempt to arrest the English 
 works Dieskau marches upon Fort Edward Changes his course 
 towards Lake George Encounters Colonel Williams The battle 
 Hendricks, the Mohawk chief Williams and Hendricks slain 
 The retreat The assault upon Johnson s camp Repelled 
 Dieskau a prisoner The pursuit Captain McGinnes Joseph 
 Brant Fort William Henry built Captain Rogers His Journal 
 Its omissions His character and subsequent history Goes on a 
 scou^with Putnam Rogers in imminent danger Rescued by 
 Putnam Army in winter quarters Putnam returns to his family. 
 
 THE fearless courage, the generous and ready benevolence, 
 and the open, frank, confiding manner of Mr. Putnam, won 
 the admiration and regard of all who knew him. His 
 early popularity was remarkable ; and so enduring was it, 
 that the few individuals who have assumed the ungracious 
 office of detracting from his well-earned fame, have been 
 compelled to admit the fact, while they deny him every 
 pretension to that distinguished merit on which it should 
 have been founded. 
 
 So great was his reputation, however accounted for, 
 that, without any previous military experience, he was 
 appointed to a captaincy, in the regiment of Connecticut 
 
44 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 provincials, on the breaking out of the French War. He 
 found no difficulty in beating up recruits. His personal 
 friends and admirers flocked to his standard, and his com 
 pany was soon complete. A company, not of vagabonds 
 and bar-room adventurers, who follow the beat of a drum 
 for the rations which it promises without the drudgery of 
 daily toil but of hardy, industrious, respectable young 
 men, the very flower of the yeomanry of Connecticut. 
 None of them had been educated in the use of arms, or 
 the evolutions of the camp and the battle-field. They had 
 bold hearts and strong arms, and a confidence in their 
 leader that made the service light. 
 
 The regiment, of which this company composed a part, 
 was commanded by General Lyman. Putnam s command, 
 however, was so often detached on special and peculiar 
 service, that it held, during all the war, rather the position 
 of an independent corps, than that of a limb of the army. 
 Though not specifically drafted as Rangers, nor organized 
 under that distinctive name, the duty assigned to it, and 
 performed by it, \vas of that hardy, bold, adventurous cha 
 racter, which is usually rendered by that portion of a well 
 appointed army. It was a service to which the genius of 
 Putnam was peculiarly adapted. He delighted in scenes 
 of daring excitement. He revelled in adventure. The 
 ordinary monotony of camp duty would have been insup- 
 poptably irksome. Tn the active and perilous duty of 
 reconnoitering the enemy s posts, surprising their pickets, 
 cutting off or capturing detached parties, waylaying eon- 
 voys of provisions, destroying barracks and batteaux, and 
 making prisoners, he found ample employment for his 
 spirit of restless enterprise, as well as ample- scope for that 
 fruitfulness of invention and stratagem for which he was 
 distinguished. 
 
 Never, perhaps, was there a war between two civilized 
 
COMMENCEMENT OF THE FRENCH WAR. 45 
 
 nations in which this peculiar kind of service was so indis 
 pensable, or where it was attended with so great and fear 
 ful hazards, as this, in which the English and French con 
 tended for the mastery in the Western Continent. The 
 Indian tribes were nearly all enlisted on the side of the 
 French. The mountains, the forests, the river banks, 
 the shores and inlets of the lakes, were infested with 
 straggling parties of these ruthless marauders, whose 
 stealthy movements and peculiar mode of attack, rendered 
 them far more formidable and annoying than many times 
 their number of ordinary soldiers. Skulking in every 
 thicket, and prowling in the outskirts of every wood, they 
 were ever ready to spring upon the foe ; who oftener fell 
 by an unseen hand, than by an open enemy, against whom 
 they might defend themselves, either by skilful manoeuvre 
 or the prowess of their arms. To contend with the diffi 
 culties of such a service, and render effective aid in its 
 prosecution, the utmost coolness, prudence, sagacity and 
 watchfulness, as well as fertility and readiness of resource, 
 and promptness of action, were demanded. Bold, resolute, 
 unflinching hearts, and hands that could almost anticipate 
 the prompiings of the will, were requisite to any degree 
 of success. 
 
 The war commenced in earnest in 1755, with the unfor 
 tunate expedition of General Braddock against Fort Du-~ 
 quesne ; the fruitless one of General Shirley against Fort 
 Niagara ; and the brilliant victory of Sir William Johnson 
 over the Baron Dieskau, at Fort Edward, on Lake George. 
 It was in this last and successful expedition, that Captain 
 Putnam entered upon that great theatre of honorable strife 
 and hazardous adventure, where he won those enduring 
 laurels, which link his name with the noblest and worthiest 
 of our country. 
 
 The object of this expedition was to reduce Crown 
 
46 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 Point, and drive the French from their strong holds in and 
 about Lake Champlain. It originated in Massachusetts, 
 and was to be executed by the colonial troops of New 
 England and New York, General William Johnson, a lead 
 ing member of the council of the latter colony, being placed 
 in command. The troops from the different sections were to 
 rendezvous at Albany. The greater part of them arrived 
 at that place before the end of June ; but the artillery, 
 bateaux, provisions, and other necessaries for the expedi 
 tion could not be prepared till the 8th of August, at which 
 time the army took up its line of march for the carrying 
 place, between the Hudson and Lake George. General 
 Lyman was already there, and had commenced the erec 
 tion of a fortification, which was first called Fort Lyman, 
 and afterward changed to Fort Edward. 
 
 Toward the end of August, the main body moved for 
 ward, and encamped near the southern extremity of Lake 
 George to which the French had given the name of Lake 
 St. Sacrament. Here it was ascertained, by means of 
 some Indian scouts, who had been sent out to gather intel 
 ligence, that a considerable party of French and Indians 
 were stationed at Ticonderoga, on the isthmus between 
 the north end of Lake George, and the southern part of 
 Lake Champlain, about fifteen miles below Crown Point. 
 Their position was admirably selected, as was proved in 
 the subsequent history of the war, when it became a place 
 of great strength and importance. But as yet, no defences 
 were thrown up. Johnson was impatient to bring up his 
 bateaux and artillery, intending to proceed with part of his 
 force and seize that important pass. In the meantime, the 
 French furnished him with sufficient employment at his 
 own camp. 
 
 Baron Dieskau was in command of the French forces. 
 He had just received intelligence of the commencement of 
 
BATTLE OF LAKE GEORGE. 47 
 
 the works at the carrying place by General Lyman, and 
 resolved to give him battle before his entrenchments were 
 completed ; intending, if successful, to desolate the north 
 ern settlements, lay Albany and Schenectady in ashes, and 
 cut off all communications with Oswego, and the northern 
 lakes. With this design, he embarked at Crown Point 
 with two thousand men ; and, landing at South Bay, pro 
 ceeded toward Fort Edward. The troops were ignorant 
 of his purpose of attack until they arrived within two miles 
 of the fort. Then, finding the Canadians and Indians 
 unwilling to face the English cannon, he suddenly changed 
 his route, and moved rapidly northward, hoping to sur 
 prise the camp at St. Sacrament, or Lake George. 
 
 In the meantime, General Johnson being apprised by 
 his scouts of the movements of the French Baron sent 
 messengers to Fort Edward to warn General Lyman of 
 his approach. One of these was intercepted and killed. 
 The others soon returned with the intelligence that they 
 had descried the enemy about four miles northward of the 
 fort. 
 
 It was now the Sth of September. A council of war 
 was immediately called, in which it was resolved to send 
 out a detachment, to intercept the enemy on his return. 
 Hendricks, the celebrated Mohawk chief, was present at 
 this council. When the number proposed to be sent out 
 was mentioned to him, he replied : " If they are to fight 
 they are too few ; if they are to be killed they are too 
 many." It was then suggested to send out a larger de 
 tachment, in three separate parties. Hendricks took three 
 sticks, and said : " Put these together, and you cannot 
 break them ; take them one by one, and you may do it 
 easily." The Mohawk s advice was taken ; and victory, 
 though dearly bought, was the result. 
 
 The detachment was placed under the command of 
 
48 LIFE OF GENERAL P U T N A M . 
 
 Colonel Ephraim Williams, a brave officer, who, at the 
 head of one thousand provincials, with about two hundred 
 Indians, met the Baron nearly four miles from the camp. 
 That able commander, apprised of their approach, made 
 an advantageous disposition of his men to receive them. 
 Keeping the main body of the regulars with him in the 
 centre, he ordered the Canadians and Indians to advance 
 on the rigljt and left, in the woods, in such a manner as to 
 enclose their enemy. When the American troops were 
 considerably within the ambuscade, the old Mohawk 
 sachem, who, with his Indians, had been sent out as a 
 flank guard to the detachment, was hailed by a hostile 
 Indian. 
 
 u Whence came you ?" said he. 
 
 " From the Mohawks. Whence came you ?" 
 
 " From Montreal." 
 
 The firing, which commenced immediately after this 
 parley, brought on the action sooner than Dieskau intend 
 ed, and prevented Williams and his party from being 
 entirely surrounded and cut off. The provincials fought 
 bravely, but finding themselves attacked on every side by 
 superior numbers, were compelled to retreat with con 
 siderable loss. Colonel Williams was among the slain 
 Hendricks also was killed, with a number of his Indians, 
 who fought with great intrepidity. The loss of the enemy 
 was also considerable. Among their slain was M. St, 
 Pierre, who commanded all the Indians, and on whom 
 great reliance was placed. The retreating troops joined 
 the main body, and waited the approach of their assail 
 ants, now rendered more sanguine and formidable by 
 their recent success. 
 
 A little before noon, the advanced guard of the enemy 
 appeared in sight of the American army, which was 
 encamped in a favorable position on the banks of Lake 
 
BARON D I E S K A U WOUNDED. 49 
 
 George, covered on each flank by a low, thick wooded 
 swamp. General Johnson had just mounted several 
 pieces of cannon, which he had most opportunely received 
 two days before from Fort Edward ; and trees had been 
 felled to form a sort of breastwork, which was his only 
 cover against an attack. 
 
 The enemy marched along the road, in very regular 
 order, and in high confidence of victory. When within 
 one hundred and fifty yards of the breastwork they made 
 a momentary halt. A spirited attack was then made by 
 the regulars upon the centre, while the Canadians and 
 Indians fell upon the flanks. The distant platoon fire of the 
 French did but little execution, so that the Americans soon 
 recovered their spirits and determined on a most resolute 
 defence. As soon as their artillery began to play, the 
 Canadian militia and Indians, who were not accustomed 
 to such terrible engines of destruction, fled in confusion 
 and dismay to the swamps. Meeting with a warmer 
 reception than he anticipated, and deserted by his allies, 
 Dieskau was compelled, reluctantly, to order a retreat. 
 His troops retiring in great disorder, were followed briskly 
 by a party from the camp, who fell furiously on their 
 rear, and precipitated their flight. 
 
 Baron Dieskau, who had received a wound in his leg, 
 was found leaning against a stump entirely alone. While 
 feeling for his watch, one of the Americans, now supposed 
 to be General Pomeroy, suspecting him to be in search of 
 a pistol, inflicted upon him another wound, which ulti 
 mately proved mortal, and conducted him a prisoner to 
 the carnp. 
 
 The English not continuing their pursuit, the enemy 
 
 halted about four miles from the camp, at the very place 
 
 where the engagement took place in the morning, and 
 
 opened their pucks for refreshment. While thus engaged, 
 
 3 
 
50 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 a detachment of two hundred of the New Hampshire 
 militia, under the brave Captain McGinnes, who had 
 been dispatched from Fort Edward to the assistance of 
 the main body, fell upon them and completely routed 
 them. Captain McGinnes fell in the action. A large 
 number of prisoners were taken. For this victory General 
 Johnson was rewarded with a baronetcy, and a gift of five 
 hundred pounds. 
 
 It was in this battle of Lake George, that Thayendane- 
 gea, the young Mohawk chief, better known as Joseph 
 Brant, made his first appearance on the field of war. He 
 was only thirteen years old. In relating the particulars 
 of the bloody engagement, some time after, he stated, that 
 u he was seized with such a tremor when the firing com 
 menced, that he was obliged to take hold of a sapling to 
 steady himself; but, after a few volleys, he recovered the 
 use of his limbs, and the composure of his mind, so as to 
 support the character of a brave man." He was born to 
 be a warrior, as his history abundantly proves. " I like," 
 said he, when some one was speaking of music, " I like 
 the harpsichord well, and the organ still better; but I like 
 the drum and trumpet best of all, for they make my heart 
 beat quick." 
 
 For the purpose of securing the country from the incur 
 sions of the enemy, General Johnson erected a fort at the 
 place of his encampment, which he named Fort William 
 Henry. The remainder of the season was occupied in 
 completing the intrenchments, with an occasional skir 
 mish between reconnoitring and foraging parties, but with 
 out any attempt, on either side, to give or provoke a 
 general engagement. 
 
 Soon after Putnam s arrival in the camp, he became 
 intimately acquainted with a famous partizan, Captain, after 
 wards Major, Rogers, whose eminent services, as com- 
 
MAJOR ROGERS. 51 
 
 mander of the corps of New Hampshire Rangers, contribut 
 ed so much to the success of this expedition. Rogers kept a 
 journal of his own achievements, and that of his corps, 
 which was published in London, in 1765. It is full of 
 stirring interest, though manifestly incorrect in some re 
 spects. There is a studied omission of the services, and 
 even of the name of Putnam, so glaring as to impress the 
 mind of one acquainted with the facts, that it was the result 
 of some private pique, which the author was not willing to 
 acknowledge. In some essential points, which we shall 
 notice as we proceed, the journal differs entirely from the 
 orderly books of the army ; and, in others, from the nar 
 rative which Mr. Putnam s biographer, Col. David Hum 
 phreys, had from his own lips. The discrepancies discover 
 ed relate almost exclusively to those matters in which Put 
 nam shared the hardship and the glory. There can be no more 
 authentic record of such matters than the orderly books of 
 the arrny ; and as to Putnam s word, it was always regard 
 ed, by all who knew him, as worthy of entire and implicit 
 credit. The learned Dr. Dwight, afterwards President of 
 Yale College, was his intimate friend. He was not a man 
 to " give flattering lilies to any," or sacrifice truth to the 
 mere euphony of a panegyric, It was he who wrote the 
 epitaph upon Putnam s tomb, in which, after commending 
 his patriotism and his martial virtues, as above all praise, 
 he speaks of him as " a man, whose generosity was singu 
 lar, whose honesty was proverbial^ &c. Dr. Dwight al 
 ludes to him elsewhere in his writings, and always with 
 the same unlimited confidence. a His word," says he, 
 " was regarded as ample security for anything for which it 
 was pledged, and his uprightness commanded absolute con 
 fidence." 
 
 The omissions in Rogers journal are the more remark 
 able, since it w r as to Putnam that the writer w r as once in- 
 
52 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 debted for the preservation of his life, at the hazard of his 
 own. Whethei it was Pufi.am s frank, open, republican 
 simplicity of manners, or his bold and successful daring, 
 threatening an eclipse to his own fame as a ranger, that 
 rendered him both ungrateful and oblivious in these cases, 
 it is impossible now to decide. It is clear, however, that 
 he had little feeling in common with his countrymen, and 
 that, when he performed the remarkable services ascribed 
 to him in " the Seven Years war," it was not as an Ameri 
 can, but as a loyal servant of his majesty. This loyalty he 
 retained to the end ; and, when the war of the Revolution 
 broke out, he was found in the British service, fighting 
 against the liberties of the land of his birth. His journal 
 was published in London the same year with the passage 
 of the stamp act, and after the dispute between the colo 
 nies and the mother country had begun to wax uncomfort 
 ably warm.* 
 
 Sometimes in company with Rogers, and sometimes 
 alone, Putnam was employed in reconnoitering the enemy s 
 lines, gaining intelligence of his movements, and taking 
 straggling prisoners, as well as in beating up the quarters, 
 and surprising the advanced picquets of their army. For 
 these purposes, in addition to the regular corps of Rangers, 
 under Captain Rogers, Putnam and his corps, as we have 
 already stated, though not originally drafted for such a 
 service, were assigned to these difficult and perilous under 
 takings. The first time the two Captains went out toge 
 ther, it was the fortune of Putnam to preserve the life of 
 Rogers, by striking down with his own hands a French 
 man, who was about to plunge a dagger into his heart. 
 
 The object of the expedition, on which they were de 
 tached, was to obtain an accurate knowledge of the posi 
 tion of the enemy, and the stale of the fortifications at 
 * See Appendix, No. 1. 
 
SAVES THE LIFE OF MAJOR ROGERS. 53 
 
 Crown Point. The fort was so situated that it was impos 
 sible to approach it with their whole party, near enough to 
 effect the purpose of their mission, without being discovered. 
 To go alone, was to expose themselves to a hazard which 
 was hardly justifiable, on account of the swarms of hostile 
 Indians, who infested the woods. Determined, however, 
 not to return without an attempt to accomplish their object, 
 the two leaders left all their men in covert at a convenient, 
 distance, with strict orders to remain carefully concealed 
 till their return ; and crept stealthily forward, under cover 
 of the darkness, till they reached the near vicinity of the 
 fortress. Here they laid during the night, without making 
 any satisfactory discoveries. Early in the morning they 
 approached nearer, and spent considerable time in examin 
 ing the defences from several points of view r . Having 
 completed their observations, and obtained all the informa 
 tion they desired upon the several points to which their 
 attention had been directed, they were about returning to 
 their covert, when Rogers, being separated from his com 
 rade a short distance, suddenly encountered a stout French 
 man, who, instantly giving the alarm to a guard near by, 
 seized his fusee with one hand, and with the other made a 
 desperate effort to stab him. 
 
 A severe struggle ensued. The guard answered the 
 call, and there was imminent danger of having the whole 
 garrison upon them at once. Perceiving that no time 
 was to be lost, and that further alarm would be given, 
 and their danger greatly increased, if he should fire, Put 
 nam sprang upon the Frenchman, administered a heavy 
 blow upon his head with the butt end of his musket, and 
 laid him dead at his feet. Thus relieved, and expecting 
 instant pursuit, they flew with the utmost speed to the 
 mountains, joined their party in ambush, and returned, 
 
54 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 without further incident, to the camp. This was in the 
 latter part of October. 
 
 The fortress at Crown Point being found too strong, and 
 too ably garrisoned, to justify an attack, and the season 
 being now far advanced, the greater part of the army was 
 discharged, reserving only six hundred men, under the 
 immediate command of General Johnson, to garrison Forts 
 Edward and William Henry. The French, in the mean 
 time, took possession of Ticonderoga, at the northern out 
 let of Lake George, and fortified it strongly. 
 
 The colonial troops having enlisted only for the cam 
 paign, Captain Putnam s term of service ended with the 
 season, and he returned home to pass the winter in the 
 quiet enjoyment of domestic life, and to look after the inte 
 rests of his growing family and his thrifty farm, With a 
 versatility peculiar to a pioneer life, he exchanged the 
 sword for the ploughshare, and the gilded military coat 
 for the homespun frock, equally willing and able to till the 
 soil, as to fight in its defence. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE CAMPAIGN OF 1756. PUTNAM S SERVICES AS A RANGER. 
 
 Putnam re-appointed Plan of the campaign Montcalm s success 
 at Oswego and Fort George The English put upon the defensive 
 The active services of the Rangers Adventure of Putnam and 
 Durkee at "The Ovens" Arrangement of the French camp 
 The scouts within the lines Fired upon Their narrow escape 
 Their lodgings Canteen sprung a leak Baggage train plundered 
 at Half- Way Brook Putnam and Rogers sent in pursuit of the 
 plunderers Successful encounter with the boats Pursued in their 
 turn Rencontre with a superior force at Sabbath-day Point 
 The enemy defeated and dispersed Another adventure Putnam 
 sent out to take a prisoner Cowardly conduct of his men Defeat 
 ed in his object His escape His ultimate success Importance 
 of this kind of service Putnam s peculiar fitness for it. 
 
 THE plan of the campaign of 1756, as agreed upon in a 
 council of the colonial governors, held at Albany in the 
 early part of the season, was similar to that of the preced 
 ing year having for its object the reduction of Crown 
 Point, Niagara, and Fort Duquesne. Putnam was re-ap 
 pointed to his command, under his old leader Major- 
 General Abercrombie being commander-in-chief until the 
 latter part of July, when he was superseded by the Earl 
 of Loudoun. The expedition against Crown Point was 
 committed to Major-General Winslow, which he was to 
 conduct with the provincial forces alone, without any aid 
 from the British troops, who were reserved to garrison and 
 defend the forts. 
 
 The astonishing success of Montcalrn at Forts Oswego 
 
56 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 and George, which he razed to the ground, diverted the 
 British General from his offensive movement towards 
 Crown Point. General Winslow w;as arrested in his pre 
 parations for this service, and ordered to fortify his own 
 camp, in anticipation of an attack from the enemy, and an 
 attempt to advance into the country, below the Lake 
 Champlain, by way of South Bay or Wood Creek. Gene 
 ral Webb, with fourteen hundred men, was stationed at 
 the great carrying place, near Wood Creek ; and Sir Wil 
 liam Johnson, with one thousand, at the German Flats, on 
 the Mohawk, and nearly half way to Oswego. In these 
 precautionary and defensive measures the campaign passed 
 off without another battle. 
 
 But, though a season of inactivity to the body of the 
 army, and the commanders, it was full of stirring incident 
 to Putnam and others, whose task it was to watch the 
 movements, and annoy the outposts of the enemy. Adven 
 tures of this kind are sufficiently hazardous in the day 
 time ; but, when attempted in the night, they are pecu 
 liarly liable to accidents. Having been commanded to 
 reconnoitre the enemy s camp, at a place called " The 
 Ovens," near Ticonderoga, Captain Putnam took as a 
 companion in the enterprise, the brave Lieutenant Robert 
 Durkee. In the prosecution of the duties assigned him, he 
 narrowly escaped being made a prisoner himself, in the 
 first instance, and killing his comrade, in the second. It 
 was the custom, with the British and Provincial troops, to 
 arrange their camp fires along the outer lines of their 
 encampment, which gave a great advantage to the enemy s 
 scouts and patrols, laying open the whole extent of the 
 camp to their view, and frequently exposing the sentinels 
 to be picked off by expert marksmen. A contrary, and 
 much more rational practice, prevailed among the French 
 and Indians. They kindled their fires in the centre, lodged 
 
HAZARDOUS RECONNOITRE. 57 
 
 their men circularly at a distance, and posted their senti 
 nels in the surrounding darkness. Ignorant of this arrange 
 ment, and supposing that the French sentries were within 
 the circle of the fires, the bold scouts approached the camp, 
 creeping upon their hands and knees with the greatest 
 possible caution, until, to their utter astonishment, they 
 found themselves in the very thickest of the enemy. The 
 sentinels, seeing by the light of the fires beyond that some 
 one had passed stealthily without challenge, gave the 
 alarm and fired. Durkee was slightly wounded in the 
 thigh. 
 
 There was, of course, no alternative but instant flight. 
 Putnam, being foremost, and scarcely able, on turning 
 away from the glare of the fires, to see his hand before 
 him, soon plunged into a clay-pit. Durkee, limping 
 briskly along, tumbled, with no gentle fall, into the same 
 pit. Putnam, not relishing a companion so near, in such 
 circumstances, and supposing him to be one of the pur 
 suing enemy, was about striking him down, when Durkee, 
 who had followed so closely as to know what company he 
 was in, inquired whether he had escaped unhurt. Instantly 
 recognizing the voice of his friend, and rejoicing to find 
 him also safe, Putnam dropped his weapon, and both, 
 springing from the pit, made good their retreat to the 
 neighboring ledges, amid a shower of random shot. Hav 
 ing reached a place of safety, they found shelter under the 
 lee of a large log, which afforded them a comfortable lodg 
 ing for the remainder of the night 
 
 Before composing themselves to sleep, Putnam recol 
 lected that there was a little rum left in his canteen. 
 Thinking it could never be more acceptable, or useful, 
 than at that time, he generously offered to share it with 
 his comrade, in drinking to the confusion of the sentinel 
 who had given them so unceremonious a salutation. On 
 
58 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 examining the canteen, however, which hung under his 
 arm, it was found perfectly dry, having been pierced by 
 one of the balls that had whistled about him in his flight. 
 The temperance men of the present day, would doubtless 
 regard that ball as having done better service than if it 
 had drawn the blood of an enemy. On inspecting his 
 blanket, the next day, it was found to have been pierced 
 in fourteen places. Whether all this boring was the work 
 of one leaden messenger from the French camp, or of 
 many, it must be regarded as one of those remarkable 
 escapes, which can only be referred to the protecting 
 agency of a special providence, of which so many instances 
 are recorded in the annals of the American wars. 
 
 During the continuance of the army at this place, an 
 incident occurred which illustrates, in a very striking man 
 ner, the singular courage and ready wit of Mr. Putnam. 
 The garrison had been exceedingly annoyed by a large, 
 powerful, wily Indian, who prowled about the lines under 
 cover of the night, perpetrating all kinds of mischief, and 
 picking off the sentinels apparently at his pleasure, and 
 always eluding the utmost watchfulness of the guards. 
 There was one of the outposts in particular, which had 
 shared more largely than any other in his regards. For 
 several nights in succession, the sentinel on that post was 
 taken off in a most mysterious manner. The commanding 
 officer had given directions, in case any noise should be 
 heard in the vicinity of the station, that the sentinel should 
 call out, * Who goes there ?" three times, and then, if no 
 answer were returned, fire in the direction of the noise. 
 Night after night, these orders had been given, as the post 
 was supplied with a new sentinel, but without any avail. 
 The post was always found deserted in the morning, until 
 it came to be looked upon as certain death to venture upon 
 duty at that place. 
 
VOLUNTEERS AS A SENTINEL. 59 
 
 As is usual, in well appointed armies, the post of danger 
 was sought for by the best men in the garrison ; and 
 already a number of the bravest and most valuable soldiers 
 had fallen in this hazardous service. It began to be diffi 
 cult to obtain volunteers. At length the post was utterly 
 declined. The commander was making preparations to 
 supply the place by lot, when Mr. Putnam, whose station 
 as a commissioned officer excused him from all such duties 
 as this, stepped forward, and solicited the honor of standing 
 guard for the night. His offer w : as promptly accepted. 
 Relying upon the rule he had already laid down, the com 
 mander reiterated the instructions he had given to previous 
 sentinels, saying: "If you hear any sound from without 
 the lines, you will call l Who goes there ? three times, and 
 then, if no answer be given, fire." With these instruc 
 tions, and a promise to give a good account of himself the 
 next day, Putnam proceeded to his post. 
 
 Having examined, with the utmost scrutiny, every 
 tree, and shrub, and rock, in the neighborhood ; measured 
 v. ith accuracy every point in the area around him ; 
 fixed their bearings and distances in his mind, and looked 
 well to the condition of his musket, he commenced his 
 monotonous tramp, to and fro, along his portion of the line. 
 His plan of operations had been fully digested in his own 
 mind, before he volunteered ; and it will be seen, in the 
 sequel, that he perfectly understood the nature of the 
 Indian s artifice, and the manner in which he had taken 
 advantage of the previous sentinels. 
 
 For several hours, nothing occurred to attract his notice, 
 or disturb his thoughts. At length, about midnight, his 
 quick ear discerned a slight rustling among the grass, as 
 of an animal stealthily approaching, or passing his post. 
 Presently, this rustling was followed by a crackling sound, 
 like that made by a hog munching acorns. Determined 
 
60 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 that not even a hog should trespass with impunity upon 
 his premises, he raised his musket to his shoulder, and 
 adjusting his aim with great care toward the spot from 
 which the sounds proceeded, called out, u Who goes there 
 three times ?" and instantly discharged his piece. It was 
 followed by a deep groan, and a struggle as of one in the 
 agonies of death. On examining the spot, a huge Indian 
 was found, disguised in a bear-skin, and now just breathing 
 his last. He had been shot through the heart. From 
 that time the sentinels paced their rounds unmolested, and 
 the fatal outpost lost its pre-eminence as the post of 
 danger.* 
 
 In the course of the summer, a body of the enemy, con 
 sisting of six hundred men, attacked the baggage and 
 provision waggons of the American army, at a place called 
 Half-way Brook it being equi-distant from Fort Edward 
 and Fort William Henry. Having killed the oxen, and 
 plundered the waggons, they retreated with their booty, 
 experiencing but little interruption from the small body 
 of troops by whom the convoy was escorted. When the 
 tidings of this disaster reached the camp, Captains Put 
 nam and Rogers were ordered to pursue the plunderers, 
 and recover or destroy their booty. They were directed 
 to embark with one hundred volunteers in boats, with two 
 wall-pieces, and as many blunderbusses, and proceed down 
 Lake George to a certain point, there to leave the bat- 
 teaux under a proper guard, and thence to cross by land, 
 so as to harass, and, if possible, intercept the retreating 
 enemy at the narrows. 
 
 * This incident was furnished by a gentleman of the first re 
 spectability, to whom it was communicated some thirty years ago, 
 by Jared Scarborough, Esq., of Brooklyn, a neighbor and inti 
 mate friend of Putnam, and a sharer in some of his military enter 
 prises. 
 
A DOUBLE VICTORY. 61 
 
 These orders were executed with so much spirit and 
 punctuality, that the party arrived at the spot designated 
 for the attack a full half hour before the hostile boats came 
 in view. Waiting under cover of the woods until the 
 enemy, wholly unsuspicious of the ambush, entered the 
 narrows, their boats deeply loaded with plunder, the 
 volunteers commenced a brisk and galling fire. They 
 poured in upon them volley after volley, killed many of 
 the oarsmen, sunk a number of the boats, and would 
 have cut off the whole body, encumbered as they were 
 with baggage, had not a strong wind, favoring their des 
 perate exertions to escape, swept a few of them through 
 the narrows into the South Bay, and beyond the reach of 
 the guns of their assailants. This shattered remnant of 
 
 O 
 
 the little fleet, pushing on with desperate speed to Ticon- 
 deroga, reported the disaster, and gave information that 
 Putnam and Rogers were at the narrows, with a large 
 detachment of provincials. 
 
 A fresh party, of three hundred French and Indians, 
 was instantly despatched to intercept them on their return 
 to Fort Edward, and cut them in pieces. Anticipating 
 the probability of such an attempt, and being fully twenty 
 miles from their boats, they strained every nerve to reach 
 them before night. With incredible exertion they effect 
 ed their object, and were soon embarked, and moving 
 briskly down the lake. On the following day, having pro 
 ceeded as far as Sabbath-day Point, they discovered on 
 shore the pursuing party, who must have passed them un- 
 perceived in- the night. As soon as the boats came in 
 view, the French embarked with great alacrity, and rowed 
 out into the lake, to give them battle. They advanced in 
 regular line, with a bold and confident air, felicitating 
 themselves upon the certain prospect of an easy victory, 
 from the great superiority of their numbers. Flushed with 
 
t>2 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM 
 
 these expectations, they were permitted to come within 
 pistol shot before a gun was fired. Then, at a signal, the 
 wall pieces and blunderbusses, which had been brought 
 to rake the enemy in their most vulnerable point, were 
 simultaneously discharged. No such broadside reception 
 as this having been anticipated, the assailants were thrown 
 into the utmost disorder. The confusion and dismay was 
 greatly increased by a well-directed and most destructive 
 fire from the small arms. The larger pieces being re 
 loaded without annoyance, continued, alternately with the 
 musketry, to make such dreadful havoc, that the enemy 
 never recovered from the first surprise and dismay, suffi 
 ciently to make one vigorous effort to rally. The rout 
 was complete. The loss of the French was very great. 
 In one of the canoes, containing twenty Indians, only five 
 escaped. From other boats great numbers, both of French 
 and Indians, were seen to fall overboard. The remainder, 
 crippled and shattered, and laden with the wounded and 
 the dying, glad of an opportunity to abandon the scene of 
 so mortifying and terrible a defeat, were driven back to 
 Ticonderoga. Of the American party, only one man was 
 killed, and two slightly wounded. Having dispersed their 
 enemies, they landed on the Point, refreshed themselves 
 at leisure, and then returned in good order and high spirits 
 to the British camp, having inflicted upon an enemy vastly 
 superior in numbers a most mortifying defeat, and an 
 amount of loss scarcely inferior to that of some pitched 
 battles. The loss of the French, in both engagements, 
 could not have been less than five hundred men a heavy 
 price to pay for their bold reprisals upon the American 
 baggage train. 
 
 Another incident occurred soon after, which, though of 
 no great interest in itself, or in its results, will serve to 
 illustrate the nature of the tasks imposed upon a bold and 
 
A L M O S T A PRISONER. 63 
 
 active partisan ; the vigilance, fearlessness, enterprise and 
 prudence they demanded of him, and the imminent peril 
 to which his life was constantly exposed. The season 
 was far advanced. It was hardly expected that there 
 would be any active hostilities during the present cam 
 paign, but it was very desirable to obtain, if possible, some 
 definite information of the strength and designs of the 
 enemy. For this purpose Captain Putnam was sent out, 
 with five men, to procure a prisoner from some of the 
 straggling parties of the enemy. Approaching the camp 
 with all the circumspection of an Indian scout, he found 
 a place of concealment exactly adapted to his purpose, in 
 a thicket that skirted the road leading from Ticonderoga 
 to the Ovens. His men, whose valor for the moment got 
 the better of their discretion, ascribing the caution of their 
 leader to cowardice, were very unwilling to confine them 
 selves within this covert. It was with difficulty that they 
 were prevented from exposing themselves in such a man 
 ner as to defeat entirely the object of their enterprise, and 
 put the lives of the whole party to unnecessary hazard. 
 The issue proved the truth of the common remark, that 
 they who are most bold and boisterous when no danger is 
 near, are the first to shrink from it, when it approaches. 
 
 The party had not been long within their covert, when 
 a Frenchman and an Indian passed ; the Indian being con 
 siderably in advance. Watching his opportunity, when 
 the Indian was far enough off to render any interference 
 on his part improbable, Putnam sprang from the thicket, 
 ordering his men to follow. After running about thirty 
 rods, he overtook the Frenchman, seized him by the 
 shoulder, and commanded him to surrender. His men, 
 who were lately so bold, now realized the advantage of a 
 place of concealment ; and, disregarding the order of their 
 captain, left him to meet single-handed the danger of a 
 
64 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 conflict with two of their foes. The Frenchman looking 
 round, and perceiving no other enemy, and knowing that 
 his Indian friend would soon be at hand to assist him, ob 
 stinately resisted being made a prisoner. Putnam, finding 
 himself betrayed by his men into a perilous dilemma, and 
 knowing that no time was to be lost, let go his hold, 
 stepped a few paces back, and levelled his piece at the 
 Frenchman s breast. It missed fire ; whereupon the 
 Frenchman, seeing his advantage, gave the alarm to his 
 Indian comrade, and sprung furiously upon his assailant. 
 Putnam thought it prudent to retreat, and thus drew his 
 enemy off in the direction of the place where his men were 
 posted, and where, if they had not shown themselves too 
 soon, he would inevitably have fallen into their hands 
 They played their part so ill, however, that he discovered 
 the ambuscade in season to effect his escape. 
 
 It was now a dangerous neighborhood for the American 
 scouts. The alarm had been given, and a diligent and active 
 pursuit was sure to be the consequence. They, therefore, 
 made a precipitate flight, and arrived without accident at 
 their own camp. Mortified with the result of this adven 
 ture, Putnam dismissed his men with disgrace, selected 
 another party, on whom he could rely with confidence, 
 and set forth again on the same hazardous errand. Of the 
 incidents of this adventure, we are not informed. It was 
 brief and successful, however, as might have been pre 
 dicted from the character of its leader, for he never aban 
 doned an enterprise, while there was a reasonable hope of 
 accomplishing it. 
 
 To those who are unacquainted with the duties and dan 
 gers of the camp, and with the peculiar difficulties to be 
 overcome, in a country covered with thick forests, and 
 with but few roads besides the Indian footpaths, such insig 
 nificant feats as the capture of a single prisoner, or a visit 
 
HIS STANDING IN T" ii E A R U Y . 65 
 
 of observation to the enemy s lines, will hardly appear of 
 sufficient importance to be recorded ; and the services of 
 the bold and able adventurers, by whom they are achieved, 
 will, of course, be lightly appreciated. They may be 
 assured, however, that they were viewed in a very differ 
 ent light by the commanders, for whose benefit they were 
 undertaken. There were few men in the army, who could 
 not have been better spared than these ; and, during the 
 greater part of the campaign, they were the only men 
 who were employed in any active service, or knew any 
 thing of the perils and hardships of. war. 
 
 In this department, no one was more useful, no one 
 stood higher in the estimation of the commanding generals, 
 than Captain Putnam. He w r as found to be possessed, in 
 happy combination, of all the qualities required for this 
 peculiar service. To a total insensibility to danger, he 
 united prudence, circumspection, sagacity, and uncommon 
 fertility of resources, which was equal to any exigency. 
 The employment of a scout and a ranger was admirably 
 adapted to bring out and display these peculiar qualities, 
 though, unfortunately for their possessor, the sphere in 
 which he operated was too limited, and the duties he per 
 formed of too private and confidential a nature, to secure 
 for him a conspicuous place in the history of those times. 
 Such services rarely receive their due award of fame, un 
 less the brave men who render them become their own 
 trumpeters. They come not within the range of the ordi 
 nary records of the army. From their very nature, they 
 are concealed from the public gaze at the time of their 
 achievement. They are planned in secret, and executed 
 in secret their efficiency and success often depending as 
 much upon the fidelity with which their secret character 
 is maintained, as upon any other circumstance. The 
 movements of an army, the fate of a battle the whole 
 
66 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 matter at issue in a war have often been decided by the 
 information communicated to the commanders by a single 
 scout. Yet his name is not mentioned, nor his agency 
 acknowledged, either by the general in making up his 
 report of the issue, or by the historian in recording it for pos 
 terity. The simple phrase " The general havin g receiv 
 ed information," &c., covers it all ; while the hazards at 
 which that information was obtained are lost sight of, and 
 the boldness of manoeuvre, the correctness of observation, 
 the sagacity, and sound judgment, required to render it 
 valuable, are credited to the genius and foresight of the 
 commander. 
 
 Putnam kept no journal. A few of his adventures were 
 partially preserved in the orderly books, and some found 
 their way into the newspapers of the day ; while some 
 were transmitted from friend to friend, for many years, 
 without appearing in print. He enjoyed an uncommon 
 popularity in the army. " He was endeared to the soldiers, 
 by the cheerfulness with which he shared their perils and 
 privations, and the gallantry which suffered none to go, 
 where he did not himself lead the way ; to his superior 
 officers, by the energy and promptness with which he 
 executed their commands ; and he beo-an to rise, in the 
 
 O / 
 
 estimation of the public generally, as one who was des 
 tined to become distinguished in a broader field of action. 1 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE CAMPAIGN OF 1757. 
 
 Putnam promoted to be a Major Inefficiency of the British Generais 
 Hopesof the colonies Lord Loudoun suddenly disconcerted Ge 
 neral Webb visits Fort William Henry Putnam reconnoitres the 
 enemy An attack on the fort threatened Webb returns to Fort 
 Edward Sends a reinforcement to Fort William Henry Sum 
 mons from Montcalm to surrender Timid policy of Webb The 
 fortress capitulates Shameful massacre by the Indians Putnam 
 visits the scene of carnage Unexpected assault upon Captain 
 Little and his fatigue party Relieved by Major Putnam Diso 
 bedience Fire in the barracks Putnam s heroic and successful 
 exertions in subduing the flames Narrow escape of the garrison. 
 
 IN 1757 the Legislature of Connecticut conferred on Put 
 nam the commission of a Major. Notwithstanding the 
 many reverses of the Anglo-American forces hitherto, great 
 exertions were made for opening this campaign with an 
 army that should make success almost certain. What 
 might have been the result, had this army been guided by 
 a competent commander, it is impossible to say. But the 
 British government, refusing to learn wisdom from the 
 disasters of past years, persisted in placing the whole con 
 trol of the affairs of the colonies in the hands of English 
 officers, who knew nothing of the country, and scorned to 
 take the smallest advice from the provincials with whom 
 they were associated. In the present instance, they were 
 more than usually unfortunate in their selection. Of all 
 the generals who served at any time in America, Lord 
 Loudoun was the most incompetent to the arduous service. 
 
68 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 Pie had superseded General Abercrombie about the middle 
 of the previous campaign, and had been frightened, by the 
 success of Montcalm at Osvvego, from attempting any other 
 measures than those of mere defence. 
 
 During the winter his Lordship made large requisitions 
 upon the colonial Legislatures for the increase of the 
 army. The call was responded to with great alacrity. 
 At the same time, a large fleet and army arrived from 
 Europe, and the colonists began to look upon the speedy 
 downfall of the power of France in America as almost 
 certain. 
 
 Their hopes were doomed to a bitter disappointment. 
 Instead of following up, as they expected, the designs of 
 the previous campaigns, by striking a decisive blow in the 
 direction of Canada, and shielding their northern frontier 
 from the continual inroads of the enemy, the commander- 
 in-cbief, under pretence of concentrating all his force upon 
 one point, and achieving a certain and brilliant victory 
 there, turned his whole attention upon Louisburg, in the 
 island, of Cape Breton. It was midsummer before his 
 preparations for this expedition were completed. When 
 all things were ready, and his forces, both naval and mili 
 tary, assembled at Halifax, he learned that a powerful 
 fleet had arrived at Louisburg from Brest, with a large 
 reinforcement for the garrison. This disconcerted all his 
 plans. The expedition was at once abandoned, and with 
 it all idea of offensive operations. It required but a single 
 demonstration on the part of the enemy to exhaust the 
 valor of the over-discreet Earl, and throw him upon his 
 defence. Leaving the fleet to watch the motions of the 
 French, he returned to New York to refresh himself for 
 the next year s campaign. 
 
 Meanwhile, the French commander, Montcalm, secure 
 with respect to Louisburg, and encouraged by the diver- 
 
FORT WILLIAM HENRY. 69 
 
 sion in that direction of so large a part of the British 
 forces, determined to make a bold push to secure the 
 entire possession of Lake George. The condition of Fort 
 William Henry, the frontier post of the Americans, was 
 such as to invite assault. It was an ill-constructed and 
 ill-appointed fortification, occupying a small eminence, 
 which rose gradually from the waters of the lake, near its 
 southern extremity. It was garrisoned at that time by 
 about three thousand men, under Colonel Munroe, while 
 General Webb, who commanded in the northern depart 
 ment, was stationed at Fort Edward, about fifteen miles 
 below, with a considerably larger force. He was an offi 
 cer of nearly as much courage and capacity as Lord 
 Loudoun, and a fit representative of that nobleman in any 
 situation where he might be placed. 
 
 About the first of August, this valorous commander 
 who always took especial care to provide for his own 
 safety proceeded, under the escort of Major Putnam, 
 with two hundred chosen men, to examine in person the 
 state of the defences at Fort William Henry. While there, 
 Putnam proposed to go down the lake, with a party of 
 five men, and reconnoitre the enemy s position at Ticon- 
 deroga, and the adjacent posts. 
 
 This proposition was rejected by the prudent com 
 mander as altogether too hazardous. At length, how 
 ever, he was permitted to undertake the enterprise with 
 eighteen volunteers. They immediately embarked in 
 three whale-boats, and set forward on their expedition. 
 Before reaching Northwest Bay, the place where they 
 proposed to land, they discovered a large body of the 
 enemy on an island. Satisfied that this indicated a south 
 ward movement of the French, preparatory to an attack 
 upon our fortresses, and desirous, in case he and his party 
 should be cut off or taken, to put his commander upon his 
 
70 LIFE OF GENERAL P U T N A M . 
 
 guard, he immediately directed two of the boats to lie to, 
 as if for the purpose of fishing, while he with the other 
 returned to report progress. The general, seeing him 
 rowing back with great speed, in a single boat, and sup 
 posing that the others had fallen into the hands of the 
 enemy, sent out a skiff, with orders for the major alone 
 to come on shore. After making his report to the gene 
 ral, and explaining what he conceived to be the evident 
 design of the enemy, he proposed returning immediately, 
 to rejoin his companions, and prosecute his discoveries still 
 further. 
 
 Webb, unwilling to part with his escort in such an 
 alarming emergency, preferred leaving the two boats to 
 their fate, rather than send so brave a man to bring 
 them off. Putnam was urgent, however, and the general 
 yielded a reluctant assent. Pushing vigorously out, he 
 found his men where he had left them, though more intent 
 upon the motions of the men on shore, than upon securing 
 a very large draught of fishes. Passing on a little farther, 
 he presently encountered a large number of boats in motion 
 on the lake from the foremost of which he was enabled 
 to escape only by the superior tleetness of his own, and the 
 vigorous exertions of his rowers. 
 
 Convinced, beyond a doubt, that this formidable arma 
 ment was destined against Fort William Henry, he hasten 
 ed his return to that place, and communicated to General 
 Webb all he had seen, and his views of the object of the 
 hostile expedition. That commander, strictly enjoining 
 silence on the subject, directed him to put his men under 
 an oath of secresy, and to prepare, without loss of time, to 
 return to the head-quarters of the army. Major Putnam 
 argued strenuously against such a desertion of the post in 
 the moment of danger, and earnestly pleaded the duty of 
 meeting the enemy on the shore, should he presume to 
 
MUNROE REFUSES TO CAPITULATE. 71 
 
 land. But General Webb was resolute in his decision. 
 He would neither remain himself, nor suffer his escort to 
 remain. Accordingly, the following day, he returned to 
 Fort Edward, and sent up a detachment to reinforce the 
 garrison at Fort William Henry. The day following its 
 arrival. Montcalm invested the fortress with a force of 
 seven thousand French and Canadian soldiers, and two 
 thousand Indians. 
 
 To resist this formidable army, there were only twenty- 
 five hundred men in the garrison. Their commander, 
 Colonel Munroe, was a gallant officer, and worthy of the 
 post of danger. It was the third of August, when Mont- 
 calm commenced the siege with a summons to surrender. 
 In his letter to Colonel Munroe, he urged the capitulation 
 by considerations of humanity ; declaring that he had an 
 engine of such fearful power in his hands, that, when once 
 set in motion, it would be impossible to check or control 
 it. His influence over his Indian allies, to restrain them 
 from the commission of every atrocity, would be utterly 
 lost, as soon as the first drop of blood was shed. No writ 
 ten answer was given to this summons. A verbal reply 
 was returned by the bearer, that the fort would be defend 
 ed to the last extremity. 
 
 With this resolution, the garrison held out until the 
 ninth. In the meantime, Colonel Munroe had found 
 means to send several expresses to Fort Edward, soliciting 
 relief in the most urgent manner, and declaring his inten 
 tion to hold out till relief should arrive. But, though the 
 force at that place had been considerably increased by the 
 arrival of General Johnson s troops, and the militia, Webb 
 resolved that no succor could be afforded to the beleaguer 
 ed fortress. So urgent, however, were the solicitations 
 of Sir William Johnson, that, after several days, that 
 worthy officer, with as many as would volunteer for the 
 
72 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM 
 
 service, marched for its relief. The privilege was eagerly 
 embraced by the provincials, including Putnam s corps. 
 They had scarcely been gone an hour, however, when the 
 general s heart failed him, and a messenger \vas dispatch 
 ed, ordering their instant return. 
 
 It was this miserable, shameful pusillanimity, on the 
 part of the commander of the northern department, that 
 occasioned the loss of Fort William Henry, and the bloody 
 tragedy that followed its surrender. When, some time 
 after this, Putnam was a prisoner in Canada, he w r as assur 
 ed by Montcalm himself, that the siege would have been 
 abandoned, if this reinforcement had been suffered to go 
 forward. He was informed of its approach by one of his 
 Indian scouts ; who, on being questioned relative to its 
 numbers, replied, in the figurative style peculiar to that 
 people : " If you can count the leaves on the trees, you can 
 count them. * 
 
 On the receipt of this intelligence, the operations of the 
 siege were actually suspended, and preparations were 
 made for embarking ; while it was manifest that a new 
 spirit was infused into the besieged by the assurance which 
 these preparations gave, that the siege was about to be 
 raised. Meanwhile, another runner carne in, and reported 
 that this formidable reinforcement had been recalled. The 
 siege was, consequently, renewed with more vigor than 
 ever. 
 
 All expectations of relief were now at an end. Two 
 of the largest guns of the fort had burst ; their ammunition 
 was almost exhausted ; and further resistance seemed 
 obviously unavailing. At this juncture, a letter was 
 received from General Webb, advising a surrender, and 
 stating, definitively, that no succor could be expected from 
 Fort Edward. Articles of capitulation were, accordingly, 
 agreed upon and signed Honorable terms were granted 
 
SHAMEFUL MASSACRE BY THE INDIANS 73 
 
 to the garrison, " on account of their honorable defence," 
 as it was expressed in the articles. They were to march 
 out with the honors of war, with their arms and baggage, 
 and retire under an escort to Fort Edward, with a solemn 
 pledge of protection against the Indians. This pledge, 
 however, was shamefully disregarded. The scene which 
 followed is one of the darkest in the bloody annals of war, 
 and, even at this distant day, can hardly be recited with 
 out a thrill of horror. The troops began their march of 
 evacuation. The last files had scarcely issued from the 
 gates, when the whole body of Indians attached to. the 
 French array fell upon them with the fury of hungry 
 tigers, and commenced an indiscriminate slaughter. Great 
 numbers were killed. Many were taken prisoners, and 
 dragged off to a captivity worse than death, in the deep 
 forests of the west. A miserable remnant escaped, among 
 whom was the gallant Munroe, and reached Fort Edward 
 in a most forlorn condition. 
 
 Different writers have taken different views of the con 
 duct of the French general, in relation to this cruel massa 
 cre. Some declare, as the testimony of those who were 
 eye-witnesses of the scene, that no efforts were made by 
 the French to arrest these atrocities ; no protection, de 
 manded alike by honor and humanity, was given to those 
 to whom it had been sacredly pledged. Others say, that 
 the utmost exertions of the French commander were used 
 to restrain his savage allies ; and that he and his officers 
 did everything, except firing upon the Indians, to put a 
 stop to the merciless butchery. For the honor of huma 
 nity, it is to be hoped that the latter judgment is correct ; 
 and charity inclines us to accept it. There is certainly 
 something to sustain it, in the caution which accompanied 
 the original summons to surrender. 
 
 The panic-stricken Webb, expecting that this decisive 
 4 
 
74 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 victory would be followed up by a similar demonstration 
 against Fort Edward, sent out Captain Putnam with his 
 corps, to watch the motions of the enemy. His previous 
 conduct leaves us little room to doubt, that he would have 
 abandoned his post at once, without firing a gun, if Mont- 
 calm had turned his face in that direction. With such 
 men as these to control the movements of the army, it is 
 no matter of surprise, that the earlier campaigns of the 
 Seven Years war presented a continual series of disaster, 
 defeat and desolation. 
 
 Putnam reached the scene of carnage, just as the rear 
 guard of the enemy were embarking on the lake. The 
 fort was dismantled and demolished. The cannon, stores and 
 water-craft were all carried off. The barracks, outhouses 
 and sutlers booths had been fired, and were still burning, 
 and hundreds of human bodies lay, half consumed, among 
 the smoking ruins. More than one hundred women were 
 found among them, some with the brains still oozing from 
 their battered heads ; others with their hairless sculls in 
 ghastly baldness, the entire crown having been wrenched 
 away ; many mangled, lacerated, hacked to pieces, and 
 violated with all the wanton mutilations of savage inge 
 nuity, lay entirely naked among the heaps of the slain sol 
 diers, as if the last effort of the wife to cling to her hus 
 band for protection, and the last wish of the husband to 
 raise his arm in her defence, had brought down a tenfold 
 vengeance upon the heads of both. To the generous, 
 warm-hearted Putnam, whose sympathies were ever alive 
 to the sufferings of his comrades, and whose constant aim 
 it was to mitigate, by every means in his power, the hor 
 rors of war, the spectacle must have been truly appalling. 
 We feel, as we shudder over the dreadful account, that 
 there was some apology for the exterminating retribution, 
 which our fathers visited upon so merciless a foe. 
 
FATIGUE-PARTY ATTACKED BY INDIANS. 75 
 
 Not long after this disaster, General Lyman succeeded 
 to the command of Fort Edward. He immediately set 
 himself to strengthening its defences, which the French 
 commander resolved, if possible, to prevent, intending, at 
 an early day, to visit it in the same manner as he had done 
 Fort William Henry. A party of one hundred and fifty 
 men were sent out into the neighboring forest to cut timber 
 for the fort. To protect them in their labors, Captain 
 Little, with fifty British regulars, was posted at the head 
 of a morass, about one hundred rods eastward from the 
 fort. From this station there was a narrow causeway 
 leading to the fort, flanked on one side by the morass, and 
 on the other by a small creek. 
 
 One morning, at break of day, the attention of one of 
 the sentinels was arrested, by what he conceived to be 
 birds, coming up from the thicket of the morass, and flying 
 with incredible swiftness over his head. While wonder 
 ing what species of bird it could be, whose flight was 
 so rapid as to elude observation, he was suddenly enlight 
 ened by seeing one of these winged messengers, in the 
 shape of an Indian arrow, quivering in the tree just over 
 his head. A large body of savages had crept stealthily 
 into the morass during the night, and were attempting, in 
 this manner, to pick off the sentinel, without creating an 
 alarm, in order to surprise and cut off the whole party. 
 
 The alarm was instantly given. The Indians, finding 
 themselves discovered, rushed from their covert upon the 
 unarmed laborers, shot and tomahawked those who were 
 nearest at hand, and pressed hard on the remainder, as 
 they fled in dismay towards the fort. Captain Little and 
 his band flew to their arms, and pouring in a well-timed 
 and spirited fire, checked the pursuit, and covered the 
 retreat of the fatigue-men, till those who were not wound 
 ed in the first onset, were enabled to reach the shelter of 
 
76 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 the fort. His little party, being almost overpowered by 
 superior numbers, he sent to General Lyman for assistance. 
 But that commander, taken by surprise, ignorant of the 
 extent of the danger, and imagining that this assault was 
 only the precursor of a general attack from the main body 
 of the enemy, called in his outposts, and shut the gates, 
 and left the brave band to their fate. 
 
 Major Putnam, with his corps of Rangers, was stationed 
 at one of the outposts, on a small island adjacent to the 
 fort. Hearing the discharge of the musketry, and learning 
 from his runners that his friend, Capt. Little, was in immi 
 nent peril of being cut off, he plunged into the river, fol 
 lowed by his men, and waded through the water to the 
 scene of action. Passing near the fort on his way, Gene 
 ral Lyman was apprised of his movement. Unwilling that 
 the lives of a few more brave men should be exposed 
 to what he deemed inevitable destruction, he mounted 
 the parapet, and ordered him to proceed no farther. The 
 bold ranger, willing to jeopard not only his life, but, if ne 
 cessary, his standing, in order to rescue his friend, made a 
 brief apology, and, without waiting to ascertain whether it 
 was satisfactory, hurried on to the scene of conflict. In a 
 few minutes they had opened their way to the little hand 
 ful of regulars, who maintained their ground with the 
 utmost gallantry. At the suggestion of Putnam, the whole 
 party now rushed impetuously, with shouts and huzzas, 
 into the swamp. The charge was completely successful. 
 The Indians fled in every direction, and were pursued 
 with great slaughter until night-fall. On the part of the 
 chase, only one man was killed during the pursuit ; and 
 his death was immediately revenged by that of the Indian 
 who shot him. This Indian was one of that valuable class, 
 called Runners a chosen body of active young men, 
 whose principal occupation is to procure intelligence, and 
 
CENSURE EXPECTED BUT ESCAPED. 77 
 
 convey tidings ; but who are sometimes employed in cov 
 ering the rear on a retreat. 
 
 Returning in triumph from the chase, Putnam expected 
 a reprimand, if not something more severe, from his com 
 mander. It was the only instance, in the course of his 
 military career, in which he failed to render the strictest 
 obedience to orders. His motive in this case was highly 
 commendable, and his apology was strongly fortified by 
 the brilliant success of his sortie. But neither purity of 
 motive, nor brilliancy of success, can sanction a departure 
 from the rigid rules of discipline, which are absolutely 
 necessary to the maintenance of order and authority in the 
 camp. So seductive is the influence of a brave man s 
 example, particularly when, crowied with new laurels, 
 he returns from some splendid achievement, undertaken in 
 contravention of the positive orders of his superior, that, 
 however elevated the rank of the officer, or however meri 
 torious the service rendered, it would not be well to pass 
 it by unheeded. According to the ordinary usages of war, 
 Putnam should have been subjected to a court-martial, 
 immediately on his return. Why this usage was departed 
 from in his case we are not informed. It is probable, 
 however, that General Lyman, when he recovered from 
 his alarm, and found that no assault was intended, was 
 more ready to admit the apology of his subaltern, than he 
 would otherwise have been, since it saved him from the 
 painful reflection that a brave band of his own men had 
 been unnecessarily exposed to be cut in pieces by a supe 
 rior force. He chose to treat his order rather as advisa- 
 tory than peremptory, and commending the good conduct 
 of his men, welcomed them, with a hearty good will, to 
 their quarters. 
 
 During the ensuing winter, when the army were com 
 fortably sheltered in their quarters at Fort Edward, a ^re 
 
78 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 broke out in the barracks, adjacent to the north-western 
 bastion, Within twelve feet of these barracks stood the 
 magazine, containing three hundred barrels of powder. 
 The fire was so far advanced, when it was first discovered, 
 that it raged with great violence, almost bidding defiance 
 to every effort to extinguish it. By the orders of Colonel 
 Haviland, who then commanded at this post, several pieces 
 of heavy artillery were brought to bear upon the barracks, 
 with a view of severing their supporters, and thus levelling 
 them to the ground. The effort was unsuccessful, and 
 the flames continued to spread with great rapidity. Major 
 Putnam, who still occupied his outpost station on the adja 
 cent island, hearing the alarm, and seeing the smoke and 
 flames rising in a dense 1 column to the clouds, hastened to 
 the fort to render what assistance he could. When he 
 arrived, the flames were spreading fiercely in the direction 
 of the magazine, which was now in imminent danger. 
 
 By his suggestion, a line of soldiers was formed through 
 a postern gate to the river, from which a constant supply 
 of water was conveyed. Putnam, mounting a ladder to 
 the eaves of me building, received the water, and distri 
 buted it upon the burning rafters, with a perseverance that 
 had well nigh cost him his life. Notwithstanding all their 
 efforts, the flames continued to gain upon him, but he stood 
 to his post undaunted, completely enveloped in smoke, and 
 so near the sheet of flame, that a pair of thick blanket mit 
 tens was entirely burned from his hands. Calling for ano 
 ther pair, which he dipped in w r ater and kept thoroughly 
 wet, he persevered in his perilous efforts to subdue the 
 devouring element. Colonel Haviland, considering his 
 situation to be too dangerous, urged him to come down, 
 and try some other means that involved less personal expo 
 sure. He replied that there was no hope but in resisting 
 the enemy inch by inch, and that a moment s suspension 
 
FIRE IN THE GARRISON. 79 
 
 of their efforts might give it an advantage which would 
 prove fatal to them all. He therefore entreated to be suf 
 fered to remain, while there was the smallest chance of 
 accomplishing anything by his endeavors. The gallant 
 Colonel, not less astonished than charmed at the coolness 
 and intrepidity of the Major, was encouraged to renewed 
 exertions. He gave orders to arrest the movements of 
 the men, who were carrying away their valuables from the 
 fort, and animated them to redoubled diligence in their 
 efforts to extinguish the flames, exclaiming, with the heroic 
 enthusiasm of a true soldier, " If we must be blown up, we 
 will all go together." 
 
 At length the flames had spread over the whole extent 
 of the barracks, and began to shoot out fearfully toward 
 the magazine. Putnam descended from the tottering build 
 ing, took his station between it and the magazine, and con 
 tinued, from an incessant rotation of replenished buckets, 
 to resist their further progress. His efforts were bravely 
 and ably seconded by officers and men. So near was the 
 fire, and so intense the heat, that the outside plank sheath 
 ing of the magazine was soon consumed, leaving only a 
 partition of timber between the raging element and a de 
 posit of fifteen tons of powder. When this partition, 
 already charred and smoking, was exposed to view, the 
 consternation became general and extreme. Had a coun 
 cil of war been convened on the instant, it would undoubt 
 edly have ordered a precipitate retreat. But the heat and 
 enthusiasm of the contest left no room for consultation or 
 reflection. It was an hour for action, not for debate. Put 
 nam, still undaunted, covered with a cloud of cinders, 
 singed and scorched on every side, maintained his position, 
 pouring an incessant stream of water upon the magazine, 
 until the rafters of the barracks falling in, the source of the 
 
SO LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 fire was cut off, and the safety of the remaining works en 
 sured. 
 
 For an hour and a half he had contended with that ter 
 rible element. His face, his hands, his arms, and almost 
 his whole body were blistered with the intensity of the 
 heat, to which he had been exposed ; and when he pulled 
 off his second pair of mittens, the skin from his hands and 
 fingers followed them. Several weeks elapsed, before he 
 recovered from the effects of this exposure. His suffer 
 ings were great, but he was amply rewarded by the warmly 
 expressed and kind attentions of his commanding officer, 
 to whom his remarkable merits in the service had already 
 greatly endeared him, as well as by the consciousness that 
 he had been instrumental in preserving the fortress, and 
 saving the lives of many, perhaps all of the garrison 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 CAMPAIGN OF 1758. ABERCROMBIE s ASSAULT UPON 
 TICONDEROGA. 
 
 Mr. Pitt Prime Minister of England Lord Loudoun superseded by 
 
 General Abercrombie Putnam on a reconnoitering expedition 
 
 Constructs a small parapet at South Bay Shoots a buck Starts 
 an enemy Molang and his party Their stealthy advance Sud 
 denly arrested A sharp conflict in the dark The enemy defeated 
 in an attempt to turn Putnam s flank Immense loss of the French 
 Putnam orders a retreat Unexpected meeting with a party of 
 friends A reinforcement Ticonderoga An expedition under 
 General Abercrombie against the French Skirmish with advanced 
 guard Death of Lord Howe His high reputation His death 
 speedily avenged Putnam s kindness to the wounded A new 
 encampment The assault The retreat Major Putnam s activity 
 General Abercrombie responsible for the disastrous issue of the 
 expedition. 
 
 UP to the commencement of the year 1758, little else than 
 disaster attended the arms of the British in America. So 
 humiliating was the result, considering the formidable pre 
 parations that had been made for carrying on the war, 
 and the promptness and efficiency with which the colonies 
 responded to the requisitions made upon them, that the 
 king was compelled, by the clamorous voice of the people, 
 to change his ministers. A new and powerful administra 
 tion was formed, at the head of which w r as Mr. Pitt, after 
 ward Lord Chatham, a man whose pre-eminent talents and 
 commanding energy of character, made, and kept, the name 
 of his country respected in every quarter of the globe 
 4* 
 
82 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 He assumed the helm of state in the summer of 1757, 
 and his attention was at once directed to the conduct of 
 the war in this country. The colonies, justly appreciating 
 his vigor and talents, and feeling a perfect confidence in 
 his administration, renewed their generous but exhausting 
 efforts to recruit the army for the next campaign. The 
 extent of their exertions can only be understood, when it 
 is considered that Massachusetts, Connecticut and New r 
 Hampshire supplied fifteen thousand men, at a time when 
 their combined resources could hardly have been equal to 
 those of any one of them at the present moment. 
 
 The imbecile Lord Loudoun was recalled ; and General 
 Abercrombie resumed the command of the Northern De 
 partment. Soon after his arrival at Fort Edward, he 
 ordered Major Putnam to proceed, with sixty men, to 
 South Bay, at the lower end of Lake George, for the pur 
 pose of watching the motions of the enemy, and intercept 
 ing their straggling parties. In compliance with these 
 orders, the detachment marched to Wood Creek, near the 
 point where it flows into South Bay, and immediately 
 commenced the construction of a parapet for defence, in 
 case of a sudden attack. The position was well chosen, 
 on a bank, which forms a jutting precipice, overhanging 
 the creek ten or twelve feet above the water. The para 
 pet was of stone, thirty feet in length, and was very inge 
 niously concealed from the view of any one who might be 
 passing, by a considerable number of young pines, brought 
 from a distance, and artfully disposed so as to imitate the 
 natural growth. 
 
 The service of a scout requires the utmost caution and 
 silence in all his movements. It is contrary to established 
 rules, and universal practice, to fire a gun, except at an 
 enemy ; or to make any other noise which might expose 
 the party to observation. From this necessary rule of 
 
MOLANG AND HIS PARTY. 83 
 
 caution, Putnam was obliged for once to deviate, on the 
 fourth day after the completion of his little fortress. Al 
 though he had sent back to the camp fifteen of his men 
 who were disabled by sickness, his stock of provisions was 
 quite exhausted. A tempting opportunity to eke out his 
 supply for another day, was offered by the appearance of a 
 fine fat buck, that issued from the wood, with intent to 
 swim across the creek in the vicinity of his camp ; and 
 the prudent scout ventured a single shot to bring him in. 
 It proved in the issue an expensive meal, though it was, 
 fortunately, so conducted by this brave little band, as to 
 throw almost the entire cost upon the enemy. 
 
 A large party of hostile Indians and French soldiers, 
 under the celebrated partizan Molang, was, just at that 
 time, on its way down towards the American encampment 
 in quest of plunder. The report of Major Putnam s mus 
 ket had reached the ear of one of the advanced guard of 
 this party, and created a suspicion that their motions were 
 watched, by those who might be troublesome to them in 
 their further progress. They, therefore, proceeded with 
 more caution, attempting to steal a passage through the 
 creek under cover of the night hoping thereby either to 
 come upon their opponents by surprise, or to pass by them 
 unnoticed into the country below. Our little fortress was 
 so completely masked, by its artificial cover of fresh 
 pines, as to escape detection even from the practised eye 
 of an Indian. 
 
 About ten o clock in the evening, one of the sentinels 
 stationed at the margin of the Bay, gave notice that a 
 considerable fleet of canoes, filled with men, was making 
 its way toward the mouth of the creek. Putnam imme 
 diately called in all his sentinels, and posted his men to 
 the best advantage, to give the strangers a fitting recep 
 tion. The creek, into which the enemy soon entered, was 
 
84 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 about thirty yards wide ; and the bank opposite to the 
 parapet was twenty feet high. The moon was at its full, 
 the sky w r as clear, and every movement of the canoes was 
 perfectly in view. A profound silence prevailed. It was 
 intended to permit the van of the little fleet to pass, and 
 commence the attack upon the centre ; and the major had 
 given strict orders that every man should reserve his fire 
 until he gave the signal. A few of the most advanced of 
 the canoes had just passed the parapet, when one of the 
 soldiers behind it accidentally struck his firelock against a 
 stone. The commanding officer, who was in the foremost 
 canoe, alarmed at the noise, checked the advance, repeat 
 ing several times, and with earnestness, the Indian watch 
 word, "O-wisk ! " Instantly the canoes- crowded together 
 in a confused mass, with their centre precisely in front of 
 the works, covering the creek for a considerable distance 
 above and below. The officers appeared to be in deep 
 consultation, and the fleet was apparently on the point of 
 retreating into the Bay, when Putnam gave the signal to 
 fire, by discharging his own piece. It was followed, with 
 terrible effect, by a volley from his whole party. 
 
 Nothing could exceed the apparent consternation occa 
 sioned by this well-concerted attack, and the inextricable 
 confusion into which the fleet was thrown. Scarcely a 
 bullet failed to find its victim, amidst the dense mass of the 
 enemy beneath, whose return fire was little better than 
 wasted on an invisible foe. The carnage continued for 
 some time, when Molang, perceiving, from the fire of his 
 assailants, that their numbers were small, detached a party 
 to effect a landing below, and attack them in the rear. 
 The movement was instantly perceived and frustrated by 
 Putnam, who sent the brave Lieutenant Durkee, with 
 twelve men, to prevent their landing. He arrived in good 
 time, and drove them back with loss. Another small 
 
SUCCESSFUL RETREAT. 85 
 
 detachment, under Lieutenant Parsons, was ordered up 
 the creek, to prevent any similar attempt in that direction. 
 
 Meanwhile, Major Putnam, whose party, in the absence 
 of these two detachments, was reduced to twenty, kept up, 
 through the whole night, an incessant and deadly fire on 
 the main body of the enemy, without the loss of a single 
 man on his part. After day-break, he was advised that a 
 party of the enemy had effected a landing, at a considera 
 ble distance below, and were rapidly advancing to cut off 
 his retreat. His numbers being far inferior to those of the 
 French, and his ammunition being almost exhausted, he 
 ordered a hasty retreat, which was successfully accom 
 plished. 
 
 During this long-continued action, in which the Ame 
 ricans had slain at least five times their own number, only 
 two of their party, a Provincial and an Indian, were 
 wounded. These were sent off for the camp, under cover 
 of the night, with two men to assist them, and with direc 
 tions to proceed by way of Wood Creek, as the safest, 
 though not the shortest route. But, having taken a nearer 
 way, they were pursued and overtaken hy the Indians ; 
 who judged from the blood on the leaves, that they were 
 on the trail of the whole party. When they were over 
 taken, the wounded, despairing of mercy at the hands of 
 their pursuers, and unable to fly, insisted that their com 
 rades, who were unhurt, should make their escape 
 which, on a moment s deliberation, they effected. The 
 Provincial, whose thigh had been broken hy a ball, resolv 
 ing to sell his life as dearly as possible, fired his piece 
 upon the approach of the savages, and killed three of 
 them ; after which he was quickly despatched. The 
 Indian, making no resistance, was made a prisoner. 
 
 This Indian Major Putnam afterward saw while he was 
 himself a prisoner in Canada, and learned from him that 
 
86 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 the number of the enemy in this encounter was five hun 
 dred, of whom fully one half were slain. 
 
