GIFT OF 
 Elisabeth Whitney Putnai 
 
 _ 
 

 A 
 
 
LIFE 
 
 OF 
 
 GEN. PUTNAM. 
 
AN 
 
 ESSAY 
 
 ON THE 
 
 LIFE 
 
 OF THE 
 
 HONOURABLE MAJOR GENERAL 
 
 ISRAEL PUTNAM 
 
 ADDRESSED TO 
 THE STATE SOCIETY OF THE CINCINNATI IS 
 
 CONNECTICUT, 
 And first published by their order. 
 
 BY COL. DAVID HUMPHREYS. 
 
 \ 
 
 WITH 
 
 NOTES AND ADDITIONS 
 
 WITH AIT 
 
 APPENDIX, 
 
 CONTAINING AN 
 HISTORICAL AND TOPOGRAPHICAL 
 
 SKETCH 
 
 OF 
 
 BY S. SWETT. 
 
 BOSTON : 
 
 PUBLISHED BY SAMUEL AVERT, 
 
 *Vtf. 89 Court Street? * ^ ; 
 1818. IS , 
 
ro THE 
 
 HON. COL. JEREMIAH WADSWORTH, 
 
 President of the State Society of the Cincinnati 
 in Connecticut, &c. 
 
 MY DEAR SIR, 
 
 UNAVOIDABLE absence will prevent me 
 from performing the grateful task assigned 
 me by the State Society of the Cincinnati on 
 the fourth day of July next. Though I can 
 not personally address them, I wish to demon 
 strate, by some token of affectionate remem 
 brance, the sense I entertain of the honour 
 they have more than once conferred upon me 
 by their suffrages. 
 
 Meditating in what manner to accomplish 
 this object, it occurred to me, that an attempt 
 to preserve the actions of General Putnam, in 
 the archives of our State Society, would be 
 acceptable to its members, as they had all 
 served with great satisfaction under his imme 
 diate orders. An essay on the life of a per- 
 
 12454 
 
.(?. .- V LBT;TER; T0 COLONEL WADSWORTH. 
 
 son so elevated in military rank, and so con 
 versant in extraordinary scenes, could not be 
 destitute of amusement and instruction, and 
 would possess the advantage of presenting for 
 imitation a respectable model of public and 
 private virtues. 
 
 General Putnam is universally acknowledg 
 ed to have been as brave and as honest a man 
 as ever America produced; but the distin 
 guishing features of his character, and the par 
 ticular transactions of his life, are but imper 
 fectly known. He seems to have been form 
 ed on purpose for the age in which he lived. 
 His native courage, unshaken integrity, and 
 established reputation as a soldier, were ne 
 cessary in the early stages of our opposition to 
 the designs of Great Britain, and gave un 
 bounded confidence to our troops in their first 
 conflicts in the field of battle. 
 
 The enclosed manuscript justly claims in 
 dulgence for its venial errors, as it is the first 
 effort in Biography that has been made on 
 this continent. The attempt, I am conscious, 
 is laudable, whatever may be the failure in 
 point of execution. 
 
 I am happy to find the Society of the Cin 
 cinnati is now generally regarded in a favoura- 
 
LETTER TO COLONEL WADSWORTH. 7 
 
 ble manner. Mankind, with few exceptions, 
 are disposed to do justice to the motives on 
 which it was founded. For ourselves, we 
 can never recall to mind the occasion, without 
 feeling the most tender emotions of friendship 
 and sensibility. At the dissolution of the ar 
 my, when we retired to separate walks of life, 
 from the toils of a successful war, in which we 
 had been associated during a very important 
 part of our lives, the pleasing idea, and the 
 fond hope of meeting once a year, which gave 
 birth to our fraternal institution, were necessa 
 ry consolations to sooth the pangs that tore 
 our bosoms at the melancholy hour of parting. 
 When our hands touched, perhaps for the last 
 time, and our tongues refused to perform their 
 office in bidding farewell, heaven witnessed 
 and approved the purity of our intentions in 
 the ardour of our affections. May we per 
 severe in the union of our friendship, and the 
 exertion of our benevolence; regardless of the 
 censures of jealous suspicion, which charges 
 our designs with selfishness, and ascribes our 
 actions to improper motives; while we real 
 ize sentiments of a nobler nature in our anni 
 versary festivities, and our hearts dilate with 
 an honest joy, in opening the hand of benefi- 
 
LETTER TO COLONEL WADSWORTH. 
 
 cence to the indigent widow and unprotected 
 orphan of our departed friends. 
 
 I pray you, my dear Sir, to present my 
 most respectful compliments to the members 
 of the Society, and to assure them, on my 
 part, that whensoever it shall be in my power, 
 I shall esteem it the felicity of my life to at 
 tend their anniversaries. 
 I have the honour to be, 
 
 With sentiments of the highest consideration and 
 
 esteem, 
 Your most obedient and most humble servant, 
 
 D. HUMPHREYS. 
 
 Monnt-Vernon, in Virginia, 
 June 4, 1788. 
 
AN 
 
 ESSAY 
 
 ON THE 
 
 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM, 
 
 To TREAT of recent transactions and per 
 sons still living, is always a delicate, and fre 
 quently a thankless office. Yet, while the par 
 tiality of friends, or the malignity of enemies, 
 decides with rashness on every delineation of 
 character, or recital of circumstances, a con 
 solation remains, that distant nations, and re 
 moter ages, free from the influence of preju 
 dice or passion, will judge with impartiality, 
 and appreciate with justice. We have fallen 
 upon an era singularly prolific in extraordi 
 nary personages, and dignified by splendid 
 events. Much is expected from the selections 
 of the judicious biographer, as well as from 
 the labours of the faithful historian. What 
 ever prudential reasons may now occur to 
 postpone the portrait of our own times, the 
 difficulties which oppose themselves to the 
 execution, instead of being diminished, will in 
 crease with the lapse of years. Every day 
 will extinguish some life that was dear to fame % , 
 2 
 
10 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 and obliterate the memorial of some deed 
 which would have constituted the delight and 
 admiration of the world. 
 
 So transient and indistinguishable are the 
 traits of character, so various and inexplicable 
 the springs of action, so obscure and perisha 
 ble the remembrance of human affairs, that, 
 unless attempts are made to sketch the pic 
 ture, while the present generation is living, the 
 likeness will be for ever lost, or only preserv 
 ed by a vague recollection ; disguised perhaps, 
 by the whimsical colourings of a creative im 
 agination. 
 
 It will, doubtless, hereafter be an object of 
 regret, that those who, having themselves 
 been conspicuous actors on the theatre of pub 
 lic life, and who, in conjunction with a knowl 
 edge of facts, possess abilities to paint those 
 characters, and describe those events which, 
 during the progress of the American Revolu 
 tion, interested and astonished mankind, should 
 feel an insuperable reluctance to assume the 
 task a task which, if executed with fidelity, 
 must, from the dignity of its subject, become 
 grateful to the patriots of all nations, and 
 profitable in example to the remotest posteri 
 ty. Equally severe will be the mortification 
 of contemplating the reveries and fictions 
 which have been substituted by hacknied writ 
 ers in the place of historical facts. Nor should 
 we suppress our indignation against that class 
 of professional authors, who, placed in the 
 vale of penury and obscurity, at an immense 
 
LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 11 
 
 distance from the scenes of action, and all op 
 portunities of acquiring* the necessary docu 
 ments, "with insufferable effrontery, obtrude 
 their fallacious and crude performances on a 
 credulous public. Did the result of their lu 
 cubrations terminate only in relieving their own 
 distresses, or gratifying their individual vanity, 
 it might be passed in sihent contempt. But 
 the effect is extensive, permanent, and perni 
 cious. The lie,* however improbable or 
 monstrous, which has once assumed the sem 
 blance of truth, by being often repeated with 
 minute and plausible particulars, is, at length, 
 so thoroughly established, as to obtain uni 
 versal credit, defy contradiction, and frustrate 
 every effort of refutation. Such is the mis 
 chief, such are the unhappy consequences on 
 the bewildered mind, that the reader has no 
 alternative, but to become the dupe of his 
 credulity, or distrust the veracity of almost all 
 human testimony. After having long been the 
 sport of fiction, he will, perhaps, probably run 
 into the opposite extreme, and give up all con 
 fidence in the annals of ancient as well as mod- 
 < rn times; and thus the easy believer of fine 
 fables and marvellous stories will find, at last, 
 his historical faith change to scepticism, and 
 end in infidelity. 
 
 * The writer hsd here particularly in his ere, the Rhapsody 
 palmed upon the public, under the name of a History, by a certain 
 Frenchman, called D Aubertoiul: I d haps so muchYalsehood, fol 
 ly and calumny was never before accumulated in a single pevforfc 
 nee. 
 
1.2 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 The numerous errors and falsehoods rela 
 tive to the birth and achievements of Major- 
 General Putnam, which have (at a former pe 
 riod) been circulated with assiduity on both 
 sides of the Atlantic, and the uncertainty 
 which appeared to prevail with respect to his 
 real character,* first produced the resolution 
 of writing this essay on his life, and induced 
 the Editor to obtainf materials from that hero 
 himself. If communications of such authentici 
 ty, if personal intimacy as an aid-de-camp to 
 that General, or if subsequent military em 
 ployments, which afforded access to sourcesj 
 
 * The following lines are extracted from a poem, entitled " Th 
 Prospect of America:" written by the late ingenious Dr. Ladd. 
 
 Hail Putnam ! hail, thou venerable name ! 
 
 * Tho dark oblrvion threats thy mighty fame, 
 
 It threats in vain for long shall thou be known, 
 
 * Who first in virtue and in battle shone. 
 
 * When fourscore years had blanch d thy laurelTd head, 
 ; Strong in thiue age, the flame of war was spread.* 
 
 On which Dr. Ladd made this note : 
 
 " The brare Putnam seems to have been almost obscured amidst 
 " the glare of succeeding worthies ; but his early and gallant ser- 
 " tices entitle him to an everlasting remembrance*" 
 
 Other bards have also asserted the glory of this venerable vete 
 ran. In the first concise review of the principal American heroes 
 who signalized themselves in the last war, the same character is 
 thus represented : 
 
 " There stood stern Putnam, seam d with many a scar, 
 "The veteran honors of an early war." 
 
 The Vision of Columbus. JBook V. 
 
 ] The editor seizes with eagerness an opportunity of acknowl 
 edging his obligations to Dr. Albigence Waldo, who was so obliging 
 as to commit to writing many anecdotes, communicated to him by 
 General Putnam in the course of the present year. 
 
 4. A multitude o r proofs might be produced to demonstrate that 
 military facts cannot alvays be accurately known but by the com 
 mander in chief xnd his confidential officers. The Marquis d 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 13 
 
 of intelligence not open to others, give the 
 writer any advantages, the unbiassed mind will 
 decide how far they exculpate him from the 
 imputations of that officiousness, ignorance and 
 presumption, which, in others, have been re 
 prehended with severity. He only wishes that 
 a premature and unfavourable construction 
 may not be formed of his motive or object. 
 Should this essay have any influence in correct- 
 
 Chnsfclleux (whose opportunity to acquire genuine information, 
 respecting those parts oi tlie American war which he hath casually 
 mentioned, was better than that of any other writer) gives an ac 
 count of a grand forage which General Heath ordered to be made 
 towards King s-bridge in the autumn of 1780. The Marquis, who 
 vaa present M hen the det:;chmenl marched, and to whom General 
 Heath shewed the orders that were given to General Stark, the 
 commanding officer of the expedition, observes that he had never 
 seen, in manuscript, or print, more pertinent instructions. Now 
 ihe fact is, that this detachment, under the pretext of a forage, was 
 intended by the Commander in Chief to cooperate with the main 
 army in an attempt against the enemy s posts on York Island ; and 
 that General Heath himself was then ignorant of the real design. 
 
 The Commander in Chief spent a whole campaign in ripeniug 
 this project. Boats, mounted on travelling carriages, were kept 
 constantly with the army. The marquis de la Fayette, at the 
 head of tbe Light Infantry, was to have made the attack in, 
 tl;e night on fort Washington. The period chosen for this enter 
 prise was the very time, when the army were to break up their 
 tump and march into winter quarters : so that the Commander in 
 Chief, moving in the dusk of the evening, would have boon on the 
 banks of the Hudson, with his whole force, to have supported th - 
 attack. The cautious manner i;i which the cooperation on the 
 part of the troops sent by General Heath, on the pretended forage, 
 was to have been conducted, will be understood from the following 
 secret iustruction;. 
 
 To Brigadier General STARK. 
 
 Head Quarters, Passaic Falls, JVU-. Cl, 1760, 
 
 "SIR, 
 
 " Colonel Humphreys, one of my Aids-de-camp, h 
 
 "charged by me with orders of a private and particular nature, 
 
 " which he is to deliver to you, and which you are to obey. He 
 
 " will iaform you of the necessity of this mode of communication. 
 
 " I am. Sir, &c. 
 
 " G, WASHINGTON," 
 
 2* 
 
14 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 ing mistakes, or rescuing from oblivion the ac 
 tions of that distinguished veteran ; should it 
 create an emulation to copy his domestic, man 
 ly and heroic virtues ; or should it prompt 
 some more skilful hand to portray the illus 
 trious group of patriots, sages, and heroes, 
 who have guided our councils, fought our bat 
 tles, and adorned the memorable epocha of 
 independence^ it will be an ample compensa- 
 
 * To Lieutenant Colonel DAVID HUMPHREYS, A. D. Camp. 
 
 "SIR, 
 
 " You are immediately to proceed to West Point, anif 
 communicate the business committed to you, in confidence, to 
 " Major General Heath, and to no other person whatsoever: from 
 " thence you will repair to the detachment at the White Plains, on 
 " Friday next, taking measures to prevent their leaving that 
 " place before you get to them. And in the course of the suc- 
 ** ceeding night yon may inform the commanding officer of the 
 * enterprise in contemplation against the enemy s posts on York 
 " Island. 
 
 " As the troops are constantly to lie on their arms, no previous 
 " notice should be given : but they may be put in motion precisely 
 " at 4 o clock, and commence a slow and regular march to King s- 
 tf bridge, uotil they shall discover or be informed of the concerted 
 " signals being made, when the march must be pressed with the 
 " greatest rapidity. Parties of horse should be sent forward to 
 " keep a look out for the signals. 
 
 " Although the maio body ought to be kept eompact, patroles of 
 "horse and light parties might be sent towards East and West 
 " Chester: and upon the signals being discovered, Sheldon s regi- 
 " ment and the Connecticut State troops (which may also be put 
 " in motion as soon as the orders can be communicated after 4 
 " o clock) should be pushed forward to intercept any of the enemy, 
 " who may attempt to gain Frog s Neck, and to cut off the Refu- 
 * gee-corps at Morissania. A few men, with some address, may 
 " spread such an alarm as to prevent aa attempt of (he enemy to 
 " retreat to Frog s Neck, from an apprehension of surrounding 
 " parties. 
 
 You will communicate these instructions to the commanding 
 "officer of the detachment, who, upon his approach to King s- 
 t( bridge, will receive orders from me as early as possible. 
 
 ** Should the signals not be discovered, the troops will halt afe 
 " least six miles from the bridge, until further intelligence cap be 
 " obtained. 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 25 
 
 tion for the trouble, and excite a consolatory 
 reflection through every vicissitude of life. 
 
 ISRAEL PUTNAM, who, through a regular 
 gradation of promotion, became the senior Ma 
 jor-General in the army of the United States, 
 and next in rank to General Washington, was 
 born at Salem, in the Province (now State) of 
 Massachusetts, on the 7th day of January, 
 1718. His father, Captain Joseph Putnam, 
 was the son of Mr. John Putnam, who, with 
 two brothers, came from the south of England, 
 and were among the first settlers of Salem. 
 
 When we thus behold a person, from the 
 humble walks of life, starting unnoticed in the 
 
 " The absolute necessity of the most perfect secrecy is the occa- 
 rt sion ot communicating my orders through this channel. 
 
 " Given at Head Quarters, Passaic Fulk, 
 " Mi* 22 d day of Nov. 1780. 
 
 "G. WASHINGTON." 
 
 Never was a plan better arranged : and never did circumstances 
 promise more sure or complete success. The British were not 
 only unalarmed, but our own troops were likewise entirely mis 
 guided in their expectations. The accidental intervention of some 
 vessels prevented at this time the attempt ; which was more than, 
 once resumed afterwards. Notwithstanding this favourite project 
 was not ultimately effected, it was evidently not less bold in con 
 ception or feasible in accomplishment, than that attempted so suc 
 cessfully at Trenton, or than that which was brought to so glorious 
 an issue in the successful siege of York-Town. 
 
 It is true the Marquis de Chastelleux, whose professional 
 knowledge and fountain-head intelligence have enabled him to de 
 scribe several actions better than they are elsewhere described, 
 speaks in this instance of an ulterior object ; and says, that secrets 
 were preserved more inviolably in the American than in the 
 French army. His words are : 
 
 "C est que le secret est garde Ires exactement a 1 armee Amer- 
 " icaine ; peu de personnes ont part a la confiance du Chef, et en, 
 " general on y parle moins que dans les armees Francoises des 
 " operations de la guerre, et de ce que Ton apnelle hz nous /& 
 " JVowwJfes." 
 
1 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 career of fame, and, by an unde via ling pro 
 gress through a life of honour, arriving at the 
 highest dignity in the state, curiosity is strong 
 ly excited, and philosophy loves to trace the 
 path of glory from the cradle of obscurity to 
 the summit of elevation. 
 
 Although our ancestors, the" first settlers of 
 this land, amidst the extreme pressure of pov 
 erty and danger, early instituted schools for the 
 education o f youth designed for the learned 
 professions, yet it was thought sufficient to in 
 struct those destined to labour on the earth, 
 in reading, writing, and such rudiments of 
 arithmetic as might be requisite for keeping the 
 accounts of their little transactions with each 
 other. Few farmers sons had more advan 
 tages, none less. In this state of mediocrity it 
 was the lot of young Putnam to be placed. His 
 early instruction was not considerable, and the 
 active scenes of life in which he was afterwards 
 engaged, prevented the opportunity of great 
 literary improvement. His numerous original 
 letters, though deficient in scholastic accuracy, 
 always display the goodness of his heart, and 
 frequently the strength of his native genius. 
 He had a certain laconic mode of expression, 
 and an unaffected epigrammatic turn, which 
 characterised most of his writings. 
 
 To compensate partially for the deficiency 
 of education (though nothing can remove or 
 counterbalance the inconveniencies experienc 
 ed from it in public life) he derived from his 
 Barents the source of innumerable advantages 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 17 
 
 in the stamina of a vigorous constitution. Na 
 ture, liberal in bestowing on him bodily 
 strength, hardiness, and activity, was by no 
 means parsimonious in mental endowments. 
 While we leave the qualities of the under 
 standing to be - developed in the process of 
 life, it may not be improper, in this place, to 
 designate some of the circumstances which 
 were calculated to distinguish him afterwards 
 as a partizan officer. 
 
 Courage, enterprize, activity, and perse 
 verance were the first characteristics of his 
 mind. There is a kind of mechanical courage, 
 the offspring of pride, habit, or discipline, that 
 may push a coward not only to perform his 
 duty, but even to venture on acts of heroism. 
 Putnam s courage was of a different species. 
 It was ever attended with a serenity of soul, a 
 clearness of conception, a degree of self-pos 
 session, and a superiority to all the vicissitudes 
 of fortune, entirely distinct from any thing that 
 can be produced by the ferment of blood, and 
 flutter of spirits; which not unfrequently, pre 
 cipitate men to action, when stimulated by in 
 toxication or some other transient exhilaration. 
 The heroic character, thus founded on consti 
 tution and animal spirits, cherished by educa 
 tion and ideas of personal freedom, confirmed 
 by temperance and habits of exercise, was 
 completed by the dictate of reason, the love of 
 his country, and an invincible sense of duty. 
 Such were the qualities and principles that 
 enabled him to meet unappalied, the shafts of 
 
18 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 adversity, and to pass in triumph through the 
 furnace of affliction. 
 
 His disposition was as frank and generous 
 as his mind was fearless and independent. He 
 disguised nothing; indeed he seemed incapa 
 ble of disguise. Perhaps in the intercourse 
 he was ultimately obliged to have with an art 
 ful world, his sincerity, on some occasions, out 
 went his discretion. Although he had too 
 much suavity in his nature to commence a 
 quarrel, he had too much sensibility not to feel, 
 and too much honour not to resent an intend 
 ed insult. The first time he went to Boston 
 he was insulted for his rusticity by a boy of 
 twice his size and age ; after bearing the sar 
 casms until his patience was worn out, he chal 
 lenged, engaged, and vanquished his unman 
 nerly antagonist, to the great diversion of a 
 crowd of spectators. While a stripling, his 
 ambition was to perform the labour of a man, 
 and to excel in athletic diversions. In that 
 rude, but masculine age, whenever the village- 
 youth assembled on their usual occasions of 
 festivity, pitching the bar, running, leaping, 
 and wrestling were favourite amusements. At 
 such gymnastic exercises (in which, during the 
 heroic times of ancient Greece and Rome, 
 conquest was considered as the promise of fu 
 ture military fame) he bore the palm from al 
 most every ring. 
 
 Before the refinements of luxury, and the 
 consequent increase of expences had rendered 
 the maintenance of a family inconvenient or 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 19 
 
 burdensome in America, the sexes entered in 
 to matrimony at an early age. Competence, 
 attainable by all, was the limit of pursuit. 
 After the hardships of making a new settle 
 ment were overcome, and the evils of penury 
 removed, the inhabitants enjoyed, in the lot of 
 equality, innocence and security, scenes equal 
 ly delightful with those pictured by the glow 
 ing imagination of the poets in their favourite 
 pastoral life, or fabulous golcfen age. Indeed, 
 the condition of mankind was never more en 
 viable. Neither disparity of age and fortune, 
 nor schemes of ambition and grandeur, nor 
 the pride and avarice of high-minded and mer 
 cenary parents, interposed those obstacles to 
 the union of congenial souls, which frequently 
 in mor.e polished society prevent, embitter or 
 destroy all the felicity of the connubial state. 
 Mr. Putnam before he attained the twenty- 
 first year of his age, married Miss Pope, 
 daughter of Mr. John Pope of Salem, by whom 
 he had ten children, seven of whom are still 
 living. He lost the wife of his youth in 1764. 
 Some time after he married Mrs. Gardiner, 
 widow of the late Mr. Gardiner of Gardiner s 
 Island, by whom he had no issue. She died 
 in 1777. 
 
 In the year 1739 he removed from Salem to 
 Pomfiet, an inland fertile town in Connecticut, 
 forty miles east of Hartford: having here pur 
 chased a considerable tract of land he applied 
 himself successfully to agriculture. 
 
20 LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 The first years, on a new farm, are not how 
 ever exempt from disasters and disappoint 
 ments, whicn can onlj be remedied by stubborn 
 and patient industry. Our farmer, sufficiently 
 occupied in building an house and barn, felling 
 woods, making fences, sowing grain, planting 
 orchards and taking care of his stock, had to 
 encounter, in turn, the calamities occasioned by 
 drought in summer, blast in harvest, loss of 
 cattle in winter, and the desolation of his sheep- 
 fold by wolves. In one night he had seventy 
 fine sheep and goats killed, besides many lambs 
 and kids wounded. This havoc was commit 
 ted by a she wolf, which, with her annual 
 whelps, had for several years infested the vi 
 cinity. The young were commonly destroy 
 ed by the vigilance of the hunters, but tJie old 
 one was too sagacious to come within reach of 
 gunshot: upon being closely pursued she 
 would generally fly to the western woods, and 
 return the next winter with another litter of 
 whelps. 
 
 This wolf, at length became such an intol 
 erable nuisance, that Mr Putnam entered into 
 a combination with five of his neighbours to 
 hunt alternately until they could destroy her. 
 Two by rotation, were to be constantly in pur 
 suit. It was known, that, having lost the toes 
 from one foot, by a steel trap, she made one 
 track shorter than the other. By this vestige, 
 the pursuers recognized, in a light snow, the 
 route of this pernicious animal. Having fol 
 lowed her to Connecticut river and found she 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 21 
 
 had turned back in a direct course towards 
 Pomfret, they immediately returned, and by 
 ten o clock the next morning the blood-hounds 
 had driven her into a den, about three miles 
 distant from the house of Mr. Putnam : The 
 people soon collected with dogs, guns, straw, 
 fire and sulphur to attack the common enemy. 
 With this apparatus several unsuccessful ef 
 forts were made to force her from the den. 
 The hounds came back badly wounded and 
 refused to return. The smoke of blazing 
 straw had no effect. Nor did the fumes of 
 burnt brimstone, with which the cavern was 
 filled, compel her to quit the retirement. 
 Wearied with such fruitless attempts (which 
 had brought the time to ten o clock at night) 
 Mr. Putnam tried once more to make his dog 
 enter, but in vain ; he proposed to his negro 
 man to go down into the cavern and shoot the 
 wolf: the negro declined the hazardous ser 
 vice. Then it was that the master, angry 
 at the disappointment, and declaring that he 
 was ashamed to have a coward in his family, 
 resolved himself to destroy the ferocious beast, 
 lest he should escape through some unknown 
 fissure of the rock. His neighbours strongly 
 remonstrated against the perilous enterprize : 
 but he, knowing that wild animals were intimi 
 dated by fire, and having provided several 
 strips of birch-bark, the only combustible ma 
 terial which he could obtain, that would afford 
 light in this deep and darksome cave, prepar 
 ed for his descent. Having, accordingly, cli- 
 3 
 
22 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 vested himself of his coat arid waistcoat, and 
 having a long rope fastened round his legs, by 
 which he might be pulled back, at a concert 
 ed signal, he entered head foremost, with the 
 blazing torch in his hand. 
 
 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 fif 
 teen feet, then running horizontally about ten 
 more, it ascends gradually sixteen feet to 
 wards its termination. The sides of this sub 
 terraneous cavity are composed of smooth and 
 solid rocks, which seem to have been divided 
 from each other by some former earthquake. 
 The top and bottom are also of stone, and the 
 entrance, in winter, being covered with ice, is 
 exceedingly slippery. It is in no place high 
 enough for a man to raise himself upright, 
 nor in any part more than three feet in width. 
 Having groped his passage to the horizon 
 tal part of the den, the most terrifying dark 
 ness 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 soli 
 tary mansion of horror. He, cautiously pro 
 ceeding onward, 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 sitting at the extremity of the 
 cavern. Started at the sight of fire, she 
 gnashed her teeth, and gave a sullen growl. 
 As soon as he had made the necessary discov- 
 
,LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 23 
 
 cry, he kicked the rope as a signal for pulling 
 him out. The people, at the mouth of the 
 den, who had listened with painful anxiety, 
 hearing the growling of the wolf, and suppos 
 ing their friend to be in the most imminent 
 danger, drew him forth with such celerity that 
 his shirt was stripped over his head and his 
 skin severely lacerated. After he had adjust 
 ed his clothes, and loaded his gun with nine 
 buck-shot, holding a torch in one hand and 
 the musket in the other, he descended the se 
 cond time. When he drew nearer than before^ 
 the wolf, assuming a still more fierce and ter 
 rible appearance, howling, rolling her eyes, 
 snapping her teeth, and dropping her head 
 between her legs, was evidently in the atti 
 tude, and on the point of springing at him. At 
 the critical instant he levelled and fired at her 
 head. Stunned with the shock, and suffocated 
 with the smoke, he immediately found himself 
 drawn out of the cave. But having refreshed 
 himself, and permitted the smoke to dissipate, 
 he went down the third time. Once more he 
 came within sight of the wolf, who appearing 
 very passive, he applied the torch to her nose, 
 and perceiving her dead, he took hold of her 
 ears, and then kicking the rope (still tied round 
 his legs) the people above with no small ex 
 ultation dragged them both out together. 
 
 I have offered these facts in greater detail, 
 because they contain a display of character ; 
 and because they have been erroneously rela 
 ted in several European publications, and very 
 
24 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 much mutilated in the history of Connecticut, 
 a work as replete with falsehood as destitute 
 of genius, lately printed in London. 
 
 Prosperity, at length, began to attend the 
 agricultural affairs of Mr. Putnam. He was 
 acknowledged to be a skilful and indefatigable 
 manager. His fields were mostly enclosed 
 with stone walls. His crops commonly suc 
 ceeded, because the land was well tilled and 
 manured. His pastures and meadows became 
 luxuriant His cattle were of the best breed, 
 and in good order. His garden and fruit-trees 
 
 C5 o 
 
 prolific. With the avails of the surplusage of 
 his produce, foreign articles were purchased. 
 Within doors he found the compensation of 
 his labors in the plenty of excellent provisions, 
 as well as in the happiness of domestic society. 
 A more particular description of his transi 
 tion from narrow to easy circumstances might 
 be given ; but the mind that shall have ac 
 quired an idea of the habits of labour and sim 
 plicity? to which the industrious colonists were 
 accustomed, will readily supply the omission. 
 The effect of this gradual acquisition of prop 
 erty, generally favorable to individual virtue 
 and public felicity, should not however be 
 passed over in silence. If there is something 
 fascinating in the charra^ of a country life, from 
 the contemplation of beautiful landscapes, 
 there is likewise something elevating to the 
 soul, in the consciousness of being lord of the 
 soil, and having the power of creating them. 
 The man can scarcely be guilty of a sordid 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM 25 
 
 action, or even descend to an ungenerous 
 thought, who, removed from the apprehension 
 of want, sees his farm daily meliorating and 
 assuming whatever appearance he pleases to 
 prescribe. This situation converts the farmer 
 into a species of rural philosopher, by inspir 
 ing an honest pride in his rank as a freeman, 
 flattering the natural propensity for personal 
 independence, and nourishing an unlimited 
 hospitality and philanthropy in his social char 
 acter. 
 
 But the time had now arrived which was 
 to turn the instruments of husbandry into wea 
 pons of hostility, and to exchange the hunting 
 of wolves, who had ravaged the sheep-folds, 
 for the pursuit after savages, who had desola 
 ted the frontiers. Mr. Putnam was about 37 
 years old, when the war between England and 
 France, which preceded the last, broke out in 
 America. His reputation must have been 
 favourably known to the government, since 
 among the first troops that were levied by 
 Connecticut, in 1755, he was appointed to the 
 command of a company in Ly man s regiment 
 cf Provincials. I have mentioned his age at 
 this period expressly to obviate a prevalent 
 opinion, that he was far advanced in life when 
 he commenced his military service. 
 
 As he was extremely popular, he found no 
 difficulty in enlisting his complement of recruits 
 from the most hardy, enterprizingand respect 
 able young men of his neighbourhood. The 
 regiment joined the army, at the opening of 
 
 vJ 
 
26 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM, 
 
 the campaign, not far distant from Crown- 
 Point. Soon after his arrival at camp, he be 
 came intimately acquainted with the famous 
 partizan Captain, afterwards Major Rogers, 
 with whom he was frequently associated in 
 traversing the wilderness, reconnoitering the 
 enemy s lines, gaining intelligence, and taking 
 straggling prisoners, as well as in beating up 
 the quarters and surprising the advanced pick 
 ets of their army. For these operations a 
 corps of rangers was formed from the irregu 
 lars. The first time Rogers and Putnam 
 were detached with a party of these light 
 troops, it was the fortune of the latter to pre 
 serve, with his own hand, the life of the for 
 mer, and to cement their friendship with the 
 blood of one of their enemies. 
 
 The object of this expedition was to obtain 
 an accurate knowledge of the position and 
 state of the works at Crown-Point. It was 
 impracticable to approach with their party 
 near enough for this purpose, without being 
 discovered. Alone, the undertaking was suf 
 ficiently hazardous, on account of the swarms 
 of hostile Indians who infested the woods. 
 Our two partizans, however, left all their men 
 at a convenient distance, with strict orders to 
 continue concealed until their return. Having 
 thus cautiously taken their arrangements, they 
 advanced with the profoundest silence in the 
 evening ; and lay, during the night, contiguous 
 to the fortress. Early in the morning they 
 approached so close as to be able to give sat- 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 27 
 
 isfactory information to the General who had 
 sent them, on the several points to which their 
 attention had been directed: but Captain Rog 
 ers, being at a little distance from Captain 
 Putnam, fortuitously met a stout Frenchman, 
 who instantly seized his fusee with one hand, 
 and with the other attempted to stab him, 
 while he called to an adjacent guard for as 
 sistance. The guard answered. Putnam, per 
 ceiving the imminent danger of his friend, and 
 that no time was to be lost, or further alarm 
 given by firing, ran rapidly to them, while 
 they were yet struggling, and with the but-end 
 of his piece laid the Frenchman dead at his 
 feet. The partizans, to elude pursuit, pre 
 cipitated their flight, joined the party, and re 
 turned without loss to the encampment. Not 
 many occasions occurred for partizans to dis 
 play their talents in the course of this summer. 
 The war was chequered with various fortune 
 in different quarters such as the total defeat 
 of General Braddock, and the splendid victory 
 of Sir William Johnson over the French 
 troops, commanded by the Baron Dieskau. 
 The brilliancy of this success was necessary 
 to console the Americans for the disgrace of 
 that disaster. Here I might, indeed, take a 
 pride in contrasting the conduct of the British 
 regulars, who had been ambuscaded on the 
 Monorigahela, with that of the Provincials 
 (under Johnson) who, having been attacked 
 in their lines, gallantly repulsed the enemy, 
 and took their general prisoner, did I consider 
 
28 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 myself at liberty to swell this essay with re 
 flections on events, in which Putnam was not 
 directly concerned. The time for which the 
 colonial troops engaged to serve terminated 
 with the campaign. Putnam was reappointed, 
 and again took the field in 1756. 
 
 Few are so ignorant of war as not to know, 
 that military adventures, in the night, are al 
 ways extremely liable to accidents. Captain 
 Putnam, having been commanded to reconnoi 
 tre the enemy s camp at the Ovens near Ticon- 
 dcroga, took the brave Lieutenant Robert 
 Durkee as his companion. In attempting to 
 execute these orders, he narrowly missed be 
 ing taken himself in the first instance, and kill 
 ing his friend in the second. It was custorca- 
 
 O 
 
 ry for the British and Provincial troops to 
 place their fires round their camp, which fre 
 quently exposed them to the enemy s scouts 
 and patroles. A contrary practice, then un 
 known in the English army, prevailed among 
 the French and Indians. The plan w r as much 
 more rational ; they kept their fires in the cen 
 tre, lodged their men circularly at a distance, 
 and posted their centinels in the surrounding 
 darkness. Our partizans approached the 
 camp, and supposing the Gentries were with 
 in the circle of fires, crept upon their hands 
 and knees with the greatest possible caution, 
 until, to their utter astonishment, they found 
 themselves in the thickest of the enemy. The 
 centinels, discovering them, fired and slightly 
 wounded Durkee in the thigh. He and Put- 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 29 
 
 nam had no alterative. They fled. The lat 
 ter, being foremost and scarcely able to see 
 his hand before him, soon plunged into a clay- 
 pit. Durkee, almost at the identical moment, 
 came tumbling after. Putnam by no means 
 pleased at finding a companion, and believing 
 him to be one ot the enemy, lifted his toma 
 hawk to give the deadly blow, when Durkee, 
 (who had followed so closely as to know him) 
 enquired, whether he had escaped unhurt. 
 Captain Putnam instantly recognizing the 
 voice, dropped his weapon : and both, spring 
 ing from the pit, made good their retreat to 
 the neighbouring ledges, amidst a shower of 
 random shot. There they betook themselves 
 to a large log, by the side of which they lodg 
 ed the remainder of the night. Before they 
 lay down, Captain Putnam said he had a little 
 rum in his canteen, which could never be more 
 acceptable or necessary; but on examining the 
 canteen, which hung under his arm, he iound 
 the enemy had pierced it with their balls, and 
 that there was not a drop of liquor left. The 
 next day he found fourteen bullet holes in his 
 blanket. 
 
 In the same summer a body of the enemy, 
 consisting of 600 men, attacked the baggage 
 and provision waggons at a place called the 
 half-wnv-brook ; it being equi-distant from 
 Fort Edward, and the south end of Lake 
 George. Having killed the oxen and plun 
 dered the waggons, they retreated with their 
 booty without having met with such resistance 
 
30 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 as might have been expected from the strength 
 of the escort. General Webb, upon receiving 
 intelligence of this disaster, ordered the Cap 
 tains Putnam and Rogers " to take 100 vol- 
 " unteers in boats, with two wail-pieces and 
 " two blunderbusses, and to proceed down 
 " Lake George to a certain point : there to 
 " leave the batteaux under a proper guard, 
 " and thence to cross by land, so as to harrass, 
 " and, if practicable, intercept the retreating 
 " enemy at the narrows." These orders were 
 executed with so much punctuality, that the 
 party arrived at the destined place half an 
 hour before the hostile boats came in view. 
 Here they waited, under cover, until the ene 
 my (ignorant of these proceedings) entered 
 the narrows with their batteaux loaded with 
 plunder. Then the volunteers poured upon 
 them volley after volley, killed many of the 
 oarsmen, sunk a number of their batteaux, and 
 would soon have destroyed the whole body of 
 the enemy, had not the unusual precipitancy 
 of their passage (favoured by the wind) car 
 ried them through the narrows into the wide 
 part of South Bay, where they were out of the 
 reach of musket-shot. The shattered rem 
 nant of the little fleet soon arrived at Ticon- 
 deroga, and gave information that Putnam and 
 Rogers were at the narrows. A fresh party 
 was instantly detached to cut them in pieces, 
 on their return to Fort-Edward. Our parti- 
 zans, sensible of the probability of such an at 
 tempt, and being full twenty miles from thejr 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 31 
 
 boats, strained evey nerve to reach them as 
 soon as possible ; which they effected the same 
 night. Next day, when they had returned as 
 far as Sabbath-Day point, they discovered, on 
 shore, the beforementioned detachment of 300 
 men, who had passed them in the night, and 
 who now, on perceiving our party, took to 
 their boats with the greatest alacrity, and 
 rowed out to give battle. They advanced in 
 line, maintaining a good mein, and felicitating 
 themselves upon the prospect of an easy con 
 quest, from the great superiority of their num 
 bers. Flushed with these expectations, they 
 were permitted to come within pistol-shot be 
 fore a gun was fired. At once, the wall-pie 
 ces and blunderbusses, which had been brought 
 to rake them in the most vulnerable point, 
 were discharged. As no such reception had 
 been foreseen, the assailants were thrown into 
 the utmost disorder. Their terror and confu 
 sion were greatly increased by a well-directed 
 and most destructive fire of the small arms. 
 The larger pieces being reloaded, without an 
 noyance, continued alternately with the mus- 
 quetry to make dreadful havoc, until the rout 
 was completed and the enemy driven back to 
 Ticonderoga. In this action, one of the bark 
 canoes contained twenty Indians, of whom fif 
 teen were killed. Great numbers, from other 
 boats, both of French and Indians, were seen 
 to fall overboard : but the account of their to 
 tal loss could never be ascertained. Rogers 
 and Putnam had but one man killed, and two 
 
32 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM, 
 
 slightly wounded. They now landed on the 
 point, and having refreshed their men at leis 
 ure, returned in good order to the British 
 camp. 
 
 Soon after these rencounters, as ingular kind 
 of race was run by our nimble-footed Provin 
 cial and an active young Frenchman. The 
 liberty of each was by turns at stake. Gen 
 eral Webb, wanting a prisoner for the sake 
 of intelligence, sent Capt. Putnam with five 
 men to procure one. The Captain concealed 
 himself near the road which leads from Ticon- 
 deroga to the Ovens. His men seemed fond 
 of shewing themselves, which unsoldierlike 
 conduct he prohibited with the severest repre 
 hension. This rebuke they imputed to unne 
 cessary fear. The observation is as true as 
 vulgar, that persons distinguishable for temer 
 ity, when there is no apparent danger, are 
 generally poltroons whenever danger ap 
 proaches. They had not lain long, in the 
 high grass, before a Frenchman and an Indian 
 passed the Indian was considerably in ad 
 vance. As soon as the former had gone by, 
 Putnam, relying on the fidelity of his men, 
 sprang up, ran, and ordered them to follow. 
 After running about thirty rods, he seized the 
 Frenchman by the shoulders, and forced him to 
 surrender: But his prisoner, looking round, 
 perceiving no other enemy, and knowing the 
 Indian would be ready in a moment to assist 
 him, began to make an obstinate resistance. 
 Putnam, finding himself betrayed by his men 
 
33 
 
 7 .-"? , 
 
 
 A .5- 
 
 
 
 f m 1 -V. 
 
 
 c, which was 
 
 ^ / - 
 
 <? 
 
 T st. It missed 
 
 Lf- | . 
 
 *L 
 
 *lmost prudent 
 
 
 
 *ji turn, chased 
 
 7~ 
 
 * ^ 
 
 |t, raised them- 
 
 ^ 1 * 
 
 /" 
 
 * 
 
 r is pursuer es- 
 v made his es- 
 
 - 
 
 fl 
 
 ,hese men had 
 
 
 3 
 
 |d them with 
 
 v /^ . 
 
 ^ 
 
 ; accomplished 
 
 
 7. 
 
 ,the capture of 
 
 lT 
 
 
 ^finitely more 
 
 _ ./ a^rfK 
 
 f y*^ 
 
 | t unacquainted 
 
 it 
 
 ^ to magne. 
 
 ortance ofpos- 
 be con- 
 
 appre- 
 ble partizan. 
 happened dur- 
 ss of Oswego. 
 It by General 
 ade, cover the 
 , and facilitate 
 itenac and Ni- 
 (enemy, with a 
 
 .-* , , - one hun 
 
 dred pi\ 
 
 The active services "oTTJaptain Putnam on 
 every occasion attracted the admiration of the 
 4 
 
32 LIFE 
 
 slightly woundec 
 point, and havin| 
 ure, returned irf 
 camp. 
 
 Soon after the ^ 
 of race was run 
 cial and an act 
 liberty of each 
 era! Webb, war|& 
 of intelligence, \ 
 men to procure! 
 himself near the > 
 deroga to the 0- - 
 of shewing theV 
 conduct he proh - ; 
 hension. This ? 
 cessaryfear. IT 
 vulgar, that perl; 
 ity, when there | 
 generally poltr| 
 
 preaches. The: ; ;": Jj 
 
 high grass, befo j 
 passed the InJ; 
 
 vance. As soom i 
 
 Putnam, rely in { 5 ^ .^ ; ^ 
 
 sprang up, ran, | 
 
 r & r . i jx O- , ^. ^ . s ^ 
 
 After running a j ^ ^ ^| ^ -^ 
 Frenchman by 1 1|. . 
 
 surrender: Bu1| N , - . < 
 
 . . 
 perceiving no of^ 
 
 Indian would bc^ assist 
 
 him, began to nHI^HMBBt/nate resistance. 
 Putnam, finding himself betrayed by his men 
 
LIFC OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 33 
 
 into a perilous dilemma, let go his hold, step 
 ped back and snapped his piece, which was 
 levelled at the Frenchman s breast. It missed 
 fire. Upon this he thought it most prudent 
 to retreat. The Frenchman, in turn, chased 
 him back to his men, who, at last, raised them 
 selves from the grass ; which his pursuer es 
 pying in good time for himself, made his es 
 cape. Putnam, mortified that these men had 
 frustrated his success, dismissed them with 
 disgrace ; and not long after accomplished 
 his object. Such little feats, as the capture of 
 a single prisoner, may be of infinitely more 
 consequence than some, who are unacquainted 
 with military affairs, would be apt to imagine. 
 In a country covered with woods, like that 
 part of America, then the seat of war, the dif 
 ficulty of procuring, and the importance of pos 
 sessing good intelligence, can scarcely be con 
 ceived even by European commanders. They, 
 however, who know its value, will not appre 
 ciate lightly the services of an able partizan. 
 
 Nothing worthy of remark happened dur 
 ing this campaign, except the loss of Oswego. 
 That fort, which had been built by General 
 Shirley, to protect the peltry trade, cover the 
 country on the Mohawk-River, and facilitate 
 an invasion of Canada, by Frontenac and Ni 
 agara, fell into the hands of the enemy, with a 
 garrison of sixteen hundred men, and one hun 
 dred pieces of cannon. 
 
 The active services of Captain Putnam on 
 every occasion attracted the admiration of the 
 4 
 
34 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 public, and induced the Legislature of Con 
 necticut to promote him to a majority in 1757. 
 
 Lord Loudon was then Commander in Chief 
 of the British forces in America. The expedi 
 tion against Crown-Point, which from the com 
 mencement of hostilities had been in contem 
 plation, seemed to give place to a more impor 
 tant operation that was meditated against 
 Louisbourg. But the arrival of the Brest 
 squadron at that place prevented the attempt ; 
 and the loss of Fort William Henry served 
 to class this with the two former unsuccessful 
 campaigns. It was rumoured, and partially 
 credited at the time, that General Webb, who 
 commanded in the northern department, had 
 early intimation of the movement of the French 
 army, and might have effectually succoured the 
 garrison. The subsequent facts will place the 
 affair in its proper light. 
 
 A few days before the seige, Major Putnam, 
 with two hundred men, escorted General 
 Webb from Fort Edward to Fort William 
 Henry. The object was to examine the state 
 of this fortification, which stood at the south 
 ern extremity of Lake George. Several abor 
 tive attempts having been made by Major 
 Rogers and others in the night season. Major 
 Putnam proposed to go down the lake in open 
 day-light, land at Northwest-Bay, arid tarry on 
 shore until he could make satisfactory discove 
 ry of the enemy s actual situation at Ticondero- 
 ga and the adjacent posts. The plan (which 
 he suggested) of landing with only five men. 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 35 
 
 and sending back the boats, to prevent detec- 
 tion,\vas deemed too hazardous by the General. 
 At length, however, he was permitted to pro 
 ceed with eighteen volunteers in three whale 
 boats ; but before he arrived at Northwest-Bay 
 he discovered a body of men on an island. 
 Immediately upon this, he left two boats to 
 fish at a distance, that they might not occasion 
 an alarm, and returned himself with the infor 
 mation. The General, seeing him rowing 
 back with great velocity, in a single boat, con 
 cluded the others were captured, and sent a 
 skiff,with orders for him alone to come on shore. 
 After advising the General of the circumstanc 
 es, lie urged the expediency of returning to 
 make further discoveries, and bring off the 
 boats. Leave was reluctantly given. He 
 found his people, and, passing stul onward, 
 discovered (by the aid of a good perspective 
 glass) a large army in motion. By this time 
 several of the advanced canoes had nearly sur 
 rounded him, but by the swiftness of his whale- 
 boats, he escaped through the midst of them. 
 On his return he informed the General min 
 utely of all he had scon, and intimated his con 
 viction that the expedition must obviously be 
 destined against Fort William Henry. That 
 commander, strictly enjoining silence on the 
 subject, directed him to put his men under an 
 oath of secrecy, and to prepare, without loss of 
 time, to return to the Head Quarters of the 
 army. Major Putnam observed, "he hoped 
 " his Excellency did not intend to neglect so 
 
36 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 " fair an opportunity of giving battle, should 
 " the enemy presume to land." "What do you 
 " think we should do here?" replied the Gen 
 eral. Accordingly the next day he returned, 
 and the day after Colonel Monro was ordered 
 from Fort Edward, with his regiment, to rein 
 force the garrison. That officer took with 
 him all his rich baggage and camp equipage, 
 notwithstanding Major Putnam s advice to the 
 contrary. The day following his arrival, the 
 enemy lauded and besieged the place. 
 
 The Marquis de Montcalm, Commander 
 in Chief for the French in Canada (intend 
 ing to take advantage of the absence of a 
 large proportion of the British force, which he 
 understood to be employed under Lord Lou- 
 dori ag*ainst Louisbourg) had assembled what 
 ever men could be spared from Ticonderoga, 
 Crown-Point, and the other garrisons : with 
 these he had combined a considerable corps of 
 Canadians, and a larger body of Indians than 
 had ever before been collected ; making in the 
 whole an army of nearly eight thousand men. 
 Our garrison consisted of twenty-five hundred, 
 and was commanded by Colonel Monro, a very 
 gallant officer, who found the means of send 
 ing express after express to General Webb, 
 with an account of his situation, and the most 
 pressing solicitation for succour. In the mean 
 time, the army at Fort Edward, which, origin 
 ally amounted to about four thousand, had 
 been considerably augmented by Johnson s 
 troops and the militia. On the 8th or 9th day 
 after the landing of the French, General 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 37 
 
 Johnson (in consequence of repeated applica 
 tions) was suffered to inarch lor the relief of 
 the garrison, with all the Provincials, Militia, 
 arid Putnam s Rangers: but before they had 
 proceeded three miles, the order was counter 
 manded, and they returned. M. de Montcalm 
 informed Major Putnam, when a prisoner in 
 Canada, that one of his running Indians saw 
 and reported this movement; and, upon being 
 questioned relatively to the numbers, answer 
 ed in their figurative style, "If you can count 
 the leaves on the trees, you can count them" In 
 effect.the operations oi the siege were suspend 
 ed, and preparations made for re-embarking, 
 when another of the runners reported that the 
 detachment had gone back. r l he Marquis de 
 Montcalm, provided with a good train of artil 
 lery, meeting with no annoyance from the 
 British army, and but inconsiderable interrup 
 tion from the garrison, accelerated his ap 
 proaches so rapidly, as to obtain possession of 
 the fort in a short time after completing the 
 investiture. An intercepted letter from Gene 
 ral Webb, advising the surrender,was sent into 
 the fort to Colonel Monro by the French 
 General. 
 
 The garrison engaged not to serve for eigh 
 teen months, and were permitted to march out 
 with the honours of war. But the savages 
 regarded not the capitulation, nor could they 
 be restrained by the utmost exertion of the 
 Commanding Officer, from committing the 
 most outrageous acts of cruelty. They strip- 
 4* 
 
. iJ i i:i". or g&Kl i: u ri v\ \M. 
 
 pod and plundered all the prisoners, and mur- 
 deiod ;-ieat numbers in cold blood. Tl: 
 
 uho escaped by fiighti or tho protection oi ilu 
 
 French, aniNcii in a to i lorn condition at I 
 F.dxvard: Among those was the coiuiiiaiidatit 
 of (hr o-,n n^on. 
 
 Thr dav Mk-rt^oilinsy tliis deplorable scene 
 of rarn;\ov and harbarHv, Major Putnam hav 
 ing born dispatohod with his BJADgefti to watch 
 tho motions of tho rnomv. oamo to tiu^ >hore, 
 wbon ilu^ir roar \\.\sscarcolv beyond the reach 
 of musket-shot. They had carried oft* all the 
 cannon, stores and water-craft. The fort 
 was demolished. The barracks, the out-hous 
 es and suttlers" booths were heaps of ruins. 
 The tnvs. not yet extinct, and the sinokcyof- 
 fen^ive from the mucilaginous nature of the 
 fuel, but illy concealed innumerable fragments 
 of human skulls and bones, and, in some in- 
 Mamv<, carcases half-consumed. Dead bodies. 
 weltering in blood, were every uhere to be 
 i, violated, with all tho wanton mutilations 
 
 -.n-ago ingenuity. More than one hundred 
 women, some with their brains still oozing 
 fiiMn tho battered heads, others with their 
 Avholo hair wrenched collectively with the skin 
 from the bloody skulls, and many (with their 
 throats cut) most inhumanly stabbed and 
 butchered, lay stripped entirely naked, with 
 their bowels torn out, and aftorcled a spectacle 
 oniMo for description. 
 
 Not long after this misfortune. General Ly- 
 man succeeded to the command of Fort Ed- 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 39 
 
 ward. lie resolved to strengthen it. For 
 tins purpose one hundred and fifty men were 
 employed in cutting timber. To cover them, 
 Captain Little was posted (with lifty British 
 Regulars) at the head of a thick swamp about 
 one hundred rods eastward of the fort to 
 which his communication lay over a tongue of 
 land, formed on the one side by the swamp, 
 and by a creek on the other. 
 
 One morning, at day break, a centinel saw 
 indistinctly several birds, as he conceived, 
 come from the swamp and ily over him with 
 incredible swiftness. While he was ruminat 
 ing on these wonderful birds, and endeavouring 
 to form some idea of their colour, shape and 
 size, an arrow buried itself in the limb of a tree 
 just above his head. He now discovered the 
 quality and design of these winged messengers 
 of fate, and gave the alarm. Instantly the 
 working party began to retreat along the de 
 file. A large body of savages had concealed 
 themselves In the morass before the guard was 
 posted, and were attempting in this way tokill 
 the centinel without noise,with design to surprise 
 the whole party. Finding the alarm given, 
 they rushed from the covert, shot and toma 
 hawked those who were nearest at hand, and 
 pressed hard on the remainder of the unarmed 
 fugitives. Captain Little flew to their relief, 
 and, by pouring on the Indians a well timed fire, 
 checked the pursuit, and enabled such of the 
 fatigue-men as did not fall in the first onset, to 
 retire to the fort. Thither he sent for assist- 
 
40 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 ance, his little party being almost overpower 
 ed by numbers. But the commandant, imag 
 ining that the main body of the enemy were 
 approaching for a general assault, called in 
 his out-posts and shut the gates. 
 
 Major Putnam lay, with his Rangers, on an 
 island adjacent to the fort. Having heard 
 the musquetry, and learned that his friend 
 Captain Little was in the utmost peril, he 
 plunged into the river at the head of his corps, 
 and waded through the water towards the 
 place of engagement. This brought him so 
 near to the fort, that General Lyman apprized 
 of his design, and unwilling that the lives of a 
 
 c5 O 
 
 few more brave men should be exposed to 
 what he deemed inevitable destruction, mount 
 ed the parapet and ordered him to proceed no 
 further. The major only took time to make 
 the best short apology he could, and marched 
 on. This is the onty instance in the whole 
 course of his military service wherein he did 
 not pay the strictest obedience to orders ; and 
 in this instance his motive was highly commen 
 dable. But when such conduct, even if sanc 
 tified by success, is passed over with impunity, 
 it demonstrates that all is not right in the 
 military system. In a disciplined army, such 
 as that of the United States became under- 
 General Washington, an officer guilty of a 
 slighter violation of orders, however elevated 
 in rank or meritorious in service, would have 
 been brought before the bar of a Court Mar 
 tial. Were it not for the seductive tendency 
 
LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 41 
 
 of a brave man s example, I might have been 
 spared the mortification of making these re 
 marks on the conduct of an officer, whose dis 
 tinguishing characteristics were promptitude 
 for duty and love of subordination, as well as 
 cheerfulness to encounter every species of dif 
 ficulty and danger. 
 
 The Rangers of Putnam soon opened their 
 way for a junction with the little handful of 
 Regulars, who still obstinately maintained their 
 ground. By his advice the whole rushed im 
 petuously \vith shouts and huzzas into the 
 swamp. The savages fled on every side, and 
 were chased, with no inconsiderable loss on 
 their part, as long as the day-light lasted. On 
 ours only one man was killed in the pursuit. 
 His death was immediately revenged by that 
 of the Indian who shot him. This Indian was 
 one of the runners a chosen body of active 
 young men, \vho are made use of not only to 
 procure intelligence and convey tidings, but al 
 so to guard the rear on a retreat. 
 
 Here it will not be unseasonable to mention 
 some of the customs in war peculiar to the 
 aborigines, which on the present as well as 
 other occasions, they put in practice. When 
 ever a retreating, especially a flying party had 
 gained the summit of a rising ground, they 
 secreted one or two runners behind trees, 
 copses, or bushes to fire at the enemy upon 
 their ascending the hill. This commonly ac- 
 casioned the enemy to halt and form for battle, 
 la the interim the runners used such dexterity 
 
42 LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 as to be rarely discovered, or if discovered, 
 they vanished behind the height and rejoined 
 their brother warriors, who, having thus stol 
 en a distance, were oftentimes seen by their 
 pursuers no more. Or if the pursuers were 
 too eager they seldom failed to atone for their 
 rashness by falling into an ambuscade. The 
 Mohawks, who were afterwards much employ 
 ed in scouts under the orders of Major Putnam, 
 and who were perfectly versed in all the wiles 
 and stratagems of their countrymen, shewed 
 him the mode of avoiding the evils of either 
 alternative. In suspicious thickets, and at the 
 borders of every considerable eminence, a mo 
 mentary pause was made, while they, in differ 
 ent parts, penetrated or ascended with a cau 
 tiousness that cannot be easily described. 
 They seemed all eye and car. When they 
 found no lurking mischief, they would beckon 
 with the hand, and pronounce the word 
 "OwisH," with a long labial hissing, the being 
 almost quiescent. This was ever the watch 
 word for the main body to advance. 
 
 Indians who went to war together, and 
 who, for any reason found it necessary to 
 separate into different routes, always left two 
 or three runners at the place of separation, to 
 give timely notice to either party in case of 
 pursuit. 
 
 If a warrior chanced to straggle and lose 
 himself in the woods, or be retarded by acci 
 dent or wound, the party missing him would 
 frequently, on their march, break down a 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 43 
 
 bush or a shrub, and leave the top pointing in 
 the direction they had gone, that the straggler, 
 when he should behold it, might shape his 
 course accordingly. 
 
 We come to the campaign when General 
 Abercrombie took the command at Fort Ed 
 ward. That General ordered Major Putnam, 
 with sixty men, to proceed by land to South- 
 Bay, on Lake George, for the purpose of 
 making discoveries, and intercepting the ene 
 my s parties. The latter, in compliance with 
 these orders, posted himself at Wood-Creek, 
 near its entrance into South-Bay. On this 
 bank, which forms a jutting precipice ten or 
 twelve feet above the water, he erected a 
 stone parapet thirty feet in length, and mask 
 ed it with young pine-trees, cut at a distance, 
 and so artfully planted as to imitate the natu 
 ral growth. From hence he sent back fifteen 
 of his men, who had fallen sick. Distress for 
 want of provisions, occasioned by the length 
 of march, and time spent on this temporary 
 fortification, compelled him to deviate from a 
 rule he had established, never to permit a gun 
 to be fired but at an enemy while on a scout. 
 He was now obliged himself to shoot a buck, 
 which had jumped into the creek, in order to 
 eke out their scanty subsistence until the fourth 
 day after the completion of the works. About 
 ten o clock that evening, one of the men on 
 duty at the margin of the bay, informed him 
 that a fleet of bark canoes, filled with men, 
 was steering towards the mouth of the creek. 
 
44 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 He immediately called in all his centinels, and 
 ordered every man to his post. A profound 
 stillness reigned in the atmosphere, and the 
 full moon shone with uncommon brightness. 
 The creek, which the enemy entered, is about 
 six rods wide, and the bank opposite to the 
 parapet above twenty feet high. It was in 
 tended to permit the canoes in front to pass 
 they had accordingly just passed, when a sol 
 dier accidentally struck his firelock against a 
 stone. The commanding officer in the van 
 canoe heard the noise, and repeated several 
 times the savage watch-word, OWISH ! In 
 stantly the canoes huddled together, with their 
 centre precisely in front of the works, cover 
 ing the creek for a considerable distance above 
 and below. The officers appeared to be in 
 deep consultation, and the fleet on the point of 
 returning, when Major Putnam, who had or 
 dered his men in the most peremptory manner 
 not to fire until he should set the example, 
 gave the signal, by discharging his piece. 
 They fired. Nothing could exceed the inex 
 tricable confusion and apparent consternation 
 occasioned by this well-concerted attack. But, 
 at last, the enemy finding, from the unfrequen- 
 cy (though there was no absolute intermission) 
 in the firing, that the number of our men must 
 be small, resolved to land below and surround 
 them. Putnam, apprehensive of this from the 
 movement, sent Lieutenant Robert Durkee,* 
 
 * As the name of the brave Durkee will occur no more in these 
 sheets, I may be indulged in mentioning his melancholy fate. He 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 45 
 
 with twelve men, about thirty rods down the 
 creek, who arrived in time to repulse the party 
 which attempted to land. Another small de 
 tachment, under Lieutenant Parsons, was or 
 dered up the creek to prevent any similar at 
 tempt. In the mean time Major Putnam kept 
 up, through the whole night, an incessant and 
 deadly fire on the main body of the enemy, 
 without receiving any thing in return but shot 
 void of effect, accompanied with dolorous 
 groans, miserable shrieks, and dismal savage 
 yells. After day-break he was advised that 
 one part of the enemy had effected a landing 
 considerably below, and were rapidly advanc 
 ing to cut off his retreat. Apprised of the 
 great superiority still opposed to him, as well 
 as of the situation of his own soldiers, some of 
 whom were entirely destitute of ammunition, 
 and the rest reduced to one or two rounds per 
 man, he commanded them to swing their 
 packs. By hastening the retreat, in good or 
 der, they had just time to retire far enough up 
 the creek to prevent- being enclosed. During 
 this long-continued action, in which the Amer 
 icans had slain at least five times their own 
 number, only one Provincial and one Indian 
 were wounded on their side. These unfortu 
 nate men had been sent off for camp in the 
 
 survived this war, and was appointed a Captain in that war which 
 terminated in the acknowledgment of our Independence In 1778 
 he was wounded and taken prisoner by the savage* at the hattle of 
 "Wioming, on the Susquehannah. Ha vinsr been CWidefnned to be 
 burnt, the Indians kept him in the flames wilh pitch-forks, until 
 ne expired iu the most excruciating torments. 
 
 5 
 
46 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 night, with two men to assist them, and di 
 rections to proceed by Wood-Creek as the 
 safest, though not the shortest route. But 
 having taken a nearer way, they were pursu 
 ed and overtaken by the Indians, who, from 
 the blood on the leaves and bushes, believed 
 that they were on the trail of our whole par 
 ty. The wounded, despairing of mercy, and 
 unable to fly, insisted that the well soldiers 
 should make their escape, which, on a mo 
 ment s deliberation, they effected. The Pro 
 vincial, whose thigh was broken by a ball, up 
 on the approach of the savages, fired his 
 piece, and killed three of them ; after which 
 he was quickly hacked in pieces. The Indian, 
 however, was saved alive. This man Major 
 Putnam saw afterwards in Canada, where he 
 likewise learned that his enemy, in the ren 
 counter at Wood-Creek, consisted of five hun 
 dred French and Indians, under the command 
 of the celebrated partizan Molang, and that 
 no party, since the war, had suffered so se 
 verely, as more than one-half of those who 
 went out never returned. 
 
 Our brave little company, reduced to forty 
 in number, had proceeded along the bank of 
 the creek about an hour s march, when Major 
 Putnam, being in front, was fired upon by a 
 party just at hand. He, rightly appreciating 
 the advantage often obtained by assuming a 
 bold countenance on a critical occasion, in a 
 stentorophonick tone, ordered his men to rush 
 on the enemy, and promised that they should 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 47 
 
 soon give a good account of them. It proved 
 to be a scout of Provincials, who conceived 
 they were firing upon the French ; but the 
 commanding officer, knowing Putnam s voice, 
 cried out, " that they were all friends." Upon 
 this the Major told him abruptly, " that, 
 friends or enemies, they all deserved to be 
 hanged for not killing more when they had 
 so lair a shot." In fact, but one man was 
 mortally wounded. Whiie these things were 
 transacted, a faithful soldier, whose ammuni 
 tion had been nearly exhausted, made his way 
 to the fort, and gave such information, that 
 General Lyman was detached with five hun 
 dred men to cover the retreat. Major Put 
 nam met them at only twelve miles distance 
 from the fort, to which they returned the 
 next day. 
 
 In the winter of 1757, when Colonel Havi- 
 land was Commandant at Fort Edward, the 
 barracks adjoining to the north-west bastion 
 took fire. They extended within twelve feet 
 of the magazine, which contained three hun 
 dred barrels of powder. On its first discovery, 
 the tire raged with great violence. The Com 
 mandant endeavoured, in vain, by discharging 
 some pieces of heavy artillery against the sup 
 porters of tin s flight of barracks, to level them 
 with the ground. Putnam arrived from the 
 island where he was stationed at the moment 
 when the blaze approached that end which 
 was contiguous to the magazine. Instantly a 
 vigorous attempt was made to extinguish the 
 
48 . LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM, 
 
 conflagration. A way was opened by a pos 
 tern gate to the river, and the soldiers were 
 employed in bringing water; which he, hav 
 ing mounted on a ladder to the eves of the 
 building, received and threw upon the flame. 
 It continued, notwithstanding their utmost ef 
 forts, to gain upon them. He stood, enveloped 
 in smoke, so near the sheet of fire, that a pair 
 of thick blanket mittens were burnt entirely 
 from his hands; he was supplied with another 
 pair dipt in water. Colonel Haviland, fearing 
 that he would perish in the flames, called to 
 him to come down. But he entreated that 
 he might be suffered to remain, since destruc 
 tion must inevitably ensue if their exertions 
 should be remitted. The gallant Comman 
 dant, not less astonished than charmed at the 
 boldness of his conduct, forbade any more ef 
 fects to be carried out of the fort, animated 
 the men to redoubled diligence, and exclaim 
 ed, ^ if we must be blown up, we will go all 
 together." At last, when the barracks were 
 seen to be tumbling, Putnam descended, plac 
 ed himself at the interval, and continued from 
 an incessant rotation of replenished buckets to 
 pour water upon the magazine. The outside 
 planks were already consumed by the prox 
 imity of the lire, and as only one thickness of 
 timber intervened, the trepidation now became 
 general and extreme. Putnam, still undaunt 
 ed, covered with a cloud of cinders, and 
 scorched with the intensity of the heat, main 
 tained his position until the fire subsided, and 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 49 
 
 the danger was wholly over. He had con 
 tended for one hour and an half with that 
 terrible element. His legs, his thighs, his 
 arms, and his face were blistered ; and when 
 lie pulled off his second pair of mittens, the 
 skin from his hands and fingers followed 
 them. It was a month before he recovered. 
 The Commandant, to whom his merits had 
 before endeared him, could not stifle the emo 
 tions of gratitude, due to the man who had 
 been so instrumental in preserving the maga 
 zine, the fort, and the garrison. 
 