 His brave little band, now reduced to forty, had pro 
 ceeded along the bank of the creek a few miles, when 
 Major Putnam, who, as usual, was in front of his men, 
 was fired upon by a party near at hand. Not doubting 
 that it was a party of his late antagonists, who had stolen 
 the march upon him and headed him off, and feeling that 
 nothing would be lost in assuming a bold countenance in 
 so critical a position, he ordered his men to rush upon the 
 enemy, promising soon to give as good an account of them, 
 as of those whom they had just encountered at the creek. 
 No sooner was his voice heard in the charge, than an 
 instant reply, " Hold ! we are all friends ! " arrested his 
 hostile movement, and brought his men, with their bayo 
 nets poised, and their feet firmly planted for an onset, to a 
 dead halt. A scouting party of Provincials from Fort 
 Edward immediately joined them. " We are friends, 
 Major," exclaimed the leader, " and supposed we were 
 firing upon the French." " Friends or foes," replied Put 
 nam, u you all deserve to be hanged, for not killing more 
 when you had so fair a shot." It was indeed wonderful, 
 when we consider what expert marksmen most of the 
 provincial scouts were, and how completely the unsus 
 pecting Major and his party were exposed to their fire, 
 that only one of their number was mortally wounded in 
 this encounter. 
 
 In the meantime, one of the soldiers, whose ammunition 
 had been early exhausted, had made his way back to 
 Fort Edward, conveying tidings of the perilous position of 
 the party ; and General Lyman was immediately dispatch 
 ed, at the head of five hundred men, to cover their retreat. 
 They met them at the distance of twelve miles from the 
 fort, to which they all returned in safety the next day. 
 
TICONDEROGA THE ARMY IN MOTION. 87 
 
 The most active preparations were now made for an 
 assault upon Ticonderoga, which was the strong-hold of 
 the French in this part of America. It was an ill-con 
 ducted, ill-starred expedition, which w e would fain pass 
 over in silence if we could. The site of this fortress is 
 surrounded on three sides by water. On the fourth it is 
 protected by a loose morass, extending a considerable dis 
 tance. Beyond this, a line of fortification, eight feet high, 
 was stretched from water to water, and planted with artil 
 lery. In front of this line, for the distance of one hundred 
 yards, the plain was covered with large trees, cut for the 
 purpose of defence, and arranged with their interwoven 
 and sharpened branches projecting outwards. These im 
 pediments, it would seem, were quite sufficient to prevent 
 any prudent commander from attempting to carry the 
 works by storm. The ground was impracticable for the 
 movement of heavy cannon ; and the engineer, who was 
 employed to reconnoitre the position, reported that the 
 defences might be carried with musketry. The adoption 
 of this shallow advice was precipitated by the rumor, that 
 the garrison, consisting of over five thousand men, was on 
 the point of receiving a large reinforcement, by the recall 
 of a party of three thousand who had been detached, on 
 other service, to the Mohawk River. 
 
 The expedition was led by General Abercrombie in 
 person. His force consisted of sixteen thousand men, of 
 whom nine thousand were Americans. It was attended 
 by a very formidable train of artillery, and an ample supply 
 of ammunition and military stores. On the morning of the 
 fifth of July, they embarked in one hundred and twenty- 
 five whale-boats, and nine hundred batteaux, and moved 
 slowly, and in admirable order, down Lake George ; pre- 
 seniing a brilliant and imposing spectacle, never before 
 seen on those quiet waters. At evening they reached 
 
88 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 Sabbath-day Point a place already rendered memorable 
 by Putnam s successful rencontre with his pursuers. 
 Here they halted a few hours for refreshment, and then 
 resumed their voyage. Being informed that the place 
 where they first proposed to land was in possession of the 
 enemy, they bent their course for another, where they 
 effected a landing without opposition. 
 
 It was now noon of the sixth day of July. The place 
 of debarkation was in a cove on the west side of the lake. 
 A short distance from this place, the advanced guard of 
 the enemy, consisting of one battalion, was posted in a 
 logged camp. The troops were immediately formed into 
 four columns, and commenced their march upon the ad 
 vanced guard of the French, who made a precipitate 
 retreat, after first destroying everything of value in their 
 camp. The march was continued towards Ticonderoga, 
 with the design of investing the place. But the woods 
 being very thick, and some of the guides unskilful, the 
 columns were broken, thrown into confusion, and in some 
 measure entangled with each other. Major Putnam, 
 whose service, as we have before explained, was often 
 independent of the main body of the provincial forces, was 
 at this time with Lord Howe, in the van of the right 
 centre column, assisting to thread the intricacies of the 
 forest. As they were moving slowly onward, they heard 
 a firing on their left. 
 
 " Putnam," said Lord Howe, " what means that 
 firing ?" 
 
 " I know not," he replied, " but, with your lordship s 
 leave, I will see." 
 
 u 1 will accompany you," rejoined the gallant young 
 nobleman. 
 
 In vain did the Major attempt to dissuade him, by say 
 ing : " My Lord, if I am killed, the loss of my life will 
 
DEATH OF LORD HOWE. 89 
 
 be of little consequence ; but the preservation of yours is 
 of infinite importance to this army." The only answer 
 was : 
 
 " Putnam ! your life is as dear to you as mine is to me 
 I am determined to go." 
 
 One hundred of the van, under Major Putnam, filed off 
 with Lord Howe. They soon fell in with the left flank of 
 the enemy s advanced guard, which, in retreating from 
 its late position on the lake, had lost its way in the 
 \voods, and were now skirmishing with our left. An 
 engagement immediately took place. Though it issued in 
 great loss to the French, its commencement was attended 
 with an irreparable disaster to the British and American 
 cause, which was ominous of the fate of the expedition. 
 Lord Howe fell at the first charge. 
 
 The army could not have sustained a heavier loss. He 
 was in the prime of manhood, of a fine person, and a win 
 ning address, eminent for manly virtue, and distinguished 
 for every amiable accomplishment. He had already ac 
 quired an enviable military fame, which gave the most 
 brilliant promise for the future. No British officer was 
 ever employed in America, who had, in so short a time, 
 endeared himself so universally to the Provincial troops, 
 or won so extensively the esteem and confidence of the 
 people. From his first arrival in the country, he had ac 
 commodated himself, in all respects, to the peculiar nature of 
 the service, and to the customs of his New England friends. 
 An example to the officer, a friend of the soldier, a model 
 of military order and discipline, h^ had freely encountered 
 every hazard, and shared in all the hardships of the cam 
 paign. His death was bewailed as a public loss. 
 
 His fall was immediately avenged by his exasperated 
 troops, with Putnam at their head, who charged the enemy 
 with desperate intrepidity, broke through their ranks, 
 
90 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 where they were joined by several small parties of the 
 Provincials, and attacked them again furiously in the rear. 
 Three hundred of the enemy were killed, and one hundred 
 and forty-eight made prisoners, among whom were five 
 officers and three cadets. This retrograde movement 
 brought them directly upon the front of the left wing of 
 their own army, who, seeing them advancing rapidly over 
 the bodies of the slain, supposed them to be French, and 
 opened upon them a brisk and heavy fire, by w r hich one 
 sergeant and several privates were killed. They might 
 thus have been cut in pieces by their own friends, had not 
 Putnam, hazarding his own life, to save those of his com 
 rades, rushed in the face of the flying balls, and showing 
 himself to his friends, put a stop to their work of slaughter. 
 
 No farther progress was made on this day. The ad 
 vanced parties of the American army were called in, and 
 the French kept themselves closely within their entrench 
 ments. 
 
 Putnam remained on the field while the light lasted, 
 employed in administering to the comfort of such of the 
 wounded among the enemy, as could .not be immediately 
 removed. He furnished them with such refreshments as 
 he could procure, supplied them with blankets, and offer- 
 ins; them a soldier s sympathy, assured them they should 
 be taken to the camp on the following day, and be cared 
 for as friends, for an enemy disarmed and disabled is an 
 enemy no longer. 
 
 On the morning of the seventh, the Americans were again 
 in motion, and, pushing forward, encamped at the Saw 
 Mills, about two miles from the fort. They were nearly four 
 times in number to that of the enemy. There can be little 
 doubt, if they had proceeded at once to the assault, with 
 out giving time for the extension of the formidable abattis^ 
 by which Montcalm had now bristled the entire space in 
 
BATTLE OF TICONDEROGA 91 
 
 front of his lines, they would have brought the campaign 
 to a successful issue. Instead of this, however, they de 
 layed the.ir movements till these works were completed ; 
 which, while they rendered useless the heavy train of 
 English artillery, formed impenetrable barriers to the order 
 ly advance of the infantry. 
 
 The eighth was the fatal day fixed for the assault. Sir 
 William Johnson, with a re-inforcement of four hundred 
 and forty Indians, arrived in the camp at sunrise. At 
 seven o clock, the movement of the army commenced, 
 being slightly impeded by a brief and unfruitful skirmish, 
 between the rangers and a party of the enemy in ambush. 
 These being dispersed, and the advance-guard driven in, a 
 general assault was made upon the works, soon after ten. 
 Notwithstanding the height of the breast-work, and the 
 obstacles arising from the peculiar character of the de 
 fences, an attempt was made to scale it. This perilous 
 service was led by Major Proby, who fell, in the first 
 onset, within a few yards of the works. The attempt to 
 carry them by storm was repeated several times during 
 four hours, attended with a tremendous loss on the part 
 of the assailants. The enemy, securely entrenched be 
 hind their fortifications, suffered comparatively little. 
 
 Finding that the works could not be carried by light- 
 armed troops, and the nature of the ground precluding the 
 possibility of bringing the heavy artillery to bear, a retreat 
 was ordered, and further operations against this post aban 
 doned. Major Putnam, who had acted as Aid in bringing 
 the Provincial regiments successively to action, assisted, 
 with his usual coolness and intrepidity, in covering the 
 retreat, that being the post of danger, and the one to which 
 he was generally assigned. 
 
 Considering all the circumstances, this defeat was as 
 disgraceful to General Abercrombie, as it was disastrous 
 
92 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 to his army. The attack, though bravely attempted and 
 boldly sustained by the soldiers, was ill-concerted and ill- 
 timed. It was delayed until the French defences were 
 completed ; and then abandoned, when the numbers of the 
 assailants were more than double those of the enemy, and 
 amply provided with all the means for investing the fortress, 
 cutting off all communication with the surrounding coun 
 try, and so reducing it by famine, without the necessity of 
 hazarding a battle on such unequal terms. Had the con 
 duct of this expedition been committed to American offi 
 cers, it would probably have terminated as fatally to Mont- 
 calm, as his own assault upon Fort William Henry, in the 
 previous campaign, had done to the English ; though it 
 would not, like that, have been followed by a treacherous 
 massacre of an unarmed and surrendered garrison. 
 
 There fell in this disastrous assault, of the British regu 
 lars, four hundred and sixty-four killed, and eleven hun 
 dred and seventeen wounded ; of the Provincials, eighty- 
 seven killed, and two hundred and thirty-nine wounded ; 
 thirty-seven more were missing making a total of nine 
 teen hundred and forty-four. The loss of the French 
 did not much exceed five hundred. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 CAMPAIGN OF 1758 CONTINUED. MAJOR PUTNAM A 
 PRISONER 
 
 Putnam s perilous escape down the rapids of the Hudson Supersti 
 tious notion of the Indians Putnam and Rogers pursuing a party 
 of French Rangers Lying in wait at South Bay and Wood Creek 
 Discovered Rogers incautious sport Molang in ambush Our 
 Rangers threading the forest Putnam in the van The ambush 
 springs upon him He is made a prisoner by an Indian His 
 perilous position during the fight The French retreat, taking Put 
 nam with them His cruel treatment Severely wounded in the 
 cheek About to be burned alive Rescued by Molang Compara 
 tive humanity of his captor His ludicrous confinement at night 
 Arrival at Ticonderoga Carried to Montreal Kindness of Col. 
 Schuyler He contrives to have Putnam included in a cartel of 
 exchange The return Story of Mrs. Howe. 
 
 IN the course of this season several remarkable adventures 
 occurred to our hero, in which the public interests were 
 little concerned, but which are still worthy of record, as 
 illustrating the character of the man, and the vicissitudes 
 of the service. 
 
 One day, as Major Putnam chanced to be with a few 
 men in his boat, on the eastern shore of the Hudson, very 
 near the head of the rapids at Fort Miller, he was suddenly 
 warned from the opposite shore, that a large number of 
 Indians were close in his rear, and would be upon him in 
 an instant. To remain where he was and be sacrificed 
 to attempt crossing the river exposed to the almost unerr 
 ing rifles of the Indians or to go down the falls, with an 
 
94 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 almost certainty of being dashed on the rocks and drowned 
 were the only alternatives left to his choice. The In 
 dians arrived at the shore, in season to fire a number of 
 balls at the bateau, before it could be fairly got under way. 
 One man, who, being at a little distance from his party on 
 shore, had not tiine to reach the boat, was instantly seized 
 and killed. No sooner had the bateau men, by favor of 
 the rapidity of the current, escaped beyond the reach of 
 musket shot, than death seemed only to have been avoided 
 in one form, to be encountered in another no less terrible. 
 Prominent rocks, latent shelves, and abrupt descents, for 
 near a quarter of a mile, afforded scarcely the smallest 
 chance of escaping without a miracle. 
 
 Putnam trusting himself to a Providence, whose kind 
 ness he had often experienced, rather than to men, whose 
 tender mercy is cruelty, was now seen to place himself 
 calmly at the helm, affording an astonishing spectacle of 
 serenity. His companions, with a mixture of terroi, 
 admiration, and wonder, saw him incessantly changing 
 his course, to avoid the jaws of ruin that seemed to expand 
 to swallow the whirling boat. Twice he turned it quite 
 round tohun the rifts of rocks. Amidst those eddies in 
 which there was the greatest danger of its foundering, at 
 one moment the sides were exposed to the fury of the 
 waves ; then the stern, and next the bow glanced obliquely 
 onward, with inconceivable velocity. With no less 
 amazement, the gazing savages beheld him sometimes 
 mounting the billows, then plunging abruptly down ; at 
 other times dexterously veering from the rocks, and shoot 
 ing through the only narrow passage ; until at last they 
 viewed the boat safely gliding on the smooth surface of 
 the stream below ! At this extraordinary sight, it is said 
 that these rude sons of nature were affected with the same 
 kind of superstitious veneration which the Europeans in 
 
RANGING 95 
 
 the dark ages entertained for some of their most valiant 
 champions. They regarded him as possessed of " a 
 charmed life, /J and conceived it would be a sin against the 
 Great Spirit to attempt to kill him with powder and ball, 
 if they should ever recognise him at a future period. 
 It will be seen, in the sequel, that some others of the same 
 race were not affected by their impressions, or not dispos 
 ed to push these superstitious scruples so far, as to deny 
 themselves the satisfaction of trying the efficacy of the 
 tomahawk, and subjecting him to the ordeal of fire. 
 
 In the month of August, Major Putnam was deserted by 
 the good fortune which had hitherto attended him, and 
 made the subject of a series pf adventures and perils, 
 which seem, in many particulars, more like romance, than 
 a sober tale of real life. A train of baggage teams having 
 been cut off by a large party of the enemy s rangers, a 
 corps of about eight hundred men, under the command of 
 Majors Rogers and Putnam,* was dispatched to head the 
 party, and cut it off. So rapid was the retreat, however, 
 that the enemy had reached their canoes, and embarked, 
 before their pursuers could come up with them ; though 
 they were not so far in advance but that their shouting- 
 was heard in the distance. 
 
 Defeated in this expedition, the party was now separat 
 ed into two equal divisions, Rogers taking his station with 
 one half, at South Bay, and Putnam, with the other, at 
 Wood Creek, twelve miles distant. It was their hope to 
 surprise some straggling party of the enemy, or in some 
 other way retaliate upon them the loss they had just expe 
 rienced. But, being discovered by the enemy s scouts, 
 they deemed it expedient to re-unite their forces at Wood 
 Creek, and return without delay to head-quarters, at Fort 
 Edward. Their march was a difficult one, through thick 
 * Holmes Orderly Book. 
 
96 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 woods rendered almost impassable by fallen trees, and a 
 thrifty undergrowth. They were obliged to advance in 
 Indian file, Putnam in the van, Captain Dalyell in the 
 centre, and Rogers bringing up the rear. The first night, 
 they encamped on the bank of Clear River, not far from 
 the site of the old Fort Anne. 
 
 The next morning, before resuming their march, Major 
 Rogers, with a singular forgetful ness of those precautions 
 to which rangers are often indebted, for success in their 
 enterprises, and security to their persons, amused himself 
 by a trial of skill with a British officer, in firing at a mark, 
 an act, of fool-hardy imprudence, which was followed 
 by the loss of many valuable lives. 
 
 Immediately on the discovery of the two parties at South 
 Bay and Wood Creek, the celebrated French partizan, 
 Molang, was detached from Ticonderoga, with five hun 
 dred men, to intercept them. He was now so near their 
 encampment, that the report of this firing reached his 
 ears, and guided him at once to their position. Availing 
 himself skilfully of this gratuitous information, he hastened 
 to lay an ambuscade in that part of the wood through 
 which his enemy was to pass, where he could do the 
 most damage to them, with the least damage to himself. 
 
 The march having proceeded about a mile from their 
 encampment, Major Putnam was about emerging from the 
 thicket into the common forest, when the enemy, starting 
 up from his ambush, with horrid yells and discordant 
 whoops, commenced a furious attack upon the right of his 
 division.* Putnam was surprised, but not dismayed. 
 He returned the fire of his assailants, with his accustomed 
 spirit, and immediately passed the word for the other 
 
 * The incidents of this engagement, and of the captivity of Put 
 nam, are given, with a few verbal alterations, in the language of 
 Colonel Humphreys. 
 
CAPTURED BY AN INDIAN. 97 
 
 divisions to advance to his support. Dalyell moved rapidly 
 up, and a brisk engagement commenced. Though the 
 action was widely scattered, and principally between man 
 and man, it soon grew general and intensely warm. Ro 
 gers did not come up with Dalyell, but, as he afterward 
 declared, formed a circular file between the other two 
 divisions and the creek, so as to prevent their being taken 
 in the rear, or enfiladed* It was a singular movement in 
 one, who, according to his own journal, was the master 
 spirit of the expedition ; and, though not censured by his 
 superiors, did riot escape the imputation, in the army, of 
 being instigated by an unworthy motive. 
 
 Putnam, rinding that it would be impracticable to cross 
 the creek, determined to maintain his ground. Inspired 
 by his example, the officers and men behaved with great 
 bravery, sometimes righting in masses, in open view, with 
 as much order as the nature of the ground would allow, 
 and then individually and under cover, after the Indian 
 fashion, each one sheltering himself behind a tree, and act 
 ing in a manner independent of his party. For himself 
 having discharged his fusee several times, it at length 
 missed fire, while the muzzle was pressed against the 
 breast of a large and powerful Indian. This warrior, avail 
 ing himself of the unprotected attitude of his adversary, 
 with a tremendous war-whoop, sprang forward, with his 
 lifted hatchet, and compelled him to surrender. He was 
 immediately disarmed and bound to a tree, while his cap 
 tor returned to the battle. 
 
 Notwithstanding the capture of their bravest officer, the 
 engagement vas continued by the resolute men under 
 Captains Dalyell and Harman. But their numbers being 
 greatly inferior to their adversaries, they were forced to 
 give ground for a few moments. The savages, conceiving 
 this to be the commencement of a retreat, immediately 
 5 
 
98 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 made a new and impetuous onset, with redoubled cries, as 
 if sure of victory. It was a momentary advantage which 
 they gained. Our intrepid partizans having collected 
 together a handful of brave men, gave their pursuers such 
 a warm reception, that they, in their turn, were forced 
 back beyond the ground upon which the action com 
 menced. This movement brought the tree to which 
 Putnam was bound directly between the fire of the two 
 parties. It is scarcely possible to imagine a more despe 
 rate situation ; a mark alike for every random shot of 
 friends or foes. The balls Hew incessantly from either 
 side. Many struck the tree, while some passed through 
 the sleeves and skirts of his coat. So equally balanced 
 and so obstinate was the fight, that he was kept in this 
 trying situation more than an hour. During this time, he 
 was twice exposed to the mischievous malice of his un 
 feeling enemies. A young Indian warrior coming up, and 
 seeing the white chief confined in that awkward position, 
 hurled a tomahawk several times at his head ; rather 
 as if he were amusing himself with a mark, than with any 
 settled purpose to despatch his victim. So unerring was 
 the savage s aim, that the weapon several times grazed 
 his skin, and stuck in the tree by the side of his head. 
 
 When the young savage had satisfied himself with this 
 amusement, one of the inferior French officers came up, 
 and levelling his musket at his breast, attempted to dis 
 charge it. It missed fire. In vain did the intended victim 
 of his malice solicit the treatment due to his situation, by 
 declaring that he was a prisoner of war. The degenerate 
 Frenchman did not understand the language of honor or 
 of nature. Deaf to their voice, and dead to sensibility, he 
 violently and repeatedly pushed the muzzle of his gun 
 against Putnam s ribs, and finally gave him a cruel blow 
 on the jaw with the butt-end of his piece, and left him. 
 
SEVERELY USED AND TORTURED. 99 
 
 At length the active intrepidity of Dalyell and Harman, 
 seconded by the persevering valor of their followers, pre 
 vailed. They drove from the field the enemy, who left 
 about ninety dead behind him. As they were retiring, 
 Putnam was untied by the Indian who had made him 
 prisoner, and whom he sometimes called master. Having 
 been conducted a considerable distance from the place of 
 action, he was stripped of his coat, vest, stockings and 
 shoes ; loaded with as many of the packs of the wounded 
 as could be piled upon him, strongly pinioned, and his 
 wrists held together as closely as they could be pulled by 
 a cord. After he had marched in this painful manner for 
 many tedious miles, through unpleasant paths, the fatigued 
 party halted to breathe. His hands were now immode 
 rately swelled from the tightness of the ligature, and the 
 pain had become intolerable. His feet were severely 
 scratched, so that the blood flowed freely from them. Ex 
 hausted with bearing a burden above his strength, and 
 frantic with torments exquisite beyond endurance, he 
 entreated the Irish interpreter to implore, as the last and 
 only grace he desired of his captors, that they would 
 knock him on the head and take his scalp at once, or loose 
 his hands. A French officer, instantly interposing, order 
 ed his hands to be unbound, and some of the packs to be 
 taken off. By this time the Indian who captujred him, and 
 who had been absent with the wounded, coming up, gave 
 him a pair of moccasins, and expressed great indignation 
 at the unworthy treatment his prisoner had received. 
 
 That chief, being obliged again to return to the care 
 of the wounded, the Indians, about two hundred in num 
 ber, went on before the rest of the party to the place 
 where the whole were that night to encamp. They took 
 with them Major Putnam, on whom, besides innume 
 rable other outrages, they had the barbarity to inflict a 
 
100 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 deep wound with a tomahawk in the left cheek.* His 
 sufferings were in this place to be consummated. A scene 
 of horror, infinitely greater than had ever met his eyes be 
 fore, was preparing. It was determined to roast him alive. 
 For this purpose they led him into a dark forest, stripped 
 him naked, bound him to a tree, and piled dry brush, witb 
 other fuel, at a small distance in a circle around him. 
 They accompanied their labors, as if for his funeral dirge, 
 with screams and sounds inimitable but by savage voices. 
 Then they set the pile on fire. A sudden shower damped 
 the rising flames. Still they strove to kindle it, until at 
 last the blaze ran fiercely round the circle. Major Putnam 
 soon began to feel the scorching heat. His hands were so 
 tied that he could move his body. He often shifted sides 
 as the fire approached. This sight, at the very idea of 
 which all but savages must shudder, afforded the highest 
 diversion to his inhuman tormentors, who demonstrated the 
 delirium of their joy by correspondent yells, dances and 
 gesticulations. He saw that his final hour was inevitably 
 come. He summoned all his resolution, and composed 
 his mind, as far as the circumstances would admit, to bid 
 an eternal farewell to all he held most dear. To quit the 
 world would scarcely have cost a single pang, but for the 
 idea of home but for the remembrance of domestic en 
 dearments, of the affectionate partner of his soul, and of 
 their beloved offspring. His thought was ultimately fixed 
 on a happier state of existence, beyond the tortures he was 
 beginning to endure, The bitterness of death, even of 
 that death, which is accompanied with the keenest agonies, 
 was, in a manner, past and all the concerns of time seemed 
 
 * Rev. Dr. Holmes, in his Annals of America, speaking of 
 this incident, says: "A deep scar on the cheek of that veteran war 
 rior (Putnam) is well remembered by the writer, who believes it was 
 from the wound inflicted by the tomahawk." Annals, Vol. ii., p. 523. 
 
AN UNCOMFORTABLE NIGHT. 101 
 
 as nothing in the near view of eternity when a French 
 officer rushed through the crowd, opened a way by scat 
 tering the brands, and unbound the victim. It was Mo- 
 lang himself; to whom an Indian, unwilling to witness the 
 immolation of another human sacrifice, had run and com 
 municated the tidings. That commandant spurned and 
 severely reprimanded the barbarians, whose nocturnal 
 pow-wows and hellish orgies he suddenly ended. Put 
 nam did not want for feeling or gratitude. The French 
 commander, fearin-g to trust him alone with them, remain 
 ed until he could deliver him in safety into the hands of 
 his master. 
 
 The savage approached his prisoner kindly, and seemed 
 to treat him with particular affection. He offered him 
 some hard biscuits, but finding that he could not chew 
 them, on account of the blow he had received from the 
 Frenchman, and the wound of the tomahawk, this more 
 humane savage soaked some of the biscuit in water, till 
 it was sufficiently soft to be swallowed without effort. 
 Determined, however, not to loose his captive, though he 
 was willing to treat him kindly, he took the moccasins 
 from his feet, and tied them to one of his wrists ; then di 
 recting him to lie down upon his back on the bare ground, 
 he stretched one arm to its full length, and bound it fast to 
 a young tree ; the other arm was extended and bound in 
 the same manner ; his legs were stretched apart, and fas 
 tened to two sapljngs. Then a number of tall but slender 
 poles were cut down, which, with some long bushes, were 
 laid across his body from head to foot ; on each side lay 
 as many Indians as could conveniently find lodging, in 
 order to prevent the possibility of his escape. In this dis 
 agreeable and painful posture he remained until morning. 
 During this night, the longest and most dreary conceivable, 
 our hero used to relate that he felt a ray of cheerfulness 
 
102 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 come casually across his mind, and could not even refrain 
 from smiling, when he reflected on this ludicrous group 
 for a painter, of which he himself was the principal figure. 
 
 The next day he was allowed his blanket and moccasins, 
 and permitted to march without carrying any pack, or 
 receiving any insult. To allay his extreme hunger, a little 
 bear s meat was given, which he sucked through his teeth. 
 At night, the party arrived at Ticonderoga, and the pri 
 soner was placed under the care of a French guard. The 
 savages, who had been prevented from glutting their diabo 
 lical thirst for blood, took other opportunity of manifesting 
 their malevolence for the disappointment, by horrid gri 
 maces and angry gestures ; but they were suffered no more 
 to offer violence or personal indignity to him. 
 
 After having been examined by the Marquis de Mont- 
 calm, Major Putnam was conducted to Montreal by a 
 French officer, who treated him with the greatest indul 
 gence and humanity. 
 
 At this place there were at this time several pri 
 soners. Colonel Schuyler, remarkable for his philanthropy, 
 generosity and friendship, was one of the number. No 
 sooner had he heard of Major Putnam s arrival, than he 
 went to the interpreter s quarters, and inquired whether 
 he had a Provincial Mnjor in his custody. He found 
 Major Putnam in a comfortless condition without coat, 
 waistcoat or hose ; the remnant of his clothing miserably 
 dirty and ragged ; his beard long and squalid ; his legs 
 torn by thorns and briars ; his face gashed with wounds, 
 and swollen with bruises. Colonel Schuyler, irritated 
 beyond all sufferance at such a sight, could scarcely re 
 strain his speech within limits, consistent with the pru 
 dence of a prisoner, and the meekness of a Christian. On 
 his remonstrance, Major Putnam was immediately treated 
 according to his rank. He was also clothed in a decent 
 
KINDNESS OF COL. SCHUYLER. 103 
 
 manner, and supplied with money, by that liberal and sym 
 pathizing patron of the distressed. 
 
 While on this dismal journey an attempt was made to 
 try the strength of Putnam s nerves. Exhausted with the 
 tedious march of the previous day, he was sleeping soundly 
 on the bare earth, some time after the remainder of the 
 party had shaken off their slumbers, and were preparing 
 tor a new start. A proposition was made to frighten the 
 Major. Accordingly a musket was loaded with a double 
 charge, faithfully rammed home, placed within an inch of 
 his head as he lay, and discharged. Instead, however, of 
 starting suddenly up, and staring wildly round, to see what 
 might be the matter, he just muttered out, " That s a good 
 one," turned on the other side, and adjusted himself for 
 another nap. 
 
 The capture of Frontenac, by Colonel Bradstreet, 
 afforded occasion for an exchange of prisoners. Colonel 
 Schuyler was comprehended in the cartel. A generous 
 spirit can never be satisfied with imposing tasks for its 
 generosity to accomplish. Apprehensive, if it should be 
 known that Putnam was a distinguished partisan, that his 
 liberation might be retarded, and knowing that there were 
 officers who, from the greater length of their captivity, had 
 claims of priority to exchange, he had, by his happy ad 
 dress, induced the governor to offer, that whatever officer 
 he might think proper to nominate should be included in 
 the present cartel. With great politeness in manner, but 
 seeming indifference as to objects, he expressed his warm 
 est acknowledgments to the governor, and said, " There is 
 an old man here, who is a Provincial Major. He is very 
 desirous to be at home witri his wife and children. He 
 can do no good here, or anywhere else. I believe your 
 Excellency had better keep so.ne of the young men, who 
 have no wives or children to care for, and let this old fel- 
 
104 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 low go home with me." It was a well-managed artifice, 
 and had the desired effect. Putnam was immediately 
 released, and left Montreal, in company with his generous 
 friend, who procured his enlargement. 
 
 At the house of Colonel Schuyler, in Montreal, Major 
 Putnam became acquainted with Mrs. Howe, the story of 
 whose captivity and sufferings among the Indians, full of 
 the most thrilling romance, is familiar to American readers. 
 By the payment of a considerable sum of money, Colonel 
 Schuyler obtained the release of this lady, and undertook 
 to escort her in safety to her friends in New England. He 
 also interested himself in behalf of her children, who were 
 also in captivity, and did not remit his exertions, until they 
 were all at liberty. Business having made it necessary 
 that Colonel Schuyler should entrust his charge to other 
 hands, he committed her to the protection of his friend 
 Putnam, from whom she received those kind attentions by 
 the way, which her forlorn condition, and the difficult cha 
 racter of the roads, rendered necessary and acceptable. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 THE CAMPAIGNS OF 1759 AND 1760. EXPEDITION AGAINST 
 THE WEST INDIA ISLANDS. 
 
 British successes in 1759 Putnam promoted to a Lieutenant-Colo 
 nelcy Large and vigorous plans of General Amherst The army 
 in three divisions proceeds to Montreal Putnam with the General 
 in-chief on Lake Ontario Two French vessels captured in the 
 St. Lawrence Fort Osvvegatchie capitulates The three divisions 
 of the army meet before Montreal Surrender of that Fortress, and 
 of all the French posts in Canada Conquest of Martinique, and 
 all the Caribbees Expedition against Havana Putnam in com 
 mand of the Connecticut regiment Wrecked on the coast of Cuba 
 Putnam s good management and discipline Opportune arrival 
 at Havana The harbor and fortifications The Moro carried by 
 storm The capitulation Peace in Europe Improving prospects 
 of the Colonies. 
 
 THE campaign of 1759 was distinguished by the memora 
 ble achievement of General Wolfe, who fell in the arms 
 of victory, in his daring attack upon Quebec. Ticon- 
 deroga and Crown Point were successively evacuated by 
 the French, on the approach of General Amherst. In 
 these advances, there was no opportunity for the usual 
 stirring detail of partizan adventure. There is, therefore, 
 little to relate of the subject of this work. He was raised, 
 during this year, to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel ; was 
 present at the occupation of both the above named for 
 tresses ; and was afterward employed in superintending 
 the parties, which were detached to procure timber, and 
 other materials, for strengthening the defences at Crown 
 Point. 
 
 5* 
 
106 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 In opening the campaign of 1760, General Amberst 
 found himself in possession of the most important posts 
 which the French had hitherto occupied in America ; and 
 resolved, in obedience to instructions, to attempt the im 
 mediate and entire annihilation of that power in Canada. 
 The Marquis de Vaudreuil, who was in command at Mon 
 treal, applied himself diligently to strengthen the fortifica 
 tions of that place ; and determined, if possible, to make a 
 final stand against the further progress of the English 
 For this purpose, he called in all his detachments, and 
 collected around him the entire force of the colony. His 
 resolution was vain. The British general, having but one 
 point on which to concentrate his forces, very wisely and 
 humanely prepared to collect them all at that point, in 
 hopes, by compelling an immediate surrender, to secure a 
 bloodless victory. For this purpose, three armies were 
 directed to proceed by different routes, and appear at the 
 same moment before Montreal. General Murray, with 
 the corps which had been commanded by the victorious 
 Wolfe, was ordered to ascend the St. Lawrence from Que 
 bec. Colonel Haviland, at the head of another division, 
 sailed from Crown Point, by way of Isle-aux-Noix 
 which was evacuated by the enemy on his approach. 
 General Amherst, with the remainder of the forces, con 
 sisting of about ten thousand regulars and provincials, 
 passing up the valley of the Mohawk, and down the Onei- 
 da, advanced to Oswego, where he was joined by one 
 thousand Indians of the Six Nations, under Sir William 
 Johnson. Embarking, with his entire army, on Lake 
 Ontario, and taking in his way the Fort of Isle Royale, he 
 arrived at Montreal, after a difficult and dangerous passage, 
 on the same day that General Murray landed at the same 
 place from Quebec. The two generals met with no oppo 
 sition in disembarking their troops j and by a happy con- 
 
NEW SPECIES OF NAVAL TACTICS. 107 
 
 cuitence in the execution of a well-concerted plan, Colo 
 nel Haviland joined them with his detachment the next 
 day. 
 
 Lieutenant-Colonel Putnam s regiment formed a part of 
 the main division under the general-in-chief. During their 
 progress, several incidents occurred, in which his peculiar 
 ingenuity, as well as his intrepidity, was put to the test. 
 Having entered the St. Lawrence, it was necessary, in 
 order not to leave an enemy in their rear, to dislodge the 
 garrison at Fort Oswegatchie situated on Isle Royale, at 
 the mouth of the Oswegatchie river. 
 
 The approach to this place was guarded by two armed 
 vessels of twelve guns each, that kept possession of the 
 stream, and rendered it impossible for the British army to 
 proceed, as one broadside from these ships would demolish 
 their whole fleet of boats. General Amherst was some 
 what disconcerted ; as he must either abandon his boats 
 altogether, and proceed by land, or contrive some extra 
 ordinary means to get rid of this formidable adversary. 
 While he was pondering what should be done, Colonel 
 Putnam came to him, and, pointing to one of them, said : 
 " General, that ship must be taken." 
 
 " Ay," replied Amherst, " I would give the world if she 
 were taken." 
 
 I ll take her, Sir," said Putnam, coolly. 
 
 " How ?" asked Amherst, smiling incredulously. 
 
 11 Give me some wedges, a beetle, and a few men of 
 my own choosing, and I will soon put her out of your 
 way." 
 
 Amherst could not conceive how an armed vessel was 
 to be taken by four or five men, with no other arms than 
 a beetle and wedges. But he had known something of 
 the ingenuity and daring of the provincial Colonel, and his 
 skill in executing feats of peculiar difficulty. He was, 
 
108 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 accordingly, authorized to proceed ; and furnished with 
 everything that he desired for his experiment. 
 
 In the darkness of the night, Putnam and his chosen 
 few, in a light boat, with muffled oars, stole unperceived 
 under the vessel s stern, and drove the wedges so firmly 
 between the rudder and the stern-post, as to render the 
 rudder quite immovable. They then effected their 
 escape, in the same stealthy manner as they had come. 
 Deprived of her helm, the ship was left at the mercy of 
 the winds and the stream, and was soon driven ashore. 
 In this condition she offered no resistance to the British 
 arms, but struck her colors at the first summons. Her 
 companion followed her example without delay, so that 
 this victory was won without the loss of a man, or the 
 firing of a gun, on either side. 
 
 This incident is found in u Almon > s Impartial Remem 
 brancer^ published in London in 1775, thirteen years before 
 the appearance of Colonel Humphreys Life of Putnam. 
 That work represents the French as voluntarily running 
 one of their vessels ashore on the approach of the British. 
 Other historians* of the day have said, that one of the 
 vessels having accidentally run ashore, the other was 
 easily overcome, &c. While Knox, and after him, Mante, 
 give all the credit of the adventure to a Col. Williamson, 
 of the British army. From the incident of the wedging 
 of the rudder being published at so early a date, and on 
 British authority, it is most probable that the anecdote is 
 true in all its particulars that Putnam first procured one 
 of the vessels to be disabled, and that then the thousand 
 men, under the command of Col Williamson, joined him, 
 and followed up the work. No man in his senses w ? ould 
 think of approaching an armed vessel by daylight, with a 
 view to get under her stern, and unship or otherwise 
 * Marshall, and others. 
 
DISCREPANCIES RECONCILED. 109 
 
 destroy her rudder. The probable truth, therefore, is, 
 that one vessel being disabled, the other yielded readily, 
 as all accounts agree in stating. In this manner they are 
 all easily reconciled, and the whole credit of the success 
 placed where it belongs, to the ingenuity and daring of 
 Putnam as Humphreys understood and intended it should 
 be ; while he completely defeats that intention, by running 
 the two parts of the story into one, and so leaving the main 
 incident out of sight. It affords another illustration of the 
 modesty of Putnam, and the little account he made of 
 his own acts, in detailing to his biographer the movements 
 of the army. The following is Colonel Humphreys ac 
 count of the matter ; which briefly describes the onset of 
 the boats, and the sudden surrender of the panic-struck 
 enemy, without detailing the circumstances, which made 
 that surrender unavoidable. 
 
 "Two armed vessels obstructed the passage, and pre 
 vented the attack. Putnam, with one thousand men, un 
 dertook to board them. This dauntless officer, ever spar 
 ing of the blood of others, as prodigal of his own, to accom 
 plish it with less loss, put himself, with a chosen crew, a 
 beetle and wedges, in the van, with a design to wedge the 
 rudders, so that the vessels should not be able to turn their 
 broadsides, or perform any other manoeuvre. All the men 
 in his little fleet were ordered to strip to their waistcoats, 
 and advance at the same time. He promised, if he lived, 
 to join them, and show the way up the sides. Animated 
 by so daring an example, they moved swiftly, and in pro 
 found silence, as to certain victory or death. The people 
 on board the ships, beholding the good countenance with 
 which they approached, ran one of the vessels on shore, 
 and struck the colors of the other. Had it not been for 
 the dastardly conduct of the ship s company in the latter, 
 who compelled the captain to haul down his ensign, he 
 
110 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 would have given the assailants a bloody reception ; for 
 the vessels were well provided with spars, nettings, and 
 every customary instrument of annoyance as well as 
 defence." 
 
 It was now determined to attack the fortress, which 
 the enemy supposed they had rendered inaccessible by a 
 high abattis of black-ash, that everywhere projected over 
 the water. Lieutenant-Colonel Putnam proposed a mode 
 of attack, and offered his services to carry it into effect. 
 The proposal was approved of by the general ; and Put 
 nam, accordingly, caused a sufficient number of boats to 
 be fitted for the enterprise. The sides of each boat were 
 surrounded with fascines, musket proof, which covered 
 the men completely. A wide plank, twenty feet long, 
 was then fitted to every boat in such a manner, by having 
 an angular piece sawed from one extremity, that, when 
 fastened by ropes on both sides of the boat, it might be 
 raised or lowered at pleasure. The design was, that the 
 plank should be held erect while the oarsmen forced the 
 bow, with the utmost exertion, against the abattis ; and 
 that afterwards being dropped on the pointed brush, it 
 should serve as a kind of bridge to assist the men in pass 
 ing over them. Lieutenant-Colonel Putnam, having made 
 his dispositions to attempt the escalade in many places at 
 the same moment, advanced with his boats in admirable 
 order. The garrison, perceiving these extraordinary and 
 unexpected machines, did not wait the assault, but capitu 
 lated. Putnam was particularly honored by General 
 Amherst, for his ingenuity in this invention, and for his 
 promptitude in its execution. 
 
 The three armies arrived at Montreal within two days 
 of each other. The Marquis de Vaudreuil, seeing that 
 resistance to forces so far superior to his own would be 
 worse than useless, proposed an instant capitulation. With 
 
EXPEDITION TO HAVANA. Ill 
 
 Montreal, Detroit, Michilimakinak, and all other French 
 posts on the lakes, were surrendered to the English ; and 
 the conquest of Canada was thus completed, without the 
 loss of a single drop of blood. 
 
 At the Indian village called Cochnawaga, a short dis 
 tance from Montreal, Putnam saw the savage who had 
 made him prisoner in the previous campaign. The Indian 
 was highly delighted to see his old acquaintance, whom 
 he entertained in his own well-built stone house with 
 great friendship and hospitality ; while his guest showed 
 no less satisfaction in having an opportunity of shaking the 
 brave savage by the hand, and proffering him protection in 
 this reverse of his military fortunes. 
 
 The year 1762 found England in rather a gloomy situa 
 tion. The previous campaign had left her much exhaust 
 ed, and Spain, as well as the majority of the other powers 
 of Europe, combined against her and Prussia. In the 
 event that she should be much farther reduced, the Ame 
 ricans could apprehend nothing less than a speedy and 
 energetic attempt by France to recover the lands which 
 she had lost during the past years of the war. The colo 
 nies, therefore, were called upon to raise supplies, arid 
 prepare for a desperate struggle. Large bounties were 
 offered by England to those who would enlist under her 
 standard which were doubled by the continental author 
 ities. 
 
 In the meantime, a large army of British and provincials, 
 under Admiral Rodney and General Monckton, had sailed 
 for Martinique, an island in the West Indies, belonging to 
 the French. On the 14th of February, 1762, that island 
 was captured. This success was soon followed by the 
 subjugation of all the Caribbees. Another powerful expe 
 dition was also sent, the same season, against Havana. It 
 consisted of 10,000 men, thirty-seven ships of war, and 
 
112 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 nearly 150 transports, under the command of Admiral 
 Pococke and Lord Albemarle. These landed safely on 
 the 17th of June ; but being foiled in all their attempts 
 against the fortresses, the climate destroyed a great num 
 ber of them, so that, in less than two months, their numbers 
 were reduced about one half. 
 
 At this gloomy crisis aid arrived from the colonies. A 
 body of Provincials, composed of five hundred men from 
 the Jerseys, eight hundred from New York, and one thou 
 sand from Connecticut, were sent to reinforce his Lord 
 ship. General Lyman, who raised this regiment of one 
 thousand men in Connecticut, being the senior officer, was 
 appointed to the command of the whole, consequently the 
 immediate command of his regiment devolved upon Lieut 
 enant-Colonel Putnam. The fleet, in which these men 
 embarked, sailed from New York, and ultimately arrived 
 safely in Cuba, though not without perilous accidents by 
 the way. 
 
 While on the coast of that island a terrible storm arose, 
 and the transport, in which Lieutenant-Colonel Putnam 
 had embarked with five hundred men, was wrecked on a 
 reef of craggy rocks. The weather was so tempestuous, 
 and the surf, which ran mountain-high, dashed with such 
 violence against the ship, that the most experienced sea 
 men expected she would go to pieces. The rest of the 
 fleet, so far from being able to afford assistance, with diffi 
 culty rode out the gale. 
 
 In this situation, strict military order was maintained, 
 and all those people, who best understood the use of tools, 
 were instantly employed in constructing rafts from spars, 
 planks, and whatever other materials could be procured. 
 Strong lines were secured to each of these rafts, and run 
 out from the ship, as they put off towards the land. When 
 the first had, with inconceivable hazard and difficulty, 
 
SHIPWRECK HAVANA REDUCED. 113 
 
 reached the shore, these lines proved of infinite service, 
 in preventing the others from driving out to sea, as well 
 as in dragging them athwart the billows to the beach, and 
 keeping up a constant communication with the ship. By 
 these means every man was finally saved. 
 
 A.S soon as all were landed, Lieutenant-Colonel Putnam 
 fortified his camp, that he might not be exposed to injury 
 or insult from the inhabitants of the neighboring dis 
 tricts. Here the party remained unmolested several days, 
 until the storm had so much abated as to permit the con 
 voy to take them off. They soon joined the troops before 
 Havana, who, having been several weeks in that unhealthy 
 climate, began to feel its effects severely in the gradual 
 reduction of their numbers, and the transformation of their 
 camp into a hospital. The opportune arrival of the Pro 
 vincial reinforcement, in perfect health, contributed not a 
 little to forward the works which were in progress, and to 
 hasten the reduction of that important place. But the 
 Provincials suffered so miserably by sickness afterwards, 
 that very few of their number ever found their way home 
 again. 
 
 The entrance into the harbor of Havana is by a narrow 
 channel, the east side of which is secured by a fort of great 
 strength, and deemed quite impregnable, called El Moro. 
 The west is protected by another, called ElPunto. Lord 
 Albemarle, having command of the land forces, amounting 
 to fourteen thousand men, of whom four thousand were 
 Provincials, commenced the siege of the Moro. After 
 suffering incredible hardships, and surmounting the most 
 appalling obstacles, the besiegers obtained possession of 
 the covered way, which led to the fortress, made a lodg 
 ment before the right bastion, and sprung a mine, which 
 threw down a part of the works, and left open a small 
 breach. The soldiers, now ordered to storm the place, 
 
114 LIFE CF GENERAL PUTNAM 
 
 mounted the breach, under command of Lieutenant 
 Forbes, supported by Lieutenant-Colonel Stuart, and en 
 tered the fort with such order and intrepidity, as entirely 
 disconcerted the garrison. Four hundred Spaniards were 
 either cut in pieces, or perished in attempting to escape by 
 water to the city. The remainder threw down their arms, 
 and received quarter. 
 
 The British troops, now in possession of the castle, and 
 having completed their own batteries, on an eminence that 
 commanded the city, were enabled to plant sixty pieces 
 of cannon in position to play effectively on the place. 
 Thus fortified, Lord Albemarle sent a flag of truce, with a 
 summons to the governor to surrender. The haughty 
 Spaniard replied that he should hold out to the last ex 
 tremity. The batteries, however, were opened with such 
 effect the next morning, both against the city and the Pun- 
 tal, that a deputy was sent out about noon, to settle the 
 terms of capitulation. A cessation of arms immediately 
 ensued, and the city of Havana, with a district extending 
 one hundred and eighty miles westward, and embracing 
 about one fourth part of the island, with the fortresses and 
 the ships in the harbor, were surrendered to His Britannic 
 Majesty, 
 
 Soon after this event, the combined powers, finding that 
 war with Great Britain, whether by land or sea, was only 
 a losing game, proposed terms of peace, which removed 
 the dark cloud that had so long hung over the prospects 
 of the colonies. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE PONTIAC WAR. 
 
 Results of the late contest between England and France Condition, 
 character, and hopes of the Indians Pontiac, the Otoway chief 
 His first successes and plan of Union Movements of General 
 Amherst Captain Dalyell ordered to Detroit His bold sortie 
 from the fort His glorious death Putnam, now a Colonel, accom 
 panies Col. Bradstreet to Detroit Supplies thrown into the fortress 
 Pontiac, overawed by the superior numbers of his enemy, pro 
 poses conditions of peace Colonel Putnam s letter from the camp 
 Enlarged views and bravery of Pontiac Review of Colonel 
 Putnam s military career His high reputation as an officer Re 
 tires to his farm Honorable testimonials of public confidence 
 Domestic affliction. 
 
 TILL the year 1758 or 1759, it seemed doubtful whether 
 France or England would have the ascendency in the 
 New World ; and in particular, whether the British should 
 not be confined to a narrow slip of land on the shores of 
 the Atlantic. The superior population and wealth of the 
 English colonies, and th e immense superiority of the 
 British navy over that of France, and particularly the 
 energy of Pitt s Administration, turned the scale in favor 
 of England. Great joy was diffused throughout the British 
 dominions ; but in no place was it felt, in a higher degree, 
 or with greater reason, than in America. For one hun 
 dred and fifty years France and England had been con 
 tending for American territory ; and for the last half of 
 that period there had been but little intermission of active 
 hostilities, or of those irregular border difficulties, which 
 
116 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 are scarcely less annoying or destructive than actual war. 
 There were no precise, well-defined boundaries to the 
 possessions of the two nations ; but both were willing to 
 enlarge them in any direction. They possessed much, but 
 coveted more. Neither was backward to make encroach 
 ments on the other ; and both were prompt to repel them 
 when made, or supposed to be made, on themselves. 
 Throughout this period, especially the last half of it, in 
 addition to the unavoidable calamities of war, indiscrimi 
 nate massacres had been so frequently and extensively 
 committed on numerous settlers, dispersed over many 
 hundred miles of exposed frontier, that it has been sup 
 posed the British colonies lost in this way not less than 
 twenty thousand inhabitants. War assumed a most ter 
 rific aspect among the colonists. Not confined to men in 
 arms, as is common in Europe, aged persons, women, and 
 children, were frequently its victims. The tomahawk and 
 scalping knife, carried to the fire-sides of peaceable, help 
 less families, were applied promiscuously to every age 
 and sex. 
 
 It was hoped that the reduction of Canada would close 
 these horrid scenes for ever, with respect to the northern 
 and middle colonies. As the Indians could in future derive 
 supplies from none but the English, and as they would be 
 no longer exposed to the seductiveness of French influ 
 ence, it was confidently expected that they would desist 
 from their depredations, and leave the colonies to pursue 
 the advantages gained in this long and expensive contest. 
 In this expectation they were disappointed. Some of the 
 Indians laid down their arms, but many of the tribes on 
 the western frontiers still continued hostilities not, as be 
 fore, to sustain or restore the French dominion, but appa^ 
 rently with a view to regain, for themselves, some of that 
 ancient power which both the contending parties had com- 
 
THE INDIAN CONFEDERACY. 117 
 
 bined to wrest from their hands. It is not improbable, 
 indeed, that they were instigated in a great measure by the 
 catholic priests who still remained among them, and who 
 possessed unbounded influence over their minds. 
 
 Even at that early day, however, they seem to have 
 had a prophetic intimation of the fate that awaited them, 
 from the continual influx and rapid increase of the Euro 
 pean race. The most sagacious of their leaders saw, even 
 then, as in a vision, that they had nothing to expect from 
 the pale-faced intruders upon their territories but per 
 petual encroachment, treacherous, over-reaching negotia 
 tion and diplomacy, and the ultimate extermination of their 
 whole race. In a conference between some of the Ame 
 rican governors and the Six Nations, soon after the peace 
 of 1761, a warm dispute arose concerning certain lands, 
 which the Indians asserted had been seized by some 
 English settlers under a fraudulent conveyance. Popula 
 tion, too, augmented so rapidly during the interval of 
 peace, after England had acquired the mastery of the con 
 tinent, that the colonists soon overran their prescribed 
 limits ; and, as a chain of forts had been constructed round 
 the most important lands of the Indians, they perceived 
 that the English, by fate or by design, were about to 
 extirpate them, or drive them back upon the distant moun 
 tains of the west. Under these impressions, the truth of 
 which has been so signally realized, the Shawanese, the 
 Delawares, and the tribes along the Ohio, this side Missis 
 sippi, and about Detroit, concerted a plan, in 1763, to 
 attack, at one and the same time, all the English posts and 
 settlements in their neighborhood. 
 
 Under Pontiac, the celebrated Otoway chief, and other 
 highly gifted leaders thirty-six of whom were now united 
 under this confederacy they succeeded in getting pos 
 session of several important posts, which the French had 
 
118 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM, 
 
 surrendered, and were proceeding to concentrate a for 
 midable power on the northern lakes. General Amherst, 
 who still remained in command, immediately ordered strong 
 reinforcements to forts Pitt, Detroit and Niagara those 
 of Le Boeuf, Venango, Presque Isle and Michilimacki- 
 nack, being already in possession of the Indians. Captain 
 Dalyell, of whom we have had occasion to speak in ano 
 ther place as the faithful friend and intrepid fellow-soldier 
 of Colonel Putnam, commanded the first party destined for 
 Detroit, with orders from General Amherst to raise the 
 siege, by dispersing the Indians. On his arrival, he suc 
 ceeded in effecting an entrance into the fortress, without a 
 conflict with the enemy who invested it. Major Glad- 
 wine, who commanded the garrison, satisfied that with 
 this reinforcement the place could hold out against the 
 besiegers, while they were still too few to hazard an open 
 encounter, would fain Have dissuaded Captain Dalyell from 
 offering them battle. But the latter, relying on the disci 
 pline and courage of his men, replied : " God forbid that I 
 should ever disobey the orders of my general," and imme 
 diately disposed them for action. His force consisted of 
 only two hundred and fifty men. Those of Pontiac were 
 vastly .superior in numbers. The conflict, which com 
 menced at two o clock in the morning, was obstinate and 
 bloody. The Indians, on every side, kept up a galling 
 fire from behind trees and fences, and threatening to sur 
 round and enclose Captain Dalyell and his party, compelled 
 him reluctantly to retreat. Having gained a temporary 
 shelter, and halted to breathe, he saw one of his bravest 
 sergeants lying on the ground at a little distance, wallow 
 ing in his blood from a severe wound in his thigh, and 
 desired some of his men to run to his relief. They declin 
 ed the service, as too hazardous. Dalyell, declaring 
 " that he would never leave so brave a soldier in the field, 
 
COiMMAN.DS A REGIMENT AT DETROIT. 119 
 
 to be tortured by the savages," went alone to his rescue. 
 As he was endeavoring to raise the wounded man from the 
 ground, a volley from the enemy was poured in upon them, 
 and they both fell dead together. How do such acts of 
 heroic disinterestedness and self-sacrifice, elevate the cha 
 racter of the true soldier, and eclipse the proudest laurels 
 of the mere conqueror ! 
 
 The Indians still maintaining their position, Colonel 
 Bradstreet was sent the following year, 1764, with a force 
 sufficient to reduce them. To this force Connecticut con 
 tributed a regiment of four hundred men, under the com 
 mand of Putnam who had now received the commission 
 of a colonel. The old Indian chief, who has been before 
 mentioned as his captor, and whom in that relation he 
 had called master, was also on this expedition, at the head 
 of a hundred Cochnawaga warriors. He had made peace 
 with the English, and was now marching side by side 
 with his former prisoner, to fight with the ancient enemy 
 of his tribe. Joseph Brant, the celebrated Mohawk chief, 
 took part also in this expedition. 
 
 Meanwhile, Detroit continued to be closely blockaded, 
 and the garrison suffered extremely from fatigue and the 
 want of provisions. On the third of September, a schooner, 
 dispatched from Niagara with twelve men and six Mo 
 hawk Indians, with provisions for the relief of the garrison, 
 arrived in the river. She was immediately attacked by 
 three hundred and fifty Indians in boats, but, by the admi 
 rable skill and bravery of the little band on board, she was 
 carried safely into the fort, with the loss of the master and 
 one man killed, and four wounded. 
 
 Saved from certain death by this seasonable supply of 
 provisions, the garrison held out till the arrival of the 
 forces under Colonel Bradstreet. Overawed by the supe 
 rior numbers now arrayed against them, and feeling that 
 
120 LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 all farther efforts would be worse than vain, the Indians 
 withdrew, without battle, and proposed conditions of 
 peace ; which, after long delays and frequent changes of 
 terms, were duly arranged and ratified in the course of the 
 following season. 
 
 As this expedition afforded little opportunity for brilliant 
 services, or daring achievements, we have nothing to say 
 for Colonel Putnam save that, as usual, he was always 
 at his post, ready for any service that might be required 
 of him, and weary of nothing so much as inaction. The 
 following letter, supposed to be the longest he ever wrote, 
 will give some idea of the state of the frontier settlements 
 at that time, and of the difficulties they had to encounter 
 in dealing with the Indians. It was addressed to Major 
 Drake, of Norwich, Connecticut, and was published in the 
 Boston Gazette, of December 24th, 1764. 
 
 " Camp Sandusky, near the Carrying P/acc, / 
 October 7, 1764. I 
 
 "DEAR SIR: 
 
 " I can tell you the land here is good enough, and sup 
 pose you will think it strange if I should tell you, that in 
 many places in this country, there are ten or twenty thou 
 sand acres of land in a place, that have not a bush or twig 
 on them, but all covered with grass, so big and high that 
 it is very difficult to travel and all as good plough-land 
 as ever you saw ; any of it fit for hemp ; but there are 
 too many hemp birds among it, which will make it very 
 unhealthy to live among. 
 
 " Detroit is a very beautiful place, and the country 
 around it. We sent out an officer, and three Indians, to the 
 Delawares and Shawanese from Presque Isle, who returned 
 and were illy used. We sent the like number from San- 
 dusky, but all before any one returned. 
 
CAPTAIN KING S TALK. 121 
 
 " From Sandusky we sent Captain Montieur and Cap 
 tain Peters, from Maumee we sent Captain Morris of the 
 17th, and one Thomas King with three Indians. Captain 
 Morris returned some time ago, and was much abused, 
 and stripped, and whipped, and threatened to be toma 
 hawked, but had his life spared in case he would return. 
 Captain Thomas King and three of the Kanawawas pro 
 ceeded. This Captain King is one of the chiefs of the 
 Oneida Castle ; and about ten days ago King came into 
 Detroit, and had left all the Kanawawas, who gave out for 
 want of provisions, and could not travel ; he supposed they 
 all perished in the woods. And three days ago he arrived 
 here, and yesterday he had a conference with the Indians ; 
 and when all assembled, he made a speech to them. 
 After some talk with them, he expressed himself in this 
 manner : 
 
 " Friends and Brothers : I am now about to acquaint 
 you with facts, too obvious to deny, I have been, since I 
 left you, to Monsieur Pontuck s (Pontiac s) camp, and 
 waited on him to see if he was willing to come in, and 
 make peace with our brothers, the English. He asked 
 me what I meant by all that, saying, " You have always 
 encouraged me to carry on the war against the English, 
 and said, the only reason you did not join me last year 
 was the want of ammunition, and as soon as you could get 
 ammunition, you would join me." 
 
 li King said there was nothing in it, at which Pontuck 
 produced six belts of wampum, that he had had the last 
 year from the Six Nations, and said, The English are so 
 exhausted, they can do no more, and one year s war, well 
 pushed, will drive them into the sea. 
 
 " King then made a stop for some time (when he added), 
 Brothers, you know this to be true, and you have always 
 deceived me. At which the Six Nations were all angry, 
 G 
 
122 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 and this day they are all packing up to go off; and what 
 will be the event I don t know, nor don t care, for 1 have 
 no faith in an Indian peace, patched up by presents. 
 
 " Yesterday* Captain Peters arrived, which is the last 
 party we had out. Capt. Peters says the VVyandots are all 
 coming in ; but the Delawares and the Shawanese are not 
 coming, nor durst they come, for they are afraid that, ii they 
 should come here, Colonel Bouquet will be on their towns 
 and castles. For he has sent to them to come and make 
 peace, and, on the contrary, if they should go to him we 
 should be on them. They intend to be still until Bouquet 
 first comes to them, and then send out and make peace, 
 if possible ; if not, to fight him as long as they have a man 
 left. But, believe me, they wait to get some advantage 
 of us before they try for peace. Capt. Peters says Bou 
 quet is within thirty miles of their towns, and believes he 
 is to make peace with them ; for Colonel Bradstreet had 
 orders from General Gage, eight days ago, to make 
 no peace with them, but to march and meet Bou 
 quet. But, on calling a council of war, and examining the 
 Indians and Frenchmen, who were acquainted with the 
 road, it was found to be thirty leagues to travel by land, 
 and nothing to carry any provisions but on men s back, 
 which, allowing for hindrances, must take forty days to 
 go and come. There are four large rivers to pass, two of 
 which must be crossed with rafts, and that very difficult. 
 Considering the season of the year it was judged im 
 practicable. And here we are, and for what I know not, 
 nor when we are to leave it, 
 
 " I am, &c. 
 
 " ISRAEL PUTNAM." 
 
 It gives us an exalted view of the conscious power and 
 fearless courage of the brave chiefs, who, at this time, 
 
HIS RAPID PROMOTION. 133 
 
 commanded the Indian tribes on the frontier, to find them 
 boldly meditating the utter annihilation of the British 
 power in America, or to use the expressive language of 
 Pontiac, hoping " by one year s war, well pushed, to drive 
 them into the sea." The colonies, at this time, numbered 
 probably more than two millions of inhabitants, and were 
 rapidly increasing. They had powerful armies, backed by 
 others still more powerful, sent from Europe for their pro 
 tection. They had numerous well-appointed fortresses, 
 with all the terrible engines of war, which civilized science 
 
 O / 
 
 had invented. They had numberless large towns and po 
 pulous cities, and their millions were all banded together, 
 as one, for the common defence ; while the Indian tribes, 
 divided among themselves, and inflamed against each other 
 by the never-ceasing feuds of a hundred ages, knew no 
 bond of union, and acknowledged no common head, who 
 could harmonize their councils, or concentrate their power 
 toward one point. They realized the prophetic charac 
 ter of the father of the wandering tribes of Arabia, " His 
 hand shall be against every man, and every man s hand 
 against him." 
 
 Ten years had now elapsed, since Putnam, at the call of 
 his country, relinquished the peaceful pursuits of rural 
 life, for the stirring scenes and perilous duties of the camp. 
 He entered the service without experience, but with a 
 high reputation for personal bravery. He had risen regu 
 larly through every grade, from the command of -a com 
 pany to that of a regiment. He had won the confidence of 
 his superiors, and the affectionate regards of his men ; and 
 now, the great object of the war being accomplished, and 
 peace secured to the colonies on every side, he returned to 
 the bosom of his family, and to the shades of private life, 
 his brows crowned with enduring laurels, and his name, 
 
124 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 encircled with the halo of fame, associated with the best 
 and bravest in the land. 
 
 The part he had acted in " The Seven Years War," 
 was one of peculiar hardship and peril. Always in the 
 van, when charging the enemy, and in the rear, when a 
 retreat was ordered stationed among the outposts when 
 the army was in camp scouring the woods or the lakes 
 with a handful of men, or creeping stealthily alone into the 
 enemy s lines his was ever the post of danger. But he 
 encountered and achieved it all with a chivalrous indiffer 
 ence to personal danger, and an inexhaustible fruitful- 
 ness of resources, which, while it excited the envy of a 
 few, commanded the admiration of all. His military 
 knowledge was all the fruit of his own experience and 
 observation, the result of that strong common sense, that 
 ready ingenuity in adapting himself to the circumstances 
 in which he was placed, and that perfect coolness and self- 
 possession in seasons of danger, for which he was emi 
 nently distinguished, and which qualified him, without 
 the previous advantages of education, for the important 
 stations he was called upon to fill. 
 
 " Personal bravery," says Mr. Peabody, " is perhaps 
 the cheapest of the military virtues ; but there was some 
 thing cool, daring and unostentatious in that of Putnam, 
 which attracted equally the wonder of the cultivated and 
 the rude. In the words, recorded by a personal friend* 
 upon his monument, he had always i dared to lead where 
 any dared to follow. His disposition was full of the 
 frankness of the soldier, united w r ith a kindness and gene 
 rosity, not always found in union with the sterner quali 
 ties, demanded by the life of camps ; an extended inter 
 course with others had refined the asperity of his manners, 
 
 *Dr. Dwight 
 
DOMESTIC AFFLICTION. 125 
 
 without impairing the simplicity of his genuine New Eng 
 land character." 
 
 In laying aside his uniform, and returning to his plough, 
 and to the pleasures of domestic life, he lost nothing of 
 that respect and esteem, with which the brave soldier and 
 the accomplished officer had been regarded. Success had 
 not inflated him with pride, or made him forgetful of his old 
 connections. He possessed the entire good will and confi 
 dence of his neighbors and fellow-citizens, and stood very 
 high in the public estimation, throughout the country, for 
 integrity, courage and patriotism. No sooner was the 
 sword laid away in its scabbard, then he was called, by the 
 united voice of his fellow-citizens, to counsel and aid them 
 in the management of their civil affairs. And, during the 
 entire interval of repose, between the French war and that 
 of the Revolution, he was employed, by their choice, to fill 
 the higher municipal offices, and to represent the town in 
 the General Assembly of the colony. 
 
 But who ever enjoyed sunshine in this life, which 
 clouds did not darken ? Or found repose, which affliction 
 did not mar ? Returning in peace to the bosom of his 
 family, after so long a period of toil and danger, from so 
 many vicissitudes of fortune, by land and sea, from weary 
 marches and perilous adventures, from conflicts, single- 
 handed, with a lurking foe, and the terrible melee of the 
 battle-field, and " the imminent deadly breach," the 
 veteran soldier might have promised himself, at least a 
 brief interval of pure enjoyment, amid the loving and loved 
 ones that clustered about his fireside, and graced and 
 cheered his table. But he had scarcely returned to his 
 home, when it was visited by the severest of earthly be 
 reavements. The wife of his youth, the mother of his 
 children, was smitten by the shaft of death. After ten 
 years of exposure to danger in almost every form, he came 
 
126 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 back, in full health and vigor, and with a heart yearning 
 for the bliss which can only be found at home, to witness 
 the dying struggle, and receive the dying blessing, of her 
 who had been his counsellor and his comforter, and the 
 chief joy of his existence, for a quarter of a century. It 
 was a heavy stroke, and deeply and bitterly was it felt, 
 though he murmured not against Him who dealt the 
 blow. 
 
 After a considerable period of widowhood, Colonel Put 
 nam married again. His second wife was Mrs. Deborah 
 Gardner, the widow of John Gardner, Esq., the fifth pro 
 prietor of Gardner s Island. She was a native of Pomfret, 
 the daughter of Mr. Avery, one of Putnam s neighbors. 
 She accompanied him in most of the campaigns of the 
 Revolutionary War, and died at his Head Quarters, in the 
 Highlands, in 1777. Her youngest son, Septimus Gard 
 ner, entered the army, under his step-father, and died at 
 Peekskill, about the same time with his mother. Mr. 
 Putnam, had no children by his second marriage. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 CAUSES OF THE REVOLUTION. 
 
 The Navigation Acts Writs of Assistance Stamp Act Resistance 
 in the colonies Activity and zeal ol Colonel Putnam Stamp 
 officers compelled to resign Case of Mr. Ingersol His public 
 resignation at Weathersfield Putnam s interview with the Go 
 vernor Prevalence of the same spirit Results Stamp Act 
 repealed A season of tranquillity Putnam opens a public house 
 General Lyman s mission to England Obtains a grant of land 
 on the Mississippi Proceeds with Putnam and others to locate it 
 Forms an establishment at Natchez Putnam returns to take- 
 part in the agitations of the country. 
 
 THE causes which led to the Revolutionary War, and the 
 establishment of American Independence, are too gene 
 rally understood to require detailed explanation here. 
 The oppressive enactments of the mother-country, on the 
 one hand, and the bold and spirited resistance of the colo 
 nies on the other, had already awakened feelings of no 
 amiable character on both sides of the water. And, while 
 the heroes and patriots of the provincial army were fight 
 ing bravely, side by side with the officers and soldiers of 
 the crown, and learning the art of war in their campaigns 
 against their French neighbors, the contest had already 
 begun which was to divide them into separate armies, and 
 array them in deadly hostility to each other. 
 
 The Navigation Acts of 1651 and 1660, and others of a 
 still later date, placing severe restrictions upon American 
 commerce, had been the subject of frequent remonstrance, 
 
128 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 and had often been either quietly evaded or openly violat 
 ed. The " writs of assistance," or general warrants, 
 ordered in 1761, for the discovery of contraband articles, 
 which had been imported into the country without the 
 payment of the established duties, were met by the bold 
 and spirited denunciations of Thatcher, Otis, and the 
 Adamses, nobly seconded by the voice of the people, so 
 far as it could be heard through the press. The actual 
 enforcement of the laws, by the confiscation of smuggled 
 goods, in 1763, increased the excitement, and alarmed the 
 staunch lovers of liberty in the colonies. 
 
 The first formal declaration of a settled purpose on the 
 part of the ministers to tax the colonies directly was made 
 by Mr. Grenville, prime minister of George III., in 1764. 
 It was not only received with a burst of indignation in 
 America, but met by an able and talented opposition in the 
 British Parliament. The consequences were foreseen by 
 those who best understood the American character, and 
 valued the privileges of the British Constitution. But the 
 ministers, backed by the obstinacy of the king, were not 
 to be diverted from their purpose. The Stamp Act was 
 passed in March, 1765, by a large majority of both 
 houses of Parliament. 
 
 When the news of the passage of this Act reached 
 America, a general indignation spread throughout the 
 country, breaking forth, in some places, in acts of outrage 
 and violence, and in others assunrng the spirit of calm but 
 determined resistance. At Boston and Philadelphia the 
 bells were muffled, and rung a funeral knell. At New 
 York the Act was carried through the streets, with a 
 death s head affixed to it, and styled " The Folly of Eng 
 land and the Ruin of America." When the stamped 
 papers arrived in the country they were, in many places, 
 seized and destroyed ; the houses of those who sided with 
 
MR. INGERSOL, THE STAMP-OFFICER. 129 
 
 the government were violently entered and plundered ; the 
 stamp officers were compelled to resign their commissions ; 
 and the doctrine was openly asserted, on every side, that 
 England had no right whatever to tax America, or to 
 claim a dollar of her money without her own free con 
 sent. 
 