 The repulse before Ticonderoga took place 
 in 1758. General Abercrombie, the British 
 Commander in Chief in America, conducted 
 the expedition. His. army, which amounted 
 to nearly sixteen thousand Regulars and Pro 
 vincials, was amply supplied with artillery and 
 military stores. This well-appointed corps 
 passed over Lake George, and landed, with 
 out opposition, at the point of destination. 
 The troops advanced in columns. Lord Howe, 
 having Major Putnam with him, was in front 
 of the centre. A body of about five hundred 
 men^ (the advance or pickets of the French 
 army) which had fled at first, began to skir 
 mish with Our left. "Putnam," said Lord 
 Howe, " what means that firing ?" " I know 
 not, but with your Lordship s leave will see," 
 replied the former. " I will accompany you," 
 rejoined the gallant young nobleman. In vain 
 did Major Putnam attempt to dissuade him by 
 
 5* 
 
50 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM, 
 
 saying ct My Lord, if I am killed, the loss oi 
 my life will be of little consequence, but the 
 preservation of your s is of infinite importance 
 to this army." The only answer was, " Put 
 nam, 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 met the left flank of 
 the enemy s advance, by whose first fire his 
 Lordship fell. It was a loss indeed ; and 
 particularly felt in the operations which oc 
 curred three days afterwards. His manners 
 and his virtues had made him the idol of the 
 army. From his first arrival in America, he 
 had accommodated himself* and his regiment 
 to the peculiar nature of the service. Exem 
 plary to the officer, a friend of the soldier, the 
 model of discipline, he had not failed to en 
 counter every hardship and hazard. Nothing 
 could be more calculated to inspire men with 
 the rash animation of rage, or to temper it 
 with the cool perseverance of revenge, than 
 the sight of such a hero, so beloved, fallen in 
 his country s cause. It had the effect. Put 
 nam s party, having cut their way obliquely 
 through the enemy s ranks, and having been 
 joined by Captain D Ell, with twenty men, to 
 gether with some other small parties, charged 
 them so furiously in rear, that nearly three 
 
 * He cut his hair short, and induced the regiment to follow the 
 example. He fashioned their cloathing for the activity of service, 
 and diverted luraself and them of every article of superfluous bag- 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 51 
 
 hundred were killed on the spot, and one 
 hundred and forty-eight made prisoners. 
 
 In the mean time, from the unskiliulness of 
 the guides, some of our columns were bewil 
 dered. The left wing, seeing Putnam s party 
 in their front, advancing over the dead bodies 
 towards them, commenced a brisk and heavy 
 fire, which killed a serjeant and several pri 
 vates. Nor could they, by sounds or signs, 
 be convinced of their mistake, until Major 
 Putnam, preferring (if heaven had thus or 
 dained it) the loss of his own life to the loss 
 of the lives of his brave associates, ran through 
 the midst of the flying balls, and prevented 
 the impending catastrophe. 
 
 The tender feelings which Major Putnam 
 possessed taught him to respect an unfortu 
 nate foe, and to strive, by every lenient art in 
 his power, to alleviate the miseries of war. 
 For this purpose he remained on the field 
 until it began to grow dark, employed in col 
 lecting such of the enemy as were left wound 
 ed, to one place ; he gave them all the liquor 
 and little refreshments which he could pro 
 cure; he furnished to each of them a blanket; 
 he put three blankets under a French serjeant 
 who was badly wounded through the body, 
 and placed him in an easy posture by the side 
 of a tree : the poor fellow could only squeeze 
 his hand with an expressive grasp. u Ah," 
 said Major Putnam, " depend upon it, my 
 brave soldier, you shall be brought to the 
 
52 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 camp as soon as possible, and the same care 
 shall be taken of you as if you were my broth 
 er." The next morning Major Rogers was 
 sent to reconnoitre the field, and to bring oif 
 the wounded prisoners ; but finding the 
 wounded unable to help themselves, in order 
 to save trouble, he despatched every one of 
 them to the world of spirits. Putnam s was 
 not the only heart that bled. The Provincial 
 and British officers, who became acquainted 
 with the fact, were struck with inexpressible 
 horror. 
 
 Ticonderoga is surrounded on three sides 
 by water ; on the fourth, for some distance, 
 extends a dangerous morass ; the remainder 
 was then fortified with a line eight feet high, 
 and planted with artillery. For one hundred 
 yards in front the plain was covered with 
 great trees, cut for the purpose of defence, 
 whose interwoven and sharpened branches 
 projected outwards. Notwithstanding these 
 impediments, the engineer who had been em 
 ployed to reconnoitre, reported as his opinion, 
 that the works might be carried with mus 
 ketry. The difficulty and delay of dragging 
 the battering cannon over grounds almost im 
 practicable, induced the adoption of this fatal 
 advice to which, however, a rumour that the 
 garrison, already consisting of four or five 
 thousand men, was on the point of being aug 
 mented with three thousand more, probably 
 contributed. The attack was as spirited in 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 53 
 
 execution as ill-judged in design. The as 
 sailants, after having been for more than four 
 hours exposed to a most fatal fire, without 
 making any impression by their reiterated and 
 obstinate proofs of valour, were ordered to re 
 treat. Major Putnam, who had acted as an 
 aid in bringing the Provincial regiments suc 
 cessively to action, assisted in preserving or 
 der. It was said that a great number of the 
 enemy were shot in the head, every other 
 part having been concealed behind their works. 
 The loss on our side was upwards of two 
 thousand killed and wounded. Twenty-five 
 hundred stands of arms were taken by the 
 French. Our army, after sustaining this hav- 
 ock, retreated with such extraordinary precip 
 itation, that they regained their camp at the 
 southward of Lake George the evening after 
 the action. 
 
 The successes in other parts of America 
 made amends for this defeat. Louisbourg, af 
 ter a vigorous siege, was reduced by the Gen 
 erals Amherst and Wolf: Frontenac, a post of 
 importance on the communication between 
 Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence, surren 
 dered to Colonel Bradstreet: and Fort Du 
 Quesne, situated at the confluence of Monon- 
 gahela with the Ohio, (the possession of which 
 had kindled the flame of war that now spread 
 through the four quarters of the globe) was 
 captured by General Forbes, 
 
54 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 A few adventures, in which the public inter 
 ests were little concerned, but which, from 
 their peculiarity, appear worthy of being pre 
 served, happened before the conclusion of the 
 year. As one day Major Putnam chanced to 
 lie with a batteau and five men, on the eastern 
 shore of the Hudson, near the Rapids, con 
 tiguous to which Fort Miller stood, his men 
 on the opposite bank had given him to under 
 stand, that a large body of savages were in his 
 rear, and would be upon him in a moment. 
 To stay and be sacrificed to attempt crossing 
 and be shot or to go down to the falls, with 
 an almost absolute certaintv of being drowned, 
 were the sole alternatives that presented them 
 selves to his choice. So instantaneously was 
 the latter adopted, that one man who had ram 
 bled a little from the party, was, of necessity, 
 left, and fell a miserable victim to savage bar 
 barity. The Indians arrived on the shore 
 soon enough to fire many balls on the batteau 
 before it could be got under way. No sooner 
 had our batteau-men escaped, by favour of the 
 rapidity of the current, beyond the reach of 
 musket-shot, than death seemed only to have 
 been avoided in one form to be encountered in 
 another not less terrible. Prominent rocks, 
 latent shelves, absorbing eddies, and abrupt 
 descents, for a quarter of a mile, afforded 
 scarcely the smallest chance of escaping with 
 out a miracle. Putnam, trusting himself to a 
 good Providence, whose kindness lie had often 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM 55 
 
 experienced, rather than to men, whose ten- 
 derest mercies are cruelty, was now seen to 
 place himself sedately at the helm, and afford 
 an astonishing spectacle of serenity. His com 
 panions, with a mixture of terror, admiration 
 and wonder, saw him incessantly changing the 
 course, to avoid the jaws of ruin, that seemed 
 expanded to swallow the whirling boat. 
 Twice he turned it fairly round to shun the 
 rifts of rocks. Amidst these eddies, in which 
 there was the greatest danger of its founder 
 ing, 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 not less amaze 
 ment the savages beheld him sometimes mount 
 ing the billows, then plunging abruptly down, 
 at other times skilfully veering from the rocks, 
 and shooting through the only narrow^passage; 
 until, at last, they viewed the boat safely glid 
 ing on the smooth surface of the stream below. 
 At this sight, it is asserted, that these rude 
 sons of nature were affected with the same 
 kind of superstitious veneration which the Eu 
 ropeans, in the dark ages, entertained for some 
 of their most valorous champions. They 
 deemed the man invulnerable, whom their balls, 
 on his pushing from shore, could not touch ; 
 and whom they had seen steering in safety 
 down the rapids that had never before been 
 passed. They conceived it would be an af 
 front against the Great Spirit to attempt to kill 
 
56 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 this favoured mortal with powder and ball, if 
 they should ever see and know him again. 
 
 In the month of August five hundred men 
 were employed, under the orders of Majors 
 Rogers and Putnam, to watch the motions of 
 the enemy near Ticonderoga. At South-Bay 
 they separated the party into two equal divis 
 ions, and Rogers took a position on \\ood- 
 Creek, twelve miles distant from Putnam. 
 
 Upon being, some time afterwards, discov 
 ered, they formed a re-union, and concerted 
 measures for returning to Fort Edward. 
 Their march through the woods was in three 
 divisions by FILES : the right commanded by 
 Rogers, the left by Putnam, and the centre 
 by Captain D Eli. The first night they en 
 camped on the banks of Clear River , about a 
 mile from old Fort Ann, which had been for 
 merly built by General Nicholson. Next morn 
 ing Major Rogers, and a British officer named 
 Irwin, incautiously suffered themselves, from a 
 spirit of false emulation, to be engaged in firing 
 at a mark. Nothing could have been more 
 repugnant to the military principles of Putnam 
 than such conduct, or reprobated by him in 
 more pointed terms. As soon as the heavy 
 dew which had fallen the preceding night 
 would permit, the detachment moved in one 
 body, Putnam being in front, D Ell in centre, 
 and Rogers in the rear. The impervious 
 growth of shrubs and under-brush that had 
 sprung up, where the land had been partially 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 57 
 
 cleared some years before, occasioned this 
 change in the order of march. At the moment 
 of moving, the famous French partizan Mo- 
 lang, who had been sent with five hundred 
 men to intercept our party, was not more than 
 one mile and an half distant from them. Hav 
 ing heard the firing, he hastened to lay an am 
 buscade precisely in that part of the wood 
 most favourable to his project. Major Put 
 nam was just emerging from the thicket, into 
 the common forest, when the enemy rose, arid 
 with discordant yells and whoops, commenced 
 an attack upon the right of his division. Sur 
 prised, but undismayed, Putnam halted, return 
 ed the fire, and passed the word for the other 
 divisions to advance for his support. D Ell 
 came. The action, though widely scattered, 
 and principally fought between man and man, 
 soon grew general and intensely warm. It 
 would be as difficult as useless to describe this 
 irregular and ferocious mode of fighting. Rog 
 ers came not up ; but, as be declared after 
 wards, formed a circular file between our par 
 ty and Wood-Creek, to prevent their being 
 taken in rear or enfiladed. Successful as he 
 commonly was, his conduct did not always 
 pass without unfavourable imputation. Not 
 withstanding, it was a current saying in the 
 carnp, "that Rogers always sent, but Putnam 
 lei his men to action," yet, injustice, it ought 
 to be remarked here, that the latter has never 
 been known, in relating the story of this clay s 
 6 
 
58 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 disaster, to affix any stigma upon the conduct 
 of the former. 
 
 Major Putnam, perceiving it would be im 
 practicable to cross the creek, determined to 
 maintain his ground. Inspired bj his exam 
 ple, the officers and men behaved with great 
 bravery: sometimes they fought aggregately 
 in open view, and sometimes individually un 
 der cover ; taking aim from behind the bodies 
 of trees, and acting in a manner independent 
 of each other. For himself, having discharged 
 his fuzee several times, at length it missed tire, 
 while the muzzle was pressed against the 
 breast of a large and well proportioned savage. 
 This warrior, availing himself of the indefensi 
 ble attitude of his adversary, with a tremen 
 dous war-hoop, sprang forward, with his lifted 
 hatchet, and compelled him to surrender; and 
 having disarmed and bound him fast to a tree, 
 returned to the battle. 
 
 The intrepid Captains D Ell and Harman, 
 who now commanded, were forced to give 
 ground for a little distance : the savages, con 
 ceiving this to be the certain harbinger of vic 
 tory, rushed impetuously on, with dreadful and 
 redoubled cries. But our two partizans, col 
 lecting a handful of brave men, gave the pur 
 suers so warm a reception as to oblige them, 
 in turn, to retreat a little beyond the spot at 
 which the action had commenced Here they 
 made a stand. This change of ground occa 
 sioned the tree to which Putnam was tied to 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 59 
 
 be directly between the fire of the Hvo parties. 
 Human imagination can hardly figute to itself a 
 more deplorable situation. The balls flew 
 incessantly from either side, many struck the 
 tree, while some passed through the sleeves 
 and skirts of his coat. In this state of jeopar 
 dy, unable to move his body, to stir his limbs, 
 or even to incline his head, he remained more 
 than an hour. So equally balanced, and so 
 obstinate was the fight ! At one moment, 
 while the battle swerved in favour of the ene 
 my, a young savage chose an odd way of dis 
 covering his humour. He found Putnam 
 bound. Ho might have dispatched hi^ at a 
 blow. But he loved better to excite th< ter 
 rors of the prisoner, by hurling a tomahawk 
 at his head, or rather it should seem his objeiA* 
 was to see how near he could throw it with 
 out touching him the weapon struck in the 
 tree a number of times at a hair s breadth dis 
 tance from the mark. When the Indian had 
 finished his amusement, a French bas-officer 
 (a much more inveterate savage by nature, 
 though descended from so humane and polish 
 ed a nation)perceiving Putnam, came up to 
 him, and, levelling a fuzee within a foot of his* 
 breast, attempted to discharge it it missed 
 fire. Ineffectually did the intended victim so 
 licit the treatment due to his situation, by re 
 peating that he was a prisoner of war. The 
 degenerate Frenchman did not understand the 
 language of honour or of nature : deaf to their 
 
60 LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 voice, ant dead to sensibility, he violently, and 
 repeatedJv, pushed the muzzle of his gun 
 against Putnam s ribs, and finally gave him a 
 cruel blow on the jaw with the but-end of his 
 piece. After this dastardly deed he left him. 
 At length the active intrepidity of D Ell 
 and Herman,* seconded by the persevering 
 valour of their followers, prevailed. They 
 drove from the field the enemy, who left 
 about xiinety dead behind them. As they 
 were retiring, Putnam was untied by the In 
 dian who had made him prisoner, and whom 
 he afterwards called master. Having been 
 conducted for some distance from the place of 
 action, he was stripped of his coat, vest, stock 
 ings and shoes ; loaded with as many of the 
 packs of the wounded as could be piled upon 
 him; strongly pinioned, and his wrists tied as 
 closely together as they could be pulled with 
 a cord. After he had marched, through no 
 pleasant paths, in this painful manner, for ma 
 ny a tedious mile, the party (who were exces 
 sively fatigued) halted to breathe. His hands 
 were now immoderately swelled from the 
 tightness of the ligature ; and the pain had 
 become intolerable. His feet were so much 
 scratched, that the blood dropped fast from 
 them. Exhausted with bearing a burden above 
 his strength, and frantic with torments exqui 
 site beyond endurance, he entreated the Irish 
 
 * This worthy officer is still living (1788) at Marlborough in the 
 State of Massachusetts. 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 61 
 
 interpreter to implore, as the last and only 
 grace he desired of the savages, that they 
 would knock him on the head and take his 
 scalp at once, or loose his hands. A French 
 officer, instantly interposing, ordered his hands 
 to be unbound, and some of the packs to be 
 taken off. By this time the Indian who cap 
 tured him, and had been absent with the 
 wounded, coming up, gave him a pair of mo- 
 casons, and expressed great indignation at 
 the unworthy treatment his prisoner had suf 
 fered. 
 
 That savage chief again returned to the 
 care of the wounded, and the Indians, about 
 two hundred in number, went 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 innu 
 merable other outrages, they had the barbarity 
 to inflict a deep wound with the 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 
 before, was now preparing. It was deter 
 mined 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, with other fuel, at a small distance, in 
 a circle round him. They accompanied their 
 labours, as if for his funeral dirge, with 
 screams and sounds inimitable but by savage 
 voices. Then they set the piles on fire. A 
 6* 
 
62 LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 sudden shower damped the rising flame. 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 ap 
 proached. This sight, at the very idea of 
 which all but savages must shudder, afforded 
 the highest diversion to his inhuman tormen 
 tors, who demonstrated the delirium of their 
 joy by correspondent yells, dances, and gesti 
 culations. He saw clearly that his final nour 
 was inevitably come. He summoned all his 
 resolution, and composed his mind, as far as 
 the circumstances could admit, to bid an eter 
 nal 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 endearments, of 
 the affectionate partner of his soul, and of 
 their beloved offspring. His thought was ul 
 timately fixed on a happier state of existence, 
 beyond the tortures he was beginning to en 
 dure. The bitterness of death, even of that 
 death which is accompanied with the keenest 
 agonies, was, in a manner, past nature, with 
 a feeble struggle, was quitting its last hold 
 on sublunary things when a French officer 
 rushed through the crowd, opened a way by 
 scattering the burning brands, and unbound 
 the victim. It was Molang himself to whom 
 a savage, unwilling to see another human sa- 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 63 
 
 crifice immolated, had run and communicated 
 the tidings. That commandant spurned and 
 severely reprimanded the barbarians, whose 
 nocturnal powwas and hellish orgies he sud 
 denly ended. Putnam did not want for feel 
 ing or gratitude. The French commander, 
 fearing 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 affec 
 tion. He offered him some hard biscuit; but 
 finding that he could not chew them, on ac 
 count of the blow he had received from the 
 Frenchman, this more humane savage soaked 
 some of the biscuit in water, and made him 
 suck the pulp-like part. Determined, how 
 ever, not to loose his captive (the refreshment 
 being finished) he took the mocasons from his 
 feet, and tied them to one of his wrists : then 
 directing him to lie down on his back upon 
 the bare ground, he stretched cne 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 fastened to two saplings. 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 conve 
 niently find lodging, in order to prevent the 
 possibility of his escape. In this disagreeable 
 
64 LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 and painful posture he remained until morn 
 ing. During this night, the longest and most 
 dreary conceivable, .our hero used to relate 
 that he felt a ray of cheerfulness come casu 
 ally across his mind, and could not even re 
 frain 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 mocasons, and permitted to march with 
 out carrying any pack, or receiving any in 
 sult. To allay his extreme hunger, a little 
 beat s meat was given, which he sucked 
 through his teeth. At night the party arrived 
 at Ticonderoga, arid the prisoner was placed 
 under the care of a French guard. The sava 
 ges, who had been prevented from glutting 
 their diabolical thirst for blood, took other 
 opportunity of manifesting their malevolence 
 for the disappointment, by horrid grimaces 
 and angry gestures; but they were suffered 
 no more to offer violence or personal indignity 
 to him. 
 
 After having been examined by the Mar 
 quis de Montcalm, Major Putnam was con 
 ducted to Montreal by a French officer, who 
 treated him with the greatest indulgence and 
 humanity. 
 
 At this place were several prisoners. Col 
 onel Peter Schuyler, remarkable for his phi 
 lanthropy, generosity, and friendship, was of 
 the number. No sooner had he heard of Ma- 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 65 
 
 jor Putnam s arrival, than he went to the in 
 terpreter s quarters, and inquired whether he 
 had a Provincial Major in his custody ? He 
 found Major Putnam in a comfortless condi 
 tion 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 restrain his speech 
 within limits, consistent with the prudence of 
 a prisoner and the meekness of a Christian. 
 Major Putnam was immediately treated ac 
 cording to his rank, cloathed in a decent 
 manner, and supplied with money by that 
 liberal and sympathetic patron of the dis 
 tressed. 
 
 The capture of Frontenac by General 
 Bradstreet afforded occasion for an exchange 
 of prisoners. Colonel Schuyler was compre 
 hended 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 partizan, his liberation might be 
 retarded, and knowing that there were offi 
 cers who, from the length of their captivity, 
 had a claim of priority to exchange, he had, 
 by his happy address, induced the governor 
 to offer, that whatever officer he might think 
 proper to nominate should be included in the 
 
66 LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 present cartel. With great politeness in man 
 ner, but seeming indifference as to object, he 
 expressed his warmest acknowledgments to 
 the governor, and said, " There is an old man 
 here, who is a Provincial Major, and wishes 
 to be at home with his wife and children ; he 
 can do no good here or any where else : I 
 believe your Excellency had better keep some 
 of the young men, who have no wife or chil 
 dren to care for, and let the old fellow go 
 home with me." This justifiable finesse had 
 the desired effect 
 
 At the house of Colonel Schuyler, Major 
 Putnam became acquainted with Mrs. Howe, 
 a fair captive, whose history would not be 
 read without emotion, if it could be written in 
 the same affecting manner in which I have 
 often heard it told. She was still young and 
 handsome herself, though she had two daugh 
 ters of marriageable age. Distress, which had 
 taken somewhat from the original redundancy 
 of her bloom, and added a softening paleness 
 to her cheeks, rendered her appearance the 
 more engaging. Her face, that seemed to have 
 been formed for the assemblage of dimples 
 and smiles, was clouded with care. The natu 
 ral sweetness was not, however, soured by 
 despondency and petulance, but chastened by 
 humility and resignation. This mild daughter 
 of sorrow looked as if she had known the day 
 of prosperity, when serenity and gladness of 
 soul were the inmates of her bosom. That 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 67 
 
 day was past, and the once lively features 
 now assumed a tender melancholy, which wit 
 nessed her irreparable loss. She needed not 
 the customary weeds of mourning, or the fal 
 lacious pageantry of woe, to prove her widow 
 ed state. She was in that stage of affliction 
 when the excess is so far abated as to permit 
 the subject to be drawn into conversation, 
 without opening the wound afresh. It is then 
 rather a source of pleasure than pain to dwell 
 upon the circumstances in narration. Every 
 thing conspired to make her story interesting. 
 Her first husband had been killed and scalped 
 by the Indians some years before. By an un 
 expected assault, in 1756, upon Fort Dummer, 
 where she then happened to be present with 
 -Mr. Howe, her second husband, the savages 
 carried the fort, murdered the greater part of 
 the garrison, mangled in death her husband, 
 and led her away with seven children into 
 captivity. She was for some months kept with 
 them ; and during their rambles she was fre 
 quently on the point of perishing with hunger, 
 and as often subjected to hardships seemingly 
 intolerable to one of so delicate a frame. 
 Some time after the career of her miseries 
 began, the Indians selected a couple of their 
 young men to marry her daughters. The 
 fright and disgust which the intelligence of 
 
 1 " 
 
 this intention occasioned to these poor young 
 creatures, added infinitely to the sorrows and 
 perplexities of their frantic mother. To pre- 
 
68 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 vent the hated connexion, all the activity of 
 female resource was called into exertion. She 
 found an opportunity of conveying to the 
 governor a petition, that her daughters might 
 be received into a convent for the sake of 
 securing the salvation of their souls. Happily 
 the pious fraud succeeded. 
 
 About the same time the savages separated, 
 and carried off her other five children into 
 different tribes. She was ransomed by an 
 elderly French officer for four hundred livres. 
 Of no avail were the cries of this tender 
 mother a mother desolated by the loss of 
 her children, who were thus torn from her 
 fond embraces, and removed many hundred 
 miles from each other, into the utmost recesses 
 of Canada. With them (could they have been 
 kept together) she would most willingly have 
 wandered to the extremities of the world, and 
 accepted as a desirable portion the cruel lot 
 of slavery for life. But she was precluded 
 from the sweet hope of ever beholaing them 
 again. The insufferable pang of parting, and 
 the idea of eternal separation, planted the ar 
 rows of despair deep in her soul. Though all 
 the world was no better than a desert, and 
 all its inhabitants were then indifferent to her, 
 yet the loveliness of her appearance in sorrow 
 had awakened affections, which, in the aggra 
 vation of her troubles, were to become a new 
 source of afflictions. 
 
 The officer who bought her of the Indians 
 had a son who also held a commission, and 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 69 
 
 resided with his father. During her continu 
 ance in the same house, at St. John s, the 
 double attachment of the father and the son 
 rendered her situation extremely distressing. It 
 is true, the calmness of age delighted to gaze 
 respectfully on her beauty ; but the impetu 
 osity of youth was fired to madness by the 
 sight of her charms. One day, the son, whose 
 attentions had been long lavished upon her in 
 vain, finding her alone in a chamber, forcibly 
 seized her hand, and solemnly declared that 
 he would now satiate the passion which she 
 had so long refused to indulge. She recurred 
 to entreaties, struggles, and tears, those preva 
 lent female weapons which the distraction of 
 danger not less than the promptness of genius 
 is wont to supply ; while he, in the delirium 
 of vexation and desire, snatched a dagger, and 
 swore he would put an end to her lile if she 
 persisted to struggle. Mrs. Howe, assuming 
 the dignity of conscious virtue, told him it was 
 what she most ardently wished, and begged 
 him to plunge the poignard through her heart, 
 since the mutual importunities and jealousies 
 of such rivals had rendered her life, though 
 innocent, more irksome and insupportable 
 than death itself. Struck with a momentary 
 compunction, he seemed to relent, and relax 
 his hold ; and she, availiag herself of his 
 irresolution, or absence of mind, escaped down 
 the stairs. In her disordered state she told the 
 whole transaction to his father, who directed 
 7 
 
70 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 her, in future, to sleep in a small bed at the 
 foot of that in which his wife lodged. The 
 affair soon reached the governor s ears, and 
 the young officer was, shortly afterwards, sent 
 on a tour of duty to Detroit. 
 
 This gave her a short respite ; but she 
 dreaded his return, and the humiliating insults 
 for which she might be reserved. Her chil 
 dren, too, were ever present to her melan 
 choly mind. A stranger, a widow, a captive, 
 she knew not where to apply for relief. She 
 had heard of the name of Schuyler she was 
 yet to learn, that it was only another appella 
 tion for the friend of suffering humanity. As 
 that excellent man was on his way from Que 
 bec to the Jerseys, under a parole, for a limit 
 ed time, she came, with feeble and trembling 
 steps, to him. The same maternal passion 
 which sometimes overcomes the timidity of 
 nature in the birds, when plundered of their 
 callow nestlings, emboldened her, notwith 
 standing her native diffidence, to disclose 
 those griefs which were ready to devour her 
 in silence. While her delicate aspect was 
 heightened to a glowing blush, for fear of of 
 fending by an inexcusable importunity, or of 
 transgressing the rules of propriety, by repre 
 senting herself as being an object of admira 
 tion, she told, with artless simplicity, all the 
 story of her woes. Colonel ochuyler, from 
 that moment, became her protector, and en 
 deavoured to procure her liberty. The per- 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 71 
 
 son who purchased her from the savages, un 
 willing to part with so fair a purchase, de 
 manded a thousand livres as her ransom. But 
 Colonel Schujler, on his return to Quebec, 
 obtained from the governor an order, in con 
 sequence of which Mrs. Howe was given up 
 to him for four hundred livres; nor did his 
 active goodness rest until every one of her 
 five sons was restored to her. 
 
 Business having made it necessary that Col 
 onel Schuyler should precede the prisoners 
 who were exchanged, he recommended the 
 fair captive to the protection of his friend Put 
 nam. She had just recovered from the mea- 
 zles when the party was preparing to set off 
 for New-England. By this time the young 
 French officer had returned, with his passion 
 rather increased than abated by absence. He 
 pursued her wheresoever she went, and, al 
 though he could make no advances in her af 
 fection, he seemed resolved, by perseverance, 
 to carry his point. Mrs. Howe, terrified by 
 his treatment, was obliged to keep constantly 
 near Major Putnam, who informed the young 
 officer that he should protect that lady at the 
 risk of his life.* 
 
 In the long march from captivity, through 
 an inhospitable wilderness, encumbered with 
 five small children, she suffered incredible 
 
 * Two or three incidents respecting Mrs. Howe, which were 
 received by the author from General Putnam, and inserted in the 
 former editions, are omitted in this, as they appeared, on farther 
 information, to be mistakes. 
 
72 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 hardships, Though endowed with masculine 
 fortitude, she was truly feminine in strength, 
 and must have fainted by the way, had it not 
 been for the v assistance of Major Putnam. 
 There were a thousand good offices which 
 the helplessness of her condition demanded, 
 and which the gentleness of his nature de 
 lighted to perform. He assisted in leading 
 
 her little ones, and in carrying them over the 
 i i f - i 
 
 swampy grounds and runs ol water, with 
 
 which their course was frequently intersected. 
 He mingled his own mess with that of the 
 widow and the fatherless, and assisted them 
 in supplying and preparing their provisions. 
 Upon arriving within the settlements, they ex 
 perienced a reciprocal regret at separation, 
 and were only consoled by the expectation of 
 soon mingling in the embraces of their former 
 acquaintances and dearest connexions. 
 
 After the conquest of Canada, in 1760, she 
 made a journey to Quebec, in order to bring 
 back her two daughters, whom she had left 
 in a convent, She found one of them married 
 to a French officer. The other having con 
 tracted a great fondness for the religious sis 
 terhood, with reluctance consented to leave 
 them and return. 
 
 We now arrive at the period when the 
 prowess of Britain, victorious alike by sea and 
 by land, in the new and in the old world, had 
 elevated that name to the zenith of national 
 glory. The conquest of Quebec opened the 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 73 
 
 way for the total reduction of Canada. On 
 the side of the Lakes, Amherst having cap 
 tured the posts of Ticonderoga and Crown- 
 Point, applied himself to strengthen the latter. 
 Putnam, who had been raised to the rank of 
 Lieutenant-Colonel, and present at these ope 
 rations, was employed the remainder of this 
 and some part of the succeeding season, in 
 superintending the parties which were detach 
 ed to procure timber and other materials for 
 the fortification. 
 
 In 1760, General Amherst, a sagacious, hu 
 mane, and experienced commander, planned 
 the termination of the war in Canada, by a 
 bloodless conquest. For this purpose, three 
 armies were destined to co-operate, by differ 
 ent routes, against Montreal, the only remain 
 ing place of strength the enemy held in that 
 country. The corps formerly commanded by 
 General Wolfe, now by General Murray, was 
 ordered to ascend the river St. Lawrence; an 
 other, under Colonel Haviland, to penetrate 
 by the Isle Aux Noix; and the third, consist 
 ing of about ten thousand men, commanded 
 by the General himself, after passing up the 
 Mohawk-River, and taking its course by the 
 Lake Ontario, was to form a junction by fall 
 ing down the St. Lawrence. In this progress, 
 more than one occasion presented itself to 
 manifest the intrepidity and soldiership of 
 Lieutenant-Colonel Putnam. Two armed ves 
 sels obstructed the passage, and prevented the 
 
74 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 attack on Oswegatchie. Putnam, with one 
 thousand men, in fifty batteaux, undertook to 
 board them. This dauntless officer, ever 
 sparing of the blood of others, as prodigal 
 of his own, to accomplish it with the 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 per 
 form an} 7 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 and show 
 them the way up the sides. Animated by 
 so daring an example, they moved swiftly, 
 in profound stillness, as to certain victory or 
 death. The people on board the ships, be 
 holding the good countenance with which 
 they approached, ran one of the vessels on 
 shore, and struck the colours 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 en 
 sign, he would have given the assailants a 
 bloody reception : for the vessels were well 
 provided with spars, nettings, and every cus 
 tomary instrument of annoyance as well as 
 defence. 
 
 It now remained to attack the fortress, 
 which stood on an island, and seemed to 
 have been rendered inaccessible by an high 
 abattis of black-ash, that every where pro- 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 75 
 
 jerted over the water. Lieutenant-Colonel 
 Putnam proposed a mode of attack, and offer 
 ed his services to carry it into effect. The 
 General approved the proposal. Our parti- 
 zan, accordingly, caused a sufficient number 
 of boats to be fitted for the enterprize. The 
 sides of each boat were surrounded with fas 
 cines, musket proof, which covered the men 
 completely. A wide plank, twenty feet in 
 length, was then fitted to every boat in such 
 manner, by having an angular piece sawed 
 from one extremity, that, when fastened by 
 ropes on both sides of the bow, 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 ex 
 ertion 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 
 passing over them. Lieutenant-Colonel Put 
 nam having made his dispositions to attempt 
 the escalade in many places at the same mo 
 ment, advanced with his boats in admirable 
 order. The garrison perceiving these extraor 
 dinary and unexpected machines, waited not 
 the assault, but capitulated. Lieutenant-Col 
 onel Putnam was particularly honoured by 
 General Amherst, for his ingenuity in this in 
 vention, and promptitude in its execution. 
 The three armies arrived at Montreal within 
 two days of each other; and the conquest of 
 Canada became complete without the loss of a 
 single drop oi blood. 
 
76 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 At no great distance from Montreal stands 
 the savage village called Cochnawa^a. Here 
 
 j o C5 
 
 our partizan found the Indian chief who had 
 formerly made him prisoner. That Indian 
 was highly delighted to see his old acquaint 
 ance, whom he entertained in his own well- 
 built stone house with great friendship and 
 hospitality; while his guest did not discover 
 less satisfaction in an opportunity of shaking 
 the brave savage by the hand, and proffering 
 him protection in this reverse of his military 
 fortunes. 
 