 Among those who entered most zealously into these 
 measures of remonstrance and open resistance, was Colonel 
 Putnam. With his accustomed fearlessness and impetu 
 osity, he set his face against every movement toward put 
 ting this hateful system of oppression into execution. By 
 a concert of action throughout the colonies, the people had 
 determined, in order to prevent the stamped paper from 
 being distributed, that the stamp-masters should not enter 
 upon the execution of their offices. That appointment, in 
 Connecticut, had been conferred upon a Mr. Ingersol, of 
 New Haven, a very dignified, sensible, and learned native 
 of the colony ; who, upon being solicited to resign the 
 trust, did not, in the first instance, give a satisfactory 
 answer. He, probably, did not like the bold and peremp 
 tory style in which the application was made to him ; 
 preferring rather to show his patriotism by his own free 
 act, than by the dictation or compulsion of his fellow- 
 citizens. 
 
 The people, however, were resolute, and would not 
 allow a moment s hesitation or delay. At the instigation 
 of Colonel Putnam who was prevented from joining the 
 party in person by an accident which had recently befallen 
 him a large number of the substantial yeomanry of the 
 province assembled at a convenient rendezvous in one of 
 the eastern counties, and proceeded in a body towards 
 New Haven, to demand and receive the resignation of Mr. 
 Ingersol. Another similar body of self-constituted rulers 
 was to have formed a junction with them in Branford. On 
 6* 
 
130 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 the arrival of the eastern company at Hartford, they were 
 informed that Mr. Ingersol was on his way to that place, 
 where he was expected to arrive the next day, to claim 
 the protection of the assembly. They, accordingly, took 
 up their quarters there for the night having first posted 
 their patrols on the southern and western avenues, to 
 prevent the possibility of his arrival without their know 
 ledge. The next morning they resumed their line of 
 march, and met Mr. Ingersol in Weathersfield. They 
 immediately made known- to him the errand on which they 
 had come, giving him to understand that the people were 
 resolute in their purpose, and not to be trilled with. After 
 a little dignified hesitation, the worthy man yielded to the 
 law of necessity, and, mounting on a round table, in the 
 midst of his judges, read aloud the following paper : 
 
 "Weatharsfidd, Sept. 9th, 1765. 
 
 t I do hereby promise, that 1 never will receive any 
 stamped papers which may arrive from Europe, in conse 
 quence of an Act lately passed in the Parliament of Great 
 Britain ; nor officiate as stamp master or Distributor of 
 Stamps, within the colony of Connecticut, either directly 
 or indirectly. And I do hereby notify to all the Inhabit 
 ants of his Majesty s colony of Connecticut (notwithstand 
 ing the said office or trust has been committed to me) not 
 to apply to me, ever after, for any stamped paper ; hereby 
 declaring that I do resign the said office, and execute these 
 Prevents of my own FREE WILL AND ACCORD, without any 
 equivocation or mental reservation. 
 
 " In witness whereof, 1 have hereunto set my hand. 
 
 "J. INGERSOL." 
 
 Having finished the reading, he was desired to shout 
 three times, u Liberty and property," which was respond 
 ed to by three loud and hearty huzzas from the assembled 
 
INTERVIEW WITH GOV. FITCH. 131 
 
 multitude. He was then invited to dine with some of the 
 principal men of the party and the place, by whom he was 
 treated with the greatest respect and politeness. After 
 this, he was escorted by about five hundred horse to Hart 
 ford, where he again read his resignation, amid the un 
 bounded acclamations of the people. All this was done 
 in that quiet and orderly manner, which distinguished the 
 lawful assemblages of the people, for purposes of counsel 
 and the common defence, from the turbulent and ill-con 
 sidered outbreaks of an excited, irresponsible mob. The 
 utmost urbanity and good humor prevailed, and jokes were 
 freely exchanged, and kindly received, by both parties. 
 During the progress of the cavalcade to Hartford, Mr. 
 Ingersol, who rode a white horse, was asked what he 
 thought, to find himself attended by such a numerous and 
 motley retinue. He immediately replied, with a smile, 
 " that he had now a clearer idea, than he had ever before 
 conceived, of that passage in the Revelations, which de 
 scribes Death on the pale horse, and hell following him." 
 
 Soon after this, Putnam, having so far recovered as to be 
 able to attend to his ordinary duties, was deputed, with 
 two other gentlemen, to wait on the Governor of the colo 
 ny, in relation to the same subject, and with the same 
 resolute purpose of preventing the introduction of the hated 
 papers into any part of the colony. The conversation that 
 took place between Governor Fitch and Colonel Putnam 
 on this occasion, will serve well to illustrate the spirit of 
 the times, and the resolute character of the men, on whom 
 the duty devolved of representing and leading the people. 
 The object of the conference having been explained, and 
 the Governor satisfied that the people were immovable in 
 their determination to resist the slightest encroachment 
 upon their rights, he asked, in some concern, addressing 
 himself to Colonel Putnam 
 
132 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 " What shall I do, if the stamped paper should oe sent 
 to me by the King s authority ?" 
 
 " Lock it up," replied Putnam, " until we shall visit 
 you again." 
 
 " And what will you do then ?" 
 
 " We shall expect you to give us the key of the room, 
 in which it is deposited ; and, if you think proper, in 
 order to screen yourself from blame, you may forewarn 
 us, upon our peril, not to enter that room." 
 
 " And what will you do afterwards ?" 
 
 " Send it safely hack again." 
 
 " But if I should refuse you admission ?" 
 
 " In such a case your house will be levelled with the 
 dust in five minutes." 
 
 Such interviews and scenes as this, could not fail to pro 
 duce a deep impression of the difficulty of enforcing the 
 obnoxious law. In some of the colonies it was never at 
 tempted. The stamped paper was never sent into Con 
 necticut ; and it was supposed, at the time, that a report 
 of Putnam s plain talk with the Governor, and the con 
 strained resignation of the stamp-officer at Hartford, de 
 terred them from trying the experiment in that quarter. 
 
 The same spirit prevailed on every side. The Provin 
 cial assemblies were unanimous in their reprobation of the 
 measure, and one long, loud note, not of remonstrance 
 only, but of defiance, was heard from, the masses of the 
 people from north to south. Its echoes reached the ears 
 of the infatuated legislators on the other side of the Atlan 
 tic, and convinced them of the futility of attempting to rivet 
 paper chains upon a people born to freedom, and jealous 
 of the slightest encroachment upon their rights. The 
 Revenue System was accordingly abandoned for a season. 
 The Stamp Act was repealed on the 18th of March, 1766. 
 The news was received in America with lively expressions 
 
INN -KEEPING THE OLD SIGN. 133 
 
 of joy and gratitude. Public thanksgivings were held. 
 Trade with England, which had been suspended, was re 
 newed, and the importation of British goods encouraged, 
 and a general calm, without a parallel in history, imme 
 diately succeeded the storm, which had raged with such 
 threatening violence. 
 
 During this short season of tranquillity, Putnam resumed 
 his agricultural employments, which he pursued with his 
 accustomed vigor, though slightly interrupted by two acci 
 dents, one of which deprived him of the first joint of the 
 thumb of his right hand, while the other was attended 
 with a compound fracture of his right thigh, which short 
 ened that leg nearly an inch, and made him slightly lame 
 during the remainder of his life. He also, at this time, 
 threw open his house for the accommodation of the pub 
 lic. The old sign, which swung before his door, as a 
 token of rest and good cheer for the weary wayfarer, is 
 now to be seen in the Museum of the Historical Society 
 of Connecticut, at Hartford. It represents General Wolfe, 
 in full uniform, his eye fixed, in an expression of fiery ear 
 nestness, upon some distant object, and his right arm ex 
 tended, in emphatic gesture, as if charging on the foe, or 
 directing some other important movement of his army. 
 The sign seems to have fared hardly in one respect, being 
 plentifully sprinkled with shot-holes, which gives the young 
 hero the appearance of having been deeply pitted with the 
 small-pox. 
 
 The Provincial officers and soldiers, who survived the 
 expedition to Havana, having deputed General Lyman to 
 receive their portion of prize-money, he repaired to Eng 
 land for that purpose. He was charged, at the same 
 time, with a commission from a company in America, 
 called " Military Adventurers," to solicit from the crown 
 a grant of land on the Mississippi. 
 
134 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 The delays, vexations and disappointments, attending 
 this business, so chafed the spirit, and wounded the 
 manly pride of General Lyman, that he sunk into a state 
 of despondency and mental imbecility, and retiring to a 
 solitary place, resolved never more to expose himself to 
 the indignities and disappointments of public life, and de 
 termined never more to return to his native land, lest he 
 should be reproached with the failure of his mission. In 
 this state of morbid depression, he was visited by some of 
 his own family, who crossed the Atlantic in quest of him, 
 and succeeded in finding his place of retreat. By their 
 kindness, sympathy, and good nursing, he was soon restor 
 ed to his wonted health and activity, and once more re* 
 paired to London, to prosecute the object of his mission. 
 
 After several years, thus consumed in attendance upon 
 court, the grant was obtained, and General Lyman re 
 turned home, comparatively successful. Colonel Putnam, 
 with several other gentlemen, accompanied his old com 
 mander, in 1774, in a tour to the far west, to explore the 
 tract, and make preparation for settling it. Such an ex 
 pedition was not accomplished with as much ease, seventy- 
 five .years ago, as at the present day. The steamboat was 
 not known. The railroad had not been dreamed of. A 
 trip to Oregon is not more difficult now, than was the pio 
 neer jaunt to the Mississippi, then. After a tedious voyage 
 to the Balize, and a laborious passage up the river, and 
 weeks of toilsome engineering, they succeeded in estab 
 lishing the metes and bounds of their grant, and locating 
 the portions of the several grantees. This done, they all 
 returned to Connecticut, with the intention of encourag 
 ing emigration, and planting a colony of industrious thriv 
 ing Yankees on the banks of the Great River. General 
 Lyman returned thither in the course of the following 
 season, and formed an establishment at Natchez, where 
 
NOTES OF PREPARATION. 135 
 
 he remained till his death. Colonel Putnam placed some 
 laborers, with provisions and farming utensils, on his sec 
 tion of the grant ; and, from his well-known enterprise 
 and energy of character, would no doubt have pushed 
 the speculation to a successful issue, had not the clouds, 
 which began to gather anew over his devoted country, 
 thrown a deep shade over all such prospects, and diverted 
 his thoughts from enterprises of private gain, to devising 
 and executing measures for the public weal. 
 
 It was now manifest to every observer, that the affairs 
 of the colonies had reached a crisis that, in the language 
 of Washington, " the once happy and peaceful plains of 
 America were either to be drenched in blood, or inhabited 
 by slaves." The season for petition and remonstrance 
 was gone by. The time for action had arrived. The 
 future was big with events of immeasurable importance 
 to the interests, not of the American colonies merely, but 
 of humanity. The present was destined to be an epoch 
 in the history of human progress. And the men, to whom 
 Providence had assigned the task of directing the great 
 struggle, by which it was to be achieved, were equipped 
 for the service, and ready to take their posts. Under 
 these men, as councillors and leaders, the people instinc 
 tively ranged themselves. The athletic frame, the bold 
 and active mind, the prompt, determined air, and tried 
 courage of Colonel Putnam, added to his large experience 
 in military affairs, his ardent patriotism and untiring zeal, 
 marked him out as one of the leaders, and gave him a con 
 spicuous rank among them. By his advice and assistance, 
 measures were extensively taken, in his own province, to 
 prepare for the worst that might come. New life was in 
 fused into the militia. The men. and even the boys, who 
 were capable of bearing arms, were urged, and assisted, to 
 devote themselves diligently to systematic exercise in the 
 
13(3 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 military art. Voluntary associations were formed among 
 them, for regular practice in military manoeuvres and drill 
 ing, and the execution of all the varied evolutions of the 
 camp and the field. The militia trainings of that period 
 bore no resemblance to the spiritless and purposeless farces 
 of our day. They had an object, lofty, solemn, momen 
 tous, and were conducted with a spirit that made every 
 soldier feel himself a man, and gave to every officer the 
 aspect and bearing of a hero. Every village had its mili 
 tary school, and its miniature camp, where children learn 
 ed the art of war from their fathers, and where the scarred 
 veteran acted over again the scenes of his youth, and taught 
 the striplings to emulate them. Such were the notes of 
 preparation that indicated the coming crisis. 
 
CHAPTER XI. 
 
 4GITATIONS PRECEDING THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE 
 
 Duties on glass, paper, tea, &c. Board of trade Resistance Asso 
 ciations to suspend commercial intercourse with England Other 
 measures Brief view of the difficult position of the colonies 
 Resolution of leading men The part taken by Colonel Putnam 
 -His conferences with British officers His opinion of the result 
 of a war His confidence in American women Committees of 
 correspondence An alarm Putnam s letter Defence of hiy 
 course. 
 
 THE repeal of the Stamp Act was accompanied by another 
 declaratory Act, designed as a sort of salvo to the national 
 pride of British Legislators, affirming that the Parliament 
 had power to bind the colonies in all cases whatever 
 a sufficient warning, it would seem, that the repeal was 
 but a temporary truce, in the war against American rights. 
 That truce was shorter than was at first anticipated. Tak 
 ing advantage of the absence of Mr. Pitt, who was confined 
 by sickness in the country, Mr. Townshend, then chan 
 cellor of the Exchequer, introduced a bill into Parliament, 
 in 1767, imposing duties on glass, paper, painters colors, 
 and tea, which was immediately passed, and approved by 
 the king. A bill was also passed, establishing a board of 
 trade in the colonies, independent of colonial legislation ; 
 and others equally at variance with the known views of 
 the Americans, as well as with the fundamental principles 
 of the British constitution. 
 
 On the revival of this scheme of oppression, the old 
 
138 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 spirit of resistance revived in all its force. The colonial 
 Assemblies protested earnestly against it. The columns 
 of the public papers were filled with spirited essays from 
 the ablest political writers of the day, setting forth, in the 
 clearest manner, the fallacy of the principles, and the 
 injustice of these measures of the ministry ; and appealing 
 earnestly to the people to resist them, even to the last 
 extremity. Otis, the Adamses, Patrick Henry, and many 
 others, stepped boldly forth to the defence of American 
 liberty, and kindled a flame which was not to be quenched, 
 but by the entire independence of the colonies from the 
 domination of their unnatural step-mother. Some of 
 them, by their fearless denunciation of British oppression, 
 and their uncompromising advocacy of the doctrine of 
 resistance and independence, rendered themselves so 
 peculiarly obnoxious to the crown, as to be honored with 
 a special exemption from the promise of pardon, which 
 was subsequently offered to all who would return to their 
 allegiance, and quietly submit to any burden which royalty, 
 moved and instigated by a tyrannical ministry, might be 
 pleased to lay upon them. 
 
 Associations were immediately formed, and agreements 
 entered into, to abstain entirely from the use of the articles 
 enumerated in the bill, and to suspend, as far as possible, 
 all commercial intercourse with the mother-country, till 
 the policy of colonial taxation should be utterly and for 
 ever abandoned. All foreign luxuries were dispensed 
 with ; domestic manufactures of every kind were freely 
 encouraged ; and other measures adopted, to show to 
 their British taskmasters, that all the advantages and con 
 veniences of a lucrative commerce would be sacrificed in 
 a moment, sooner than they would forego one jot or tittle 
 of their birthright, as free born Englishmen. The excite 
 ment grew warmer and warmer. Difficulties thickened 
 
DIFFICULT POSITION OF THE COLONIES. 139 
 
 on every side. The colonial Assemblies were repeatedly 
 threatened, dissolved, and broken up, only to meet again, 
 with a sterner purpose of resistance, and bolder resolves 
 than before. Soldiers were quartered upon the citizens, 
 and stationed about the legislative halls, to overawe the 
 people, and intimidate their advisers ; who only became 
 the more bold and unyielding, at every new demonstration 
 ot the power that was destined to enslave them. 
 
 It was in the midst of these excitements, that Colonel 
 Putnam made his exploring tour to the banks of the Mis 
 sissippi. The season of his absence was one of pecu 
 liar agitation and ferment, and he returned to find the 
 
 O 
 
 storm of civil discord raging violently, and ready to burst 
 over his devoted land. The first blood of the American 
 Revolution had been spilt, in the massacre of the fifth of 
 March, at Boston ; and other scenes of agitation had been 
 enacted, which portended the coming conflict, and warned 
 every patriot citizen to be ready at his post, to meet the 
 impending crisis. It was clearly foreseen that it would 
 not terminate but in blood. It was a time to try men s 
 souls. America was thinly populated, divided into thir 
 teen separate governments, with many conflicting interests, 
 and sectional jealousies, to distract her councils, and divide 
 and weaken her strength ; without a head, without an 
 army, without a treasury, and without credit. The odds 
 against them were fearful, in case of actual outbreak, 
 their antagonist being by far the most powerful nation on 
 earth, both by sea and land, and capable of commanding 
 the resources of nearly all Europe. She had also a tre 
 mendous advantage, in having the reins of government, in 
 all the colonies, in her own hands ; and holding possession 
 of the fortified posts, with a large part of the arms and 
 ammunition of the country. Besides this, the people of 
 America were as truly loyal as any in the wide spread 
 
140 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 dominions of the king. They were proud of their ances 
 tors and their father-land. They prized highly the privi 
 leges of the British constitution ; and nothing short of a 
 melancholy persuasion, that the principles involved in 
 these measures of the ministry were subversive of every 
 hope of liberty, guaranteed to them by that constitution, 
 could have induced them to raise the standard of revolt. 
 
 There were still many Americans, and among them 
 some of the ablest and most intelligent men in the country, 
 who held fast their allegiance to the king, and discoun 
 tenanced every act of resistance as arrant rebellion. Some, 
 too, of the most experienced officers, who had served in 
 the French War, and who well understood the military 
 power of England, shrank from so unequal a contest, and 
 frowned upon every measure which seemed calculated to 
 widen the breach, and provoke an ultimate recourse to 
 arms. In such circumstances, it required more than ordi 
 nary decision and courage to become a leader ; for though 
 success would win for them enduring laurels, a failure 
 would consign them all to the ignominious fate of rebels. 
 Fortunately for us and the world, the crisis produced the 
 men who were equal to its utmost exigency. Counsellors 
 and statesmen, bold, sagacious, and far-seeing, resolved to 
 hazard everything dear, sooner than relinquish one of the 
 principles of liberty, for which alone they contended, 
 were found in every province. Brave soldiers, and com 
 petent officers, men of ample military experience were 
 not wanting, who were ready at a word, to leap into the 
 breach, and lead their undisciplined fellow-citizens to bat 
 tle with the veteran troops and well-trained legions of the 
 old world ; preferring the prospect of an early grave, or a 
 prison and a halter, to the certainty of chains worse than 
 those of iron, which can only enslave the body. 
 
 Among the foremost and most conspicuous of the latter 
 
HIS POSITION DEFINED. 141 
 
 class, was Colonel Putnam, whose courage and patriotic 
 zeal was well and widely known, and who possessed the 
 entire confidence of the people, not only of Connecticut, 
 but of the sister provinces. He entered at once, and heart 
 ily, into the preparatory measures, which signalized the 
 trying interval between the first blood-shedding at Boston, 
 and the actual opening of the grand drama at Lexington. 
 By reference to the papers, and official documents of that 
 period, we find him an active and zealous partizan in the 
 affairs of the colonies, watching, as a sentinel at his post, 
 the signs of the times, and urging, with all his accustomed 
 impetuosity and energy, every expedient to rouse and keep 
 alive the spirit of resistance, and evade or prevent the exe 
 cution of those hateful laws, which threatened to enslave 
 them. Boston was, at that time, the head-quarters- of 
 what the English were pleased to term " the rebellion," 
 and the point upon which they concentrated their severest 
 enactments, and their first military preparations to subdue 
 the refractory colonies. Putnam was often there. He 
 was familiarly known to General Gage, the British com- 
 mander-in-chief, Lord Percy, Colonel Small, and many 
 others, with whom he had formerly served, in the " Seven 
 Years War." His character, for all that constitutes a 
 brave soldier and an able commander, was well known 
 and highly appreciated among them ; while his personal 
 qualities had endeared him greatly to those who had been 
 most familiar with him, in war and in peace. 
 
 As the crisis approached, and the storm of war seemed 
 inevitable, the conversation often turned, from a warm dis 
 cussion of general principles, to matters of more personal 
 concern. But Putnam was not a man to hesitate about 
 consequences, when his mind was settled, and his resolu 
 tion fixed upon principles. When, therefore, he was 
 questioned, by his British friends, as to the part he should 
 
142 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 take, in case the dispute should proceed to actual hostili 
 ties, he always replied, and with an energy that left no 
 doubt of the sincerity and heartiness of his determination 
 U I shall take part with my country in any event ; and, 
 whatever may happen, I am prepared to abide the conse 
 quences." 
 
 When asked whether he, who had witnessed the prow 
 ess of the British arms, and their repeated victories by sea 
 and land, did not believe them equal to the immediate con 
 quest of a people, who did not own a single ship, and who 
 had neither armies, nor commanders, nor munitions of war 
 he replied, with equal confidence, " I can only say, jus 
 tice would be on our side, and the event with Providence. 
 And, if the combined forces of Great Britain and her colo 
 nies, required six full years to drive the French out of Ca 
 nada, I apprehend it will be no easy task, for British 
 troops alone, to enslave a country, much more extensive 
 and populous than Canada. Besides, men fighting on their 
 own soil, in defence of their altars, their hearths and their 
 liberties, have an advantage, in the sacredness of their 
 cause, over the mere mercenaries, who fight only for pay 
 with nothing at stake on the issue, but the idle breath of 
 fame. For my part, I fully believe you will find it no 
 easy matter to conquer these American provinces, poor as 
 they are." 
 
 On one occasion, he was asked, with an expressive 
 sneer, if a well-appointed army of five thousand British 
 veterans might not march, without serious molestation, 
 from one end of the continent to the other. u No doubt 
 they could," he replied, with animation, u if they behaved 
 themselves civilly, and paid well for everything they 
 wanted. But," he added, after a moment s pause, " if 
 they should attempt it in a hostile manner, the American 
 women, if the men were out of the way, would meet them 
 
AN ALARM. 143 
 
 with their ladles and broomsticks, and put them to rout, 
 before they had measured half the breadth of the land." 
 
 Such was the substance of frequent amicable discussions, 
 which took place between the advocates of the crown on 
 the one part, and the bold American leaders on the other, 
 indicating clearly the nature of the contest, in which they 
 were soon to engage, but never resulting in conviction in 
 the minds of the disputants. 
 
 Among the measures of preparation and precaution, 
 which \vere generally adopted, and ably sustained, in all 
 the colonies, was the appointment of committees of vigi 
 lance and correspondence, whose duty it was, to keep the 
 whole people informed of whatever occurred in any part 
 of the land, that should alarm the fear s, or awaken the jea 
 lousy of the most sensitive defenders of liberty. Colonel 
 Putnam was chairman of such a committee, for the district 
 in which he resided, and, as such, incurred a large share 
 of the displeasure of the British party, for his sleepless 
 vigilance, and prompt, untiring zeal. 
 
 A gentleman, in New r York, writing to a friend in Anna 
 polis, under date of September 6th, 1774, says : " Two 
 days ago, we were alarmed by the arrival of an express 
 from Colonel Putnam, of Connecticut, to the committee of 
 this city, with the intelligence that a certain person was 
 just come to his house from Boston, to acquaint him that 
 an affray had happened between the people and the troops 
 in Boston. Colonel Putnam, upon this advice, alarmed 
 the wh ole country, moving them to arm themselves, and 
 take the road to Boston which they actually did, inso 
 much that, the postman says, that the roads were covered 
 with people." 
 
 This proved to be a false alarm, and the part which 
 Colonel Putnam took in it, was the subject of no little 
 comment in those papers of the time, that were still in the 
 
144 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 British interest. One of General Gage s defenders, in a 
 letter to Peyton Randolph, of Virginia, written at this 
 juncture, says : " Colonel Putnam, of Connecticut, with a 
 zeal, not according to knowledge, alarmed that and all the 
 southern provinces, and the whole country was in mo 
 tion." 
 
 To show the spirit of the man, and the excited state of 
 the country at this time, we give the following extract 
 from Colonel Putnam s letter, explaining and justifying 
 the part he took in the affair. After stating how the story 
 came to him, by a Captain Keys, purporting to be an au 
 thorised messenger from Boston, he adds : " Now I submit 
 it to the determination of every candid and unprejudiced 
 reader, whether my conduct, in writing the above-mention 
 ed letter, merits the imputation of imprudence, as asserted 
 by said writer, or whether they would have me tamely sit 
 down, a spectator of the inhuman sacrifice of my friends 
 and fellow-countrymen. * * * And pray, what easier 
 way could I have proceeded, than in writing to one of the 
 militia captains, whom I desired to forward the intelligence 
 to the adjacent towns, when I really believed the story to 
 be true ? Which having done, J mounted my horse, and 
 made the best of my way towards Boston, having only 
 four gentlemen to accompany me. Having proceeded as 
 far as Douglass, which is about thirty miles from my 
 house, I met Captain Hill, of that town, with his company, 
 who had been down within about thirty miles from Boston, 
 and had just returned. He informed me that the alarm 
 was false, and that the forces of Worcester and Sutton 
 were on their return. I then turned my course home 
 wards, without loss of time, and reached my house about 
 sun-rising on Sunday morning, taking care to acquaint the 
 people on the road, that they need not proceed any fur 
 ther. 
 
CAUSE OF THE ALARM. 145 
 
 " I believe the alarm was first occasioned by Mr. Ben 
 jamin Hallowell, who, going into Boston in a great fright, 
 informed the army that he had killed one man, and wound 
 ed another, while they were pursuing him from Cam 
 bridge, and the country were all in arms, marching towards 
 Boston, which threw the military into great consternation. 
 * * * In the midst of this hurry and confusion, a post 
 was dispatched into the country, but by whom, or to an 
 swer what purpose, I cannot tell. But what took place in 
 consequence of it, is evident. General Gage s apprehen 
 sions of danger were so great, that he speedily began to 
 fortify the entrance to the town, to prevent a surprise from 
 the enemy without."* 
 
 The agitation, here referred to, was that which resulted 
 from General Gage s taking possession of the powder in 
 the Arsenal, at Charlestown. The Arsenal was situated 
 in the north-west part of the town, between Medford and 
 Cambridge. About two hundred of the British troops, in 
 thirteen boats, passed silently up the Mystic River, during 
 the night of the 1st of September j and, disembarking at a 
 convenient place, proceeded to the powder-house, and 
 carried off the entire quantity of powder deposited there, 
 amounting to nearly three hundred barrels. Intelligence 
 of this transaction was rapidly circulated ; and, in the 
 morning, several thousand inhabitants of the neighboring 
 towns assembled at Cambridge, principally in arms, and 
 were with difficulty restrained from marching into Boston, 
 to demand a delivery of the powder, and, in case of refu 
 sal, to attack the troops. Amidst the noise and confusion 
 attending this affair, there sprang up a rumor, that the 
 fleet and troops were firing on the town of Boston. It 
 flew through New England with such rapidity, that, in 
 less than twenty-four hours, there were between thirty and 
 
 * Am. Arch., 4th Series. Vol. i., p. 942. 
 
 7 
 
146 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 forty thousand men in arms. The roads to Boston were 
 thronged in all directions. And there can be no doubt, 
 that, if the report which caused all this excitement had 
 proved true, General Gage would, at that time, have been 
 attacked in his citadel, and his whole military force anni 
 hilated at a blow. At that date, his force was compara 
 tively small, and the fortifications, which he afterwards 
 relied on to protect him from incursions from the country, 
 were not yet erected. It was the serious aspect of this 
 occasion, and the determined air of the people who 
 gathered by thousands from all sides, at the first tap of the 
 drum that suggested the necessity of such defences. 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 FIRST ACT JN THE DRAMA OF THE REVOLUTION, 
 
 Condition of the colonies Preparations for war Pitcairn s and 
 Smith s secret expedition to Concord Skirmish at Lexington- 
 Stores destroyed at Concord American yeomanry roused Diffi* 
 cult retreat of the British In danger cf being cut offReinforced 
 by Lord Percy Closely pursued, and severely handled by the 
 Americans Narrow escape of Major Pitcairn His pistols The 
 alarm Putnam at his plough Flies to Cambridge Boston in 
 vested Organization of the army Putnam s position General 
 Ward American officers tempted with bribes General Gage s 
 treatment of the Bostonians- Fortifications round Boston Hazard* 
 ous exploit Skirmish at Njllle Island Exchange of prisoners, 
 
 IT was in this state of general excitement, and individual 
 alarm and watchfulness, that the war of the Revolution 
 broke upon the colonies. They were, in a great measure, 
 unprepared for any serious conflict, but \vere unanimously 
 resolved to submit to extermination at the point of the 
 bayonet, rather than yield to oppression under the forms of 
 law. They had no army, though almost every man and boy 
 in the land was ready to step into the ranks, at a moment s 
 warning. Their legislative assemblies were forcibly dis 
 solved ; the inhabitants were formally declared rebels ; 
 and an army sent to Boston to subdue them. 
 
 On the dissolution of the Assembly of Massachusetts, 
 its members met again, and resolved themselves into a 
 Provincial Congress. They appointed committees of 
 " safety," and "supplies," and voted to raise and organize 
 
148 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 an army of twelve thousand men. They also made 
 arrangements for the immediate enlistment of one fourth 
 part of the militia, as minute-men, to be ready for action 
 at a moment s warning. Similar preparations, proportion 
 ed in extent to the population of each, were made in the 
 other colonies. Military stores and ammunition were 
 purchased, and magazines provided, in suitable places, 
 for their reception. Meanwhile, the Americans carefully 
 abstained from all offensive acts. The first aggression 
 was on the part of General Gage. Having previously 
 seized, and conveyed to Boston, the ammunition and mili 
 tary stores in the provincial arsenals at Cambridge and 
 Charlestown, he proceeded, on the night of the 18th of 
 April, 1775, to dispatch a force of eight hundred men, 
 under the command of Colonel Smith and Major Pitcairn, 
 to destroy those at Concord. 
 
 This expedition was planned in profound secrecy ; arid 
 the greatest precautions were taken to prevent the intelli 
 gence of it from going out in advance, to alarm the peo 
 ple. But the Yankees were too wakeful to be taken by 
 surprise. The patriots of Boston, by some means, became 
 acquainted with the Governor s design, and Dr. Warren 
 immediately dispatched confidential messengers along the 
 supposed route, to prepare for their reception. At Lex 
 ington, a little more than half way to Concord, where 
 they arrived about daylight, on the morning of the 19th, 
 the British troops met with the first appearance of hostile 
 resistance. About seventy men, under cuinrnand of Cap 
 tain Parker, were drawn up on the green. Major Pit- 
 cairn, supposing the voice of a British officer, backed by 
 such a force as he had at his feet, would be quite sufficient 
 to subdue a single company of raw militia, rode up to their 
 line, and cried out, in an insolent tone, " Disperse, you 
 rebels, throw down your arms and disperse." Not being 
 
BATTLE OF LEXINGTON. 14S 
 
 obeyed, he discharged his pistol, and ordered his soldiers 
 to fire. Several of the militia were killed, and the rest, 
 feeling it was useless to contend with numbers so greatly 
 superior, retreated and dispersed, but only to gather again, 
 with large reinforcements from every quarter. 
 
 The detachment proceeded, without further interrup 
 tion, to Concord, destroyed a part of the stores deposited 
 there, and made a hasty retreat. But the militia of all the 
 surrounding country, having been alarmed, assembled in 
 great numbers. A smart skirmish ensued, and several 
 were killed on both sides. To retreat through such a 
 country, where every man was an enemy, if not a disci 
 plined soldier, and where every house, and tree, and fence, 
 sheltered one or more expert marksmen, each capable of 
 picking off his man at any reasonable distance, was no easy 
 matter. The Americans hung upon their rear, and harassed 
 them on every side, and would inevitably have cut the 
 whole detachment in pieces, had not Lord Percy, with a 
 reinforcement of nine hundred men and two field pieces, 
 met them at Lexington. 
 
 Lord Percy formed his detachment into a square, in 
 which he enclosed Colonel Smith s party, who, according 
 to Stedman, " were so much exhausted with fatigue, that 
 they were obliged to lie down for rest on the ground, their 
 tongues hanging out of their mouths, like those of dogs 
 after a chase." 
 
 The enemy, now amounting to about seventeen hundred 
 men, having halted an hour or two at Lexington, recom 
 menced their march, but the attack from "the Provincials 
 was renewed at the same time, and an irregular, yet very 
 galling fire was kept up on each flank, as well as in front 
 and rear. The close firing from behind stone walls, by good 
 marksmen, put them in no small confusion ; but they, on 
 their part, kep f up a brisk retreating fire on the militia and 
 
150 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 minute-men. A little after sunset, they reached Bunker s 
 Hill, where, exhausted with excessive fatigue, they re 
 mained during the night, protected from further annoyance 
 by the guns of the Somerset man-of-war, which was so 
 situated as to rake the neck, and so prevent their pursuers 
 from gaining access to Charlestown. The following day, 
 they crossed over to Boston, carrying with them ample 
 evidence to satisfy General Gage, that the work of enslav 
 ing the colonies would be no farce. 
 
 The British lost, during this expedition, in killed, 
 wounded, and missing, nearly three hundred men ; the 
 loss of the Provincials being less than one third that num 
 ber. 
 
 During the retreat from Lexington, Major Pitcairn s 
 horse was shot under him. The Major fell with him, and 
 only escaped being made a prisoner, by feigning himself 
 dead. His pursuers, coming up, pulled his pistols from 
 his holsters, and leaving him unmolested, kept on their 
 march. When they had passed out of sight, he took to 
 nis feet, and, by a singular good fortune, succeeded in 
 escaping their vigilance, and overtaking his friends. His 
 pistols were presented to General Putnam, on his arrival 
 at Cambridge, and were his constant companions through 
 all his subsequent military career. They are still in the 
 possession of one of his grandsons, John P. Putnam, Esq., 
 of Western New York. They are represented as being 
 of exquisite workmanship.* 
 
 * There was another relic of the old hero, the remains of which 
 may, perhaps, at some future day, become the property of one of the 
 boll watermen on the Ohio. We refer to the good old musket that 
 killed the wolf, and accompanied its owner through all the perils of 
 the Seven Years War. It is said to have been dropped overboard, in 
 the Ohio, as the General, in one of his western expeditions, was 
 crossing that river in a boat. 
 
I 
 THE COUNTRY IN ARMS. J51 
 
 With the rapidity of lightning, the intelligence spread on 
 every side, that American blood had been shed by the 
 British troops at Lexington. It was the signal and decla 
 ration of war. The country was all in motion. The mili 
 tia, on all sides, seized their arms, which had been kept 
 in constant readiness, and rushed to the scene of action. 
 In the course of a few days, a line of encampment was 
 formed from Dorchester, through Roxbury, Brookline, 
 Cambridge and Charlestown, to the Mystic River, thus 
 completely environing the British troops in Boston, with 
 an army of twenty thousand men. 
 
 The alarm, which was carried by a man with a drum 
 on horseback, found Putnam ploughing in the field. Cap 
 tain Hubbard, afterwards a quarter-master in the army, 
 was in the adjoining field. They were both ready for ac 
 tion in their own way. Hubbard was a cool, systematic, 
 orderly man. He walked quietly home, put things in 
 order, filled his knapsack, and took his way to the camp. 
 Putnam merely unyoked his team from his plough, and 
 bidding has boy to go home, and tell his mother where he 
 was gone, mounted his horse, and dashed away down the 
 road towards Boston. In twenty-four hours he w r as there, 
 a distance, in those days, of nearly one hundred miles. He 
 attended a council of war at Cambridge, on the 21st, 
 where the parole, in honor of his arrival, was " Putnam."* 
 
 Finding the British confined to Boston, and invested 
 with a sufficient force to watch their movements, and being 
 especially requested by the Legislature of Connecticut, 
 then in session, to meet them for the purpose of consulta- 
 ti%i, he returned at once to Hartford. Having assisted in 
 levying and organizing a regiment, under authority of the 
 Legislature, by whom he was promoted to be Brigadier- 
 General, he hastened back to Cambridge, from which 
 
 C? 
 
 * Orderly Book. 
 
152 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 place he was absent only one week, leaving orders for the 
 troops to follow as speedily as possible. Among those 
 troops, Knowlton, Durkee, and many others, who had 
 served with him in the French and IrTdian Wars, were 
 foremost to enlist under the banner of so able and tried a 
 commander. 
 
 Collected, as the American forces were, from different 
 and independent provinces, they were without a common 
 head, and liable to all the difficulties arising from personal 
 jealousy and military pride, in arranging their respective 
 stations and commands. Some of the best officers took 
 offence at the position to which they were assigned ; 
 and some absolutely refused obedience to those who were 
 ranked above them. For the most part, however, the 
 utmost harmony and good feeling prevailed. To remedy, 
 on their part, the difficulties arising from this cause the 
 Council of Connecticut passed a resolution, advising the 
 Governor " to order the officers and soldiers of the pro 
 vince to be subordinate, and yield obedience to the General 
 and commanding officer of Massachusetts Bay, while act 
 ing in that province, and until the Governor should see fit 
 to order otherwise."* Whatever may have been the case 
 with other officers, it appears that General Putnam s estab 
 lished reputation, and universal popularity, secured for 
 him the confidence of all, and raised him at once to the 
 post of honor and of danger. The supreme command, by 
 the above resolution, was vested in Major-General Ward. 
 Putnam, as appears, among other evidences, from the 
 following extracts from letters of the time, held a separate 
 command under him, at an advanced post, which it was 
 deemed of great importance to defend ; and was regarded, 
 at the time, as but little inferior to the commander-in- 
 chief. The first is from Jedediah Huntington to Jonathan 
 
 * Am. Archives, 4th Series, vol. ii., page 1039. 
 
HIS POSITION IN THE ARMY. 153 
 
 Trumbull, jr., Governor of Connecticut, dated Cambridge, 
 April 27th, 1775, and says : " General Ward is at Rox- 
 bury. General Putnam is commander-in-chief at this 
 place. They have both of them too much business upon 
 their hands." 
 
 The second is from an intercepted letter of one of the 
 British soldiers in Boston, to his friends in England, dated 
 April 30, 1775 : " The whole country is in arms against 
 us, and they are headed by two of the Generals that 
 headed our army in the last war. Their names are Ward 
 and Putnam." * They were both distinguished in the 
 French War, and bore an active part, the former as a 
 Lieutenant-Colonel, the latter as a Major, in the disastrous 
 storming of Ticonderoga, under the command of General 
 Abercrombie ; and now, by a singular concurrence of 
 events, were associated in the direction of an army, in 
 open hostility to their old comjnanders, and comrades in 
 arms. Ward, as Major-General, and commander-in-chief 
 of the Massachusetts troops, was first. His head-quarters 
 were at Cambridge, and Putnam was his principal execu 
 tive officer in that wing of the army j his immediate com 
 mand being a central and advanced position, on the north 
 ern bank of Charles River, in Cambridge, and the same 
 spot where Smith and Pitcairn s detachment landed^ on 
 the night of the 17th of April, in their stealthy march 
 to .Lexington. Wooster and Spencer, who were his 
 superiors in rank in his own province, were stationed at 
 Roxbury, with the right wing of the army under the com 
 mand of Lieutenant-General Thomas. 
 
 One of the measures resorted to by the British con - 
 manders, to weaken the forces of their adversaries, was a* 
 attempt to win over to the king, by bribes of gold and 
 offices of distinction, some of the ablest and bravest of our 
 
 * Am. Archives, 4th Series, vol. ii., page 423. 
 
 7* 
 
154 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 military leaders. With some, among whom were Rogers, 
 William Stark, &c., they were successful. But Putnam, 
 John Stark, Henry Lee, and many others, spurned the pro 
 posal with a contempt and dignity becoming their true- 
 hearted patriotism, and the claims of their injured country. 
 In the case of Putnam, the bait held out was a Major- 
 General s commission in the British establishment, and a 
 large pecuniary compensation for his services, as well as a 
 handsome provision for his sons. 
 
 " These facts," as Mr. Everett happily remarks, in his 
 memoir of General Stark, " show that the course pursued 
 ty the gallant and patriotic officers, who had distinguished 
 themselves in the Seven Years War, and who hastened 
 to range themselves on the side of the Revolution, was not 
 a hasty and unreflecting adhesion to the popular cause. 
 They prove that the question was presented to the mind 
 of (Putnam) as one to be weighed deliberately, and that 
 he decided for his country, against the influence of author 
 ity and temptation, to which many a mind would have 
 yielded. His mind, however, was made up from the first." 
 And he never wavered or hesitated in the choice he had 
 made. 
 
 The inhabitants of Boston, finding their commerce 
 broken up, and themselves cut off from all communication 
 with the country, began to be seriously distressed for pro 
 visions. General Gage, taking advantage of this distress, 
 promised to allow them all to leave the town, if they 
 would first deliver up their arms. The terms were rea 
 dily complied with. But the General, having received 
 their arms, basely refused to let the people go. It would 
 seem that he wished to hold them for his own security, to 
 guard against an attack from their friends without. At 
 least, such was the charitable construction put upon his 
 
I N T R E N G H M E N T S S K I R M I S H . 155 
 
 breach of faith, by the poet Trumbull, in the first canto of 
 McFingal : 
 
 " So Gage, of late agreed, you know, 
 
 To let the Boston people go ; 
 
 Yet, when he saw, gainst troops that brav d him, 
 
 They were the only guards that saved him, 
 
 Kept off that satan of a Putnam 
 
 From breaking in to maul and mutt n him, 
 
 He d too much wit such leagues to observe, 
 
 And shut them in again to starve." 
 
 The first object of the besieging Generals was to construct 
 a line of intrenchments, which, if not a sufficient protec 
 tion against actual assault, would serve to inspire an undis 
 ciplined and inexperienced army with confidence in their 
 position. In devising and completing these defences, the 
 ingenuity, industry, and fine humor of General Putnam 
 were of the greatest service. The lines went up with 
 astonishing rapidity ; and, in less than a month, the ex 
 tended camp of the American army, stretching from Dor 
 chester to Chelsea, a circuit of not less than twelve miles, 
 was so fortified in every assailable part, as to secure every 
 practicable pass from Boston to the country. The remains 
 of those simple, impromptu redoubts are still to be seen 
 in many places along the line of the encampment. 
 
 Having completed their intrenchments, the next care of 
 the American commanders was to cut off, as far as possi 
 ble, such sources of supply as lay within the reach of the 
 enemy. For this purpose, an expedition was set on foot 
 to drive off the live stock from the islands in Boston Bay. 
 Those nearest the encampment, and the most important, 
 were Hog-Island, and Noddle-Island the latter being now 
 known as East Boston. From Chelsea to the former of 
 these, the water is scarcely two feet deep, at low tide. 
 It, therefore, required neither bridges nor boats to effect 
 
156 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 the passage. The space between the two islands is also 
 fordable at low water. 
 
 On Saturday, the 27th of May, at eleven o clock in the 
 morning, a party, consisting of between twenty and thirty 
 men, passed over to Hog-Island, and commenced driving 
 off the stock that was there. They were interrupted in 
 their operations, and drawn into a skirmish with a party 
 of marines who were stationed there to protect the stock 
 asssisted by another party in a schooner and sloop, that 
 were instantly dispatched to their aid from the fleet in 
 Boston harbor. They succeeded, however, in securing 
 and killing a considerable number of horses and cows, as 
 well as in bringing down several of the British marines, 
 upon whom they kept up a steady and well-directed firing 
 during their retreat. 
 
 Having cleared Hog-Island, notwithstanding the oppo 
 sition of the marines, and effected their retreat to Chelsea, 
 without the loss of a man, they drew up on the neck, and 
 sent for a reinforcement, to complete the object of their 
 expedition. This was immediately furnished. It con 
 sisted of three hundred men, with two field pieces (four 
 pounders), under the command of General Putnam. War 
 ren, who had not then received his appointment in the 
 army, accompanied him as a volunteer. Being obliged to 
 wait the time of the tide, it was near nine o clock in the 
 evening before they reached the island. General Putnam 
 then went down to the beach, and hailed the schooner, 
 demanding an immediate surrender, and promising good 
 quarters in case of a quiet submission. This demand 
 was answered by two cannon shot from the schooner ; 
 which was immediately returned by a discharge of the 
 American field-pieces. From this time, a heavy fire was 
 kept up on both sides, till near eleven o clock, when the 
 firing from the schooner ceased. Her decks had been 
 
EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS. 157 
 
 completely swept by the pieces and small arms of the 
 Americans, and her crew was now obliged to abandon her 
 and take to the boats a considerable number of which had 
 been sent from the ships to their assistance, with a rein 
 forcement of marines. 
 
 The schooner being thus deserted, drifted on shore. 
 About break of day, the provincials, having first stripped 
 her, carried some hay under her stern, and set her on fire 
 the men in the sloop, meanwhile, keeping up a small 
 fire upon them. About the same time, a heavy cannonad 
 ing was commenced at Noddle-Island (East Boston) Hill, 
 by a fresh party of marines from the British fleet; notwith 
 standing which, Putnam plied the sloop so briskly, that 
 she was soon entirely disabled. To prevent her from 
 sharing the fate of the schooner, she was towed off by the 
 boats, and thus the conflict ceased. The expedition was 
 entirely successful, having been effected by the loss of one 
 man only killed, and four slightly wounded one by the 
 bursting of his own gun, and another losing only his little 
 finger. The loss of the British was twenty killed, and 
 fifty wounded, besides four double fortified four pounders, 
 twelve swivels, and a quantity of rigging, sails, clothes and 
 money, taken from the schooner.* It also brought away 
 from the keeping and use of the British, several hundred 
 sheep and cattle, and secured them for the benefit of the 
 Americans. 
 
 A number of prisoners having been taken on both sides, 
 in the various skirmishes since the battle of Lexington, 
 arrangements were made for an exchange to take place on 
 the 6th of June. General Putnam and Dr. Warren were 
 appointed to conduct the prisoners, on their part, to the 
 place of meeting. Entering Charlestown about noon, 
 under the escort of Captain Chester s company of Wea- 
 * Am. Archives, 4th Series, vol. ii. ; pages 719 and 874. 
 
158 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 thersfield infantry the elite corps of the army and 
 marching slowly through it, they halted at the ferry ; 
 where, upon a signal being given, Majors Moncrief and 
 Small landed from the Lively, to receive the prisoners, 
 and to see their old friend, and comrade in arms, General 
 Putnam. They had served together in the Seven Years 
 War ; had shared the dangers and hardships of the camp, 
 in a common cause ; and had learned to regard each other 
 with that peculiar respect and affection, which brave men 
 and good soldiers always feel for their comrades, and 
 which they are ever as ready to recognize in a foe, as in 
 a friend. Their meeting was truly cordial and affection 
 ate.* Their present differences were forgotten for the 
 moment, and, when the wounded privates had been sent 
 on board the Lively, Major Small, Major Moncrief, and 
 the captive officers, repaired with General Putnam and 
 Dr. Warren to the house of Dr. Foster, where an enter 
 tainment was provided for them. 
 
 About three o clock, a signal was made from the Lively, 
 that the exchange prisoners were ready to come on shore ; 
 upon which General Putnam and Major Moncrief went 
 down to the ferry to receive them. They then returned 
 to their company at Dr. Foster s, and spent an hour or 
 two in a very agreeable manner. Between five and six 
 o clock they parted ; Major Moncrief, with his released 
 officers, going on board the Lively, and Putnam and 
 Warren, with their new found friends, returning, under the 
 same escort as before, to Cambridge. The whole affair 
 was conducted with the utmost decency and good humor 
 
 * The late Governor Brooks, of Massachusetts, who was present 
 at this interview, stated, that when Putnam and his British friends 
 met at Charlestown, they ran into each other s arms, and kissed each 
 other, to the great diversion and astonishment of the country people 
 of the army. 
 
KIND TREATMENT OF PRISONERS. 159 
 
 neither party realizing at all, that in ten short days they 
 would be arranged in bloody conflict, each using his 
 utmost endeavor to maim, capture, or destroy, the other. 
 To those who have not been trained to arms, it seems 
 impossible that men who truly love, admire, and respect 
 each other, should be capable of being excited, by the 
 beat of a drum, the blast of a trumpet, or the voice of a 
 commander, to such desperate and savage exertions for 
 mutual destruction. But such is war. 
 
 It is greatly to the credit of the American army, at this 
 period, which they maintained throughout the whole war, 
 that the British officers, on parting with their captors, 
 expressed the most grateful acknowledgments for the kind 
 and generous treatment they had received during the term 
 of their captivity. The privates, who were all wounded 
 men, did the same in the strongest terms some of them 
 with tears, expressing their grateful sense of the tender 
 ness which had been shown to them in their miserable 
 situation. A writer of that day, in describing the scene, 
 and contrasting the treatment of American prisoners among 
 the British, with that of their prisoners in our camp, con 
 cludes with the following sensible remarks : " Compassion 
 is as essential a part of the character of a truly brave man, 
 as daring ; and an insult offered to a person entirely in the 
 power of the insulter, savors as strongly of cowardice, as 
 it does of cruelty." In this quality of compassion and 
 generosity to his foes, General Putnam was not excelled 
 by any officer in the army. He was sometimes reproach 
 ed, by those of a sterner character, for carrying this virtue 
 too far, and showing too much lenity to the enemies of his 
 country. He was incapable of a lasting resentment, and 
 never regarded a foe unarmed as any longer a foe, or a 
 prisoner as other than an unfortunate friend. 
 
 The position of the contending parties was peculiar, 
 
160 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 The Americans greatly outnumbered the British, but were, 
 at the same time, altogether inferior to them in arms, am 
 munition, and all the other means of active warfare. They 
 had full knowledge of the force and equipments of the 
 enemy, and of most of their plans and designs. The Bri 
 tish General, on the other hand, was ignorant of the real 
 strength of his antagonist. He, therefore, quietly suffered 
 himself to be shut up, for several weeks, in his narrow 
 quarters in Boston ; looking down upon an enemy whom 
 he affected to despise, but whom he did not dare to invite 
 to a general engagement. That enemy, too sensible of his 
 own weakness to provoke an engagement, yet daily acquir 
 ing the means and the power to meet it, when it should 
 become inevitable, was calmly, hopefully awaiting the 
 issue ; equally resolved to yield nothing to fear, and to 
 hazard nothing by presumption. 
 

CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL. 
 
 An intrenchment Ordered on Bunker Hill Divisions in the Council 
 respecting this measure The detachment The Peninsula of 
 Charlestown Detachment pauses at the foot of the Hill A dis 
 cussion Breed s Hill selected for a redoubt Colonel Gridley 
 Description of the redoubt Industry and spirit of the men Sur 
 prise of the British Severe cannonade Preparations for a battle 
 Putnam goes to Cambridge for reinforcements General Ward s 
 opinion Putnam s position His desire to fortify on Bunker Hill 
 Landing. of the British " The Breastwork" The rail fence 
 Accessions to the American force Warren, Pomeroy, Stark, 
 Reed, &c. Putnam s activity Terrible slaughter among the 
 British They retreat Captain Callender British compelled to 
 retreat again and again Burning of Charlestown Putnam s 
 reception of the incendiaries Arrival of Captain Foster with a 
 wagon-load of powder Heavy loss of the British Storming the 
 redoubt The retreat Putnam bringing up the rear Intrenchment 
 on Prospect and Winter Hills. 
 
 THE American commanders, having ascertained that the 
 British intended to take possession of the heights of 
 Charlestown, as a vantage ground from which to dislodge 
 them from some of their intrenchments, and thus make a 
 way into the country, resolved, by a sudden and secret 
 movement, to defeat the project, by advancing to that 
 position a portion of the left wing of their own camp. 
 
 Putnam, who had already carefully examined the 
 ground, was strenuously in favor of this movement, and 
 had urged it again and again in council, with all the argu 
 ments at his command. In common with Prescott, and 
 
162 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 other veterans, who understood the character of the Ame 
 rican soldiery, and knew the immense advantage to the 
 order and discipline of the army, which would be derived 
 from active and hazardous service, he had repeatedly pro 
 posed to lead a party which should invite an engagement 
 with the enemy. Nothing short of this, it was held, would 
 satisfy the army, or the country, who were growing weary 
 of their fruitless inaction. It was with peculiar satisfac 
 tion, therefore, that they hailed %he decision of tho Coun 
 cil, to occupy the heights of Charlestown, and show a bold 
 front to the enemy. 
 
 The measure was ably opposed by some of the best and 
 bravest men in the Council, and there were obstacles in 
 the way of its accomplishment, which would have appalled 
 any other men, than those who planned and achieved it. 
 One of these was the want of powder. There were, at 
 that time, only eleven barrels in the public depots, and 
 sixty-seven barrels in all Massachusetts scarcely enough, 
 under the most prudent management, for one day s right 
 ing. To this objection, General Pomeroy answered that 
 he was ready to lead his men to battle with but five car 
 tridges a-piece. They were all experienced marksmen, 
 and would fire no random shots ; and if every American 
 killed his five, they would have but little occasion for 
 more powder. 
 
 Ward and Warren objected, that the enterprise would 
 bring on a general engagement, for which they were by no 
 means prepared. To this Putnam replied, " We will risk 
 only two thousand men. We will go on with these, and 
 defend ourselves as long as possible ; and, if driven to re 
 treat, we are more active than the enemy, and every stone 
 wall shall be lined with their dead. And, at the worst, 
 suppose us surrounded, and no retreat, we will set our 
 country an example, of which it shall not be ashamed, and 
 
PRELIMINARIES TO THE BATTLE. 163 
 
 teach mercenaries what men can do, who are determined 
 to live or die free." 
 
 Warren walked the floor, then paused, and leaned on 
 f -iis chair. " Almost thou persuadest me, General Put- 
 lam," he said, " but I must still think the project rash ; if 
 you execute it, however, you will not be surprised to find 
 me at your side." 
 
 " I hope not," replied Putnam, " you are young, and 
 your country has much to hope from you, in council and in 
 the field. Let us, who are old, and can be spared, begin 
 the fray. There will be time enough for you hereafter, 
 for it will not soon be over."* 
 
 The bolder counsels prevailed, and orders were issued 
 to Colonels Prescott and Bridge, and the regiment of 
 Colonel Frye, to be prepared for an expedition with all 
 their men, who were fit for service, and with one day s 
 provision. The same order was issued to one hundred 
 and twenty men of General Putnam s regiment, under the 
 command of the brave Captain Knowlton, and one com 
 pany of artillery, with two field pieces. Putnam having 
 the general superintendence of the expedition, and Colonel 
 Gridley, the chief Engineer, accompanied the troops. 
 
 Putnam s eldest son was a Captain under him. His 
 youngest, only sixteen, was a volunteer. At sunset his 
 father said to him, " You will go to Mrs. Inman s to-night 
 as usual ; stay there to-morrow, and if they find it neces 
 sary to leave town, you must go with them." From this 
 order, and the attending circumstances, the young man 
 knew there was to be a military movement of some impor 
 tance, in which his father would participate. " My ima 
 gination," says he, " figured him as mangled with wounds, 
 and no one near to aid him. I earnestly entreated permis- 
 
 * Statement of Colonel Daniel Putnam, as given by Colonel 
 Swett. 
 
164 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 sion to accompany him. c You, my dear father, may need 
 assistance, much more than Mrs. Inrnan ; pray, let me go 
 where you are going. i No, no, Daniel, do as I bid you, 
 was the reply, which he affected to give sternly, while his 
 voice faltered, and his eyes filled, as if entering into my 
 feelings. He added, c You can do little, my son, where I 
 am going, and there will be enough to take care of me." 
 
 The peninsula of Charlestown is a mile and one-eighth 
 in length, from east to west, and two-thirds of a mile across, 
 from north to south. The Mystic River forms its north 
 ern, and the Charles River its southern border the dis 
 tance between them, at the Neck, being only one hundred 
 and thirty yards. A narrow channel separates it from 
 Boston on the east. Bunker s Hill commences at the? 
 Neck, and rises abruptly to the height of one hundred and 
 thirteen feet, and then, foiling off in a gentle slope toward? 
 the east, stretches, in a low ridge, for a considerable dis 
 tance along the shore of the Mystic, and parallel with 
 Breed s Hill. Breed s Hill, which is eighty-seven feei 
 high, commences near the southern extremity of Bunkei 
 Hill, and extends towards the south and east, the two 
 summits being distant from each other one hundred and 
 thirty rods. 
 
 The ground on the east of Breed s Hi l, as well as on 
 the north, between that and the village uefore mentioned, 
 is low and marshy, constituting what was called the 
 slough. The village of Charlestown was on the south side 
 of the hill, and had begun already to extend itself a little 
 upon its slope. Morton s Point, where the ground was 
 also somewhat elevated, the hill being thirty-five feet 
 above the level of the water, forms the north-eastern ex 
 tremity of the peninsula, with a narrow channel between 
 that and Noddle Island. It is now the site of the Charles- 
 town Navy Yard, the hill having been levelled for the 
 
THE PLACE TO BE FORTIFIED. 165 
 
 mutual accommodation of the town and the Navy Yard. 
 The peninsula was traversed, on its northern side, by a 
 narrow road, which, branching off at the Neck from the 
 main avenue to the village, ran over Bunker s, and swept 
 entirely around Breed s Hill, approaching very near the 
 summit of the latter on its southern side. 
 
 The detachment, drafted for this expedition, consisting 
 of about one thousand men, under the immediate command 
 of Colonel Prescott, were assembled on the common at 
 Cambridge, at an early hour on the evening of the 16th 
 of June, where prayers were offered by Rev. President 
 Langdon, of Harvard College. Immediately after dark 
 they commenced their silent march through Cambridge 
 and across the Neck, Colonel Prescott leading the way. 
 He was attended only by two sergeants, carrying dark lan 
 terns, open only in the rear. 
 
 Arrived at the base of Bunker s Hill, they found the 
 wagons laden with intrenching tools, and then only were 
 the men made acquainted with the nature and purpose of 
 their expedition. A serious question now arose among 
 the leaders. The order, directing the expedition, desig 
 nated Bunker s Hill as the position to be taken and forti 
 fied. But it was perceived at once, by the experienced 
 eye of the sagacious men, who influenced that little coun 
 cil, that- intrenchments upon that elevation would be of 
 little avail, unless the advance post on Breed s Hill was 
 first secured. The water in the adjacent channel being 
 very deep, the Neck and the Hill were completely com 
 manded by the ships-of-war on either side, while the -dis 
 tance was too great to render the place of any advantage, 
 in restraining and annoying the enemy in Boston, which, 
 as well as the ships in the harbor, was easily commanded 
 by Breed s. Much time was consumed in deliberation, 
 before they could decide upon taking the responsibility of 
 
166 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 deviating from the letter of their orders, and acting upon 
 their own judgments. It was only after repeated and 
 urgent warnings from Colonel Grid ley, that longer delay 
 would defeat their plans altogether, not leaving them time 
 enough to complete their fortifications, that they came to a 
 decision. They then yielded to the bolder counsels of 
 Putnam, to occupy first the position nearest the enemy, 
 with a view to erecting the principal work there, and a 
 subsidiary one on Bunker s Hill, for the protection of the 
 rear, and as a rallying point in the event of their being 
 driven from the other. 
 
 Having arrived at this decision, Colonel Gridley pro 
 ceeded immediately to lay out the works, which he plan 
 ned with a genius and skill, that would have done honor to 
 the most experienced engineer in the veteran armies of 
 the old world. The redoubt on the summit of the hill 
 was about eight rods square. The southern face, looking 
 towards Charlestown, was deemed the most important, 
 and consequently was furnished with the strongest defence. 
 The eastern side commanded a very extensive field, 
 stretching down towards Morton s point. In a line with 
 this, running down the northern declivity of the hill to the 
 slough, a breastwork was thrown up, separated from the 
 redoubt, at its southern extremity, by a narrow passage 
 way, or sally port, protected in front by a blind. In the 
 rear of the redoubt, was a passage, or gate-way, opening 
 toward the slough. 
 
 It, -was midnight, before the first spade entered the 
 ground. It was then within four days of the Summer 
 Solstice. They had, consequently, but about four hours 
 to work, before the dawning light would disclose their 
 operations to the enemy, and expose them to an immedi 
 ate cannonading from the batteries in Boston, and the 
 ships in the harbor. But, such was the spirit and resolu- 
 
SURPRISE OF THE BRITISH. 167 
 
 tion of the whole party, officers and men, that the work 
 was effected in that brief space. Instructed and stimulated 
 by Putnam and Prescott, who did not fear a spade, or a 
 pick-axe, any more than a sword or a musket ; and feel 
 ing that life and liberty alike depended on their success, 
 they performed prodigies of labor, during that notable 
 night surpassed only by the prodigies of valor, by which 
 they signalized the following day. The works being in a 
 state of promising forwardness, and every man cheerfully 
 doing his whole duty, Putnam repaired to his camp, at an 
 early hour, to make all necessary preparations for the 
 coming crisis. 
 
 The crisis came with the dawning light. When the 
 British officers, aroused at peep of day by their startled 
 sentinels, beheld their daring foes above them, overlooking 
 their whole pjosition with formidable entrenchments, which 
 had sprung up as by enchantment in the night, they could 
 scarcely credit the evidence of their own senses. It was 
 instantly perceived, that, if the Americans were not driven 
 from their bold position at once, Boston would be no longer 
 tenable by the British. A council of war was called, 
 which directed an immediate assault. 
 
 Meanwhile, as preparations for the assault were going 
 on, a brisk but unavailing fire was opened upon the Ame 
 ricans, from the armed vessels and floating batteries, and 
 from the battery on Copp s Hill. No sooner did the report 
 of this cannonade reach the ear of Putnam, than he has 
 tened back to the scene of action. The streets of Boston 
 were in full view ; and the busy preparations of the Bri 
 tish were easily discerned and understood. It was mani 
 fest that they were soon to come to the trial of strength 
 with the veteran troops of the old world. The prospect 
 inspired Prescott with new ardor ; but some of his officers, 
 fearing that men, who were exhausted by the unintermit- 
 
168 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 ted toils of the night, and who were now entirely without 
 water and provisions, would be incapable of performing 
 the service required of them, earnestly desired that a 
 request should be sent to the camp for their relief. Pres- 
 cott refused to admit the proposition, declaring that the 
 men who had raised the works were best able to defend 
 them, and best entitled to the honors of victory. After 
 much persuasion, however, he consented to despatch a 
 messenger to General Ward for refreshments. This mes 
 senger was Major Brooks, afterwards distinguished by his 
 faithful services in war, as well as by the highest civil 
 honors in the State. 
 
 General Putnam, on discovering the design of the ene 
 my, returned immediately to Cambridge, and urgently 
 advised that a reinforcement should be sent to Colonel 
 Prescott s aid, and that his men should be supplied with 
 suitable refreshment, before the action should commence. 
 His application for reinforcements was unsuccessful. Gene 
 ral Ward was strongly impressed with the idea that the Bri 
 tish would land on Lechemere s Point, or Inman s farm, in 
 Cambridge, and make an assault upon the camp, and so cut 
 off the rear of the party in Charlestown. He was the more 
 convinced of this, as the scanty depots of ammunition and 
 military stores, on which the salvation of the American 
 army depended, were at Cambridge and Watertown, and 
 the British could in no way gain so decided an advantage 
 over them, as by securing o.r destroying them. And this 
 had been the direct object of all their active operations 
 hitherto. It appears, also, that a formidable party in 
 General Gage s council of war, among whom were Gene 
 rals Clinton and Grant, were urgently in favor of making 
 their attack at this place. Ward, therefore, thought it 
 unsafe to weaken his own force, as that would not only 
 invite an attack, but. render it difficult to repel it. On the 
 
HIS POSITION IN THIS BATTLE. 169 
 
 same grounds, he resisted the earnest solicitation of Put 
 nam s troops to follow their commander to the battle, 
 assuring: them that theirs was the post of danger, and, 
 consequently, of honor. 
 
 Such being the position of the army, it is manifest that 
 Putnam, though he superintended the expedition to fortify 
 the hill, had no definite command in the battle which 
 ensutd. His camp and his men, with the exception of 
 Captain Knowl ton s company, were at Inman s Farm, a 
 point which General Ward regarded as most liable to 
 attack, and most important to be defended. On that 
 point, it was necessary that General Putnam should keep 
 a watchful eye, in order to prevent a surprise. His atten 
 tion was, consequently, divided between his own post 
 which it was his first duty to defend and the scene of 
 the battle, from which he could not persuade himself to 
 be absent. And it was not until the British had landed, 
 and the fight commenced, that he was relieved from all 
 apprehension in relation to the expected attack upon his 
 own camp, and at liberty to give his undivided attention to 
 the enemy. 
 
 The cannonading from the British ships and floating 
 batteries, though kept up incessantly during all the morn 
 ing, effected nothing. The Americans kept on steadily at 
 their works, suffering more from hunger and fatigue, than 
 from the fire or the fear of the enemy. Putnam was very 
 anxious to avail himself of the time required for the Bri 
 tish troops to prepare for engagement, to throw up another 
 redoubt, according to the original plan, and in obedience 
 to orders, on Bunker Hill. He, accordingly, with a hand 
 ful of men, commenced an intrenchment on that summit, 
 which, if it could have been completed so far as to afford 
 a tolerable protection to his troops, would have enabled 
 him to check the advance of the British, and prevent them 
 8 
 
1 70 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 from occupying the redoubt on Breed s Hill. The two 
 summits were within gun-shot of each other, the former, 
 which was nearly thirty feet higher, having complete com 
 mand of the latter. 
 
 It was late before this intrenchment was begun, and 
 other and warmer work soon required its abandonment. 
 A little after noon, a large detachment of British soldiers, 
 under command of General Howe, supported by General 
 Pigot, Colonels Nesbit, Abercrombie and Clarke, and other 
 distinguished officers, landed on Morton s Point. The 
 breastwork, extending from Prescott s Redoubt to the 
 slough, still left an undefended pass over the " ridge," 
 towards Bunker s Hill. Putnam instantly ordered Captain 
 Knowlton to cover that pass, for which purpose an extem 
 pore and perfectly original defence was constructed. A 
 rail fence, which traversed " the ridge," was pulled up 
 and placed a few feet from another of the same kind, and 
 the intermediate space filled in with new mown hay. 
 Behind this shadowy parapet, they watched the move 
 ments of the enemy, prepared and resolved to give him a 
 worthy reception, as soon as he should be ready to ad 
 vance. 
 
 The rumor of a probable engagement spread rapidly on 
 every side ; and many private citizens, as well as some 
 brave officers not on duty, flew to arms, and volunteered 
 their services. Of the latter were Generals Warren and 
 Pomeroy, each with bis musket and cartridges, prepared 
 for the hardest service, and inspiring, with their presence 
 and their words, a new courage into the hearts of the 
 brave men, whose deeds of valor and self-sacrifice were to 
 consecrate that day to the cause of liberty. 
 
 When Warren came upon the field, he was met by 
 Putnam, who said to him : " 1 am sorry to see you here, 
 General Warren. I wish you had left the day to us, as I 
 
WARREN AND POME ROY, VOLUNTEERS. IT 1 
 
 advised you. From appearances, we shall have a sharp 
 time of it. But, since you are here, I will receive your 
 orders with pleasure." Warren replied : " I came only 
 as a volunteer ; I know nothing of your dispositions, and 
 will not interfere with them ; tell me where I can be most 
 tseful." 
 
 Putnam, intent on his safety, directed him to the re 
 doubt, observing, " You will be covered there." " Do 
 not think," replied Warren, " I come here to seek a place 
 of safety ; but tell me where the onset will be most furi* 
 ous." Putnam again pointed to the redoubt ; " That," 
 said he, " is the enemy s object. Prescott is there, and 
 will do his duty. If that can be defended, the day is 
 ours ; but, from long experience of the character of the 
 enemy, I think they will ultimfitelj* succeed, and drive us 
 from the works ; though, from the mode of attack which 
 they have chosen, we shall be able to do them infinite 
 injury ; and we must be prepared for a brave and orderly 
 retreat, when we can maintain our ground no longer." 
 
 Warren assented to his opinions, nnd, promising to be 
 governed by them, went on to the redoubt. The soldiers, 
 to many of whom he was well known, received him with 
 loud huzzas. Prescott offered him the command, which 
 he declined ; saying, that he had come only as a volun 
 teer, and " was happy to learn service from a soldier of 
 experience."* 
 
 The veteran General Pomeroy, on hearing the distant 
 roar of the artillery, borrowed a horse to carry him to the 
 field. On approaching the neck, which was swept by a 
 tremendous firing from the British ships, he became alarm 
 ed, not for his own safety, but for that of the horse he had 
 borrowed. He, accordingly, left his charger in charge of 
 a sentinel, and coolly walked over, mounted the hill, and 
 * Colonel Swett. 
 
172 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 advanced to the rail fence. He was received with the 
 highest exultation, and the name of Pomeroy rang through 
 the line.* 
 
 While these accessions were making to the American 
 forces, and the British, already landed, were waiting for 
 reinforcements, Putnam had twice ridden to head-quarters, 
 to represent the absolute necessity of a competent force to 
 resist the superior numbers of the enemy. His represen 
 tations w r ere at last effectual, and General Ward ordered 
 the New Hampshire troops at Medford, under Colonels 
 Stark and Reed, to repair to the scene of action. Colonels 
 Little, Brewer and Gardner, with their respective com 
 mands, were successively brought into the field ; and 
 these were ultimately followed by Putnam s Connecticut 
 troops, under Captains Coit, Chester and Clarke, and the 
 heroic Major Durkee. Before the action commenced, 
 Putnam was employed in assigning these successive par 
 ties to their posts, and giving a general direction to the 
 arrangements of the forces, not under the immediate com 
 mand of Prescott. Warren and Pomeroy were with that 
 officer in the redoubt, but each declined taking the com 
 mand, affirming that it was justly due to him who had 
 constructed the defences. Putnam was the only general 
 officer on the field without, and was drawn into the hot 
 test of the engagement, as soon as it was ascertained that 
 the whole force of the British was to be concentrated 
 against Charlestown. Until the drums beat to arms, he 
 did not wholly abandon the prosecution of his works of 
 intrenchment. At that signal he hastened to the lines. 
 
 The British van soon appeared in view. The Ameri 
 cans, eager to salute them, were with difficulty restrained 
 from firing too soon. General Putnam rode along the 
 line, giving strict orders that no one should fire till the 
 * Colonel Swett. 
 
A R T I L L E R Y C APT. CALLENDER. 173 
 
 
 
 enemy had arrived within eight rods, nor then, till the 
 word of command should be given. " Powder is scarce," 
 said he, " and must not be wasted. Do not fire at the 
 enemy till you see the \vhites of their eyes then fire 
 low take aim at their waistbands aim at the handsome 
 coats pick off the commanders." The same orders were 
 given by Prescott, Pomeroy, Stark, and all the veteran 
 officers. 
 
 The effect of these orders was tremendous. With a 
 bold and confident front, assured of an easy victory over 
 the raw, undisciplined troops of the Provinces, the British 
 troops advanced to the fatal line, eight rods in advance of 
 the defences, when a well-aimed volley from the deadly 
 muskets within, swept away the whole front rank, and laid 
 many a gallant officer in the dust. Rank succeeded rank, 
 and volley following volley mowed them down, till at 
 length they were compelled to retreat. 
 
 The American army was somewhat deficient of artillery, 
 and the pieces they had on the field were neither well 
 provided, nor well manned. Captain Callender carried his 
 pieces into the action, but, finding that his cartridges re 
 quired adjusting, was retiring, in violation of orders, to 
 the cover of the hill, to put them in order for use. Put 
 nam observed this movement, and instantly ordered him to 
 his post. Callender remonstrated, but Putnam threatened 
 him with instant death, if he hesitated, and thus forced 
 him back to his post. His men, however, who had not 
 been trained to the use of artillery, were disgusted with a 
 service which they did not understand ; and, as most of 
 them had muskets, they mingled with the infantry, desert 
 ing their pieces altogether.* 
 
 * This story of Callender should never be told without its sequel. 
 It illustrates the truth of the remark, which an old writer has made, 
 that "unquestioned circumstances, and even the verdict of an impar 
 
174 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 9 
 
 Three times did the brave veterans of the British retreat 
 before the deadly fire of the American militia, with the 
 loss of whole ranks of men, and the very elite of their 
 officers ; and three times, in the face of this almost certain 
 death, they returned to the charge. They had expected 
 an easy victory, and promised themselves that, at the first 
 approach of a regular army, the raw, undisciplined Ame 
 ricans would fly like frightened sheep. They now found, 
 no less to their cost than to their surprise, that they had 
 
 tial jury, may misrepresent a man s real character, and affix a stigma 
 to his name, to which every other act of his life, before and alter, 
 shall give the lie direct." Cullender was tried before a court-martial, 
 on a charge of cowardice, and cashiered. He bore his disgrace with 
 that moral fortitude, which is generally of a higher character than 
 personal bravery. He instantly enlisted as a common soldier in the 
 company he had commanded, and followed the fortunes of the war. 
 The soldiers treated him with the greatest respect, as did the officers 
 of the company also, believing him to be a brave and an honorable 
 man. It was not long before he had an opportunity to show the spirit 
 that was in him. He distinguished himself in several skirmishes ; 
 and, on one occasion, when his commanders were all killed, and his 
 comrades had retreated, he alone, in the face of the advancing enemy, 
 loaded and fired his piece, and continued to do so, while his ammuni 
 tion lasted. When that failed, he mounted his piece, resolved to be 
 found there, and there only, and thus give the lie to the unjust sen 
 tence under which he was suffering. His gallant conduct attracted 
 the notice of the British officer, who was opposed to him, and so 
 commanded his admiration, that he ordered his men not to fire upon 
 the unarmed and solitary hero. He took him under his immediate 
 protection, gave him a letter to General Washington, stating the (acts 
 relative to his capture, and dismissed him without an exchange. That 
 noble-hearted chieftain received Callender with open arms, and with 
 tears of joy, restored his commission, allowing him to take rank from 
 its original date before the Battle of Bunker Hill, at the same time 
 ordering his sentence to b3 erased from the Orderly Book. Callen 
 der remained in the army after the peace, being one of the few 
 whom the old Congress retained, and he died in the service on the 
 pr ace establishment. 
 
CHARLES TO W N I .N 7 FLAMES. 175 
 
 men to deal with, and that courage, daring, and the highest 
 heroism, were less a matter of training than of principle. 
 As Colonel Abercrombie led up his men to the charge, he 
 was saluted by a familiar stentorian voice from the redoubt, 
 reminding him, probably, of a reproachful epithet he had 
 applied to his enemies, " Colonel Abercrombie, are the 
 Yankees cowards ?"* 
 
 Hitherto the British had neglected the only manreuvre, 
 by which they could possibly defeat their enemy, so 
 long as their ammunition should last. This was to charge 
 with the bayonet. The Americans were wholly unpro 
 vided with bayonets, and therefore could not resist or with 
 stand a charge. But this the assailants did not know. 
 They relied upon their fire, which was for the most part 
 aimless and ineffectual, while every shot from the redoubt, 
 the breast-work, and the rail-fence, being reserved and de 
 liberate, found its victim. 
 
 While these terrible scenes were enacting, several rein 
 forcements arrived from Boston, to the aid of the British, 
 till their whole number amounted to not less than eight 
 thousand. To add new horrors to the scene, vast columns 
 of smoke were observed over Charlestow T n, and the village 
 was seen to be on fire in several places. General Howe, 
 on his first advance, had sent word to Generals Bur- 
 goyne and Clinton, that his left flank was much annoyed 
 by an incessant discharge of musketry from Charlestown, 
 and ordered them to burn it down. A carcass was accord 
 ingly fired from Copp s Hill, but it fell short. A second, 
 with better aim, took effect. The conflagration was com 
 pleted by a detachment of men, who landed from the 
 
 * See an intercepted letter from an officer in the British army in 
 Baston to his friend in England, dated June 25, 1775. Am. Arch., 
 4th Series, Vol. ii., p. 1092. This speaker was supposed to be Cap 
 tain McClary, of the New Hampshire regiment. 
 
176 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 Somerset man-of-war. Under cover of the smoke, the 
 enemy hoped to be able to gain the rear of the Americans, 
 unperceived. But a sudden change of wind revealed their 
 movements, and defeated their purpose. 
 
 Putnam, who had been active in every part of the field, 
 now encouraging and stimulating his men to do their whole 
 duty, now seeking and bringing up the reinforcements, and 
 directing them where their services were most needed, un 
 dertook, with his usual promptness, to arrest this new 
 movement of the enemy. Callender s deserted cannon 
 were near the foot, of Bunker s Hill, when Captain Ford 
 appeared with his company, marching over the hill. Put 
 nam, delighted with so opportune an accession to his 
 strength, ordered them to man the cannon, and draw them 
 into the line. After a brief remonstrance, on the score of 
 their ignorance of the discipline and employment of artil 
 lery, they obeyed the order, and moved with the cannon, 
 and the General himself, first to the rail-fence, and then to 
 the brow of the hill, overlooking Charlestown. Here he 
 opened a deadly fire upon the detachment of incendiaries. 
 Their cartridges were few and soon expended ; but the 
 pieces were well-aimed, General Putnam dismounting and 
 pointing them himself, and every ball took effect. One 
 cannister was so well directed that it made a complete 
 lane through the columns of the enemy, and threw them 
 into momentary confusion. With wonderful courage, 
 however, they closed their ranks, and advanced again to 
 the charge. The Americans, their cartridges being spent, 
 resorted to their muskets, and suffering their assailants to 
 approach still nearer than before, poured in a volley with 
 such deliberate aim, that the front rank was swept wholly 
 away, and officers and men fell in promiscuous heaps. 
 
 The pieces belonging to Captain Gridley s company, 
 having been furnished with some cartridges that were too 
 
A FRESH SUPPLY OF POWDER. 177 
 
 large for use in the ordinary way, the pieces were desert 
 ed, and the company scattered. Putnam coming up, an 
 grily demanded where the officers were. On being in 
 formed of the difficulty, he protested it was no difficulty at 
 all, and that the pieces could and should be loaded. Dis 
 mounting, and taking one of the condemned cartridges, he 
 broke it open, loaded the piece with a ladle, and fired it. 
 This he did several times, and with good effect. 
 
 In the midst of this thunder of artillery and rattling of 
 musketry, the sulphurous smoke rolling up in heavy vol 
 umes, and the balls whistling by on every side, Captain 
 Foster, of Colonel Mansfield s regiment, arrived with a 
 supply of powder from the American camp. It was 
 brought in casks in wagons, and distributed loose to the 
 soldiers, as they were able to take it ; some receiving it in 
 their horns, some in their pockets, and some in their hats, 
 or whatever else they had that would hold it * 
 ^ More than a thousand of the best of the British troops 
 hiad now fallen before the murderous fire of an enemy, 
 whom they affected to despise as peasants and rebels. 
 Among these, was a large number of their bravest and 
 most accomplished officers. Major Small, an old acquaint 
 ance and friend of General Putnam, was left standing 
 alone, every one having been shot down about him, and 
 he a prominent mark for the next shaft of death. The 
 
 * General Gideon Foster, of Danvers, Massachusetts, who died 
 November 1, 1845, aged 97. The above is from his manuscript 
 copy of an address made by him on Bunker Hill, June 17, 1843. 
 He proceeds to say : :t I well remember the blackened appearance of 
 those busy in this work, not unlike those engaged in the delivery of 
 coal in a hot summer s day. At the same time we were thus occu 
 pied, the enemy s shot were constantly whistling by; but we had no 
 time to examine their character or dimensions. I have often thought 
 what might have been our condition, had one of their hot shot uncere 
 moniously come in contact with our wagons." 
 8* 
 
178 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 never-erring muskets were already levelled at him, and a 
 certain death seemed instantly to await him ; when Put 
 nam, coming up, immediately recognized him as an old 
 friend and fellow-soldier, and making a sign to his men to 
 spare him, suffered him to escape unharmed.* 
 
 In the same spirit of generous chivalry, the brave and 
 distinguished Colonel Abercrombie, who received his 
 death-wound in front of the redoubt, remembered his old 
 friend and comrade, General Putnam, to whom he was 
 devotedly attached, and, with his dying breath, enjoined 
 it upon his surrounding countrymen to treat him with 
 kindness and respect, on his account. " If you take Gene 
 ral Putnam alive," said he, " do not hang him, for he is a 
 brave fellow.""}" A striking comment upon the characters 
 of the two horoes, as well as upon the summary mode of 
 treatment which the British then designed to adopt with 
 their principal captives. 
 
 Meanwhile, the Americans, protected by their entrench 
 ments, had sustained but little loss. But now the crisis 
 was to come. Their ammunition was exhausted, and 
 there was no alternative but to retreat. General Howe 
 had learned, by a terrible experience, that it was vain to 
 think of frightening the " undisciplined rebels " from their 
 defences, by the mere smell of gunpowder. With the 
 advice of the accomplished and chivalrous General Clin 
 ton, who had just come to his aid, he commanded the 
 works to be scaled, and the enemy driven out at the point 
 of the bayonet. He led the charge in- person, as he had 
 done before. General Clinton joined General Pigot, with 
 
 * This incident is established by the joint testimony of Colonel 
 Small, who related it to Colonel Trumbull, in London, and of Colo 
 nel Daniel Putnam, to whom his father related it, a few days after 
 the battle. 
 
 t From a London paper of 1775. 
 
SCALING THE WORKS. 179 
 
 a view to turn the right flank of the enemy. The artillery 
 were ordered to advance, at the same time, turn the left 
 of the breast-work, and rake the line. This was the most 
 vulnerable point in the American defences, and had hitherto 
 been wholly overlooked. 
 
 The brave, and so far victorious, defenders of the soil, 
 made every possible preparation to repel this last desperate 
 effort of the assailants. Putnam hastened again to the 
 rear, and made every possible effort to bring on further 
 reinforcements. In this, he was but partially successful ; 
 but, with such as he could command, he returned to his 
 charge. It was of little avail, however, for their powder 
 was exhausted. They had sent in vain to the camp for a 
 further supply. The magazine there was reduced to less 
 than two barrels. The few who had a charge remaining, 
 reserved their last fire till the artillery, now advancing to 
 turn the flank of their breast-work, had approached within 
 the prescribed distance. Then, every shot took effect. The 
 gallant Howe, who had escaped unhurt hitherto, received 
 one of the last of the American balls in his foot. 
 
 The fire of the Americans gradually diminished, and 
 then ceased. Instantly their muskets were clubbed, and 
 the stones of their defences were seized, and hurled at the 
 advancing foe. This only served to betray their weakness, 
 and infused a new energy into their assailants. No longer 
 exposed to that destructive fire, which had so fearfully 
 thinned their ranks, they now marched forward, scaled the 
 redoubt, and began the work of retribution. The artillery, 
 advancing at the same instant to the open space on the 
 north, between the breast-work and the rail fence, enfi 
 laded the line, and sent their balls through the open gate 
 way, or sally port, directly into the redoubt under cover 
 of which the troops at the breast-work were compelled to 
 retire. 
 
180 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 The heroic but diminutive Pigot was the first to scale 
 the works. He was instantly followed by his men, now 
 confident of an easy victory. Troops succeeded troops 
 over the parapet, till that little arena, where the first great 
 effort of American prowess was put forth, was filled with 
 combatants, prepared to contest its possession. 
 
 To contend, without a bayonet in his company, with 
 such a superior force, would have been worse than mad 
 ness. Prescott saw this, and reluctantly ordered a retreat. 
 He and Warren were the last to leave the redoubt. The 
 latter seemed to disdain to fly, even when nothing else 
 remained to him. With sullen reluctance he followed his 
 countrymen to the port, which he had scarcely passed, 
 when a bail from the enemy arrested him. Major Small, 
 as a personal friend, and in return for the generous protec 
 tion he had just received from Putnam, endeavored to save 
 him. But Warren would neither yield nor fly. He fell 
 between the retreat and the pursuit, having won the re 
 spect of his enemies, and the everlasting gratitude of his 
 countrymen, and leaving his name as one of the watch 
 words of liberty throughout the world. His death was 
 deeply felt, and long lamented, by General Putnam, who 
 was often heard to remark upon llv> similarity of his fate, 
 to that of the gallant Lord Howe, who fell at his side, in 
 the old French War. Both of them were intimate friends, 
 and with both he had earnestly remonstrated against the 
 exposure of their persons to the danger, by \vhich they 
 were destined to fall. 
 
 The retreating Americans were now between the two 
 wins;s of the British army, so that they could not fire, 
 without endangering the lives of each other. A brave 
 and orderly retreat was effected. Putnam was exceed 
 ingly efficient and daring in assisting to bring up and pro 
 tect the rear. He had confidently hoped, a short time 
 

 UNIVERSITY 
 
 Or 
 IFQS 
 
HIS POSITION IN THE RETREAT. 181 
 
 before, that they would be able at least to maintain the 
 ground, if not to secure the victory, and was now most 
 unwilling to abandon it. The left wing, where his troops 
 were stationed, was, from its position, the last to retreat, 
 its flank being exposed by the retreat of the right wing. 
 He threw himself between the retreating force and the 
 enemy, who were but twelve rods from him, and seemed 
 to brave their utmost fury. Not fully aware that their 
 ammunition was quite exhausted, he entreated his coun 
 trymen to rally, and renew the fight. He urged them to 
 finish his works on Bunker s Hill, and again give the ene 
 my battle on that unassailable position, and pledged his 
 honor to restore to them an easy victory. He was the 
 more encouraged to urge these propositions, as a new rein 
 forcement arrived from the camp, under command of 
 Captain Smith. The retreat was inevitable, however, 
 and the most these fresh troops could do, was to assist in 
 keeping the enemy at bay, and defending from their fire, 
 those who had neither powder nor bayonets to defend 
 themselves. 
 
 Putnam, though the balls fell around him like hail, was 
 wholly insensible of danger. Coming to one of the de 
 serted field-pieces, he dismounted, took his stand by its 
 side, and seemed resolved to brave the foe alone. One 
 sergeant only dared to stand by him in this perilous position. 
 He was soon shot down, and the General himself retired 
 only when the British bayonets were close upon him, and 
 he was in imminent danger of being made a prisoner. It 
 is in this attitude of protecting the rear of our retreating 
 troops, that General Putnam is represented by Trumbull, 
 in his celebrated picture of this great battle. His figure is 
 conspicuous, dressed in a light blue and scarlet uniform, 
 with his head uncovered, and his sword waving towards 
 the enemy, as if to arrest their impetuous pursuit, or defy 
 
182 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 their further advance. In nearly the same attitude he is 
 exhibited by Barlow in " The Vision of Columbus :" 
 " There strides bold Putnam, and from all the plains, 
 Calls the third host, the tardy rear sustains, 
 And, mid the whizzing deaths that fill the air, 
 Waves back his sword, and dares the following war." 
 
 The Americans, had retreated about twenty rods, before 
 the enemy had time to rally. They were then suddenly 
 exposed to a destructive fire, which proved more fatal to 
 them than all the previous contest. Some of the best and 
 bravest men were left on this part of the field, and several 
 officers, whose behavior that day had given promise of the 
 highest military distinction. The retreat was maintained 
 in good order, over the Neck, to Prospect and Winter 
 Hills, where they took up their position for the night, 
 throwing up hasty intrenchments, -which were soon 
 strengthened and fortified, so as to present to the enemy 
 another line of defence, equally formidable with that 
 which they had just purchased at the expense of so much 
 blood. 
 
 In presenting this brief sketch of the Battle of Bunker 
 Hill, that fulness and completeness of detail has not been 
 aimed at, which is essential to a perfect historical narra 
 tive, and which alone can do justice to all the actors in 
 this opening scene in the drama of the Revolution. Our 
 special business is with General Putnam, and the details 
 of the battle are gone into only so far as is necessary to 
 exhibit, in its true light, the part which lie bore in the con 
 flict.* It would, however, be doing unnecessary violence 
 to the common sentiment of patriotic gratitude, on the part 
 both of writer and reader, to leave the glorious field with 
 out bearing testimony to the heroism, valor, and endu 
 rance, of the many brave compeers of our hero, who will 
 
 * Some further remarks upon this point will be found in Appendix No. 2. 
 
ESTIMATES OF THE RESULT. 183 
 
 continue, to the end of time, to share with him the glory 
 of one of the hardest fought, and most unequal, battles re 
 corded on the page of history. The names of Prescott, of 
 Warren, of Pomeroy, of Gridley, of Stark, of Frye, of 
 Bridge, of Gardiner, of Knovvlton, of Durkee, and many 
 others, will be held in grateful and honored remembrance, 
 while the cause of freedom is dear to the heart of man. 
 It is true, they lost the field but they gained the day, 
 and made it a marked day in the calendar of the nations 
 They were dislodged from their defences, but not defeated 
 They were driven back, but not vanquished. And though 
 the proud Briton claimed to himself a victory, in gaining 
 possession of the ground, he was himself compelled to 
 acknowledge, that a few more such victories would ruin 
 him, and leave his rebel antagonist master of the whole 
 field. 
 
 It appears, from General Gage s official account, of the 
 battle, that the numbers of the Americans engaged in it 
 were greatly overrated by the British ; unless, indeed, the 
 statement is to be regarded as a convenient fiction, to cover 
 his own chagrin at the result. Cl This action," he sa}*s, 
 " has shown the superiority of the king s troops, who, 
 under every disadvantage, attacked and defeated above 
 three times their own number, strongly posted and covered 
 by breast- works." 
 
 In his letter to Lord Dartmouth, accompanying this ac 
 count, he somewhat inconsistently observes, " The suc 
 cess, of which I send your Lordship an account by the 
 present opportunity, was very necessary in our present 
 situation, and I wish most sincerely that it had not cost us 
 so dear. The number of killed and wounded is greater 
 than our forces can nfford to lose. The trials we have 
 had show the rebels are not the despicable rabble too 
 many supposed them to be. When they find cover, they 
 
184 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 make a good stand, and the country, naturally strong, 
 affords it to them ; and they are taught to assist its natu 
 ral strength by art, for they intrench, and raise batteries. 
 Your Lordship wiil perceive that the conquest of this 
 country is not easy, and can be effected only by time and 
 perseverance, and strong armies attacking it in various 
 quarters, and dividing their forces." 
 
 In the account transmitted to the Continental Congress, 
 by the Congress of Massachusetts, are the following 
 remarks : " With a ridiculous parade of triumph, the min 
 isterial generals again took possession of the hill, which 
 had served them as a retreat, in their flight from the battle 
 of Concord. It was expected that they would prosecute 
 the supposed advantage they had gained, by marching 
 directly to Cambridge, which was not then in a state of 
 defence. This they failed to do. The wonder, excited 
 by such conduct, soon ceased, when we were told, that of 
 three thousand men,* who marched out upon this expedi 
 tion, no less than fifteen hundred were killed or wounded, 
 and about twelve hundred of them either killed or mor 
 tally wounded. Such a slaughter was perhaps never 
 before made upon British troops, by about fifteen hundred 
 men, which were the most that were at any time engaged 
 on the American side." 
 
 * It was afterwards ascertained, upon good authority, that Jhe 
 number of the British was five thousand. That of the Americans 
 fluctuated. There were probably as many as thirty-five hundred on 
 the hill, during the day, though numbers of them took no active part 
 in the battle, and a considerable detachment arrived only in season to 
 cover the retreat. 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 ARRIVAL OF WASHINGTON AT CAMBRIDGE. ORGANIZATION 
 OF THE ARMY. FORTIFICATIONS 
 
 Position of the colonies Congress assumes command of the army 
 Washington appointed commander-in -chief Arrives at Cambridge 
 Subordinate appointments Putnam aMajor-General Jealousies 
 How reconciled Putnam s high reputation Courts of inquiry 
 The British fortifying Bunker Hill Organization of the Ame 
 rican camp Washington s regard for Putnam His opinion of 
 him New fortifications Putnam s activity Rev. Mr. Harvey 
 Anecdotes " Declaration" of Congress, how received by the army 
 Incidents at Cobble-Hill Major Knowlton s sortie upon 
 Charlestown neck Scene in the Boston theatre Peculiar charac 
 ter of the continental army Influence and arduous duties of the 
 officers. 
 
 THE war had now commenced in serious earnest; and 
 there was no amicable retreat from the positions mutually 
 taken, -without such concessions of principle, as neither of 
 the contending parties could be reasonably expected to 
 make. The appeal to arms, forced upon the colonies by 
 the stringent and unyielding policy of the mother-country, 
 and hurried to a crisis by the rash and ill-advised mea 
 sures of the representatives of royal power, was solemnly 
 accepted, and the issue fearlessly referred to the decision 
 of that all-wise Providence, that guides and controls the 
 affairs of nations, and of men. 
 
 The colonies were as yet distinct Provinces, having 
 many common interests and sympathies, but no common 
 
186 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 bond of union. There were different shades and degrees 
 of attachment to the crown, and widely varying; convictions 
 of the " divine right " of kings. But there was an almost 
 universal sentiment of the injustice and inequality of the 
 ministerial policy, and a general and determined resolution 
 to maintain the divine rights of the subject, at whatever 
 cost to themselves, or to the assumed and unconstitutional 
 prerogatives of the throne. This had been boldly, but 
 respectfully expressed in all the colonies. But, hitherto, 
 there had been no concert of action, with a view to forci 
 ble resistance. A Congress of the several colonies was 
 now in session at Philadelphia, but without any certain 
 and well defined powers to bind the colonies to any mea 
 sures which they might recommend. The Provincial 
 Congress of Massachusetts had proposed a definitive alli 
 ance, and "the establishment of such a form of federal 
 government, as should promote the union and interests of 
 all America ;" declaring, at the same time, their own 
 readiness to " submit to such general plan as the Congress 
 might direct." This was the voice of New England, now 
 involved in actual war. It demanded immediate action on 
 the part of the sister colonies. Nor did their delegates in 
 Congress hesitate a moment what course to pursue. They 
 determined immediately and unanimously, that, as hostili 
 ties had actually commenced, and large reinforcements to 
 the British army were instantly expected, they should be 
 immediately put in a state of defence. They assumed 
 command of the army, made provision for its increase and 
 support, and appointed George Washington, then a Colo 
 nel in the Provincial ranks of Virginia, to be Commander- 
 in-chief of all the American forces. 
 
 General Washington arrived in the camp, at Cambridge, 
 and took command of the army on the 2d of July. He 
 brought with him commissions from the Continental Con- 
 
HIS PROMOTION AS MAJOR-GENERAL. 187 
 
 gress for four Major-Generals, and for other officers of 
 inferior grade. The four superior stations were assigned 
 to Ward, Lee, Schuyler, and Putnam. Pomeroy, Mont 
 gomery, Wooster, Heath, Spencer, Thomas, Sullivan, and 
 Greene, were made Brigadiers ; and Gates an Adjutant- 
 General, with the rank of Brigadier. 
 
 These appointments, as they disturbed the relative posi 
 tion of some of the officers then in the service, occasioned 
 much dissatisfaction, and called for all the wisdom and 
 prudence of Washington, to adjust and harmonise their 
 differences. Putnam s commission he handed to him im 
 mediately on his arrival at Head Quarters. The others 
 he took the responsibility of withholding, till he could 
 have time to consult Congress further upon the subject. 
 Meanwhile, these appointments had been publicly an 
 nounced in the newspapers, and commented upon in pri 
 vate correspondence. The pride of military rank was 
 touched in its most sensitive^point. Personal honor, which 
 always divides, with the glory and interest of his country, 
 the soldier s heart, was deeply aggrieved, and demanded 
 to be heard in its own defence. This is a worthy principle, 
 and should not be lightly overlooked. It is not always 
 purely selfish. A strict regard to its claims is absolutely 
 essential to the maintenance of that profound respect and 
 prompt subordination, without which there can be no such 
 thing as discipline, order, or efficiency in the military 
 establishment. It should never, therefore, be looked upon 
 as a matter of mere personal etiquette, or a question of 
 form. It has higher and more extended relations, whose 
 delicacy and intrinsic importance can be duly estimated 
 only by those who have had large experience in the ser 
 vice of the camp and the field. 
 
 Some of the most valuable officers in the provincial ser 
 vice left the camp in disgust among whom were Thomas, 
 
188 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 Wooste.r, and Spencer. The two last named officers were 
 superseded by the promotion of General Putnam, who was 
 of a lower grade in the provincial establishment. Spencer 
 retired from his post, without waiting the arrival of the 
 commander-in-chief, or leaving any formal announcement 
 of his resignation. The officers under his immediate com 
 mand addressed a letter to the President of the Provincial 
 Congress, speaking in the highest terms of respect, admi 
 ration and confidence towards their General, and deprecat 
 ing his resignation, as not only a source of grief and solici 
 tude to themselves, but a calamity to the high and holy 
 cause, in whose defence they were all enlisted. A similar 
 representation was made on the part of those more imme 
 diately interested in the reputation and services of General 
 Wooster. 
 
 A Committee was immediately appointed by that body,* 
 with instructions to write to the Continental Congress in 
 relation to the matter, acquainting them with the high 
 estimation in which Wooster a nd Spencer were, universally 
 held, " at the same time testifying their sense of the singu 
 lar merit of General Putnam ;" and expressing their ear 
 nest hope and desire, that some mode might be devised to 
 reconcile these differences, without wounding the honor, 
 or jeoparding the invaluable services, of any of those able 
 and experienced officers, on whose cordial co-operation 
 their hopes, under Providence, mainly depended. 
 
 It is highly creditable to General Spencer s patriotism, 
 as well as a proof of his high sense of General Putnam s 
 extraordinary merit as an officer, that he soon returned to 
 the army, and consented to serve under him whom he had 
 formerly commanded. Thomas, also, after much persua 
 sion, returned to his post ; from which he was soon after 
 promoted to a higher grade, with the distinguished honor 
 
 * Am. Archives, 4th Series, vol. ii., page 1586. 
 
HIS WELL-EARNED REPUTATION. 189 
 
 of succeeding Montgomery in the command of the Ame 
 rican forces before Quebec. Wooster, from his advanced 
 age, declined any appointment on the continental establish 
 ment, though he rendered some service, as a provincial 
 officer, in some of the subsequent campaigns ; and ulti 
 mately fell, April 27, 1777, in a gallant attempt to repel a 
 strong party of royalists, who, under command of General 
 Tryon, made a descent upon Connecticut, to destroy the 
 American stores at Danbury. 
 
 General Putnam had now arrived at the highest grade 
 of distinction, recognized in the American army. Widely 
 known, and universally respected by his own countrymen, 
 and equally respected and feared by the enemy, to whom 
 he had been long and favorably known, as an officer of 
 eminent courage and ability, his position was one well cal 
 culated to stimulate the enthusiastic ardor and emulation 
 of the younger officers, and awaken the natural jealousy 
 and discontent of those of equal age and experience, who 
 were aspiring to the same honor, and whose long aiid ar 
 duous services were recognized and appreciated by the 
 army and the country, as a just title to the best awards of 
 fame. But his popularity was universal. Even those, 
 who might then have envied him, did not presume to de 
 tract from his well-earned fame, or to breathe a whisper to 
 his discredit, either as a citizen or as a soldier. He passed 
 the ordeal of an eventful life, without a reproach. It was 
 reserved for a malice, that could rankle, unseen and un 
 heard, in the heart, till almost thirty years had passed over 
 nis honored grave, and till his original biographer and the 
 natural protector of his fame had followed him to his long 
 home, to attempt the work of detraction. The utter failure 
 of that attempt, and the ample proof which it called forth, 
 of the clear and indisputable title of its victim to the glo 
 rious name he had won among the worthies of the olden 
 
190 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 time, " speaks volumes of comfort to the illustrious, yet 
 slandered living, showing how true merit outlives 
 calumny, and receives its sure reward in the admiration 
 of after ages." 
 
 The case of Captain Callender has already been alluded 
 to. His was by no means a solitary one. Probably no 
 conflict in the history of the world, ever gave rise to so 
 many charges of cowardice, and dereliction of duty, or was 
 followed by a more severe and searching scrutiny into the 
 conduct of those engaged in it, than that of Bunker Hill. 
 Tl.e Colonists had not yet absolutely thrown off the yoke 
 of England. There was still a great diversity of opinion, 
 whether or not it would be necessary, or expedient, ulti 
 mately to do so. There were, consequently, among the 
 supporters of the American cause, very different degrees 
 of hostility to the king, and of military ardor and zeal, in 
 opposing his unjust exactions. It was, therefore, often 
 times difficult to distinguish, with absolute certainty, be 
 tween friends and foes. In such circumstances, the con 
 duct of every individual was watched with the strictest 
 scrutiny ; and every man, against whom the shadow of a 
 charge could be raised by the most jealous defender of 
 liberty, was arraigned before a court-martial, and subject 
 ed to a formal and severe trial. Even Colonel Bridge, not 
 withstanding the severity of his labors, and the dangerous 
 and honorable wounds he had received, did not escape this 
 ordeal. These trials were continued, without intermission, 
 from the 7th of July to the 5th of October, | and so rigor 
 ously was the discipline of the camp sustained by the court, 
 that offences, which would now be overlooked, or visited 
 w r ith a slight reprimand, were then punished with severity. 
 In view of these facts, it is no small praise to the spirit of 
 
 t Hubley, pp. 352, 390, 416, 470, 498, 507, 511, 525, 528, 537, 510, 
 558, 577, 588, 592. See also the Orderly Books of the day, passim. 
 
ACQUAINTANCE WITH WASHINGTON. 191 
 
 the men engaged in that conflict, that two only of the com 
 missioned officers were degraded from their rank, on the 
 charge of cowardice, and that one of them/ by nobly dis 
 proving, in his after-life, the charge which deprived him 
 of his commission, compelled even his enemies to plead 
 for its restoration. The other was regarded, by many of 
 those who knew him best, as too harshly treated. Three 
 others were found guilty of misconduct, and dismissed 
 from the service, with an acknowledgment on the part of 
 the court, that their errors were those of inexperience, 
 rather than of cowardice. 
 
 The British, having gained possession of the peninsula 
 of Charlestown, proceeded to erect a strong fortification 
 upon the summit of Bunker Hill, where Putnam had al 
 ready broken ground for them, and \vhere, had he succeed 
 ed in his plan of intrenchments, hd would undoubtedly 
 have kept them at bay. The fortifications in Boston were 
 also greatly strengthened, while the Provincial } now adopt 
 ed as the Continental army, was so posted in the circum 
 jacent country, as to form a complete blockade, except on 
 the side of the sea. The Colonists, having no fleet, and 
 the Castle being in the hands of the enemy, the British 
 had free access to the port. 
 
 Immediately on the arrival of Washington, the army 
 was formed into three grand divisions, each consisting of 
 
 O 7 O 
 
 about twelve regiments. Major-General Ward was ap 
 pointed to the command of the right wing, stationed at 
 Roxbury and Dorchester. Major-General Lee commanded 
 the left wing, stretching to the Mystic River ; and Major- 
 General Putnam occupied an advanced post in the centre, 
 within a few miles of the head-quarters of the cornmandor- 
 in-chief. 
 
 Washington arid Putnam were personally unknown to 
 each other, until they met at Cambridge. The open, undis- 
 
192 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 guised frankness of the Yankee General, together with his 
 great activity and personal industry, in everything per* 
 taining to the army, soon attracted the. attention, and won 
 the approving smile, of his commander. An early inti 
 macy was formed between them, and a firm friendship 
 established, which continued undisturbed, during the whole 
 period of their eventful military service, It was not in 
 Putnam s nature to be idle. Inured to habits of industry 
 himself, he was an able and efficient director of the labors 
 of others. He was as single-hearted, frank and generous, 
 as he was bold and energetic. The men, under his direc 
 tion, worked with such hearty good will, and the works, 
 on which they were engaged, advanced with such unusual 
 rapidity and success, as to excite the admiration of Wash 
 ington, who, addressing General Putnam, as he passed 
 around to inspect the works, remarked, " You seem to 
 have the faculty, sir, of infusing your own industrious 
 spirit into all the workmen you employ." In one of his 
 letters from Cambridge, written about the same time, and 
 addressed to the President of Congress, he speaks of Put 
 nam as " a most valuable man, and a fine executive offi 
 cer." The commendation of Washington was never 
 thoughtlessly bestowed, and his confidence was so rarely 
 misplaced, as to invest his judgment, and his penetration 
 into the character of those about him, with an almost un 
 erring precision. 
 
 Soon after the arrival of Washington, Putnam received 
 an urgent invitation from his friend, Major Small, of the 
 British army, to hold a conference with him, under the 
 protection of a flag. By Washington s advice, he accept 
 ed the invitation, and, to his surprise, found that its prin 
 cipal object was to renew the attempt, which had already 
 been fruitlessly made, to withdraw him from the cause he 
 had espoused, and engage him on the side of the king. 
 
NEW FORTIFICATIONS. 193 
 
 The most liberal promises were made, both of rank and 
 emolument, including the most desirable provision for his 
 sons, in case of his compliance. But they were all spurn 
 ed with contempt, and with the assurance, that nothing 
 could win him back to his old allegiance, or induce him 
 to lay down his arms, but an utter and eternal abandon 
 ment, on the part of Great Britain, of those unrighteous 
 principles of administration, which had given rise to the 
 present contest, and to the maintenance of which every 
 true American had pledged his fortune and his life. The 
 nature and result of this conference were communicated 
 to Washington, at whose suggestion the whole affair was 
 kept secret, and remained so for many years. 
 
 Intrenchments were already thrown up on Winter and 
 Prospect Hills about a mile westward from that division 
 of the enemy which lay on the Peninsula of Charlestown, 
 and in full view of it. Eastwardly of the works on Winter 
 Hill, towards Mystic River, redoubts were thrown up, to 
 prevent the enemy from passing up that river, or effecting 
 a landing opposite the fort on the hill. At Ploughed Hill, 
 much in advance of Prospect Hill, and within half a mile, 
 on a direct line, of the British intrenchments on Bunker 
 Hill, a formidable breast-work was thrown up, in the face 
 of an incessant cannonade from the enemy s works. Put 
 nam was exceedingly active and energetic in forwarding 
 the completion of these defences ; not only directing others 
 in their toils, but putting his own hands to the work, like 
 one who felt that there was dignity in labor, when conse 
 crated to a holy cause. " On one occasion," says the 
 Rev. Mr. Harvey, " he came along near where I was at 
 work, and, seeing a quantity of sods which had just been 
 brought up, he addressed himself to one of the men, direct 
 ing him to place them on the wall ; remarking at the 
 same time, You are a soldier, I suppose ? The order 
 9 
 
194 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 not being executed on the instant, the General added, 
 Oh ! I see you are an officer, and immediately took hold, 
 and placed the sods himself. Meanwhile, the balls were 
 continually pouring in from the British forts ; sometimes 
 killing our men, and sometimes tearing our works ; but 
 they went forward, nevertheless, and were soon in a con 
 dition to return the compliment."* 
 
 About the 20th of July, the declaration of the Conti 
 nental Congress, setting forth the grievances of the coun 
 try, and the reasons which rendered necessary a resort to 
 arms, was read before the several divisions of the army. 
 The paper concluded with the following noble sentiments: 
 " In our own native land, in defence of the freedom that 
 is our birthright, and which we ever enjoyed until the 
 late violation of it ; for the protection of our property, 
 acquired sojely by the honest industry of our forefathers 
 and ourselves ; against violence actually offered, we have 
 taken up arms. We shall lay them down when hostilities 
 shall cease on the part of the aggressors, and all danger of 
 their being renewed shall be removed, and not before. 
 
 11 With an humble confidence in the mercies of the 
 Supreme and impartial Judge and Ruler of the Universe, 
 \ve most devoutly implore his divine goodness, to conduct 
 us happily through this great conflict, to dispose our adver 
 saries to reconciliation on reasonable terms, and thereby 
 to relieve the empire from the calamities of civil war." 
 
 * Rev. Mr. Harvey, of Herkimer, N. Y., an aged veteran of the 
 Revolution, who. on the llth of July, 181G, completed his 1 1 1th year. 
 He is hale and hearty, and in perfect possession of his faculties. All 
 that is here referred to him as authority, was taken down from his 
 own lips by the compiler, during his visit to New York, in May. 
 When requested to state, in a few words, his own estimate of the 
 character of Putnam, and of his standing in the regards of his coun 
 trymen, he replied, with the solemn emphasis of an aged prophet, 
 " He was a man animated for the good of his country." 
 
ENTHUSIASM OP THE ARMY. 195 
 
 Agreeably to orders previously issued by General Put* 
 nam, the troops under his immediate command were 
 assembled in full parade on Prospect Hill, on this occa 
 sion. When the last words of the declaration were pro 
 nounced, the whole division, at a signal from the general, 
 shouted in unison their loud and thrice repeated Amen to 
 its solemn appeal to heaven. At the same instant, a gun 
 was fired from the fort, and the new standard, just receiv 
 ed from Connecticut, was run up, and, unfolding itself to 
 the air, displayed on one side, the motto, in letters of gold, 
 a An Appeal to Heaven j" and on the other, the armorial 
 bearings of Connecticut consisting of three vines, with 
 out supporters or crest, with the motto " Qui transtulit y 
 sustinct ;"* a beautiful allusion to the confidence our pil 
 grim fathers placed in the protecting care of providence, 
 and to the three allegorical scions, Knowledge, Liberty, 
 and Religion, which they had transplanted to America. 
 
 An animated, pathetic, and highly patriotic address to 
 the army, was then made by the Rev. Mr. Leonard, Chap 
 lain to General Putnam s division, followed by prayer. 
 "The whole," says an eye-witness, " was conducted with 
 the utmost decency, good order and regularity, and to the 
 universal acceptance of all present. And the Philistines 
 on Bunker s Hill heard the shout of the Israelites, and 
 being very fearful, paraded themselves in battle array. "| 
 
 As evidence of the cheerful spirit and good humor, 
 which prevailed at this time among the defenders of 
 liberty, and a specimen of the manner in which Putnam 
 encouraged his men, by endeavoring to make their toil a 
 recreation, the following anecdote, related by the venera 
 ble Captain Foster, of Danvers, is given. Captain Foster 
 belonged to Colonel Mansfield s regiment, which was sta- 
 
 * He who transplanted will support them. 
 t Am. Archives, 4th Series, vol. ii., page 1687. 
 
196 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 tioned on Prospect Hill, within the command of General 
 Putnam. By orders from the General, all the Captains 
 were desired to meet. It was then stated to them that a 
 secret and hazardous expedition was planned, and it was 
 desired that one of their number should volunteer to take 
 the command. 
 
 After waiting a short time for his seniors to have an 
 opportunity to offer, Captain Foster stepped forward with 
 a proffer of his services. Six or eight men were drafted 
 from each company They were ordered to arm and 
 equip themselves completely, and repair to General Put 
 nam s quarters. On presenting themselves before his tent, 
 the bluff old general came out, and reviewed them in due 
 form ; when, having commended their spirit and good 
 appearance, he ordered them to lay aside their arms and 
 equipments, provide themselves with axes, and go into a 
 neighboring swamp and cut a quantity of fascines, which 
 they were to bring in upon their shoulders. The men 
 expected to gain honor by their cheerful exposure to un 
 known dangers and hardships ; but their greatest danger 
 was from the attacks of the musquitoes, and their greatest 
 exposure was to the mirth of their fellow-soldiers. 
 
 With a view to acting upon Boston, a large number of 
 boats were prepared, and kept in readiness in Charles 
 River. It was a part of Putnam s duty, as commanding 
 officer at this station, to exercise his men in the proper 
 management and discipline of these boats. On one occa 
 sion, about the middle of July, it happened, that, in execut 
 ing a certain manoeuvre, one of the smaller boats, either from 
 mistaking the order, or from want of skill in following it, 
 ran athwart the track of the larger one, of which Putnam 
 had the command. With his usual impetuosity, without 
 checking his course in the least, or deviating from his 
 track, he ran the disorderly shallop down, staving in her 
 
INCIDENTS AT COBBLE HILL. 197 
 
 side, and tumbling her whole crew into the water. Hav 
 ing completed the movement he had ordered, the delin 
 quents were all carefully picked up, and cautioned to be, 
 for the future, more attentive to the word of command. 
 
 In November, General Putnam was ordered to erect 
 another fortification on Cobble Hill. This was the spot 
 where the Asylum for the Insane now stands. It was 
 about the same distance from the British works on 
 Charlestown heights, as Ploughed Hill, but nearer to 
 those in Boston. As soon as the Americans were perceiv 
 ed to be engaged in this work, the British ships of war in 
 Charles River, as well as the forts on Bunker s Hill, open 
 ed a severe fire upon them, which was kept up without 
 respite during their entire progress. Captain Putnam, a 
 son of the General, held a command at this post. As 
 some of his men were one day reclining upon the green 
 sward, taking some refreshments, the General coming 
 along, cried out u Up in a moment, or you are all dead 
 men." They started up at the word, and hastened to their 
 work. No sooner had they cleared the way, than a ball 
 from the enemy ploughed the ground where they had been 
 lying, and buried itself deep in the earth. It was thus 
 necessary to keep a watchful eye to the side of the enemy, 
 and to labor in the constant expectation of an iron mandate 
 to abandon the work. It went forward, however, with 
 the same rapidity and energy as all the others had done. 
 The fort was soon completed and mounted affording ano 
 ther proof of the indomitable spirit and ready skill of the 
 defenders of the soil. This fort was known, at the time, 
 as " Putnam s impregnable fortress ;" while that at Pros 
 pect Hill, where Putnam held his quarters, is designated, 
 in the correspondence of the day, as " our main fortress." 
 This post was occupied by about one thousand men of the 
 Connecticut Line the remainder being at Roxbury under 
 
198 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 General Ward. As soon as these works were completed, 
 they opened their batteries upon the floating batteries of 
 the British in Charles River, with such effect, as soon to 
 drive them from their moorings. 
 
 Not long after the works on Cobble Hill were complet 
 ed, General Putnam, wishing to give his men some active 
 employment, of a more stirring character than digging 
 trenches, or raising walls of earth and stone, sent out a 
 small party, under Major Knowlton, who, passing across 
 the mill-dam into Charlestown, attacked the advanced 
 guard of the British, near the western base of Bunker Hill. 
 They made several prisoners, set fire to the guard-house, 
 and retired without receiving any injury to life or limb. 
 
 This was on the 8th of January, 1776. The detach 
 ment marched between eight and nine o clock in the even 
 ing. While engaged in executing its work, it was saluted 
 by a brisk fire from the British garrison on the hill above. 
 Those only, who are acquainted with the situation of Bun 
 ker Hill, and the places adjacent, at the time of this expe 
 dition, can fully appreciate the danger and delicacy of the 
 task, so handsomely executed by Knowlton, and his brave 
 associates. They passed from the main-land in Charles- 
 town, over the mill-dam (the Neck being protected by the 
 garrison), round the base of the hill, and directly under the 
 garrison, which crowned its summit. They set fire to 
 eight out of fourteen scattering houses, which were stand 
 ing in full view of the garrison, secured six prisoners, 
 and effected an orderly retreat, under the very guns of the 
 enemy s batteries which poured upon them an unremitted 
 but ineffectual fire. 
 
 On the evening, when this brilliant sortie w r as accom 
 plished, the farce of " The Blockade of Bos on," of which 
 General Burgoyne was the reputed author, was performed 
 for the amusement of the British army. The person, de- 
 
SCENE IN THE BOSTON THEATRE. 199 
 
 signed to burlesque General Washington, was dressed in 
 the most uncouth style, with a large wig and a long rusty 
 sword, and attended. by an orderly sergeant, in a coarse 
 country dress, having on his shoulder an old rusty gun, 
 seven or eight feet long. At the moment when this figure 
 appeared on the stage, one of the regular sergeants came 
 running in, quite out of breath, with alarm depicted in his 
 countenance, and, throwing down his bayonet, exclaimed, 
 " The Yankees are attacking our works on J3 linker Hill." 
 Those of the audience, who were not familiar with the 
 plot of the piece, supposed that this was only a part of the 
 farce. But when General Howe, rising suddenly in his 
 place, called out, in tones of earnest command, " Officers, 
 to your alarm posts " the play was instantly changed to 
 a stern reality, having more resemblance to the fast ga 
 thering plot of some terrible tragedy, than to the laughter- 
 provoking incidents of a broad farce. The theatre was 
 all confusion and dismay officers and soldiers rushing this 
 way and that, ladies shrieking and fainting, children 
 screaming with terror, and all ranks and classes, in boxes, 
 pit and stage, mingling frantically together, as if the thea 
 tre itself had been attacked, and delivered up to the tender 
 mercies of war. 
 
 The utmost industry, tact, and skill of the American 
 commander, and his Generals, were now required, to in 
 crease, organize and discipline the army, and procure the 
 necessary supply of arms, ammunition, and the various 
 paraphernalia of war. Assembled, at a moment s warn 
 ing, from various quarters, enlisted for various terms, unac 
 customed to subordination and restraint, they neither felt 
 the inclination, nor realized the importance, of a rigid sub 
 jection to military rules. Never, perhaps, in the history 
 of the world, was an army assembled in the presence of 
 an enemy, with so little preparation to sustain a regular 
 
200 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 campaign. Had that enemy been fully informed of the 
 destitution of powder, of bayonets, and of other essential 
 equipments in the camp, it is altogether improbable he 
 would have remained quiet so long in his narrow quarters 
 in Boston. It was a period of comparative inactivity to 
 both armies, though by no means one of rest or indolence 
 to the American officers. Besides his immediate duties 
 in the camp, each one exerted all the influence he pos 
 sessed with his own colony, to procure the necessary sup 
 plies for the troops under his command. It is interesting 
 to read the voluminous correspondence of the time. There 
 are frequent letters from General Putnam to the Governor 
 and Council of Connecticut, requesting supplies of powder, 
 &c., and corresponding votes to meet the demand. One 
 of the latter, which, for its considerate humanity, is worthy 
 of particular mention, is a vote, passed on the 19th of July, 
 ordering a sufficient number of tents to supply General 
 Putnam s regiment, and directing that they should be 
 made " by some of the poor tent-makers escaped from Bos 
 ton" 
 
CHAPTER XV. 
 
 BOSTON EVACUATED BY THE BRITISH. 
 
 General Lee ordered to New York Volunteers raised in Connec 
 ticut Washington s desire for an attack on Boston General 
 Thomas takes possession of the Heights of Dorchester Lord 
 Percy attempts to dislodge him A severe storm interrupts his 
 movements Intended attack on Boston by General Putnam 
 The council of war Nook s Hill fortified General Gage sud 
 denly evacuates Boston Putnam takes possession Wooden sen 
 tries on Bunker Hill. 
 
 EARLY in January, 1776, General Washington received 
 unquestionable information, that an armament was equip 
 ping at Boston, to sail, under General Clinton, on a secret 
 expedition. Many considerations induced him to believe, 
 that the design of this movement was to take possession 
 of New York, and establish the British Head Quarters 
 there ; not only as a more commanding post, but as a more 
 central theatre of operations against the now united colo 
 nies. He, therefore, ordered General Lee to repair imme 
 diately to that place, with such volunteers as he could 
 assemble on his march, and to make the best arrangements 
 for its defence that circumstances would permit. He was 
 also instructed to disarm all disaffected persons, of whom 
 there were know r n to be many in New York and espe 
 cially on Long Island and to collect the arms and ammu 
 nition in their possession, for the use of the continental 
 army. 
 
 General Lee found no difficulty in raising volunteers 
 9* 
 
202 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 among the zealous patriots of Connecticut. At the head 
 of twelve hundred men, he marched into New York, and 
 commenced his works of defence in that city, on Long 
 Island, and in the Highlands. It soon appeared, however, 
 that General Clinton s expedition was destined farther 
 south ; and Lee was ordered by Congress to take com 
 mand of the Southern department of the army. 
 
 Meanwhile, the army and the people were growing 
 restive under this long season of fruitless inactivity. They 
 were anxious to come to another open conflict with the 
 enemy, and to make a serious effort to dislodge him from 
 his position in Boston, before he should be rendered im 
 pregnable by the large reinforcements which were expect 
 ed early in the spring. Washington was as desirous of an 
 engagement as any one, and was deterred from making the 
 attempt, only by the want of ammunition and arms, suita 
 ble to contend with an army so well provided as the Bri 
 tish. Congress had earnestly suggested the propriety of 
 an attack, and Washington had digested a plan of opera 
 tions ; but, on laying it before a council of war, it was 
 deemed altogether too hazardous to attempt, in the then 
 condition of the army. 
 
 Late in February, various appearances among the Bri 
 tish troops indicated an intention to evacuate Boston ; but, 
 as these appearances might be deceptive, and as the ice 
 now well formed in Charles River, and a small supply of 
 powder recently received, favored his designs, General 
 Washington determined to prosecute vigorously the plan 
 he had formed to force General Howe either to come to 
 an action, or to abandon his post. The regular conti 
 nental force now amounted to somewhat more than four 
 teen thousand men. In addition to these troops, the com- 
 mander-in-chief called to his aid about six thousand of the 
 militia of Massachusetts. Thus reinforced, he determined 
 
DORCHESTER HEIGHTS FORTIFIED. 203 
 
 to take immediate possession of the Heights of Dorchester 
 now known as South Boston and construct fortifica 
 tions there, from which he could greatly annoy the ships 
 in the harbor, and the soldiers in the town. He was per 
 suaded that, by this means, a general action would be 
 brought on, as the enemy must inevitably attempt to drive 
 him from a position so dangerously near to their own 
 camp. But in case he should fail in bringing on an en 
 gagement in this manner, he determined to make the forti 
 fication of the heights of Dorchester merely preparatory 
 to seizing and fortifying Nook s Hill,* and the other points 
 opposite the southern end of Boston. These eminences 
 commanded entirely the harbor, a large part of the town, 
 and the beach from which the enemy must embark, in the 
 event of a retreat. 
 
 To facilitate the execution of this plan, a heavy bom 
 bardment of the town, and the lines of the enemy, was 
 commenced from the forts, on the night of the second 
 of March, and was repeated the two succeeding nights. 
 On the evening of the fourth, soon after the firing had 
 begun, a large detachment, under the command of General 
 Thomas, passed unperceived from Roxbury, and took 
 possession of the heights without any opposition. Al 
 though the ground was frozen to a great depth, yet such 
 was their activity and industry through the night, that a 
 considerable breast-work was thrown up by morning, so 
 as to nearly protect them from the shot of the enemy. 
 When the dawning light revealed the position and works 
 of the Americans, which were magnified to the view by a 
 hazy atmosphere, the beleaguered British were no less 
 embarrassed than astonished aj; the sight. They imme 
 diately commenced an ineffectual fire, which was returned 
 
 That point where South Boston is connected with the peninsula 
 by a bridge, called the South Boston Bridge. 
 
204 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 by those in possession of the heights, while they still con 
 tinued, with unremitting labor, to strengthen their position. 
 
 This bold and successful movement of the American 
 army left but two alternatives to the choice of the British 
 commander. He was compelled either to dislodge the 
 enemy from their new position, or to abandon his own ; 
 and General Gage, as had been foreseen and desired by 
 Washington, determined on the former alternative. Lord 
 Percy, with about three thousand chosen men, consisting 
 of parts of five regiments, and the grenadiers and light 
 infantry, was ordered on this service. The next day, the 
 troops were embarked and fell down to the castle, in 
 order to proceed up the river to the scene of action ; but 
 a furious storm coming up, they were scattered, and pre 
 vented from prosecuting their enterprise at this time. 
 Before they could be again in readiness for the attack, the 
 works had been rendered so strong, that it was thought 
 unadvisable to attempt to force them. The evacuation of 
 Boston followed as a matter of necessity. 
 
 In the expectation that the flower of the British troops 
 would be employed against the Heights of Dorchester, 
 General Washington had concerted a plan for availing 
 himself of that occasion to attack the town of Boston lit 
 tle doubting that he should be able, with so favorable a 
 disposition of his forces, to obtain complete possession of 
 the enemy s quarters, if not to achieve an absolute con 
 quest of their army. Four thousand chosen men were 
 held in readiness to embark, at the mouth of Charles River 
 in Cambridge, on a signal to be given, if the enemy should 
 come out in such force, as to justify an opinion that an 
 attack on them might be made with a good prospect of 
 success. They were to embark in two divisions ; the 
 first to be led by Brigadier-General Sullivan, the second 
 ly Brigadier-General Greene ; and the whole to be under 
 
CONTEMPLATED ATTACK OX BOSTON. 205 
 
 the command of Major-General Putnam. The boats were 
 to be preceded by three floating batteries, which were to 
 keep up a heavy fire on that part of the town where the 
 troops were to land. It was proposed that the first divi 
 sion should land at the powder-house, and gain possession 
 of Beacon Hill ; the second at Barton s Point, or a little 
 south of it, and after securing that post, to join the other 
 division, and force the enemy s works at the Neck, so as 
 to give admission to the troops from Roxbury. 
 
 If this plan had succeeded, the whole British army in 
 Boston must have been destroyed, or taken prisoners. 
 General Washington entertained the most sanguine hopes 
 of its success, and greatly regretted the storm, which pre 
 vented the intended attack on the Heights of Dorchester, 
 and, consequently, the residue of his plan, the execution 
 of which was entirely dependent on that attack. 
 
 At the council of war, in which this plan of an assault 
 upon the enemy was under discussion, General Putnam, 
 who was always restless, and more disposed to action than 
 to deliberation, was continually going to the door and the 
 windows, to see what was passing without. At length, 
 General Washington said to him, with some earnestness, 
 " Sit down, General Putnam, we must have your advice 
 and counsel in this matter, where the responsibility of its 
 execution is devolved upon you." " Oh, my dear Gene 
 ral," he replied, "you may plan the battle to suit yourself, 
 and I will fight it." 
 
 On the morning of the 17th of March, the British dis 
 covered a new breast-work, that had been thrown up 
 during the night on Nook s Hill, which perfectly com 
 manded the Neck, and all the south part of Boston, and 
 rendered their position there wholly untenable. There 
 was no longer safety in delay. By sunrise in the morning, 
 the king s troops, with those of the Americans who were 
 
206 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 attached to the royal cause, began to embark ; and before 
 ten, they were all under sail, leaving behind them, in the 
 haste of their forced departure, a considerable quantity of 
 valuable stores. 
 
 As soon as it was reported in Cambridge that the enemy 
 were making preparations ^to evacuate Boston, several 
 regiments, under the command of General Putnam, were 
 embarked in boats, and dropped down the river, to watch 
 and take advantage of their movements. On landing at 
 the mouth of the river, it was ascertained that the fleet 
 had actually sailed ; and a detachment was ordered to 
 take possession of the town, which they did by landing 
 on its western shore, near Sewall s Point, which formed 
 the southern limit of the Mill Pond. Another detachment 
 marched in, at the same time, over the Neck from Rox- 
 bury. The whole was under the command of General 
 Putnam ; who, amid the cheering welcomes and hearty 
 congratulations of the citizens, proceeded to take formal 
 possession, in the name of the Continental Congress, of all 
 the fortified posts, as well as of the military stores, and 
 other property, which had been abandoned by the retreat 
 ing foe. 
 
 One historian of the day relates, that when the British 
 retreated from Bunker s Hill, they left sentries standing in 
 effigy, with muskets shouldered, and having the usual 
 appearance of being on duty. If this were so, it was a 
 harmless joke, arid gave no alarm to the Americans ; who 
 deigned not to waste their powder upon wooden images, 
 though clothed in the king s livery. Two men only were 
 sent from the camp to reconnoitre the post, who entered 
 unchallenged, and made signals for their friends to follow 
 and take full possession. 
 
CHAF1LK XVI. 
 
 PUTNAM IN COMMAND AT NEW YORK. 
 
 General Putnam ordered to New York His instructions His 
 Head Quarters His family Loyalists, or Tories in New York 
 Martial law Police of the city Intercourse with the enemy for 
 bidden Fortified posts in the vicinity Washington s arrival at 
 New York Goes to meet Congress at Philadelphia Instructions 
 to General Putnam Letter from Philadelphia Fire ships ordered 
 to be built General Howe s arrival at Staten Island His- plans 
 and hopes His army Arrival of the British fleet Declaration 
 of Independence Its reception by the American army. 
 
 MAJOR-GENERAL LEE, during the brief period of his com 
 niand at New York, had planned and laid out some works 
 of defence, which, in his hasty departure for South Caro 
 lina, were left to be prosecuted by his successor. Believ 
 ing that this place would be the next point at which the 
 enemy would aim, and deeming its preservation to be of 
 the last importance to the American cause, General Wash- 
 inglon, immediately after his triumphal entry into Boston, 
 sent thithei a portion of his troops, assigning the command 
 to Major-General Putnam with instructions to carry for 
 ward as rapidly as possible the plan of defence, which had 
 been projected by General Lee. 
 
 The following " Orders and Instructions " were issued 
 on this occasion. 
 
 " As there are the best reasons to believe that the 
 enemy s fleet and army, which left Nantasket Road last 
 
208 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 Wednesday evening, are bound to New York, to endeavor 
 to possess that important post, and if possible to secure 
 the communication by the Hudson River to Canada, it 
 must be our care to prevent them from accomplishing 
 their designs. To that end I have detached Brigadier- 
 General Heath, with the whole body of riflemen, and five 
 battalions of the Continental army, by the way of Nor 
 wich in Connecticut, to New York. Six more battalions, 
 under General Sullivan, march this morning by the same 
 route, and will, I hope, arrive there in eight or ten days 
 at farthest. The rest of the army will immediately follow 
 in divisions, leaving only a convenient space between each 
 division to prevent confusion, and want of accommodation 
 on their march. You will, no doubt, make the best des 
 patch in getting to New York. Upon your arrival there, 
 you will assume the command, and immediately proceed 
 in continuing to execute the plan proposed by Major- 
 General Lee, for fortifying that city, and securing the 
 passes of the East and North Elvers. If, upon consulta 
 tion with the Brigadiers-General and Engineers, any alter 
 ation in that plan is thought necessary, you are at liberty 
 to make it ; cautiously avoiding to break in too much 
 upon his main design, unless where it may be apparently 
 necessary so to do, and that by the general voice and opi 
 nion of the gentlemen above-mentioned. 
 
 " You will meet the Quarter-Master General, Colonel 
 Mifflin, and Commissary-General,* at New York. As 
 these are both men of excellent talents in their different 
 departments, you will do well to give them all the author 
 ity and assistance they require ; and should a council of 
 war be necessary, it is my direction they assist at it. 
 
 u Your long service and experience will, better than my 
 particular directions at this distance, point out to you the 
 
 * Colonel Joseph Trum buil. 
 
HEAD-QUARTERS AT NEW YORK. 209 
 
 works most proper to be first raised; and your perseverance , 
 activity and zeal will lead you, without my recommending it t 
 to exert every nerve to disappoint the enemy s designs. 
 
 " Devoutly praying that the POWER which has hitherto 
 sustained the American arms, may continue to bless them 
 with the divine protection, 1 bid you FAREWELL. 
 
 " Given at Head-Quarters, in Cambridge, this twenty- 
 ninth of March, 1776. 
 
 "G. WASHINGTON." 
 
 Entrusted with these responsibilities, General Putnam 
 hastened to New York, where he was, for some time, the 
 chief in command, in the absence of Washington, and the 
 executive commander, during the entire occupancy of the 
 city. His head-quarters were at the house, now occupied 
 by Mr. Prime, No. 1 Broadway, facing the Bowling 
 Green. Here he established himself, with his family about 
 him, receiving and entertaining his friends, both in the 
 army and in the city, vuth great hospitality, when the 
 arduous duties of his station allowed him time for such 
 indulgence. During a part of this time, Major Burr 
 served him as aide-de-camp, and resided in his family. 
 His son, Major Putnam, and Major David Humphreys, 
 who afterwards became his biographer, were also attached 
 to his staff. 
 
 As has been already observed, there was some diversity 
 of opinion among the Americans, in respect to the contest 
 which was now going on. Some opposed the war through 
 fear of the consequences, believing it impossible, for a ft;w 
 weak, half-united colonies, to resist the omnipotence of 
 Great Britain. Many were loyally devoted to the king 
 and the mother-country, and felt a kind of holy horror at 
 the thought of open resistance to authority. There were 
 persons of this description in all the colonies. There had 
 
210 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 been some in New England. A considerable number had 
 abandoned their homes in Boston, and followed the British 
 army in its retreat. But they were much more numerous 
 in and about New York, on Long Island, Staten Island, 
 and in New Jersey. This made the position of the Ame 
 rican army, and the duty of its commanders, much more 
 difficult than it would otherwise have been. They could 
 not rely upon the support of all those, for whose liberties 
 they were contending- Some of them were secret ene 
 mies, and spies in the service of the British ; and not a 
 few were associated in a scheme to get possession of the 
 person of the commander-in-chief, and deliver him up to 
 the enemy. General Putnam, and other principal officers, 
 were at different times the objects of similar plots. This 
 will account for the frequent orders respecting the seizure 
 of disaffected persons, disarming the suspicious, &c., which 
 occur in the correspondence of Washington ; and the fre 
 quent allusions to other perplexities, than those which 
 were occasioned by the direct action of the British gene 
 rals, and their forces. 
 
 The city being, of necessity, under martial law, General 
 Putnam s first object, on assuming the command, was to 
 regulate its police, and put in operation such precautionary 
 measures, as would prevent disturbance or surprise in the 
 night, and enable him to keep a stricter watch upon the 
 movements of spies, and disaffected citizens. For this 
 end, after posting the necessary guards, he issue d the fol 
 lowing 
 
 O 
 
 " GENERAL ORDERS. 
 
 " Head Quarters, New York, April 5, 1776. 
 " The soldiers are strictly enjoined to retire to their 
 barracks and quarters at tattoo beating, and to remain 
 there till the reveille is beaten. 
 
POLICE OF THE CITY. 211 
 
 " Necessity obliges the General to desire the inhabit 
 ants of the city to observe the same rule, as no person 
 will be permitted to pass any sentry, after this night, with 
 out the countersign. The inhabitants, whose business 
 requires it, may know the countersign, by applying to any 
 of the Brigade Majors." 
 
 Although the war had raged, in some other parts of the 
 country, with a severity that cut, off all voluntary inter 
 course between the British and Americans, there had, as 
 yet, been no outbreaking of hostilities at New York, beyond 
 the firing of a few guns from one armed vessel upon the 
 city ; which, however, was attended with no material 
 damage. Consequently, the intercourse between the Bri 
 tish vessels and the shore was not wholly interrupted. 
 Through the favor of the loyalists, or the connivance of 
 those whose avarice was stronger than their patriotism, 
 the commanders had hitherto found means to secure ample 
 supplies of fresh water and provisions. General Putnam 
 resolved to put an effectual stop to all such commerce at 
 once, and, accordingly, issued a prohibition in the follow 
 ing very pointed terms. 
 
 " PROHIBITION. 
 
 " Head Quarters, New York, April 8, 1776. 
 " The General informs the inhabitants, that it i-s become 
 absolutely necessary that all communication between the 
 ministerial fleet and the shore should be immediately stop 
 ped ; for that purpose he has given positive orders that 
 the ships should no longer be furnished with provisions. 
 Any inhabitants, or others, who shall be taken, that have 
 been on board (after the publishing this order), or near 
 any of the ships, or going on board, will be considered as 
 enemies, and treated accordingly 
 
212 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 " All boats are to sail from Beekman slip. Captain 
 James Alner is appointed inspector, and will give permits 
 to oystermen. It is ordered and expected that none 
 attempt going without a pass. 
 
 ISRAEL PUTNAM, 
 
 " Major-General in the Continental Army, and Com- 
 mander-in-chiaf of the Forces in New York." 
 
 In the expectation of the arrival of the British fleet, and 
 with a view to protect the harbor and city, and prevent 
 the passage of vessels up the North River, a detachment 
 of one thousand continentals was sent to occupy Gover 
 nor s Island, and put it in a state of defence. A regiment 
 was also detached to fortify Red Hook, so as to command 
 the entrance by Buttermilk Channel. Several companies 
 were advantageously posted on the Jersey shore, and for 
 tifications were commenced, and carried forward with 
 great activity, at every available point. The most active 
 measures were taken to break up all attempts, on the part 
 of the enemy, to hold any kind of intercourse with the 
 shore. The Americans had nothing that could be called 
 a navy, at this time, nor any vessels capable of maintaining 
 a conflict with the British artned cruisers. They could, 
 therefore, with perfect impunity, remain on the coast, and 
 hover about the harbors, as they pleased. Two of them, 
 lying at the Narrows, sent their boats to the watering- 
 place on Staten Island to procure a fresh supply. By the 
 vigilance and activity of General Putnam, one was driven 
 off with the loss of two or three men, and the other, with 
 her crew, amounting to thirteen, was captured. Soon 
 after this, finding that no good purpose could be accom 
 plished by remaining at a post that was so vigilantly 
 guarded at all points, and not being sufficiently strong to 
 attempt offensive operations, the ships withdrew from the 
 
HIS CORRESPONDENCE. 213 
 
 harbor, and put to sei, awaiting the arrival of the fleet., 
 with reinforcements for the army, then in repose at Hali 
 fax. 
 
 Besides the correspondence which he maintained with 
 the Commander-in-chief at this time, General Putnam held 
 free communication, by letter and personally, with the 
 New York Committee of Safety, on all the questions of 
 public interest requiring their attention. At one time, we 
 find him calling urgently for the levies, which were need 
 ed for the construction and defence of his works (Am. 
 Arch., vol. vi , page 1164), and at another making pro 
 vision for guarding the City Records, and other public 
 property (page 1432). Nothing that could in any way 
 subserve the public good, was too minute for his vigilance , 
 nothing too difficult for his industry and zeal. 
 
 In his correspondence with Congress, he shows the 
 enlarged views he entertained of the measures to be adopt 
 ed, and the boldness and confidence with which he enter 
 ed upon the execution of his important trust ; while the 
 replies of the President of that body indicate an entire 
 reliance on the patriotism, skill, judgment, and integrity 
 of the General. Lar^e sums of money are demanded on 
 the one part, and remitted on the other, with the same 
 tone of lofty courtesy, and mutual esteem and confidence, 
 that characterized the correspondence with the Com 
 mander-in-chief. The following extract from the first 
 letter to Congress, written the third day after his arrival 
 at New York, furnishes some of the details of the capture 
 of the boat s crew on Staten Island. 
 
 " Head Quarters, New York, April 7, 1776. 
 " SIR : 
 
 " I arrived here on Wednesday evening last, having his 
 Excellency General Washington s orders to take com- 
 
214 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 mand of the forces in this city, and to erect such works as 
 I should think necessary for its defence ; in which we are 
 busily employed. 
 
 " After getting the works in such forwardness, as will 
 be prudent to leave, I propose immediately to take pos 
 session of Governor s Island, which I think a very impor 
 tant post. Should the enemy arrive here, and get post 
 there, it will not be possible to save the city, nor can we 
 dislodge them without great loss. * * * 
 
 u On Friday, arrived at the Narrows a small ship of 
 eighteen or twenty guns* sent her boat immediately on 
 board the Duchess of Gordon ; soon after which the Go 
 vernor in the Duchess sailed where bound we know 
 not. 
 