 When the belligerent powers were consid 
 erably exhausted, a rupture took place be 
 tween Great Britain and Spain, in the month 
 of January,] 762, and an expedition was form 
 ed that campaign, under Lord Albermarle, 
 against the Havannah. A body of Provinci 
 als, composed of five hundred men from the 
 Jerseys, eight hundred from New- York, and 
 one thousand from Connecticut, joined his 
 Lordship. General Lyman, who raised the reg 
 iment of one thousand men in Connecticut, be 
 ing the senior officer, commanded the whole : 
 of course, the immediate command of his regi 
 ment devolved upon Lieutenant-Colonel Put 
 nam. The fleet that carried these troops sail 
 ed from New-York, and arrived sately on the 
 coast of Cuba. There a terrible storm arose, 
 and the transport in which Lieutenant-Colonel 
 Putnam had embarked with five hundred men, 
 was wrecked on a rift of craggy rocks. The 
 weather was o trmpcstuou 3 , and the surf, 
 
LIFS OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 77 
 
 which rail mountain-high, dashed with such 
 violence against the ship, that the most experi 
 enced seaman expected it would soon part 
 asunder. The rest of the fleet, so far from 
 being able to afford assistance, with difficulty 
 rode out the gale. In tiiis deplorable situation, 
 as the only expedient by which they could be 
 saved, strict order was maintained, and all 
 those people who best understood the use of 
 tools, instantly employed in constructing rafts 
 from spars, plank, and whatever other materi 
 als could be procured. There happened to be 
 on board a large quantity of strong cords, (the 
 samo that are used in the whale fishery) which, 
 being fastened to the rafts, after the first had 
 with inconceivable hazard reached the shore, 
 were of infinite service in preventing the oth 
 ers from driving out to sea, as also in dragging 
 them athwart the billows to the beach; by 
 which means every man was finally saved. 
 With the same presence of mind to take ad 
 vantage of circumstances, an^l the same pre 
 caution to prevent confusion* on similar occa 
 sions, how many valuable lives, prematurely 
 lost, might have been preserved as blessings to 
 their families, their friends, and their country ! 
 As soon as all were landed, Lieutenant-Col 
 onel Putnam fortified his camp, that he might 
 not be exposed to insult from the inhabitants 
 of the neighbouring districts, or from those of 
 Cart.hagena, who were but twenty-four miles 
 distant. Here the party remained unmolested 
 several days, until the storm had so much 
 
78 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 abated as to permit the convoy to take them 
 off. They soon joined the troops before the 
 Havannah, who, having been several weeks in 
 that unhealthy climate, already began to grow 
 extremely sickly.* The opportune arrival of 
 the Provincial reinforcement, in perfect health, 
 contributed not a little to forward the works, 
 and hasten the reduction of that important 
 place. But the Provincials suffered so misera 
 bly by sickness afterwards, that very few ever 
 returned to their native land again. 
 
 Although a general peace among the Euro 
 pean powers was ratified in 1763, yet the 
 savages on our western frontiers still continu 
 ed their hostilities. After they had taken 
 several posts, General Bradstreet was sent, in 
 1764, with an army, against them. Colonel 
 Putnam, then, for the first time, appointed to 
 the command of a regiment, was on the expedi 
 tion, as was the Indian chief whom I have sev 
 eral times had occasion to mention as his cap- 
 turer, at the head of one hundred Cochnawaga 
 warriors. Before General Bradstreet reach 
 ed Detroit, which the savages invested, Cap 
 tain D Ell, the faithful friend and intrepid fel 
 low-soldier of Colonel Putnam, had been slain 
 
 * Colonel Haviland, an accomplished officer, several times men 
 tioned in these memoirs, who brought to America a regiment of 
 one thousand Irish veterans, had but seventy men remaining alive 
 when he left the Havannah. Colonel Haviland, during this siege, 
 having once with his regiment engaged and routed five hundred 
 Spaniards, met Colonel Putnam on his return, and said " Put 
 nam, give me a pinch of snuff." "I never carry any," returned 
 Putnam. " I have always just, such luck," cried Haviland ; " the 
 rascally Spaniards have shot away my pocket, snuffbox and all." 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 79 
 
 in a desperate sally. He having been detach 
 ed with five hundred men, in 1763, by Gene 
 ral Amherst, to raise the siege, found means of 
 throwing the succour into the fort. But the 
 garrison, commanded by Major Glad wine, a 
 brave and sensible officer, had been so much 
 weakened, Vy the lurking and insidious mode 
 of war practised by the savages, that not a 
 man could be spared to co-operate in an at 
 tack upon them. The commandant would 
 even have dissuaded Captain D Ell from the 
 attempt, on account of the great disparity in 
 numbers; but the latter, relying on the disci 
 pline and courage of his men, replied, "God 
 " foi bid that I should ever disobey the orders of 
 " my General," and immediately disposed them 
 for action. It was obstinate and bloody ; but 
 the vastly superior number of the savages 
 enabled them to enclose Captain D ElPs party 
 on every side, and compelled him, finally, to 
 fight his way, in retreat from one stone house 
 to another. Having halted to breathe a mo 
 ment, he saw one of his bravest sergeants ly 
 ing at a small distance, wounded through the 
 thigh, and wallowing in his blood. Where 
 upon he desired some of the men to run and 
 bring the sergeant to the house, but they de 
 clined it. Then declaring, "that he never 
 " would leave so brave a soldier in the field to 
 " be tortured by the savages," he ran and en 
 deavoured to help him up at the instant a 
 volley of shot dropped them both dead to 
 gether. The party continued retreating from 
 
80 LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 house to house until they regained the fort ; 
 where it was found the conflict had been so 
 sharp, and lasted so long, that only fifty men 
 remained alive of the five hundred who had 
 sallied. 
 
 Upon the arrival of General Bradstreet, the 
 savages saw that all further efforts, in arms, 
 would be vain, and accordingly, after many 
 fallacious proposals for a peace, and frequent 
 tergiversations in the negotiation, they con 
 cluded a treaty, which ended the war in A- 
 merica. 
 
 Colonel Putnam, at the expiration of ten 
 years from his first receiving* a commission, 
 after having seen as much service, endured as 
 many hardships, encountered as many dangers, 
 and acquired as many laurels as any officer of his 
 rank, with great satisfaction laid aside his uni 
 form, and returned to his plough. The various 
 and uncommon scenes of war in which he had 
 acted a respectable part, his intercourse with 
 the world, and intimacy with some of the first 
 characters in the army, joined with occasional 
 reading, had not only brought into view what 
 ever talents he possessed from nature, but, at 
 the same time, had extended his knowledge, 
 and polished his manners, to a considerable 
 degree. Not having become inflated with 
 
 Eride, or forgetful of his old connexions, he 
 ad the good fortune to possess entirely the 
 good will of his fellow citizens. No character 
 stood fairer ^in the public eye for integrity, 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 81 
 
 bravery, and patriotism. He was employed 
 in several oGices in his own town, and not un- 
 frecjiiently elected to represent it in the Gene 
 ral Assembly. Tiie year after his return to 
 privat^ life, the minds of men were strangely 
 agitated, by an attempt of the British Parlia 
 ment to introduce the memorable Stamp Act in 
 America. This germe of policy, whose growth 
 was repressed by the moderate temperature 
 in which it was kept by some administrations, 
 did not fully disclose its fruit until nearly 
 eleven years afterwards. All the world knows 
 how it then ripened into a civil war. 
 
 On the twenty-second day of March, 1765, 
 the Stamp Act received the royal assent. It 
 was to take place in America on the first clay 
 of November following. This innovation spread 
 a sudden and universal alarm. The political 
 pulse in the Provinces, from Maine to Georgia, 
 throbbed in sympathy. The Assemblies, in 
 most of these colonies, that they might oppose 
 it legally and in concert, appointed Delegates 
 to confer together on the subject. This first 
 Congress met, early in October, at New-York. 
 T ley agreed upon a Declaration of Rights 
 and Grievances of the Colonists; together 
 with separate Addresses to the King, Lords, 
 and Commons of Great-Britain. In the mean 
 time, the people had determined, in order to 
 prevent the stamped paper from being dis 
 tributed, that the Stamp-Masters should not 
 enter on the execution of their office. That 
 8 
 
82 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 appointment, in Connecticut, had been confer 
 red upon Mr. Ingersol, a very dignified, sensi 
 ble, and learned native of the colony, who, 
 upon being solicited to resign, did not, in the 
 first instance, give a satisfactory answer. In 
 consequence of which, a great number of the 
 substantial yeomanry, on horseback, furnished 
 with provisions for themselves, and provender 
 for their horses, assembled in the eastern 
 counties, and began their march for New- 
 Ha\en, to receive the resignation of Mr. In- 
 
 ft-rsol. A junction with another body was to 
 ave been formed in Branford. But having 
 learned at Hartford, that Mr. Ingersol would 
 be in town the next day to claim protection 
 from the Assembly, they took quarters there, 
 and kept out pat roles during the whole night, 
 to prevent bis arrival without their knowledge. 
 The succeeding morning they resumed their 
 march, and met Mr. Ingersol in Wethersfield. 
 They told him their business, and he, after 
 some little hesitation, mounted on a round 
 table, read his resignation.* That finished, 
 
 * The curious mav be pleased to know that the resignation was 
 expressed in these explicit terms : 
 
 Wethersfield, September U;7i. 1765. 
 
 "I do hereby promise, that \ never will receive any stamped 
 papers which may arrive from Europe, in consequence- of an act 
 late y passed in the Parliament of Great-Britain ; nor officiate as 
 Stamp-Master or Distributor of Stamps, within the colonj >! C<m- 
 .necticut, either directly or indirect!) . And 1 do hereby notify to 
 all the inhabitants ol his Majesty s colony of Connecticut (i.otwith- 
 stamling the said office or trust has been committed to mr) not to 
 apply to me everaft T, for any stamped paper ; hereby dtclarinf 
 that J do resign the 8(.iil off, ce, ,nd c-xti-ute thete PRESENTS of 
 jny own FREE. WIL..L AND ACCORD, \iilhout any equivocation o 
 mental reservation. 
 
 " In witness v hereof I have hereunto set mv hand, 
 
 " J. INGERSOL." 
 
LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM 83 
 
 the multitudo desired him to cry out " liberty 
 an I property " three tini.^s ; which lie did, 
 and was a ns were 1 hv tiiree loud huzzas. He 
 then ditied with some of the principal men at 
 a tavern, by whom fie was treated with great 
 politeness, and afterwards was escorted by 
 about live hundred horse to Hartford, where 
 he a^aiii read his resignation, amidst the un 
 bounded acclamations of the people. 1 have 
 chosen to style this collection the yeomanry, 
 the multitude, or the people, because I could 
 not make use of the English word mob, which 
 generally signifies a disorderly concurrence of 
 the rabble, without conveying an erroneous 
 idea. . It is scarcely necessary to add, that the 
 people, their objects being effected, without 
 offering disturbance, dispersed to their homes.* 
 Colonel Putnam, who instigated the people 
 to these measures, was prevented from at 
 tending by accident. But he was deputed 
 soon after, with two other gentlemen, to wait 
 on Governor Fitch on the same subject. The 
 questions of the Governor, and answers of Put- 
 narn, will serve to indicate the spirit of the 
 times. After some conversation, the Governor 
 asked, " What he should do if the stamped 
 paper should be sent to him by the King s 
 
 * To yive a trait of the urbanity that prevailed, it may not be 
 amiss to mention a jest that passed in the cavalcade to Hartford, 
 and Mas received with the most perfect good humour. Mr. In- 
 sjersol, who by chance rode a white hor?e, being asked " What he 
 thought, to find himself attended by such a retinue?" repjied, 
 "that he I) id now a clearer idea than ever he had before con;- iv- 
 ed of that passage in the Revelations, which describes Death on ft 
 pule horse, and lull following kirn." 
 
84 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 authority ?" Putnam replied, " lock it up 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 deposit 
 ed ; and, if you think fit, in order to screen 
 yourself from blame, you may forewarn us, 
 upon our peril, not to enter the room." "And 
 what will you do afterwards?" "Send it safely 
 back again." "But if I should refuse admission?" 
 " In such a case, your house will be levelled 
 with the dust in five minutes." It was suppos 
 ed, that a report of this conversation was one 
 reason why the stamped paper was never sent 
 from New-York to Connecticut. 
 
 Such unanimity in the Provincial Assemblies, 
 and decision in the yeomanry, carried beyond 
 the Atlantic a conviction of the inexpediency 
 of attempting to enforce the new Revenue 
 System. The Stamp Act being repealed, and 
 the measures in a manner quieted, Colonel 
 Putnam continued to labour with his own 
 hands, at farming, without interruption, except, 
 for a little time, by the loss of the first joint of 
 his right thumb from one accident, and the com 
 pound fracture of his right thigh from another: 
 that thigh, being rendered nearly an inch 
 shorter than the left, occasioned him ever to 
 limp in his walk. 
 
 The Provincial officers and soldiers from 
 Connecticut, who survived the conquest of the 
 Havannah, appointed General Lyman to re 
 ceive the remainder of their prize money, in 
 England. A company, composed partly of 
 
LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 85 
 
 military, and partly of other gentlemen, whose 
 object was to obtain from the crown a grant 
 of land on the Mississippi, also committed to 
 him the negociatiori of their affairs. When 
 several years had elapsed in applications, a 
 
 Erant of land was obtained. In 1770, General 
 yman, with Colonel Putnam, and two or 
 three others, went to explore the situation. 
 After a tedious voyage, and a laborious pas 
 sage up the Mississippi, they accomplished 
 their business. 
 
 General Lyman came back to Connecticut 
 with tiie explorers, but soon returned to the 
 Natchez : there formed an establishment and 
 laid his bones. Colonel Putnam placed some 
 labourers with provisions and farming utensils 
 upon his location ; but the increasing troubles 
 shortly after ruined the prospect of deriving 
 any advantage from that quarter. 
 
 In speaking of the troubles that ensued, I 
 not only omit to say any thing on the obnox 
 ious claim asserted in the British declaratory 
 act, the continuation of the duty on tea, the 
 attempt to obtrude that article upon the A- 
 mericans, the abortion of this project, the Bos 
 ton Port. Bill, the alteration of the charter of 
 Massachusetts, and other topics of universal 
 notoriety ; but even wave all discussion of ir 
 ritations on the one part, and supplications on 
 the other, which preceded the war between 
 Great-Britain and her colonies on this conti 
 nent. It will ever be acknowledged by 
 *8 
 
86 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 who were best acquainted with facts, and it 
 should be made known to posterity, that the 
 king of England had not, in his extensive do 
 minions, subjects more loyal, more dutiful, or 
 more zealous for his glory than the Americans; 
 and that nothing short of a melancholy persua 
 sion, that the " measures which for many years 
 had been systematically pursued by his minis 
 ters, were calculated to subvert their constitu-, 
 lions," could have dissolved their powerful 
 attachment to that kingdom which they fondly 
 called their parent country. Here, without 
 digression to develope the cause, or describe 
 the progress, it may suffice to observe, the 
 dispute now verged precipitately to an awful 
 crisis. Most considerate men foresaw it would 
 terminate in blood. But rather than suffer 
 the chains, which they believed in prepara 
 tion, to be rivetted, they nobly determined to 
 sacrifice their lives. In vain did they depre 
 cate the infatuation of those transatlantic 
 counsels which drove them to deeds of despe 
 ration. Convinced of the rectitude of their 
 cause, and doubtful of the issue, they felt the 
 most painful solicitude for the fate of their 
 country, on contemplating the superior 
 strength of the nation with which it was to 
 contend. America, thinly inhabited, under 
 thirteen distinct colonial governments, could 
 have little hope of success, but from the pro 
 tection of providence, and the unconquerable 
 spirit of freedom which pervaded the mass of 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 87 
 
 the people. It is true, since the peace she 
 had surprisingly increased in wealth and pop 
 ulation ; but the resources of Britain almost 
 exceeded credibility or conception. It is not 
 wonderful, then, that some good citizens, of 
 weaker nerves, recoiled at the prospect ; while 
 others, who had been officers in the late war, 
 or who had witnessed, by travelling, the force 
 of Britain, stood aloof. All eyes were no\v 
 turned to find the men who, possessed of mil 
 itary experience, would dare, in the approach 
 ing "hour of severest trial, to lead their undis- 
 ciphtied fellow-citizens to battle. For none 
 were so stupid as not to comprehend, that 
 want of success would involve the leaders in 
 the punishment of rebellion. Putnam was 
 among the first and most conspicuous who 
 stepped forth. Although the Americans had 
 been, by many who wished their subjugation, 
 indiscreetly as indiscriminately stigmatized with 
 tiie imputation of cowardice he felt he knew 
 for himself, he was no coward ; and from 
 what he had seen and known, he believed that 
 his countrymen, driven to the extremity of de 
 fending their rights by arms, would find no 
 difficulty in wiping away the ungenerous as 
 persion. As he happened to be often at Bos 
 ton, he held many conversations, on these sub 
 jects, with General Gage, the British Com 
 mander in Chief, Lord Percy, Colonel Sheriff, 
 Colonel Small, and many officers with whom 
 he had formerly served, who were now at the 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM, 
 
 Head-Quarters. Being often questioned, " in 
 case the dispute should proceed to hostilities, 
 what part he would really take ?" he always 
 answered, " with his country; and that, let what 
 ever might happen, he was prepared to abide 
 the consequence." Being interrogated, "wheth 
 er he, who had been a witness to the prowess 
 arid victories of the British fleets and armies, 
 did not think them equal to the conquest of 
 a country which was riot the owner of a single 
 ship, regiment, or magazine ?" he rejoined, 
 that " he could only say, justice would be on 
 our side, and the event with providence : but 
 that he had calculated, if it required six years 
 for the combined forces of England and her 
 colonies to conquer such a feeble country as 
 Canada, it would, at least, take a very long 
 time for England alone to overcome her own 
 widely extended colonies, which were much 
 stronger than Canada : That when men fought 
 for every thing dear, in what they believed to 
 be the most sacred of all causes, and in their 
 own native land, they would have great ad 
 vantages over their enemies who were not in 
 the same situation; and that, having taken 
 into view all circumstances, for his own part, 
 he fully believed that America would not be 
 so easily conquered by England as those gen 
 tlemen seemed to expect. Being once, in 
 particular, asked, " whether he did not seri 
 ously believe that a well appointed British 
 army of five thousand veterans could march 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 89 
 
 through the whole continent of America ?" he 
 replied briskly, " no doubt, if tiiey behaved 
 civilly* and paid well for every thing they 
 wanted ; but" after a moment s pause add 
 ed " if they should attempt it in a hostile 
 manner (though the American men were out 
 of the question) the women, with their ladies 
 and broomsticks, would knock them all on the 
 head before they had got half way through." 
 This was the tenor, our hero hath often told 
 me, of these amicable interviews; and thus, as 
 it commonly happens in disputes about future 
 events which depend on opinion, they parted 
 without conviction, no more to meet in a friendly 
 manner, until after the appeal should have 
 been made to Heaven, and the issue confirmed 
 by the sword. In the mean time, to provide 
 against the worst contingency, the militia in 
 the several colonies was sedulously trained ; 
 and those select companies, the flower of our 
 youth, which were denominated minutemen, 
 agreeably to the indication of their name, held 
 themselves in readiness to march at a mo 
 ment s warning. 
 
 At length the fatal day arrived, when hos 
 tilities commenced. General Gage, in the 
 evening of the 18th of April, 1 77:3, detached 
 from Boston, the grenadiers arid light infantry 
 of the army, commanded by Lieutenant- 
 Colonel Smith, to destroy some military and 
 other stores deposit^ 1 b^ the province at Con- 
 coid. About sunrise* the next morning, the 
 
90 
 
 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 ( 
 
 detachment, on marching into Lexington, fired 
 upon a company of militia who had just re 
 assembled ; for having been alarmed late at 
 night, with reports that the regular* we;/e ad 
 vancing to demolish the stores, they collected 
 on their parade* and were dismissed with or 
 ders to reassemble at beat of drum. It is es 
 tablished by the affidavits of more than thirty 
 persons who were present, that the tirst fire, 
 which killed eight of the militia, then begin 
 ning to disperse, was given by the British, 
 without provocation. The spark of war, thus 
 kindled, ran with unexampled rapidity, and 
 raged with unwonted violence. To repel the 
 aggression, the people of the bordering towns 
 spontaneously rushed to arms, and poured their 
 scattering shot from every convenient station 
 upon the regulars, who, after marching to 
 Concord, arid destroying the magazine, would 
 have found their retreat intercepted, had they 
 not been reinforced by Lord Percy, with the 
 battalion companies of three regiments, and a 
 body of marines. Notwithstanding the junc 
 tion, they were hard pushed, ana pursued 
 until they could find protection from their 
 ships. Of the British, two hundred and eighty- 
 three were killed, wounded, and taken. The 
 Americans had thirty-nine killed, nineteen 
 wounded, and two made prisoners. 
 
 Nothing could exceed the celerity with 
 which the intelligence flew every where, that 
 blood had been shed by the British troops. 
 The country, in motion, exhibited but one 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 91 
 
 scene of hurry, preparation and revenge. Put 
 nam, who was plowing when lie heard the 
 news, left his plough in the middle of the field, 
 unyoked his team, and without waiting to 
 change his clothes, set off for the theatre of 
 action. But finding the British retreated to 
 Boston, and invested by a sufficient force to 
 watch their movements, he came back to 
 Connecticut,* levied a regiment, under au 
 thority of the legislature, and speedily return 
 ed to Cambridge. t He was now promoted 
 to be a Major-General on the Provincial staff, 
 
 * General Putnam was absent only one week from the army at 
 Cambridge ; JUH! then, for the purpose of consultation with the 
 Legislature of Connecticut, at that time in session; and at the par 
 ticular request of that bodv. Hnving assisted by his advice in the 
 organiz.- tio of a military force for the campaign of 1775, he re 
 turned immediately t the Array before Boston, leaving orders for 
 the tro-. ps to fallow with as little delay as possible, after the mea 
 coutd he enlisted ( Editor. _) 
 
 j" An article, void o, foundation, mentioning an interview be 
 tween General Gage and General Putnam, appeared in the Knglish 
 Gazettes in these words: General Gage, viewing the \rner ati 
 army wit!- his telescope, stuv General Putnam in it, which surpris 
 ed him ; and he contrived to get a message de ivered to him, that 
 he wanted to speak to him. Putnam, without any h -sitation, wait 
 ed upon him. General Gage showed him his fortifications, and 
 advised him to lay down his arms. General Putnam replied, he 
 couMd force his fortifications in half an hour, and advised General 
 Gage to go on board the ships with his troops 
 
 The apprehension of an attack is adduced with much more veri 
 similitude in M Fingal, as the reason why General Cage would not 
 suffer the inhabilants logo from the town of Boston, aftet he had 
 promised to grant permission : 
 
 So Cage of late agreed, you know, 
 
 To let the Boston pt ople go : 
 
 Yet when he saw, gainst troops that brav d him, 
 
 They were the oulv guards thai sav d him, 
 
 Kept off that Satan of a Putnam. 
 
 Frond breaking in to maul and mutt n him, 
 
 He d too much wit such leagues t observe, 
 
 Aud shut them in again to starve. 
 
 M FiNGAL. Canto I. 
 
92 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 bj his colony ; and, in a little time, confirmed 
 by Congress, in the same rank on the Conti 
 nental establishment. General Ward, of Mas 
 sachusetts, by common consent, commanded 
 the whole ; and the celebrated Dr. Warren 
 was made a Major-Gene ral. 
 
 Not long after this period, the British Com- 
 rnander in Chief found the means to convey a 
 proposal, privately, to General Putnam, that 
 if he would relinquish the rebel party, he 
 might rely upon being made a Major-General 
 on the British establishment, and receiving a 
 great pecuniary compensation for his services. 
 General Putnam spurned at the offer; which, 
 however, he thought prudent at that time to 
 conceal from public notice. 
 
 It could scarcely have been expected, but 
 by those credulous patriots who were prone 
 to believe whatever they ardently desired, tiiat 
 officers assembled from colonies distinct in 
 their manners and prejudices, selected from 
 laborious occupations, to command a hetero- 
 
 feneous crowd of their equals, compelled to 
 e soldiers only by the spur of occasion, should 
 long be able to preserve harmony among 
 themselves, and subordination among their 
 followers. As the fact would be a phenome 
 non, the idea was treated with mirth and 
 mockciy by the friends to the British govern 
 ment. Yet this unshaken embryo c* a military 
 corps, composed of militia, minutemen, volun 
 teers, and levies, with a burlesque appearance 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 93 
 
 of multiformity in arms, accoutrements, cloath- 
 ing and conduct, at last grew into a regular 
 army an army which, having vindicated the 
 rights of human nature, and established the 
 independence of a new empire, merited and 
 obtained the glorious distinction of the patriot 
 armv the patriot army, whose praises for 
 their fortitude in adversity, bravery in battle, 
 moderation in conquest, perseverance in sup 
 porting the cruel extremities of hunger and 
 nakedness without a murmur or sigh, as well 
 as for their magnanimity in retiring to civil 
 life, at the moment of victory, with arms in 
 their hands, and without any just compensa 
 tion for their services, will only cease to be 
 celebrated when time shall exist no more. 
 
 Enthusiasm for the cause of liberty, substi 
 tuted in the place of discipline, not only kept 
 these troops together, but enabled them at 
 once to perform the duties of a disciplined 
 army. Though the commanding officers from 
 the four colonies of New-England were in a 
 manner independent, they acted harmoniously 
 in concert. The first attention had been pru 
 dently directed towards forming some little 
 redoubts and intrenchments ; for it was well 
 known that lines, however slight or untena 
 ble, were calculated to inspire raw soldiers 
 with a confidence in themselves. The next 
 care was to bring the live stock from the isl 
 ands in Boston bay, in order to prevent the 
 enemy (already surrounded by land,) from 
 
 9 
 
94 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 making use of them for fresh provisions. In 
 the latter end of May, between two and three 
 hundred men were sent to drive off the stock 
 from Hog and Noddle islands, which are situ 
 ated on the north-east side of Boston harbour. 
 Advantage having been taken of the ebb-tide, 
 when the water is fordable between the main 
 and Hog island, as it is between that and 
 Noddle-island, the design was effected. But 
 a skirmish ensued, in which some of the ma 
 rines, who had been stationed to guard them, 
 were killed: and as the firing continued be 
 tween the British water-craft and our party, 
 a reinforcement of three hundred men. with 
 two pieces of artillery, was ordered to join the 
 latter. General Putnam took the command, 
 and having himself gone down on the beach, 
 within conversing distance, and ineffectual 
 ly ordered the people on board an arm 
 ed schooner to strike, he plied her with 
 shot so furiously that the crew made their 
 escape, and the vessel was burnt An 
 armed sloop was likewise so much disabled as 
 to be towed off by the boats of the fleet. 
 Thus ended this affair, in which several hun 
 dred sheep, and some cattle were removed 
 from under the muzzles of the enemy s cannon, 
 and our men, accustomed to stand fire, by 
 being for many hours exposed to it, without 
 meeting with any loss. 
 
 The Provincial Generals having received 
 advice that the British Commander in Chief 
 designed to take possession of the heights on 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 95 
 
 the peninsula of Charlestown, detached a 
 thousand men in the night of the 16th of June, 
 under the orders of General Warren, to in 
 trench themselves upon one of these eminen 
 ces, named Bunker-Hill. Though retarded 
 by accidents, from beginning the work until 
 nearly midnight, yet, by dawn of day, they 
 had constructed a redoubt about eight rods 
 square, and commenced a breast-work from 
 the left to the low grounds ; which an insuf 
 ferable fire from the shipping, floating batte 
 ries, and cannon on Copp s Hill, in Boston, 
 prevented them from completing. At mid-day 
 four battalions of foot, ten companies of grena 
 diers, ten companies of light-infantry, with a 
 proportion of artillery, commanded by Major- 
 General Howe, landed under a heavy cannon- 
 ade from the ships, and advanced in three 
 lines to the attack. The light-infantry being 
 formed on the right, was directed to turn the 
 left flank of the Americans ; and the grena 
 diers, supported by two battalions, to storm 
 the redoubt in front. Meanwhile, on applica 
 tion, these troops were augmented by the 
 47th regiment, the 1st battalion of marines, 
 together with some companies of light-infan 
 try and grenadiers, which formed an aggre 
 gate force of between two and three thousand 
 men.* But so difficult was it to reinforce the 
 
 The pr--:ci.vl:ng nnriigraiih was copied from a British Register, 
 being the English account of the troops sent to the attack of Bun 
 ker-Hill, ami the disposition of those troops. This account, and 
 others, published at the time, and ascribing the command of the 
 
96 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 Americans, by sending detachments across the 
 Neck, which was raked by the cannon of the 
 shipping, that not more than fifteen hundred 
 men were brought into action. Few instan 
 ces can be produced in the annals of mankind, 
 where soldiers, who never had before faced an 
 enemy, or heard the whistling of a ball, be 
 haved with such deliberate and persevering 
 valour. It was riot until after the grenadiers 
 had been twice repulsed to their boats, Gene 
 ral Warren slain, his troops exhausted of their 
 ammunition, their lines in a manner enfiladed 
 by artillery, and the redoubt half filled with 
 British regulars, that the word was given to 
 retire. In that forlorn condition, the specta 
 cle was astonishing as new, to behold these 
 undisciplined men, most of them without bayo 
 nets, disputing with the but-end of their mus 
 kets against the British bayonet, and receding 
 in sullen despair. Still the light-infantry on 
 their left would certainly have gained their 
 rear, and exterminated this gallant corps, had 
 not a body of four hundred Connecticut men, 
 with the Captains Knowlton and Chester, af 
 ter forming a temporary breast-work, by pull 
 ing up one post-and-rail fence and putting 
 it upon another, performed prodigies of brave 
 ry. They held the enemy at bay until the 
 main body had relinquished the heights, and 
 then retreated across the Neck with more 
 regularity, and less loss, than could have been 
 
 American force to Jfatrren, probab y occasioned the historical er 
 ror on that subject. ( Editor. J 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 97 
 
 expected. The British, who effected nothing 
 but the destruction of Charlestown by a 
 wanton conflagration, had more than one half 
 of their whole number killed and wounded : 
 the Americans only three hundred and fifty- 
 five killed, wounded, and missing. In this 
 battle, the presence and example of General 
 Putnam, who arrived with the reinforcement, 
 were not less conspicuous than useful. He 
 did every thing that an intrepid and experien 
 ced officer could accomplish. The enemy 
 pursued to Winter-Hill Putnam made a 
 stand, and drove them back under cover of 
 their ships.* 
 
 The premature death of Warren, one of 
 the most illustrious patriots that ever bled in 
 the cause of freedom; the veteran appearance 
 of Putnam, collected, yet ardent in action ; to 
 gether with the astonishing scenery and inter 
 esting groupe around Bunker-Hill, rendered 
 this a magnificent subject for the historic pen 
 cil. Accordingly Trumbull, formerly an Aid- 
 de-Camp to General Washington, afterwards 
 Deputy-Adjutant-General of the northern ar 
 my, now an artist of great celebrity in Europe, 
 hath finished this picture with that boldness 
 
 * Such was the statement made in some American nev/s-papers 
 of that day, but without any foundation in fact There was no 
 pursuit of the British beyond Bunker-Hill ; but General Pi .tnam, 
 with most of the retreating; troops took post on Prospect-Hill, aud 
 beingjoined by others which had not been in action began an en 
 trenchment, and the next morning, presented to the enemy anoth 
 er line of defence, equally formidable with that which had beea 
 purchased the preceding day, at the ejspeace of so much blood. 
 
 CEclitor.J 
 
90 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 of conception, and those touches of art which 
 demonstrate the master. Heightened in. hor 
 ror by the flames of a burning town, and the 
 smoke of conflicting armies, the principal 
 scene, taken the moment when Warren fell, 
 represents that hero in the agonies of death, 
 a grenadier on the point of bayoneting him, 
 and Colonel Small, to whom he was familiarly 
 known, arresting the soldier s arms; at the 
 head of the British line, Major Pitcairne is seen 
 falling dead into the arms of his son ; and not 
 far distant General Putnam is placed at the 
 rear of our retreating troops, in the light blue 
 and scarlet uniform he wore that day, with 
 his head uncovered, and his sword waving to 
 wards the enemy, as it were to stop their im 
 petuous pursuit. In nearly the same attitude 
 he is exhibited by Barlow in that excellent 
 poem, the Vision of Columbus. 
 
 rt 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 foll wing war."* 1 
 
 * The writer of this Essay had occasion of remarking to the 
 ^oet and the painter, while they were three thousand miles distant 
 from each other, at which distance they had formed and executed 
 the plans of their respective productions, the similarity observable 
 in their descriptions of General Putnam. These Chiefs (Tceuvres 
 are mentioned not with a vain presumption of adding eclat of du 
 ration to works which have received the seal of immortality, but 
 because they preserve, in the sister arts, the same illustrious action 
 of our hero. I persuade myself I need not apologize for annexing 
 the beautiful lines from the poem in question, on the death of 
 General Warren. 
 