 " This morning the ship sent a boat -to the watering 
 place for water. The day before, I had detached three 
 companies of the Rifle Battalion to Staten Island, with 
 orders to scour the shores. A midshipman and twelve 
 sailors were in the boat. She was fired upon, and lost 
 two men. The Riflemen took the rest prisoners, and 
 hauled up the boat. The ship immediately began a 
 heavy fire, and slightly wounded one man. She has since 
 fallen down below the Narrows. 
 
 " I am, &c , 
 
 "ISRAEL PUTNAM. 
 " To the Honorable John Hancock, President of Congress." 
 
 On the arrival of General Washington at New York, 
 which took place on the 13th of April, the same measures 
 
 * The ship here mentioned was the Savage. The account of the 
 attack upon her boat, and the taking of the prisoners, may be found 
 in a very spirited letter from Captain Stephenson to General Put 
 nam, dated April 8th, in which he also speaks of making sundry 
 arrests of persons, concerned in sending provisions, or giving infor 
 mation, to the enemy. Am. Archives, vol. iv., psgc 820. 
 
ARRIVAL OF GEN. WASHINGTON. 215 
 
 were vigorously pursued for strengthening his position 
 there, and endeavoring to render the passes of the Hudson 
 and the East River inaccessible to the enemy s ships. 
 Other measures were also concerted, for the same end, 
 and put in execution with the utmost spirit and despatch. 
 Hulks were sunk in the channel, to obstruct the navigation 
 of the river. The most advantageous positions, not already 
 occupied, on both sides of the North River, and of the 
 narrow passages between the islands, were taken and for 
 tified, as far as the limited means at the command of 
 Washington rendered possible. Of all these works, Gene 
 ral Putnam had still the chief superintendence and direc 
 tion. The defences were well placed, and constructed 
 with a skill and science that was highly honorable to the 
 officers and engineers who planned and superintended 
 them. But they \vere too feebly mounted, and too scan 
 tily supplied with munitions of war, as the sequel proved, 
 to answer the principal purpose for which they were 
 designed. In all the early operations of the continental 
 army, the want of heavy cannon was most sensibly felt. 
 
 The Commander-in-chief, having inspected the works 
 in progress, and carefully examined the condition and dis 
 cipline of the army, availed himself of the first public 
 orders, issued in his own name, to compliment the officers 
 who had successively commanded New York, for their 
 capacity and diligence ; and to return his thanks to them, 
 as well as to the officers and soldiers under their com 
 mand, for the many works of defence which had been so 
 expeditiously erected, and for others so well and courage 
 ously begun. At the same Jjrne. he expressed his confi 
 dence, that the same zeal and spirit would continue to 
 animate them in their future conduct. 
 
 On the 21st of May, at the urgent request of Congress, 
 General Washington proceeded ^Philadelphia, to confer 
 
216 LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 with that body -remaining absent until the seventh of 
 June. During this interval, General Putnam was again 
 invested with the supreme command at New York, with 
 directions to open all letters addressed to General Wash 
 ington on public business, and regulate his conduct by 
 their contents ; to carry on with spirit the works of de 
 fence ; to establish signals for communicating an alarm, on 
 the appearance of the enemy ; and to make arrangements 
 to put the posts in the Highlands into a proper condition 
 of defence. The following letter, taken in connection 
 with the statements given above, of the arduous duties 
 required of him, will serve to show that the life of a vigi 
 lant officer, in active service, is not a life of idleness 
 
 " To MAJOR-GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 u Instructions. 
 
 " SIR : I have reason to believe, that the Provincial 
 Congress of this colony, have in contemplation a scheme 
 for seizing the principal tories, and disaffected persons on 
 Long Island, in this city, and the country round about ; 
 and that, to carry the scheme intu operation, they will 
 have recourse to the military power for assistance. If 
 this should be the case, you are hereby required, during 
 my absence, to afford every aid, which the said Congress, 
 or their committee, shall apply for. I need not recom 
 mend secresy to you, as the success, you must be assured, 
 will depend absolutely upon precaution, and the despatch 
 with which the measure, when once adopted, shall be 
 executed. 
 
 " General Greene will, though not in person perhaps, 
 have a principal share in ordering the detachments from 
 his brigade on Long Island ; of course he will be a proper 
 person to be let into the whole plan. I would, therefore, 
 when application is made by Congress, have you and him 
 
TREATMENT OF THE DISAFFECTED. 217 
 
 concert measures with such gentlemen as that body shall 
 please to appoint, and order the execution with as much 
 secresy and despatch as possible, and at the same time, 
 with the utmost decency and good order. 
 
 11 Given under my hand, at Head-Quarters, in the city 
 of New York, this 21st day of May, 1776," 
 
 The machinations of disaffected persons, or Tories, as 
 they began to be universally called, in the lower counties 
 of New York, had, for some time, excited serious appre 
 hensions as to their effect on the army, and particularly 
 when the British fleet should arrive on the coast. Gover 
 nor Tryon was at their head. His influence in the colon} 
 was great, and justly feared. The Mayor of the city was 
 deeply involved, being the principal agent of communica 
 tion between Tryon and the main body of Tories. The 
 disaffection had even been communicated to the army, and 
 a part of Washington s Guard had engaged in it. The 
 Provincial Congress, in the measures which were concert 
 ed between their committee and General Washington, laid 
 themselves under an oath of secresy. It was then report 
 ed to them that a scheme of junction was forming, between 
 the Tories in Connecticut and those on Long Island, in 
 order to join the ministerial army, and oppress the friends 
 of liberty in the colonies. The result of their action, 
 under the spirited co-operation of the Commander, was, 
 that a considerable number of disaffected persons were 
 seized, and put in confinement; and one, named Thomas 
 Hicks, a member of Washington s Guard, who had enlist 
 ed himself, and induced others to do the same, was tried 
 by a court-martial, and executed, on the 28th of June, for 
 mutiny, sedition, and treachery. 
 
 The following letter from General Washington, dated 
 Philadelphia, June 3, 1776, will serve to introduce ano- 
 10 
 
218 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 ther department of duty, to which General Putnam s atten 
 tion was urgently directed, and to which he devoted a 
 great deal of thought and care. 
 
 " DEAR SIR : I received your favor by yesterday even 
 ing s express, with the several letters and intelligence from 
 General Schuyler, and am much concerned for the further 
 misfortunes that have attended our arms in Canada. I 
 have laid the whole before Congress, who had before 
 resolved to send a considerable augmentation to our army 
 there ; and I doubt not that General Schuyler may receive 
 assistance from the militia most convenient to him, for 
 securing the different passes and communications, till they 
 can be relieved. As to sending a reinforcement from New 
 York, neither policy nor prudence will justify it, as we 
 have the strongest reasons to believe the day not far dis 
 tant, when a large armament will arrive, and vigorously 
 attempt an impression there ; to oppose which, the forces 
 we have, will not be more than equal, if sufficient. 
 
 " Congress have determined on sundry gondolas, and fire- 
 rafts, to prevent the men-of-war, and enemy s ships, from 
 comincr into New York or the Narrows. I must, there- 
 
 O i 
 
 fore, request, that you will make inquiries after carpenters, 
 and procure all you can, with materials necessary for 
 building them, that tney may go on with all possible ex 
 pedition, as soon as the person arrives from hence, whom J 
 have employed to superintend the work. He will be there 
 in a day or two. 
 
 " I am, dear Sir, SLC., 
 
 " GEO. WASHINGTON." 
 
 On evacuating Boston, General Howe had retired to 
 Halifax. His purpose seems to have I een to wait there 
 for the large reinforcements expected from England, and 
 
GEN. HOWE S ARRIVAL AT NEW YORK. 219 
 
 not to approach his adversary, till he possessed a force 
 sufficiently large to act on the offensive, and with such 
 success as would make a very serious impression. The 
 situation of his army was very uncomfortable, however, 
 and the delay of the arrival of the troops from England so 
 great, that he determined to proceed at once to New 
 York, with such forces as were under his command 
 knowing that he could take a station of perfect security 
 in one of the islands on its seaboard, and there \vait, until 
 he should be strong enough to commence his intended 
 plan of operations. 
 
 In the latter part of June, he arrived off Sandy Hook, 
 in the Greyhound, and on the twenty-ninth of the same 
 month, the first division of the fleet from Halifax reached 
 the same place. The rear division arrived soon after, and 
 landed the troops on State. n Island, where there was no 
 military force, with the exception of a small number of 
 men sent to drive off such cattle as might supply the 
 enemy \vith fresh provisions. 
 
 The people of this island, as well as those of Long 
 Island, and the neighboring parts of New Jersey, express 
 ed a favorable disposition towards the royal cause. Gene 
 ral Howe, therefore, chose Staten Island as his station, 
 until the arrival of the expected troops. General Wash 
 ington, foreseeing the distress which would be occasioned 
 by cutting off the supply of fresh provisions, had urged 
 the removal of the stock and grain in the small islands 
 near the coast ; but this, owing to the large extent of the 
 coast, and the necessity of keeping every effective hand at 
 work upon the fortifications, had been only partially 
 attended to, and Howe w r as in a measure supplied with 
 what he wanted. 
 
 The opposition which the British troops had encoun 
 tered in New England, had given rather a serious com-* 
 
220 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 plexion to the war, and proved to the British Ministry 
 the necessity of employing a much larger force, than had 
 at first been thought sufficient, for the suppression of the 
 rebellion. In addition, therefore, to the national troops, 
 they employed about thirteen thousand Hessians and Wai- 
 deckers. 
 
 As had been foreseen by General Washington, the great 
 effort was now to be made on the Hudson. A variety of 
 considerations suggested the policy of transferring the 
 seat of war to this part of the continent. The country 
 on the sea-board being divided into islands, is assailable in 
 every direction by a maritime force, and, accordingly, 
 requires for defence against a conjoint attack by land and 
 water, not only complete fortifications, but also a very 
 large and powerful army. The very same causes, which 
 render this part of the United States so vulnerable to an 
 invading enemy commanding the sea, secure that enemy 
 in the possession of it, after it has been acquired. A naval 
 superiority will, consequently, be nearly always necessary, 
 to drive even an inferior enemy from this post. 
 
 From this position, he could either carry the war east- 
 wardly into New England, northwardly into the State of 
 New York, or westwardly into the Jerseys and Pennsyl 
 vania ; or, if too weak to do either, he could retire into a 
 place of security, and harass the enemy in his neighbor 
 hood, or carry on expeditions against distant parts of the 
 continent. In fact, it left him at entire liberty to choose 
 the scene of action, and the kind of operations by which 
 to annoy his enemy. If he should get possession of the 
 Hudson, he would also be enabled to open a direct com 
 munication with Canada, and have it in his power to inter 
 rupt the intercourse between the eastern and southern 
 states In addition to all this, he would cover his friends, 
 
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. 22 1 
 
 who in turn would supply him with all those necessaries 
 he had so much wanted in his old station. 
 
 The command of the fleet was given to Lord Howe, 
 brother of General Howe ; and they were both constitut 
 ed commissioners for restoring peace to the colonies and 
 granting pardons. Lord Howe arrived at Halifax a short 
 time after his brother s departure, and reached Staten 
 Island about the 12th of July. 
 
 In the meantime, the great decisive measure, which 
 fixed the character of this conflict, and elevated a rebellion 
 into a Revolution, had been adopted, and made public, by 
 the Congress of the United States. The Declaration of 
 Independence, the Magna Charta of American liberty, had 
 received the signatures of the immortal fifty-six. It was 
 immediately transmitted, by President Hancock, to the 
 Commander-in-chief, with a request to have it suitably 
 proclaimed at the head of the army. The following order 
 was accordingly issued : 
 
 " The Continental Congress, impelled by the dictates of 
 duty, policy, and necessity, have been pleased to dissolve 
 the connection which subsisted between this country and 
 Great Britain, and to declare the United Colonies of North 
 America Free and Independent States. The several bri 
 gades are to be drawn up this evening on their respective 
 parades, at six o clock, when the Declaration of Congress, 
 showing the grounds and reasons of this measure, is to be 
 read with an audible voice. The General hopes, that this 
 important event will serve as a fresh incentive to every 
 officer and soldier, to act with fidelity and courage, as 
 knowing that now the peace and safety of his country 
 depend, under God, solely on the success of our arms ; 
 and that he is now in the service of a state possessed of 
 sufficient power to reward his merit, and advance him to 
 the highest honors of a free country." 
 
222 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 This Declaration was received by the army with the 
 highest satisfaction and enthusiasm ; the expressions and 
 behavior, both of officers and men, testifying their warm 
 est approbation of the measure, and their determination to 
 sustain and defend it, to the last drop of their blood. 
 
CHAPTER XVII. j 
 
 THE BRI1ISH FLEET AND ARMY AT STATEN ISLAND. 
 PUTNAM S CONTRIVANCES TO ANNOY THEM. 
 
 Comparative force of the English and Americans Two frigates pass 
 up the North River Confined to Tappan Sea Coniiict with the 
 American galleys CJic-canx-de-frise Described by General Put 
 nam Its ill success The fire-ships alike unsuccessful Bushnell s 
 American Turtle The expedition of Abijah Shipman. 
 
 THE arrival of Admiral Howe with his fleet at New York, 
 and the return of General Clinton from the south, which 
 took place about the same time, placed at the command 
 of General Howe, an army of twenty-four thousand men, 
 composed of the best troops of Europe, and officered by 
 men of tried courage and experience. A further rein 
 forcement of eleven thousand was instantly expected, 
 which would swell their numbers to thirty-five thousand. 
 It was the design of the British to seize. New York, with 
 a force sufficient to keep possession of the Hudson River 
 open a communication with Canada separate the East 
 ern States, where the rebellion began, from the Middle 
 and Southern, where there was still a strong leaven of 
 loyalty to work upon and overrun the adjacent country 
 at pleasure. 
 
 To oppose this large, highly disciplined, and well-ap 
 pointed force, the Americans had, in this vicinity, an army 
 of seventeen thousand troops, of whom little over ten 
 thousand were deemed effective, and fit for duty poorly 
 
224 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 provided with arms without treasure, and almost without 
 ammunition. Ten thousand more were expected, who 
 reached the camp about the first of August. The result, 
 defying all human calculations, is one of those remarkable 
 events, in which the working of an Almighty providence 
 is manifest to every eye, causing justice and truth to pre 
 vail, in the unequal contest with power. 
 
 Immediately on the arrival of the British fleet, an 
 attempt was made to force the passage of the North 
 River, and try the force of the American batteries. Avail 
 ing themselves of the combined aid of the flood tide, and 
 a brisk south wind, the Phosnix of forty guns, and the 
 Rose of twenty, accompanied by three tenders, ran boldly 
 up, and passed the batteries, without sustaining any mate 
 rial damage from the heavy and incessant cannonade, which 
 saluted them from both sides as they passed. Their decks 
 were guarded with ramparts of sand-bags, which served to 
 protect the men from the small shot, and their motion was 
 so rapid, that they remained but a short time within the 
 range of the heavy guns. They ascended to the broad 
 part of the river, called Tappan Sea, about forty miles 
 from New York, where they could cast anchor so far from 
 the shore on either side, as to be out of danger from the 
 American guns. Their object was, to obstruct the sup 
 plies which came down the river to New York, and to 
 cut off the communication between Washington and the 
 army on the Lakes. They frequently attempted to land 
 with their boats, but were driven back by the militia of 
 the neighborhood, on both sides of the river ; who watch 
 ed their motions so narrowly, that for several weeks they 
 were unable to hold any direct intercourse with the fleet, 
 though, by means of their Tory friends on shore, they had 
 contrived to make known to the Admiral their safe arrival 
 at their point of destination. It was probably a part of 
 
PLANS TO ANNOY THE ENEMY. 225 
 
 their design to supply the Tories with arms, and otherwise 
 encourage and assist them in their disaffection. But in 
 this they were completely foiled, by the vigilance and 
 activity of the New York patriots, who, with General 
 George Clinton at their head, guarded every point with 
 so watchful an eye, that they could make no signal for 
 the shore that was not intercepted. 
 
 Several methods were adopted to drive the enemy from 
 this position, and to annoy and weaken his naval force, as 
 well as to prevent further advances of the same kind. A 
 considerable number of galleys, hastily provided in New 
 York, and placed under the command of Colonel Tupper, 
 came to an engagement with the Phoenix and the Rose, in 
 the North River. General Washington, referring to it, in 
 his despatch to Congress, under date of the 5th of August, 
 says : " What injury was done to the ships, I cannot 
 ascertain. All accounts agree, that our officers and men, 
 during the whole affair, behaved with great spirit and 
 bravery. The damage done to the galleys, shows, beyond 
 question, that they had a warm time of it. The ships still 
 remain up the river, and, before anything further can be 
 attempted against them, the galleys must be repaired." 
 
 He then refers to another plan which \vas in pro 
 gress of execution, to prevent the other ships from pro 
 ceeding up the river. " The hulks, and three chevaux- 
 de-frise, that have been preparing to obstruct the channel, 
 have got up to the place they are intended for, and will be 
 sunk as soon as possible." The mode of constructing the 
 chevaux-de-frise* was a contrivance of General Putnam s. 
 It is thus described, in a letter from him to General Gates, 
 dated July 26th. 
 
 " The enemy s fleet now lies in the bay very safe, close 
 under Staten Island. Their troops possess no land here 
 but the island. Is it not strange, that those invincible 
 10* 
 
C26 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 troops, who were to destroy and lay waste all this country 
 with their fleets and army, are so fond of islands and pen 
 insulas, and dare not put their feet on the main ? But I 
 hope, by the blessing of God and good- friends, we shall 
 pay them a visit on their island. For that end, we are 
 preparing fourteen fire-ships to go into their fleet, some of 
 which are ready charged and fitted to sail, and I hope soon 
 to have them all fixed. We are preparing chevaux-dc- 
 frise, at which we make great despatch by the help of 
 ships, which are to be sunk a scheme of mine, which, 
 you may be assured, is very simple ; a plan of which I 
 send you. The two ships sterns lie towards each other, 
 about seventy feet apart. Three large logs, which reach 
 from ship to ship, are fastened to them. The two ships 
 and logs stop the river two hundred and eighty feet. The 
 ships are to be sunk, and, when hauled down on one side, 
 the pricks will be raised to a proper height, and they 
 must inevitably stop the river, if the enemy will let us 
 sink them." 
 
 This chevaux-de-frise was sunk just above the entrance 
 of the Palisades, stretching from JtfFery s Hook, at Fort 
 Washington, to the northernmost redoubt at Fort Lee. 
 But, though much relied on, it proved insufficient for the 
 purpose for which it was designed. The rapid current, 
 changing with every turn of the tide, and continually 
 wrenching the work, so weakened it, that it gave way 
 before the weight, and momentum of the heavy armed 
 ships, and left them a free course as before. 
 
 The fire-ships, before referred to, were scarcely more 
 successful. Two of them were sent up, on the 16th of 
 August, to operate against the Phcenix and Rose, in Tap- 
 pan Sea. One of them boarded the Phoenix, and was 
 grappled with her for some minutes, but she succeeded in 
 clearing herself. The only damage the enemy sustained, 
 
BUSH NELL S AMERICAN TURTLE. 227 
 
 was the destruction of one of the tenders. The men en 
 gaged in this affair, behaved with great resolution and intre 
 pidity. Though the enterprise did not succeed according 
 to the wishes of those who directed it, it so alarmed the 
 enemy, as to compel him to abandon his position. The 
 second day after this attempt, both ships, with their re 
 maining tenders, took advantage of a favorable gale and 
 tide, to run down the river, and rejoin the fleet at the Nar 
 rows. They were handsomely saluted by the batteries, as 
 they passed, and not without effect, though they did not 
 suffer any material loss or damage. 
 
 Among the Connecticut troops, was an officer, named 
 Bushnell ; a man of education, of some what eccentric habits, 
 but of a strong mechanical turn of mind. While at col 
 lege, he had prepared a model of a submarine explosive 
 machine, or torpedo, of a very ingenious construction. He- 
 gave it the name of " The American Turtle." The report 
 of this contrivance coming to the ears of General Putnam, 
 he sent Major Burr, his aide-de-camp, to invite Bushnell 
 to come and see him. After a little conversation, the 
 model was sent for, examined, explained, and highly ap 
 proved ; and Bushnell was immediately furnished with 
 the necessary funds to construct a full machine, and put it 
 in operation. 
 
 In the course often days it was completed. Outwardly 
 it bore some resemblance to a large sea-turtle. Hence, 
 the origin of its name. In the head there was an opening, 
 sufficiently large to admit a man. This apartment was 
 air-tight, and was designed to be supplied with air suffi 
 cient to support life for half an hour. At the bottom, op 
 posite this entrance, was a deposit of lead for ballast. 
 The operator sat upright, holding an oar for rowing for 
 ward or backward, and having command of a rudder to 
 direct his course in any direction. An aperture at the 
 
228 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 bottom, with its valve, admitted water, for the purpose of 
 descending, while two brass forcing-pumps served to eject 
 the water, when necessary to rise to the surface. 
 
 Behind this vessel, and above the rudder, was a place 
 for carrying a large powder-magazine. This was made 
 of two pieces of oak timber, large enough when hollowed 
 out, to contain one hundred and fifty pounds of powder, 
 with the apparatus used for firing it ; and was secured in 
 any place, where it was designed to act, by means of a 
 screw turned by the operator. Within the magazine, was 
 a piece of clock-work, capable of running twelve hours, 
 and so arranged as to be set to any moment, at the will of 
 the manager. When it had run out its time, it unpinioned 
 a strong lock, resembling a gun-lock, by means of which 
 the explosion was produced. 
 
 Unfortunately for the contriver and his patron, this well- 
 managed scheme failed, not, it appears, for any want of 
 skill in the construction of the machine, but for another 
 reason, which will appear in the sequel. 
 
 A brother of Captain Bushnell was appointed to go 
 down with the machine, but falling sick the day before the 
 experiment was to have been made, it was necessary to 
 find a substitute. A sergeant in the regiment from New 
 London, volunteered for this service. His name was Abi- 
 jah Shipman, better known among his comrades as "Long 
 Bige." He was an amphibious kind of a fellow had 
 been in early life a sailor, engaged in carrying u stock " 
 to the West Indies ; and was a genuine specimen of what 
 would be called a "queer fish," or " a live Yankee." He 
 stood six feet two or three inches, was remarkably lean 
 and bony, and full of dry wit and humor. Fear formed 
 no part of his composition, his chief faults were rather 
 too strong a liking for St. Croix and tobacco. 
 
 Before daylight, on a morning in July, Abijah was put 
 
ABIJAH SHIP MAN S ADVENTURE. 229 
 
 on board the torpedo on the North Rfter side, preparatory 
 to being pulled off into the stream, from whence he was 
 to drop down with the tide, and get under the bottom of 
 the Eagle, which was the flag-ship of Admiral Howe. 
 Putnam, Bushnell, Heath, Knowllon, Burr, and many 
 other officers, accompanied him to the shore. The under 
 taking was regarded as extremely hazardous, and no little 
 skill and coolness were required for the successful manage 
 ment of the machine. If he could once strike the ship, 
 and attach the magazine to any portion of the bottom, her 
 destruction was inevitable. But to do this, great care and 
 judgment were needed, and there were many circum 
 stances that might interfere with its successful operation. 
 
 Every thing being ready, Abijah went on board the Tur 
 tle, and was about to screw himself into the air-tight 
 chamber, when, suddenly thrusting his head out again, he 
 exclaimed 
 
 " Thunder and marlinspikes ! who s got a cud of to 
 bacco ? This old cud won t last, any how !" at the same 
 time pulling out an ounce or more of the weed, and throw 
 ing it away. 
 
 The officers, not being addicted to this peculiar indul 
 gence, or having left their boxes at home, the sergeant s 
 odd appeal excited only a laugh. Not even a bit of pig 
 tail could be found, and Abijah was absolutely obliged to do 
 without it for daylight was near at hand, and it was ne 
 cessary he should move, without a moment s delay. 
 
 " Ah ! my brave boy !" said Putnam; " you see how it 
 is we continental officers are too poor to raise even a 
 tobacco plug. Push off, my fine fellow, and to-rnorrow, 
 when yonder Eagle has taken his last flight, some of the 
 southern officers shall give you an order for a keg of old 
 Virginia." 
 
 "Too bad!" answered Abijah, despondingly ; "but 
 
230 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 mind, Gen ral, if the old Turtle doesn t do her duty, it s 
 all because I go to sea without tobacco." 
 
 The machine was towed into the stream, and cast off, and 
 Abijah, in his narrow chamber in the Turtle s head, disap 
 peared under water. For the space of an hour or more, 
 Putnam and his friends waited upon the Battery, expect 
 ing every moment to see the Eagle ascend into the air. 
 When the morning broke, suspense gave way to fear. 
 Nothing was to be seen of the torpedo, and the officers 
 began to mourn for Abijah, as one to be reported among the 
 " missing," at the next call of his regimental muster- 
 roll. 
 
 Putnam had been intently examining the vicinity of the 
 Eagle with his glass, when he suddenly exclaimed, " There 
 he is." The top of the machine was just emerging from 
 the water, in a little bay, to the left of the Eagle. It did 
 not escape the observation of the watchful sentinels on 
 board the ship. A volley of musketry was fired into it, 
 and down popped the Turtle in a twinkling, Abijah not 
 relishing this kind of salutation. Boats were immediately 
 sent from the shore to his assistance, and the Eagle was 
 observed to be getting under weigh in great haste. The 
 sergeant was taken up near Governor s Island. The ma 
 gazine had been cast off, and being set to run an hour, 
 exploded, at the expiration of that time, with tremendous 
 force, throwing up the water in every direction. The 
 alarm on board the men-of-war was very great. There 
 was an instant heaving at the anchors of the Eagle, 
 the Asia, the Chatham, and all the rest. The har 
 bor was evacuated without the ceremony of a salute , 
 and, from that time, till the morning of the battle of Long 
 Island, not an English vessel moved from Staten Island up 
 the bay. 
 
NECESSITY THE MOTHER OF INVENTION. 231 
 
 On landing, the eccentric sergeant gave the following 
 account of his perilous submarine expedition 
 
 "Just as I said, Gen ral ! it all failed for want of that 
 cud of tobacoo. You see J am narvous without tobacco. 
 I got under the Eagle s bottom, but somehow the screw 
 struck the iron bar, that passes from the rudder pintle, and 
 wouldn t hold on, any how I could fix it. Just then I let 
 go the oar to feel for a cud, to steady my narves, and I 
 hadn t any. The tide swept me under her counter, 
 and away I slipped top o water. I couldn t manage to get 
 back, so I pulled the lock, and let the thunder-box slide. 
 I say, can t you raise a cud among you, now ?"* 
 
 The immense advantage, which the British commander 
 possessed over his antagonist, in the well-appointed fleet, 
 under the command of his brother, Admiral Howe, con 
 stituted one of the many inequalities in this contest, which 
 the Americans found it most difficult to overcome. They 
 had neither navy, nor seamen, nor the means of raising 
 and equipping them ; while the enemy, being amply pro 
 vided with both, had every facility for moving in any 
 direction, transporting forces and provisions from place to 
 place, and protecting their movements, and flanking their 
 batteries, by the heavy guns of their ships, as well as cut 
 ting off the communication of their adversary with his dif 
 ferent posts. It was, therefore, of the highest importance, 
 that some efficient means should be devised, to resist, and, 
 if possible, destroy this powerful engine of offence ; or, at 
 least to protect from its approaches some of the most vul 
 nerable and important points in the line of their defences. 
 The best mode of doing this became a subject of intense 
 interest, and deep study, with all those who were actively 
 engaged, in the good cause. From the Commander-in- 
 chief to the humblest artisan in his service, every ing - 
 * Noah s Weekly Messenger. 
 
232 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 nious mind was bent upon devising schemes of annoyance, 
 which should, in some degree, supply the deficiency of a 
 naval force. Necessity, as in all similar cases, became 
 the mother of invention. A variety of experiments were 
 made, and a very considerable expense incurred, in the 
 prosecution of these inventions. Putnam, who was apt 
 and ingenious in such contrivances, devoted a great deal 
 of attention to them, and was encouraged in doing so, by 
 the approval of Washington, and of Congress. From this 
 source sprung not only torpedos and turtles, but chevaux~ 
 de-frise, both in the Hudson and Delaware, with booms, 
 chains, and sunken hulks, row-galleys, fire-rafts, and other 
 devices. It is true, they were not, in many instances, 
 successful. They answered but little purpose, in check 
 ing the movements of the enemy, and only in a few cases, 
 disabled any of their vessels. The ships passed over the 
 chevaux~de-frise without damage. The row-galleys were 
 too feeble to compete with their heavy guns. The fire- 
 ships failed for want of skill in their management ; and 
 the torpedo was lost by an unfortunate sweep of the tide, 
 or, if we may credit the story of Abijah Shipman, for lack 
 of a quid of tobacco. This torpedo was the most promis 
 ing of all the inventions of the day, and would, if success 
 ful in one instance, have done more than any or all the 
 rest, to intimidate the enemy, and take away the strength 
 from this right arm of his power. Not knowing when or 
 where to expect it, he would always have approached the 
 shore with fear and trembling, and Putnam and Bushnell 
 would have been regarded as the ablest and most favored 
 of the defenders of thier country. Whether it was owing 
 to want of confidence in the scheme, or the feeble state of 
 Bushnell s health, does not appear ; but the experiment 
 was never tried again. 
 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 THE BATTLE OF BROOKLYN, AND RETREAT FROM LONG 
 ISLAND. 
 
 Fortifications on Long Island General Sullivan in command, in 
 consequence of the illness of General Greene Landing of the 
 British at the Narrows Sullivan reinforced Putnam sent to take 
 the command His orders Relative position of the armies Gene 
 ral Clinton seizes one of the passes through the hills General 
 Grant makes a feint in the opposite direction General Stirling 
 detached to meet him De Heister advances towards Bedford 
 Clinton gains the rear of Sullivan, while De Heister attacks him 
 in front Sullivan, in an attempt to retreat, is taken prisoner 
 Stirling, attempting to regain the lines, is met by Cornwallis 
 Engages him, to cover the retreat of his division Is made prisoner 
 The greater part of his division escapes Loss of the Americans 
 Washington in the camp, a witness of the battle The difficulty 
 of his position Comments upon the Battle Masterly retreat. 
 
 A PORTION of the American army was stationed at Brook 
 lyn, on Long Island, under the command of Major-General 
 Greene. It was an important position, and its defence 
 \vas deemed absolutely necessary, to secure the possession 
 of the city of New York. It was strongly fortified against 
 an attack from within the island, by a line of defences, 
 extending along the high grounds, from Wallabout to Go- 
 wanus Bay, at a distance of about a mile and a half from 
 " The Heights." The remains of its northern redoubt, 
 called Fort Greene, are still to be seen, between Myrtle 
 and Fulton Avenues, above Navy Street. A portion of 
 the line of intrenchments from that point towards Red 
 
234 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM 
 
 Hook, may also be easily traced, on the south side of Ful 
 ton Street, just below its junction with the A. venue. These 
 will soon disappear before the rapid advances of a popu 
 lous and thriving city, but Fort Greene is to be preserved, 
 in perpetuo, and ornamented as a public park. 
 
 These fortifications commanded, from the various points 
 of their extended line, all the approaches from the inte 
 rior, and from the northern and southern shores of the 
 Island. The rear was covered and defended against an 
 attack from the ships, by strong batteries on Red Hook 
 and Governor s Island, which, in a great measure, com 
 manded that part of the bay, and by other batteries on the 
 East River, which kept open the communication with the 
 main army in the city of New York. In front of these 
 defences, was a range of hills covered with thick woods, 
 extending eastwardly nearly the whole length of the Island. 
 They were everywhere passable by infantry, and were 
 traversed, at three different points, by roads leading to the 
 Brooklyn Ferry. These were the only points, or passes, 
 through which artillery or cavalry could approach. 
 
 On the eve of an expected attack from the enemy, 
 General Greene was seized with a raging fever, and the 
 command of this important post devolved upon General 
 Sullivan. On the 22d of August, a large body of the 
 British, under the command of General Clinton, landed 
 near the Ferry at the Narrows, and marched through 
 Utrecht and Gravesend, across the low grounds at Flat- 
 bush, approaching within three or four miles of the Ame 
 rican lines. Their principal encampment was near the 
 village of Flatland, under Clinton, Earl Percy and Lord 
 Cornwallis. The centre, at Flatbush, was composed of 
 Hessians, under the command of General De Heister. 
 The left wing, under General Grant, extended to the place 
 of landing, on the coast. The landing was effected with- 
 
HE TAKES COMMAND AT BROOKLYN. 235 
 
 out opposition, under cover of the ships that lined the 
 coast Colonel Donop s corps of chasseurs and Hessian 
 grenadiers, with forty pieces of cannon, being in the van. 
 A party of Pennsylvania troops, under Colonel Hand, 
 whose duty it was to guard the coast at this place, retired 
 before them, and took a position on the high grounds, 
 commanding the pass from Flatbush to Brooklyn. Lord 
 Cornwallis was detached to seize this pass, if not in the 
 hands of the Americans ; but was commanded not to en 
 gage with them, if they were there in any force. Finding 
 the pass guarded, he moved on, and took post with the 
 British right wing at Flatland. 
 
 Immediately on the landing of this force, Washington 
 detached six battalions from the army in New York, to 
 reinforce General Sullivan, and ordered five battalions 
 more to be in readiness to join them, at a moment s 
 warning. 
 
 On Sunday, the 25th, Major General Putnam was 
 directed to take command at Brooklyn, carrying with him 
 these additional reinforcements General Sullivan still 
 holding the immediate command of all the troops not 
 within the lines. In his orders from the Commander-in- 
 chief, Putnam was urgently enjoined to put everything in 
 readiness for a resolute defence ; and, in particular, to 
 guard well the passes between his lines and the enemy s 
 camp. " The wood next to Red Hook should be well 
 attended to. Put some of the most disorderly riflemen 
 into it. The militia are the most indifferent troops, those 
 I mean who are least tutored, and have seen the least 
 service, and will do for the interior works ; whilst your 
 best men should, at all hazards, prevent the enemy s pass 
 ing the woods, and approaching your works. The woods 
 should be secured by abattis when necessary, to make the 
 enemy s approach as difficult as possible. Traps and 
 
236 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 ambuscades should be laid for tbeir parties, if you find 
 they are sent out after cattle." 
 
 On Tuesday, the 27th, two days after General Putnam 
 took the command, the attack was made. Agreeably to 
 the leading suggestion in his orders, as well as to the natu 
 ral facilities of the place, he expected the first and prin 
 cipal offensive demonstration to be made, by way of the 
 passes near the western shore. To these, therefore, he 
 directed his first attention. 
 
 In order to a perfect understanding of the details of the 
 battle which ensued, it will be necessary to obtain a clear 
 view of the relative position of the two armies, previous 
 to the engagement. The range of hills before-mentioned 
 lay between them. The British centre, at Flatbush, was 
 scarcely four miles distant from the American lines at 
 Fort Greene a road leading directly across from one to 
 the other. Another road, diverging a little northwardly 
 from this, led through another pass, by way of Bedford 
 village. The right and left wings of the British army, 
 the former near Flatland, the latter near Utrecht and 
 Gravesend, at the Narrows, were each between five and 
 six miles from the American works. From the position 
 occupied by the right wing, there was another and some 
 what circuitous rouie, through a pass on the north, leading 
 into the main road from Jamaica to Bedford. All these 
 several roads met in the plain, between Bedford and 
 Brooklyn, within less than half a mile from the American 
 lines. 
 
 The road first mentioned, leading direct from Flatbush 
 to Brooklyn, was defended by a strong redoubt, under the 
 immediate command of General Sullivan. To this point 
 Colonel Hand had retired with his detachment, on the 
 landing of the British, burning, as he passed along, several 
 parcels of wheat, and such other valuables as he supposed 
 
MOVEMENTS OF CLINTON AND GRANT. 237 
 
 would fall into the enemy s hands. The pass on the 
 other road from Fiatbush, leading to Bedford, was occu 
 pied hy Colonel Williams on the north, and a regiment of 
 Pennsylvania riflemen, under Colonel Miles, on the south 
 The road from Jamaica, on the north side of the hills, 
 guarded hy light parties of volunteers, was less ably pro 
 tected than either of the others partly because less danger 
 was apprehended from that quarter, and partly because 
 the change of command, consequent upon the illness of 
 General Greene, who superintended the erection of the 
 "works, and was thoroughly acquainted with the lay of the 
 land, left the whole affair to the direction of those, who 
 did not fully understand the ground, and who had not suf 
 ficient time, before the action, to acquire a thorough 
 knowledge of their position. 
 
 About nine o clock on the evening of the 26th, General 
 Clinton, having ascertained the weakness of the party at 
 the pass on the north of his position, silently drew off the 
 van of his army in that direction. Arriving at the pass, 
 unperceived, before day-break, he surprised and secured 
 the whole party stationed therv thus cutting off from his 
 enemy all knowledge of his approach. On the appearance 
 of day, his whole column passed the heights, and advanced 
 into the level country, bet.wee-n them and Brooklyn. 
 
 Before Clinton had secured this movement, on which 
 the fate of the day turned, General Grant, being ordered 
 to make a diversion in the opposite direction, advanced 
 along the coast, at the head of the left wing, with ten 
 pieces of cannon. His main object being to draw the 
 attention of the American commander from his left, now 
 exposed, without knowing it, to the whole force of the 
 British right, he moved slowly, skirmishing, as he advanc 
 ed, with the light parties stationed along the road. 
 
 This movement of General Grant was communicated to 
 
238 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 General Putnam about three o clock in the morning, who 
 immediately detached Brigadier-General Lord Stirling, 
 with strong reinforcements, to meet and resist it. He 
 reached the summit of the hill a little before sunrise, and 
 was there joined by the troops which had been already 
 engaged, and were now slowly retiring before the en-emy. 
 Their retreat being arrested by this timely reinforcement, 
 the enemy soon appeared in sight. A brisk cannonade 
 was immediately commenced on both sides, which con 
 tinued for several hours ; while some spirited, but not 
 very effective skirmishing took place between the infantry. 
 Lord Stirling, being ordered to act only on the defensive, 
 was anxious only to keep possession of the pass. He 
 could not, therefore, descend in force from the heights, to 
 bring on a general engagement ; and General Grant had 
 no desire to drive him back, until that part of the plan, 
 which was under the direction of Sir Henry Clinton, 
 should be executed. 
 
 Soon after daylight, General De Heister commenced a 
 distant cannonade upon the American redoubt above Flat- 
 bush, where General Sullivan was stationed. He did not, 
 however, advance from his position at Flatbush, until he 
 had notice that the British right had turned the left, and 
 gained the rear of the American lines. In the meantime, 
 the more effectually to divert attention from the actual 
 point of attack, the fleet was put in motion, and a heavy 
 cannonade commenced upon the battery at Red Hook. 
 
 About half-past eight, the British van having reached 
 Bedford, and thrown forward a detachment to the rear of 
 General Sullivan, General De Heister ordered Colonel 
 Donop s corps to advance upon the redoubt on the hill, 
 himself following with the whole of his division. At the 
 moment that this movement was attempted, General Sul 
 livan was made aware of the presence of the main division 
 
SULLIVAN DEFEATED AND CAPTURED. 239 
 
 of the British at Bedford, and an effort was immediately 
 made to regain the camp at Brooklyn. While retiring 
 from the woods, by regiments, with this view, they en 
 countered the British front. At the same instant, De 
 Heister came up from Flatbush, to attack them on that 
 side. Such was the confusion and consternation, occa 
 sioned by this sudden discovery of an unknown and unex 
 pected danger, that, though General Sullivan commanded 
 the post in person, and exerted all his accustomed energy 
 and skill, with the most determined bravery, he found it 
 difficult to keep his troops together long enough to meet 
 the first onset. The brisk firing from the Bedford quarter 
 had disclosed to his whole detachment the alarming fact, 
 that their left flank was already turned, and their rear 
 completely exposed to the enemy. Apprehending, at 
 once, the full danger of their position, and the utter futility 
 of any attempt to defend themselves in it, they thought 
 only of escaping from the snare, by an instant retreat upon 
 their own camp. 
 
 The sudden rout of this party enabled De Heister to 
 detach a part of his force upon the upper road to Bedford, 
 to fall upon the rear of Colonels Williams and Miles. 
 The American lines, in that quarter, had already been 
 broken, and driven back into the woods ; while the Bri T 
 tish van, led by General Clinton, was moving forward, to 
 intercept and engage those who were endeavoring to 
 secure their retreat alon" the direct road from Flatbush. 
 
 O 
 
 Thus attacked both in front and rear, and alternately 
 driven by the British on the Hessians, and by the Hes 
 sians back again on the British, they were drawn into a 
 succession of skirmishes, in the course of which, some 
 considerable parties forced their way through the columns 
 of the enemy, and, fighting all the way, as they retreated, 
 regained the lines at Brooklyn. Some individuals also 
 
240 LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 saved themselves under cover of the woods, and ultimately 
 effected their escape. But a large proportion of the whole 
 detachment were either killed or taken prisoners. Gene 
 ral Sullivan was among the latter. Surrounded and 
 hemmed in as he was, and with greatly inferior numbers, 
 he made a most gallant resistance, and maintained it, with 
 such force as he had, more than two hours ; bravely illus 
 trating the difference between a retreat and a flight. 
 
 So silently had Clinton s first grand movement been 
 accomplished, and so rapidly had all the subsequent steps 
 been taken, that the American right received no notice of 
 these events, until the firing in the vicinity of Brooklyn 
 announced that the enemy had gained their rear. Lord 
 Stirling was sensible of his danger, and perceived that the 
 only safety for his division was in an instant retreat. This 
 he hoped to effect by crossing Mill Creek, below r the 
 swamp. To this point Lord Cornwallis had advanced, 
 with a view to cut off the retreat of the American right. 
 He took his station under cover of a house near the Up 
 per Mills. To cover the intended movement of his detach 
 ment, by occupying Lord Cornwallis till it should be 
 achieved, Lord Stirling determined to attack him in per 
 son. For this purpose, six companies of Smallwood s 
 regiment of Maryland riflemen were drawn out, and the 
 attack was made with great spirit. Several times, suc 
 cessively, they charged the enemy with great bravery, and 
 with such admirable effect, that they were on the point 
 of dislodging Lord Cornwallis from his post, when, some 
 considerable reinforcements arriving to his aid, at the same 
 time that General Grant, with his division, advanced upon 
 their rear, they were compelled to give way, and follow 
 their comrades in the retreat. They were all, with their 
 General, made prisoners of war. But they had accom 
 plished the main object of their brave attack, by diverting 
 
AMERICAN LOSS AT BROOKLYN. 241 
 
 the attention of the enemy from the remainder of their 
 detachment -who, while they were engaged, succeeded, 
 "with the loss of one man, in crossing the creek, and gain 
 ing the American lines. 
 
 The loss sustained by the Americans, in this battle, has 
 been variously estimated. It was probably not far from 
 eleven hundred, of whom by far the greater part were 
 taken prisoners. The number, who took part in the action, 
 was about five thousand. About -two-thirds of these were 
 with Lord Stirling s division, on the right, most of whom, 
 as is seen above, effected their retreat across the creek. 
 Of Colonel Hand s regiment, and those of Williams and 
 Miles, in the hills between Bedford and Flatbush, a con 
 siderable number made good their retreat. But the larger 
 proportion of the prisoners taken, w r ere from this division, 
 and their number was afterwards swelled, by the capture, 
 at Jamaica, of two hundred of the* Long Island militia, 
 under General Woodhull, whose movements were wholly 
 independent of the army. As General Howe, in his report 
 of the battle, stated the number of prisoners, including 
 General Woodhull and his corps, at one thousand and 
 ninety-seven, the number of killed must have been very 
 small. His own loss, killed, wounded and taken, was set 
 down at three hundred and sixty-seven. 
 
 In the heat of the action, General Washington passed 
 over to the camp at Brooklyn, w r here he witnessed, with 
 feelings, which can better be imagined than described, the 
 utter rout of his choicest troops, without the power of 
 relieving them, or of doing anything to change the fate of 
 the day. General Putnam had already detached from his 
 camp every man that could be spared, consistently with 
 the defence of his own position, on which that of New 
 York, and the army there, depended. It was more than 
 probable that the British commander would follow up the 
 11 
 
242 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 successes of the day, by combining all his forces for an 
 attack upon the American camp. The main body of his 
 army was posted a short distance in front of the lines, and 
 it was supposed he intended to force them by regular 
 approaches, while the ships of war, coming round into the 
 East River, and cutting off all communication with New 
 York, should equally prevent General Putnam from effect 
 ing a retreat, or receiving reinforcements. In this state of 
 things, the numbers of the enemy being greatly superior, 
 and elated with recent success, it would have been mad 
 ness to offer him further battle. The entire hope of the 
 Americans was in continuing to act on the defensive. 
 This was the judgment of Washington, and his council, as 
 well before the battle as after it. The relative numbers 
 and character of the two armies, and their position during 
 the engagement, fully vindicates the soundness of that 
 judgment. The subsequent retreat, and the events con 
 nected with, and following it, disclosing the ulterior de 
 signs of the enemy, confirm and establish, beyond a cavil, 
 the wisdom of that decision, and show clearly that the fate 
 of the whole American army, and with it the American 
 cause, was. at that moment, suspended upon the prudent 
 generalship of a great commander. 
 
 The unfortunate issue of this battle of Long Island, has 
 made it the subject of many and severe comments, by that 
 class of critics, who estimate actions only by the measure 
 of success which attends them. Some have censured 
 freely the Commander-in-chief, while others have laid the 
 onus of blame upon General Putnam, charging him with 
 unpardonable neglect, in not posting a sufficient force on 
 the Jamaica road, to protect the pass. To every charge 
 of this kind, it ought to be a sufficient answer, that he was 
 unexpectedly assigned to that command on Sunday, the 
 25th, and that the pass was taken by General Clinton 
 
COMMENTS ON THE BATTLE. 243 
 
 before break of day, on Tuesday, the 27th. Without any 
 previous knowledge of the posts which had been fortified 
 beyond the lines, or the passes by which the enemy could 
 make their approach, and with scarcely two day** to make 
 himself acquainted with his extended lines, the condition 
 of his forces, and the nature of the grounds without, 
 through a circuit of more than twenty miles there is cer 
 tainly no show of reason, in attributing the disastrous issue 
 of the day, to any lack of watchfulness or activity on his 
 part. 
 
 The first duty of the good officer is to execute the orders 
 of his superior. It is manifest from the orders of Wash 
 ington, that he regarded the pass on the south as the most 
 important, and first to be attended to. To that Putnam, 
 accordingly, devoted his first care, and provided it with an 
 ample defence. It was stoutly defended, as it was, and 
 would have been maintained against all the force of the 
 British left, if it had not been attacked in the rear. At the 
 same time, the other- passes were not overlooked. That, 
 by which Clinton came down upon the plain, was provided 
 with a patrolling party, whose duty it was to report to the 
 commanding officer, any and every movement of the 
 enemy in that quarter. The misfortune was, that this 
 
 * General Sullivan, in his letter to the President of Congress, says, 
 " General Putnam had taken the command from me four days before 
 the action." Colonel Humphreys says it was two days; and General 
 Washington, writing to the President of Congress, on the 23d, four 
 days before the battle, says, " I have been obliged to appoint Major- 
 General Sullivan to the command on the Island, owing to General 
 Greene s indisposition." The only " orders" given to General Put 
 nam, bearing upon this command, are dated of the 25th, to which date 
 Marshall assigns the beginning of Putnam s command. Dr. Sparks, 
 in a note attached to the above-mentioned order of the 25th, says, 
 " Putnam had just been sent over to take the general command on 
 Long Island." 
 
244 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 party suffered a surprise. They were all taken prisoners, 
 and therefore were not able to give the desired notice of 
 the enemy s approach. 
 
 Both Marshall and Sparks fully vindicate General Put 
 nam from any charge of neglect, or oversight, in this mat 
 ter. The latter* says, u He (Putnam) had not time to 
 acquire this knowledge (of the various posts, passes, &c.) 
 before the action. The consequence was, that, although 
 he was commander on the day of the battle, he never went 
 beyond the lines at Brooklyn, and could give no other 
 orders, than for sending out troops, to meet the enemy at 
 different points." 
 
 Judge Marshall says,*f " His (Putnam s) numbers were 
 not sufficient to furnish detachments for all the defiles through 
 the mountains ; and, if a corps, capable of making an effec 
 tual resistance, had been posted on this road, and a feint 
 had been made upon it, while the principal attack was by the 
 direct road from Flatbush, or by that along the coast, the 
 events of the day would probably have been not less disas 
 trous. The columns, marching directly from Flatbush, 
 must, on every reasonable calculation, have been in pos 
 session of the plains, in the rear of the detachment posted 
 on the road from Jamaica, so as to intercept its retreat to 
 the camp. So great is the advantage of those who attack, 
 in being able to choose the point against which to direct 
 their grand effort. 
 
 " The most advisable plan, then, appears to have been, 
 to watch the motions of the enemy, so as to be master of 
 his designs ; to oppose, with a competent force, every 
 attempt to seize the heights ; and to guard all the passes 
 in such a manner, as to receive notice of his approach 
 
 * Writings of Washington, vol. iv., page 513. 
 t Life of Washington. Second Edition. Philadelphia, 183& 
 Vol. i., page 93. 
 
MARSHALL S OPINION. 245 
 
 through any of them, in sufficient time, to recall the troops 
 maintaining the others. 
 
 " This plan was adopted and the heavy disasters of the 
 day, are attributable, principally, to the. failure of those 
 charged with the execution of that very important part of it, 
 which related to the Jamaica road. The letter of General 
 Howe states, that an American patrolling party was taken 
 on this road ; and General Washington, in a private and 
 confidential communication to a friend, says, This mis 
 fortune happened, in a great measure, by two detachments 
 of our people, who were posted in two roads leading 
 through a wood, to intercept the enemy in their march, 
 (one of them) suffering a surprise, and (the other) mak 
 ing a precipitate retreat. 
 
 " The events of this day, too, exhibited a practical de 
 monstration of a radical defect in the structure of the army, 
 // did not contain a single corps of cavalry. Had the Gene 
 ral been provided with a few troops of light horse, to serve 
 merely as vedettes, it is probable that the movement, so 
 decisive of the fate of the day, could not have been made 
 unnoticed." 
 
 A more complete and triumphant vindication of General 
 Putnam, from the charge of neglect, inefficiency, or a lack 
 of judgment, decision, or any other martial virtue, in the 
 conduct of this affair, could not be desired. If anything is 
 wanting to relieve him from all responsibility in relation to 
 it, it is found in the fact, that General Washington passed 
 the whole of the 26th, the day previous to the battle, at 
 Brooklyn, and assisted in all the arrangements for the ex 
 pected action. He was in the camp with Putnam, almost 
 up to the very hour when Clinton began his stealthy ad 
 vance from Flatland, to surprise the fatal pass. With 
 equal clearness of perception, and force of argument, is the 
 generalship, foresight and skill of the Commander-in-chief, 
 
246 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 defended from all reproach, by the same masterly hand, 
 than whom, for his commanding genius, his fearless impar 
 tiality, and his personal acquaintance with the principal 
 actors in these scenes, there can be no better or more 
 satisfactory authority. 
 
 The truth is, that the greatest error, committed on this 
 occasion, was committed by General Howe, in not follow 
 ing up his victory by an immediate attack on the Ameri 
 can lines. With his superior numbers, and flushed with 
 success, he would undoubtedly have carried them, and 
 either killed, or made prisoners of the flower of the Ameri 
 can army, at the same time laying open to immediate 
 attack, on its most vulnerable side, the main body of the 
 reserve in New York. Had he not been greatly deceived 
 in his estimate of General Putnam s real strength, he 
 would certainly have attempted this move, in which case, 
 the great cause of American liberty would have been 
 staked upon one cast of the die, and that, under circum 
 stances, in which all the advantage was on the side of the 
 enemy. 
 
 It may be questioned, indeed, if the defeat of this day 
 should not be regarded, rather as a kind, providential inter 
 position, to save the cause of freedom from a sudden and 
 hopeless overthrow, than as a disaster. It was deemed 
 important and possible, by Congress, by Washington, and 
 by a majority of his advisers, to retain possession of New 
 York. It was certainly desirable that they should have 
 been convinced, by the indirect attack upon the outpost on 
 Long Island, that their main position was not tenable, 
 rather than to have held it undisturbed, as they would 
 have done if the success of this battle had been on their 
 side, till the enemy had driven his ships up the North and 
 East Rivers which he had shown himself able, by favor 
 of wind and tide, to do and landed on the main, above 
 
MASTERLY RETREAT. 247 
 
 Haerlem River, a sufficient force to confine his antagonist to 
 the Island.* Let any one look at the ground, remembering 
 that the Americans had no ships, and but few heavy can 
 non, while the British were amply supplied with both, 
 and he will be forced to the conclusion, that, if Washing 
 ton made a mistake, in attempting to occupy and defend 
 Long Island, in the hope of thereby retaining New York 
 as his main position, Howe committed a capital error, in 
 making his first attack upon that quarter ; and another, 
 of scarcely less importance, in not following up his victory, 
 by a bold assault upon Putnam ""s defences. 
 
 In front of those defences, he immediately fixed his 
 camp, and commenced his arrangements to force them, by 
 a series of regular approaches. But his prudent enemy 
 did not leave him opportunity to finish them. On the 
 night of the day succeeding the battle, Clinton broke ground 
 for the erection of a battery, within six hundred yards of 
 a redoubt on the left. On the same night, the entire 
 American force was withdrawn to New York, with such 
 silence, order, and despatch, that all the troops and mili 
 tary stores, with the greater part of the provisions, and 
 all the artillery, except a few heavy pieces, were carried 
 over in safety, before the movement was revealed to the 
 enemy. At break of day, the British outposts disco 
 vered the rear-guard crossing the East River, and out of 
 the reach of their guns. 
 
 This retreat, in its plan, execution and success, was one 
 of those masterly manoeuvres, which distinguish the man 
 of commanding genius, consummate skill, and inexhausti 
 ble resources, from the mere military chieftain. To con 
 vey, in boats, during the brief hours of a summer s night, 
 across an arm of the sea, half a mile in width, an army of 
 
 * See Washington s Letters of this period, particularly those of tho 
 8th and 14th of September, to the President of Congress. 
 
248 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 nine thousand men,* with all the arms, ammunition, pro 
 visions, camp equipage and military stores of every de 
 scription, required for lines as extensive as those at 
 Brooklyn to accomplish all this in the near vicinity of a 
 watchful and victorious foe, and that without the loss of 
 a single man, is an achievement, worthy of the ablest ge 
 neral, that ever guided the destinies of war worthy of a 
 Hannibal or a Caesar, a Turenne or a Napoleon, a Marl- 
 borough or a Wellington worthy of a WASHINGTON. 
 
 Governor s Island was abandoned two days after, so that 
 the entire force, then under the immediate command of 
 Washington, with the exception of a few detachments 
 in the garrisons along the Jersey shore, was concentrated 
 on the island of New York. In all these laborious and 
 fatiguing operations, during which there was no rest, for 
 mind or body, to the commander or any of his principal 
 officers, the activity, energy, and unwearied industry of 
 General Putnam, were everywhere seen and felt. And, 
 although as commander of the abandoned post, he was 
 retiring from a lost field, it is certain that he had lost no 
 thing of the confidence or respect of his superior, who had 
 been present during a part of the engagement, and wit 
 nessed the difficulties of his position, and the judgment 
 with which he had conducted his arrangements for de 
 fence. In the subsequent dispositions of the army, as 
 will be seen, he was still assigned to the post of difficulty 
 and danger, which is always the post of honor. 
 
 * This was the number that joined in the retreat, five battalions 
 having gone over from New York, on the 27th, after the engagement. 
 The whole number on the island, at the time of the battle, was seven 
 thousand seven hundred the British being considerably more than 
 twice as many. 
 
CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 RETREAT OF THE CONTINENTAL ARMY FROM NEW YORK. 
 
 Extension of the British lines on Long Island Preparations to attack 
 New York Washington prepares to abandon the city Overruled 
 by his council Division of the army Putnam commanding the 
 rear division in the city A second council advises its abandon 
 mentSir Henry Clinton lands at Kip s Bay Dastardly conduct 
 of the American soldiers Imminent exposure of Washington 
 He establishes his Head-Gluarters on the Heights of Haerlem 
 Putnam, with his division, commences his retreat His extraor 
 dinary exertions Stratagem to detain the enemy Mrs. Murray 
 Narrow escape of the division General Howe s position The 
 American posts Successful skirmish with the enemy Colonel 
 Knowlton slain Major Leitch mortally wounded Character of 
 Knowlton Happy effect of this little success. 
 
 THE British General took immediate possession of all the 
 fortified posts on Long Island, extended the line north 
 wardly to Hell Gate, and put the whole in a condition to 
 render him effective service. The two armies were sepa 
 rated only by the East River, on both sides of which were 
 batteries, which now kept up a continual cannonade upon 
 each other ; the exposed lines extending nearly to the 
 Heights of Haerlem, a distance of about nine miles. 
 
 Dispositions were immediately made to attack New 
 York on every side. A part of the fleet sailed round 
 Long Island, and made their appearance in the Sound. 
 Two frigates passed up the East river, receiving but little 
 injury from the batteries, and anchored behind a small 
 island, which protected them from the American guns. 
 11* 
 
250 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 At the same time, the main body of the fleet lay at anchor, 
 close in with Governor s Island now in the hands of the 
 British ready to pass up either the North or the East 
 River, or both, and act against any part of tha American 
 lines. 
 
 These movements, indicating a purpose, rather to effect 
 a landing above, and gain his rear, and thus cut off his 
 communication with the country, than to attack him in 
 his post, General Washington began at once to remove 
 such stores as were not immediately necessary, and to 
 prepare for an instant evacuation of the city. In the latter 
 movement, he was overruled by the decision of a council 
 of general officers, which was summoned on the seventh 
 of September, to advise him in the present exigency. 
 His own opinion, in which Generals Putnam, Greene, and 
 a further respectable minority coincided, was in favor of 
 un immediate removal. The majority, however, while 
 they regarded the post as ultimately untenable, advised 
 that a middle course should be taken between abandon 
 ing the city entirely, and concentrating their whole strength 
 for its defence. It was, consequently, concluded to arrange 
 the army under three divisions ; five thousand to remain 
 for the defence of the city, and nine thousand at King s 
 Bridge and its dependencies ; the remainder to occupy the 
 intermediate space, and be in readiness to support either 
 of the other divisions, in case of an attack. 
 
 The rear division, occupying the city, was under the 
 command of Major-General Putnam. Generals Greene 
 and Spencer were assigned to the centre ; but the whole 
 command of that division devolved upon Spencer, Greene 
 not having recovered sufficiently to appear at his post. 
 General Heath commanded the advance. 
 
 In this position they remained five days days of watch 
 ing, weariness, and incessant exertion during which the 
 
AMERICANS DISGRACED AT Kip s BAY 251 
 
 movements of the enemy were such, as to compel the 
 officers to change their opinion. Everything indicated an 
 immediate attack upon some quarter, though it was impos 
 sible to decide what point they would choose for the assault. 
 It was resolved in council on the 12th, to abandon the 
 city altogether. From this opinion, Generals Spencer, 
 George Clinton, and Heath still dissented. In the mean 
 time, the utmost diligence had been used to remove the 
 stores to a place of safety a work which was attended 
 with the greatest difficulty, the British ships having taken 
 so many positions in the two rivers, as to render the com 
 munication by water of no avail. 
 
 Meanwhile, active preparations were made for the re 
 treat. On Sunday, the fifteenth, those preparations were 
 suddenly precipitated, by a decided demonstration on the 
 part of the enemy. Under cover of a heavy fire from the 
 ships lying in the East River, Sir Henry Clinton, with 
 four thousand men, passed over from the head of Newtown 
 Inlet, and effected a landing in Kip s bay, about three 
 miles above -the city. The works at this place were of 
 sufficient strength to have withstood the advance of the 
 enemy for a considerable time, if the force stationed there 
 had been disposed to offer resistance. But they abandon 
 ed them at once, without waiting for an attack. Two 
 brigades from General Putnam s division, commanded by 
 Parsons and Fellows, being ordered to their support, 
 infected with the same panic, broke in the utmost disorder 
 on the approach of the enemy, and fled. Their command 
 ers made every effort to rally them, but in vain. Wash 
 ington himself, who flew to the spot, was equally unsuc 
 cessful in his endeavors to arrest their flight, and bring 
 them back to their duty. He was so incensed with their 
 dastardly conduct, that he drew his sword, and threatened 
 them with death, if they did not turn and face the enemy. 
 
252 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 But they heeded neither menaces nor entreaties, flying 
 with such indecent haste, as to leave their General in a 
 most exposed and perilous situation, from which he was 
 only extricated by some of his immediate attendants seiz 
 ing his bridle, and turning his horse s head from the 
 enemy. 
 
 Orders were now given to occupy the heights of Haer- 
 lem, where it was resolved to concentrate the whole force 
 of the army, and make a desperate stand against the ad 
 vance of the enemy. To that place the Head-Quarters 
 of the Commander-in-chief were removed, his own resi 
 dence being at the house of Colonel Morris, about a mile 
 and a half below Fort Washington, and nearly midway 
 between the Haerlem River and the Hudson. 
 
 About the same time that the landing was effected at 
 Kip s Bay, three ships of war moved up the North River 
 to Bloomingdale, and commenced offensive operations 
 there. In the meantime, General Putnam, with the rem 
 nant of his division, which was strengthened rather than 
 weakened by the absence of the two brigades that had so 
 shamefully deserted their commander at Kip s Bay, was 
 at his post in the city. It was every hour growing more 
 and more perilous, as the forces of the enemy, taking one 
 position after another, were closing around it. The retreat 
 was ordered at the last critical moment, in which it was 
 possible to have effected it. The enemy, by the advan 
 tage so basely given them at Kip s Bay, already had pos 
 session of the main road, on the east side of the island, 
 which made it necessary to take the route by Blooming- 
 dale. That route, also, as we have seen, was now expos 
 ed, in one point at least, to a raking fire from the ships in 
 the North River. 
 
 Calling in his pickets and guards, Putnam set his bri 
 gades in motion. The day was oppressively hot, and the 
 
Ilk, 
 
aiVERSVTV 1 
 ivMivC"*^ i 
 
 V * ^ r- /X 
 
MRS. MURRAY. 253 
 
 men suffered so severely from fatigue and thirst, that they 
 could scarcely have made a very resolute defence, if the 
 enemy had attempted to cut off their retreat. Some faint 
 ed by the way, and some died at the brooks, where they 
 halted to drink, by indulging in that luxury to excess. 
 Col. Humphreys, who was at this time in Putnam s divi 
 sion, and acting Adjutant to the last regiment that left the 
 city, writes thus of the conduct of his general, on that occa 
 sion : " I had frequent opportunities, that day, of beholding 
 him, for the purpose of issuing orders, and encouraging his 
 troops, flying on his horse, covered with foam, wherever 
 his presence was necessary. Without his extraordinary 
 exertions, the guards must inevitably have been lost ; and 
 it is probable the entire corps would have been cut in 
 pieces. When we were not far from Bloomingdale, an 
 aide-de-camp came from him at full speed, to inform us 
 that a column of British infantry was descending upon our 
 right. Our rear was soon fired upon, and the colonel of 
 our regiment, whose order was just communicated for the 
 front to file off to the left, was killed on the spot." 
 
 The force under Putnam s command at this time was 
 about three thousand.- They were encumbered with 
 wives, children, and all kinds of hangers-on ; with a great 
 variety of baggage, tools, camp utensils, and all the num 
 berless and nameless et cetera, w r hich the ancient Romans 
 embraced under the appropriate and comprehensive term, 
 impediments. These, together with the extreme heat of 
 the weather, the narrowness of their routes, and the 
 perils which surrounded them, rendered the retreat an 
 arduous and difficult achievement. 
 
 Sir Henry Clinton, having met with nothing to hinder 
 his landing, or employ his troops at Kip s bay, immedi 
 ately put them in motion, to cut off the retreat of Putnam 
 whose men he supposed were of the same class of sol- 
 
254 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 diers, with those he had just encountered, and, therefore, 
 little to be feared, whatever might be their numbers, or by 
 whomsoever they might be led. In attempting to effect 
 this object, he was obliged to pass under the eastern side 
 of Murray Hill, where was the residence of a well known 
 and worthy old Quaker lady a true-hearted American 
 woman, and the mother of Lindley Murray, the celebrated 
 grammarian. Feeling that, with his enemy several miles 
 in advance, he could not hope to escape him, without the 
 aid of some well managed diversion, Putnam sent one of 
 his Aids to Mrs. Murray, requesting her, if possible, to 
 detain General Clinton, by offering to him and his staff the 
 hospitalities of her house, and entertaining his officers, till 
 the Americans should have gained the point of the hill. 
 
 Mrs. Murray was well known to many of the British 
 officers, and her polite invitation to halt at her door, and 
 take a friendly glass of wine, was very courteously accept 
 ed. The quality of the wine was excellent. The society 
 and conversation of the ladies was an agreeable episode to 
 the stirring scenes of war, and the hour flew by, before 
 they were aware that it had begun to wane. At length a 
 faithful negro servant, whom she had stationed at the look 
 out on the top of the house, entered the parlor, made a 
 sign to his mistress, and instantly retired. Upon this, 
 Mrs. Murray, rising with the true dignity of an American 
 matron, requested Sir Henry Clinton to follow her, as she 
 had something interesting to show him. Ascending to the 
 look-out, she pointed out to him the banner of Freedom, 
 proudly waving amid the columns of the retiring army; 
 which had now gained the northern side of the hill, and 
 was moving in close array, into the open plains of Bloom- 
 ingdale. Without waiting for the ordinary etiquette of 
 leave-taking, the disconcerted General rushed down, 
 sprang upon his horse, and gave orders for instant pursuit- 
 
HOWE TAKES POSSESSION OF NEW YORK. 255 
 
 It was a beautiful piece of strategy, delicately managed, 
 and ably executed, and proved the turning point in the 
 fate of Putnam s division. Says Humphreys : " Before 
 our brigades came in, we were given up for lost by all our 
 friends. So critical, indeed, was our situation, and so 
 narrow the gap by which we escaped, that the instant we 
 had passed, the enemy closed it by extending their line 
 from river to river." But for the delay at Murray Hill, 
 the extension of this line would inevitably have cut off the 
 rear, and perhaps brought on a general engagement. 
 The British were now landing in force at all the deserted 
 posts. Their numbers, already greatly superior to their 
 foes, were constantly increasing ; and any attempt to 
 accept their offer of battle, would have shown an utter 
 destitution of " the better part of valor." But, though 
 there was no regular fighting, there was necessarily, as an 
 accompaniment to a difficult retreat, and a close pursuit, 
 considerable skirmishing, sharp-shooting, and other mutual 
 annoyances. General Putnam s loss was not inconsidera 
 ble, having fifteen killed, and three hundred taken prison 
 ers. Nearly all the heavy cannon, and a considerable 
 quantity of baggage, stores and provisions, were also left 
 behind, and fell into the hands of the enemy. Most of 
 this might have been saved, had General Clinton been 
 detained at Kip s -bay, by a tolerable defence of that 
 post. 
 
 General Howe now took formal possession of New 
 York, posting a small force in the city, for the preserva 
 tion of order, and the defence of his rear, and planting the 
 main body of his army at the upper end of the island, near 
 the American lines. His right was at Horen s Hook, on 
 the East River, his left extending to the Hudson, near 
 Bloomingdale making a continuous encampment from 
 
256 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 river to river, two miles in extent both flanks being cover 
 ed by the ships. 
 
 The Americans were strongly posted at King s Bridge, 
 the natural position of the place being favorable for works 
 of defence. There was also a strong force at Morris s 
 Heights ; and another at Haerlem and McGowan s Pass, 
 within about a mile and a half of the British lines. Each 
 of these posts was so fortified, as to be supposed capable 
 of being defended against superior numbers. The distance 
 between Haerlem and King s Bridge is between five and 
 six miles Morris s Heights being nearly half way be 
 tween. Of the advanced posts, General Putnam com 
 manded the right at McGowan s Pass, and General Spen 
 cer the left, at Haerlem. 
 
 It was Washington s desire, to embrace every opportu 
 nity to give his men some active service, without bringing 
 on a general engagement. By thus habituating them, in a 
 series of skirmishes, to meet the enemy in the field, he 
 hoped to show them what they were capable of doing, and 
 encourage them to entertain confidence in themselves 
 An opportunity was soon offered to gratify this desire. 
 
 The day after the retreat from New York, several par 
 ties of the enemy appeared in the plains between the two 
 camps.* On receiving intelligence of this movement, Gene 
 ral Washington rode quickly to the out-posts, to order 
 the necessary dispositions to meet it. Soon after his 
 arrival, Lieutenant-Colonel Knowlton, of the Continental 
 division, and one of Putnam s bravest officers, who, with 
 a fine corps of Yankee Rangers, had been skirmishing 
 with one of the advanced parties of the enemy, came in 
 and reported their numbers at about three hundred. Some 
 of them were concealed in a wood, in the rear of a small 
 eminence. The General ordered Knowlton, with his 
 rangers, assisted by Major Leitch, with three companies 
 
FALL OF KNOWLTON AND LEITCH. 257 
 
 from Weedon s regiment of Virginians, to make an effort 
 to gain their rear, and cut them off, or bring them in as 
 prisoners ; while, to divert them from this movement, 
 another party should attack them in front. 
 
 As soon as this attack was attempted, the British re 
 treated with some precipitation, in order to secure a more 
 advantageous position, under cover of some fences and 
 bushes, which skirted the hill. A brisk but distant and 
 ineffectual fire immediately commenced. In the mean 
 time, Colonel Knowlt.on, who had not been informed of 
 this new position of the enemy, having made his circuit, 
 came upon them with great bravery, but, unfortunately, 
 rather in flank than in rear. A warm action ensued. 
 Major Leitch was soon brought from the field, severely 
 wounded in three places. The gallant Knowlton fell, 
 mortally wounded, soon after. Their men, notwithstand 
 ing the loss of their commanders, stood their ground, and 
 maintained the conflict with the greatest resolution, under 
 the lead of their brave and experienced captains. Being 
 reinforced from the camp, they charged the enemy with 
 such intrepidity, as to compel him to leave his covert ; 
 and would have driven him from the field altogether, had 
 not General Howe sent a battalion of Hessian grenadiers 
 and a company of chasseurs to his aid. Not wishing to 
 bring on a general action, or expose himself to unnecessary 
 loss, Washington ordered a retreat. 
 
 In this affair, the loss of the British was ascertained to 
 be about a hundred. That of the Americans was not 
 half that number ; but the difference was more than bal 
 anced by the fall of the two brave leaders, Knowlton and 
 Leitch. The former was a special favorite with General 
 Putnam. He was trained up under his own eye, having 
 entered the army, under his command, at the early age of 
 sixteen, and served with him in most of those brilliant 
 
258 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 affairs, which distinguished his name in the Seven Years 
 War. He was with him in the forest of Wood Creek, 
 where he was taken prisoner. He was with him in the 
 expedition to Montreal, under General Amherst ; and in 
 the closing scene of that protracted conflict, the expedition 
 to Havana ; having been promoted through all the 
 grades, from a private to a lieutenancy, before he was 
 twenty-one years of age. He was one of the foremost, 
 under his old commander, to rush to the rescue, on the 
 breaking out of hostilities at Lexington ; and was the 
 General s right hand man in the skirmish at Noddle Island, 
 and in the battle of Bunker Hill. He was also in the heat 
 of the action on Long Island, and effected his escape with 
 great difficulty. He entered the Revolutionary service as 
 a captain, and, in less than a year, had risen to a lieuten 
 ant-colonelcy. Colonel Burr, who was intimately ac 
 quainted with him, and sometimes associated with him in 
 service, remarked that " it was impossible to promote 
 such an officer too rapidly." He lived an hour after his 
 fall, and had the satisfaction of receiving from the lips of 
 Washington, an unqualified commendation of his conduct 
 on all occasions ; and from Putnam the assurance that to 
 him, and his division, his loss was irreparable. He died 
 at. the age of thirty-six, lamented by the army and the 
 country, but by no one more than the General, who had 
 trained him to war, and knew how well he could rely 
 upon him in the most trying exigencies of the service. 
 
 This little skirmish, though attended with so serious- a 
 loss, had an important effect upon the American army. 
 It encouraged them to face the enemy boldly, and to be 
 lieve themselves capable of victory, under all the inequali 
 ties of their condition. They had wiped away the stain 
 of the previous day, and they resolved* that no such das 
 tardly act should again tarnish the name of the defenders 
 
HONOR TO THE BRAVE. 259 
 
 of liberty. To encourage this sentiment, as well as to do 
 justice to his able and faithful soldiers, Washington pub 
 licly commended their conduct in the following 
 
 "ORDERS. 
 
 "Head Quarters, Haerlem Heights, Sept. 17, 1776. 
 " Parole, Leilch ; countersign, Virginia. 
 
 li The General most heartily thanks the troops, com 
 manded yesterday by Major Leitch, who first advanced 
 upon the enemy, and the others who so resolutely sup 
 ported them. The behavior yesterday was such a con 
 trast to that of some of the troops the day before, as must 
 show what may be done, where officers and soldiers will 
 exert themselves. Once more, therefore, the General 
 calls upon officers and men, to act up to the noble cause 
 in which they are engaged, and to support the honor and 
 liberties of their country. 
 
 " The gallant and brave Colonel Knowlton, who would 
 have been an honor to any country, having fallen yester 
 day, while gloriously fighting, Captain Brown is to take 
 command of the party, lately led by Colonel Knowlton. 
 Officers and men are to obey him accordingly." 
 
 If the army of the Revolution had been composed, in 
 chief, of such men as these, the contest would have been 
 of shorter duration, and the toils and anxieties of the gene 
 ral officers infinitely less severe. But, unfortunately, they 
 were mostly of a different class, while the circumstances 
 and terms, under which they engaged in the war, rendered 
 them far less serviceable and trustworthy, than the same 
 men might have been under a different system. An ex 
 tract from one of Washington s letters of this period, ad 
 dressed to the President of Congress, will show the matter 
 at a glance : " To place any dependence upon militia is 
 
260 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 assuredly resting upon a broken staff. Men, just dragged 
 from the tender scenes of domestic life, unaccustomed to 
 the din of arms, totally unacquainted with every kind of 
 military skill (which is followed by a want of confidence 
 in themselves, when opposed to troops regularly trained, 
 disciplined, and appointed, superior in knowledge, and 
 superior in arms), are timid, and ready to fly from their 
 own shadows. Besides, the sudden change in their man 
 ner of living brings on an unconquerable desire to return 
 to their homes, and produces the most shameful and scan 
 dalous desertions. Again, men accustomed to unbounded 
 freedom, cannot brook the restraint, which is indispensably 
 necessary to the good order and government of an army, 
 without which, licentiousness and every kind of disorder 
 triumphantly reign." 
 
 Such were the unpromising materials, out of which these 
 able officers were compelled to fashion an army, to resist 
 the best troops of the most powerful nation on the globe. 
 It must be admitted that none but the most able and com 
 petent officers, with a righteous cause to sustain, could 
 have accomplished the herculean task. 
 
CHAPTER XX. 
 
 LOSS OF FORT WASHINGTON, AND RETREAT THROUGH 
 NEW JERSEY. 
 
 An attack expected Annoying the enemy Plunderers Howe at 
 tempts to gain the rear of the American army Lands at Frog s 
 Point Advances towards New Rochelle The American lines 
 Skirmishes of Colonels Haslet and Hand General McDougall s 
 post at Chatterton s Hill Assaulted and carried Putnam marches 
 to reinforce him, but arrives too late Washington retires to North 
 Castle Howe turns towards New York Fort Independence 
 evacuated Putnam ordered into New Jersey Loss of Fort 
 Washington Cornwallis crosses the North River Retreat of the 
 American army, step by step, to the Delaware Discouraging 
 prospects Firmness of Washington, and good conduct of Put- 
 
 THE British commander, aware of the advantages which 
 his enemy would derive from a series of partisan skir 
 mishes, under cover of his intrenchments, was as desirous 
 to bring on a general engagement, as Washington was to 
 avoid it. The latter, sensible of his great inferiority in 
 numbers, discipline, experience, and equipment, was, at 
 the same time, confident in the strength of his defences, 
 and his ability to repel, with advantage, any assault that 
 might be made upon them. He, therefore, prudently con 
 tented himself with annoying and weakening his adver- 
 Mtry, whenever opportunity offered, rather than by bolder 
 and more brilliant movements, hazarding his whole cause 
 upon one cast of the die. In constant readiness for an 
 attack, which, if made anywhere, was to be expected at 
 
262 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 the advanced post, at McGowan s Pass, where General 
 Putnam was stationed, he gave orders to General Spencer, 
 who commanded at Haerlem, to be prepared to reinforce 
 that Pass, at a moment s warning. But the enemy pru 
 dently refrained from any attempt upon the defences. 
 
 Among the multitude of cares which bore upon the 
 mind of General Washington, at this period, was the pro 
 tection of the property of American citizens especially 
 that of persons known, or supposed, to be attached to the 
 royal cause. The army was composed, in great part, of 
 men who made no scruple of plundering whatever they 
 could lay their hands upon, and burning, or otherwise 
 destroying, what they could not carry away. Every effort 
 was made, on the part of the General, to punish and sup 
 press this spirit of rapacity, but the means within his 
 power were hardly adequate to the end. On the 24th of 
 September, he addressed a strong representation to Con 
 gress on the subject. " Of late," says he, " a practice 
 prevails of the most alarming nature, and which will, if it 
 cannot be checked, prove fatal both to the country and the 
 army I mean the infamous practice of plundering. For, 
 under the idea of Tory property, or property that may 
 fall into the hands of the enemy, no man is secure in his 
 effects, and scarcely in his person. In order to get at 
 them, we have several instances of people being frightened 
 out of their houses, under pretence of those houses being 
 ordered to be burnt ; and this is done with a view of seiz 
 ing the goods. Nay, in order that the villainy may be 
 more effectually concealed, some houses have actually 
 been burned to cover the theft. I have, with some others, 
 used my utmost endeavors to stop this horrid practice." 
 In these endeavors, he was constantly and zealously aided 
 by General Putnam, who abhorred every species of rob 
 bery and injustice ; and who, in the discharge of the corn- 
 
THE BRITISH LAND AT FROG S POINT. 263 
 
 mon duties of equity and humanity, recognized no differ 
 ence between patriot and tory, or friend and foe. His 
 good offices, in this respect, secured for him the confidence 
 and respect of many among the enemies of his cause ; 
 while some of his own countrymen, whose party prejudices 
 obscured their sense of private right, did not hesitate to 
 condemn a virtue, to which they did not pretend to aspire. 
 
 General Howe, finding that he could neither force the 
 American defences, nor decoy them into an action where 
 all the advantage would be on his side, resolved to make 
 another effort to gain their rear, cut them off from all sup 
 plies, and so compel them to an unconditional surrender. 
 With this view, leaving a sufficient force below for the 
 protection of New York, he sent several frigates up the 
 North River, which came to an anchor at some distance 
 above Fort Washington having passed the batteries at 
 that place and Fort Lee, without material damage. A 
 few days after, on the 12th of October, he embarked a 
 great part of his army in flat bottomed boats, and, passing 
 through Hell Gate into the Sound, landed at Frog s 
 Point, near the town of Westchester, about nine miles 
 above the camp on the Heights of Haerlem. 
 
 Frog s Neck is covered with water, at full tide ; and 
 the Point, on which the British had landed, was connect 
 ed with the main by bridges. These bridges the Ame 
 ricans took good care to destroy ; at the same time, 
 throwing up some slight works, to obstruct the enemy in 
 his march. The road from this place to King s Bridge, 
 led through a difficult country, intersected everywhere by 
 stone walls ; rendering the passage of artillery, or even of 
 infantry in compact order, almost impracticable. 
 
 On the 18th, General Howe, being strongly reinforced, 
 moved forward, with all his force, to New Rochelle. 
 Some skirmishing took place on the march, in which the 
 
264 LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM, 
 
 Americans fought with great bravery, and gained some ad 
 vantages. At New Rochelle, the British army was still fur 
 ther strengthened, and soon commenced a movement towards 
 White Plains. The main body of the American troops 
 formed a long line of intrenched camps, extending from 
 twelve to thirteen miles, on the different heights from Va 
 lentine s Hill, near King s Bridge, to White Plains, front 
 ing the British line of march, and the River Bronx, which 
 divided the two armies. 
 
 It was while the two armies were watching each other 
 in this position, that Colonel Haslet succeeded in surpris 
 ing Colonel Rogers,* " the late worthless Major," as he 
 calls him, at Mamaroneck, taking thirty-six prisoners, a 
 pair of colors, sixty stand of arms, and other valuable 
 booty. About the same time, Colonel Hand, with a regi 
 ment of Pennsylvanian riflemen, engaged an equal number 
 of Hessian cJiasscurs, with considerable advantage. 
 
 General Washington was encamped on high broken 
 ground, his right flank resting on the Bronx, which, by a 
 bold curve at this place, covered also the front of his 
 right wing, extending along the road towards New Ro 
 chelle, as far as the brow of the hill on which his centre 
 was posted. His left, forming almost a right angle with 
 his centre, and nearlj parallel to his right, extended along 
 the hills northward, so as to keep possession of the com 
 manding ground, and secure a retreat, should it be neces 
 sary, to a still stronger position in his rear. General 
 McDougall, with a detachment of sixteen hundred men, 
 principally militia, occupied Chatterton s Hill, on the west 
 side of the Bronx, about a mile from the camp. The 
 river being fordable at that place, his communication with 
 the main army was open. 
 
 General Howe having advanced in force, on the 28th, 
 * Appendix, No. 1. 
 
ACTION AT CHATTERTON S HILL. 265 
 
 to attack General Washington in his camp, determined, as 
 a measure preliminary to a general assault, to dislodge 
 General McDougall from this post. He, therefore, directed 
 Colonel Rahl, with a brigade of Hessians, to make a circuit 
 so as to gain his rear, while Brigadier-General Leslie, 
 with u strong corps of British and Hessian troops, should 
 attack him in front. This being done with great vigor, the 
 militia in the front rank immediately gave way ; but Colo 
 nel Haslet s Delaware regiment, Colonel Smalhvood s 
 Maryland battalion, and Colonel Reitzimer s New York 
 corps, advanced boldly, and in good order, to meet the 
 foe, and gallantly defended their post, till they were over 
 powered by numbers; when they reluctantly retired, keep 
 ing up, in their retreat, an irregular, but not ineffectual 
 fire, from behind the stone walls that lined the way 
 General Putnam, receiving orders to support General 
 McDougall, hastened to the scene of action, with a con 
 siderable detachment. But the post was already aban 
 doned to the enemy, and its late defenders were met in 
 full retreat towards the camp. Notwithstanding this rein 
 forcement, it was deemed unadvisable to attempt to 
 regain the hill, and all moved on, in order, to rejoin the 
 main army. 
 
 The loss in this action has been variously stated by his 
 torians. The most probable report makes that of the 
 Americans not much over two hundred, with nearly double 
 that number to the British. 
 
 A general assault was now momentarily expected, and 
 every arrangement was made for it in the British camp, 
 the whole army reposing on their arms, in order of battle, 
 during the night. But, perceiving in the morning that 
 Washington had improved the night, in adding to the 
 strength of his works, and disposing his forces to better 
 advantage to meet the expected attack, Howe concluded 
 12 
 
266 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 to postpone -further offensive operations, till the arrival of 
 six battalions, which had been ordered up, under com 
 mand of Lord Percy. A violent rain, which fell imme 
 diately on the accession of this reinforcement, occasioned 
 a further delay. General Washington, having, in the 
 meantime, removed his provisions and heavy baggage to a 
 stronger position at North Castle, about five miles distant, 
 availed himself of the darkness of the night, on the first of 
 November, to withdraw his whole army to that place 
 Deeming this post too strong to be attempted with pru 
 dence, General Howe changed his plans, and directed his 
 attention to Forts Washington and Lee, which, being still 
 ably garrisoned by the Americans, proved a check upon 
 the contemplated movements of the British commander, 
 by leaving a well-posted enemy in his rear. His first 
 effort was against Fort Independence, at King s Bridge, 
 upon which a descent was made by General Knyphausen. 
 The garrison abandoned it on his approach, and retreated 
 to Fort Washington, followed by Knyphausen, who 
 pitched his camp between the two forts. In the mean 
 time, General Howe, with his whole force, retired slowly 
 down the North River, towards New York. 
 
 Apprehending, from these new movements, that an inva 
 sion into New Jersey was intended, Washington detached 
 all the troops belonging to the States west of the Hudson, 
 five thousand in number, under command of General Put 
 nam, to provide against such a design. They crossed the 
 river on the 8th of November, and took post at Hacken- 
 sack, which they reached after a circuitous route of sixty 
 miles, to avoid the parties of the enemy. General Greene 
 was in command at Fort Lee, on that side of the river, 
 and was now invested with discretionary powers, in rela 
 tion to the defence of Fort Washington, on the New York 
 side, towards which the British were concentrating their 
 
LOSS OP FORT WASHINGTON, 287 
 
 movements. It had been intended and resolved, by tbe 
 strong recommendations of Congress, to maintain these 
 two posts to the last extremity, The Commander-in- 
 chief believed that this last extremity had already come, 
 and that it was vain to attempt to hold them, in the pre 
 sent position of affairs. General Greene entertained a dif 
 ferent opinion, in which he appears to have been sustain 
 ed by General Putnam, and consequently availed himself 
 of the discretion allowed him, to reinforce Colonel McGaw, 
 with directions to defend the post at every hazard. 
 
 General Howe, in retiring southward, encamped near 
 King s Bridge on the 13th. On the 15th, he summoned 
 the garrison to surrender, on pain of being put to the 
 sword. Colonel McGaw replied, with becoming manli 
 ness, that he should defend the place to the last extremity ; 
 and immediately communicated the summons, with his 
 answer, to General Greene, who transmitted them to the 
 Commander-in-chief, then just arrived at Hackensack. 
 Washington proceeded at once to Fort Lee, and, though 
 late in the night, was hastening over to Fort Washington, 
 whither Generals Putnam and Greene had already gone. 
 In crossing the river, however, he met those officers on 
 their return. They reported the garrison in high spirits, 
 ready and able to make a good defence, and General 
 Washington returned with them to Fort Lee. The next 
 day the fort was carried by storm, with a. loss of nearly 
 three thousand men, by far the most severe that had yet 
 befallen the American army. The loss of the British was 
 about eight hundred. 
 
 The evacuation of Fort Lee was a necessary conse 
 quence upon the loss of Fort Washington, and immediate 
 preparations were made for the removal of the stores. 
 Before this could be completed, however, Lord Cornwal- 
 lis had crossed the North River, with a strong detachment 
 
268 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 of six thousand men, and made an attempt to enclose the 
 garrison, upon the narrow neck of land, between the North 
 and Hackensack Rivers. By a rapid and well-conducted 
 movement, they were so fortunate as to escape, with all 
 their ammunition and small arms ; their heavy cannon, 
 with several hundred tents, a large quantity of baggage 
 and valuable stores, being unavoidably left behind. 
 
 The retreat across the Hackensack, left the American 
 army in a position but little better than that which they 
 had just left. The Passaic runs nearly parallel with that 
 river for many miles. They were consequently in the 
 same danger, as before, of being enclosed between two 
 barriers, which it would be difficult to pass. There was, 
 therefore, no alternative but to retreat still further across 
 the Passaic. Their forces were daily diminishing, by the 
 withdrawal of great numbers of the militia, who, dispirited 
 by their late reverses, returned to their homes as fast as 
 their terms of enlistment expired, so that, by the last of 
 November, Washington had scarcely three thousand men 
 under his immediate command. These were exposed in 
 an open country, amons; a part of the people by no means 
 cordially favorable to the cause of Independence, without 
 intrenching tools, without stores, without tents to shelter 
 them from the growing inclemency of the season. 
 
 A division of three thousand five hundred men, under 
 General Heath, had been stationed among the Highlands, 
 for the defence of the Hudson, and the mountain passes. 
 Another division of four thousand, many of whom were 
 militia, whose term of service was soon to expire, was 
 left in the camp at White Plains, commanded by General 
 Lee, with discretionary instructions, to continue on that 
 side of the Hudson, or to follow the Commander-in-chief 
 into New Jersey, according to the movements of the 
 enemy 
 
GLOOMY PROSPECTS. 269 
 
 Newark, New Brunswick, Princeton, and Trenton, suc 
 cessively fell into the hands of the enemy, as they were 
 successively abandoned by the retreating " phantom of an 
 army ;" and, finally, on the eighth of December, Washing 
 ton crossed the Delaware, then the only barrier which pre 
 vented the British from taking possession of Philadelphia. 
 So rapidly had the pursuit been urged, that the rear of one 
 army was often within sight and shot of the van of the other ; 
 and before one party had completed the destruction of the 
 bridges, by which they fled, the other had commenced 
 repairing them for the pursuit. 
 
 It was the darkest period in the history of the Revolu 
 tion. The campaign, now so darkly closed, had been a 
 continued series of disasters and retreats. The enemy 
 was now in possession of Rhode Island, Long Island, the 
 City of New York, Staten Island, and almost the whole 
 State of New Jersey, and was apparently on the point of 
 extending his conquests into Pennsylvania. The com 
 mander of the victorious army, in conjunction with his 
 brother, the Admiral, had issued a proclamation, which 
 was widely scattered on every side, offering a full pardon, 
 in the name of his Majesty, to all who should take the 
 oath of allegiance, and come under his protection, within 
 sixty days. Great numbers, and among them men of for 
 tune and respectability, had accepted the terms, and gone 
 over to the enemy. Others, especially in New Jersey, 
 took the oath, but did not leave their usual places of abode. 
 In short, so great was the panic, and so dark the prospect, 
 that a general despondency pervaded the continent. Many 
 of the strongest spirits quailed before the accumulating 
 difficulties that encompassed the cause of freedom. Wash 
 ington stood firm and unmoved as a rock. " Undismayed 
 by the dangers which surrounded him, he did not for an 
 instant relax his exertions, or omit anything which could 
 
270 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 obstruct the progress of the enemy, or improve his own 
 condition. He did not, for a moment, appear to despair 
 of the public safety, but struggled against adverse fortune, 
 with the hope of yet vanquishing the difficulties which 
 encompassed him ; and constantly showed himself to his 
 harassed and enfeebled army with a serene, unembarrassed 
 countenance, betraying no fears in himself, and invigorat 
 ing and inspiring with confidence the bosoms of others." 
 Among his principal officers, none was more hopeful, 
 more courageous, more determined than General Putnam. 
 Through all this season of peril, disaster and discourage 
 ment, he was ever at his Commander s side, and was 
 among the last of the fugitive band, that crossed the Dela 
 ware, and drew up its diminished lines on the other 
 side, not to give over the fight in despair, but, like a hunt 
 ed wolf at bay, to turn upon its pursuers with redoubled 
 fierceness, and drive them back from the field they had so 
 lately won. 
 
CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 PUTNAM S COMMAND AT PHILADELPHIA AND PRINCETON. 
 
 Designs of General Howe upon Philadelphia Putnam ordered to 
 defend it Washington s views of the importance of that place 
 Putnam s general orders Conference with Congress His ardu 
 ous labors Battles of Trenton and PrincetonPart intended to 
 be assigned to Putnam Washington s correspondence Ordered 
 to Crosswicks Stationed at Princeton Smallness of his force 
 Captain McPherson Severity and unwise policy of the British- 
 Humanity of Putnam His success in protecting the country from 
 lawless plunderers General Dickinson s successful skirmish with 
 a foraging party Success of Colonel Gurney and Major Davis 
 Major Stockton surprised and taken by Colonel Nelson Severe 
 treatment of Major Stockton The Skinners, Cow-boys, and Ya 
 gers Gallant conduct of Major Smith at Bound Brook Rein 
 forcement of the British army Putnam ordered to keep a good 
 look out towards Philadelphia Little vexations Results of his 
 winter operations in New Jersey Aaron Burr. 
 
 GENERAL HOWE, having now, as he supposed, broken the 
 spirits, as well as scattered the forces, of the rebel army, 
 promised himself a certain and easy victory. His next 
 immediate object was the possession of Philadelphia ; 
 through which so large a portion of the American supplies 
 were obtained, that, in the earnest language of Washington, 
 " upon the salvation of that place, their cause almost 
 depended." With this view of its importance, and with 
 a determination to leave no effort untried to secure it 
 against the approach of the enemy, General Putnam was 
 sent forward to take the command, and to superintend the 
 works to be erected for its defence 
 
272 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 In a letter from General Washington to the President 
 of Congress, under date of the 9th of December, after 
 remarking " that the security of Philadelphia should be 
 our next object," he suggests, that u a communication of 
 lines and redoubts might be formed from the Delaware to 
 the Schuylkill, on the north entrance of the city to begin 
 on the Schuylkill side, and run eastward to the Delaware, 
 upon the most advantageous and commanding grounds. 
 We have ever found," he continues, " that lines, how 
 ever slight, are very formidable to the enemy ; they would 
 at least give a check, till the people could recover from 
 the fright and consternation, that naturally attend the first 
 appearance of an enemy. 
 
 " In the meantime, every step should be taken to col 
 lect a force, not only from Pennsylvania, but from the 
 neighboring States. If we can keep the enemy from enter 
 ing Philadelphia, and keep the communication by water 
 open for supplies, we may yet make a stand, if the coun 
 try will come to our assistance till the new levies be col 
 lected. * * * 
 
 " P. S. General Mifilin is this moment come up, and 
 tells me, that all the military stores yet remain in Phila 
 delphia. This makes the immediate fortifying of the city 
 so necessary, that I have desired General Mifflin to return 
 and take charge of the stores ; and have ordered Major- 
 General Putnam immediately down, to superintend the 
 works, and give the necessary directions." 
 
 The difficulties to be encountered in this new sphere of 
 action, were many and severe. But the hardy old veteran 
 proved himself equal to them all. Here, as well as in 
 New York, there were many persons strongly disaffected 
 towards the American cause men, who, from attachment 
 to royalty, or from fear of losing their property, shrunk 
 from the unequal contest, or lent their aid, secretly, to 
 
SEVERE LABORS IN PHILADELPHIA. 273 
 
 further the designs of the enemy. Many of them were 
 so decided in their hostility, that it was at one time 
 thought unsafe to withdraw the forces from the city, 
 though their aid was much needed to strengthen the army 
 in the field, lest, in their absence, the whole city should 
 declare for the enemy. It was this, as will be seen here 
 after, that deprived General Putnam of a share in one of 
 the most brilliant and successful enterprises of the army 
 of the Revolution. 
 
 The danger apprehended from the steady approaches of 
 General Howe was imminent, and the works of defence 
 were required to be constructed with the greatest des 
 patch. The labor was severe and unintermitting, and 
 General Putnam never spared himself, when there was 
 work to be done, any more than when danger was to be 
 braved. " His personal industry," says Humphreys, who 
 was with him at this time, " was unparalleled, and his 
 health was, for a while, impaired by his unrelaxed exer 
 tions." The city was placed under martial law, and his 
 authority, during his command in it, was paramount and 
 supreme. But he made no unnecessary display of his 
 power, scrupulously avoiding everything that would need 
 lessly disturb the usual order, or restrain the usual free 
 dom of intercourse among the citizens. He made a dili 
 gent use both of authority and example, to conciliate, as 
 far as possible, the contending factions, to win over the 
 disaffected to the cause of freedom, and to excite all the 
 citizens to use their utmost diligence in preparing to repel 
 the expected approach of the enemy. He took good care, 
 as he had done in New York, to regulate and sustain the 
 police of the city, by bringing his own military authority 
 to bear upon it, and by encouraging a cheerful obedience 
 to the laws. The following order will illustrate his care 
 
 and prudence in this respect : 
 12 * 
 
274 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 " GENERAL ORDERS. 
 "Head Quarters, Philadelphia, Dec. 14, 1776 
 
 " Colonel Griffin is appointed Adjutant-General to the 
 troops in and about this city. All orders from the Gene 
 ral through him, either written or verbal, are to be strictly 
 attended to, and punctually obeyed. 
 
 " In case of an alarm by fire, the city guards and pa- 
 troles are to suffer the inhabitants to pass, unmolested, at 
 any hour of the night ; and the good people of Philadel 
 phia are earnestly requested and desired to give every 
 assistance in their power, with engines and buckets, to 
 extinguish the fire. And, as the Congress have ordered 
 the city to be defended to the last extremity, the General 
 hopes that no person will refuse to give every assistance 
 possible, to complete the fortifications that are to be erect 
 ed in and about the city. 
 
 "ISRAEL PUTNAM." 
 
 Soon after his arrival in Philadelphia, General Putnam 
 was called, with General Mifflin, to a special conference 
 with Congress upon the expediency of adjourning their 
 meeting to some place less exposed to interruption from 
 the enemy. By their advice, and urgent counsels, and 
 directly in the face of a vote taken only the day before, 
 the resolution to adjourn was adopted on the 12th of De 
 cember, to assemble in Baltimore on the 20th. 
 
 The labor of constructing fortifications was regular and 
 monotonous, and but few incidents of sufficient interest to 
 be recorded, marked the toilsome residence of the General 
 in this capital. Everything was proceeding well and 
 prosperously under his direction, when he was suddenly 
 called off from this position, to take part in other and more 
 important movements of the army. 
 
 Contrary to all expectation, and to all human proba- 
 
PROPOSED ATTACK ON MOUNT HOLLY. 275 
 
 bility, General Washington, with the poor remnant of an 
 army that had escaped with him over the Delaware, had 
 suddenly recrossed that river, in the dead of winter, and 
 struck a blow upon the victorious and too confident enemy 
 at Trenton, that astonished alike both friend and foe 
 reviving and inspiriting the one, as much as it discomfited 
 and chagrined the other. Before the enemy had quite 
 recovered from the panic occasioned by this masterly 
 movement, the American general had crossed the Dela 
 ware the second time, and, prudently avoiding the prof- 
 ferred encounter with Lord Cornwallis, had struck another 
 blow upon Princeton, killing and capturing almost an 
 entire regiment. 
 
 It was a part of his original design, in planning these 
 bold movements, to unite the troops employed in fortify 
 ing Philadelphia, with those of Brigadier-General Cad- 
 wallader at Bristol, and to place the whole under the 
 command of General Putnam, with a view to carrying the 
 post at Mount Holly, about ten miles back of Burlington, 
 where the advanced guard of the British army was posted. 
 But so alarming were the indications, at that time, of an 
 insurrection in the city, in favor of the royal cause, that 
 the execution of this part of the plan was entrusted to 
 General Cadvvallader alone ; and General Putnam remain 
 ed at his post, to prosecute the works of defence which 
 were to guard against an invading enemy from without, 
 and to quell the incipient organization of a more dangerous 
 enemy within. He was, therefore, denied the opportu 
 nity which to his active and enterprising spirit would 
 have seemed one of the privileges of the service of sharing 
 in two of the most brilliant achievements which distin 
 guished the Revolutionary War. Had the original plan 
 been carried out, and the river been found passable, at the 
 place appointed for crossing, there is no doubt that it 
 
276 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 would have been completely successful, and greatly en 
 hanced the advantages of that glorious day. It was ascer 
 tained, by persons despatched to reconnoitre the post at 
 Mount HoHy, that the soldiers were in a state of compara 
 tive helplessness from intoxication having indulged freely 
 in spirituous liquors the preceding day, which was Christ 
 mas-day. There was no apprehension of danger, and no 
 precaution to guard against it. 
 
 On the eve of the execution of the first of these enter 
 prises, the Commander-in-chief addressed a letter to Gene 
 ral Putnam, expressing his great satisfaction in learning 
 the improved state of his health which had been impair 
 ed by his excessive labors and exposures and informing 
 him that the design of the enemy to gain early possession 
 of Philadelphia, was fully confirmed, by an intercepted 
 letter from a gentleman of Philadelphia, who had joined 
 the enemy, to his partner in that city, which declared that 
 their plans were laid to enter it within twenty days, or as 
 soon as the ice in the river should be sufficiently strong to 
 enable them to transport their artill-ry across it. He 
 added, that, if the citizens of Philadelphia had any regard 
 for the town, not a moment s time was to be lost, until 
 it should be put in the best possible posture of defence. 
 Fearing that, through their indifference, or the want of 
 time to accomplish it, this would not be done, he directed 
 all the public stores, except such as were necessary for 
 immediate use, to be removed at once to places of greater 
 security. 
 
 Ten days after, on the 5th of January, 1777, Washing 
 ton wrote to Putnam, from Pluckemin, giving an account 
 of his second successful stroke, and expressing the hope 
 as the enemy appeared to be quite panic-struck that he 
 should be able to drive them out of the Jerseys. The 
 new aspect which their late brilliant successes had put 
 
TAKES POST AT PRINCETON. 277 
 
 upon the American cause, so completely changed the cur 
 rent of popular opinion, that the defection of Philadelphia 
 was BO longer feared, and Putnam could now be spared 
 from that post. He was, accordingly, ordered to take the 
 field, and assist in pushing the advantages so unexpectedly 
 gained. u It is thought advisable for you," continues the 
 letter, " to march the troops under your command to Cross- 
 wicks, and keep a strict watch upon the enemy in that 
 quarter. If the enemy continues at Brunswick, you must 
 act with great circumspection, lest you meet with a sur 
 prise. As we have made two successful attacks upon 
 them by surprise, if there is any possibility of retaliating, 
 they will attempt it. You will give out your strength to 
 be twice as great as it is.* Forward on all the baggage 
 and scattered troops belonging to this division of the army 
 as soon as may be. 
 
 " You will keep as many spies out as you shall see 
 proper. A number of horsemen, in the dress of the coun 
 try, must be constantly kept going backwards and forwards 
 for this purpose, and if you discover any motion of the 
 enemy, which you can depend upon, and which you think 
 of consequence, let me be informed thereof as soon as 
 possible, by express. 
 
 " I am, dear General, yours, &c." 
 
 In obedience to these orders, General Putnam took the 
 field at once, leaving suitable directions for the prosecution 
 of the works of defence in the city. The design of the 
 Americans was to hold the advantages already gained, arid 
 to harass the enemy, by all the means in their power for 
 
 * So successfully was this species of deception practised upon the 
 enemy, that letters from officers in the army to their fiiends in 
 England, represented the Americans, at this very time, as forty thou 
 sand strong. See Almon s Remembrancer. 
 
278 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 they had neither men nor ammunition to attempt a battle. 
 They had succeeded in driving them from all their newly 
 acquired posts in the Jerseys, except Brunswick and Am- 
 boy, and had thus opened to themselves a large field for 
 supplies, and given encouragement to multitudes of those, 
 who, while they were at heart friendly to the American 
 cause, had begun to despair of ever bringing it to a suc 
 cessful issue. 
 
 Putnam s first movement was to Crosswicks, a few 
 miles southeast of Trenton, on one of the routes by which 
 the enemy might attempt to regain his lost position at 
 Mount Holly. As no attempt was made to do this, and 
 Howe s forces seemed to be concentrating for winter quar 
 ters, Putnam was ordered to advance to Princeton. At 
 this post he continued, during the remainder of the winter, 
 within fifteen miles from the enemy s stronghold at Bruns 
 wick. His force was exceedingly small, never more than 
 a few hundred. At one period, from a sudden diminution, 
 occasioned by the withdrawal of those whose terms of 
 enlistment had expired, and who peremptorily refused to 
 remain till their places could be supplied by new recruits, 
 he had fewer men on duty than he. had miles of frontier 
 to guard. There was no time, during the winter, when 
 he could have sustained, for a single hour, the attack of a 
 respectable body of regulars. Yet, so good a front did he 
 maintain, and so successfully did he blind the eyes of his 
 adversary to his real position and strength, that no effort 
 was made to dislodge him. 
 
 Among the British who were left on the field at the 
 battle of Princeton, was Captain M Pherson, of the 17th 
 regiment, a very worthy Scotchman, who was desperately 
 wounded through the lungs. He had been left for dead, 
 and on General Putnam s arrival on the ground, he found 
 him languishing in extreme distress, without a surgeon, 
 
STORY OF M PHERSON. 279 
 
 without a single accommodation, and without a friend to 
 solace the troubled spirit in the hour of death. He visited 
 him, and immediately caused every possible comfort to be 
 administered to him. Captain M ; Pherson, who, contrary 
 to all appearances, recovered, after having demonstrated 
 to General Putnam the dignified sense of obligations which 
 a generous mind wishes not to conceal, one day, in familiar 
 conversation, demanded " Pray, Sir, what countryman 
 are you ?" "An American," answered the latter. " Not 
 a Yankee ?" said the other. " A full blooded one," 
 replied the General. " I am sorry for that," rejoined 
 M Pherson, " I did not think there could be so much 
 goodness and generosity in an American, or, indeed, in 
 anybody but a Scotchman." 
 
 While the recovery of Captain M Pherson was doubt 
 ful, he desired that General Putnam would allow a friend 
 in the British army at Brunswick, to come and assist him 
 in making out his will. Putnam had then only fifty men 
 in his command the remainder being out, in detachments, 
 to cover and protect the country. He \vas, consequently, 
 very much embarrassed by this proposition. He was not 
 content that a British officer should have an opportunity 
 to spy out his weakness, nor was it in his nature to refuse 
 complying v th a dictate of humanity. He luckily 
 thought of an expedient, which he hastened to put into 
 practice. A flag of truce was despatched with Captain 
 M Pherson s request, but under an injunction not to return 
 until after dark. In the evening, lights were placed in all 
 the rooms of the College, and in every apartment of the 
 vacant houses throughout the town. During the whole 
 night, the fifty men, sometimes all together, and sometimes 
 in small detachments, were marched from different quar 
 ters, by the house in which M Pherson lay. It was 
 afterwards known, that M Pherson s friend, on his return, 
 
280 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 reported that General Putnam s army, upon the most mo 
 derate calculation, could not consist of less than four or 
 five thousand men. 
 
 The harshness and cruelty of the invaders, and particu 
 larly the German mercenaries, during the period of their 
 temporary occupancy of New Jersey, reacted with a most 
 salutary effect upon the American cause, alienating from 
 the British interest the affections of those who had been 
 hitherto loyal, confirming in their opposition those who 
 had before espoused the cause of liberty, and rousing to 
 instant and spirited revolt such as had been compelled to 
 take sides with the conquerors, or at least to render a 
 seeming submission. The humane and generous treatment 
 they everywhere experienced at the hands of Washington, 
 and his compeers, settled for ever the question of their 
 allegiance ; and, from the time when General Howe eva 
 cuated his short-lived possessions on and about the Dela 
 ware, there were no truer or more devoted supporters of 
 the cause of independence in the States, than those of New 
 Jersey. 
 
 While affording every possible protection to the persons 
 and property of American citizens, the principal officers, in 
 their various stations, seemed constantly to vie with each 
 other, in giving proofs of vigilance, enterprise, and valor, 
 against the common foe. The numbers under the com 
 mand of each were necessarily very small. But they 
 were always on the alert for opportunities to annoy the 
 enemy, incessantly hovering, in small scouting parties, 
 about their quarters, interrupting their communications, 
 cutting off their supplies, surprising their foraging parties 
 and pickets, and, in every other way, showing them that, 
 though broken, they were not subdued. They maintained 
 a constant communication with each other, and, by mutual 
 counsel and assistance, and a perfect harmony of opera- 
 
SKIRMISHING. 281 
 
 tion, contrived, in a great measure, to remedy the evil ot 
 scanty numbers, and scattered posts. 
 
 Lord Cornwallis was in command of the British forces 
 at New Brunswick. General Dickinson, of New Jersey, 
 was stationed on the west side of Millstone river, not far 
 from Somerset Court- House, and about ten miles from 
 New Brunswick. On the opposite side of the river was 
 a mill, in which was deposited a large quantity of flour. 
 Tempted by such a booty, of which he was in no small 
 need, Lord Cornwallis sent out a party, about the 25th of 
 January, with wagons and horses, to seize the flour, and 
 collect such forage as fell in their way. While engaged 
 in this enterprise, General Dickinson fell upon them in a 
 most spirited manner, and drove them back, with some 
 loss, taking from them forty wagons, and upwards of a 
 hundred valuable horses, with a considerable number of 
 sheep and cattle, which they had collected on their march. 
 The two parties were nearly equal in number. The 
 bridge over the Millstone was in possession of the British, 
 and defended by their field-pieces ; so that General Dickin 
 son, to accomplish his purpose, was compelled to break 
 the ice, and cross the river in three feet of water. 
 
 General Putnam was still more successful in several 
 expeditions, undertaken by his orders, during this trying 
 winter. In the course of January, Colonel Gurney and 
 Major Davis were detached from his command, with such 
 parties of militia as could be spared from the garrisons, to 
 protect the citizens of Monmouth county from the preda 
 tory incursions of the royalists, to which they were much 
 exposed. Several severe skirmishes took place, in which 
 the British invariably were the sufferers, losing large num 
 bers of men, as well as horses and wagons. So well, in 
 deed, did they cover the country, for a season, as to induce 
 many of the most respectable inhabitants to declare, that 
 
282 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM 
 
 for the security of their persons, as well as the salvation 
 of their property, they were wholly indebted to the spirited 
 exertions, and well-conducted manreuvres, of these two 
 detachments. Nor was this the only service rendered by 
 such parties. While they rescued the country from the 
 tyranny and depredations of the tories, they encouraged the 
 militia to come boldly out, and embody themselves for their 
 own defence. 
 
 On the expiration of their term of service, which hap 
 pened soon after, Putnam was compelled to part even 
 with such valuable and efficient coadjutors as these. 
 How reluctantly he parted with them, in the then reduced 
 state of his forces, may be gathered from the following let 
 ter, dated 
 
 " Princeton, February 5, 1777. 
 
 " To MAJOR JOHN DAVIS, of the Third Battalion of Cum 
 berland County Militia. 
 
 " SIR I am much obliged to you for your activity, 
 vigor and diligence, since you have been under my com 
 mand. You will now march your men to Philadelphia, 
 and there discharge them, returning into the store all the 
 ammunitions, arms and accoutrements you received at that 
 place. 
 
 " I am, sir, your humble servant, 
 
 " ISRAEL PUTNAM." 
 
 Two weeks after this, having received information that 
 a considerable party of refugees, in the pay of the British 
 commander, had taken post at Lawrence s Neck, and were 
 proceeding to erect some works of defence there, General 
 Putnam despatched Colonel Nelson, of Brunswick, with 
 one hundred and fifty men, with orders to surprise and 
 take them prisoners. That able officer conducted the 
 Affair with so much secresy and decision, that the entire 
 
MAJOR STOCKTON AND THE SKINNERS. 2S3 
 
 party was secured, with their arms, and considerable 
 booty. They were about sixty in number, and were com 
 manded by Major Stockton, having been detached, on this 
 service, from the brigade of the celebrated General Cort- 
 landt Skinner, a New Jersey royalist, who, with his corps 
 of kindred spirits, had taken advantage of General Howe s 
 gracious Proclamation of pardon, and given in their adhe 
 sion to the King. 
 
 In a letter to the Council of Safety for Pennsylvania, 
 dated at Princeton, February IS, 1777, General Putnam 
 thus speaks of Nelson s success, and commends the good 
 conduct of the party : 
 
 " Yesterday evening, Colonel Nelson, with a hundred 
 and fifty men, at Lawrence s Neck, attacked sixty men of 
 Cortlandt Skinner s Brigade, commanded by the enemy s 
 RENOWNED LAND-PIRATE, Major Richard Stockton, routed 
 them, and took the whole prisoners. Among them the 
 Major, a captain, and three subalterns, with seventy stands 
 of arms. Fifty of the Bedford, Pennsylvania, Riflemen 
 behaved like veterans." 
 
 As has been already remarked, General Putnam was 
 proverbially lenient to his prisoners, so much so as some 
 times to incur the censure of those who had not learned to 
 make the proper distinction between an armed and an 
 unarmed foe. In the case of Major Stockton, he exer 
 cised an unusual severity, sending him to Philadelphia in 
 irons, and ordering him to be placed in strict confinement 
 there. The particular reason for this severe treatment 
 does not appear in any of the official documents of the day, 
 so far as I have had opportunity to examine them. Ge 
 neral Washington, writing, on the 10th of March, to Ge 
 neral Gates, then in command at Philadelphia, says, " I 
 am informed that General Putnam sent to Philadelphia in 
 irons, Major Stockton, taken upon the Raritan, and that 
 
284 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 he continues in strict confinement. I think we ou-ht to 
 
 o 
 
 avoid putting in practice, what we have so loudly com 
 plained of, the cruel treatment of prisoners. I therefore 
 desire, that, if there is a necessity for confinement, it may 
 be made as easy and comfortable as possible to Major 
 Stockton and his officers. This man, I believe, has been 
 very active and mischievous, but we took him in arms, as 
 an officer of the enemy, and by the rules of war, we are 
 obliged to treat him as such, and not as a felon." 
 
 General Cortlandt Skinner, and his corps, were so no 
 torious for their cruel depredations upon the property of 
 American citizens, that his name became a familiar appel 
 lative for that class of land-pirates, from whom the coun 
 try suffered, if possible, more severely than from their 
 British enemies, or even their mercenary German allies. 
 The Yagers, the Cow-Boys, and the Skinners, were but 
 different names for the three grades of lawless banditti, 
 that prowled about the precincts of the two armies, in 
 quest only of plunder, and reckless of the means of obtain 
 ing it. The Yagers and the Cowboys plundered both par 
 ties alike, indifferent to whom the booty belonged, so that 
 they could secure it for their own use. The Skinners, 
 though Americans, plundered only their own countrymen, 
 and served the British as the dastardly jackal serves the 
 lion. They were mere patricides, who, for British gold, 
 sold themselves to rob the houses and fields, and cut the 
 throats, of their more patriotic neighbors and relatives. It 
 was this that made them so peculiarly obnoxious to our 
 people. And it was, probably, either on account of some 
 peculiar acts of violence and outrage that he had commit 
 ted, or from some special danger to be apprehended from 
 suffering him to go at large on his parole, that the humane 
 General Putnam distinguished him from ordinary prisoners 
 by a close confinement. When General Lee was made a 
 prisoner by the British, General Howe refused to receive 
 
M A j . SMITH S GALLANT ENTERPRISE. 285 
 
 his parole, on the ground that he was a deserter from the 
 British service, and should be treated rather as a traitor to 
 his king, than as an ordinary American prisoner. If there 
 was even a show of justice or reason in this case, it was 
 surely no great stretch of the same general principle, to ac 
 cord to any of the Skinners, and especially to Major 
 Stockton, the distinction of irons, and a guarded cell. 
 
 Shortly after the capture of Stockton and his detach 
 ment, General Putnam received, from his scouts, intelli 
 gence of another party of foragers, sent out by Lord Corn- 
 wallis towards Bound Brook. Immediately detaching 
 Major Smith, with a few riflemen, to hang on the rear of 
 the party, and annoy them, till he should come up, he 
 made his dispositions to follow, with all the little force at 
 his command. Before he reached the ground, however, 
 the gallant Major, eager to secure for himself the honors 
 of the day, had laid an ambush, sprung upon and surprised 
 the enemy, killed several of his horses, and driven him 
 back, with the loss of several prisoners and sixteen bag 
 gage-wagons his own little band sustaining no injury in 
 life or limb. 
 
 A large accession of strength to the British army in 
 Brunswick, which took place towards the latter end of 
 February, induced General Washington to believe, that 
 another movement towards the Delaware would soon be 
 made, with a view to gaining possession of Philadelphia. 
 He accordingly wrote to General Putnam, advising him of 
 this reinforcement of the enemy, and directing him to be 
 ever on the alert, and prepared for any movement that 
 might take place. In case it should appear that Phila 
 delphia was to be their object, Putnam was to cross the 
 river at once, with such force as might be then at his dis 
 posal, assume the command of the militia, who might as 
 semble, secure all the boats on the west side of the Dela 
 ware, and adopt every other measure that he might deem 
 
286 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 necessary, to facilitate the passage of the rest of the army, 
 if circumstances should require them again to retire from 
 the Jerseys ; the possession of which he, at the same time, 
 resolved to contest, inch by inch. 
 
 But Lord Cornwallis, notwithstanding his vastly supe 
 rior advantages, was in no haste to advance. The two 
 armies retained their relative position some two months 
 longer, undisturbed by any event of greater importance 
 than an occasional skirmish between their foraging and 
 scouting parties. 
 
 General Putnam continued at his post in Princeton, un 
 til near the middle of May, when a more important ser 
 vice was assigned him, in the northern department. Dur 
 ing his command in New Jersey, a period of four winter 
 months, he had, by his several parties, taken from the 
 enemy nearly a thousand prisoners, and more than a hun 
 dred and twenty baggage wagons, besides a large amount 
 of other valuable booty. At one time, about the first of 
 February, in an enterprise, the details of which are not 
 given, he took ninety-six wagons, laden with provisions, 
 on their way to the British army.* At another, as above 
 described, sixteen. In services of this kind, he was not 
 excelled by any other officer in the American army. Dur 
 ing all this period, Major Aaron Burr was attached to his 
 staff, and lived with him as a member of his family. This 
 singularly gifted man, though not more deficient in ambi 
 tion than in gallantry and intrigue, wrote to a friend, on 
 the 7th of March, from Princeton, remarking, that, as for 
 promotion, he did not expect it, and hardly desired it ; 
 and adding, as the only apparent reason for his content 
 ment, " I am at present quite happy in the esteem and 
 entire confidence of my good old General." 
 
 * Almon s Remembrancer. It was probably one of the expeditions 
 under the direction of Major Davis. 
 
CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 PUTNAM S COMMAND IN THE HIGHLANDS. 
 
 Importance of the Highlands Destruction of American stores at 
 Peekskill and Danbury Good conduct of McDougall, Arnold and 
 Wooster Generals Greene and Knox examine the posts in the 
 Highlands, and advise a mode of defence General Putnam put 
 in command at Peekskill, with directions to carry out that plan 
 Obstructions in the river Arduous labors and exposures of Put 
 nam Washington s opinion of his character Desires him to 
 surprise the enemy s post at King s Bridge Abandons the project, 
 and removes his camp to Middlebrook Putnam s force greatly 
 reduced to reinforce the main army Reduced still further, to sup 
 port General Schuyler, on the north Doubtful movements of the 
 enemy Marches and countermarches of the Americans First 
 anniversary of the Declaration of Independence Evacuation of 
 Ticonderoga, and advance of Burgoyne American force concen 
 trated, in the Highlands Howe s clumsy attempt to deceive Wash 
 ington The latter withdraws his force again into New Jersey 
 Orders and countermands Edmund Palmer, the spy, in Putnam s 
 camp. 
 
 THE British having just organized a considerable army in 
 the north, for which it was important to open a free com 
 munication with their centre of operations in New York, 
 the possession of the North River, and of the passes of the 
 Highlands, became a matter of deep interest to both par 
 ties. Washington had always foreseen the necessity of 
 holding these passes not only for commanding supplies 
 from the interior of New York, and guarding the western 
 frontier of New England, but for cutting off the commu 
 nication of the enemy with their loyal supporters in 
 
2SS LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 Canada. On retiring into New Jersey, near the close of 
 the previous year, he had stationed a considerable force at 
 Peekskill, under the command of General Heath. It 
 was only in an extreme exigency, when it became neces 
 sary to concentrate all his force upon the one object of 
 driving the ene,my from the Jerseys, that he withdrew a 
 considerable portion of that force, for a brief season. 
 
 The recent successful attempts of the enemy to destroy 
 the stores collected at Peekskill, and at Danbury in Con 
 necticut, indicated not only a watchfulness in that direc 
 tion, but a purpose to force a passage that way for more 
 extensive and important operations. In the former of 
 these affairs, General McDougall, under the most unfa 
 vorable circumstances, had gained for himself the praise 
 of prudent generalship. In the latter, Arnold had shown 
 the coolness, intrepidity, and energy, for which he was 
 conspicuous ; and the veteran Wooster, in the seventieth 
 year of his age, had exhibited a spirit, zeal, and bravery, 
 worthy of the best days of his youth, in attacking the 
 retiring foe, with a few raw, undisciplined troops, has 
 tily collected from the highways and hedges, and gallantly 
 maintaining the conflict with vastly superior numbers, till 
 he fell mortally wounded. 
 
 About the middle of May, Generals Greene and Knox 
 were directed to proceed to the Highlands, and examine 
 the river and passes, in company with Generals McDou 
 gall, George Clinton, and Wayne. They were instructed to 
 look to the state and condition of the forts in the High- 
 
 O 
 
 lands especially Fort Montgomery -and to view them, 
 both with reference to the probability of an attack by 
 water, and the practicability of approaching them by land, 
 and then to give such directions, as should appear to them 
 necessary, for their greater security. Their attention was 
 particularly directed to the pass through the Highlands, 
 
PLAN OF DEFENCE. 289 
 
 on the west side of the North River, lest the enemy should 
 possess themselves of it by a coup dt main, before a suffi 
 cient force could be assembled to oppose them. 
 
 Having faithfully discharged the duty assigned them, 
 these officers made report to General Washington, recom 
 mending that the obstruction across the river at Fort 
 Montgomery, which had already been proposed, should be 
 completed. This was to be done by a boom, or chain, 
 from bank to bank, in front of which should be one or two 
 cables, to break the force of a vessel, before she should 
 strike the chain.* Two ships, and two row-galleys, were 
 to be manned, and stationed just above this boom, in such 
 a position as to fire advantageously upon the enemy s ships 
 when they approached. This force, with the land batte 
 ries on the margins of the river, they supposed amply 
 sufficient to defeat any efforts of the enemy to ascend by 
 water. And on this they deemed it safe to rely, for the 
 entire defence of this important pass ; remarking with 
 confidence, that, " if the obstructions of the river could be 
 rendered effective, the enemy would not attempt to operate 
 by land the passes through the Highlands being so ex 
 ceedingly difficult." The result proved that this confi 
 dence was not well grounded, as fort Montgomery was 
 afterwards assaulted and taken by a party, which pene 
 trated the defiles of the Highlands on the west side of the 
 river. 
 
 Arnold, who had been strangely, and, in the view of 
 Washington, unjustly overlooked, in the recent promotions 
 by Congress, had just received his commission as Major- 
 General. But its date, being subsequent to those of five 
 others who had been his juniors in rank, still left him 
 subordinate to those whom he had once commanded. To 
 make amends as far as he could, for this singular treat 
 ment, Washington offered him the command on the North 
 13 
 
290 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 River ; which, at that juncture, was as honorable a post 
 as any officer in the army could hold. But his private 
 affairs calling him to Philadelphia, the place was assigned 
 to General Putnam. He was instructed to use every 
 means in his power for expediting and effecting the works 
 and obstructions mentioned in the report above referred to. 
 His attention was particularly directed to fixing the boom. 
 This work, which was completed only with great labor 
 and difficulty, was well suited to the ingenuity and indus 
 try of Putnam ; and no man in the service could have 
 been better chosen to superintend and direct such a plan. 
 To support the weight of the chain, it was necessary to 
 place under it large rafts of timber, at small distances from 
 each olher. These, together with the chain itself, pre 
 sented such obstructions to the descending current, as to 
 raise the water several feet, by which its force was so 
 much increased, that the chain was broken. It was soon 
 replaced, and the recurrence of a similar accident prevent 
 ed, by several of the largest sized cables being passed 
 round the lower side of the rafts, and made fast on either 
 shore. Some idea may be formed of the extent and 
 difficulty of this undertaking, when it is stated, that the 
 \vidth of the river, at this place, is five hundred and forty 
 yards, and that, being laid diagonally, the better to resist 
 the current, the cables required for the service were not 
 less than four hundred and fifty fathoms in length.* 
 
 These works were well and faithfully executed under 
 the able guidance of General Putnam ; and it is not im 
 probable, that the arduous labor performed here, connect 
 ed with the constant exposure of his person, in and about 
 
 * A letter from an officer in the royal army, that removed the chain, 
 dated Oct. 7, 1777, and published in the Pennsylvania Ledger of that 
 year, describes the chain as near a mile in length, each link weigh 
 ing sixty pounds. 
 
EMPLOYMENT IN THE HIGHLANDS. 291 
 
 the water, may have been the principal means of under 
 mining his health, and subjecting his iron constitution to 
 the peculiar infirmity, by which, in a little more than two 
 years after, he was compelled, in the vigor of an otherwise 
 green old age, to retire from the field. 
 
 On his appointment to this station, the Commander-in- 
 chief addressed a letter to Brigadier-General McDougall, 
 who had previously held the command there, in which he 
 states, in a few words, some of the prominent traits in his 
 character, as a man, and shows how truly that character 
 was appreciated by one who had had the best possible 
 means of proving it, under some of the most trying circum 
 stances to which it could have been exposed. " I have 
 ordered General Putnam to Peekskill. You are well 
 acquainted with the old gentleman s temper ; he is active, 
 disinterested, and open to conviction, and I, therefore, 
 hope that, by affording him the advice and assistance 
 which your knowledge of the post enables you 10 do, you 
 will be very happy in your command under him." 
 
 To Brigadier-General Parsons he wrote, about the same 
 time, as follows : " As I consider the defence of the forti 
 fications, and passes through the Highlands an object of 
 the last importance, and possessing them most probably to 
 form the chief end of the enemy s councils and immediate 
 operations, I wish you to come to Peekskill, and there 
 continue with the troops, till some further disposition shall 
 become necessary." And again, on the 29th : " The 
 passes and fortifications in the Highlands are of the last 
 importance, and every means in our power must be em 
 ployed to secure them." The troops at this post were 
 chiefly those from New England and New York. 
 
 But it was not in raising fortifications alone, or in plan 
 ning and completing obstructions to the navigation of the 
 river, that the talents of this tried soldier and able com 
 
292 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 mander were expected to be employed. The following 
 letter shows that he was still relied upon, as an accom 
 plished general, to order and execute important and deli 
 cate movements against the enemy. 
 
 " To MAJOR-GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 " Morristown, 25 May, 1777. 
 "DEAR SIR: 
 
 " Would it be practicable, do you think, under the 
 present circumstances and situation of the troops at Peeks- 
 kill, to surprise the enemy at King s Bridge ? It must be 
 effected by surprise, or not at all ; and must be undertaken 
 by water which would also prove abortive, if the enemy 
 have vessels of any kind above Fort Washington. The 
 undigested ideas which I have entertained of the matter 
 are these : to embark a number of troops , supposed ade 
 quate to the enterprise, in boats, under pretence of trans 
 porting them and their baggage to Tappan, as a more easy 
 and expeditious method of joining the army under my 
 immediate command. To cover this the better, a number 
 of wagons might Jbe ordered to assemble at the landing on 
 this side, in order to receive your baggage. Or, if it 
 should be thought that moving a body of men so near the 
 enemy would put them too much on their guard, could 
 not the troops be embarked at Peekskill, under pretence 
 of reinforcing the garrison on the river, in order to expe 
 dite the works, and actually set off as if bound thither ; 
 but, under cover of darkness, turn and push down the 
 river ? But here, possibly, a difficulty will arise on 
 account of the impracticability of getting down in the 
 night, and the difficulty of being concealed in any creek or 
 inlet on the western shore in the day. These are all mat 
 ters worthy of consideration, and I have nothing more in 
 view than to lead you into a train of thinking upon the 
 
PROJECTED ENTERPRISE. 293 
 
 subject. Let the matter be communicated to Generals 
 McDougall and George Clinton for their sentiments, but 
 under strong injunctions of secresy ; for it always happens, 
 that, where more than two or three are apprized of an 
 undertaking of this kind, the knowledge of it gets abroad, 
 which must immediately defeat any measure that depends 
 upon secresy. 
 
 " The place at which I should propose your landing 
 would be in the hollow between Fort Washington and 
 Spiten Devil. It is a good landing place, and affords a 
 good passage into the road leading from Fort Washington 
 to the Bridge. It is very obscure, and would enable you 
 to fall in upon the back of the troops at Fort Independence, 
 by which the surprise would be greater, and their retreat 
 cut off. Thence your troops might, or might not, march 
 up by land, and sweep the country before them of the 
 enemy and provisions, as circumstances would justify. 
 After consulting the gentlemen before mentioned on the 
 propriety of this measure, let me know the result, by a 
 careful person, and when the plan could be conveniently 
 carried into execution. 
 
 " I am, dear Sir, 
 
 " Your most affectionate, &c., 
 "GEO. WASHINGTON." 
 
 Three days after the date of this letter, General Wash 
 ington removed his camp from Morristown to Middlebrook, 
 and the subsequent movements of General Howe requiring 
 his utmost watchfulness and activity, the plan of surprising 
 his outposts was, for the time, abandoned. There was 
 no officer in the army, who would have performed a ser 
 vice of this kind with more alacrity or effect than General 
 Putnam. His successes in the previous campaign in New 
 Jersey fully demonstrated that he had lost none of the 
 
294 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 energy, promptness and skill, which had distinguished his 
 partizan adventures in the Seven Years War. 
 
 It was not until the 10th of June that the British army, 
 under the immediate command of Sir William Howe, left 
 its quarters at Brunswick. For a considerable time, the 
 movements of that commander were so uncertain and inex 
 plicable, as greatly to puzzle and perplex his sagacious 
 antagonist ; for, while it was necessary for him to watch 
 every point, it was still more so, that he should be at hand 
 to meet the blow whenever it should be struck. The pre 
 servation of Philadelphia and the Highlands were objects 
 of equal importance and interest. The former appearing 
 to be the first aim of the British commander, General 
 Washington prepared to gather all his scattered forces 
 about him, to contest the passage through the Jerseys. 
 To this end, General Putnam was ordered on the 12th of 
 June, to send forward Generals Parsons, McDougall, and 
 Glover, with all the Continental troops, at Peekskill, ex 
 cept one thousand effective men ; which number, in con 
 nection with the militia and convalescent at that post, was 
 deemed equal to the number of the enemy then on the 
 east side of the Hudson. The above detachments were 
 ordered to march in three divisions, each to follow one 
 day s march behind the other, and each of the first two 
 divisions to be attended by two pieces of artillery. 
 
 A few days after this, while these orders were in the 
 course of execution, intelligence was received, through a 
 Canadian spy, of the probable advance of General Bur- 
 goyne from that quarter. To provide against this event, 
 General Putnam was ordered still further to reduce his 
 effective force, by holding four regiments of Massachusetts 
 militia in readiness to go up the river at a moment s warn 
 ing. He was also directed to order a sufficient number of 
 sloops from Albany, to serve as transports for the troops. 
 
DANGER ON THE NORTH. 295 
 
 Ever on the watch for any intelligence, which might 
 indicate the real designs of the enemy, General Putnam 
 was enabled, on the 30th of June, to transmit to his Com 
 mander papers or great importance, in consequence of 
 which a new disposition was made of the American forces, 
 and Putnam, anticipating the wishes of Washington, put a 
 portion of his own command in readiness to meet the exi 
 gency. In reply to this communication, Washington 
 wrote, under date of July 1st, "The intelligence, con 
 tained in the copies of the letters you transmitted, is truly 
 important. It appears almost certain to me, that General 
 Howe and General Burgoyne design, if possible, to unite 
 their attack, and form a junction of their two armies. I 
 approve much of your conduct, in ordering Nixon s bri 
 gade to be in readiness, and I desire that it may be em 
 barked immediately, with baggage, to go for Albany, as 
 soon as General Varnum s and General Parsons brigades 
 are so near Peekskill, that they can arrive to supply their 
 place, before any troops can come up the river, and effect 
 a landing, or as soon as a number of militia, equal to them, 
 can be got in. It seems absolutely necessary for you to 
 pursue the most speedy and effectual measures, to obtain 
 a respectable reinforcement of the neighboring militia. No 
 time is to be lost. Much may be at stake ; and I am per 
 suaded, if General Howe is going up the river, he will 
 make a rapid and vigorous push to gain the Highland 
 passes. You will not think of sending Glover s brigade 
 to White Plains in the present situation of affairs." 
 
 Thus it continued during a considerable part of this per 
 plexing season. Time was consumed, and strength and 
 patience were tried, in marches and countermarches, 
 which resulted in nothing but weariness. Before one 
 order was fully executed, it was countermanded by ano 
 ther of an opposite character. Before the last of the three 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 divisions ordered from Peekskill was ready to leave that 
 post, the demand for its removal was recalled, and one of 
 the others was on its return, in company with a fresh bri 
 gade, to reinforce the garrison, now regarded as the post of 
 peculiar danger. General Clinton was, at the same time, 
 urgently requested, without loss of time, to call out a con 
 siderable body of the New York militia, from the neigh 
 boring counties of Orange and Ulster, to support General 
 Putnnm, \vhile the latter called upon those of Connecti 
 cut, to swell the reinforcement. 
 
 To meet these rapidly shifting movements, and exe 
 cute skilfully these continually conflicting orders, in con 
 nection with the other arduous duties of his station, de 
 manded a degree of activity, industry and talent, scarcely 
 inferior to that of the Commander-in-chief, and a, spirit 
 and energy not always to be found in men of three score 
 years. 
 
 But though the labors of the season were exceedingly 
 arduous, and the perils of war imminent and incessant, 
 there was occasional opportunity even with the soldier, 
 for pastime. And Putnam, with bis wonted good humor, 
 seized every opening that would justify a little recreation 
 for himself an^. his men. A fine opportunity was offered 
 on the first anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, 
 and liberal arrangements were made to improve it. It 
 was celebrated with feast and song, and feu de joie 
 with eloquent speeches and patriotic toasts, in which suc 
 cess to the blessed cause of liberty, and confusion to all its 
 enemies, were pledged as heartily and truly as they have 
 ever been by their successors. The concluding scene of 
 that day s sport was peculiar and emphatic. On the top 
 of one of the rugged eminences that overhang the Hudson, 
 in the vicinity of his post, Putnam had discovered an im 
 mense rock, of several hundred tons weight, so perfectly 
 
First Celebration of the 4th of July in the Highlands. Page 297. 
 
FOURTH OF JULY. 297 
 
 poised in its rest, that a r comparatively small power, well 
 applied, would destroy its balance, and send it thundering 
 down into the dark ravine below. 
 
 Having made his preparations, he drew up a handsome 
 detachment of his force upon the height, accompanied by 
 his principal officers, in full uniform, when, after an ani 
 mated and amusing address, he gave orders for the lever 
 to be manned. The mighty mass trembled and quivered, 
 and fell with a tremendous crash, accompanied by a simul 
 taneous discharge from the whole corps, and immediately 
 followed by the thunder of the artillery and heavy guns in 
 forts, whose echoes bellowed and reverberated a long time 
 from the heights and cliffs around. As the huge rock 
 toppled from its old resting place, one party of the officers 
 on one side of it, shouted in admirable unison " So may 
 the thrones of tyrants fall !" And when it settled into its 
 new bed below, the other responded " So may the ene 
 mies of freedom sink to rise no more !" 
 
 The danger from the north becomin^ more imminent, 
 
 O Z3 * 
 
 by the evacuation of Ticonderoga and its dependencies, 
 and the consequent advance of Burgoyne to the vicinity 
 of the Hudson, Putnam was ordered to furnish General 
 Schuyler with still further aid, including ten pieces of 
 artillery, with the proper officers to direct in their use, 
 and a considerable quantity of powder and ball. 
 
 The following order to his aide-de-camp, Major Burr, 
 appears under date of the 14th July: 
 
 " Pursuant to orders from his Excellency, General 
 Washington, you are forthwith to repair to Norwalk, Fair- 
 field, and other places, adjacent on the Sound, and to 
 transmit to me intelligence of the movements of the 
 enemy. On your return you will pass through Litchfield, 
 and leave orders for all detachments of any regiments 
 13* 
 
298 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 of Nixon s brigade, to take the most direct route to Al 
 bany. 
 
 "ISRAEL PUTNAM." 
 
 In the meantime, General Washington, with the army 
 under his command, was gradually moving up towards the 
 Highlands, on the western side of the Hudson, and, by 
 the middle of July, had advanced, by way of Pompton 
 Plains, as far as the Clove, a narrow passage leading 
 through the mountains, about eighteen miles from the 
 river near the entrance of which he fixed his camp. 
 From this place, General Sullivan and Lord Stirling, with 
 their divisions, were successively sent across the river, to 
 swell the already formidable force of General Putnam, the 
 main body being held in reserve, to operate on either shore, 
 as the movements of the enemy should require. 
 
 Having, on the 20th, in consequence of information, 
 which proved to be premature, advanced eleven miles 
 within the Clove, General Washington addressed an ear 
 nest letter to Putnam, requesting the mos-t accurate and 
 detailed account of the movements and designs of the 
 enemy, both by sea and by land, his present position being 
 in the highest degree embarrassing and perilous. Putnam 
 had, in the meantime, despatched General Sullivan, and 
 other trusty and intelligent persons, to various points of 
 the river, and the coast, to obtain such intelligence as could 
 be safely,relied on. Having by this means ascertained, 
 beyond a doubt-, that, the British fleet, with a large num 
 ber of troops on board, had passed the Hook, and put out 
 to soa, the Ermy returned into New Jersey, and prepared 
 to oppose, with all its fore** , the meditated movement upon 
 Philadelphia ^(fc^k Sullivan, and Lord Stirling, with 
 their divisions, were imim-niately detached by General 
 Putnam, in the same direction, accompanied by all the 
 
HOWE S ILL- MANAGED RUSE. 299 
 
 field-pieces at Peekskill, except two pieces for each bri 
 gade that remained for the defence of that post. 
 
 The next day, he received orders to " keep as many of 
 his remaining troops, as could possibly be spared from the 
 defence of the forts and passes of the Highlands, in the 
 most perfect readiness to move, either to the southward or 
 to the eastward, as occasion should require. I do not pre 
 tend," continued the letter, " to fix upon the number 
 which may be necessary for those defences.. You and 
 your officers must determine this point, proportioning your 
 defence to the troops left by General Howe on York Island. 
 If you have not already done it, let the eastern States be 
 immediately advised of the fleet s sailing from the Hook, 
 that they may be in a posture of defence, as no person can 
 with certainty say where the blow will be struck." 
 
 At this critical juncture, an attempt was made to blind 
 the eyes of Washington as to the real movements of the 
 enemy. A young American, w r ho had been a prisoner in 
 New York, was employed to convey a letter from General 
 Howe to General Burgoyne, with the apparent design of 
 notifying the latter of the intended movements of the for 
 mer. The messenger whether in obedience to his instruc 
 tions, or not, does not appear, but certainly in accordance 
 with the wishes of the writer immediately hastened to 
 Peekskill, and delivered up the letter to General Putnam, 
 by whom, after perusal, it was communicated to the Com 
 mander-in-chief. It was in the handwriting of General 
 Howe, and read as follows : 
 
 " New York, 20 July, 1777. 
 
 "DEAR SIR, 
 
 u I have received your letter of the^Hth of May from 
 Quebec, and shall fully observe its contents. The expe 
 dition to B n [Boston] will take the place of that up 
 
 * 
 
300 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 the North River. If, according to my expectations, we 
 may succeed rapidly in the possession of B., the enemy 
 having no force of consequence there, I shall, without loss 
 of time, proceed to cooperate with you in the defeat of the 
 rebel army opposed to you. Clinton is sufficiently strong to 
 amuse Washington and Putnam. I am now making de 
 monstrations to the southward, which I think will have the 
 full effect in carrying our plan into execution. Success 
 attend you. 
 
 a W. HOWE." 
 