 " There, hapless Warren, thy cold earth was seen : 
 There spring thy laurels in immortal green ; 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 99 
 
 After this action, the British strongly forti 
 fied themselves on the peninsulas of Boston 
 and Charlestown; while the Provincials re 
 mained posted in the circumjacent country in 
 such a manner as to form a blockade. In* the 
 beginning of July, General Washington, who 
 had been constituted by Congress, Command 
 er in Chief of the American forces, arrived at 
 Cambridge, to take the command. Having 
 formed the army into three grand divisions, 
 consisting of about twelve regiments each, he 
 appointed Major-General Ward to command 
 the right wing, Major-General Lee the left 
 wing, and Major-General Putnam the reserve. 
 General Putnam s alertness in accelerating the 
 construction of the necessary defences was 
 particularly noticed and highly approved by 
 the Commander in Chief.* 
 
 About the 20th of July, the declaration of 
 
 Dearest of Chiefs that ever press d the plain, 
 In freedom s cause, with early honours, slain, 
 Still dear in death, as when in figh you mov d, 
 By hosts applauded and by hcav n approv d ; 
 The faithful muse shall tell the world thy fume, 
 And unborn realms resound lh immortal name." 
 
 * Washington and Putnam were unknown to each other till 
 they met at Cambridge. The open, undisguised frankness of the 
 latter, together with his great activity and persona! industry, in 
 every thin:: pertaining to the army, soon attracted the attention of 
 the former; an early intimacy was formed, and a firm friendship 
 established, which eontinued undisturbed during the whole period 
 they were associated in service. It was not in Putnam s nature to 
 be idle : inured to habits of industry himself, no man was better 
 calculated to make others so ; and Washington observing tlte great 
 progress that had been made in a short time, and with but few 
 men, in raising a work of defence, said to him " you seem to 
 have the faculty General Putnam, of infusing your owu indutnoBS 
 spirit into all the workmen you employ. 
 
100 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 Congress, setting forth the reasons of their 
 taking up arms, was proclaimed at the head 
 of the several divisions. It concluded with 
 these patriotic and noble sentiments: " In our 
 own native land, in defence of the freedom that 
 is our birth-right, and which we ever enjoyed 
 until the late violation of it; for the protection 
 of our property, acquired solely by the honest 
 industry of our forefathers and ourselves; 
 against violence actually offered, we have tak 
 en up arms. We shall lay them down when 
 hostilities shall cease on the part of the ag 
 gressors, and all clanger of their being renew 
 ed shall be removed, and not before. 
 " With an humble confidence in the mercies 
 of the supreme and impartial Judge and Ruler 
 of the universe, we most devoutly implore his 
 divine goodness to conduct us happily through 
 this great conflict, to dispose our adversaries 
 to reconciliation on reasonable terms, and, 
 thereby, to relieve the empire from the calami 
 ties of civil war." 
 
 As soon as these memorable words were 
 pronounced to General Putnam s division, 
 which he had ordered to be paraded on Pros 
 pect-Hill, they shouted in three huzzas aloud, 
 Amen ! whereat (a cannon from the fort being 
 fired as a signal) the new Standard lately sent 
 from Connecticut, was suddenly seen to rise 
 and unrol itself to the wind. On one side was 
 inscribed, in large letters of gold, "AN APPEAL 
 TO HEAVEN," and on the other were delineated 
 the armorial bearings of Connecticut, which. 
 
LIFE OP GENERAL J >UTfrA,M. 
 
 without supporters or crest, consist, unosten 
 tatiously, of three Vines; with this motto, Qui 
 transtulit* sustinct ;* alluding to the pious con 
 fidence our forefathers placed in the protec 
 tion of Heaven, on those three allegorical 
 
 Scions KNOWLEDGE LIBERTY RELIGION 
 
 which they had been instrumental in trans 
 planting to America. 
 
 The strength of position on the enemy s 
 part, and want of ammunition on our s, pre 
 vented operations of magnitude from being 
 attempted. Such diligence was used in forti 
 fying our camps, and such precaution adopted 
 to prevent surprise, as to ensure tranquillity 
 to the troops during the winter. In the spring, 
 a position was taken so menacing to the ene 
 my, as to cause them, on the 17th of March, 
 1776, to abandon Boston, not without consid 
 erable precipitation and dereliction of royal 
 stores.f 
 
 * Literally, "ffe who transplanted them -will support them. 
 f In the expectation that the flower of the British troops would 
 be employed against the Heights ot Dorchester, (which had been, 
 taken possession of by the American* on the night of the 4th of 
 March, 1776,) General Washington had concerted apian for avail 
 ing 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, nn a signal to he given if the garri 
 son should appear to b.e so weakened by the detachment made 
 from it as to justify an assault. These troops were to embark in 
 two divisions, (he first to be led by Brigadier-General Sullivan, the 
 second by Brigadier-Genera! Green, and the whole to be under the 
 command of Mjor-l eneral Putnam. The boats were to be preced 
 ed by three floating but rics, which were to keep up a heavy fife on 
 that part of the to vn where the troops were to laud. It. wns pro 
 posed that the first division should land at the powder-house, and 
 gain possession of Deacon Hilt; the second at Barton s I oint, or a 
 little south of it, and after securing th:it post, to join the other divi 
 sion, force the enemy s works, ic.d open the gates in order to give 
 admission to the troops from Koxbury. (~ Edilvr. J 
 
OR. GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 As a part of the hostile fleet lingered for 
 some time in Nantasket-Road, about nine 
 miles beiow Boston, General Washington con 
 tinued himself in Boston, not only to see the 
 coast entirely clear, but also to make many 
 indispensable arrangements. His Excellency, 
 proposing to leave Major-General Ward, with 
 a few regiments, to finish the fortifications in 
 tended as a security against an attack by 
 water, in the mean time despatched the great 
 er part of the army to New-York, where it 
 was most probable the enemy would make a 
 descent. Upon the sailing of a fleet with 
 troops in the month of January, Major-General 
 Lee had been sent to the defence of that city ; 
 who, after having caused some works to be 
 laid out, proceeded to follow that fleet to 
 South-Carolina. The Commander in Chief 
 was now exceedingly solicitous that these 
 works should be completed as soon as pos 
 sible, and accordingly gave the following 
 
 i; Orders and Instructions for Major-General 
 Putnam. 
 
 "As there are the best reasons to believe 
 that the enemy s fleet and .army, which left 
 Nantasket-Road last Wednesday evening, arp 
 bound to New-York, to endeavour to possess 
 that important post, and, if possible, to secure 
 the communication by Hudson s river to Can 
 ada, it must be our care to prevent them from 
 accomplishing their designs. To that end I 
 
LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 103 
 
 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. These, 
 by an express arrived yesterday from General 
 Heathy I have reason to believe, are in 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, leav 
 ing only a convenient space between each di 
 vision, to prevent confusion, and want of ac 
 commodation upon their march. You will, no 
 doubt, make the best despatch 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 rivers. If, upon consultation with 
 the Brigadiers General and Engineers, any al 
 teration in that plan is thought necessary, you 
 are at liberty to make it : cautious] y 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 anu 
 opinion of the gentlemen above-mentioned. 
 
 "You will meet the Quarter-Master-Gene- 
 ral, Colonel Mifflin, and Commissary-General,* 
 
 Colonel Joseph Trumbull, eldest son to the Governor of tbrt. 
 name. 
 
104 LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 at New-York. As these are both men of ex 
 cellent talents in their different departments, 
 you will do well to give them all the authority 
 and assistance they require : And should a 
 council of war be necessary, it is my direction 
 they assist at it. 
 
 44 Your long service and experience will, better 
 than my particular directions at this distance, 
 point out to you the works most proper to 
 be first raised ; and your perseverance, activ 
 ity, and zeal will lead you, without my recom 
 mending it, 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 pro 
 tection, I bid you FAREWELL. 
 
 "Given at Head Quarters, in Cambridge, 
 this twenty-ninth of March, 1776. 
 
 " G. WASHINGTON." 
 
 Invested with these commands, General 
 Putnam travelled by long and expeditious 
 stages to New-York. His first precaution, 
 upon his arrival, was to prevent disturbance, 
 or surprise in the night season. With these 
 objects in view, after posting the necessary 
 guards, he issued his orders.* He instituted, 
 
 GENERAL ORDERS. 
 
 "Head-Quarters, J\ e-iv-Torfc, April 5, 1776. 
 "The soldiers are strictly enjoined to retire to their barracks 
 and quarters at taUoo-beatiug, and to remain there uutil t \t re 
 veille is beat. 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 105 
 
 likewise, other wholesome regulations to me 
 liorate the police of the troops, and to pre 
 serve the good agreement that subsisted be 
 tween them and the citizens. 
 
 Notwithstanding the war had now raged, 
 in other parts, with unaccustomed severity for 
 nearly a year, yet the British ships at New- 
 York; one" of which had once fired upon the 
 town to intimidate the inhabitants, found the 
 means of being supplied with fresh water and 
 provisions. General Putnam resolved to adopt 
 effectual measures for putting a period to this 
 intercourse, and accordingly expressed his 
 prohibition* in the most pointed terms. 
 
 Nearly at the same moment, a detachment 
 of a thousand Continentals was sent to oc 
 cupy Governor s Island, a regiment to fortify 
 Red Hook, and some companies of riflemen 
 
 " Necessity obliges the General to desire the inhabitants of the 
 oitv to observe the same rule, as no person will be permitted to 
 pass any sentry after this night without the countersign. 
 
 " The inhabitants, whose business require it, may know the 
 countersign, by applying to any of the Brigade-Majors." 
 
 * PROHIBITION. 
 
 Head- Quarters, New-York, April 8, 1776. 
 
 "The Gcnora! informs the ii: habitants, that it is become abso 
 lutely necessary that all communication betv een *he ministerial 
 fleet and the shore should be immediately stopped ; for that pur 
 pose he has given positive orders, the ships should no longer be 
 furnished wilh provisions. Any inhabitants, or others, who shall 
 be taken that have been on board, after the publishing t.his order a 
 or near an} of the ships, or going on bourd, will be considered as 
 enemies, and treated accordingly. 
 
 " All boats are to sail tVom Beekman slip. Captain James Alner 
 is appoint*} inspector, arid will give permits to oyster. r en. It ie 
 i.-rdered and expected that none attempt going without a pstss. 
 
 "ISRAEL PUTNAM, 
 
 " Major-General in the Continental Arn>y, and Commander 
 iu Chief of the Foic^b i:i New-York." 
 
 10 
 
106 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 to the Jersey shore. Of two boats, belonging 
 to two armed vessels, which attempted to take 
 on board fresh water from the watering place 
 on Staten-Island, one was driven off by the 
 riflemen, with two or three seamen kiiied in 
 it, and the other captured with thirteen. A 
 few days afterwards, Captain Vandeput, of 
 the Asia man of war, the senior officer of the 
 ships on this station, finding the intercourse 
 with the shore interdicted, their limits con 
 tracted, and that no good purposes could be 
 answered by remaining there, sailed, with all 
 the armed vessels, out of the harbour. These 
 arrangements and transactions, joined to an 
 unremitting attention to the completion of the 
 defences, gave full scope to the activity of 
 General Putnam, until the arrival of General 
 Washington, which happened about the middle 
 of April. 
 
 The Commander in Chief, in his first public 
 orders, " complimented the officers who had suc 
 cessively commanded at New-York, and return 
 ed his thanks to them as well as to the officers 
 and soldiers under their command, for the 
 many works of defence which had been so ex- 
 peditiously erected : at the same time he ex 
 pressed an expectation that the same spirit of 
 zeal for the service would continue to animate 
 their future conduct." Putnam, who was then 
 the only Major-General with the main army, 
 had still a chief agency in forwarding the for 
 tifications, and, with the assistance of the 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 107 
 
 Brigadiers Spencer and Lord Stirling, in as 
 signing to the different corps their alarm posts. 
 Congress having intimated a desire of con 
 sulting with the Commander in Chief, on the 
 critical posture of affairs, his Excellency re 
 paired to Philadelphia accordingly, and was 
 absent from the twenty-first of May until the 
 sixth of June. General Putnam, who com 
 manded in that interval, had it in charge to 
 open all letters directed to General Washing 
 ton, on public service, and, if important, after 
 regulating his conduct by their contents, to 
 forward them by express ; to expedite the 
 works then erecting; to begin others which 
 were specified ; to establish signals for com 
 municating an alarm ; to guard against the 
 possibility of surprise ; to secure well the 
 powder magazine ; to augment, by every means 
 in his power, the quantity of cartridges ; and 
 to send Brigadier-General Lord Stirling to 
 put the posts in the Highlands into a proper 
 condition of defence. He had also a private 
 and confidential instruction, to afford whatever 
 aid might be required by the Provincial Con 
 gress of New- York, for apprehending certain 
 of their disaffected citizens : and as it would 
 be most convenient to take the detachment 
 for this service from the troops on Long- 
 Island, under the command of Brigadier- 
 General Greene, it was recommended that 
 this officer should be advised of the plan, and 
 that the execution should be conducted witk 
 
168 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 secrecy and celerity, as well as with decency 
 and good order. In the records of the army 
 are preserved the daily orders which were 
 issued in the ahsence of the Commander in 
 Chief, who, on his return, was not only satis 
 fied that the works had been prosecuted with 
 all possible despatch, but also that the other 
 duties had been properly discharged. 
 
 It was the latter end of June, when the 
 British fleet, which had been at Halifax wait 
 ing for reinforcements from Europe, began to 
 arrive at New-York. To obstruct its passage, 
 some marine preparations had been made. Gen 
 eral Putnam, to whom the direction of the whale- 
 boats, fire-rafts, flat-bottomed boats, and armed 
 vessels, was committed, afforded his patronage 
 to a project for destroying the enemy s ship 
 ping by explosion. A machine, altogether dif- 
 ierent from any thing hitherto devised by the 
 art of man, had been invented by Mr. David 
 Bushnell,* for sub-marine navigation, which 
 
 * David Bushnell, A.M. of Saybrook, in Connecticut, invented 
 several other machines for the annoyance of shipping; these, from 
 accidents, not militating against the philosophical principles on 
 which their success depended, only partially succeeded. He de 
 stroyed a vessel in the charge of Commodore Symmoffds, whose 
 report to the Admiral was published. One of his kegs also de 
 molished a vessel near the Long-Island shore. About Christmas, 
 1777, he committed to the Delaware a number of kegs, destined 
 to fail among the British fleet at Philadelphia ; hut his squadiou 
 of kegs, having been separated and retarded by the ice, demolished 
 but a single bout. This catastrophe, however, produced an alarm, 
 unprecedented in its nature and degree ; which has been so hap 
 pily described in the subsequent song, by the Hon. Francis llop- 
 kitison, that the event it celebrates will not be forgotten, so long as 
 mankind shall continue to he delighted with works of humour and 
 taste. 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 109 
 
 was found to answer the purpose perfectly, 
 of rowing horizontally at any given depth 
 under water, and of rising or sinking at pleas- 
 
 TIIE BATTLE OF THE KEGS: .4 Song. 
 Tune, M g-5> Lawder. 
 
 Gallants, attend, and hear a friend 
 
 Thrill forth harmonious ditty : 
 Strange things I ll tell, which late befel 
 
 In Philadelphia city. 
 
 Twas early day, as poets say, 
 
 Just when the sun was i>ing, 
 A soldier stood on log of wood, 
 
 And saw a sight surprising. 
 
 As in a maze he stood to gaze, 
 
 The truth can t be denied, Sir, 
 He spied a score of kegs or more, 
 
 Come floating down the tide, Sir. 
 
 A sailor, too, in jerkin blue, 
 
 The strange appearance viewing, 
 First damn d his eyes, in great surprise, 
 
 Then said " Some mischief s brewing. 
 
 " These Kegs now hold the rebels bold, 
 
 " 1 ack d up like pickled herring; 
 " And they re come down, t* attack the town 
 
 "In this new way of ferry ng." 
 
 The soldier flew ; the sailor too ; 
 
 And, scar d almost to death, Sir, 
 Wore out their shoes to spread the news, 
 
 And ran till out of breath, Sir. 
 
 Now up and down, throughout the town, 
 
 Most frantic scenes were acted ; 
 And some ran here, ard some ran there, 
 
 Like men almost distracted. 
 
 Some fire cried, which some denied, 
 
 But said the earth hnd quaked : 
 And girls and bovs, with hideous noise, 
 
 Ran through the town half naked. 
 
 Sir William* he, snug as a flea, 
 Lay all this time a snoring ; 
 
 * Sir William HOIK. 
 
 10* 
 
110 LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 ure. To this machine, called the American 
 Turtle, was attached a magazine of powder, 
 which it was intended to be fastened under 
 
 ]N^>r dreamt of harm, as he lay 
 In bed with Mrs. L*r*ng. 
 
 % Now in a fright, he starts upright, 
 
 Awak d by such a clatter : 
 He rubs both eyes, and boldly cries, 
 "For God s sake, what s the matter?" 
 
 At his bed-side he then espied 
 
 Sir Erskine* at command, Sir; 
 Upon one foot he had one boot, 
 
 And t other in his hand, Sir. 
 
 ** Arise ! arise !" Sir Brskine cries ; 
 
 " The rebels more s the pity 
 " Without a boat, are all on float, 
 
 " And rang d before the city. 
 
 "The motley crew, in vessels new, 
 
 With Satan for their guide, Sir, 
 " Pack d up in bags, or wooden kegs, 
 
 "Come driving down the tide, Sir: 
 
 "Therefore prepare for blood} war ; 
 
 " These kegs must all be routed, 
 J Or surely we despis d shall be, 
 
 * And British courage doubted." 
 
 The Royal band now ready stand, 
 
 All raiig d in dread array, .Sir, 
 With stomachs stout, to see it out, 
 
 And make a bloody day, Sir. 
 
 The cannons roar from shore to shore, 
 
 The small arms make a rattle : 
 Since wars began, I m sure no man 
 
 E er saw so strange a battle. 
 
 The rebelj" vales, the i-ebel dales, 
 
 With rebel trees surrounded, 
 The distant woods, the hills and floods, 
 
 With rebel echoes sounded. 
 
 * Sir William Erskine:. 
 
 f The .British officers -vcre so fond of the -word rebel, that they 
 fen applied it most absurdly. 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. Ill 
 
 the bottom of a ship, with a driving screw, in 
 such sort, that the same stroke which disen 
 gaged it from the machine, should put the 
 internal clock-work in motion. This being 
 done, the ordinary operation of a gun-lock 
 at the distance of half an hour, an hour, or 
 any determinate time, would cause the powder 
 to explode, and leave the effects to the com 
 mon laws of nature. The simplicity, yet 
 combination discovered in the mechanism of 
 this wonderful machine, were acknowledged 
 by those skilled in physics, and particularly 
 hydraulics, to be not less ingenious than novel. 
 
 The fish below swam to and fro, 
 
 AUack d from ev ry quarter; 
 " Why sure," thought they, "the Devil s to pay 
 
 " Mong st folks above the water." 
 
 The kegs, tis said, though strongly made 
 
 Of rebel staves and hoons, Sir, 
 Could not oppose their pow rful foes. 
 
 The conqu riug British troops, Sir. 
 
 From morn to night those men of might 
 
 Display (I amazing courage; 
 And when the sun was fairly down, 
 
 Retir d to sup their porridge. 
 
 An hundred men, with each a pen, 
 
 Or more, upon my word, Sir, 
 It is most true, would be too few 
 
 Their valour to record, Sir. 
 
 Such feats did they perform that day, 
 
 Upon those wicked kegs, Sir, 
 That years to come, if they get home, 
 
 They ll make their boasts and brags, Sir. 
 
 Mr. Bushnell, having been highly recommended for his talents 
 by President Stiles, General Parsons, and some other gentlemen 
 of science, was appointed a Captain in the corps of sappers and 
 miners ; in which capacity he continued to serve with that corps 
 until the conclusion of the war. 
 
112 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 The inventor, whose constitution was too fee 
 ble to permit him to perform the labour of 
 rowing the Turtle, had taught his brother to 
 manage it with perfect dexterity ; but unfor 
 tunately his brother fell sick of a fever just 
 before the arrival of the fleet. Recourse was 
 .therefore had to a sergeant in the Connecticut 
 troops ; who, having received whatever in 
 structions could be communicated to him in 
 a short time, went, too late in the night, with 
 all the apparatus, under the bottom of the 
 Eagle, a sixty-four gun ship, on board of 
 which the British Admiral, Lord Howe, com 
 manded. In coming up, the screw that had 
 been calculated to perforate the copper 
 sheathing, unluckily struck against some iron 
 plates where the rudder is connected with the 
 stern. This accident, added to the strength 
 of the tide which prevailed, and the want of 
 adequate skill in the sergeant, occasioned such 
 delay, that the dawn began to appear, where 
 upon he abandoned the magazine to chance, 
 and after gaining a proper distance, for the 
 sake of expedition, rowed on the surface to 
 wards the town. General Putnam, who had 
 been on the wharf anxiously expecting the 
 result, from the first glimmering of light, be 
 held the machine near Governor s-Island, and 
 sent a whale-boat to bring it on shore. In 
 about twenty minutes afterwards the magazine 
 exploded, and blew a vast column of water 
 to an amazing height in the air. As the 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 113 
 
 whole business had been kept an inviolable 
 secret, he was not a little diverted with the 
 various conjectures, whether this stupendous 
 noise was produced by a bomb, a meteor, a 
 water-spout, or an earthquake. Other opera 
 tions of a most serious nature rapidly suc 
 ceeded, and prevented a repetition of the ex 
 periment. 
 
 On the twenty-second day of August, the 
 van of the British landed on Long Island, arid 
 was soon followed by the whole army, except 
 one brigade of Hessians, a small body of Brit 
 ish, and some convalescents, left on Staten- 
 Island. Our troops on Long Island had been 
 commanded during the summer by General 
 Greene who was now sick ; and General Put 
 nam took the command but two days before 
 the battle of Flatbush. The instructions to 
 him, pointing in the first place to decisive ex 
 pedients for suppressing the scattering, un 
 meaning, and wasteful fire of our men, con 
 tained regulations for the service of the guards, 
 the Brigadiers and the Field-officers of the 
 day ; for the appointment and encouragement 
 of proper scouts, as well as for keeping the 
 men constantly at their posts ; for preventing 
 the burning of buildings, except it should be 
 necessary for military purposes, and for pre 
 serving private property from pillage and de 
 struction. To these regulations were added, 
 in a more diffuse, though not less spirited and 
 professional style, reflections on the distinction 
 
114 LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 of an army from a mob ; with exhortations for 
 the soldiers to conduct themselves manfully in 
 such a cause, arid for their Commander to 
 oppose the enemy s approach with detach 
 ments of his best troops ; while he should 
 endeavour to render their advance more diffi 
 cult by constructing abbatis, and to entrap 
 their parties by forming ambuscades. General 
 Putnam was within the lines, when an engage 
 ment took place on the 27th, between the 
 British army and our advanced corps, in which 
 we lost about a thousand men in killed and 
 missing, with the Generals Sullivan and Lord 
 Stirling made prisoners. But our men, though 
 attacked on all sides, fought with great 
 bravery; and the enemy s loss was not light. 
 The unfortunate battle of Long-Island, the 
 masterly retreat from thence, and the actual 
 passage of part of the hostile fleet in the East- 
 River, above the town, preceded the evacua 
 tion of New York. A promotion of four 
 Major-Generals, and six Brigadiers, had pre 
 viously been made by Congress. After the 
 retreat from Long-Island, the main army, con 
 sisting, for the moment, of sixty battalions, of 
 which twenty were Continental, the residue 
 levies and militia, was, conformably to the ex 
 igencies of the service, rather than to the rules 
 of war, formed into fourteen brigades. Major- 
 General Putnam commanded the right grand 
 division of five brigades, the Majors-General 
 Spencer and Greene the centre of six brigades, 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 115 
 
 and Major-General Heath the left, which was 
 posted near King s-bridge, and composed of 
 two brigades. The whole never amounted 
 to twenty thousand effective men ; while the 
 British and German forces, under Sir William, 
 Howe, exceeded twenty-two thousand : in 
 deed, the minister had asserted in parliament 
 that they would consist of more than thirty 
 thousand. Our two centre divisions, both 
 commanded by General Spencer, in the sick 
 ness of General Greene, moved towards 
 Mount Washington, Harlaem Heights, and 
 Horn s Hook, as soon as the final resolution 
 was taken in a council of war, on the twelfth 
 of September, to abandon the city. That 
 event, thus circumstanced, took effect a few 
 days alter. 
 
 On Sunday, the fifteenth, the British, after 
 sending three ships of war up the North- 
 River, to Bloomingdale, and keeping up, for 
 some hours, a severe cannonade on our lines, 
 from those already in the East-River, landed 
 in force at Turtle Bay. Our new levies, com 
 manded by a State Brigadier-General, fled 
 without making resistance. Two brigades 
 of General Putnam s division, ordered to 
 their support, notwithstanding the exertion of 
 their Brigadiers, and of the Commander in 
 Chief himself, who came up at the instant, 
 conducted themselves in the same shameful 
 manner. His Excellency then ordered the 
 Heights of Harlaem, a strong position, to be 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 occupied. Thither the forces in tlie vicinity, 
 as well as the fugitives, repaired, In the 
 mean time General Putnam, with the remain 
 der of his command, and the ordinary out 
 posts, was in the city. Aftor having caused 
 the brigades to begin their retreat by the 
 route of Bioomingdale, in order to avoid the 
 enemy, who were then in the possession of the 
 main road leading to KingVbridge, he gal- 
 lopped to call on the pickets and guards. 
 Having myself been a volunteer in his division, 
 and acting Adjutant to the last regiment that 
 left the city, I had frequent opportunities, that 
 day, of beholding him, for the purpose of issu 
 ing orders, and encouraging the troops, flying, 
 on his horse covered with foam, wherever his 
 presence was most necessary. Without his 
 extraordinary exertions, the guards must have 
 been inevitably lost, and it is probable the 
 entire corps would have been cut in pieces. 
 When we were not far from Bioomingdale, an 
 Aid-de-camp came from him at full speed, to 
 inform that a column of British infantry was 
 descending upon our right. Our rear was 
 soon fired upon, and the Colonel of our re^" 
 ment, whose order was just communicated for 
 the front to file off to the left, was killed on 
 the spot. With no other loss we joined the 
 army, after dark, on the Heights of Harlaem. 
 Before our brigades came in, we were 
 given up for lost by all our friends. So criti 
 cal indeed was our situation, and so narrow 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 117 
 
 the gap by which we escaped, that the instant 
 we had passed the enemy closed it by extending 
 their line from river to river. Our men, who 
 had been fifteen hours under arms, harassed 
 by marching and countermarching, in conse 
 quence of incessant alarms, exhausted as they 
 were by heat and thirst (for the day proved 
 insupportably hot, and few or none had can 
 teens, insomuch, that some died at the brooks 
 where they drank) if attacked, could have 
 made but feeble resistance. 
 
 If we take into consideration the debilitat 
 ing sickness which weakened almost all our 
 troops, the hard duty by which they were 
 worn down in constructing numberless de 
 fences, the continual want of rest they had 
 suffered since the enemy landed, in guarding 
 from nocturnal surprise, the despondency in 
 fused into their minds by an insular situation, 
 and a consciousness of inferiority to the enemy 
 in discipline, together with the disadvanta 
 geous terms upon which, in their state of sep 
 aration, they might have been forced to 
 engage, it appears highly probable that day 
 would have presented an easy victory to the 
 British. On the other side, the American 
 Commander in Chief had wisely countenanced 
 an opinion, then universally credited, that our 
 army was three times more numerous than it 
 was in reality. It is not a subject for aston 
 ishment, that the British, ignorant of the exist 
 ing circumstances, imposed upon as to the 
 11 
 
118 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM; 
 
 numbers by reports, and recollecting what a 
 few brave men, slightly entrenched, had per 
 formed at Bunker-Hill, should proceed with 
 great circumspection. For their reproaches, 
 that the rebels, as they affected to style us, 
 loved digging better than fighting, and that 
 they earthed themselves in holes like foxes, 
 but ill concealed at the bottom of their 
 own hearts the profound impression that ac 
 tion had made. Cheap and contemptible as 
 we had once seemed in their eyes, it had 
 taught them to hold us in some respect. This 
 respect, in conjunction with a fixed belief, 
 that the enthusiastic spirit of our opposition 
 must soon subside, and that the inexhaustible 
 resources of Britain would ultimately triumph, 
 without leaving any thing to chance (not the 
 avarice or treachery of the British General, 
 as the factious of his own nation wished to in 
 sinuate,) retarded their operation, and afforded 
 us leisure to rescue from annihilation the mis 
 erable relics of an army, hastening to dissolu 
 tion by the expiration of enlistments, and the 
 country itself from irretrievable subjugation. 
 
 IN TRUTH, WE ARE NOT LESS INDEBTED TO THE 
 MATTOCK AT ONE PERIOD, THAN TO THE MUSKET 
 AT ANOTHER, FOR OUR POLITICAL SALVATION. 
 
 It required great talents to determine when 
 one or the other was most profitably to be 
 employed. I am aware how fashionable it 
 has become to compare the American Com 
 mander in Chief, for the prudence displayed 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 119 
 
 in those dilatory and defensive operations, so 
 happily prosecuted in the early stages of the 
 war, to the illustrious Roman, who acquired 
 immortality in restoring the Commonwealth 
 by delay. Advantageous and flattering as the 
 comparison at first appears, it will be found, 
 on examination, to stint the American Fabius 
 to the smaller moiety of his merited tame. 
 Did HE not, in scenes of almost unparalleled 
 activity, discover specimens of transcendent 
 abilities ; and might it not be proved, to pro 
 fessional men, that boldness in council, and 
 rapidity in execution, were, at least, equally 
 with prudent procrastination, and the quality 
 of not being compelled to action, attributes of 
 his military genius ? This^ however, was an 
 occasion, as apparent as pressing, for attaining 
 his object by delay. From that he had every 
 thing to gain, nothing to lose. Yet there were 
 not wanting politicians, AT THIS VERY TIME, 
 who querulously blamed these Fabian meas 
 ures, and loudly clamoured that the immense 
 labour and expense bestowed on the fortifica 
 tion of New- York, had been thrown away; 
 that if we could not face the enemy there 
 after so many preparations, we might as well 
 relinquish the contest at once, for we could 
 no where make a stand; and that if General 
 Washington, with an army of sixty thousand 
 men, strongly entrenched, declined fighting 
 with Sir William Howe, who had little more 
 than one third of that number, it was Hot to 
 
120 LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 be expected he would find any other occa 
 sion that might induce him to engage. But 
 General Washington, content to suffer a tem 
 porary sacrifice of personal reputation, for the 
 sake of securing a permanent advantage to 
 his country, and regardless of those idle clam 
 ours for which he had furnished materials, by 
 making his countrymen, in order the more 
 effectually to make his enemy believe his 
 force much greater than it actually was, in 
 flexibly pursued his system, and gloriously 
 demonstrated how poor and pitiful, in the es 
 timation of A GREAT MIND, are the censorious 
 strictures of those novices in war and politics, 
 who, with equal rashness and impudence, pre 
 sume to decide dogmatically on the merit of 
 plans they could neither originate or compre 
 hend! 
 
 That night our soldiers, excessively fatigued 
 by the sultry march of the day, their clothes 
 wet by a severe shower of rain that succeeded 
 towards the evening, their blood chilled by 
 the cold wind that produced a sudden change 
 in the temperature of the air, and their hearts 
 sunk within them by the loss of baggage, ar 
 tillery, and works in which they had been 
 taught to put great confidence, lay upon their 
 arms, covered only by the clouds of an uncom 
 fortable sky. To retrieve our disordered 
 affairs, and prevent the enemy from profiting 
 by them, no exertion was relaxed, no vigilance 
 remitted on the part of our higher officers. 
 
LIFE OP GEiNERAL PUTKAftl. 121 
 
 The regiments which had been least exposed 
 to fatigue that day, furnished the necessary 
 picquets to secure the army from surprise. 
 Those whose military lives had been short 
 and unpractised, felt enough besides lassitude 
 of body to disquiet the tranquillity of their 
 repose. Nor had those who were older in 
 service, and of more experience, any subject 
 for consolation. The warmth of enthusiasm 
 seemed to be extinguished. The force of dis 
 cipline had not sufficiently occupied its place 
 to give men a dependence upon each other. 
 We were apparently about to reap the bitter 
 fruits of that jealous policy, which some lead 
 ing men, with the best motives, had sown in 
 our federal councils, when they caused the 
 mode to be adopted, for carrying on the war 
 by detachments of militia, from apprehension 
 that an established Continental army, after 
 defending the country against foreign inva 
 sion, night subvert its liberties themselves. 
 Paradoxical as it will appear, it may be profit 
 able to be known to posterity, that while our 
 very existence as an independent people was 
 in question, the patriotic jealousy for the safe 
 ty of our future freedom had been carried to 
 such a virtuous but dangerous excess as well 
 nigh to preclude the attainment of our Inde 
 pendence. Happily that limited and hazard 
 ous system soon gave room to one more en 
 lightened and salutary. This may be attri 
 buted to the reiterated arguments, the open 
 11* 
 
122 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 remonstrances, and the confidential communi 
 cations of the Commander in Chief; who, 
 though not apt to despair of the Republic, on 
 this occasion expressed himself in terms of 
 unusual despondency. He declared, in his 
 letters, that he found, to his utter astonish 
 ment and mortification, that no reliance could 
 be placed on a great proportion of his pres 
 ent troops, and that, unless efficient measures 
 for establishing a permanent force should be 
 speedily pursued, we had every reason to fear 
 the final ruin of our cause. 
 