 It was a clumsy plan, and clumsily executed ; and pro 
 duced no other impression on the mind either of Wash 
 ington or Putnam, than to establish, beyond a doubt, the 
 design upon Philadelphia, and hasten the march of the 
 forces in that direction. 
 
 Notwithstanding this decisive movement, and the con 
 centrated interest which it created towards the capital of 
 Pennsylvania, the posts in the Highlands were still deemed 
 so important, and the necessity of the possession of them 
 by the British, in order to a junction of their two armies, 
 seemed so manifest and urgent, that Washington, to use 
 his own expression, " could not help casting his eyes con 
 tinually behind him." That they might not be left too 
 much exposed, General Sullivan s division was ordered to 
 halt at Morris town, and be in readiness to return, at a mo 
 ment s warning, if necessary. 
 
 On the arrival of the enemy s fleet at the Cape of Dela 
 ware, General Putnam was directed to send forward two 
 other brigades, which he had already, in anticipation of 
 the demand, transported across the river, and put in readi 
 ness for instant departure. The deficiency thus created in 
 his own garrison, now reduced to two thousand Continen 
 tal troops, he was requested, if possible, to supply by im- 
 
EDMUND PALMER, T H E S P Y . 30 1 
 
 mediate requisitions upon the militia of Connecticut and 
 New York. 
 
 The very next day, August 1st, in consequence of a 
 new ruse on the part of the enemy s fleet, all these orders 
 were countermanded, and General Sullivan s division, 
 with the two brigades on the western bank of the Hudson, 
 were directed immediately to return and recross the river, 
 while the main body of the army prepared to follow with 
 all possible expedition. Says Washington, in his letter to 
 General Putnam, on this occasion, " The importance of 
 preventing General Howe s getting possession of the High 
 lands by a coup-de-mafa, is infinite to America ; and, in the 
 present situation of things, every effort that can be thought 
 of, must be used." 
 
 By this continual marching and countermarching, in the 
 hottest season of the year, the American troops were more 
 harassed, than by all the fatigues and duties of the cam 
 paign, and many of them became so discouraged and dis 
 gusted with the service, as to embrace every opportunity 
 to desert. 
 
 On the third of August, Sir Henry Clinton, who had 
 recently returned from England, and now commanded the 
 British forces in the City of New York, sent up a flag of 
 truce to General Putnam, at Peekskill. Edmund Palmer, 
 a lieutenant in a regiment of American Tories, had been 
 detected in the American camp, in disguise as a spy, and 
 the object of the flag was to claim him as an officer in the 
 British service. The message, accompanying it, expati 
 ated upon the heinous crime of bringing to an ignominious 
 death, by execution, a man bearing his Majesty s commis 
 sion, and threatened signal vengeance, in case of such a 
 violation of his person. The flag was taken up the river 
 to Verplank s Point, by Captain Montagu, in the ship 
 Mercury, and thence forwarded to the camp. General 
 
312 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 Putnam instantly returned the following characteristic 
 reply : 
 
 " Head Quarters, 7 August, 1777. 
 
 " Edmund Palmer, an officer in the enemy s service, 
 was taken as a spy, lurking within our lines ; he has been 
 tried as a spy, condemned as a spy, and shall be executed 
 as a spy, and the flag is ordered to depart immediately. 
 
 " ISRAEL PUTNAM. 
 " P. S. He has accordingly been executed." 
 
 In the meantime, Burgoyne was advancing on the north, 
 and the army in that quarter stood greatly in need of rein 
 forcements. General Putnam s post at Peekskill was the 
 only one from which such aid could be immediately sent 
 Washington, addressing him on the subject, on the 7th of 
 August, remarks, " I would not wish to weaken you, as 
 the enemy seem to bend their course again towards you. 
 I desire that you, and the general officers, would consider 
 the matter fully, and, if you think that you can spare Cort- 
 landt s and Livingston s regiments, they may be put in 
 readiness to move." He also recommended highly the 
 plan, in which Putnam was engaged, of fortifying, by va 
 rious works of defence, the entrance to the passes in the 
 vicinity of his post. 
 
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 WEST POINT 
 
 AND 
 
 VICINITY. 
 
CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 COMMAND IN THE HIGHLANDS CONTINUED. LOSS OF FORTS 
 MONTGOMERY AND CLINTON. 
 
 Extent of Putnam s command Relative position of the forts Plans 
 an attempt on the posts of the enemy His force greatly reduced 
 Sir Henry Clinton in New Jersey Detachments for the main 
 army delayed Peremptory order to hasten their march Militia 
 of little service Sir Henry Clinton in Haverstraw Bay Favored 
 by circumstances Lands at Tarrytown at Verplank s Point at 
 Stony Point covered by a dense fog Diverts General Putnam 
 from his main object Gains the rear of Forts Montgomery and 
 Clinton His advance resisted Severe action Gallant assault 
 Putnam orders a reinforcement Works carried Escape of part 
 of the garrison Putnam retires to Fishkill Frigates burnt 
 British advance, burning villages and houses Hearing of the 
 surrender of Burgoyne, they return again to New York Death of 
 Mrs. Putnam Peekskill retaken Comments upon the late dis 
 asters. 
 
 SIR HENRY CLINTON S object in sending the unfortunate 
 Lieutenant Palmer into Putnam s camp, was to obtain 
 accurate knowledge of the condition of that post, and the 
 force stationed there, with a view to turning his arms 
 against it. This General Washington fully expected, and, 
 accordingly, wrote to General Putnam, on the llth of 
 August, as follows : " If General Clinton is left upon York 
 Island, with the number of men you mention, it is probably 
 to attack you below, while Burgoyne comes down upon 
 you. It is a matter of great consequence to ascertain that 
 fact. I beg you will use every method to come at the 
 
304 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 knowledge of his force." This duty Putnam faithfully 
 fulfilled, and obtained, by means of his spies, accurate 
 information respecting the strength of the garrison in New 
 York ; which he intended, if Providence should favor his 
 plans, soon to turn to good account. 
 
 General Putnam s command embraced the fortified posts 
 in the. Highlands, on both sides of the river. His head 
 quarters were at Peekskill, on the eastern side. Forts 
 Montgomery and Clinton were situated on the western 
 side the former in the township of Cornwall, the latter in 
 Monroe being separated from each other by Poplopen 
 Kill, a narrow stream, which runs down from the moun 
 tains in their rear. These forts were placed on very high 
 ground, so that they could not be safely stormed in front ; 
 and, being deemed as was stated in tht* report of Generals 
 Knox and Greene inaccessible in the rear, were con 
 sidered, in the ordinary acceptation of the term, impregna 
 ble.* They were garrisoned chiefly by the militia of 
 New York, who, to the number of about six hundred, 
 were then under the immediate command of General 
 George Clinton, Governor of the State ; of whom General 
 Washington remarked, in reference to his command at 
 this post : " There cannot be a more proper man upon 
 every account." 
 
 Fort Independence was just under Anthony s Nose, 
 about three miles below forts Montgomery and Clinton, 
 and on the opposite side of the river. It was situated on 
 a high point of land, in the town of Cortland, Westchester 
 County. Fort Constitution was rather more than six miles 
 
 * The mountains which commence five or six miles below these 
 forts, are so high and rugged, the defiles, through which the roads 
 leading to them pass, so narrow, and so commanded by the heights 
 on both sides, that the approaches to them are exceedingly difficult 
 and dangerous. MARSHALL. 
 
DESIGNS UPON THE BRITISH POSTS. 305 
 
 above them, on an island, near the eastern shore. Peeks- 
 kill Village, the general Head-Quarters of the officer com 
 manding at the station, was about two miles below Fort 
 Independence, with a considerable creek, or inlet, between 
 them, into which two respectable streams flowed from the 
 north and east. The latter, being- Peeks Kill, gives its 
 name to the village, which is included in the town of 
 Cortland. Continental Village, where most of the stores 
 were deposited, was situated on high ground, in the rear 
 of Fort Independence, and about two miles north of Peeks- 
 kill, on the road to Fort Constitution. It was a military 
 settlement only its population being made up of those 
 artizans, mechanics, and other laborers, who were employ 
 ed about the various works connected with the army. 
 
 Having a very respectable force under his command, 
 and being encouraged by Governor Trumbull to expect 
 large reinforcements of militia from Connecticut, for that 
 purpose, General Putnam formed a plan for a very impor 
 tant blow upon the enemy s posts. He had informed him 
 self accurately of their force, and the condition of their 
 defences at Staten Island, Paulus Hook (Jersey City), 
 York Island, and Long Island, and was making his arrange 
 ments for a simultaneous assault upon all these posts. 
 Extensive preparations were making for carrying this pian 
 into execution. In the view of his counsellors, who were 
 able and judicious men, the position of the enemy justified 
 the attempt. Success, which was probable, would be 
 attended with the happiest consequences, by wrenching 
 from the enemy all that he had hitherto gained, and get 
 ting possession of an immense amount of valuable stores 
 of every description. This plan, which was formed early 
 in September, was in very promising progress, when the 
 demands for reinforcements to the main army became so 
 urgent, that it was necessary to abandon it for a season 
 
306 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 About a month later, a similar attempt, upon a smaller 
 scale, was suggested to Putnam, by the Commander-in- 
 chief, and a movement in that direction was made, the 
 details of which will be given in its appropriate place. 
 
 General Sullivan s division was held in mcdio, at Mor- 
 ristown, till the British fleet returned into the Chesapeake. 
 They were then ordered to join the main army on the 
 Delaware. General McDougall was also immediately 
 ordered down from Peekskill, as well as General Dickinson 
 from New Jersey. 
 
 The State of New Jersey becoming defenceless by the 
 withdrawal of the main army to Pennsylvania, Sir Henry 
 Clinton seized that opportunity for effecting an incursion 
 into the country. His troops landed, in four divisions at 
 Elizabethtown Point, Schuyler s Landing on the Hacken- 
 sack River, Fort Lee, and Tappan approaching, at this 
 last point, the vicinity of General Putnam. The object was 
 to drive off the cattle, and to attack any small party of 
 the enemy that might be met with ; as it was known that, 
 in the divided state of the American army, no force of 
 much magnitude could at this time be in Jersey. The 
 number of troops engaged in the enterprise amounted to 
 more than two thousand. 
 
 Colonel Malcom s regiment, then stationed at Ramapo, 
 just below the entrance of the Clove, watched their mo 
 tions, but was not in force to offer much resistance. A 
 party of that regiment, under command of Lieutenant- 
 Colonel Burr, who had just been promoted to that rank, 
 and who was ejiger to be engaged in some active enterprise, 
 was sent down to collect intelligence, and to prevent the 
 ravages of the enemy s small detachments. There was 
 also some skirmishing with the militia of the several 
 places through which they passed. The enemy lost, in 
 this way, eight killed, and eighteen wounded ; and, accord- 
 
WITHDRAWAL OF HIS TROOPS. 307 
 
 ing to the account of their own commander, seventeen 
 were taken prisoners. 
 
 As soon as General Putnam received intelligence of this 
 movement, he ordered General McDougall to cross the 
 river, with fifteen hundred men, and advance to meet 
 them. The order was obeyed, but not in time to overtake 
 the enemy, v r ho were already retiring with their booty. 
 
 This incursion caused great alarm in New Jersey, and 
 rendered it necessary for General Dickinson to leave be 
 hind him one thousand of the militia, who were intended 
 to reinforce the army of Washington ; while it occasioned 
 some delay, on the part of Putnam, in forwarding the 
 detachments ordered from Peekskill the necessity of 
 meeting and resisting the hostile movements of the enemy 
 in his own immediate vicinity, being supposed paramount 
 to any order from his superior, issued in ignorance of those 
 movements. 
 
 The situation of the main army on the Delaware being 
 critical in the extreme, a further order upon General Put 
 nam was issued, on the 23d of September, requiring from 
 him a further detachment of sixteen hundred men, under 
 General Varnum. This was to include the regiment of 
 Colonel Malcom, which had been posted in the Clove, to 
 guard the passes to the forts on the west bank of the river. 
 In consequence of the previous delay in forwarding the 
 expected reinforcements, Washington concludes his letter 
 thus : " That you may not hesitate about complying with 
 this order, you are to consider it peremptory, and not to 
 be dispensed with." Putnam was, at the same time, 
 required, for the protection of his own post, and the passes 
 in the Highlands, to call in all his outposts, and, if threat 
 ened with an attack, to get what aid he could from the 
 militia. 
 
 These orders being obeyed, General Putnam s fores 
 
308 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 was reduced to fifteen hundred three hundred of whom 
 were militia, on whom no dependence could be placed. 
 Many of those who had been sent in to reinforce this post, 
 had deserted, and others became so restive and uneasy 
 that the General, who well knew of how little value they 
 would be. to the service, if compelled to remain against 
 their will, suffered them to depart. The three hundred 
 who remained, were but little better than men of straw. 
 They would answer to count, when it was necessary to 
 make a fair show of numbers ; but could not be counted 
 upon, in the hour of danger. 
 
 Knowing what heavy drafts had been made upon the 
 Highland fortresses, and having himself received conside 
 rable reinforcements from Europe, Sir Henry Clinton 
 resolved to avail himself of the opportunity to attack them 
 with the flower of his force, and thus, if possible, break 
 a way through to the assistance of Burgoyne. He had an 
 eye also, in this expedition, to the extensive and valuable 
 military stores collected in the Highlands. Accordingly, 
 with a force of between three and four thousand men, he 
 sailed up the North River, and made his appearance on 
 the 5th of October, in Tarrytown Bay. 
 
 Everything combined to favor the movement of the 
 British in this case. The forces of the Americans, which 
 were not more than half those of the enemy, were neces 
 sarily divided between four points two on each side of 
 the river, and separated miles from each other. All of 
 these must be guarded alike the most important, as well 
 as the most exposed, being those on the east side, which 
 covered the military stores and provisions for the army. 
 While, therefore, it was incumbent on Putnam to have his 
 eye upon all these points at once, with a view to adapt 
 his defence to the attack, Clinton fixed his attention upon 
 one only, and concentrated his whole force upon that 
 
THE HIGHLAND POSTS IN DANGER. 309 
 
 only making such demonstrations towards the opposite 
 side, as to mask his real designs. This is ever the advan 
 tage of him who takes the offensive attitude ; that, by a 
 well managed feint, he can withdraw the strength of his 
 enemy from the post where he intends to strike his deci 
 sive blow. By this means, General Clinton succeeded, 
 on this occasion being remarkably favored in the opera 
 tion by a heavy fog, which hung over the river, and con 
 cealed the greater part of his movements from the view of 
 his adversary. 
 
 After some manoeuvring in the bay, he landed his 
 whole force at Tarrytown, whence he marched about five 
 miles up the country, with no other object but to mislead 
 and divert his enemy, and then returned at night to the 
 landing. Embarking again the next morning, he proceed 
 ed up the river to King s Ferry, and made another landing 
 at Verplanck s Point, about three miles below Peekskill ; 
 upon which General Putnam retired to the fortified heights 
 in his rear, covering the Continental Village. In the even 
 ing of the same day, a part of these troops re-embarked, 
 and the fleet moved up to Peekskill Neck, in order to 
 mask their movements at King s Ferry, which was below 
 them. The next morning, at break of day, large detach 
 ments of more than two thousand men, destined for an 
 enterprise against the fortifications on the western side, 
 landed at Stony Point, just opposite to Verplanck s Point, 
 and commenced their march through the mountains, into 
 the rear of Forts Clinton and Montgomery. This disem 
 barkation was observed on the other side, but the state of 
 the atmosphere was such that no estimate could be formed 
 ^of its numbers. A large fire which was soon afterwards 
 perceived at the landing place, led to the belief that it was 
 only a small party, detached for the purpose of destroying 
 the store-houses on that side. The manoeuvres of the 
 
310 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 vessels confirmed this suspicion ; and the troops remaining 
 at Verplanck s Point, whose numbers, though they could 
 not be correctly ascertained, were nearly if not quite equal 
 to his own, fully satisfied General Putnam that the medi 
 tated attack was to be directed against Fort Independence. 
 His whole attention was, accordingly, turned that way, 
 and every preparation was immediately made for a resolute 
 defence. 
 
 The enemy remaining quiet at Verplanck s Point, and 
 Putnam not being able to gain from his pickets and scouts 
 any satisfactory report of their numbers or apparent designs, 
 he went down, in company with Brigadier-General Par 
 sons, and Adjutant-General Root, to reconnoitre their posi 
 tion in person. 
 
 In the meantime, the detachments w r hich had landed at 
 Stony Point in the morning, were pursuing their march 
 towards the rear of the mountain fortresses. Long before 
 the fog had cleared away from the bank, they were lost 
 to the view of those who were eagerly watching for them 
 on the other side, and who now supposed they had return 
 ed to the ships, having accomplished their object of burn 
 ing the storehouses. Avoiding the Clove, which they 
 supposed too well defended to be forced, they filed off to 
 the west, and passing to the rear of Dunderberg, began to 
 climb the rugged and difficult passes toward Fort Clinton. 
 Leaving a battalion at the pass of Dunderberg, to protect 
 his rear, and keep open the communication with the river, 
 Sir Henry Clinton formed his army into two divisions. 
 One, consisting of nine hundred men, commanded by 
 Lieutenant-Colonel Campbell, made a circuit by the forest 
 of Deane, in the rear of Bear s Hill, in order to fall on the 
 back of Fort Montgomery. The other, consisting of twelve 
 hundred men, commanded by General Vaughan, and ac 
 companied by Sir Henry Clinton in person, advanced 
 
THE WESTERN FORTS ATTACKED 311 
 
 slowly towards Fort Clinton, intending so to time their 
 movements, as to make their attacks simultaneously upon 
 both fortresses. 
 
 General George Clinton, apprehending from the move 
 ments below, that an attack on his position was intended, 
 had despatched Major Logan, on the evening of Sunday, 
 the 5th, to gain intelligence. He returned on Monday 
 morning, and reported the landing of a considerable body 
 of troops at the Point, but so dense was the fog, that he 
 was not able to form any judgment of their numbers. 
 Lieutenant Jackson was immediately despatched with a 
 small party, on the Haverstraw road, to watch their mo 
 tions. He had not proceeded more than two miles, when 
 he was attacked by a party in ambuscade, at a place called 
 Doodletown. Returning their fire with spirit, he fell back 
 toward the fort. As soon as the firing was heard, a hun 
 dred men were ordered out to sustain him. They wer,e 
 all soon engaged in a brisk retreating skirmish with the 
 superior numbers of the enemy, disputing their advance 
 inch by inch, though too weak entirely to repulse them. 
 Their gallant opposition, and the roughness of the ground, 
 checked the progress of the enemy for a considerable 
 time. 
 
 Meanwhile, the party under Lieutenant-Colonel Camp 
 bell was advancing, through the forest road, to the rear of 
 Fort Montgomery. A party of one hundred and twenty 
 men, accompanied by a single field-piece, which was all 
 the artillery in the fort, was ordered out to meet them, in 
 the hope of being able to hold them in check, until a rein 
 forcement, which had been sent for, should arrive from 
 Peekskill. From the advantageous position of this little 
 party, they were enabled to do immense execution upon 
 the enemy, who were several times driven back in his 
 desperate attempts to gain the pass. At length, filing oft* 
 
312 LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 through the woods, upon the right and left, they were 
 about to surround the Spartan band, when, perceiving their 
 danger, they made good their retreat to the fort. 
 
 It was now about two o clock in the afternoon ; and the 
 enemy, in full force, approached the works, and began a 
 furious assault, which continued about three hours. At 
 five o clock, a flag was sent up, to demand a surrender, in 
 order to prevent the further effusion of blood. A spirited 
 refusal was returned, and the attack was renewed. The 
 defence was ably sustained until the dusk of the evening* 
 when the enemy, by the superiority of their numbers, 
 forced the works on all sides, the garrison being too small 
 to man the lines in their whole extent. 
 
 Through the treachery of the messenger, who had been 
 despatched early in the day, to solicit a reinforcement from 
 General Putnam, the message did not reach that officer ; 
 and he was wholly unacquainted with the movements of 
 the enemy on the western side of the river, and the peri 
 lous exposure of his friends there, until it was announced 
 by the report of musketry and cannon in the first onset. He 
 was then on his return from Verplanck s Point, whither he 
 had gone in person, as before stated, to obtain certain intel 
 ligence of the numbers and position of the enemy. He 
 hastened back with all speed, to order a suitable detach 
 ment to their support. In this he was partially anticipated 
 by the promptness and decision of his Aid, Major Hum 
 phreys, who, being alone at Head Quarters when the 
 firing commenced, hastened to Colonel Wyllys, then the 
 senior officer in camp, and earnestly advised him, without 
 waiting for orders from the General, to despatch all the 
 men not on duty to Fort Montgomery. Five hundred 
 men were instantly ordered on this service, under the com 
 mand of the gallant Colonel Meigs, and were ready to 
 march when General Putnam arrived. They were hur- 
 
ESCAPE OF THE GARRISON. 313 
 
 ried forward with all possible despatch, having five or six 
 miles to march to the place of debarkation. Bat it was 
 too late. Major Humphreys, in company with Dr. Beards- 
 ley, a surgeon in his brigade, rode at full speed through a 
 by-path to the river, to give notice to the garrison that a 
 reinforcement was on its march. But, notwithstanding all 
 their exertions, they did not reach the fort, till it was so 
 completely invested, that it was impossible to enter ; and 
 they had the misfortune to be idle, though not unconcerned 
 spectators of the storm. 
 
 The works being carried, General Clinton, with a con 
 siderable number of his officers and men, who were well 
 acquainted with the ground, were so fortunate as to effect 
 their escape, under cover of the night, and to reach the 
 other side of the river, where they found the reinforcement 
 m the act of passing over for their relief. The loss sus 
 tained by both the garrisons, in killed, wounded and pri 
 soners, was about two hundred and fifty, more than one 
 third of their whole number. That of the enemy was 
 about two hundred killed and wounded. 
 
 Governor Clinton arrived at Peekskill about an hour 
 before midnight. A council was immediately called, in 
 which it was decided to be impossible to maintain the 
 post, against the superior numbers that would undoubtedly 
 be brought down upon it the next da} 7 . It was conse 
 quently determined to retire w r ith the troops to Fishkill, a 
 strong post about twelve miles up the river, and to com 
 mence immediately the removal of the stores. 
 
 The Continental frigates, which had been stationed 
 above for the defence of the chain, were ordered down for 
 that purpose, by General Putnam, as soon as the manoeu 
 vres of the enemy s ships indicated a purpose to ascend. 
 It being no longer possible to defend the chain, after the 
 loss of the forts, the frigates were burned, lest they should 
 1 I 
 
314 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 fall into the enemy s hands. The boom and chain were 
 soon after removed by the British, and their ships, having 
 nothing to obstruct their passage, moved up the river. 
 
 The forts on the east side having been evacuated imme 
 diately after the battle, as untenable against such a supe 
 rior force, a large detachment of the British, which had 
 been all the day previous resting at Verplanck s Point, 
 under the command of General Tryon, marched up and 
 reduced Continental Village to ashes, with several dwell 
 ing-houses and other public buildings at Peekskill having 
 first secured the valuable stores, which it had been neces 
 sary to leave behind. Another detachment, under Gene 
 ral Vaughan, proceeded up the river, about thirty miles, 
 to Esopus, a little below Kingston, on the western shore, 
 which they also destroyed laying waste in their progress 
 many of the scattered dwellings, mills, and stores, of the 
 defenceless inhabitants. The same was done at Living 
 ston s Manor, and several other places. This wanton and 
 useless destruction of private property, instead of striking 
 terror as they designed it should into the hearts of the 
 rebels, reacted powerfully against the royal cause, and 
 gave a keenness to the resentment of the injured party, 
 which outlasted many years the contest between the two 
 nations.* 
 
 * It would be neither just nor judicious to charge upon the British 
 nation an unusual want of humanity in the conduct of their wars. 
 Yet there are many such scenes as this recorded against them in every 
 part of the world. There was another circumstance, connected with 
 the battle above described, which reflects but little honor on the victors 
 at Fort Montgomery. While they gave to their own killed a decent 
 soldier s burial, the Americans left upon the bloody field were thrown 
 in heaps, like so much carrion, into a pool in the rear of the fort. 
 Dr. Dwight who, in company with several officers, visited the spot in 
 May, seven months after the battle, thus describes the painful scene 
 which greeted them there: "The first object which met our eves, 
 
THE BRITISH ABANDON THE RIVER. 315 
 
 The purpose of General Vaughan s expedition was to 
 form a junction with General Burgoyne, whom he hoped 
 to meet at Albany. But having, instead of that, encoun 
 tered, at some distance below Albany, the disagreeable 
 and astounding intelligence of the surrender of that officer, 
 with his whole army, the British general retired hastily 
 down the river, abandoning all the advantages he had 
 gained at so much cost to his enemy. Forts Montgomery 
 and Constitution were entirely demolished, and fleet and 
 army returned to New York, in twenty days after the 
 battle. 
 
 When General Vaughan went up the river, General 
 Putnam detached one division of his force, under Governor 
 Clinton, to follow him on the west side, while he proceed 
 ed with the other, on the east side, to prevent their land 
 ing, and committing ravages in the country. He had 
 advanced as far as Red Hook, about thirty miles, when, 
 the enemy commencing his retreat, he returned to his 
 
 after we had left our barge and ascended the bank, was the remains 
 of a fire, kindled by the cottagers of this solitude, for the purpose of 
 consuming the bones of some of the Americans, who had fallen at 
 this place, and had been left unburied. Some of these bones were 
 lying, partially consumed, round the spot where the fire had been 
 kindled ; and some had evidently been converted to ashes. As we 
 went onward, we were distressed by the fretor of decayed human 
 bodies. As we were attempting to discover the source from which 
 it proceeded, we found, at a small distance from Fort Montgomery, 
 a pond of a moderate size, in which we saw the bodies of several 
 men, who had been killed in the assault upon the fort. They were 
 thrown into this pond, the preceding autumn, by the British, when, 
 probably, the water was sufficiently deep to cover them. Some of 
 them were covered at this time ; but at a depth so small, as to leave 
 them distinctly visible. Others had an arm, a leg, or a part of the 
 body, above the surface. The clothes which they wore when they 
 were killed, were still on them, and proved that they were militia, 
 being the ordinary dress of farmers." 
 
316 LIFE OF GENERAL P I T N A M . 
 
 post at Fishkill. The plan of this movement was com 
 municated to General Gates, who, having nearly complet 
 ed the terms of capitulation with Btirgoyne, replied : " I 
 shall now have nothing but General Clinton to think of. 
 If you keep pace with him on one side, the Governor on 
 the other, and I in front, I cannot see how he is to get 
 home again." 
 
 It was in the midst of these stirrin^ and absorbing scenes, 
 
 O O 7 
 
 when heavily burdened with public cares, and overwhelm 
 ed with the calamities which had befallen him in his offi 
 cial capacity, as Commander in the Highlands, that Gene 
 ral Putnam was called again to experience the heaviest of 
 domestic afflictions, in the loss of his wife. She died at 
 his quarters, about a week after his removal to Fishkill ; 
 and it is not improbable that her death was hastened, if 
 not procured, by the exposure, inconvenience and fatigue, 
 incident to this sudden change. General Washington, 
 writing to him on the 19th of October, thus alludes to this 
 severe bereavement : " I am extremely sorry for the death 
 of Mrs. Putnam, and sympathize with you upon the occa 
 sion. Remembering that all must die, and that she had 
 lived to an honorable age, I hope you will bear the misfor 
 tune with that fortitude and complacencv of mind that 
 become a man and a Christian 
 
 " I am, dear Sir, with great esteem, yours, &c., 
 
 "GEORGE WASHINGTON." 
 
 In the same despatch, which communicated these afflict 
 ive tidings to the Commander-in-chief, General Putnam 
 announced the surrender of Burgoyne, and the retaking of 
 Peekskill and the Highland passes on the east side of the 
 river. His force had, in the meantime, been swelled by 
 reinforcements of militia to six thousand. " Last Mon 
 day," he writes, " General Parsons, with about two thou 
 sand troops, marched down and took possession of Peeks- 
 

 AN APPROPRIATE TEXT. 317 
 
 kill, and the passes in the Highlands. Yesterday, about 
 forty sail passed up the river crowded with troops, and are 
 at anchor above Poughkeepsie the wind not favoring. 
 We were on our march after them, when 1 met the agreea 
 ble intelligence of the surrender of General Burgoyne a 
 copy of which is enclosed.* I thereupon most sincerely 
 congratulate your Excellency. I have halted my troops, 
 and am now considering what ought to be my movement. 
 I have sent to Governor Clinton for his opinion, and order 
 ed General Parsons to spare no pains to find out the situa 
 tion and strength of the garrison at King s Bridge, in order 
 to direct my future operations most advantageously." 
 
 Rev. Dr. Dwight, then one of the most promising 
 young divines in the country, was at this time a chaplain 
 in the army, and attached to the brigade under General 
 Parsons. On Sunday, the 19th, the day after the receipt 
 of the cheering intelligence of the surrender of Burgoyn-e, 
 he preached a sermon at Head-Quarters from this text 
 " I will remove far off from you the northern army." 
 Joel ii., 20. It was, of course, an excellent and eloquent 
 discourse, and, in the excitement of so interesting an occa 
 sion, gave infinite satisfaction to his hearers, the officers 
 and soldiers of the army. Putnam, in particular, who 
 was greatly attached to the preacher, was highly delighted 
 with it, and did not fail to show his pleasure, by expressive 
 looks and motions, during the progress of the service. On 
 leaving the church, he was very earnest in commending 
 the preacher s eloquence, and the remarkable appropriate 
 ness of his discourse ; declaring, at the same time, that 
 
 * Washington received the first intelligence of this important 
 event from General Putnam. General Gates sent a copy of the 
 capitulation to him, and despatched a special messenger to communi 
 cate the tidings to Congress, but gave no notice whatever of the 
 affair to the Commander-in-chief. 
 
318 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 there was no such text in the Bible, and tb.e good minister 
 had been guilty of a pious fraud, in making up oiV3 for the 
 occasion. It was not until the Bible was produced, and 
 the passage read by his own eyes, that he yielded the 
 point adding, as he did so, " There is everything in that 
 book, and Dwight knows just where to lay his finger 
 on it." 
 
 General Clinton, in his despatch to General Washington, 
 informing him of the loss of Forts Montgomery and Clin 
 ton, concluded with the following remarks : " I have only 
 to add, that, where great losses are sustained, however 
 unavoidable, public censure is generally the consequence 
 to those who are immediately concerned. If in the pre 
 sent instance this should be the case, I wish, so far as 
 relates to Fort Montgomery and its dependencies, it may 
 fall on me alone ; for I should be guilty of the greatest 
 injustice, were I not to declare, that the officers and men 
 under me, of the different corps, behaved with the greatest 
 spirit and bravery." 
 
 The censure did not fall on him alone. General Put 
 nam received a large share of it, as well as the whole of 
 that which referred to the loss of the posts and valuables 
 on the east side. The circumstances detailed above, which 
 have been collected with great care from the most reliable 
 sources, would seem to exonerate him from all blame. 
 In his own post, he waited with prudence and firmness an 
 expected attack, and would undoubtedly have resisted it 
 to the last, if it had been made. To have attacked Gene 
 ral Tryon at Verplanck s Point, whose numbers were fully 
 equal to his own, would have been to expose his defences 
 to the main body of the British, whom he supposed to be 
 still on board their ships in the river, aiming at those de 
 fences. That he was deceived by their manoeuvres, espe 
 cially in the then state of the atmosphere, was his misfor- 
 
VINDICATION FROM CENSURE. 319 
 
 tune, and not his fault. Other able and judicious officers, 
 who were with him, were equally deceived. 
 
 That he did not anticipate an attack in the rear of the 
 western forts, and was surprised by it when it was made, 
 indicated no want of that prudent consideration and watch 
 fulness, which are essential requisites to the character of a 
 great commander. An attack from that quarter had been 
 judged utterly impracticable by the able committee* of 
 officers who had examined the ground, a few months be 
 fore. " We are very confident," say they, in their report, 
 " that the enemy will not attempt to operate by land, the 
 passes through the Highlands are so exceedingly difficult." 
 This opinion is fully confirmed by the reports of the British 
 officers, who were engaged in this daring and difficult 
 enterprise. A letter from one of them to his friend in 
 London, published in Almon s Remembrancer, speaks 
 feelingly of " the very many and extraordinary difficulties 
 of this march over the mountains," and declares that they 
 were obliged to contend with " every natural obstruction, 
 and all that art could add to them." The movements on 
 that side of the river were not seen by General Putnam, 
 nor reported to him. As soon as the detachments had filed 
 off from the landing, they were screened from his view by 
 the mountains. 
 
 As soon as he was made aware of the real designs of 
 the enemy, he hastened to do all in his power to defeat 
 them ; and but for the distance, and the difficulty of cross 
 ing the river, would, in all probability, have been success 
 ful. General Clinton says, " 1 can assure your Excel 
 lency, that I am well convinced, if night had not approach 
 ed rather too fast to correspond with our wishes, the enemy 
 would have been disappointed in his expectations, as a 
 reinforcement of five hundred men from General Putnam s 
 * See page 291. 
 
320 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 army, were at the east side of the river, ready to pass for 
 our relief, when the works were forced." 
 
 Marshall says, " The whole force under General Put 
 nam did not much exceed two thousand." This includes 
 six hundred in the forts on the west side, and two hun 
 dred at the Clove, from which Colonel Malcom s regiment 
 had been withdrawn by Washington s orders. " Yet 
 this force," he continues, "though far inferior to that 
 which General Washington had ordered to be retained at 
 the station, was, if properly applied, more than competent 
 to the defence of the forts against any numbers which 
 could be spared from New York. To insure success, it 
 was necessary to draw the attention of Putnam from the 
 real object, and to storm the works before the garrisons 
 could be aided by his army. This Sir Henry Clinton ac 
 complished." 
 
 In reference to the above passage in Italics, it will be 
 remembered, that the Commander-in-chief, on withdraw 
 ing the greater part of the forces from Peekskill, to aid 
 his own operations on the Delaware, had directed General 
 Putnam, " in case he was threatened with an attack, to 
 get what aid he could from the militia." On the arri 
 val of reinforcements to Sir Henry Clinton from Europe, 
 this aid was immediately called for. But, to use the 
 words of Governor Clinton, who was on the spot, " It 
 being a critical time with the yeomanry, and as they had 
 not yet sown their grain, and there being at that time no 
 appearance of the enemy, they were extremely restless 
 and uneasy. They solicited General Putnam for leave to 
 return, and many of them went home without his permission. 
 Urged by these considerations, he thought proper to dis 
 miss a part of them." As they were New York militia, 
 brought there by the order of Governor Clinton, who com 
 manded in person at Fort Montgomery, it is not reasonable 
 
VINDICATED BY WASHINGTON. 321 
 
 to suppose that they were discharged without his consent 
 and approval. In speaking of it, he nowhere expresses or 
 implies the slightest censure upon his superior. A subse 
 quent order was issued by Governor Clinton for a portion 
 of these militia to return ; but, before they could arrive, 
 the post was lost. 
 
 With regard to the propriety of abandoning the posts on 
 the east side of the river, and retiring to Fishkill, it was 
 determined on in council, and has never been called in 
 question by any respectable authority. Washington never 
 expressed any dissatisfaction with the conduct of Putnam 
 on this occasion. On hearing of the landing of the enemy 
 at Verplanck s Point, he remarked, in a letter to Gover 
 nor Livingston, of New Jersey, " This circumstance is 
 somewhat alarming, as the situation of our affairs this way, 
 has obliged us to draw off so large a part of our force from 
 Peekskill, that what now remains there may perhaps prove 
 inadequate to the defence of it." It will be seen hereafter 
 that a Court of Inquiry, ordered by Congress to investi 
 gate this case, reported, that the loss was occasioned by 
 want of men, and not by any fault in the commanders. 
 This want of men, Putnam had used every means in his 
 power to supply. " He had repeatedly informed the Com 
 mander-in-chief," says Humphreys, " that the posts com 
 mitted to his charge must, in all probability, be lost, in 
 case an attempt should be made upon them ; and that, cir 
 cumstanced as he was, he could not be responsible for the 
 consequences." General Washington, in replying to Clin 
 ton s despatch, said, " I had the greatest hopes that Ge 
 neral Putnam would draw in as many Connecticut militia, 
 as would replace the Continental troops, and I make no 
 doubt but he did all in his power to obtain them in time." 
 Aid of this kind could not be drawn in at a moment s 
 warning, to such an extent as to render essential service. 
 14* 
 
322 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 And, at this particular time, the orders had gone out for 
 reinforcements of militia, and some detachments were on 
 the march, but did not reach the post, till it had fallen into 
 the hands of the enemy. 
 
CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 DISSATISFACTION WITH PUTNAAl s COMMAND IN NEW 
 YORK. 
 
 Putnam reinforced from the northern army Projected enterprise 
 against New York Colonel Meigs s successful scout Move 
 ments on the Delaware Hamilton commissioned to obtain rein 
 forcements from Gates Visits Putnam at Fishkill Returns to 
 New Windsor His Letters Severe animadversions upon Putnam 
 Comments upon those letters Contrasted with those of Wash 
 ington Prejudices of the people of New York Their origin- 
 Washington s action, language, and feeling with reference to them 
 Governor Clinton requested to take the command in the High 
 lands Explanation of the language of Washington on that occa 
 sion Dickinson s enterprise on Staten Island Putnam s diversion 
 towards King s Bridge Takes post at New Rochelle Successful 
 enterprises against parties of the enemy Fires General Delancy s 
 house Takes Colonel Delancy prisoner Descent upon Long 
 Island- Success of General Parsons Colonel Webb a prisoner. 
 
 IMMEDIATELY after the defeat of Burgoyne, large detach 
 ments, no longer needed at the north, were sent forward 
 to Peekskill, until General Putnam s force, exclusive of 
 the militia from New York and Connecticut, amounted to 
 nearly nine thousand men. Before General Washington 
 had received full advices of the important movements in 
 the north, he suggested to General Putnam, by letter, the 
 propriety of an attempt to cut off the retreat of Sir Henry 
 Clinton to New York, and to get possession of the city , 
 expressing entire confidence in his (Putnam s) judgment 
 
324 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 and ability to pursue the most proper and efficacious means 
 to secure the end. 
 
 Although the British General had already secured his 
 
 tr> 
 
 retreat to New York, General Putnam immediately called 
 a council of his principal officers, in which it was unani 
 mously determined, agreeably to the suggestions of the 
 Commander-in-chief, that four thousand men should move 
 down the west side of the Hudson, and take post near 
 Haverstraw ; that one thousand should be retained in the 
 Highlands, to guard the country and repair the works ; 
 and that the remainder, under command of General Put 
 nam, should march down on the east side of the river, 
 towards King s Bridge. The object proposed by this dis 
 position of the forces was to cause a diversion of the enemy 
 in New York, and prevent a reinforcement being sent to 
 General Howe ; and it \vas doubtless an ulterior purpose 
 to attack the city, should a favorable opportunity present 
 itself. 
 
 General Dickinson, at the same time, and with the same 
 object in view, proposed a similar plan, in which he ex 
 pected the co-operation of Putnam. This plan also Wash 
 ington highly commended, and urged its immediate execu 
 tion. General Putnam was deeply interested in this 
 movement, and bent all his energies to secure it, but was 
 prevented from even making the attempt in the same 
 manner as he had been a few months before by the 
 withdrawal of his force, to strengthen the main army on 
 the Delaware. He was doubtless the more desirous to 
 be the instrument of striking some important blow, at this 
 time, as it would not only advance the good cause of his 
 country, but in some degree make amends for the recent 
 disasters in his department. 
 
 While these projects were in contemplation, Putnam 
 sent out some small detachments, to annoy the enemy, 
 
COL. HAMILTON S MISSION. 325 
 
 and to protect the country from their ravages. In one of 
 these, Colonel Meigs, with a division of General Parsons 
 brigade, made a forced march to Westchester, where he 
 surprised a band of freebooters, making fifty prisoners, and 
 recovering a large number of horses and cattle, which 
 they had recently stolen. 
 
 General Howe was now in possession of Philadelphia, 
 and the most vigorous measures were being made to open 
 a communication \vith the fleet below. These measures 
 it was Washington s principal aim to defeat ; and, suppos 
 ing that the British had no further designs on the north, 
 he felt that the army in that quarter ought to furnish him 
 with large and effective reinforcements. To this end, 
 agreeably to the decision of a council of war convened for 
 that purpose, he commissioned Colonel Hamilton to pro 
 ceed to Albany, to confer with General Gates on the sub 
 ject, and procure all the aid he could. He was, at the 
 same time, directed to call on General Putnam, and desire 
 him to send forward two brigades Nixon s and Glover s 
 with all possible despatch. 
 
 On arriving at Putnam s Head Quarters, Colonel Hamil 
 ton directed him, in the name of the Commander-in-chief, 
 to forward the two Continental brigades named in his in 
 structions, and another of Massachusetts militia, consisting 
 of sixteen hundred men, under General V\ r arner, whose 
 term of service would expire in about four weeks. He 
 also procured an order for the instant despatch of the regi 
 ments previously called for, which had been delayed partly 
 by the hope, on the part of Putnam, of being able im 
 mediately to put in execution his project against New 
 York. It was understood, also, that, in addition to these, 
 Poor s New Hampshire brigade, then just arrived from 
 Albany, should proceed at once to join the main army. 
 
 Hamilton then proceeded to Albany, to confer with Ge- 
 
326 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM 
 
 neral Gates. On his return to New Windsor, just a week 
 subsequent to his previous visit, he was greatly disappoint 
 ed that the expected reinforcements had not gone forward 
 The statement can be best understood from his own letter 
 to Washington, dated New Windsor, November 10th : " I 
 am pained beyond expression to inform your Excellency, 
 that, on my arrival here, I find everything has been ne 
 glected and deranged by General Putnam, and that the 
 two brigades, Poor s and Learned s, still remain here, and 
 on the other side at Fishkill. Colonel Warner s militia, 
 I am told, have been drawn to Peekskill, to aid in an ex 
 pedition against New York, which it seems is at this time 
 the hobby-horse with General Putnam. Not the least 
 attention has been paid to my order in your name, for a 
 detachment of one thousand men from the troops hitherto 
 stationed at this post. Everything is sacrificed to the 
 whim of taking New York. 
 
 " The two brigades of Poor and Learned, it appears, 
 would not march for want of money and other necessaries ; 
 several of the regiments having received no pay for six or 
 eight months. There has been a high mutiny among the 
 former on this account, in which a captain killed a man, 
 and was himself shot by his comrade. These difficulties, 
 for waaat of proper management, have stopped the troops 
 from proceeding. * * * By Governor Clinton s ad 
 vice, I have sent an order, in the most emphatical terms, 
 to General Putnam, immediately to despatch all the Conti 
 nental troops under him to your assistance, and to detain 
 the militia instead of them. 
 
 " My opinion is, that the only present use of troops in 
 this quarter, is to protect the country from the depredations 
 of little plundering parties, and for carrying on the works 
 necessary for the defence of the river. Nothing more 
 ought to be thought of. It is only wasting time, and mis- 
 
HAMILTON S LETTERS. 327 
 
 applying men, to employ them in a suicidal parade against 
 New York. 
 
 " If your Excellency agrees wiih me in opinion, it will 
 be well to send instant directions to General Putnam, to 
 pursue the object I have mentioned ; for I doubt whether 
 he will attend to anything I say, notwithstanding it comes 
 in the shape of a positive order. I fear, unless you inter 
 fere, the works here will go on so feebly, for want of men, 
 that they will not be completed in time. I wish General 
 Putnam was recalled from the command of this post, and 
 Governor Clinton would accept it ; the blunders and ca 
 prices of the former are endless." 
 
 In another letter, written two days later, he says, " I 
 believe the past delay is wholly chargeable to General 
 Putnam. Indeed, I owe it to the service to say, that 
 every part of this gentleman s conduct is marked with blun 
 ders and negligence, and gives general disgust^ 
 
 Colonel Hamilton s order to General Putnam, above 
 alluded to, is in the following pointed and authoritative lan 
 guage : " I cannot forbear confessing, that I am astonish 
 ed and alarmed beyond measure to find, that all his Excel 
 lency s views have been hitherto frustrated, and that no sin 
 gle step of those I mentioned to you has been taken, to 
 afford him the aid he absolutely stands in need of, and by 
 delaying which the cause of America is put to the utmost 
 conceivable hazard. I so fully explained to you the Ge 
 neral s situation, that I could not entertain a doubt, you 
 would make it the first object of your attention, to rein 
 force him with that speed the exigency of affairs demand 
 ed ; but, I am sorry to say, he will have too much reason 
 to think, other objects, in connection with that insignifi 
 cant, have been uppermost. I speak freely and emphati 
 cally, because I tremble at the consequences of the delay 
 that has happened. Sir Henry Clinton s reinforcement is 
 
328 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 probably by this time with General Howe. This will give 
 him a decided superiority over our army. What may be 
 the issue of such a state of things, I leave to the feelings 
 of every friend of his country, capable of foreseeing conse 
 quences. My expressions may perhaps have more 
 warmth, than is altogether proper, but they proceed from 
 the overflowing 01 my heart, in a matter where I conceive 
 this continent essentially interested. 
 
 u I wrote to you from Albany, and desired you would 
 send a thousand Continental troops, of those first proposed 
 to be left with you. This I understand has not been done. 
 How the non-compliance can be answered to General 
 Washington, you can best determine. I now, sir, in the 
 most explicit terms, by his Excellency s authority, give it 
 as a positive order from him, that all the Continental 
 troops under your command may be immediately marched 
 to King s Ferry, there tocro.ss the river, and hasten to rein 
 force the army under him. The Massachusetts militia are 
 to be detained instead of them, until the troops coming 
 from the northward arrive. When they do, they will 
 replace, as far as I am instructed, the troops you shall send 
 away in consequence of this requisition. The General s 
 idea of keeping troops this way, does not extend further 
 than covering the country from any little irruptions of 
 small parties, and carrying on the works necessary for the 
 security of the river. As to attacking New York, that 
 he thinks ought to be out of the question for the present. 
 If men could be spared from other really necessary objects, 
 he would have no objection to attempting a diversion by 
 way of New York." 
 
 The writer will yield to no man in respect for the talents, 
 and eminent public services, of Alexander Hamilton. But 
 it is obvious to remark that, at the period when these let 
 ters were written, he ws scarcely twenty years old, and 
 
COMPLAINTS OF HAMILTON S LETTER. 329 
 
 without any military knowledge or experience; while the 
 person, of whom he speaks in terms of unsparing censure, 
 and harsh disrespect, was an old soldier, a veteran officer, 
 on whose head the frosts of three score winters had fallen, 
 and whose martial virtues and martial deeds, in two wars, 
 had won the admiration of friend and foe alike, and 
 wreathed his brow with undying laurels. His opinions 
 would certainly have lost no weight in this case, if they 
 had been given in a tone and manner more becoming his 
 relative position. 
 
 Among the published letters of Washington, there is no 
 reply to these communications, from which his opinion of 
 them may be gathered. In his letters to General Putnam, 
 on the subject, while he makes it sufficiently appear that 
 he was disappointed in not receiving earlier succor from 
 that quarter, his language is uniformly respectful and kind. 
 
 General Putnam enclosed a copy of Hamilton s letter to 
 General Washington, and added: " It contains some most 
 unjust and ungenerous reflections, for I am conscious of 
 having done everything in my power to succor you as soon 
 as possible. 1 shall go to New Windsor this day, to see 
 Colonel Hamilton, and, until I have orders from you, I 
 cannot think of continuing at this post, and send all the 
 troops away. If they should go away, I am confident 
 General Howe will be further reinforced from this quar 
 ter." He then stated, in confirmation of this opinion, 
 what he knew of the strength of the enemy in New York. 
 
 On the receipt of this letter, Washington replied as fol 
 lows : " The urgency of Colonel Hamilton s letter was 
 owing to his knowledge of our wants in this quarter, and 
 to a certainty that there was no danger to be apprehended 
 from New York, if you sent away all the Continental 
 troops that were then with you, and waited to replace 
 them by those expected down the river. I cannot but say 
 
330 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 there has been more delay in the march of the troops, 
 than I think necessary; and I could vish that, in future, 
 my orders may be immediately complied with, without 
 arguing upon the propriety of them. If any accident en 
 sues from obeying them, the fault will be upon me, and 
 not upon you." 
 
 It is not proposed to claim for General Putnam entire 
 exemption from faults, either as a man, or an officer. He 
 was probably somewhat remiss in his duty on this occasion. 
 But he was, by no means, entitled to the severe remarks of 
 Hamilton. It is evident that Washington, though he approv 
 ed of the zeal and energy of his Aide-de-camp, must have 
 viewed the whole matter, as it related to Putnam, in a 
 totally different light. For it is hard to perceive how a 
 measure proposed by General Putnam, in which General 
 Dickinson was to bear a part, should be regarded worthy 
 to be spoken of only as a " hobby," a " whim," and a 
 u caprice ;" while the same measure, proposed by Gene 
 ral Dickinson, at the same time, and embracing in its 
 arrangements the co-operation of General Putnam, should 
 meet with entire approbation and respect. " Your idea," 
 says Washington to Dickinson, " I think an exceedingly 
 good one, and I am very desirous that you should improve 
 and mature it for immediate execution. I am in great 
 hopes it will effect the valuable purpose which you ex 
 pect ;" which was, to prevent General Howe from 
 receiving any further reinforcements from New York.* 
 This letter was written on the 4th of November, two days 
 after Hamilton s first interview with Putnam, and conse 
 quently while the former was at Albany. It was only one 
 
 * General Putnam had just learned from his spies, and commu 
 nicated to Washington, the fact, that four regiments were immediately 
 to be sent round to the Delaware from New York. Writings, vol. v., 
 page 127. 
 
TflE TRUE STATE OF THE CASE. 331 
 
 week before that interview, that Putnam himself had 
 received the first suggestion of the Commander-in-chief, 
 that a movement toward New York, if well conducted, 
 might be safe and advantageous. It is impossible, there 
 fore, to suppose, that Washington could have viewed the 
 designs of Putnam in this contemptuous light, or justified 
 the use of such reproachful terms in relation to it ; unless, 
 for the time, he was wholly divested of that consistency 
 and sense of justice, for which he was eminently distin 
 guished. 
 
 It cannot fail to strike the most careless reader as sin 
 gular, that while, in one paragraph, it is represented, that 
 " everything had been neglected and deranged by General 
 Putnam," and that Poor s and Learned s brigades were 
 detained at Fishkill by his fault alone, the very next para 
 graph begins with the acknowledgment, that " the two bri 
 gades of Poor and Learned would not march, for want of 
 money and other necessaries several of the regiments having 
 received no pay for six or eight months. There has been 
 a high mutiny on this account," &c. That this was the 
 only real difficulty in the way, there is no doubt ; and 
 there is ample evidence that Putnam used every means in 
 his power to overcome it. His letters to the Commander- 
 in-chief on the subject were frequent and pressing ; and 
 Washington called the special attention of Congress to the 
 matter, on the 10th of November the very date of Ham 
 ilton s second and severe letter in the following words : 
 " I would beg leave to mention, that we are in great dis 
 tress for want of money. This will be more urgent every 
 day ; and it is probable there will be a good deal of pay 
 due to the troops coming to reinforce us. General Putnam 
 writes pressingly for a supply, and says he is in the most dis 
 agreeable situation for want of it." 
 
 If the troops " would not march " without their arrears 
 
332 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 of pay, resisting even to mutiny and blood ; and if, with 
 the aid of the eloquent Governor Clinton, Hamilton could 
 not himself induce them to march, till he had borrowed 
 six thousand dollars to meet this very difficulty, it would 
 seem that he might have spared the old veteran some por 
 tion of those severe reflections. The mutiny took place 
 before Hamilton s arrival. Against whom did they mutiny, 
 if not against him who ordered them to march ? And who 
 had issued that order but the commander of the post ? 
 
 The truth is, there was a prejudice against Putnam, 
 among the people of New York, and the political leaders 
 had determined to have him removed from the command 
 in the Highlands.* The precise grounds of this prejudice 
 do not distinctly appear. If it was an alleged incompe 
 ten-cy to such a command, it is manifest that they differed 
 widely in their judgment from Washington, who had had 
 far better opportunities to know and judge of his qualifica 
 tions. Colonel Humphreys says : "The indulgence which 
 he showed, whenever it did not militate against his duty, 
 towards the deserted and suffering families of the tories in 
 the State of New York, was the cause of his becoming 
 unpopular with no inconsiderable class of people in that 
 State. On the other side, he had conceived an uncon 
 querable aversion to many of the persons who were en 
 trusted with the disposal of tory property, because he 
 believed them to have been guilty of peculations, and 
 other infamous practices." 
 
 Dr. Sparks observes : " It must be remembered, that at 
 this station there were innumerable applications for pass 
 ports to go into New York, under the pretence of urgent 
 business, and various matters of a private concern ; and it 
 was thought General Putnam s good nature was too pliant 
 on these occasions, and that too many opportunities were 
 * Appendix, No. 3. 
 
WASHINGTON S OPINION. 333 
 
 afforded for an improper intercourse between the disaffect 
 ed and the enemy. At any rate, the symptoms of uneasi 
 ness appeared from such high sources, and were so decid 
 edly manifested, that General Washington deemed it 
 necessary to take notice of them, and change the com 
 mand " 
 
 In recalling General Putnam from this command, Wash 
 ington, hy the clearest implication, disavows any and every 
 ground of censure or disapprobation, on his own part. 
 " My reason for making this change," he says, " is owing 
 to the prejudices of the people, which, whether well or 
 ill grounded, must be indulged ; and I should think myself 
 wanting in justice to the public, and candor towards you, 
 were I to continue you in a command, after I have been 
 in almost direct terms informed, that the people of the 
 State of New York will not render the necessary support 
 and assistance, while you remain at the head of that de 
 partment." Here is no intimation of incompetency or 
 unfaithfulness, or of any reason, so far as the Commander- 
 in-chief was concerned, why General Putnam should not 
 retain the station he had held. It is clearly implied that, 
 but for " the prejudices of the people," he would not have 
 been removed, and consequently, that neither Washing 
 ton s wishes, nor Washington s private views of the good 
 of the service, required his removal. And this was writ 
 ten in March, five months after Hamilton s mission. 
 
 On the 28th of November, a Court of Inquiry was order 
 ed by Congress, to investigate the causes of the loss of 
 Forts Montgomery and Clinton. This order was not exe 
 cuted by Washington until the 16th of March following, 
 though he had long before decided, that the wishes of New- 
 York should be regarded, in relation to the command of the 
 Highlands, as appears by his letter to General Gates, of 
 the 2d of December Four days after the passage of this 
 
3cJ4 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 order, Washington addressed a letter to Governor Clinton, 
 requesting his acceptance of that post. In urging this 
 point, he makes use of the following argument, which 
 demands, in this connection, a word of explanation. 
 " You may rest assured," says he, " that there are no im 
 pediments on the score of delicacy, or superior command, 
 that shall not be removed." 
 
 Governor Clinton was a man of eminent ability, and 
 unbounded influence in New York, and no better selection 
 could have been made, on both these accounts. But his 
 rank in the Continental army was only that of a brigadier- 
 general, of recent appointment. Not only every major- 
 general in the army, therefore, but all the brigadiers, 
 among whom were some of the ablest and most popular 
 men on the list, were implicated in this remark. It could 
 not be tortured into a disrespectful reference to General 
 Putnam, inasmuch as his removal had already been de 
 cided upon, on entirely different grounds, and an inquiry 
 had been ordered, which rendered necessary a temporary 
 suspension from all command. 
 
 I To return to the narrative, though Putnam s force was 
 now greatly reduced, he was not inactive. The continual 
 changes which were taking place in his command the 
 removal of his men from place to place the miserable, 
 broken, half-hearted service rendered by the militia and 
 the extreme destitution, at times, of money, and of many 
 of the comforts and necessaries of life, made it altogether 
 an unenviable post, and occasioned considerable delay in 
 the prosecution of the repairs on the defences, which had 
 been demolished by the British. 
 
 Not long after th-e continental troops had been with 
 drawn, General Putnam moved down, with a part of the 
 forces that remained, and approached the enemy s posts 
 on the east side of the Hudson. On the 27th of No vein- 
 
PARTIZAN ENTERPRISES. 335 
 
 ber, General Dickinson made a descent upon Staten Island, 
 with about fourteen hundred men. He landed, before 
 daylight, at Halstead s Point, in three divisions, which 
 marched into the island seven miles, by three different 
 routes, and uu>t at the appointed place of rendezvous. 
 The principal object of this expedition was to surprise 
 General Skinner, the celebrated tory refugee, and General 
 Campbell, who were stationed there. The most profound 
 secresy was observed as to the design of the expedition 
 few even of the officers knowing anything of their destina 
 tion, till the very moment of starting. And yet General 
 Skinner received intelligence of their approach, in season 
 to effect his escape, with the main body of his force. 
 Some skirmishes ensued, and five or six of the enemy 
 were killed, and twenty-four taken prisoners. General 
 Dickinson returned without effecting his object, but he 
 received the commendation of Washington on his enter 
 prise, and the judgment he had shown in arranging his 
 plan. 
 
 To aid this enterprise, and at the request of General 
 Dickinson, Putnam sent out Parsons and Warner, with 
 their brigades, towards King s Bridge, to make a diversion 
 in that quarter. Putnam reconnoitred in person within 
 three miles of King s Bridge. But, finding no opportunity 
 to operate with effect on that point, he diverged to New 
 Hochelle, where he made a disposition to cross over to 
 Long Island, and attack the forts at Huntington and Satau- 
 ket. But the enemy received warning, in season to 
 evacuate the forts before his preparations for embarkation 
 were completed. 
 
 Having received intelligence that small parties of the 
 enemy were out, under the orders of Governor Tryon, to 
 lay waste the property of the unprotected, Putnam imme 
 diately detached three parties of one hundred m;>n each, 
 
336 LIFE OP GENERAL PTJTNA M. 
 
 to prevent their depredations. Two of them were suc 
 cessful in their manoeuvres, and returned, one with thirty 
 five, and the other with forty prisoners. The third party 
 of the enemy succeeded in effecting their purpose, so far 
 as to burn the house of a Mr. Van Tassel, a noted whig, 
 and a member of the committee of safety, compelling him 
 to accompany them naked and barefooted, over frozen 
 ground and ice, to their quarters. Determined to show 
 the enemy that firing houses was a game which two could 
 play at, and that the loss was not necessarily all on one 
 side, General Putnam directed Captain Buchanan to cross 
 over to York Island in a whale-boat, and fire the house of 
 General Oliver Delancy, one of the leading loyalists of 
 that place. This act of justifiable retaliation had, for a 
 time, the desired effect, of arresting this species of unmean 
 ing and wanton destruction. 
 
 About the same time, one of Putnam s scouting parties, 
 learning that Colonel James Delancy was at West Farms, 
 a little below Westchester, determined to make him a 
 prisoner. They, accordingly, surrounded the house where 
 he lodged, and proceeded to search it. When the alarm 
 was given, he jumped out of bed, and endeavored to con 
 ceal himself under it. But he was soon discovered, drag 
 ged forth, and carried to Head-Quarters. He was a tory 
 of too much value to be spared long, and Sir Henry Clin 
 ton soon found means to effect an exchange for him. He 
 was afterward leader of a gang of irregulars, or bandits, 
 known by the name of cowboys, and made himself infa 
 mously immortal, by every species of cruelty and excess. 
 
 Though the season was far advanced into winter, and 
 ihe weather was very severe, another and more serious 
 enterprise was undertaken by General Putnam, the execu 
 tion of which was entrusted to General Parsons and 
 Colonel Webb. The object was a descent upon Long 
 
DESCENT UPON LONG ISLAND. 337 
 
 Island, having four objects in view : to destroy a quantity 
 of lumber, which the enemy was preparing, at the east 
 end of the island, for the erection of new barracks in New 
 York to set fire to a number of coasting vessels, at the 
 same place) loading with wood for the British forces at 
 Newport to attack a regiment, then quartered about 
 eight miles east of Jamaica and to remove, or destroy, 
 whatever public stores they should find on the island. 
 
 By the plan of operations, General Parsons was to exe 
 cute the first part, at the east end of the island ; Colonel 
 Meigs was to land at Hempstead Harbor, and attack the 
 regiment near Jamaica ; and Colonel Webb was to land 
 near Huntington, to support Meigs, and to render such 
 aid to the eastern division, under Parsons, as might be 
 required. Meigs was prevented from crossing the Sound, 
 by the unfavorable state of the weather. The other two 
 divisions started with fair prospects ; but, unfortunately 
 for Colonel Webb, he encountered in his passage the 
 British sloop-of-vvar Falcon. Being only in a common 
 transport, without guns, he could not offer battle, or 
 attempt a defence. In endeavoring to escape, he was 
 driven on shore so fur from the beach, that he and all his 
 party were taken prisoners. They attempted to reach 
 the land in boats ; but the surf ran so high that the boats 
 were swamped the moment they touched the water, 
 and they had no remedy but to give themselves up to 
 the foe. 
 
 General Parsons effected his landing in safety, and suc 
 ceeded in destroying a large quantity of timber, boards, 
 and wood, and one of the enemy s vessels. Captain Hart, 
 of this party, with a detachment of forty men, attacked a 
 number of boats near the shore, killing eight, and wound 
 ing eleven among whom was the captain of one of the 
 British sloops-of-vvar. General Parsons leturned, with 
 
338 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 his whole party unhurt, and twenty of the enemy pri 
 soners. The loss of the other party, by the Falcon, was 
 sixty-five : viz. Colonel Webb, with four officers, twenty 
 privates of his continental regiment, and forty militia, all 
 picked men. 
 
CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 NEW FORTIFICATIONS IN THE HIGHLANDS. PUTNAM 
 DISPLACED FROM THE COMMAND. 
 
 Condition of the defences in the Highlands West Point selected as 
 the principal post Radiere prefers Fort ClintonPutnam con 
 sults the Legislature of New York To whom is the credit of this 
 selection due 1 Works commenced in January Wretched state 
 of the army Putnam s letter on that point, and the obstructions in 
 the river He goes to Connecticut The Court of Inquiry into the 
 causes of the loss of Forts Montgomery and Clinton Putnam 
 superseded by General McDougall Decision of the Court, exone 
 rating Putnam from all blame Ordered to Connecticut, to raise 
 recruits Takes command of the right wing Stationed at Dan- 
 bury Ctuells a mutiny Perilous adventure at Horseneck Ope 
 rations on the North River Putnam in command at the Clove 
 Wayne s success at Stony Point Putnam s command near West 
 Point His name given to the principal fortResults of the cam 
 paign. 
 
 ABOUT the middle of December, General Putnam, by 
 direction of the Commander-in-chief, returned to his post 
 in the Highlands, with instructions to employ his whole 
 force, and all the means in his power, for erecting and 
 completing, as far as possible, such works and obstructions 
 as might be necessary to defend and secure the river 
 against any future attempts of the enemy. With a view 
 to the more diligent prosecution of these works, he wus 
 advised to confine his attention exclusively to them, with 
 out attempting any active measures to annoy the enemy 
 or to protect the country against his incursions.. 
 
340 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 All the forts, and other works of defence in the High 
 lands, had been entirely demolished by the British, during 
 their twenty days occupancy ; and it now became a ques 
 tion of importance whether these should be restored in 
 their former positions, or new and more eligible places 
 selected for the purpose. There were differences of opi 
 nion on this subject, among those whose interest and co 
 operation were essential to its progress. And it was this, 
 together with the pressing want of money, and the poverty 
 and hard fare of the soldiers, which occasioned the delay 
 in the prosecution of the works, so often complained of by 
 Washington in his letters ; and not any want of activity or 
 zeal on the part of General Putnam. 
 
 With a view to settle this question definitely and for 
 ever, and proceed vigorously with the work, a thorough 
 survey of the whole region was made in the early part of 
 January, by General Putnam, accompanied by Governor 
 Clinton, General James Clinton, and several other distin 
 guished gentlemen among whom was Colonel Radiere, 
 \ French engineer of some celebrity. All, except Ra- 
 vifire, united in the opinion that West Point was the most 
 Higible place to be fortified. Radiere opposed this deci 
 sion wilh considerable vehemence, and drew up a memo 
 rial, designed to show that the site of Fort Clinton pos 
 sessed advantages much superior to West Point. The 
 British commander, Sir Henry Clinton, and his associates, 
 seem to have entertained the same high opinion of the 
 advantageous position of Fort Clinton ; for, while they 
 demolished all the other forts, they commenced repairing 
 and strengthening that, for future operations. It is possi 
 ble that this circumstance may have had some influence in 
 affecting the decision of Radiere. 
 
 As the French engineer was a man of science, and pos 
 sessed the confidence of Congress and the Commander-in- 
 
FORTIFICATIONS AT WEST POINT. 341 
 
 chief, it was deemed expedient by General Putnam to 
 consult the Council and Assembly of New York, before 
 he came to a final determination. At his suggestion, a 
 committee was appointed by those bodies, who were em 
 ployed three days in carefully reconnoitring the borders 
 of the river in the Highlands, and attending to all the 
 suggestions of the more experienced military men who 
 accompanied them, in reference to the several points deem 
 ed most capable of defence. After a patient and careful 
 examination of every position, and every argument, they 
 decided unanimously in favor of West Point thus agree 
 ing with every person authorized to act in the affair, ex 
 cept the engineer. It was accordingly decided, on the 
 13th of January, that the fortifications should be erected 
 at West Point. Colonel RadiSre was sorely piqued at 
 this result, and manifested his ill-will on the occajjon by 
 a petulant, unaccommodating behavior, and by the over 
 bearing manner in which he presented his estimates and 
 requisitions, which were altogether disproportioned to 
 the finances of the government, and only served, as Hum 
 phreys remarks, " to remind them of their poverty, and 
 satirize their resources." He was not long after replaced 
 by the celebrated Kosciusko ; after which the works went 
 forward with more spirit. 
 
 Colonel Humphreys, who was on the spot at the time, 
 claims for General Putnam the whole merit of the selec 
 tion of this post ; and adds " It is no vulgar praise to 
 say, that to him belongs the glory of having chosen this 
 rock of our military salvation. The position for water- 
 batteries, which might sweep the channel where the river 
 formed a right angle, made it the most proper of any for 
 commanding the navigation ; while the rocky ridges that 
 rose in awful sublimity behind each other, rendered it 
 impregnable and even incapable of being invested by less 
 
342 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 than twenty thousand men. The British, who considered 
 this post as a sort of American Gibraltar, never attempted 
 it but by the treachery of an American officer." 
 
 It is impossible to say to whom the credit of originality, 
 in this case, belongs ; nor is it a matter of much impor 
 tance with reference to men who had so many other and 
 more substantial titles to fame. The first recorded sug 
 gestion in reference to this point, of which we have any 
 knowledge, is contained in the letter of Governor Clinton 
 to General Washington, dated December 20th, about tw:> 
 weeks before the survey above spoken of. After declin 
 ing, for reasons of state, the proffered command in the 
 Highlands, he freely offers his advice and assistance, wher 
 ever and by whomsoever they may be needed gives 
 several important hints respecting the construction of new 
 works on the river and especially recommends that a 
 " strong fortress should be erected at West Point, opposite 
 to Fort Constitution." 
 
 Before the close of January, when the snow was two 
 feet deep, General Parsons, with his brigade, went over 
 to West Point and broke ground. It is difficult, at this 
 day, to conceive of the many impediments which then 
 existed, in the way of completing such necessary works ; 
 or the toil and suffering involved in their prosecution. 
 The better to understand and appreciate it, the reader 
 should remember that it was the same memorable season, 
 when Washington, with his wasted, half-clothed, half-fed 
 army, was freezing in his comfortless winter quarters, at 
 Valley Forge. The marvel is, how such an army was 
 held together at all, under such circumstances ; and how 
 works of any description could go forward by the agency 
 of men so poorly paid, so miserably provided for. And 
 yet, such was the energy and zeal displayed by all con 
 cerned, that the works went forward with unexpected 
 
OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE RIVER. 343 
 
 rapidity and success. It was in forwarding and encourag 
 ing these works, observes Colonel Humphreys, u that the 
 patriotism of Governor Clinton shone in full lustre. His 
 exertions to forward supplies can never be too much com 
 mended. His influence, arising from his popularity, was 
 unlimited ; yet he hesitated not to put all his popularity at 
 risk, whenever the federal interests demanded it. Not 
 withstanding the impediments that opposed our progress, 
 with his aid, before the opening of the campaign, the works 
 were in great forwardness." 
 
 Fortifications alone were not regarded as sufficient for 
 the purpose of guarding the river, without other contri 
 vances to obstruct the passage of ships. Resort was, 
 therefore, to be had to chains, booms, and chevaux-de-frise, 
 as before at Fort Montgomery. All these works were in 
 the course of preparation together. 
 
 On the thirteenth of February, one month after the site 
 had been determined upon, General Putnam wrote to the 
 Commander-in-chief, as follows : " At my request, the 
 Legislature of this State have appointed a committee, to 
 fix the places and manner of securing the river, and to 
 afford some assistance in expediting the work. The state 
 of affairs now at this post, you will please to observe, is as 
 follows : The chain and necessary anchors are contracted 
 for, to be completed by the first of April ; and, from the 
 intelligence I have received, there is reason to believe they 
 will be finished by that time. Parts of the boom intended 
 to have been used at Fort Montgomery, sufficient for 
 this purpose, are remaining. Some of the iron is exceed 
 ingly bad ; this I hope to have replaced with good iron 
 soon. The ckevaux-de-frise wiU be completed by the time 
 the river will admit of sinking them. The batteries near 
 the water, and the fort to cover them, are laid out. The 
 latter is within the walls six hundred yards around, twen- 
 
3 14 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 ty-one feet base, fourteen feet, high, the talus (or slope) 
 two inches to the foot. This, I fear, is too large to be 
 completed by the time expected. Governor Clinton and 
 the committee have agreed to this plan, and nothing on 
 my part shall be wanting, to complete it in the best and 
 most expeditious manner. Barracks and huts for about 
 three hundred men are completed, and barracks for about 
 the same number are nearly covered. A road to the river 
 has been made with great difficulty." 
 