 Next morning several parties of the enemy 
 appeared upon the plains in our front. On 
 receiving this intelligence, General Washing 
 ton rode quickly to the out-posts, for the 
 purpose of preparing against an attack, if the 
 enemy should advance with that design. 
 Lieutenant-Colonel Knowlton s rangers, a 
 fine selection from the eastern regiments, who 
 had been skirmishing with an advanced party, 
 came in, and informed the General that a 
 body of British were under cover of a small 
 eminence at no considerable distance. His 
 Excellency, willing to raise our men from 
 their dejection by the splendour of some little 
 success, ordered Lieutenant-Colonel Knowl- 
 ton, with his rangers, and Major Leitch, with 
 three companies of Weedon s regiment of Vir 
 ginians, to gain their rear ; while appearances 
 should be made of an attack in front. As 
 soon as the enemy saw the party sent to de- 
 
LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 123 
 
 coy them, they ran precipitately down the 
 hill, took possession of some fences and bushes, 
 and commenced a brisk firing at long shot. 
 Unfortunately Knowiton and Leitch made their 
 onset rather in flank than in rear. The enemy 
 changed their front, and the skirmish at once 
 became close and warm. Major Leitch* hav 
 ing received three balls through his side, was 
 soon borne from the field ; and Colonel Knowi 
 ton, who had distinguished himself so gallantly 
 at the battle of Bunker-Hill, was mortally 
 wounded immediately after. Their men, how 
 ever, undaunted by these disasters, stimulated 
 with the thirst of revenge for the loss of their 
 leaders, and, conscious of acting under the eye 
 of the Commander in Chief, maintained the 
 conflict with uncommon spirit and persever 
 ance. But the General, seeing them in need 
 of support, advanced part of the Maryland 
 regiments of Griffith and Richardson, together 
 with some detachments from such eastern 
 corps as chanced to be most contiguous to 
 the place of action. Our troops this day, with 
 out exception, behaved with the greatest in 
 trepidity. So bravely did they repulse the 
 British, that Sir William Howe moved his 
 reserve, with two field pieces, a battalion of 
 Hessian grenadiers, and a company of Chas 
 seurs, to succour his retreating troops. Gene 
 ral Washington, not willing to draw on a 
 
 * Major Leitch, after languishing some days, died of a locked 
 
124 LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 general action, declined pressing the pursuit. 
 In this engagement were the second and third 
 
 O c3 
 
 battalions of light infantry, the forty-second 
 British regiment, and the German Chasseurs, 
 of whom eight officers, and upwards of seventy 
 privates were wounded, and our people. buried 
 nearly twenty, who were left dead on the field. 
 We had about forty wounded : our loss in 
 killed, except of two valuable officers, was very 
 inconsiderable. 
 
 An advantage,* so trivial in itself, produced, 
 in event, a surprising and almost incredible ef 
 fect upon the whole army. Amongst the troops 
 not engaged, who, during the action, were 
 throwing earth from the new trenches, with 
 an alacrity that indicated a determination to 
 defend them, every visage was seen to bright- 
 
 * A transcript from General Washington s Public Onlers of the 
 seventeenth will, better than any other document that could be 
 adduced, show his sentiment on the conduct of the two ^receding 
 days, and how fervently he wished to foster the gOvj-J dispositions 
 discovered ou the last. 
 
 "ORDERS. 
 
 (C Hea d- Quarters, Harlaem Heights, September 17, 1776. 
 "Parole, Leitch. Countersign, Virginia. 
 
 tf The General most heartily thanks the troops commanded yes 
 terday by Major Leitch, who first advanced upon the enemy, and 
 the others who so resolutely supported them. The behaviour yes 
 terday was such a contrast 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 honour and liberties of their coun 
 try. 
 
 ." The gallant and brave Colonel Knowlton, who would bare been 
 nn honour to any country, having fallen yesterday, while gloriously 
 fighting, Captain Brown is to take the command of the party late"- 
 ly led by Colonel Kiiowlton. Officers and men are lo obey him 
 accordingly." 
 
LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 125 
 
 en, and to assume, instead of the gloom of 
 despair, the glow of animation. This change, 
 no less sudden than happy, left little room to 
 doubt that the men, who ran the day before 
 at the sight of an enemy, would now, to wipe 
 away the stain of that disgrace, and to recover 
 the confidence of their General, have conduct 
 ed themselves in a very different manner. 
 Some alteration was made in the distribution 
 of corps to prevent the British from gaining 
 either flank in the succeeding night. General 
 Putnam, who commanded on the right, was 
 directed in orders, in case the enemy should 
 attempt to force the pass, to apply for a rein 
 forcement to General Spencer, who command 
 ed on the left. 
 
 General Putnam, who was too good an 
 husbandman himself not to have a respect 
 for the labours and improvements of others, 
 strenuously seconded the views of the Com 
 mander in Chief in preventing the devastation 
 of farms, and the violation of private property. 
 For under pretext that the property in this 
 quarter belonged to friends to the British gov 
 ernment, as indeed it mostly did, a spirit of 
 rapine and licentiousness began to prevail, 
 which, unless repressed in the beginning, fore 
 boded, besides the subversion of discipline, the 
 disgrace and defeat of our arms. 
 
 Our new defences now becoming so strong 
 as not to admit insult with impunity, and Sir 
 William Howe, riot choosing to place too much 
 
126 LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 al risk in attacking us in front, on the 12th 
 day of October, leaving Lord Percy with one 
 Hessian and two British brigades, in his lines 
 at Harlaeni, to cover New-York, embarked 
 with the main body of his army, witti an in 
 tention of landing at Frog s jNeck, situated 
 near the town of West-Chester, and little 
 more than a league above the communication 
 called Kiug s -bridge, which connects New- 
 York Island with the main. There was no 
 thing to oppose him ; and he effected his de 
 barkation by nine o clock in the morning. 
 The same policy of keeping our army as com 
 pact as possible ; the same system of avoiding 
 being forced to action ; and the same precau 
 tion to prevent the interruption of supplies, 
 reinforcements or retreat, that lately dictated 
 the evacuation of New-York, now induced 
 General Washington to move towards the 
 strong grounds in the upper part of West- 
 Chester county. 
 
 About the same time General Putnam was 
 sent to the western side of the Hudson, to 
 provide against an irruption into the Jerseys, 
 and soon after to Philadelphia, to put that 
 town into a posture of defence.* Thither I 
 
 * From the preceding- paragraph it would *eem that General 
 Putnam was detached, first to New-Jersey, and soon afterwards to 
 Philadelphia, immediately after the movement of the British army 
 to Frog s neck. The truth is, he was with the array at White* 
 Plains, and had part in the action fought there the 28th of October. 
 It was the position of Brigadier-General M Dongal which was at 
 tacked, and Washington ordered a detachment of the army under 
 Major-Geuerul PulLaro to support him. Some days utter this ac 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 127 
 
 attend him, without stooping to dilate on the 
 subsequent incidehts, that might swell a folio, 
 though here compressed to a single para 
 graph; without attempting to give in detail 
 the skilful retrograde movements of our Com 
 mander in Chief, who, after detaching a garri 
 son for Fort Washington, by pre-occupying 
 with extemporaneous redoubts and entrench 
 ments, the ridges from Mile-Square to White- 
 Plains, and by folding one brigade behind 
 another, in rear of those ridges that run paral 
 lel with the Sound, brought off all his artillery, 
 stores, and sick, in the face of a superior foe; 
 without commenting on the partial and equivo 
 cal battle fought near the last mentioned vil 
 lage, or the cause why the British, then in full 
 force, (for the last of the Hessian infantry and 
 British light-horse had just arrived) did not 
 more seriously endeavour to induce a general 
 engagement; without journalizing their milita 
 ry manoeuvres in falling back to King s-bridge, 
 capturing Fort Washington, Fort Lee, and 
 marching through the Jerseys; without enu 
 merating the instances of rapine, murder, lust, 
 and devastation, that marked their progress. 
 
 tion, General Putnam was ordered to cross tlie Hudson, and pro 
 vide against an irruption of the enemy into New-Jersey. He was 
 soon followed by Washington with part of his army, which took 
 post in the vicinity of Fort Lee, and. after the fall of that Fort, 
 General Putnam was constantly about his person during the whole 
 retreat through New-Jersey, and among the last of the fugitive ar 
 my which crossed the Delaware: th?n it was, that he was ordered 
 to Philadelphia to fortify and defend that city, which Congress had 
 ordered to be defended to the last extremity. f"JS<fc lor. J 
 
128 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 and filled our bosoms with horror and indigna 
 tion ; without describing how a division of our 
 dissolving army, with General Washington, 
 was driven before them beyond the Delaware ; 
 without painting the naked and forlorn condi 
 tion of these much injured men, amidst the 
 rigours of an inclement season ; and without 
 even sketching the consternation that seized 
 the States at this perilous period, when Gene 
 ral Lee, in leading from the north a small 
 reinforcement to our troops, was himself tak 
 en prisoner by surprise; when every thing 
 seemed decidedly declining to the last extremi 
 ty, and when every prospect but served to 
 augment the depression of despair until the 
 genius of one man, in one day, at a single 
 stroke, wrested from the veteran battalions of 
 Britain and Germany the fruits acquired by 
 the total operations of a successful campaign, 
 and re-animated the expiring hope of a whole 
 nation, by the glorious enterprize at Trenton. 
 While the hostile forces, rashly inflated 
 with pride by a series of uninterrupted suc 
 cesses, and fondly dreaming that a period 
 would soon be put to their labours, by the 
 completion of their conquests, had been pur 
 suing the wretched remnants of a disbanded 
 army to the banks of the Delaware, General 
 Putnam was diligently employed in fortifying 
 Philadelphia, the capture of which appeared 
 indubitably to be their principal object. Here, 
 by authority and example, he strove to concili- 
 
LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 129 
 
 ate contending factions, and to excite the citi 
 zens to uncommon efforts in defence of every 
 thing interesting to freemen. His personal 
 industry was unparalleled. His orders,* with 
 respect to extinguishing accidental fires, ad 
 vancing the public works, as well as in regard 
 to other important objects, were perfectly mili 
 tary and proper. But his health was, for a 
 while, impaired by his unrelaxed exertions. 
 
 The Commander in Chief having, in spite of 
 all obstacles, made good his retreat over the 
 Delaware, wrote to General Putnam from his 
 Camp above the Falls of Trenton, on the very 
 day he re-crossed the river to surprise the 
 Hessians, expressing his satisfaction at the re- 
 establishment of that General s health, and in 
 forming, that if he had not himself been well 
 convinced before of the enemy s intention to 
 possess themselves of Philadelphia, as soon as 
 the frost should form ice strong enough to 
 
 * As a specimen, the following is preserved : 
 "GEXBRAL ORDERS. 
 
 " Head- Qnartrrs, Philadelphia, December 14, 1776. 
 
 "Colonel Griffin is appointed \r!jutHnt-< Jeneral to the troops in 
 and about this city * All orders from the General, through him, 
 either written or verbal, are to he strictly attended to and punc 
 tually obe\ ed. 
 
 " la case of an alnrm of fire, the city guards and patrols rtrc to 
 suffer the inhabitants to pass, unmolested, at any hour of the night; 
 d ld the 0o,j people of Philadelphia 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 lait extremity, the General hopes 
 that uo person will refuse to give everv assistance possible to com 
 plete the fortifications that are to be erected in and about the city. 
 
 " ISRAEL PUTNAM." 
 
 12 
 
130 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 transport them and their artillery across the 
 Delaware, he had now obtained an intercepted 
 letter which placed the matter beyond a doubt. 
 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; but least 
 that should not be done, he directed the re 
 moval of all public stores, except provisions 
 necessary for immediate use, to places of 
 greater security. He queried whether, if a 
 party of rniliiia could be sent from Philadel 
 phia to support those in the Jerseys, about 
 Mount Holly, it would not serve to save them 
 from submission ? At the same time he si^nifi- 
 
 O 
 
 ed, as his opinion, the expediency of sending 
 an active and influential officer to inspirit the 
 people, to encourage them to assemble in 
 arms, as well as to keep those already in arms 
 from disbanding ; and concluded by manifest 
 ing a wish that Colonel Forman, whom he 
 desired to see for this purpose, might be em 
 ployed on the service 
 
 The enemy had vainly, as incautiously, im 
 agined that to overrun was to conquer. They 
 had even carried their presumption on our ex 
 treme weakness, and expected submission so 
 far as to attempt covering the country through 
 which they had marched with an extensive 
 chain of cantonments. That link, which the 
 post at Trenton supplied, consisted of a Hes 
 sian brigade of infantry, a company of Chas- 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 131 
 
 seurs, a squadron of light dragoons, and six 
 field pie-os. At Mght o clock in the morning 
 of t:u) tV(Mity-sixtii of December, G neral 
 Washington, with twenty-four hundred men, 
 ca;ne upon them, after they had paraded, took 
 one thousand prisoners, and re- passed the same 
 day, without loss, to his encampment. As 
 soon as the troops were recovered from their 
 excessive fatigue, General Washington re- 
 crosse.1 a second ti:ne to Trenton. On the 
 second of January, Lord Cornwallis, with the 
 bulk of ihe British army, advanced upon him, 
 cannonaded his post, and offered him battle : 
 but the two armii-s being separated by the in 
 terposition 01 Trenton Creek, General Wash 
 ington had it in his option to decline an en 
 gagement, which he did for the sake of strik 
 ing tne masterly stroke that he then meditated. 
 Having kindled frequent fires around his camp, 
 posted faithful men to keep them burning, and 
 advanced sentinels, whose fidelity might bo 
 relied upon, he decamped silently after dark, 
 and, by a circuitous route, reached Princeton 
 at nine o clock the next morning. The noise 
 of the firing, by which he killed and captured 
 between five and six hundred of the British 
 brigade in that town, was the first notice Lord 
 Cornwallis had of this stolen march. Gene 
 ral Washington, the project successfully ac 
 complished, instantly filed off for the moun 
 tainous grounds of Morris- Town. Meanwhile, 
 his Lordship, who arrived, by a forced march,. 
 
332 LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 at Princeton, just as he had left it, finding the 
 Americans could not be overtaken, proceeded, 
 without halting, to Brunswick. 
 
 On the fifth of January, 1777, from Pluck- 
 emin, General Washington despatched an ac 
 count of this second success to Genera! Put 
 nam, and ordered him to move immediately, 
 with all his troops, to Croswick s, for the pur 
 pose of co-operating in recovering the Jersey $; 
 an event which the present fortunate juncture, 
 while the enemy were yet panic-struck, ap 
 peared to promise. The General cautioned 
 him, however, if the enemy should still con 
 tinue at Brunswick, to guard with great cir 
 cumspection against a surprise ; especially as 
 they, having recently suffered by two attacks, 
 could scarcely avoid being edged with resent 
 ment to attempt retaliation. His Excellency 
 farther advised him to give out his strength to 
 be twice as great as it was ; to forward on all 
 the baggage and scattering men belonging to 
 the division destined for Morris-Town ; to em 
 ploy as many spies as he should think proper; 
 to keep a number of horsemen, in the dress of 
 the country, going constantly backwards and 
 forwards on the same secret service; and, 
 lastly, if he should discover any intention or 
 motion of the enemy that could be depended 
 upon, and might be of consequence, not to 
 fail in conveying the intelligence, as rapidly 
 as possible by express, to Head-Qua* tcrs. 
 Major-General Putnaiii was directed soon af- 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 133 
 
 ter to take post at Princeton, were he contin 
 ued until the spring. He had never with him 
 more than a few hundred troops, though he 
 was only at fifteen miles distant from the ene 
 my s strong garrison of Brunswick. At one 
 period, from a sudden diminution, occasioned 
 by the tardiness of the militia turning out to 
 replace those whose time of service was ex 
 pired, he had fewer men for duty than he had 
 miles of frontier to guard. Nor was the Com 
 mander in Chief in a more eligible situation. 
 It is true, that while he had scarcely the sem 
 blance of an army, under the specious parade 
 of a park of artillery, and the imposing ap 
 pearance of his Head-Quarters, established at 
 Munis-Town, he kept up, in the eyes of his 
 countrymen, as well as in the opinion of his 
 enemy, the appearance of no contemptible 
 force. Future generations will find difficulty 
 in conceiving how a handful of new-levied men 
 
 Q 
 
 and militia, who were necessitated to be in 
 oculated for the small-pox in the course of the 
 winter, could be subdivided and posted so ad 
 vantageously, as effectually to protect the in 
 habitants, confine the enemy, curtail their 
 forage, and beat up their quarters, without 
 sustaining a single disaster. 
 
 In tiie battle of Princeton, Captain iVTPher- 
 son, of the 17th British regiment, a very wor 
 thy Scotchman, was desperately wounded in 
 the lungs, and reft with the dead. Upon Gen 
 eral Putnam s arrival there, he found iiim ian?- 
 12* 
 
134 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM, 
 
 guishing in extreme distress, without a sur 
 geon, without a single accommodation, and 
 without a friend to solace the sinking spirit in 
 the gloomy hour of death. He visited, 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 gen 
 erous 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. " By G d, I am sorry for that," re 
 joined M Pherson, " 1 did not think there could 
 be so much goodness and generosity in an 
 American, or, indeed, in any body but a 
 Scotchman." 
 
 While the recovery of Ca/itain M Pherson 
 was doubtful, he desired that General Putnam 
 would permit a friend in the British army at 
 Brunswick to come and assist him in making 
 HIS WILL. General Putnam, who had then 
 only fifty men in his whole command, was 
 sadly embarrassed by the proposition. On 
 the one hand, he was not content that a Brit 
 ish officer should have an opportunity to spy 
 out the weakness of his post; on the other, it 
 was scarcely in his nature to refuse complying 
 with a dictate of humanity. He luckily be 
 thought himself of an expedient which he has- 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 135 
 
 tened to put in practice. A flag of truce was 
 despatched with Captain M Pherson s request, 
 but under an injunction not to return with his 
 friend 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 altogether, 
 and sometimes in small detachments, were 
 inarched from different quarters by the house 
 in which MTherson lay. Afterwards it was 
 known that the officer who came on the visit, 
 at his return, reported that General Putnam s 
 army, upon the most moderate calculation, 
 could not consist of less than four or five 
 thousand men. 
 
 This winter s campaign, for our troops con 
 stantly kept the field after regaining a footing 
 in the Jerseys, has never yet been faithfully 
 and feelingly described. The sudden resto 
 ration of our cause from the very verge of ruin 
 was interwoven with such a tissue of inscru 
 table causes and extraordinary events, that, 
 fearful of doing the subject greater injustice, 
 by a passing disquisition than a purposed si 
 lence, I leave it to the leisure of abler pens. 
 The ill policy of the British doubtless contrib 
 uted to accelerate this event. For the man 
 ner, impolitic as inhuman, in which they man 
 aged their temporary conquests, tended evi 
 dently to alienate the affections of their ad 
 herents, to confirm the wavering in aa opposite 
 
136 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 interest, to rouse the supine into activity, to 
 assemble the dispersed to the standard of 
 America, and to infuse a spirit of revolt into 
 the minds of those men who had, from neces 
 sity, submitted to their power. Their conduct 
 in warring with fire and sword against the 
 imbecility of youth, and the decrepitude of 
 age ; against the arts, the sciences, the curious 
 inventions, and the elegant improvements in 
 civilized life ; against the melancholy widow, 
 the miserable orphan, the peaceable professor 
 of humane literature, and the sacred minister 
 of the gospel, seemed to operate as powerful 
 ly, as if purposely intended to kindle the dor 
 mant spark of resistance into an inextinguish 
 able flame. If we add to the black catalogue 
 of provocations already enumerated their in 
 satiable rapacity in plundering friends and foes 
 indiscriminately ; their libidinous brutality in 
 violating the chaslity of the female sex ; their 
 more than Gothic rage in defacing private 
 writings, public records, libraries* of learning, 
 dwellings of individuals, edifices for education, 
 and temples of the Deity; together with their 
 insufferable ferocity, unprecedented indeed 
 among civilized nations, in murdering on the 
 field oi battle the wounded while begging for 
 mercy in causing their prisoners to famish 
 with hunger and cold in prisons and prison 
 ships, and in can > ing their rnaiice beyond 
 death itself, by denying the decent rites of 
 sepulture to the dead ; we shall not be aston- 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 137 
 
 ished that the yeomanry in the two Jerseys, 
 when the first glimmering of hope began to 
 break in upon them, rose as one man, with the 
 unalterable resolution to perish in the generous 
 cause, or expel their merciless invaders. 
 
 The principal officers, stationed at a variety 
 of welt-chosen, and at some almost inaccessi 
 ble positions, seemed all to be actuated by the 
 same soul, and only to vie with each other in 
 giving proofs of vigilance, enterprise and val 
 our. From what has been said respecting the 
 scantiness of our aggregate force, it will be 
 concluded, that the number of men, under the 
 orders of each, was indeed very small. But 
 the uncommon alertness of the troops, who 
 were incessantly hovering round the enemy in 
 scouts, and the constant communication they 
 kept between the several stations most con 
 tiguous to each other, agreeably to the in 
 structions* of the General in Chief, together 
 
 * The annexed private orders to Lord Stirling will show, in a 
 laconic and military manner, the system of service then pursued : 
 
 * To Brigadier-Getter*! Lord STIRLING. 
 
 " MY LOUD, 
 
 " You are to repair to Tiasketiridge, and take upon you the com- 
 Uiuud of the troops now there, and such as may be sent to your 
 care. 
 
 "You are to endeavour, as much as possible, to harass aiid an 
 noy the enemy, by keeping scouting parties constantly, or as fre 
 quently as possible, around their quarters. 
 
 As you will be in the neighbourhood of Generals Dkkenson 
 a; d Warner, I recommend it to you to k ep up :i correspondence 
 with them, *nd ei.deavmir to regulate your parties by theirs, so as 
 to have some constantly out. 
 
 " Use every m^-a-s in your p*i\vrr to obtain intelligence from the 
 
 eioy ; which may possibly be better effected by engaging some 
 
138 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 with their readiness in giving, and confidence 
 of receiving such reciprocal aid as the exigen 
 cies might require, served to supply the delect 
 of force. 
 
 This mariner of doing duty not only put our 
 own posts beyond t:ie reach of sudden insult 
 an J surprise, but so exceedingly harassed and 
 intimidated the enemy, that foragers were sel 
 dom sent out by them, and never except in 
 very large parties. General Diekenson, who 
 commanded on General Putnam s left, discov 
 ered, about the 20th of January, a foraging 
 party, consisting of about four hundred men, 
 on the opposite side of the Jtfill*sfone, two 
 miles from Somerset court-house. As the 
 bridge was possessed and defended by three 
 field-pieces, so that it could not be passed, 
 General Diekenson, at the head of four hun 
 dred militia, broke the ice, crossed the river 
 where the water was about three feet deep, 
 resolutely attacked, and totally defeated the 
 foragers. Upon their abandoning the convoy, 
 
 f r i I 
 
 a lew prisoners, forty waggons, and more than 
 a hundred draft horses, with a considerable 
 booty of cattle and sheep, fell into his hands. 
 
 of those people who have obtained J- rotections to go in, under pre 
 tence of Asking -tdvice, than l>y any other menus. 
 
 " You will also use every means in your power to ohtain and 
 communicate the earliest accounts of the enemy s movements; 
 and to assemble, in the speediest manner possible, \our troops 
 either tor ofiVnee or defence 
 
 " Giren at Head- Quarters, the fourth day of February, 1777. 
 
 " GEO. WASHINGTON." 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 139 
 
 Nor were our operations on General Put 
 nam s right ilank less fortunate. To give 
 countenance to the numerous friends of the 
 British government in the county of Mon- 
 mouth appears to have been a principal motive 
 with Sir William Howe for stretching the 
 chain of his cantonments, by his own confes 
 sion,* previously to his disaster, rather too 
 far. After that chain became broken, as I 
 have already related, by the blows at Trenton 
 and Princeton, he was obliged to collect, dur 
 ing the rest of the winter, the useless remains 
 in his barracks at Brunswick, In the mean 
 time, General Putnam was much more suc 
 cessful in his attempts to protect our dispersed 
 and dispirited friends in the same district ; 
 who, environed on every side by envenomed 
 adversaries, remained inseparably rivetted in 
 alfection to American independence. He first 
 detached Colonel Gurney, and afterwards Ma- 
 
 * Extract of a letter from General Sir WILLIAM HOWE to 
 Lord <i E o R G E G E u M A i x E, (luted Neio-York t December 20, 
 1776. 
 
 Having mentioned the fruitless attempt of Lord Cornwallis to 
 find boais at CorryePs fury to pass the Delaware he proceeds 
 thus: 
 
 "The passage of the Delaware being thus rendered impractica 
 ble, his Lordship took post at Pennington, in which place and 
 Trenton the two divisions remained until the fourteenth, when the 
 weather having become too severe to keep the field, and the- \vin- 
 tei cantonments being arranged, the troops marched from both 
 places to their respective stations. The clt a rt, I own, is rather too 
 extensive, but I was induced to occupy Burlii gton to co<vr the 
 county <>f Monmoulh, in which there are many loyal inh.-ibit tnts ; 
 and trusting to ihe almost general submission of the countrv to the 
 southward of this chain, and to the strength of the co.-ps placed in 
 the advanced posis, I conclude the troops will be in perfect secu 
 
140 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 jor Davis,* with such parties of militia as 
 could be spared, for their support. Several 
 skirmishes ensued, in which our people had al 
 ways the advantage. They took, at different 
 times, many prisoners, horses and waggons 
 from foraging parties. In effect, so well did 
 they cover the country, as to induce some of 
 the most respectahle inhabitants to declare, 
 that the security of the persons, as well as the 
 salvation of the property of rniny friends to 
 freedom was o\ving to the spirited exertions of 
 these two detachments ; who, at the same 
 time that they rescued the country from the 
 tyranny of tories, afforded an opportunity for 
 the militia to recover from thrir consternation, 
 to embody themselves in warlike array, and to 
 stand on their defence. 
 
 During this period, General Putnam having 
 received unquestionable intelligence that a 
 party of refugees, in British pay, had taken 
 post, and were erecting a kind of redoubt at 
 Lawrence s Neck, sent Colonel Nelson, with 
 
 * As there happened to be in my possession a copy of one of his 
 letters to those officers it was thought worthy of insertion here, in 
 order to demonstrate his satisfaction v. 5th their conduct. 
 
 "To Major JOHN DAVIS, of the third Battalion of Cumberland 
 
 * County Militia. 
 " SIR, 
 
 " I am much obliged o you for your activity, vigour, and dili 
 gence since you h:ive been under my command ; you will, therefore, 
 march your men to Philadelphia, jiml there discharge them ; re 
 turning into the store !l the ammunition, arms and accoutrements 
 you received at that place. 
 
 " I am, Sir, vour humble servant, 
 
 ISRAEL PUTNAM. 
 " Princeton, February 5, 1777." 
 
LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 141 
 
 one hundred and fifty militia, to surprise them. 
 That officer conducted with so much secrecy 
 and decision as to take the whole prisoners. 
 These refugees* were commanded by Major 
 Stockton, belonging to Skinner s brigade, and 
 amounted to sixty in m ^ber. 
 
 A short time after this event Lord Corn- 
 wallis sent out another foraging party towards 
 Bound-Brook. General Putnam, having re 
 ceived notice from his emissaries, detached 
 Major Smith, with a few riflemen, to annoy 
 the party, and followed himself with the rest 
 of his force. Before he could come up, Major 
 Smith, who had formed an am hush, attacked 
 the enemy, killed several horses, took a few 
 prisoners and sixteen bnggage-waggons, with 
 out sustaining any injury. By such opera 
 tions, our hero, in the course of the winter, 
 captured nearly a thousand prisoners. 
 
 In the latter part of February General 
 Washington advised General Putnam, that, in 
 consequence of a large accession of strength 
 from New-York to the British army at Bruns 
 wick, it was to be apprehended they would 
 soon make a forward movement towards the 
 
 f ^.c tract of a letter from General PUTNAM to the Council of 
 Sufcty of Pennsylvania, dated at Princeton, February 18, 
 1777. 
 
 " Yesterday evening Colonel Nelson, with a hundred and fifty 
 men, at Lawrence s Neck, attacked sixty men of Corllandt Skin 
 ner s Hri{j : de. commanded L\ the emtn) s RENOWNED LAXD 
 PILOI Major Richard Stockton, touted them, aid took the 
 whole nnsoners among them the Maj>r, a rapt-iin and three sub 
 alterns, with seventy stand of arms. Fifty of the Bedford Penn 
 sylvania, Riflemen behaved like veterans. 
 
 13 
 
142 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 Delaware : in which case the latter was direct 
 ed to cross the river with his. actual force, to 
 assume the command of the militia who might 
 assemble, to secure the boats on the west side 
 of the Delaware, and to facilitate the passage 
 of the rest of the army. But the enemy Jid 
 not remove from their winter-quarters until 
 the season arrived when green forage could 
 be supplied. In the intermediate period, the 
 correspondence on the part of General Putnam 
 with the Commander in Chief consisted prin 
 cipally of reports and enquiries concerning the 
 treatment of some oi the following descriptions 
 of persons : either of those who came within 
 our lines with flags and pretended flags, or 
 who had taken protection from the enemy, or 
 who had been reputed disaffected to our cause, 
 or who were designed to be comprehended in 
 the American Proclamation, which required 
 that those who had taken protections should 
 give them to the nearest American officer, or 
 go within the British lines. The letters of his 
 Excellency in return, generally advisory, were 
 indicative of confidence and approbation. 
 
 When the spring had now so far advanced 
 that it was obvious the enemy would soon 
 take the field, the Commander in Chief, after 
 desiring General Putnam to give the officer 
 who was to relieve him at Princeton, all the 
 information necessary for the conduct of that 
 post, appointed that General to the command 
 of a separate army in the Highlands of New- 
 York. 
 
LIFE OF GfiNEIUL PUTNAM. 143 
 
 It is scarcely decided, from any documents 
 yet published, whether the preposterous plans 
 prosecuted by the British Generals in the cam 
 paign of J777, were altogether the result of 
 their orders from home, or whether they part 
 ly originated from the contiugences of the mo 
 ment. The system which, at the time, tended 
 to puzzle all human conjecture, when devel 
 oped, served also to contradict all reasonable 
 calculation. Certain it is, the American Com 
 mander in Chief was, for a considerable time, 
 so perplexed with contradictory appearances, 
 that he knew not how to distribute his troops, 
 with his usual discernment, so as to oppose 
 the enemy with eaual prospect of success in 
 different parts. The gathering tempests me 
 naced tlie northern frontiers, tne posts in the 
 Highlands, and the city of Philadelphia; but 
 it was still doubtful where the fury of the storm 
 would fall. At one time Sir William Howe 
 \vas forcing his way by land to Philadelphia ; 
 at another, relinquishing the Jerseys; at a 
 third, facing round to make a sudden inroad ; 
 then embarking with all the forces that could 
 be spared from New- York ; and then putting 
 out to sea, at the very moment when General 
 Burgoyne had reduced Ticonderoga,and seem 
 ed to require a co-operatiori in another quar 
 ter. 
 
 On our side, we have seen that the old Con 
 tinental army expired with the year 1776; 
 since which, invention had been tortured with 
 
144 LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 expedients, and zeal with efforts to levy an 
 other: for on the success of the recruiting 
 service depended the salvation of the country. 
 The success was such as not to puff us up to 
 presumption, or depress us to despair. The 
 army in the Jerseys, under the orders of the 
 General in Chief, consisted of all the troops 
 raised south of the Hudson ; that in the north 
 ern department, of the New-Hampshire brig 
 ade, two brigades of Massachusetts, and the 
 brigade of New-York, together with some ir 
 regular corps ; and that in the Highlands, of 
 the remaining two brigades of Massachusetts, 
 the Connecticut line, consisting of two brigades, 
 the brigade of Rhode-Island, and one regiment 
 of New-York. Upon hearing of the loss of 
 Ticonderoga, and the progress of the British 
 towards Albany, General Washington ordered 
 the northern army to be reinforced with the 
 two brigades of Massachusetts, then in the 
 Highlands ; and, upon finding the army under 
 his immediate command out-numbered by that 
 of Sir William Howe, which had, by the cir 
 cuitous route of the Chesapeak, invaded Penn 
 sylvania, he also called from the Highlands 
 one of the Connecticut brigades, and that of 
 Rhode-Island to his own assistance. 
 | In the neighbourhood of General Putnam ; J& 
 there was no enemy capable of exciting alarms. ^3 
 The army left at New-York seemed only de 
 signed for its defence. In it were several en 
 tire corps, composed of tories, who had Hock- 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 145 
 
 ed to the British standard. There was, besides, 
 a band of lurking miscreants, not properly en 
 rolled, who staid chiefly at West-Chester; 
 from whence they infested the country be 
 tween the two armies, pillaged the cattle, and 
 carried off the peaceable inhabitants. It was 
 an unworthy policy in British generals to 
 patronize banditti. The whig* inhabitants on 
 the edge of our lines, and still lower down, 
 who had been plundered in a merciless man 
 ner, delayed not to strip the tories in return. 
 People most nearly connected and allied fre 
 quently became most exasperated and invete 
 rate in malice. Then the tics of fellowship 
 were broken then friendship itself being 
 soured to enmity, the mind readily gave way 
 to private revenge, uncontrolled retaliation, 
 and all the deforming passions that disgrace 
 humanity. Enormities, almost without a name, 
 were perpetrated, at the description of which, 
 the bosom, not frozen to apathy, must glow 
 with a mixture of pity and indignation. To 
 prevent the predatory incursions from below, 
 and to cover the county of West-Chester, Gen 
 eral Putnam detached from his Head-Quarters, 
 at PeekVKill, Meigs s regiment, which, in the 
 course of the campaign, struck several parti- 
 zan strokes, and achieved the objects for which 
 it was sent. He likewise took measures, with 
 out noise or ostentation, to secure himself from 
 being surprised and carried within the British 
 lines by the tories, who had formed a plan fox 
 13* 
 
146 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 the purpose. The information of this intend 
 ed enterprise, conveyed to him through several 
 channels, was corroborated by that obtained 
 and transmitted by the Commander in Chief. 
 
 It was not wonderful that many of these to- 
 ries were able, undiscovered, to penetrate far 
 into the country, and even to go with letters 
 or messages from one British army to another. 
 The inhabitants who were well affected to the 
 royal cause, afforded them every possible sup 
 port, and their own knowledge of the different 
 routes gave them a farther facility in perform 
 ing their perigririations. Sometimes the most 
 active loyalists, as the lories wished to denom 
 inate themselves, who had gone into the Brit 
 ish posts, and received promises of commissions 
 upon enlisting a certain number of soldiers, 
 came back again secretly with recruiting in 
 structions. Sometimes these, and others who 
 came from the enemy within the verge of our 
 camps, were detected and condemned to death, 
 in conformity to the usages of war. But the 
 British generals, who had an unlimited supply 
 of money at their command, were able to pay 
 with so much liberality, that emissaries could 
 always be found. Still, it is thought that the 
 intelligence of the American commanders was, 
 at least, equally accurate ; notwithstanding the 
 poverty of their military chest, and the inabil- 
 ty of rewarding mercenary agents, for secret 
 services, in proportion to their risk and merit. 
 
 A person, by the name of Palmer, who was 
 a lieutenant in the tory new levies, was de- 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 147 
 
 tected in the camp at Peek s Kill. Governor 
 Tryori, who cojnmanded the new levies, re 
 claimed him as a British officer, represent* d 
 the heinous crime of condemning a man com 
 missioned by his Majesty, and threatened ven 
 geance in case he should be executed. Gene 
 ral Putnam wrote the following pithy reply. 
 
 " SIR, 
 
 " Nathan Palmer, a lieutenant in your King s 
 service, was taken in my camp as a Spy he 
 was tried as a Spy he was condemned as a 
 Spy and you may rest assured, Sir, he shall 
 be hanged as a Spy" 
 
 " I have the honour to be, &c. 
 
 " ISRAEL PUTNAM. 
 "His Excellency Governor TRY ox. 
 
 P. S. Afternoon. He is hanged." 
 
 Important transactions soon occurred. Not 
 long after the two brigades had marched from 
 Peek s-Kill to Pennsylvania, a reinforcement 
 arrived at New- York from Europe. Appear 
 ances indicated that offensive operations would 
 follow. General Putnam having been reduc 
 ed in force to a single brigade in the field, and 
 
 O o 
 
 a si&gle regiment in garrison at Fort Mont 
 gomery, repeatedly informed the Commander 
 in Chief, that the posts committed to his charge 
 must, in all probability, be lost, in case an at 
 tempt should be made upon them ; and lhat, 
 circumstanced as he was, he could not be res- 
 
148 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 ponsible for the consequences. His situation 
 was certainly to be lamented ; but it was not 
 in the power of the Commander in Chief to 
 alter it, except by authorising him to call upon 
 the militia for aid an aid always precarious, 
 and often so tardy, as, when obtained,. to be of 
 no utility. 
 
 On the fifth of October Sir Henry Clinton 
 came up the North-River with three thousand 
 men. After making many feints to mislead 
 the attention, he landed, the next morning, at 
 Stony-Point, and commenced his march over 
 the mountains to Fort Montgomery. Gover 
 nor Clinton, an active, resolute, and intelligent 
 officer, who commanded the garrison, upon 
 being apprised of the movement, despatched a 
 letter, by express, to General Putnam for suc 
 cour. By the treachery of the messenger, 
 the letter miscarried. General Putnam, as 
 tonished at hearing nothing respecting the 
 enemy, rode, with General Parsons, and Col 
 onel Root, his Adjutant-General, to reconnoi 
 tre them at King s Ferry. In the mean-time, 
 at five o clock in the afternoon, Sir Henry 
 Clinton s columns, having surmounted the ob 
 stacles and barriers of nature, descended from 
 the Thunder-Hill, through thickets impassible 
 but for light troops, and ^attacked the diifer- 
 
 * The author of these Memoirs, then Major of Brigade to the 
 first Connecticut brigade, was alone at f lead-Quarters when the 
 firing began. Me hastened to Colonel Wyllys : the senior officer 
 in camp, and advised him to despatch nil (he men not on duty to 
 Fort Montgomery, without waiting for orders About five hun-- 
 
LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 149 
 
 ent redoubts. The garrison, inspired by the 
 conduct of their leaders, defended the works 
 with distinguished valour. But, as the post had 
 been designed principally to prevent the pass 
 ing of ships, and as an assault in rear had not 
 been expected, the works on the land side 
 were incomplete and untenable. In the dusk 
 of twilight, the British entered with their bayo 
 nets fixed. Their loss was inconsiderable. 
 Nor was that of the garrison great. Gover 
 nor Clinton, his brother General James Clin 
 ton, Colonel Dubois, and most of the officers 
 and men effected their escape under cover of 
 the thick smoke and darkness that suddenly 
 prevailed. The capture of this fort by Sir 
 Henry Clinton, together with the consequent 
 removal of the chains and booms that ob 
 structed the navigation, opened a passage (e 
 
 dred men marched instantly under Colonel Meigs; and the author,, 
 with Dr Beardsley, a surgeon in the brigade, rode, at full speed, 
 through a b\e-p:Uh, to let the garrison know, that a reinforcement 
 was nn its march. Notwithstanding all the haste these officers 
 made to and over the river, the fort was so completely invested on 
 their arrival, that it was impossible to enter. They went on board 
 the new frigate which lav near the fortress, and hud the misfoituue 
 to be e, though not unconcerned spectators of the storm. They 
 saw t minutest actions distinctly when the works were earned. 
 The frigate, after receiving several platoons, slipped her cable, 
 and proceeded a little way up the river; hut the wind aud tide be 
 coming adverse, the crew set her op fire, to prevent he" fading in 
 to t .e hinds of the en< my, whose ships were approaching. The 
 louring darkness of the n ght, the profound stillix ss that reigned, 
 the interrupted flashes of the flames that illuminated the waters, 
 the long shadows of the clifts that now and then were se* n, the ex 
 plosion >f the cannon which were left loaded in the ship, and the 
 re\ In-rating echo which resounded, at intervals, between the 
 stupendous mountains on both sides of the river, composed an awful 
 nig-i -pi-.-ce for persons prepared by the preceding scene, to cojv 
 template subjects of horrid sublimity. 
 
150 LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 Albany, and seemed to favour a junction of his 
 force with that of General Burgoyne. But 
 the latter having been compelled to capitulate 
 a few days after this event, and great number* 
 of militia having arrived from New-England, 
 the successful army returned to New- York ; 
 yet not before a detachment from it, under the 
 orders of General Vaughan, had burnt the 
 defenceless town of Esopus, and several scat 
 tering buildings on the banks of the riven 
 
 Notwithstanding the army in the Highlands 
 had been so much weakened, for the sake of 
 strengthening the armies in other quarters, as 
 to have occasioned the loss of Fort Montgom 
 ery, yet that loss was productive of no conse 
 quences. Our main army in Pennsylvania* 
 after having contended with superior force in 
 tvVO indecisive battles, still held the enemy in 
 check; while the splendid success which at 
 tended our arms at the northward, gave a 
 more favourable aspect to the American af 
 fairs, at the close of this campaign, than they 
 had ever before assumed. 
 
 When the enemy fell back to New- York by 
 Avatcr, we followed them a part of the way by 
 land. Colonel Mcigs, with a detachment from 
 the several regiments in General Parsons s 
 brigade, having made a forced inarch from 
 Crompond to West-Chester, surprised and 
 broke up for a time the band of freebooters, 
 of whom he brought off fifty, together with 
 many cattle and horses which they had recent 
 ly stolen, 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 151 
 
 Soon after this enterprise General Putnam 
 advanced towards the British lines. As he 
 had received intelligence that small bodies of 
 the enemy were out, with orders from Gov 
 ernor Trjon to burn Wright s mills, he pre 
 vented it by detaching three parties, of one 
 hundred men in each. One of these parties 
 fell in with arid captured thirty-five, and an 
 other forty of the new levies. But as he could 
 not prevent a third hostile party from burning 
 the house of Mr. Van Tassel, a noted whig 
 
 * O 
 
 and a committee-man, who was forced to go 
 along with them, naked and barefoot, on the 
 icy ground, in a freezing night, he, for the pro 
 fessed purpose of retaliation, sent Captain Bu 
 chanan, in a whale-boat, to burn the house of 
 General Oliver Delancy on York-Island. Bu 
 chanan effected his object, and by this expedi 
 tion put a period, for the present, to that un 
 meaning and wanton species of destruction. 
 
 While General Putnam quartered at Ne\v- 
 Rochel, a scouting party, which had been sent 
 to West-Farms, below West-Chester, sur 
 rounded the house in which Colonel James 
 Delancy lodged, and, notwithstanding he crept 
 under the bed the better to be concealed, 
 brought him to Head-Quarters before morn 
 ing. This officer was exchanged by the Brit 
 ish General without delay, and placed at the 
 head of the cow-boys, a licentious corps of ir 
 regulars, who in the sequel, committed un 
 heard of depredations and excesses. 
 
152 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 It was distressing to see so beautiful a part 
 of the country so barbarously wasted, and of 
 ten to witness some peculiar scene of female 
 misery : for most of the female inhabitants 
 had been obliged to fly within the lines pos 
 sessed by one army or the other. Near our 
 quarters was an affecting instance of human vi 
 cissitude. Mr. William Sutton, of Maroneck, 
 an inoffensive man, a merchant by profession, 
 who lived in a decent fashion, and whose fam 
 ily had as happy prospects as almost anv in 
 the country, upon some imputation of toryism, 
 went to the enemy. His uife, oppressed with 
 
 frief in the disagreeable state of dereliction, 
 id not long survive. Betsey Sutton, their 
 eldest daughter, was a mudest and lovely 
 young woman, of about fifteen years old, 
 when, at the death of her mother, the care of 
 five or six younger children devolved upon 
 her. She was discreet and provident beyond 
 her years; but when we saw her, she looked 
 to be feeble in health broken in spirit wan, 
 melancholy, and dejected. She said " that 
 their last cow, which furnished milk for the 
 children, had lately been taken away that 
 they had frequently been plundeied of their 
 wearing apparel and furniture, she believed 
 by both parties that they had little more to 
 lose and that she knew not where to procure 
 bread for the dear little ones, who had no fa 
 ther to provide for them" no mother she 
 was going to have said but a torrent of te.ars 
 
LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 153 
 
 choaked articulation. In coming to that part 
 of the country again, after some campaigns 
 had elapsed, I found the habitation desolate, 
 and the garden overgrown with weeds. Up 
 on inquiry, I learnt, that as soon as we left 
 the place, some ruffians broke into the house 
 while she lay in bed, in the latter part of the 
 night; and that, having been terrified by their 
 rudeness, she ran, half-naked, into a neigh 
 bouring swamp, where she continued unlii the 
 morning there the poor girl caught a violent 
 cold, which ended in a consumption. It finish 
 ed a life without a spot and a career of suf 
 ferings commenced and continued without a 
 fault. 
 
 Sights of wretchedness always touched with 
 commiseration the feelings of General Putnam, 
 and prompted his generous soul to succour the 
 afflicted. But the indulgence which he show 
 ed, whenever it did not militate against his du 
 ty, towards the deserted and suffering families 
 of the tori^s 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 entrusted with the disposal of tory-prop- 
 erty, because he believed them to have been 
 guilty of peculations and other infamous prac 
 tices. But although the enmity between him 
 and the sequestrators was acrimonious as mu 
 tual, yet he lived in habits of amity with the 
 14 
 
154 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 most respectable characters in public depart 
 ments, as well as in private life. 
 
 His character was also respected by the en 
 emy. He had been acquainted with many of 
 the principal officers in a former war. As 
 flags frequently passed between the out-posts, 
 during his continuance on the lines, it was a 
 common practice to forward newspapers by 
 them ; and as those printed by Rivington, the 
 royal printer in New-York, were infamous for 
 the falsehoods with which they abounded, 
 General Putnam once sent a packet to his old 
 friend General Robertson, with this billet : 
 ;; Major-General Putnam presents his compli 
 ments to Major-General Robertson, and sends 
 him some American newspapers for his peru 
 sal when General Robertson shall have done 
 with them, it is requested they be given to 
 Rivirigton, in order that he may print some 
 truth." 
 
 Late in the year we left the lines and re 
 paired to the Highlands ; for upon the loss of 
 Fort Montgomery, the Commander in Chief 
 determined to build another fortification for 
 the defence of the river. His Excellency, ac 
 cordingly, wrote to General Putnam to fix up 
 on the spot. After reconnoitering all the dif 
 ferent places proposed, arid revolving in his 
 own mind their relative advantages for offence 
 on the water and defence on the land, he fix 
 ed upon WEST-POINT. It is no vulgar praise 
 to say, that to him belongs the glory of having 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 155 
 
 chosen this rock of our military salvation. The 
 portion for water-batteries, which might sweep 
 tiie channel where the river formed a right 
 angle, made it the most proper of any lor 
 coiumanding 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 than twen 
 ty thousand men. The British, who consider 
 ed this post as a sort of American Gibraltar, 
 never attempted it but by the treachery of an 
 American officer. All the world knows that 
 this project failed, and that West-Point con 
 tinues to be the receptacle of every thing val 
 uable in military preparations to the present 
 day. 
 
 In the month of January, 1778, when a 
 snow, two feet deep, lay on the earth, General 
 Parsons s brigade went to West-Point and 
 broke ground. Want of covering for the 
 troops, together with want of tools and mate 
 rials for the works, made the prospect truly 
 gloomy and discouraging. It was necessary 
 that means should be found, though our cur 
 rency was depreciated, and our treasury ex 
 hausted. The estimates and requisitions of 
 Colonel la Radiere, the engineer who laid out 
 the works, altogether disproportioned to our 
 circumstances, served only to put us in mind 
 of our poverty, and, as it were, to satirize our 
 resources. His petulent behaviour and unac*- 
 commodating disposition added further em- 
 
156 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 barrassmerits. It was then that the patriotism 
 of Governor Clinton shone in full lustre. His 
 exertions to furnish supplies can never be tuo 
 much commended. His influence, arising from 
 his popularity, was unlimited: yet he hesitated 
 not to put all his popularity at risk, whenever 
 the federal interests demanded. .Notwith 
 standing the impediments that opposed our 
 progress, with his aid, before the opening of 
 the campaign, the works were in great for 
 wardness. 
 
 According to a resolution of Congress, an 
 inquiry was to be made into the causes of mil 
 itary disasters. Major-General M Dougall, 
 Brigadier-General Huntington, and Colonel 
 Wigglesworth composed the Court of Inquiry 
 on the loss of Fort Montgomery. Upon full 
 knowledge and mature deliberation of facts on 
 the spot, they reported the loss to have been 
 occasioned by want of mea, and not by any 
 fault in the commanders. 
 
 General Putnam, who during the investiga 
 tion was relieved from duty, as soon as Con 
 gress had approved the report, took command 
 of the right wing of the grand army, under the 
 orders of the General in Chief. This was 
 just after the battle of Monmouth, when the 
 three armies which had last year acted sepa 
 rately joined at the White-Plains. Our eflec- 
 tive force, in one camp, was at no other time 
 so respectable as at this juncture. The army 
 consisted oi sixty regular regiments of loot. 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 157 
 
 formed into fifteen brigades, four battalions of 
 artillery, four regiments of horse, and several 
 corps of State troops. But as the enemy kept 
 close within their lines on York Island, nothing 
 could be attempted. Towards the end of au 
 tumn we broke up the camp, and went first to 
 Fredericksburgh, and thence to winter-quar 
 ters. 
 
 In order to cover the country adjoining to 
 the Sound, and to support the garrison of West- 
 Point, in case of an attack, Major-General 
 Putnam was stationed for the winter at Read 
 ing, in Connecticut. He had under his orders 
 the brigade of New-Hampshire, jthe two brig 
 ades of Connecticut, the corps of infantry com- 
 manded by Hazen, arid that of cavalry by 
 Sheldon. 
 
 The troops, who had been badly fed, badly 
 cloathed, and worse paid, by brooding over 
 their grievances in the leisure and inactivity of 
 winter-quarters, began to think them intolera 
 ble. The Connecticut brigades formed the 
 design of marching to Hartford, where the 
 General Assembly was then in session, and of 
 demanding redress at the point of the bayonet. 
 Word having been brought to General Put 
 nam, that the second brigade was under arms 
 for this purpose, he mounted his horse, gallop- 
 ped to the cantonment, and thus addressed 
 them : " My brave lads, whither are you go 
 ing ? Do you intend to desert your officers^ 
 and to invite the enemy to follow you into the 
 14* 
 
158 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 country ? Whose cause have you been fighting 
 and suffering so long in is it not your own ? 
 Have you no property, no parents, wives or 
 children ? You have behaved like men so far 
 all the world is full of your praises and 
 posterity will stand astonished at your deeds : 
 but not if you spoil 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 that the coun 
 try will do us ample justice. Let us all stand 
 by one another, then, and fight it out like 
 brave soldiers. Think what a shame it would 
 be for Connecticut men to run away from their 
 officers." After the several regiments had re 
 ceived the General as he rode along the line 
 with drums beating, and presented arms, the ser 
 geants who had then the command, brought 
 the men to an order, in which position they 
 continued while he was speaking. When he 
 had done, he directed the acting Major of 
 Brigade to give the word for them to shoul 
 der, march to their regimental parades, and 
 lodge arms; all which they executed with 
 promptitude and apparent good humour. One 
 soldier, only, who had been the most active, 
 was confined in the quarter-guard ; from 
 whence, at night, he attempted to make his 
 escape. But the sentinel, who had also been 
 in the mutiny, shot him dead on the spot, and 
 thus the affair subsided, 
 
LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 159 
 
 About the middle of winter, while General 
 Putnam was on a visit to his out-post at Horse- 
 Neck, he found Governor Try on advancing 
 upon that town with a corns of fifteen hundred 
 men. To oppose these General Putnam had 
 only a picquet of one hundred and fifty men, 
 and two iron field-pieces, without horses or 
 draoj-ropes. He, however, planted his cannon 
 on tile high ground, by the meeting-house, 
 and retarded their approach by firing several 
 times, until, perceiving the horse (supported 
 by the infantry) about to charge, he ordered 
 the picquet to provide for their safety, by re 
 tiring to a swamp inaccessible to horse, and 
 secured his own, by plunging down the steep 
 precipice at the church upon a full trot. This 
 precipice is so steep, where he descended, as 
 to have artificial stairs, composed of nearly 
 one hundred stone steps, for the accommoda 
 tion of foot passengers. There the Dragoons, 
 \vho were but a sword s length from him, 
 stopped short; for the declivity was so abrupt, 
 that they ventured not to follow; and, before 
 the) could gain the valley, by going round the 
 brow of the hill in the ordinary road, he was 
 far enough beyond their reach. He continu 
 ed his route, unmolested, to Stanford ; from 
 whence, having strengthened his picquet by 
 the junction of some rnilitia, he came back 
 again, and, in turn, pursued Governor Trvon 
 in his retreat.* As he rode down the preci- 
 
 * In this retreat, thrush with a very inferior force, General 
 Fttluaiu made about fifty prisoners, part of whom were wouuded, 
 
160 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM, 
 
 pice, one ball, of the many fired at him, went 
 through his beaver: But Governor Tryon, by 
 way of compensation for spoiling his hat, sent 
 him, soon afterwards, as a present, a complete 
 suit of clothes. 
 
 In the campaign of 1779, which terminated 
 the career of General Putnam s services, he 
 commanded the Maryland line, posted at But 
 ter-Milk falls, about two miles below West- 
 Point. He was happy in possessing the friend 
 ship of the officers of that line, and in living on 
 terms of hospitality with them. Indeed, there 
 was no family in the army that lived better 
 than his own. The General, his second son 
 Major Daniel Putnam, and the writer of these 
 memoirs, composed that family. This cam 
 paign, principally spent in strengthening the 
 works of West-Point, was only signalized for 
 the storm of Stony-Point by the light-infantry 
 under the conduct of General W T ayne, arid the 
 surprise of the post of Powles-Hodk by the 
 corps under the command of Colonel Henry 
 Lee. When the army quitted the field, and 
 marched to Morris-Town, into winter-quarters, 
 General Putnam s family went into Connecti 
 cut for a few weeks. In December the Gene 
 ral began his journey to Morris-Town. Up 
 on the road between Pomfret and Hartford, 
 
 and the whole were the next day sent, under the escort of an offi 
 cer s guxrd, to the British linrs tor exchange. It was for the hu- 
 m;<iiit) and kindness of Putnum to the vouiided prisoners, that. 
 Governor Tryon cunanluaeiUeU him with tb * suit ot clothes. * 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 161 
 
 he felt an unusual torpor slowly pervading his 
 right hand and foot. This heaviness crept 
 gradually on, until it had deprived him of 
 tiie use of his limbs on that side, in a consid 
 erable degree, before he reached the house of 
 his friend Colonel Wadsworth. Slil! he was 
 unwilling to consider his disorder of the para 
 lytic kind, and endeavoured to shake it oil by 
 exertion. Having found that impossible, a 
 temporary dejection, disguised, however, un 
 der a veil of assumed cheerfulness, succeeded. 
 But reason, philosophy, and religion, soon re 
 conciled him to his fat. . In that situation he 
 has constantly remained, favoured with such 
 a portion of bodily activity as enables him to 
 walk and to ride moderately ; and retaining, 
 unimpaired, his relish for enjoyment, his love 
 of pleasantry, his strength of memory, and all 
 the faculties of his mind. As a proof that 
 the powers of memory are not weakened, it 
 ought to be observed, that he has lately re 
 peated, from recollection, all the adventures 
 of his life, which are here recorded, and which 
 had formerly been communicated to the com 
 piler in detached conversations. 
 
 In patient, yet fearless expectation of the 
 approach of THE KING OF TERRORS, whom he 
 hath full often faced in the field of blood, the 
 Christian hero now enjoys, in domestic retire 
 ment, the fruit of his early industry. Having 
 in youth provided a competent subsistence for 
 old age, he was secured from the danger of 
 
162 LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 penury and distress, to which so many officers 
 and soldiers, worn out in the public service, 
 have been reduced. To illustrate his merits 
 the more fully, this Essay will be concluded 
 with a copy of the last letter written to him, 
 by General Washington, in his military char 
 acter. 
 
 44 Head-Quarters, 2d June, 1783. 
 
 " DEAR SIR, 
 
 " Your favour of the 20th of May I receiv 
 ed 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 
 in the various and trying vicissitudes of a 
 complicated contest, the name of a PUTNAM is 
 not forgotten ; nor will 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 pre 
 servation and establishment of the Rights, 
 Liberties, and Independence of our Country. 
 
 " Your congratulations on the happy pro 
 spects of peace and independent security, 
 with their attendant blessings to the UNITED 
 STATES, I receive with great satisfaction ; and 
 beg that you will accept a return of my gratu- 
 lations to you on this auspicious event an 
 
LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 163 
 
 event, in which, great as it is in itself, and glo 
 rious 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. 
 
 " 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 labours, 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 bodi 
 ly strength, and expended the vigour of a 
 youthful constitution. I wish, however, that 
 your expectations of returning liberality may 
 be verified. I have a hope they may but 
 should they not, your case will not be a sin 
 gular one. Ingratitude has been experienced in 
 all ages, and REPUBLICS, in particular, have ev 
 er been famed for the exercise of that unnatural 
 and SORDID VICE. 
 
 " The SECRETARY AT WAR, who is now 
 here, informs me that you have ever been 
 considered as entitled to full pay since your 
 absence from the field, and that you will still 
 be considered in that light until the close of 
 the war; at which period you will be equally 
 entitled to the same emoluments of half-pay 
 or commutation as other officers of your rank. 
 The same opinion is also given by the Pay- 
 Master-General, who is now with the army, 
 empowered by Mr. Morris for the settlement 
 
164 LIFE OF GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 of all their accounts, and who will attend to 
 jour s whenever you shall think proper to 
 send on ior the purpose, which it will proba 
 bly be best for you to do in a short time. 
 
 4 - 1 anticipate, with pleasure, the day, and 
 that, I trust, not far off, when I shall quit the 
 busy scenes of a military employment, arid re 
 tire to the more tranquil walks of domestic 
 life. In that, or whatever other situation 
 Providence may dispose of my future ciavs, 
 
 THE REMEMBRANCE OF THE MANY FRIENDSHIPS 
 AND CONNECTIONS I HAVE HAD THE HAPPINESS 
 TO CONTRACT W r ITH THE GENTLEMEN OF THE 
 ARMY, WILL BE ONE OF MY MOST GRATEFUL 
 
 REFLECTIONS. Under this contemplation, and 
 impressed with the sentiments of benevolence and 
 regard, 1 commend you. my dtar Sir, my other 
 friends, and wtth them, the interests and happi 
 ness of our dear country, to the KEEPING AND 
 
 PROTECTION OF ALMIGHTY GoD. 
 
 " I have the honour to be, &c. 
 
 " GEORGE WASHINGTON. 
 
 To the Honourable 
 
 " Major-General PUTNAM. 
 
LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 165 
 
 THE remainder of the life of General Put 
 nam was passed in quiet retirement with his 
 family. He experienced few interruptions in 
 his bodily health, (except the paralytic debili 
 ty with which he was afflicted) retained full 
 possession of his mental faculties, and en 
 joyed the society of his friends until the 17th 
 of May, 1790, when he was violently attack 
 ed with an inflammatory disease. Satisfied 
 from the first that it would prove mortal, he 
 "was calm and resigned, and welcomed the ap 
 proach of death with joy, as a messenger sent 
 to call him from a life of toil to everlasting rest. 
 On the 19th of May, 1790, he ended a life 
 which had been spent in cultivating and de 
 fending the soil of his birth. 
 
 Much of his life had been spent in arms, 
 and the military of the neighbourhood were 
 desirous that the rites of sepulture should be 
 accompanied with martial honours : they felt 
 that this last tribute of respect was due to a 
 soldier, who, from a patriotic love of country, 
 bad devoted the best part of his life to the de 
 fence of her rights, and the establishment of 
 her independence and who, through long 
 and trying services, was never once reproach 
 ed for misconduct as an officer ; but when 
 disease compelled him to retire from service, 
 left it, beloved and respected by the army and 
 his chief, and with high claims to the grateful 
 remembrance of his country. 
 15 
 
J 66 LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 Under these impressions, the grenadiers of 
 the llth regiment, the Independent corps of 
 artillerists, and the militia companies in the 
 neighbourhood, assembled each at their ap 
 pointed rendezvous, early on the morning of 
 the 21st, and having repaired to the late 
 dwelling house of the deceased, a suitable es 
 cort was formed, attended by a procession of 
 the Masonic brethren present, and a large 
 Concourse of respectable citizens, which moved 
 to the Congregational meeting house in Brook 
 lyn; and, after divine service performed by the 
 Rev. Dr. Whitney, all that was earthly of a 
 patriot and hero was laid in the silent tomb, 
 under the discharge of voliies from the infan 
 try, and minute guns from, the artillery. 
 
LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 167 
 
 The following eulogium was pronounced at the 
 grave of General Putnam by Dr. A. Waldo. 
 
 " Those venerable relics ! once delighted 
 in the endearing domestic virtues, which con 
 stitute the excellent neighbour husband 
 parent and worthy brother ! liberal and sub 
 stantial in his friendship; unsuspicious open 
 and generous; just and sincere in dealing; 
 a benevolent citizen of the world He concen 
 trated in his bosom, the noble qualities of an 
 HONEST MAN. 
 
 " Born a hero whom nature taught and 
 cherished in the lap of innumerable toils and 
 dangers, he was terrible in battle ! But, from 
 the amiableness of his heart when carnage 
 ceased, his humanity spread over the field, like 
 the refreshing zephyrs of a summer s evening ! 
 The prisoner the wounded the sick the 
 forlorn experienced the delicate sympathy of 
 this SOLDIER S PILLAR The poor, and the 
 needy, of every description, received the char 
 itable bounties of this CHRISTIAN SOLDIER. 
 
 " He pitied littleness loved goodness ad 
 mired greatness, and ever aspired to its glo 
 rious summit ! The friend, the servant, and 
 almost unparalleled lover of his country ; 
 worn with honourable age, and the former 
 toils of war PUTNAM ! * Rests from his la 
 bours. 
 
168 LIFE OP GENERAL PUTNAM. 
 
 " Till mouldering worlds and tumbling systems burst ! 
 When the last trump shall renovate his dust 
 Stil! by the mandate of eternal truth, 
 His soul Mill flourish in immortal youth ! " 
 
 " This all who knew him know; this alJ 
 who lov d him, tell." 
 
Jlie late Rev. Dr. Dwight, President of Yale College, 
 Wi <> knew General Putnam intimately, has portray 
 ed nis character faithfully in the following inscrip 
 tion, wiiich is engraven on his tomb. 
 
 Sacred be this Monument 
 to the memory 
 
 of 
 
 ISRAEL PUTNAM, ENQUIRE, 
 senior Major General in the armies 
 
 of 
 the United States of America ; 
 
 who 
 
 was born at Salem, 
 
 in the Province of Massachusetts, 
 
 on the ?tii day of January, 
 
 A. D. 1718, 
 
 and died 
 
 on 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 
 igthe 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 nonesty was proverbial ; 
 
 who 
 
 raised himself to universal esteem, 
 
 and offices of eminent distinction, 
 
 by personal worth 
 
 and a 
 useful life. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
v^vvvvvvvvvvvvvv-vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv-v^ 
 
 HISTORICAL AND TOPOGRAPHICAL 
 
 SKETCH 
 
 OF 
 
 H&TT1VE 
 
 8. 
 
DISTRICT OP MASSACHUSETTS, TO 
 
 District Clerk s Office. 
 
 BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the ninth day of September, 
 A. D 1818, and in the forty -third year of the Independence of the 
 United States of America, Samuel Svett of the said district has 
 deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereof he 
 claims as author, in the words following, to wit . 
 
 Historical and topographical Sketch of Bunker Hill Battle, with 
 a Plan. By S. Swett. 
 
 In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, 
 entitled, " An Act for the encouragement of learning by securing 
 the copies of maps, charts and books, to the authors and proprie 
 tors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned : and also 
 to an Act entitled, "An Act supplementary to an Act, entitled, 
 An Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies 
 of maps, charts and books, to the authors and proprietors of such 
 copies, during the times therein mentioned ; and extending the 
 benefits thereof tq the arts of designing, engraving and etching his 
 torical and other prints." 
 
 JOHN W. DAVIS, 
 Glerk of the District of Massachusetts. 
 
THE writer of the following has no ambi 
 tion or pretensions to be an author, but from 
 his attention to military subjects, consented to 
 describe a battle, one of the most glorious and 
 important ever fought in America, and to ren 
 der his feeble contribution to the monument 
 of fame which history yet owes our ancestors. 
 The materials lay scattered among newspa 
 pers, magazines, records and files of Congress, 
 the scattered surviving veterans of the day, 
 and others. He was compelled by circum 
 stances to commence his researches in July, and 
 finish his sketch in August ; but he remind 
 ed himself that our fathers fought for us in the 
 same oppressive season, and spared no effort 
 to render the work complete. Not a single 
 fact is stated of which he has not the most sat 
 isfactory evidence. That the public however 
 may judge for themselves, he has deposited 
 his documents and proofs for their use at the 
 Boston Athaeneum. 
 

PRELIMINARY CHAPTER. 
 
 WARD, Pomeroy, Thomas, Heath and 
 Whitcomb were appointed by the Provincial 
 Congress of Massachusetts general officers 
 over the militia. These troops having de 
 feated the British at Lexington, and driven 
 them into Boston, could no longer be retained 
 in quarters. 
 
 But five days after the battle, General 
 Ward writes Congress that unless enlisting 
 orders be immediately furnished him, he sliall 
 be left entirely alone. The -day- be fore, how 
 ever, that body resolved, that an army of 
 thirty thousand was necessary, that Mas 
 sachusetts would raise thirteen thousand six 
 hundred, and that the other New England 
 States should have notice given them, and 
 be requested to furnish their respective 
 proportions But the battle of Lexington was 
 a beacon fire to the neighbouring states. The 
 hardy yeomen, whom rage supplied with 
 arms, did not wait to be summoned by the 
 16 
 
178 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 tardy process of legislation ; they seized their 
 hunting pieces, and fl^w to join their brethren 
 at the scene of danger. 
 