 He then proceeds to enumerate some of the difficulties 
 with which he had to contend, in the prosecution of his 
 work. "Meigs s regiment, except those under inoculation 
 with the small-pox, is at White Plains ; and, until the 
 barracks can be fitted for their reception, I have thought 
 best to continue them there, to cover the country from the 
 incursions of the enemy. Dubois^s regiment is unfit to be 
 ordered on duty, there being not one blanket in the regiment. 
 Very few have either a shoe or a shirt, and most of them have 
 neither stockings, breeches, nor overalls. Several companies 
 of enlisted artificers are in the same situation, and unable to 
 work in the field. Several hundred men are rendered use 
 less, merely for want of necessary apparel, as no clothing 
 is permitted to be stopped at this post. General Parsons 
 has returned to camp some time since, and takes upon 
 himself the command to-morrow, when I shall set out for 
 Connecticut." 
 
 That these statements are in no way exaggerated, there 
 is evidence enough in all the chronicles of the day. For 
 the painful counterpart, in all its hideous nakedness, see 
 Washington s letters to Congress, of the 23d of Decem 
 ber* to Governor Livingston of the 31st of the same 
 month to Governor Clinton of the 16th, and to Congress 
 
 * Writings, vol. v., pages 197 and 206. 
 
COURT OF INQUIRY. 345 
 
 of the 27th of February.* The latter, in direct allusion 
 to the above, says : "The enclosed extract of a letter from 
 General Putnam will show how great the distresses are 
 in that quarter for want of money. He has described their 
 necessities so fully, that it is unnecessary for me to add 
 upon the subject. I shall only observe, that his account 
 is more than justified by many other letters, and that I am 
 persuaded the earliest possible supply will be forwarded, 
 and that the very important and interesting works carrying 
 on there may not be the least retarded." 
 
 As soon as General Putnam could conveniently return 
 from Connecticut, where his private affairs demanded 
 attention at this time, the Court of Inquiry, which had 
 been ordered in November, was organized. It consisted 
 of Major-General McDougall, Brigadier-General Hunting- 
 ton, and Colonel Wigglesworth.f The following is an 
 extract from Washington s letter to General McDougall, 
 apprizing him of this appointment : u You will observe by 
 the words of the resolve (of Congress), that the inquiry is 
 to be made into the loss of Forts Montgomery and Clinton, 
 in the State of New York, and into the conduct of the 
 principal officers commanding those forts. Hence the 
 officer commanding-m-chief in that department will be 
 consequentially involved in the inquiry ; because, if he has 
 been deficient in affording the proper support to those 
 posts, when called upon to do it, the commandant and 
 
 * Writings, vol. v., pages 238 and 244. 
 
 t It may be well to remark that such inquiries are almost invaria 
 bly instituted in relation to military enterprises which are attended 
 with disastrous results. They do not by any means necessarily 
 imply a diminution of confidence in the officers whose conduct is 
 implicated in the inquiry. They are part of a great system, as 
 necessary to the reputation of the officers, as to the due adjustment 
 of discipline anJ reward in the army. 
 15* 
 
346 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 principal officers will of course make it appear, by the 
 evidence produced in their own justification." 
 
 General McDougall was at the same time invested with 
 the command in the Highlands, respecting which it was 
 remarked : " I am sensible this command will not be in 
 itself the most agreeable piece of service, and that you 
 would prefer a post on the principal theatre of action ; but 
 the vast importance of it has determined me to confide it 
 to you, and I am persuaded your object is to be useful to 
 the public." General Putnam had fully realized the 
 truth of these remarks, respecting the character of the post 
 in the Highlands. But it was always a principle with 
 him, never to shrink from any service, or complain of any 
 duty, because it was disagreeable. 
 
 It was on this occasion, when it became necessary to 
 suspend his command for a season, in order to subject him 
 to this trial, that Washington explained to Putnam the 
 necessity he was under, growing out of the prejudices of 
 the people of New York, of recalling him altogether from 
 that post. 
 
 The Court of Inquiry, after a patient and careful exami 
 nation of all the facts in the case, were unanimously of 
 opinion, and made report accordingly, that the disaster 
 of the fifth of October, 1777, in which Forts Montgomery 
 and Clinton were lost, was occasioned only by the want 
 of men sufficient for their proper defence, and not by any 
 fault of the commanders. 
 
 This investigation being satisfactorily terminated, Gene 
 ral Putnam was requested partly, no doubt, with refer 
 ence to his own convenience to return to Connecticut, 
 and hasten with all possible expedition, the march from 
 that quarter of the new levies of militia for the coming 
 campaign, which Washington apprehended would open 
 early, and prove an active and decisive one. This seemed 
 
PUTNAM RETURNS TO THE CAMP. 347 
 
 the more certain, when, about the 1st of May, intelligence 
 was received of the conclusion of a treaty of alliance be 
 tween France and the United States. It was the first 
 formal recognition, by any of the nations, of American 
 Independence, and was responded to, in all parts of the 
 country, by universal acclamations of joy. It inspired all 
 hearts with confidence. Washington, writing to Putnam 
 on the occasion, ever as watchful and prudent as he was 
 firm and hopeful in the goodness and ultimate success of 
 his cause, said : " I hope that the fair, and, I may say, 
 certain prospect of success will not induce us to relax." 
 
 Except a few ordinary skirmishes, and the able retreat 
 of Lafayette from Barren Hill, nothing of any moment 
 occurred till the last of June, when the successful attack 
 upon the retreating foe at Monmouth, gave fresh eclat to 
 the American cause. Immediately after this felicitous 
 event, General Putnam returned to the camp, and took the 
 command of the right wing of the army, recently com 
 manded by General Lee, who was then under arrest for 
 his conduct in the battle of Monmouth. Without any 
 action of importance, the army was concentrated about 
 the North River, as the enemy retired to New York. The 
 season passed away with little else than marches and 
 countermarches, with the view of being always ready for 
 any decided movement on the part of Sir Henry Clinto.n. 
 
 About the first of September, when the preparations 
 known to be making in New York indicated a combined 
 attack, by sea and land, on the French fleet at Boston, 
 dispositions were made to move in that direction. With 
 this view General Gates, with three brigades, was ordered 
 to proceed to Danbury, in Connecticut. Washington 
 moved as far as Fredericksburg, about thirty miles from 
 the river, on the way to Boston. General Putnam, with 
 two brigades, was left in the neighborhood of West Point, 
 
348 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 for the defence of the North River, which, in the language 
 of Washington, was one of the three capital objects at 
 which the enemy would necessarily direct his force, and 
 which it was his first duty to defend. General McDou- 
 gall, with two other brigades, was ordered to join General 
 Gates at Danbury. 
 
 As no serious demonstrations were made by the enemy 
 in either of these directions, the whole army, after remain 
 ing in this position more than two months, retired into 
 winter quarters. General McDougall returned to his 
 command in the Highlands, and General Putnam, with 
 three brigades, composed of the New Hampshire and Con 
 necticut troops, together with Hazen s corps of infantry 
 and Sheldon s of cavalry, was posted in the vicinity of 
 Danbury, for the threefold purpose of protecting the coun 
 try lying along the Sound covering the magazines on the 
 Connecticut River and being ready to reinforce the 
 Highlands, on any serious movement of the enemy in that 
 direction. 
 
 In the course of the winter, a spirit of insubordination, 
 arising from the many hardships they had suffered, and 
 the long arrearages of pay now due, manifested itself 
 among a portion of the troops at Danbury ; and, but for 
 the vigor, promptness and address of their veteran com 
 mander, whom they loved and respected, it might have 
 been attended with the most serious results. The General 
 Assembly of Connecticut was then in session at Hartford ; 
 and a plan was matured by the two brigades belonging to 
 that State, of marching to that place in a body, and de 
 manding redress, at the point of the bayonet, for the griev 
 ances under which they labored. The second brigade 
 was already under arms for this purpose, when intelligence 
 of their proceedings was brought to General Putnam. He 
 instantly mounted his horse, galloped down to their can- 
 
MUTINY IN CONNECTICUT. 349 
 
 tonment, and, in his plain, blunt manner, thus addressed 
 them : " My brave lads, whither are you going ? Do you 
 intend to desert your officers, and to invite the enemy to 
 follow you into the country ? In whose cause have you 
 been fighting and suffering so long ? Is it not your own ? 
 Have you no property ? no parents ? no wives ? no chil 
 dren ? You have thus far behaved like men the world 
 is full of your praises and posterity will stand astonished 
 at your deeds ; but not if you spoil it all at last. Don t 
 you consider how much the country is distressed by the 
 war ; and that your officers have not been any better paid 
 than yourselves ? But we all expect better times, and 
 then the country will do us ample justice. Let us all 
 stand by one another, then, and fight it out like brave sol 
 diers. Think what a shame it would be for Connecticut 
 men to run away from their officers !" 
 
 The General then rode along the line, and was received 
 by the several regiments in the usual manner, with pre 
 sented arms and beat of drum. The acting Major of Bri 
 gade was then ordered to give the word for them to shoul 
 der arms, march to their regimental parades, and there 
 lodge arms ; all of which was done promptly and with 
 apparent good humor. One soldier only, who had been a 
 ringleader in the mutiny, was confined in the quarter- 
 guard. He attempted to make his escape in the night ; 
 but the sentinel, though he had himself taken part in the 
 mutiny, was .so entirely convinced of his error, and won 
 back to his duty, that he shot him dead upon the spot. 
 
 During this season, the British, as usual, sent out an 
 occasional foraging party, to sweep away from the unpro 
 tected portion of the country whatever they could find of 
 stock or provisions. Unfortunately for their reputation 
 for humanity, these parties did not confine themselves to 
 this species of justifiable plunder, but burned and laid 
 
350 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 waste the property of the defenceless. A corps of fifteen 
 hundred men, under command of Governor Tryon, was, 
 on one of these occasions, approaching the town of West 
 Greenwich, more familiarly known as Horseneck^ from a 
 peninsula on the Sound, anciently used as a pasture for 
 horses, but now the richest and most populous part of the 
 township. 
 
 This was one of Putnam s outposts, and he chanced to 
 be there, in person, when Try on advanced. He had no 
 force to oppose him but a picket of one hundred and fifty 
 men, with two pieces of artillery. With these, he took 
 his station on the brow of a steep declivity, near the Pres 
 byterian church, resolved to do the enemy what mischief 
 he could and then retire. As they advanced, they receiv 
 ed several well-directed volleys, that told with good effect 
 on their line ; upon which the dragoons, supported by a 
 corps of infantry, prepared to charge. Putnam immedi 
 ately ordered his men to provide for their own safety, by 
 retiring to a swamp inaccessible to cavalry, while he secur 
 ed his, by forcing his well-trained horse, at full speed, 
 down the declivity. The road at that time turned to the 
 north, a little before it came to the brow of the hill, and, 
 after proceeding a considerable distance, bent again with a 
 sharp angle towards the south having been dug along the 
 steep in such a manner, as to make the passage practica 
 ble and tolerably safe. General Putnam, under the influ 
 ence of the same spirit with which he entered the wolf s 
 den, being hard pressed by his pursuers, forced his horse 
 directly down the precipice, winding his course, how 
 ever, in such a zig-zag direction, as enabled him to keep 
 his feet. His pursuers, when they came to the top of the 
 precipice, struck with astonishment at his daring attempt, 
 stopped short, and fired upon him as he effected the peril 
 ous descent ; when, despairing of overtaking him by the 
 
Perilous Descent at Horjenssk. p^go 350. 
 
PERILOUS LEAP AT HORSENECK. 351 
 
 circuitous course of the road, they gave over the chase- 
 He escaped the sharp firing of his pursuers, only one ball 
 taking effect ; and that, fortunately, passed through his 
 beaver, without hurting a hair of his head. The road is 
 so much altered at the present time as to prevent the eye 
 from fully realizing the extent of the hazard. It is now 
 blown through the rocks above at a great expense ; and 
 continued by a causeway from the foot of the chasm to the 
 valley below, in the very direction where the General 
 descended. 
 
 The story of the seventy stone steps, by which this 
 hill is ascended, and of the magnificent church on the top, 
 to which that wonderful stairway was designed to lead, is 
 a sheer fabrication, originating in what Dr. Dwight calls, 
 li that mass of folly and falsehood, Peters^s History of Con 
 necticut.^ The. truth is, there is a small Episcopal church 
 on the brow of the hill, and the members of the congrega 
 tion, who lived below the hill, being unwilling to take the 
 tedious circuit of the road, when walking to the church, 
 and being unable to ascend the hill in its original state, 
 gathered a collection of stones from the road, and the 
 neighboring enclosures, and placed them at convenient 
 distances, to aid them in climbing this steep. The num 
 ber is commonly reported to be seventy, though sometimes 
 magnified to a hundred ; but, instead of being a magnifi 
 cent flight of steps, the regularity of their arrangement 
 would not distinguish them from the common stones of the 
 street. 
 
 Putnam continued his route, unmolested, to Stamford 
 about ten miles. Calling out a party of militia at this 
 place, he returned with all despatch, formed a junction with 
 the little band he had left behind, and hung upon the rear 
 of Tryon, in his retreat, with such effect, as to take about 
 fifty of his party prisoners. Some of these being wounded, 
 
352 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 were treated with such special humanity and kindness, 
 that Governor Tryon addressed a handsome note to Put 
 nam in acknowledgment, accompanied with a present of a 
 complete suit of clothes.* 
 
 * There is an apparent anachronism in the common narratives of 
 this adventure. Colonel Humphreys places it in the winter of 
 1778-9. A note attached to the Boston edition of his memoirs, print 
 ed in 1818, says, that the whole party of prisoners, taken from Tryon, 
 on this occasion, was sent, the next day, to the British lines for 
 exchange. This could hardly have happened at the time named by 
 Humphreys; for Putnam had, a year before, received specific in 
 structions from Washington on this very point. In a letter of the 
 25th of January, 1778, after congratulating Putnam on the success of 
 his two little parties against the enemy, which he hoped would have 
 the effect to prevent their making so extensive excursions in future, 
 he remarks : " One circumstance I cannot avoid taking notice of, 
 that our officers who have been but a very short time in the enemy s 
 hands, reap the advantages of any captures which happen to be 
 made by us. This must not be practised in future, as It is the height 
 of injustice, and will, if continued, draw upon us the censures of the 
 officers who have been for a long time suffering all the rigors of a 
 severe captivity. The proper mode of procedure is, to deliver them 
 into the hands of the commissary of prisoners, who must be best 
 acquainted with the propriety of complying with the claims of our 
 officers in their hands." It is manifest, therefore, either that the 
 whole enterprise is post-dated a whole year by Humphreys, or that 
 the Boston editor is in error, in connecting the summary exchange 
 of prisoners with this occasion. The former is most probable; since 
 the incident of the suit of clothes received from Governor Tryon, 
 which is also mentioned by Humphreys, connects the two events 
 together, while Washington s letter, alluding both to the success of Put 
 nam s two parties, and to the premature exchange of prisoners, estab 
 lishing the date of the one, necessarily decides that of the other. It 
 will be remembered that, at that period, Putnam sent out three par 
 ties from New Rochelle, against the parties of Tryon, and that two 
 of them were successful. The number of prisoners taken by both, as 
 represented by Humphreys, was seventy-five. One of those parties 
 might have been the party at Horseneck, increased by the picket to 
 one hundred and fifty men. And, as that party took forty prisoners, 
 
STONY POINT LOST A :? D RECOVERED. 353 
 
 In the latter part of March, 1779, before General Put 
 nam received orders to move from his winter quarters at 
 Danbury, he was apprized by the Commander-in-chief of 
 the probable designs of the enemy to commit extensive 
 depredations on the towns along the coast, and warned to 
 be on his guard, to prevent their ravages as far as possible. 
 But, having the advantage of vastly superior numbers, and 
 armed ships, by which they were easily and safely trans 
 ported from place to place, it was not easy to follow or 
 check them in their cruel designs. It was expected, by 
 the short-sighted administration of that day, that this spe 
 cies of predatory warfare keeping the country in a state 
 of constant alarm and suffering would wear out the 
 rebellious provinces, and induce them to return to their 
 allegiance. The effect was just the reverse, exasperating- 
 even the timid, and rousing the whole community to an 
 indignant and hearty co-operation in sustaining the war. 
 
 As the season for active operations approached, Sir 
 Henry Clinton formed a plan for opening the campaign 
 with a brilliant coup de main up the North River. Wash 
 ington was immediately informed of the preparations mak 
 ing for this object, and penetrating, at once, their design, 
 took measures to counteract them. Generals Putnam and 
 McDougall were ordered to hold themselves in readiness 
 to march ; and, on the 26th of May, the army under 
 Washington moved by divisions from Middlebrook towards 
 the Highlands. On the 30th, the British army, command 
 ed by Sir Henry Clinton in person, proceeded up the 
 river ; and General Vaughan, at the head of the largest 
 
 it would leave but a slight difference to be adjusted in the two state 
 ments. This is rendered more probable from the circumstance, that, 
 in describing the Horseneck expedition, Colonel Humphreys makes 
 no mention of prisoners, which, as an honest man, he would not do, 
 if he had previously accounted for all the prisoners taken. 
 
354 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 division, landed, the next morning, near Verplanck s 
 Point. The other division, under General Patterson, 
 accompanied by Sir Henry, landed on the west side, near 
 Stony Point. The works at this place, which were in an 
 unfinished state, were abandoned at once to the enemy. 
 The garrison at Fort Lafayette, on the opposite side, con 
 sisting of seventy men, being invested by General Vaughan 
 on the land side, and by the galleys on the water side, 
 was compelled to surrender as prisoners of war. 
 
 The design of this expedition was evidently to get pos 
 session of West Point, and the river. But, while these 
 movements were in progress, that post was so strongly 
 reinforced, that it was deemed too hazardous to prosecute 
 the design any farther. The whole army, under the im 
 mediate command of Washington, was now concentrated 
 in the Highlands. General Putnam, with his division, 
 had crossed the river, and joined the main body in the 
 Clove. On the 23d of June, General Washington remov 
 ed his head-quarters to New Windsor, leaving the main 
 body at the former place, under the immediate command 
 of Putnam. 
 
 The two posts on the river, recently taken by the ene 
 my, were important to both parties. The possession of 
 them by the British was a great inconvenience to the 
 American army, as it cut off one of their best communica 
 tions, by King s Ferry, between their principal posts on 
 the two sides of the river, besides affording to the enemy 
 convenient vantage ground, from which to advance higher 
 up. They were immediately put into a condition of 
 defence, and ably garrisoned ; while, at the same time, 
 measures were adopted by Washington to recover them. 
 
 On the 15th of July, Stony Point was gallantly stormed 
 and recovered by General Wayne, and the whole garrison 
 made prisoners consisting of nearly six hundred men. 
 
WORKS AT WEST POINT. 355 
 
 The attempt upon Verplanck s Point was to have been 
 made at the same time. But it failed ; and in consequence 
 of this failure, it became necessary to abandon Stony Point 
 again to the enemy. It was then more strongly fortified 
 and garrisoned than before ; but was again, in a short time, 
 with the opposite post at Verplanck s, finally evacuated, 
 and left to the quiet possession of the Americans. 
 
 On the 21st of July, Washington established his head 
 quarters at West Point, and remained there until Decem 
 ber, when the army went into winter quarters. It was 
 during this period that the strong works at West Point 
 and its vicinity were chiefly constructed. During a con 
 siderable part of the time, twenty-five hundred men were 
 daily on fatigue duty. The right wing of the army, con 
 sisting of the Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia troops, 
 was commanded by General Putnam. His post was at 
 Buttermilk Falls, about two miles below West Point. As 
 the fatigue parties were furnished alternately by each 
 division of the army, and as General Putnam was expe 
 rienced in this department, he took an active and efficient 
 part in completing the fortifications which had been laid 
 out under his own eye, and the site for which had been 
 selected chiefly through his agency. He had the honor of 
 giving his own name to the principal fort. It is still to be 
 seen, though in ruins, reminding the multitudes who annu 
 ally visit the spot, of the labors, sufferings and sacrifices, 
 as well as of the virtues and honors of that noble band of 
 heroes, who achieved our Independence. 
 
 With the exception of Wayne s enterprise at Stony 
 Point, and another of equal merit, under the gallant Major 
 Henry Lee, at Paulus Hook (Jersey City), the campaign 
 of 1779 was productive of no important events, so far as 
 the main body of the army under Washington was con 
 cerned. That commander, under date of the 30th of Sep- 
 
356 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 ternber, thus characterizes the campaign in a letter to 
 Lafayette : " The operations of the enemy have been con 
 fined to the establishment of works of defence, taking a 
 post at King s Ferry, and burning the defenceless towns 
 of New Haven, Fairfield and Norwalk, on the Sound, 
 within reach of their shipping, where little else was, or 
 could be opposed to them, than the cries of distressed 
 women and helpless children ; but these were offered in 
 vain. Since these notable exploits, they have never step 
 ped out of their works, or beyond their lines. How a con 
 duct of this kind is to effect the conquest of America, the 
 \visdom of a North, a Germain, or a Sandwich, can best 
 decide. It is too deep and refined for the comprehension 
 of common understandings, and the general run of poli 
 ticians." 
 
CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 RETIREMENT AND LAST DAYS OF THE HERO. 
 
 Putnam visits his family in Connecticut Sets out on his return to 
 the army Is struck with paralysis, and retires His interest in 
 public affairs Correspondence with Washington His efforts to 
 promote temperance His abhorrence of duelling His mode of 
 accepting challenges His peaceful enjoyment of the evening of 
 life Public and private estimation of his character Testimony 
 of Drs. D wight and Whitney A Christian s death Funeral 
 honors Epitaph. 
 
 WHEN the army went into winter quarters at Morristown, 
 early in December, General Putnam took leave of absence, 
 for a few weeks, and went, with his Aids, to visit his 
 family in Connecticut. Before the end of that month, he 
 set out on his return to the camp. He had proceeded but 
 a few miles, on the way to Hartford, when his progress 
 was arrested by an attack of paralysis, by which the use 
 of his limbs on one side was temporarily lost. He was 
 enabled to reach the house of his friend Colonel Wads- 
 worth ; where, unwilling to admit the real character of 
 his disease, he endeavored, by active exertion, to shake 
 it off. It refused to yield to so simple a remedy, and the 
 old soldier, with a mind wholly unimpaired by his years 
 and labors, and a heart warmly devoted to the cause of his 
 country, was compelled to submit, for the remainder of his 
 days, to a life of comparative inaction. 
 
 General Putnam survived this attack somewhat more 
 
358 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 than eleven years. He was never so disabled, as to be 
 deprived of the power of enjoying moderate exercise in 
 walking and riding ; and even in the last year of his life, 
 and but a few weeks before he was called away, he tra 
 velled, by slow stages, on horseback, to Danvers, the 
 place of his birth, a distance of one hundred miles. With 
 his accustomed independence, on arriving at the house 
 of his relative, he refused assistance in dismounting, and 
 jumped to the ground with something of the agility of 
 youth. His mental faculties, his relish for social enjoy 
 ment, his love of pleasantry, and, more than all, his love 
 of country, he retained, undiminished, to the last. Few 
 men had more or firmer friends, or shared more largely in 
 the confidence and respect of those who knew him. 
 
 With the liveliest interest he watched the motions of 
 the army, and the progress of public affairs, and maintain 
 ed a free correspondence with the Commander-in-chief, 
 and his old comrades in the camp. It would appear that, 
 at one time, about six months after his first attack, he 
 entertained strong hopes of being able to rejoin the army. 
 In reply to a letter, expressing such a hope as this, Gene 
 ral Washington wrote, on the 5th of July, 1780, as fol 
 lows : 
 
 " DEAR SIR : 
 
 u I am very happy to learn from your letter of the 
 29th, that the present state of your health is so flattering, 
 and that it promises you the prospect of being in a condi 
 tion to make a visit to your old associates some time this 
 campaign. I wish it were in my power to congratulate 
 you upon a complete recovery. I should feel a sincere 
 satisfaction in such an event, and I hope for it heartily, 
 with the rest of your friends in this quarter. 
 " I am, dear Sir, &c. 
 
 "GEQ. WASHINGTON," 
 
WASHINGTON S LETTER. 259 
 
 Three years after, on the conclusion of the treaty of 
 peace, and the final establishment of American Independ 
 ence, and in response to the hearty congratulations of 
 Putnam on that interesting occasion, the Father of his 
 country addressed him in the following affectionate and 
 respectful terms The whole letter is in the highest de 
 gree complimentary to his military standing and services, 
 and indicates, in terms which cannot be mistaken, the esti 
 mation in^which he was held by the writer and his asso 
 ciates. 
 
 " Head Quarters, 2d June, 1783. 
 "DEAR SIR: 
 
 " Your favor of the 20th of May I received with 
 much pleasure. For I can assure you, that, among the 
 many worthy and meritorious officers with whom I have 
 had the happiness to be connected in service through the 
 course of this war, and from whose cheerful assistance and 
 advice I have received much support and confidence, in 
 the various and trying vicissitudes of a complicated con 
 test, the name of Putnam is not forgotten ; nor Avill be 
 but with that stroke of time, which shall obliterate from 
 my mind the remembrance of all those toils and fatigues, 
 through which we have struggled, for the preservation and 
 establishment of the Rights, Liberties, and Independence 
 of our Country. 
 
 " Your congratulations on the happy prospects of our 
 peace and independent security, with their attendant bless 
 ings to the UNITED STATES, T receive with great satisfac 
 tion ; and beg that you will accept a return of my gratula- 
 tions to you on this auspicious event -an event, in which, 
 great as it is in itself, and glorious as it will probably be 
 in its consequences, you have a right to participate largely, 
 from the distinguished part you have contributed towards 
 its attainment 
 
360 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM, 
 
 " But while I contemplate the greatness of the object 
 for which we have contended, and felicitate you on the 
 happy issue of our toils and labors, which have terminated 
 with such general satisfaction, I lament that you should 
 feel the ungrateful returns of a country in whose service 
 you have exhausted your bodily health, and expended the 
 vigor of a youthful constitution. I wish, however, that 
 your expectations of returning sentiments of liberality may 
 be verified. I have a hope that they may but should 
 they not, your career will not be a singular one. Ingrati 
 tude has been experienced in all ages ; and Republics, in 
 particular, have ever been famed for the exercise of that 
 unnatural and sordid vice*. 
 
 " The SECRETARY AT WAR, who is -now here, informs 
 me that you have been considered as enthled to full pay 
 since your absence from the field, and that you will still 
 be considered in that li^ht till the close of the war ; at 
 
 O 
 
 which period you will be equally entitled to the same 
 emoluments of half-pay, or commutation, as other officers 
 of your rank. Tne same opinion is also given by the 
 Paymaster-General, who is now with the army, empow 
 ered by Mr. Morris for the settlement of alf their accounts, 
 and who will attend to yours, whenever you shall think 
 proper to send on for that purpose, which it will probably 
 be best for yqu to do in a short time. 
 
 " I anticipate, with pleasure, the day and that I trust 
 not far off when I shall quit the busy scenes of a military 
 employment, and retire to the more tranquil walks of 
 * domestic life. In that, or whatever other situation Provi 
 dence may dispose of my future days, the re?nJmh"ance of 
 the many friendships and connections I have had the hap 
 piness to contract with the gentlemen of the Army, will be 
 one of my most grateful reflections. Under this contem 
 plation, and impressed with the sentiments of benevolence 
 
A FRIEND OF TEMPERANCE. 36 
 
 and regard, I commend you, my dear Sir, my other friends, 
 and with them the interest and happiness of our dear coun 
 try, to the KEEPING AND PROTECTION OF ALMIGHTY GOD 
 " I have the honor to be, &c., 
 
 GEORGE WASHINGTON 
 u To the Honorable Major-General PUTNAM." 
 
 That the old veteran was a good citizen, as well as a 
 brave soldier and an able officer, and, in retiring from the 
 army, did not lose sight of the interests of society around 
 him, will appear from the following letter ; which will 
 commend itself especially to the Washingtonians, Recha- 
 bites, and other temperance reformers ef the day. Though 
 it does not come up to the standard of this te total age, it 
 was certainly in advance of the age in which he lived 
 The original letter is among the papers of the Connecticut 
 Historical Society, at Hartford, 
 
 " Brooklyn* Feb. 18, 1782, 
 " GENTLEMEN : 
 
 " Being an enemy to Idleness, Dissipation and Intem 
 perance, I would object against any measures which may 
 be conducive thereto; and, the multiplying of public 
 houses," where the public good does not require it, has a 
 direct tendency to ruin the morals of youth, and promote 
 idleness and intemperance among all ranks of people, espe 
 cially as the "grand object of the candidates for licenses is 
 money ; and, when that is not the case, men are not over 
 apt to be tender of people s morals or purses. The au 
 thorities oJkjLhis town, I think, have run into a great error 
 in approbating an additional number of public houses, 
 especially in this parish. They have approbated two 
 houses in the centre, where there never was custom ( 
 mean travelling custom) enough for one. The other cus 
 
 * Brooklyn was set off from Pom fret, 
 16 
 
362 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM 
 
 torn (the domestic) I have been informed, has, of late 
 years, increased ; and the licensing another house, I fear, 
 would increase it more. As I kept a public house here 
 myself, a number of years before the war, I had an oppor 
 tunity of knowing, and certainly do know, that the travel 
 ling custom is too trifling for a man to lay himself out so 
 as to keep such a house as travellers have a right to ex 
 pect. Therefore, I hope your Honors will consult the 
 good of this parish, so as to license only one of the two 
 houses. I shall not undertake to say which ought to be 
 licensed. Your Honors will act according to your best 
 information. 
 
 " I am, with esteem, 
 
 " Your Honor s humble servant, 
 
 ISRAEL PUTNAM. 
 
 " To the Honorable County Court, to be holden at 
 Windham, on the 19th instant." 
 
 Though he had passed so great a portion of his life in 
 the camp, amidst the demoralizing influences and false 
 maxims which prevail in that arbitrary and unnatural 
 state of society, General Putnam, with one exception only, 
 maintained a high standard of moral virtue. During most 
 of his military life, he was addicted to the soldier s habit 
 of profaneness ; and most of the anecdotes related of him, 
 are freely interlarded with oaths. This sin he acknow 
 ledged, lamented, and wholly abjured in his later years. 
 To duelling, that worst and most heartless species of legal 
 ized murder, he was always and utterly opposed holding 
 in hearty abhorrence every principle of the so-called code 
 of honor. It was a practice which few men could better 
 afford to hold in supreme contempt ; for his courage was 
 above suspicion. 
 
 It once happened that, without intending an insult, he 
 
HIS VIEWS OF DUELLING. 363 
 
 grossly offended a brother officer. The dispute arose at a 
 wine table, and the officer demanded instant reparation. 
 Putnam, being a little excited, expressed his willingness 
 to accommodate the gentleman with a fight ; and it was 
 stipulated that the duel should take place on the following 
 morning, and that they should fight without seconds. At 
 the appointed time, the officer went to the ground, 
 armed with sword and pistols. On entering the field, 
 Putnam, who had taken a stand at the opposite extremity, 
 and at a distance of thirty rods, levelled his musket, and 
 fired at him. The gentleman now ran toward his antago 
 nist, who deliberately proceeded to reload his gun. 
 
 " What are you about to do ?" exclaimed he. u Is this 
 the conduct of an American officer, and a man of honor ?" 
 
 " What am I about to do ?" exclaimed the General, 
 attending only to the first question. " A pretty question 
 to put to a man whom you intended to murder ! I m 
 about to kill you ; and if you don t beat a retreat in less 
 time than twould take old Heath to hang a tory, you are 
 a gone dog ;" at the same time returning his ramrod to its 
 place, and throwing the breach of his gun into the hollow 
 of his shoulder. 
 
 This intimation was too unequivocal to be misunder 
 stood ; and the valorous duellist turned and iled for dear 
 life. 
 
 An English officer, who was a prisoner on his parole, 
 being offended at some remarks of General Putnam, in 
 which he had reflected with some severity upon the cha 
 racter of the British, demanded satisfaction, as for a per 
 sonal insult. Putnam accepted the challenge, and having 
 his choice of the weapons, agreed to meet his antagonist 
 the next morning, at a certain place which he named, pre 
 pared with arms for both parties. On the arrival of the 
 Englishman at the appointed place, he found Putnam seat- 
 
364 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 ed by the side of what appeared to be a barrel of powder, 
 smoking his pipe a common match being inserted into a 
 small opening in the top of the barrel. Requesting the 
 Englishman to sit down on the other side of the cask, he 
 set fire to the match with his pipe, and coolly remarking 
 that there was an equal chance for both of them, went on 
 with his smoking. The Englishman watched the match, 
 for a moment, as the fire crept slowly down towards the 
 powder, and then starting hastily up, made a precipitate 
 retreat. 
 
 " You are just as brave a man as I took you to be," 
 said Putnam. " This is nothing but a barrel of onions, 
 with a few grains of powder on the head, to try you by. 
 But you don t like the smell." 
 
 In following out the tableaux vivanls of history, we are 
 so often compelled to leave our chosen hero weltering in 
 his blood on an untimely field, or wearing away the prime 
 of his days in captivity, that we take unusual satisfaction 
 in contemplating the long evening of calm and dignified 
 repose, that closed the active and adventurous career of 
 Putnam. Though incapacitated for further service in the 
 stirring scenes of the camp and the field, he retained, in 
 full vigor, his power to enjoy and promote the tranquil 
 pleasures of social life. Fortunately, the thrift and indus 
 try of his early years, and the prudent management of his 
 temporal affairs, had secured an ample competency for his 
 declining years, and placed him above that painful and 
 humiliating embarrassment, which embittered the last days 
 of so many of his worthy compeers in that glorious strug 
 gle. In a pleasant home, which his own industry had 
 procured and adorned ; in the midst of a kind and affec 
 tionate family, happy in themselves and in him ; and of a 
 free and prosperous people, who looked up to and ven-e- 
 
 . - 
 
HIS CHARACTER. 365 
 
 rated Lim, as one of the authors of their freedom and 
 prosperity ; with a wide circle of admiring and confiding 
 friends among the best and worthiest in the land ; and in 
 the cheerful, conscientious performance of all the duties 
 of a kind father, a faithful friend, a good neighbor, a wor 
 thy citizen, a high-minded patriot, and a devout Christian, 
 he diligently improved his long furlough from the scenes 
 of earthly strife and toil, in maintaining a spiritual warfare 
 against inward foes, and preparing for a spiritual rest. 
 
 The narrative of his adventurous life sufficiently illus 
 trates his martial virtues, his intrepid bravery, and con 
 summate skill, and his humane and generous regard for 
 the unfortunate victims of war. " But," as Mr. Peabody 
 beautifully and justly remarks, " his military reputation, 
 high as it was, concealed no dark traits of personal cha 
 racter beneath its shadow. In all the domestic relations, 
 the surest test of habitual virtue, he was most exemplary ; 
 and his excellence in this respect deserves the more notice, 
 as the stern discipline and wild adventure, in which so 
 much of his life was spent, were more favorable to the 
 growth of severer qualities. His disposition was frank, 
 generous and kind ; in his intercourse with others, he was 
 open, just, sincere and unsuspecting ; liberal in his hospi 
 tality 5 , and of ready benevolence, wherever there was occa 
 sion for his charity. Those who knew him best were the 
 most forward to express their admiration of his excel 
 lence." 
 
 Dr. Dwight, who was personally and intimately ac- 
 quainted with him, in private as well as public life, bears 
 this testimony to his character. 
 
 " With only the advantages of a domestic education, in 
 a plain farmer s family, and the usual instruction of a 
 common parish school, he raised himself from the man 
 agement of a farm, to the command of a regiment, in the 
 
366 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 last Canadian War ; and in the Revolutionary War, t.o the 
 second command in the armies of the United States. To 
 these stations he rose solely by his own efforts, directed 
 steadily to the benefit of his country, and with the cheer 
 ful, as well as united, suffrages of his countrymen. 
 
 " Every employment in which he engaged, he filled 
 with reputation. In the private circles of life, as a hus 
 band, father, friend and companion, he was alike respected 
 and beloved. In his manners, though somewhat more 
 direct and blunt than those of most persons who have 
 received an early, polished education, he was gentlemanly, 
 and very agreeable. In his disposition he was sincere, 
 tender-hearted, generous, and noble. It is not known that 
 the passion of fear ever found a place in his breast. His 
 word was regarded as ample security for anything, for 
 which it was pledged ; and his uprightness commanded 
 absolute confidence. His intellect was vigorous ; and his 
 wit pungent, yet pleasant and sportive. The principal 
 part of his improvements, however, were derived from his 
 own observation, and his correspondence with the affairs 
 of men. During the gayest and most thoughtless period 
 of his life, he still regarded Religion with profound reve 
 rence, and read the Scriptures with the deepest veneration. 
 On the public worship of God he was a regular and very 
 respectful attendant. In the decline of life, he publicly 
 professed the religion of the Gospel ; and in the opinion 
 of the respectable clergyman of Brooklyn, the Rev. Dr. 
 Whitney, from whose mouth I received the information, 
 died hopefully a Christian. 1 
 
 Dr. Whitney, in a sermon preached immediately after 
 General Putnam s death, says : " He was eminently a 
 person of public spirit, an unshaken friend of liberty, and 
 was proof against attempts to induce him to betray and 
 desert his country. The baits to do so were rejected with 
 
HIS DEATH. 367 
 
 the utmost abhorrence. He was of a kind, benevolent 
 disposition ; pitiful to the distressed, charitable to the 
 needy, and ready to assist all who wanted his help. In 
 his family he was the tender, affectionate husband, the 
 provident father, an example of industry and close appli 
 cation to business. He was a constant attendant upon the 
 public worship of God, from his youth up. He brought 
 his family with him, when he came to worship the Lord. 
 He was not ashamed of family religion. His house was a 
 house of prayer. For many years he was a professor of 
 religion. In the last years of his life, he often expressed 
 a great regard for God, and the things of God. There is 
 one, at least, to whom he freely disclosed the workings of 
 his mind his conviction of sin his grief for it his de 
 pendence on God, through the Redeemer, for pardon and 
 his hope of a future happy existence, whenever his 
 strength and heart should fail him. This one makes men 
 tion of these things, for the satisfaction and comfort of his 
 children and friends ; and can add, that, being with the 
 General a little before he died, he asked him whether his 
 hope of future happiness, as formerly expressed, now 
 attended him. His answer was in the affirmative ; with a 
 declaration of his resignation to the will of God, and his 
 willingness even then to die." 
 
 In this hope, and in the full possession of his faculties to 
 the last, he died, on the 19th of May, 1790, in the seven 
 ty-third year of his age. He was borne to his grave with 
 the martial honors usually accorded to a brave and patri 
 otic soldier. His death was noticed, with every mark of 
 respect, in the public prints ; while the people, as they 
 met, said one to another, " Know ye not that there is a 
 Prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel ?" 
 
 His tomb bears the following inscription, from the pen 
 and heart of his friend Dr. Dwight : 
 
368 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 SACRED BE THIS MONUMENT 
 
 TO THE MEMORY 
 
 OF 
 
 ISRAEL, PUTNAM, Esquire, 
 
 SENIOR MAJOR-GENERAL IN THE ARMIES 
 
 OF 
 THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 
 
 who 
 
 was born at Salein, 
 
 in the Province of Massachusetts, 
 
 on the 7th day of January, 
 
 A. D. 1718, 
 
 and died 
 
 OR the 19th day of May, 
 A. D. 1790. 
 
 Passenger, 
 
 if thou art a Soldier, 
 
 drop a tear over the dust of a Hero, 
 
 who, 
 
 ever attentive 
 to the lives and happiness of his men, 
 
 dared to lead 
 where any dared to follow ; 
 
 if a Patriot, 
 remember the distinguished and gallant services 
 
 rendered thy country, 
 
 by the Patriot who sleeps beneath this marble ; 
 
 if thou art honest, generous, and worthy, 
 
 render a cheerful tribute of respect 
 
 to a man, 
 
 whose generosity was singular, 
 whose honesty was proverbial ; 
 
 who 
 
 raised himself to universal esteem, 
 
 and offices of eminent distinction, 
 
 by personal worth, 
 
 and a 
 useful life. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 NUMBER I. 
 
 MAJOR ROGERS. 
 
 THE story of Major Rogers, as far as it relates to the War of the 
 Revolution, is furnished in the following extracts from the letters of 
 General Washington, and the notes attached to them in Sparks 
 edition of his Writings. 
 
 " To MAJOR-GENERAL SCHUYLER. 
 
 " Cambridge, \Sth December, 1 775. 
 
 " In a letter from Rev. Dr. Wheelock, of Dartmouth College, of 
 the 2d instant, I had the following intelligence : That the day be 
 fore, two soldiers returning from Montreal informed him, that our 
 officers were assured by a Frenchman (a captain of the artillery 
 whom they had taken captive), that Major Rogers was second in 
 command under General Carleton, and that he had been, in an Indian 
 habit, through our encampment at St. John s. You will be pleased 
 to have this report examined into, and acquaint me as to the authen 
 ticity or probability of the truth of it. If any circumstances can be 
 discovered to induce a belief that he was there, he should be appre 
 hended. He is now in this government." * * * 
 
 Note by Dr. Sparks. " Major Rogers had been celebrated for his 
 adventures and feats of valor in the French War, as the companion 
 of Putnam and Stark. He wrote a journal of those events, which is 
 not without ability and interest. He was once Governor of Michili- 
 mackinac. After the peace, he lived in New Hampshire, and con 
 tinued an officer on half-pay. Dr. Wheelock s letter, from which the 
 above is an extract, contains some other curious particulars about 
 him; whether true or fabulous, the reader must judge. 
 16* 
 
370 APPENDIX. 
 
 " On the 13th ultimo," says Dr. Wheelock, " the famous Major 
 Rogers came to my house, from a tavern in the neighborhood where 
 he called for refreshment. I had never seen him before. He was in 
 but an ordinary habit, for one of his character. He treated me with 
 great respect ; said he came from London in July, and had spent 
 twenty days with the Congress in Philadelphia, and I forget how 
 many at New York ; had been offered and urged to take a com 
 mission in favor of the colonies, but, as he was now on half-pay 
 from the crown, he thought proper not to accept it ; that he had fought 
 two battles in Algiers under the Dey ; that he was now on a design to 
 take care of some large grants of land made to him ; that he was 
 going to visit his sister at Moor s Town, and then to return by Mer- 
 rimac River to visit his wife, whom he had not yet seen since his 
 return from England ; that he had got a pass, or license to travel, 
 from the Continental Congress; that he called to offer his services to 
 procure a large interest for this college; that its reputation was great 
 in England; that Lord Dartmouth, and many other noblemen, had 
 spoken of it in his hearing, with expressions of the highest esteem 
 and respect; that Captain Holland, surveyor-general, now at New 
 York, was a great friend to me, and the college, and would assist me 
 in the affair ; and that now was the most favorable time to apply for 
 large grants of land for it. 
 
 " I thanked him for these expressions of his kindness; but, after I 
 had shown some coldness in accepting it, he proposed to write to me 
 on his journey, and let me know where I might reply to him ; and he 
 should be ready to perform any friendly office in the affair. He said 
 ^f was in haste to pursue his journey that evening." 
 
 " About a month after visiting Dr. Wheelock, the Major appeared 
 at Medford, near the camp, and wrote to General Washington, 
 requesting him to sign a certificate, permitting him to travel unmo 
 lested in the country. Such a certificate, or permit, had first been 
 granted by the Committee of Safety in Philadelphia ; who, from sus 
 picious circumstances, and because he was actually a British officer, 
 had made him a prisoner, when he arrived in that place from Eng 
 land. The certificate was furnished to him, in consequence of a 
 parole, wherein he solemnly promised and engaged, on the honor 
 of a gentleman and a soldier, that he would not bear arms against the 
 American United Colonies in any manner whatsoever, during the 
 American contest with Great Britain: and, in his letter to Washing 
 ton, he says, I love America; it is my native country and that of 
 iny family, and I intend to spend the evening of my days in it. 
 
APPENDIX. 371 
 
 "These professions being apparently sincere, Washington sent 
 General Sullivan to examine him on certain points, and report the 
 result. He owned the accuracy of Dr. Wheelock s letter, except the 
 part relating to Canada, which he denied though he had been to the 
 west of Albany. As no good reason appeared, why he came to camp, 
 or why he wished to travel through the country, the General did not 
 think it expedient to receive a visit from him, nor to sign his permit ; 
 but, as this had already been signed by the President of the New 
 York Congress, and the Chairman of the New Hampshire Commit 
 tee of Safety, he suffered the Major to depart at his option, and to 
 enjoy such security as his papers, thus authenticated, might procure 
 him. 
 
 " There was a suspicion, strengthened by his subsequent conduct, 
 that he was at this time 3 spy, or at least practising a verj unworthy 
 artifice for acquiring a confidence, to which his political sentiments 
 did not entitle him. Be this as it may, he soon after joined the ene 
 my s ranks, and was raised to be a colonel in the British army, not 
 withstanding his paiole of honor, and his love of America. It may 
 be said, perhaps, in extenuation, that he considered his parole ex 
 torted from him at a time when there were no just grounds for ques 
 tioning his motives, and by an authority which he did not feel bound 
 to respect." Vol. Hi., p. 208. 
 
 The " subsequent conduct " referred to above, as calculated to 
 awaken suspicions, may be illustrated by the following extract from 
 a letter of General Washington to the President of Congress, dated 
 New York, June 27, 1776 : 
 
 " Upon information that Major Rogers was travelling through the 
 country under suspicious circumstances, I thought it necessary to 
 have him secured. I, therefore, sent after him. He was taken at 
 South Amboy, and brought up to New York. Upon examination, 
 he informed mthat he came from New Hampshire, the country of 
 his usual abode, where he had left his family ; and pretended he 
 was destined to Philadelphia on business with Congress. 
 
 " As, by his own confession, he had crossed Hudson s River at 
 New Windsor, and was taken so far out of his proper and direct 
 route to Philadelphia, this consideration, added to the length of time 
 he had taken to perform his journey, his being found in so suspicious 
 a place as Amboy,* his unnecessary stay there, on pretence of get 
 ting some baggage from New York, and an expectation of receiving 
 
 * The most convenient point of communication with the British on Staten 
 Island. 
 
372 APPENDIX. 
 
 money from a person hare of bad character, and in no circumstances 
 to furnish him oat of his own stock, the Major s reputation, and his 
 being a half-pay officer, have increased my jealousies about him. 
 The business which he informs me he has with Congress, is a secret 
 offer of his services, to the end that, in case it should be rejected, he 
 might have his way left open to an employment in the East Indies, 
 to which he is assigned ; and in that case, he flatters himself he will 
 obtain leave of Congress to go to Great Britain. 
 
 " As he had been put upon his parole by Congress, I thought it 
 would be improper to stay his progress to Philadelphia, should he be 
 in fact destined thither. I, therefore, send him forward, but, to pre 
 vent imposition, under the care of an officer, with letters found upon 
 him, which, from their tenor, seem calculated to recommend him to 
 Congress. I submit it to their consideration, whether it would not 
 be dangerous to accept the offer of his services." 
 
 Note by Dr. Sparks. "Congress directed, that Major Rogers 
 should be sent to New Hampshire, to be disposed of as the govern 
 ment of that Province should judge best. He soon afterwards went 
 over to the British." Vol. in., p. 439. 
 
 In September following, Major Rogers was found actively employ 
 ed in the British service, and against the American interests, not 
 withstanding his parole, and his love of America. He had aban 
 doned his position in the East Indies, if he ever had any, and was 
 engaged in drumming up British recruits, from among the American 
 tories on Long Island. The following, from a letter of Washington 
 to Governor Trumbull, of Connecticut, establishes this fact. 
 
 " Haerlem, 30& September, 1776. 
 
 " Having received authentic advices from Long Island, that the 
 enemy are recruiting a great number of men * * * I have directed 
 * * an expedition to the island, to check and suppress, if possible, a 
 practice so injurious to our cause. * * * The influence of their 
 money and their artifices, has already passed the Sound, and several 
 persons have been detected of late, who have enlisted to serve under 
 their banner, and the particular command of Major Rogers." 
 
 Governor Trumbull, in writing to Colonel Livingston on the sub 
 ject, says : ; I have received intelligence, which I believe may be 
 depended on, that Major Rogers, now employed by General Howe, 
 and who you know was a famous partizan. or ranger, in the last 
 war, is collecting a battalion of tories on Long Island and from the 
 main, many of whom have joined him at Huntington, and that he 
 
APPENDIX. 373 
 
 proposes soon to make a sudden attack in the night on Norwalk, to 
 take the continental stores, and lay waste the town. I hope we shall 
 be able to frustrate his designs. I have no need to apprise you of the 
 art of this Rogers. He has been a famous scouter, or woods-hunter, 
 skilled in waylaying, ambuscade, and sudden attack." Vol. iv. t 
 page 128! 
 
 Major Rogers, on his return to the British camp, was immediately 
 promoted to the rank of a Colonel, with the command of a regiment 
 of loyalists, called the Queen s Rangers. General Howe wrote, on 
 the 6th August, " Major Rogers, having escaped to us from Philadel 
 phia, is empowered to raise a battalion of rangers, which, I hope, 
 may be useful in the course of the campaign." The following is a 
 copy of enlisting orders, sent out by him : 
 
 " Valentine s Hill, 30 December, 177G. 
 
 " Whereas his Majesty s service makes it absolutely necessary that 
 recruits should be raised, this is to certify that Mr. Daniel Strang, or 
 any other gentleman, who may bring in recruits, shall have commis 
 sions, according to the number he or they shall bring in for the 
 Glueen s American Rangers. No more than forty shillings bounty is 
 to be given to any man, which is to be applied towards purchasing 
 necessaries ; to serve during the present REBELLION, and no longer. 
 They will have their proportion of all REBEL lands, and all privileges 
 equal to any of his Majesty s troops. The officers are to be the best 
 judges in what manner they will get their men in, either by parties, 
 detachments, or otherwise, as may seem most advantageous ; which 
 men are to be attested before the first magistrate within the British 
 lines, 
 
 "ROBERT ROGERS, 
 " Lieutenant- Colonel Commandant of the Queen s Rangers. 
 
 " Strang, who had the above paper in his possession, was taken up 
 near the American camp, at Peekskill. He was tried by a court- 
 martial, and making no defence, was condemned to suffer death, on 
 the charge of holding correspondence with the enemy, and lurking 
 round the camp as a spy. General Washington approved the sen 
 tence. But, notwithstanding this rigor, and the danger of the service 
 beyond the enemy s lines, yet persons were found to in engage it, who 
 met with some success, though much less than had been anticipated 
 by General Howe. Recruits for the British provincial regiments 
 were raised, even as high up the North River as Dutchess county, 
 and Livingston s Manor. The Island of New York, Long Island, Sta- 
 
374 APPENDIX. 
 
 ten Island, and a large part of Westchester county, were wholly sub 
 ject to the power of the enemy ; and, as these were populous districts, 
 they doubtless afforded the chief portion of the provincial troops, en 
 listed into the king s service, while General Howe s head-quarters 
 were in New York." Vol. iv. } page 521. 
 
 Near the end of October, Colonel Haslet was despatched, with 
 *seven hundred and fifty men, by order of Lord Stirling, " to attack 
 the enemy s outposts at Mamaroneck ; which was done, and their 
 guards forced. We brought in thirty-six prisoners, a pair of colors, 
 sixty stand of arms, and a variety of other plunder besides. The 
 party we fell in with was Colonel Rogers, the late worthless Major. 
 On the first fire, he skulked off in the dark. His lieutenant, and a 
 number of others, were left dead on the spot. Had not our guards 
 deserted on the first outset, he and his whole party must have been 
 taken." Page 526. 
 
 In November, General Lee formed a plan for attacking and carry 
 ing off Rogers, at a moment when he was ordered by General Wash 
 ington to move in another direction. It was while aiming to accom 
 plish this object, that he was surprised by Colonel Harcourt, and 
 carried to Brunswick, a prisoner of war. 
 
NUMBER II. 
 
 THR BATTLE OP BUNKER HILL. 
 
 COLONEL SWETT S admirable, and ably fortified sketch of this great 
 battle, which, to use the language of the Christian Examiner, " is 
 now classical authority on the subject" which Bradford refers to, as 
 " the most correct and perfect account which has been given" and 
 which the Boston Courier cites, as " one of the most valuable and au 
 thentic records connected with the History of the Revolution" would 
 seem to have put for ever at rest, the question of the presence and 
 active services of General Putnam, on that memorable occasion. 
 The ample notes appended to the third edition of that sketch, furnish 
 an amount and variety of testimony that is absolutely overwhelming. 
 Referring to them, I take leave to add, in this place, a few more of 
 the same character, which have been kindly furnished by several 
 friendly correspondentsnot because they are necessary to establish 
 the point in dispute, but just to preserve them from oblivion. 
 
 " I, Sylvanus Conant, oi Mansfield, in the County of Tolland ana 
 State of Connecticut, testify and say, that I am now in my ninety- 
 second ye?.r ; that I was a soldier in the Revolutionary War ; that I 
 was in the battle of Bunker s Hill, on the seventeenth day of June, 
 1775; that I was acquainted with General Israel Putnam, of Con 
 necticut, and know that he was in the battle. Saw him at the com 
 mencement of the battle, riding about the hill, and giving orders to 
 the troops, and heard him sharply reproving a soldier for cowardice, 
 or neglect of duty ; and was told by others, though this I did not see 
 myself, that near the close of the battle, General Putnam, seeing a 
 field-piece deserted by the company, dismounted from his horse and 
 firea the piece once or twice with his own hands, and then remount 
 ed his horse, and rode off the hill with the retreating troops. 
 
 " Subscribed and sworn to this 5th day of January, 1843. 
 
 SYLVAN US CONANT. 
 
 " State of Connecticut, > " Mansfield. Jan. 5, 1843." 
 
 " Tolland County." J* 
 
376 APPENDIX. 
 
 [Prom the Mercantile Journal, Boston.\ 
 
 "MR. SLEEPER, Dear Sir: I understand from the public papers, 
 that Mr. Bancroft stated in a late lecture before the Charlestown 
 Lyceum, that he found no evidence to prove that General Putnam 
 had the chief command in the battle of Bunker Hill, or even took any 
 part in the engagement. For his informal ion and that of the public, 
 please give currency, through your journal, to the following facts, 
 which I lately obtained from Major John Burnham, of this town. 
 Major Burnham, I would remark, is a Revolutionary soldier and 
 officer; is in his ninety-fourth year, and yet retains his mental facul 
 ties in a wonderful manner. He is a very worthy man, and a 
 humble disciple of Christ. I assure you the most implicit confidence 
 can be placed in his statements. 
 
 " I paid him a visit the other day, arid he informed me that he took 
 an active part in that ever memorable engagement of the 17th of 
 June ; that he was lieutenant of a company from Gloucester, com 
 manded by Captain Warner ; that he arrived on the battle-ground a 
 few minutes before the firing commenced ; that his Captain was 
 met by General Putnam and directed where to go; that he fre 
 quently saw the General, riding among the troops and giving orders; 
 that he never knew or heard, at the time of the battle, of any other 
 individual taking the chief command but General Putnam ; and that 
 he has no more doubt of the fact than he has of his own existence. 
 Such is the testimony of one who had the best possible means of 
 knowing the truth of his statements. 
 
 "A. F. H. 
 
 " Derry, January Pith, 1843." 
 
 Letter of H. Burbeck, now upwards of ninety years old, to C. S. 
 Davies, Esq., of Portland, Me. : 
 
 " Figure to yourself a man of sixty six feet high and somewhat 
 round-shouldered; sun-burnt from exposure; with coarse leather 
 shoes, and blue stockings; coarse homespun small-clothes, a red 
 waistcoat, and calico Banian (answering to the sack worn at the 
 present day), a three-cornered hat, with a red cockade, and a bande- 
 lier, or belt, with a sword hung high up under the left arm. You 
 will >ay that it is a complete caricature but such was the fact, and 
 such the dress of the Heroes, who fought at the Battle of Bunker 
 Hill. 
 
 " On that day, General Putnam rode between Charlestown and 
 Cambridge without a coat, in his shirt sleeves, and an old white felt 
 
APPENDIX. 377 
 
 hat on, to report to General Ward, and to consult upon further opera 
 tions. I never understood that he was in the engagement, but was 
 very active in forwarding troops, ammunition, &c. In short, he was 
 the great gun of the day. Colonels Prescott and Stark were warmly 
 engaged in the battle ; but General Putnam forwarded the materials 
 to them, to support the action. For that reason he is justly entitled to 
 equal praise and honor on that eventful day, for without his assist 
 ance nothing would have been done. 
 
 H. BURBECK." 
 
 It is not surprising that there should be differences of opinion, ia 
 relation to the nature of Putnam s command, among the multitude of 
 irregular troops collected on that day. The greater part of them 
 were ready to obey the orders of any one in whom they had confi 
 dence, and did not stoop to ask if he was regularly invested with the 
 command by the proper authorities. The officers were equally ready 
 to take command, where they could render good service by doing so. 
 The only matter of surprise is, that any should have been found, who 
 were willing to deny that Putnam was on the field at all, because 
 they did not happen to see him, at particular times and places. It is 
 probable that most of the soldiers, if they were true to their own 
 duty, had other and more absorbing employment, than taking notes 
 of the proceedings of their commanders, with a view to calling them 
 to account for their conduct. The field was an irregular one. The 
 action was in all parts of it, and it was impossible for any one to 
 say who was, or was not, present at any particular time, except in 
 the immediate vicinity of his own post. And even then, amid the 
 smoke, and din, and confusion of battle, an officer might have pass 
 ed and repassed many times, and ordered some of the most important 
 movements of the day, without being noticed, or even seen, by one 
 in ten of the soldiers. 
 
 In all such cases as this, it is manifest, that testimony of a merely 
 negative character can have no weight at all against that which is 
 positive. The evidence of one competent witness, testifying that he 
 saw General Putnam in the heat of the engagement, discharging the 
 duty of a brave and able commander, would be allowed, in any court 
 of justice, to overbalance that of any number, who could only say 
 they did not see him. The amount and character of positive testi 
 mony to this point, furnished by Colonel Swell s notes, is such as 
 should satisfy the most determined skeptic. 
 
 With reference to the same point, Dr. D wight says : " It is not so 
 
378 APPENDIX. 
 
 extensively known, as it ought to be, that General Putnam command 
 ed the American forces at the Battle of Breed s Hill ; and that, to 
 his courage and conduct, the United States are particularly indebted 
 for the advantages of that day ; one of the most brilliant in the annals 
 df this country." 
 
 The following is a note to Rev. Dr. Whitney s sermon on the 
 death of General Putnam. 
 
 " The friends of the late General Putnam feel themselves not a 
 little obliged to his worthy and respectable biographer, for giving to 
 the public the distinguishing features in the General s character, and 
 the memorable actions of his life ; yet wish that a more perfect and 
 just account had been given of the Battle of Bunker s Hill, so far as 
 General Putnam was concerned in it. In page 107 of his life, are 
 the following words : The provincial Generals having received 
 advice that the British Commander-in-chief designed to take posses 
 sion of the heights on the peninsula of Charlestown, detached a thou 
 sand men, in the night of the 16th of June, under the orders of Gene 
 ral Warren, to intrench themselves upon one of those eminences : 
 and on page 110 : In this battle, the presence and example of Gene 
 ral Putnam, who arrived with the reinforcements, were not less con 
 spicuous than useful. 
 
 " From the first of these passages, the reader is led to conclude, 
 that the detachment was first put under the orders of General War 
 ren ; from the second, that General Putnam came to General War 
 ren s aid, with a reinforcement. The true state of the case was this. 
 The detachment at first was put under the command of General 
 Putnam. With it he took possession of the hill, and ordered the 
 battle from the beginning to the end. General Warren (one of the 
 most illustrious patriots) arrived alone on the hill, and as a volun 
 teer joined the Americans just as the action commenced ; and within 
 half an hour, received a mortal wound, while he was waxing valiant 
 in battle, and soon expired. These facts General Putnam himself 
 gave me, soon after the battle, and also repeated them to me after his 
 life was printed. Colonel Humphreys, page 109, justly observes : 
 Few instances can be produced, in the annals of mankind, where 
 soldiers who have never before faced an enemy, or heard the whis 
 tling of a ball, behaved with such deliberate and persevering valor. 
 The General who encouraged and animated them by his words and 
 
APPENDIX. 379 
 
 example to prodigies of bravery, is highly to be honored, and the 
 praise not given to another, however meritorious in ether respects. 
 Other evidence to confirm what I have said here, I am able to pro 
 duce, if any should call for it." 
 
 Extract from a letter, written by an officer in the British army, at 
 Boston, to his friend in England, dated 25 June, 1775: 
 
 " After the skirmish of the 17th, we even commended the troops of 
 Putnam, who fought so gallantly pro arts etfocis. When we marched 
 to attack their redoubt, they called out, " General Abercrombie, are 
 the Yankees cowards V nor did they discharge a gun until we were 
 within fifteen yards. The fire on our left wing was so hot, that cur 
 troops broke. * * * So very secretly was the action conducted, 
 that Generals Clinton and Burgoyne knew nothing of it till the morn 
 ing. The town did in general, and Putnam in particular. This 
 man served under Prussia, and does honor to his master. He is 63, 
 and brave to the back-bone." Am. Archives, 4t/i Series, vol. ii., page 
 1092. 
 
 Putnam was at this time in his fifty-eighth year, and had never 
 seen Prussia. It is possible that one of the distinguished men, under 
 whom he served in the French war, may have been familiarly dasig- 
 nated by this title. None of the American officers, of that period, 
 had seen foreign service. General Lee was not then with the army, 
 nor was he known by the English to have accepted a continental 
 commission. These inaccuracies, however they may be explained, do 
 not invalidate the evidence here furnished, that Putnam was active 
 and prominent in that engagement, and that his military character 
 was held in the highest estimation by his old commanders and com 
 rades of the British aimy. 
 
 Sandford, who published his history within a year after the first 
 appearance of the article, in which Putnam s position and conduct 
 in this battle were called in question, has the following remarks, at 
 page 291 et seq. : 
 
 " It has been recently discovered, that Old Put was a coward. 
 So stupid a calumny could only have found place in the pages of a 
 stupid journal ; and a short review of that soldier s life, during the 
 period in which this new trait is said to have displayed itself, will 
 show, at least, that, if he was a coward, he was a coward to some 
 purpose. The news from Lexington found him working at stone- 
 
380 APPENDIX. 
 
 fence, in his leathern frock and apron. He immediately moum-ed 
 his horse, to spread the intelligence through the adjoining towns; 
 and, when he returned to make a little preparation for the march, a 
 body of several hundred of persons, already under arms, appointed 
 him their commander. He ordered them to march with a quick 
 step ; and, setting off himself, in his check-shirt, arrived at Concord 
 by sun-rise next morning. 
 
 " Men, who were stationed at one particular spot, in the battle of 
 Bunker s Hill, pretend to trace the movements of General Putnam; 
 and have charged him with a fear of powder and ball, for being seen 
 once in a particular situation, when, in fact, he was at different times 
 in every part of the field. It may be true, that the army was not 
 under ai.-y general, who had been regularly commissioned ; but it is 
 equally true, that Putnam discharged the duties, though he might 
 not have held the diploma, of a commander-in-chief. General 
 Warren joins the Massachusetts forces in one place, says Hubley ; 
 and General Pomeroy in another, whilst General Putnam was bu 
 sily engaged in aiding and encouraging here and there as required. 
 Since he was the most experienced, and had not yet shown himself a 
 coward, it was natural that the other two generals should give him 
 the precedence ; and we know not that the historian could have 
 chosen language more pointedly expressive of the conduct which a 
 brave commander is always found to adopt. That Putnam was, at 
 one time, seen with entrenching tools before him, we would rather 
 admit than deny. It might have been necessary to carry them from 
 one part of the works to another: the length of the redoubt was 
 eighty rods : a man, who had come from making stone-fence, was 
 not likely to shrink from a spade or a pick-axe ; and, since the 
 sooner they were carried the better, we think nothing more probable 
 than that Putnam, being on horseback, took a part of them him 
 self. 
 
 " It was not Colonel Gerrish alone, who was tried for cowardice 
 at the battle of Bunker s Hill. The colonists had not yet been sepa 
 rated from England long enough to distinguish, with certainty, the 
 friends from the foes: the conduct of every individual was watched 
 with the strictest scrutiny ; and court martials continued to be held 
 upon officers and men, from the 7th of July to the 5th of October. 
 The same rigor was extended to the camp. Offences, which would 
 now be overlooked, were then punished with severity. One captain 
 was fined eight shillings for two oaths ; and a private received twenty 
 lashes for abusing Colonel Gridley, and forging Putnam s order for 
 
APPENDIX. 381 
 
 a quart of rum. If Putnam himself was a coward, he was certainly 
 a most conspicuous coward. Had he dodged, or turned pale, there 
 was not an officer or a man in the army, who would not have been 
 a witness to the fact. 
 
 " On the 22d of July, 1775, the army was marshalled into three 
 divisions ; and it is a remarkable instance of successful cowardice, 
 that the left wing was given to Major-General Putnam. Indeed, so 
 little was his character known, at this time, that, when General 
 Washington, early in 1776, had formed a bold and hazardous plan 
 of taking Boston by storm, he designated Putnam for his leader, 
 though he was youngest, in rank, of four major-generals, In ex 
 pectation/ says Marshal, that the flower of the British troops would 
 be employed against the heights of Dorchester, General Washington 
 had concerted a plan for availing himself of that occasion, to attack 
 the town of Boston itself. Four thousand chosen men were held in 
 readiness to embark at the mouth of Cambridge river, on a signal to 
 be given, if the garrison should appear to be so weakened by the 
 detachment from it, as to justify an assault. These troops were to 
 , embark in two divisions; the first to be led by Brigadier-General 
 Sullivan ; the second, by Brigadier-General Green ; and the whole 
 to be under the command of Major-General Putnam. In fine, a 
 lack of courage was the last accusation which could be expected to 
 succeed against General Putnam ; -and, until a man has voluntarily 
 descended to fight a wolf in her own den, let him never think him 
 self en titled to call the hero of Pomfret a coward. 
 
NUMBER III. 
 
 PREJUDICES OF THE PEOPJLE OF NEW YORK AGAINST GENERAL 
 
 PUTNAM. 
 
 ON this subject Dr. Sparks has the following note, appended to the 
 letter in, which Washington announces to General Putnam his 
 removal from the command in the Highlands, and the causes of that 
 removal. 
 
 " General Putnam s advanced age, his good nature, and easy tem 
 perament, were among the chief causes of the ill success of his com 
 mand on the North River. His proceedings were not marked with 
 the promptness, decision, and energy, nor even with the military 
 address which had characterized his early years. If all these had 
 been combined, it is probable there would still have been dissatisfac 
 tion, after the enemy had forced their way up the river, and laid 
 waste its borders. Not only were complaints uttered by the popular 
 voice, but the political leaders of the State expressed discontent. Ro 
 bert R. Livingston, then Chancellor of New York, wrote to General 
 Washington on the subject in a pointed manner. 
 
 " Your Excellency, said he, is not ignorant of the extent of 
 General Putnam s capacity and diligence ; and how well soever these 
 may qualify him for this most important command, the prejudices to 
 which his imprudent lenity to the disaffected, and too great inter 
 course with the enemy, have given rise, have greatly injured his 
 influence. How far the loss of Fort Montgomery and the subsequent 
 ravages of the enemy are to be attributed to him, I will not venture 
 to say; as this will necessarily be determined by a court of inquiry, 
 whose determinations I would not anticipate. Unfortunately for him, 
 the current of popular opinion in this and the neighboring States, and, 
 as far as I can learn, in the troops under his command, runs strongly 
 against him. For my own part, I respect his bravery and former 
 services, and sincerely lament that his patriotism will not suffer him 
 to take that repose, to which his advanced age and past services 
 justly entitle him. MS. Letter, Jan. 14A. 
 
 " It must be remembered, that at this station there were innumera- 
 
APPENDIX. 383 
 
 ble applications for passports to go into New York, under the pre 
 tence of urgent business, and various matters of a private concern ; 
 and it was thought General Putnam s good nature was too pliant on 
 these occasions, and that too many opportunities were afforded for 
 an improper intercourse between the disaffected and the enemy. At 
 any rate, the symptoms of uneasiness appeared from such high 
 sources, and were so decidedly manifested, that General Washington 
 deemed it necessary to take notice of them, and change the com 
 mand." 
 
 The case of General Schuyler, and many others, afford easy proof 
 how readily such prejudices arise among the masses of the people, 
 without any good foundation ; and how the best and ablest officers, 
 and most devoted patriots, may be temporarily involved in the sha 
 dows of public censure, and even removed from the sphere of their 
 useful efforts, without in the least diminishing their claims to the 
 gratitude and respect of posterity. The history of General Washing 
 ton is not wanting in lessons of this kind ; and, if some distinguished 
 and talented officers in his own army, and others who stood high in 
 the confidence of the American people, could have prevailed in their 
 designs, even he would have been superseded in that lofty command, 
 of which it is difficult to say, whether the station conferred dignity 
 upon the man, or the man upon the station. 
 
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