 The Committee of Safety, elected anew by 
 Congress at every session, Wf-re the real 
 executive of Massachusetts. The members 
 were now John Hancock and Benjamin 
 Greenleaf, who never took their seats, John 
 Pigeon and Enoch Freeman, seldom present, 
 and Joseph Warren, chairman, Benjamin 
 Church, Benjamin White, Joseph Palmeri 
 Abraham Watson, Samuel Holten, Azor Orne, 
 Nathan Cushing and Richard Devens. They 
 were empowered generally to watch over the 
 safety of the commonwealth, and advise Con- 
 
 fress of such measures as they thought bene- 
 cial, and expressly commissioned : 
 
 "To assemble such and so many of the 
 " Militia and them to dispose and place where 
 " and detain so long as said Committee shall 
 "judge necessary, and discharge said Militia 
 u when the safety of the Colony will admit. 
 "And the officers of the said Militia are en- 
 "joyned to obey the orders and directions of 
 " said Committee of Safety. And also to direct 
 " the army of this Colon) to be stationed where 
 "said Committee of Safety shall judge most 
 "conducive to the defence and service of this 
 " Colony, and the general and other officers of 
 " the army are requested to render strict obe- 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 179 
 
 44 dience to such orders of said Committee ; but 
 "Congress have power to control any order of 
 " the Committee of Safety. Also to nominate 
 " persons to Congress to he commissioned offi- 
 "cers in the army and to give enlisting orders 
 44 to such persons as they think proper. And 
 44 if any officers be ready to be commissioned 
 " agreeable to the resolve of this Congress 
 44 during the recess of the same the Committee 
 "shall till up and deliver to them commissions 
 " to be furnished said Committee in blank for 
 44 that purpose." 
 
 This committee distributed beating or en 
 listing orders throughout the state to those 
 whom they thought qualified to raise recruits. 
 The number of a company was reduced from 
 one hundred to fifty-nine ; and he who could 
 enlist this number was entitled to a captain s 
 commission, and one who procured ten cap 
 tains with companies to serve under him com 
 manded the regiment. The Congress of Mas 
 sachusetts issued an eloquent address to the 
 people, which would do honor to any legisla 
 ture on earth. The recruits came in with 
 spirit, and by the middle of June the New 
 England army of citizen soldiers enlisted for 
 a few months amounted to about fifteen thou 
 sand troops. 
 
 About ten thousand of these were of Mas 
 sachusetts; animated with the same love of 
 
1 80 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 liberty which inspired the whole, they were 
 most confident in the rectitude of their cause, 
 in which they were thoroughly instructed by 
 James Otis, who led the forlorn hope of tiie 
 revolution, John Adams, Quincy, Hancock, 
 Samuel Adams, and other enlightened pa 
 triots. And they were fighting battles more 
 peculiarly their own, in defence of their wives, 
 children and homes. But the more animating 
 consideration to them as soldiers, was the 
 chivalrous reputation of their ancestors and 
 themselves, who had been in constant battle 
 and constant victory against their formidable 
 savage foe, and had more recently proved at 
 Nova Scotia and Louisbourgh that they were 
 equally formidable against the civilized troops 
 of Europe. 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 181 
 
 
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182 BUNKER HILL BATTLE* 
 
 
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BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 183 
 
 The regiment of artillery was organized 
 under Colonel Richard Gridlej, Lieutenant 
 Colonel William Burbeck, Majors David Ma 
 son and Scarborough Gridley, and ten cap 
 tains, with one six, two brass four, and six 
 iron three pound cannon. 
 
 Rhode Island had sent a regiment to Mas 
 sachusetts imbued with the determined spirit 
 of civil and religious liberty, which the founder 
 of their state maintained through every peril. 
 Colonel Green* was their commander, one of 
 the most promising heroes of the revolution. 
 The elements of a soldier were so mixed in 
 him, that the wise already foresaw his elevat 
 ed rank among warriors the most distinguish 
 ed. Under him were Lieutenant Colonel Oiny 
 and Major Boxan, experienced English sol 
 diers. Two field pieces were attached to the 
 corps. * 
 
 The hardy yeomanry of New Hampshire, 
 betieaih whose ponderous strokes the formid 
 able forests and the savages who inhabited 
 them had been levelled with the ground, who 
 had been used to little control but what the 
 God ot Nature imposed, were moved with in 
 dignation at approaching tyranny. They 
 flocked as volunteers to the neighbourhood of 
 
 * The accomplished scholar, Jud^e Johnson, is 
 esenting the public a biography ol this hero. 
 
 abou* 
 presei 
 
184 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 Boston, and chose Colonel Stark, Lieutenant 
 Colonel YVymau and Major M k Clary their 
 leaders. 
 
 Their colonel was worthy to command this 
 formidable band ; he had been a distinguished 
 captain of Provincial Rangers received into 
 the service of the crown, was at Quebec 
 under Geneial Wolfe, and enjoyed half pay 
 as a British officer, an offering he made with 
 other sacrifices for the good of his country. 
 
 Their major also was a favourite officer. 
 Six feet and a half hi height, with a Hercu 
 lean form in perfect proportions, a voice like 
 Stentorand strength of Ajax ; ever unequalled 
 in athletic exercises, and unsubdued in single 
 combat, whole bodies of men had been over 
 come by him, and he seemed totally uncon 
 scious that he was not equally unconquerable 
 at the cannon s mouth. His mind and char 
 acter were of the same grand and energetic 
 cast with his person; and though deficient in 
 the advantages of finished education, he had 
 been a member of the state legislature, and 
 his mercantile concerns were extensive. 
 
 These troops were followed by another 
 regiment from New Hampshire, which arrived 
 on the fifteenth of June, under Colonel Reed, 
 Lieutenant Colonel Oilman and Major Hale. 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 185 
 
 Connecticut, essentially and undeviatingly 
 republican, was behind none of the provinces 
 in her determined hostility to the usurpation 
 and encroachments of the throne. To her 
 autipathj to royally the proscribed judges of 
 Charles the first had owed their inviolable 
 asylum in her territory. Religious as well as 
 civil liberty was in jeopardy, and the former 
 with her was paramount to all earthly con 
 siderations. In her vocabulary the British 
 troops were the Philistines, and Putnam, the 
 American Samson, a chosen instrument to de 
 feat the foe ; and fortunately she inspired her 
 own confidence into all her sister states. 
 
 With their usual sagacity however these 
 troops, notwithstanding a confident reliance 
 on supernatural aid, did not neglect all human 
 means to secure it. Their state government, 
 constitution, and establishments continued un 
 changed. Their troops were better armed, 
 better disciplined and provisioned than any 
 troops in the New England army. 
 
 On the first news of the battle of Lexing 
 ton, Putnam mounted his horse, rode in a 
 single day one hundred miles, arrived at 
 Cambridge, and attended a council of war on 
 the 2ist of April, when t:io parole was Put 
 nam.* His troops soon followed him. Storrs 
 
 * Orderly Book. 
 
186 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 was lieutenant colonel, and Durkee, who 
 had served with him through the whole war 
 of 1756, with distinguished reputation, was 
 major of his regiment. Brigadier General 
 Spencer, Lieutenant Colonel Willis and Major 
 Mayo,Colonel Waterbury and Colonel Parsons 
 came also with the Connecticut troops, in all 
 about three thousand. Captain Coit next to 
 M Clary in stature and intrepidity commanded 
 an independent company of hardy New 
 London tars, and Chester another indepen 
 dent company from Weathersrield, the elite 
 corps of the army. As such it was selected to 
 escort General Putnam and Joseph Warren, 
 the President of Congress, to Cnarlestown, 
 on the exchange of prisoners with the British. 
 
 The scene of their meeting was hallowed 
 by the flag of truce which waved over it,* 
 and was sacred to the rites of hospitality and 
 friendship. The officers on both sides were 
 personal friends, though arrayed against each 
 other in public hostility. Between Putnam 
 and the British officers, especially, these ties 
 had been cemented by the mutual perils and 
 intimate associations of the camp, during the 
 long war of 1756, and their present opposition 
 served only to make their affection glow with 
 a more genial warmth. These rugged sons 
 f Mars, from the impulse of feeling, rushed 
 
 * Newspapers and oral testimony; 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 18? 
 
 into each others arms. Bravery proved its 
 natural alliance with the finest feelings of the 
 human heart. The fell spirit of civil war was 
 softened. 
 
 The whole army was under the command 
 of Artemas Ward, commissioned by the Pro 
 vincial Congress, on the 2ist of May, general 
 and commander in chief of the Massachusetts 
 forces. His general orders were copied and 
 obeyed by the forces of all the other prov 
 inces in Massachusetts, indiscriminately, and 
 the officers of all of them were ordered on 
 courts martial, arid detailed for the usual rou 
 tine of duty without any distinction whatever.* 
 Congress also resolved, on the 23d of May, 
 that a lieutenant general, two major gene 
 rals, four brigadier generals, two adjutant 
 and two quarter master generals should be 
 appointed. 
 
 General Ward was a gentleman of liberal 
 education, vigorous understanding and distin 
 guished probity. He had been a member of 
 the council, speaker of the assembly, and 
 chief justice of one of the courts in Massa 
 chusetts. He professed the rigid tenets of 
 New England religion, and his rank and char 
 acter commanded an extensive influence in 
 the country. JHe had also served with reputa- 
 
 * Orderly Book?. 
 
188 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 tion in the war of 175b, was a lieutenant col 
 onel at the storming of Ticonderoga, under 
 General A.bercrombie, and soon after com 
 manded the regiment. He had also been a 
 colonel in tho militia, an office fiom which 
 Governor Hutchinson relieved him on account 
 of his being too true a patriot. 
 
 General Thomas received the appointment 
 of lieutenant general which he accepted on 
 the 27th of May. His superior talents, culti 
 vated by a liberal education, his gallantry, 
 activity and vigilance as a soldier, purity as a 
 patriot, and honor as a man commanded the 
 entire confidence of all who knew him. He 
 had served in the former war with reputation, 
 and had already distinguished himself in this. 
 Being in command at Roxbury with a feeble 
 force, General Gage had determined to drive 
 him from that important post. But his vigi 
 lance detected the design, and by a ruse dc 
 guerre he defeated it. 
 
 On the day fixed for the attack, all liis 
 troops were paraded, marching thrm roi nd 
 the hill on which he was encamped, in \iew 
 of Boston, and returning those in front by a 
 short rout again to the rear, they wore the 
 appearance of a long column ol troops. Being 
 without uniform the deception was perfect, 
 and General Gage, alarmed v\ith the show of 
 force, relinquished the enterprise. 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 189 
 
 The veteran General Pomeroy of North 
 ampton continued with the new levied troops 
 under his old eoramission, not having yet re 
 ceived a new appointment, and assisted in or 
 ganizing the army. He was a hardy, intrepid, 
 adventurous soldier, a keen and celebrated 
 hunter, an honest, open hearted man. He 
 had acquired a distinguished reputation in the 
 war of 1756, when military fame was the re 
 ward of individual prowess arid private enter 
 prise, and left the service a laurelled captain 
 of Provincials. He commanded a company 
 under Sir William Johnson in the celebrated 
 engagement when the French and Indians, 
 under the Baron Dieskau, were defeated. To 
 our captain the honor of having slain the 
 baron was awarded over rival claims, and the 
 baron s watch was bestowed on him as a 
 trophy to be transmitted with his fame to 
 posterity.* He was in fact the natural mili 
 tary chieftain of his neighbourhood, and may 
 well be styled the Putnam of Connecticut 
 River. 
 
 General Whitcomb bore a close resem 
 blance in his history and character to General 
 Pomeroy. He appeared with the militia at 
 Lexington battle, but was too advanced in 
 years for active service. He received the ap- 
 
 * It is yet retained in his family. 
 17 
 
190 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 pointment of major general in the new army 
 on the 12th of June. 
 
 On the 14th of June, Joseph Warren was 
 elected a major general of Massachusetts. 
 In his character the heroism of antiquity com 
 bined with the romantic chivalry of the middle 
 ages. An accomplished scholar : gifted with 
 genius the most distinguished, his mind was 
 stored with the treasures of classic erudition. 
 As an orator a model ; elegant and impres 
 sive, ardent and irresistible ; twice selected to 
 address his fellow citizens, the thunder of his 
 eloquence severed the adamantine chain by 
 which nature bound them to the mother 
 country. As a patriot, pure and without re 
 proach, his favorite maxim was " Decus et 
 decorum est pro patria mori," and from pre 
 sentiment he foresaw that this motto would 
 one day be recorded in the life s blood of a 
 heart as noble as ever panted after immor 
 tality. A physician the most eminent, his 
 superb character soared far beyond the nar 
 row limits of his profession. In person hand 
 some, in manners elegant and accomplished, 
 he was the favorite of the drawing room, and 
 qualified to shine in the highest circles of 
 fashion. But the cause of liberty, of his coun 
 try and mankind summoned him to a destiny 
 by far more exalted. Chairman of the Com 
 mittee of Safety, and President of the Provin 
 cial Congress, he remembered that in the 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 191 
 
 simplicity of ancient republics, legislators the 
 most distinguished were also warriors the 
 most devoted. He accompanied General Put 
 nam as a volunteer to one of the islands, 
 where in a warm engagement the enemy were 
 defeated and a vessel destroyed ; and his head 
 had been grazed by a ball from the enemy at 
 the battle of Lexington. 
 
 General Ward s quarters were at Cam 
 bridge, with about eight thousand Massachu 
 setts troops, and one thousand from Connecti 
 cut. The latter, with Sargent s Massachusetts 
 regiment, were under the immediate command 
 of General Putnam, in a central and advanced 
 position near Inman s farm, where the enemy 
 landed previous to the battle of Lexington. 
 Here some slight breastworks were thrown 
 up. Another slight work was erected near 
 the Charlestown road, a mile and a half from 
 Cambridge, where Colonel Patterson s regi 
 ment was stationed. 
 
 Four companies of artillery with, and one 
 without field pieces, were also at Cambridge. 
 
 At Roxbury, Lieutenant General Thomas 
 commanded about two thousand Massachu 
 setts, two thousand Connecticut and one thou 
 sand Rhode Island troops, including an artik 
 lery company with field pieces. These com 
 posed the right wing of the army. 
 
192 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 At Medford about one thousand New 
 Hampshire troops under Colonels Stark and 
 Reed, formed the left wing of the army. 
 
 These troops were hardy, brave, active, 
 athletic and indefatigable. Almost every sol 
 dier equalled William Tell as a marksman, 
 and would aim his weapon at an oppressor 
 with as keen a relish. Those from the fron 
 tier had gained this address against the sava 
 ges and beasts of the forest. The country 
 yet abounded with game, and hunting was 
 familiar to all ; and the amusement the most 
 fashionable and universal throughout New 
 England, was trials of skill with the musket, 
 
 These troops were also religious, and their 
 respect for the opinions of the clergy was 
 unbounded. But the religion of their clergy 
 was republican in its nature; they had the 
 most lively antipathy to church establishments, 
 and dread of royal oppression. To avoid the 
 expense of chaplains to the army, the clergy 
 in the neighbourhood of the camp were in 
 vited by Congress to perform divine service, 
 thirteen of them, every Sabbath; a duty they 
 discharged with zeal and punctuality. 
 
 The confidence of the army in their officers 
 was as complete, as it appears from the char 
 acters of those described to have been richly 
 merited. But beside these superior ofliceri* 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 193 
 
 many of the field and commissioned officers 
 arid privates had served iii the army in (he 
 war of 17 15 or of 1756, and had there reaped 
 Weil deserved laurels. 
 
 Their confidence was at present elevated 
 to an excess by the recent and astonishing 
 conquests which their arms had accomplished. 
 Beside the victory at Lexington, and success 
 ful skirmishes in the neighbourhood of Boston, 
 they had just learned, that Arnold, who had 
 received a colonel s commission and troops 
 from the Committee of Safety of Massachu 
 setts, had, in alliance with other New England 
 forces, achieved the important acquisition of 
 Crown Point and Ticonderoga. These troops 
 were also sensible that they were fighting in 
 their own cause, and were exalted into heroes 
 by a glorious, enthusiastic love of liberty, a 
 maddening, indignant sense of oppression. 
 This indignation burned with new fury from 
 a recent proclamation of Governor Gage, de 
 nouncing them all as rebels, and especially the 
 proscribed patriots, Hancock and Adams, their 
 abettors, adherents and associates. 
 
 Excepting these characteristics, however, 
 they were deficient in almost every important 
 requisite of an army. They were wretchedly 
 defective in arms, and the bayonet was al 
 most universally wanting. They were entirely 
 strangers to discipline and almost to subordi- 
 
 17* 
 
194 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 nation. They were nominally organized info 
 regiments, but these were deficient in num 
 bers, many of them only skeletons, and their 
 respective ranks were not ascertained. Some 
 of these troops were yet serving as minute 
 men, and a number of regiments had not re 
 ceived their commissions. Tents were not 
 provided. The commissariat and quarter 
 master s department and staff were yet unor 
 ganized. The several towns sent provisions 
 to their troops with profusion, but with ir 
 regularity and waste. 
 
 Colonel Gridley was appointed chief, and 
 William Burbeck second engineer, but the 
 latter was attached to the ordnance depart 
 ment, and Colonel Gridley had no engineers 
 under him. It was impossible for him to sup 
 ply this defect, and he was himself almost 
 too advanced in years for service. But if 
 military science, skill and experience could 
 have overcome these difficulties, there was 
 not an officer in America more capable of 
 accomplishing it than Colonel Gridley. 
 
 Richard Gridley, brother of J. Gridley, in 
 his day " the giant of the law," was born in 
 Boston, 1711. Uncommon genius, improved 
 by superior education, prepared him for an 
 elevated standing. Most apt and learned in 
 every branch of mathematics, of romantic 
 honor, chivalrous ambition, and adventurous 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 195 
 
 bravery, nature made him a soldier; and it 
 was found impossible lor art to make him a 
 merchant. The attempt was relinquished, 
 and, like the two principal heroes of the 
 American revolution, Washington and Greene, 
 he employed himself as a practical surveyor 
 and civil engineer. 
 
 After the decease of his brother who held 
 the office he was elected Grand Master of the 
 fraternity of Masons. 
 
 Military science he studied with enthusiasm 
 and acquired with facility, and in 1745 he 
 commenced his military career. 
 
 Massachusetts raised an army of three 
 thousand two hundred men, New Hampshire 
 added three and Connecticut five hundred, to 
 conquer the Island of Cape Breton. In this 
 army he received the appointment of engineer 
 and commander of the artillery. Under the 
 instruction of Bastide, a most distinguished 
 engineer, he became at once an adept in his 
 profession, and acquired like Archimedes dis 
 tinguished celebrity in the war of sieges. 
 With scientific accuracy he pointed the mortar 
 which on the third fire threw a bomb into the 
 citadel, one grand cause of the subsequent 
 surrender of Louisbourg and conquest of 
 Cape Breton. 
 
196 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 He was rewarded by a captaincy in Gov 
 ernor Shirley s American regiment on the 
 British establishment. The peace left him 
 on half pay, and in 1752 he attended the 
 governor to the Kennebeck, and erected fort* 
 Western and Halifax. 
 
 Tn 1755 he again entered the service as 
 chief engineer and colonel of infantry. In 1756 
 he was commander of the provincial artille 
 ry under General Winslow in the expedition 
 against Crown Point, and proceeded to Lake 
 George, where he erected fortifications. In 
 1757 he sailed for Halifax intended for Lou- 
 isbourg, but the expedition was ai rested by 
 the French fleet. In 1758 he revisited his 
 earliest field of glory, and was at the second 
 taking of Louisbourg under General Ain- 
 herst. He had the superintendance of the 
 ordnance stores, and was so distinguished in 
 the siege, as were all the New Ei. gland 
 troops, that the general tendered him the 
 whole valuable furniture of the governor s 
 house, a present which he with chivalrous 
 delicacy declined. 
 
 In 1759 General Amherst conferred qp him 
 the distinguished honor of commanding the 
 artillery under the immortal Wolfe at the 
 ?iege of Quebec. 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 197 
 
 General Arnherst found it impossible to 
 join the expedition against Quebec as he in 
 tended ; notwithstanding which the audacious 
 commander, seconded by the heroic Gridley 
 and his other officers, determined to achieve 
 the conquest alone. He landed his army in 
 the night under the heights of Abraham, 
 mounted the precipice, and won the glorious 
 battle, in which Gridley proved himself wor 
 thy to fight by his side. 
 
 His country acknowledged his services and 
 rewarded them. The Magdalen islands with 
 an extensive seal and cod fishery, arid half pay 
 as a British officer, were conferred on him. 
 
 At the commencement of the American re 
 volution his British agent, by order of govern 
 ment, enquired to what party he devoted his 
 services. His magnanimous answer was, u he 
 " never drew his sword hut in the cause of jus- 
 " tice, and such he considered to be his coun- 
 " try s." His half pay ceased, and the arrears 
 already due he had too much spirit to receive. 
 
 The British army in Boston, at the time of 
 Lexington battle, were about four thousand 
 troops under General Gage, the governor of 
 Massachusetts. He had served with eclat 
 both in America and Europe, had married an 
 American lady, was popular in the country, 
 and disposed to moderate expedients, until he 
 
198 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 sacrificed his own judgment to the advice of 
 violent partizans. 
 
 By the last of May large reinforcements ar 
 rived, and the whole consisted of the following 
 regiments; the fourth, fifth, tenth, fourteenth, 
 three companies of the eighteenth, twenty 
 third, thirty fifth, thirty eighth, forty third, 
 forty seventh, fifty second, fifty ninth, sixty 
 third, two companies of the sixty fifth, and 
 the sixty seventh. These amounted to about 
 ten thousand troops under Generals Gage, 
 Howe, Clinton, Burgoyne, Pigot, Grant and 
 Robinson, Lords Percy and Rawdon, Colonels 
 Abercrombie, Williams and others, the most 
 distinguished officers and choicest troops of 
 the British empire. 
 
 The fifty second, the royal Irish and the 
 twenty third or Welsh fusileers, had been the 
 most signalized. This last was the Prince of 
 Wales regiment in elegant uniform with a 
 strong national spirit and esprit de corps.* 
 There was also *a squadron of cavalry, for 
 whose use a house of God was unwisely and 
 sacrilegiously assumed. 
 
 * From a tradition that a former Prince of Wales had 
 ridden from his principality into England on a goat ; a 
 very large one, with gilded horns, was always maintain 
 ed by the corps, and they celebrated the anniversary of 
 the feat by a procession, rejoicing and exultation; 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 199 
 
 The light infantry of the regiments were 
 encamped on the heights of West Boston, 
 facing Cambridge ; a very strong battery for 
 cannon and mortars was erected on Copps 
 Hill, facing Charlestown, and very strong 
 lines and batteries were formed across the 
 neck on the side of Roxbury. 
 
 The British were equally sanguine, and as 
 confident of success as their enemy, for whom, 
 as soldiers, they entertained a sovereign con 
 tempt This opinion was nourished by their 
 officers who had served with those of the Pro 
 vincials, when they were degraded below the 
 British officers of similar commissions, and the 
 generals were aliowed no rank with those of 
 the mother country. They were confirmed 
 in the same opinion from the ordinary arms 
 and the uncouth dress of the American troops, 
 which they had worn unchanged from the 
 plough or the workshop, and the want of dis 
 cipline and subordination which signalized 
 their camp. 
 
 They were also enthusiastic admirers of 
 their government and constitution. They 
 held the king and parliament in religious vene 
 ration, and considered them as omnipotent on 
 earth as Deity in heaven. They looked up 
 on the Americans as foul, ungrateful and un 
 natural rebels, and burned with indignation to 
 inflict on them exemplary punishment. 
 
200 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 Their narrow quarters galled their pride ; 
 Burgoyne declared they would have elbow 
 room, and General Gage proclaimed his mor 
 tification u that the Americans affected to 
 hold the British army besieged." Notwith 
 standing the superior and increasing numbers 
 of the foe, they determined to leave the town, 
 and take Charlestown and Dorchester heights. 
 The busy preparation had commenced to 
 possess themselves of the latter on the eight 
 eenth day of June, but the Americans before 
 that provided other occupation for their arms. 
 
 The Americans were impatient to be led 
 against the enemy. They were unable to 
 appreciate the necessity of discipline, or to 
 understand the unorganized situation of every 
 department of the army; but the hardships 
 and expense of service they sorely realized. 
 Many of the officers were favourable to the 
 wishes of the men. They had been used to 
 the loose service of rangers, and could not 
 weigh the requisitions of a regular army. 
 
 General Putnam, Colonel Prescott, and 
 other veterans, demanded that advantage 
 should be taken of this disposition of the men, 
 and their wishes gratified. The utility of the 
 frequent and successful skirmises they had al 
 ready engaged in was immense. They prom 
 ised themselves still higher advantage from an 
 affair more important, but short of a general 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 201 
 
 They know th:d, conld the en 
 emy be induced to nigage a formidable de 
 tachment, i heir inferiority with the mi^ket 
 would make .them d(epl\ rue any advantage 
 they ini^-ht gain, \\iiii<; it would convert our 
 army into soldiers; and these beneficial re 
 sults would be doubled, could the Americans 
 be covered ny entrenchments. Putnam, to 
 show his correct estimation of his countrymen, 
 as raw troops, advanced his favorite maxim, 
 * the Americana are not at all afraid of their 
 " heads, though very much afraid of their 
 "legs; if you cover these they will fight for- 
 u ever." Before the Council of War, in con 
 tinual session, these arguments were under 
 consideration. 
 
 The same momentous question had been de 
 bated in the Committee of Safety. They re 
 ceived information, from their secret emissaries, 
 that the enemy intended to advance into the 
 country, and possess themselves of the very 
 commanding heights of Charlestown and 
 Dorchester. The necessity of anticipating 
 tbem in a project so fatal to America was 
 most solemnly urged for the purpose of pre 
 venting their advance into the country, des 
 troying their shipping, and making the town 
 itself too hot for tnem. 
 
 But this course was opposed by formidable, 
 and almost insuperable difficulties. The ar- 
 18 
 
202 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 my seemed called on to maintain a rigid de 
 fence till they were better disciplined and 
 pn pared for battle; arid what was of vastly 
 more weight, they had not gunpowder. 
 There were eleven barrels only in the public 
 depots, and but sixty seven in Massachusetts. 
 Tiit-se heights completely overlooked the 
 town, and it was impohsible for the enemy to 
 suifer the Americans to keep them without 
 the most desperate efforts, and a general en- 
 gai^ernent. This and the cannonade we should 
 be necessitated to support, to answer that of 
 the enemy, (for if omitted it would betray our 
 secret impotency as to powder) were entirely 
 beyond our means. General Porneroy, how 
 ever, took council of his courage, and with 
 unbounded confidence in the skill of his coun 
 trymen " would fight the enemy with but five 
 " cartridges a piece. He himself was practised 
 " in hunting, and always brought home two, 
 " and sometimes three deer, with but three 
 " charges of powder. But the men had gcn- 
 " erally supplied themselves with powder as 
 " militia, and the public could easily make good 
 " the deficiency." 
 
 General Putnam, to encourage discipline 
 and emulation, and brave the enemy, marched 
 in face of them with all the troops from Cam 
 bridge to Charlestown, about the I Oth day of 
 June. And about the same time, to support 
 the policy of engaging the enemy in an affair, 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 203* 
 
 he attentively reconnoitred the country with 
 Other officers. A position perfectly suited to 
 their purpose, and which does immortal honor 
 to their coup d ceil and military skill, they 
 found in the neWs of Charles town. They re- 
 paired to he place, and with minute accuracy 
 examined the position. 
 
 By the direction of General Ward, Colonel 
 Gridley and Colonel Henshaw, accompanied 
 by Mr. Devens, one of the Committee of Safe 
 ty from Charlestown, had examined this part 
 of the country in May, and reported in favor 
 of fortifying Prospect Hill first, Bunker Hill 
 next, and lastly Breed s Hill. 
 
 The settlement of Charlestown and the 
 fields are situated on a peninsula, with Charles 
 River on the south, and Mystic River on the 
 north. It is cloven hundred yards across from 
 north to south, and one mile forty three rods 
 in length from east to west, at which extremi 
 ty the two rivers approach each other, and 
 form a neck of land but one hundred and thir 
 ty yards over. Breed s Hill is long, the east 
 ern end rather steep, the western sinking 
 gradually ; the south side is very steep, and 
 at the bottom of it was Charlestown. It is 
 sixty two feet in height. The north is like 
 wise steep, and was protected at the bottom 
 by a deep impassable slough ; beyond this, 
 proceeding north, you cross a tongue of land 
 
204 BtriTCER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 twenty feet in height above Mystic River, the 
 shore of which terminate* it on the north side. 
 This tongue of land runs east to within two 
 hundred and fifty yards of Morton s Hill and 
 parallel with Breed s Hill. Morton b Hill lies 
 northeast from Breed s, and is thirty five feet 
 in height. The ground between the tongue 
 of land and Breed s Hill, and beyond the east 
 ern end of it and Morton s Hill was low and 
 marshy. On the driest parts of this lowland, 
 however, were a number of brick kilns. The 
 tongue of land at its western extremity termi 
 nates in Bunker Hill, which on this side has a 
 considerable slope, and on all its other sides is 
 exceedingly steep. It is one hundred and ten 
 feet high, bears northwest from Breed s, and 
 the summits of the two are distant from each 
 other one hundred and thirty rods. By Bun- 
 Jker Hill Breed s is completely commanded. 
 A narrow road ran from the neck over Bunker 
 Hill, between the tongue of land and Breed s 
 Hill, and entirely round Breed s Hill, ap 
 proaching very near its summit on the south. 
 
 Even the daring enterprise of Warren hesi 
 tated at the accumulated dangers and difficul 
 ties, apparently insurmountable, which oppos 
 ed our taking and maintaining possession of 
 the heights of Charlcstown. But the Council 
 of War and Committee of Safety, of which he 
 was chairman, and in which he opposed the 
 measure, adopted a different opinion, Like a 
 
BITNKER HILL BATTLE. 205 
 
 genuine patriot, his own opinion was forgot 
 ten, and he joined heart and hand with his 
 brethren to command success. 
 
 On the fifteenth of June, the Committee of 
 Safety passed the following votes : 
 
 u Whereas this Committee lately applied to 
 " the Honourable the Congress of this colony, 
 u for an augmentation of the army now in the 
 44 vicinity cf Boston, and as some circumstan- 
 44 ces have since taken place, which strengih- 
 44 ened the arguments then used in favor of the 
 44 said augmentation ; particularly that many 
 44 of the then expected reinforcements for Gen- 
 4t eral Gage s army are arrived ; that General 
 44 Gage has issued a very extraordinary pro- 
 " clamation, in which the inhabitants of Mas- 
 44 sachusetts are, in the most explicit manner, 
 44 declared rebels; and various accounts have 
 44 been brought to this Committee of the move- 
 44 merit of General Gage s army, and that he 
 44 intends soon to make another attempt to 
 44 penetrate into the country : From the con- 
 4 sideration of all which premises, together 
 44 with that of our army, Resolved, that the 
 14 good arid welfare of the colony requires that 
 44 there be an immediate augmentation of said 
 44 army, that such soldiers in the army as be 
 " destitute of arms be immediately supped 
 44 therewith, that such regiments of militia as 
 " be destitute of officers be immediately tilled 
 18* 
 
206 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 " up, in such manner as the Honourable Con- 
 " grcss may direct; and that all the militia ia 
 * 4 the colony be ordered to hold themselves in 
 44 readiness to march, on the shortest notice, 
 " completely equipped, having thirty rounds of 
 "cartridges per man; all which is earnestly 
 * 4 recommended to the immediate consideration 
 44 of the Honourable Congress, now sitting in 
 44 Watertown. To which the Committee would 
 44 beg leave to add a general recommendation 
 * to the people, to go to meeting armed on the 
 44 Lord s day, in order to prevent being thrown 
 44 into confusion." 
 
 On the same day they passed the following 
 rote, which, for secrecy, was not recorded un~ 
 till the 19th of June: 
 
 " Whereas it appears of importance to the 
 44 safety of this colony that possession of the 
 44 hill called Bunker Hill, in Charlestown, be 
 44 securely kept and defended, and also some 
 44 one hill or hills on Dorchester Neck be like- 
 44 wise secured, therefore resolved unanirnous- 
 " ly, that it be recommended to the Council of 
 54 War that the above mentioned Bunker Hill 
 44 be maintained by sufficient force being post- 
 54 ed there; and as the particular situation of 
 " Dorchester Neck is unknown to this Corn- 
 46 mittee, they advise that the Council of War 
 44 take and pursue such steps respecting the 
 <; same, as to them shall appear to be for the 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 207 
 
 " security of this colony." On the same day 
 it was ordered, u that Captain Benjamin 
 " White and Colonel Joseph Palmer be a 
 " committee to join with the committee from 
 " the Council of War, to proceed to the Rox- 
 u bury camp, there to consult with the genoral 
 " officers on matters of importance, and to 
 " communicate to them a resolve this day 
 " passed, in this Committee, respecting Bun- 
 " ker Hill in Charlestown, and Dorchester 
 " Neck." The Provincial Congress prepared 
 an eloquent and energetic answer to Governor 
 Gage s proclamation, to be issued on the 16th 
 of June, in which Governor Gage and Admi 
 ral Graves are excepted from the general am 
 nesty, to respond to the proscription of Han 
 cock and Adams; but this paper contest was 
 forgotten in the bloody battle which ensued. 
 
THE BATTLE, 
 
 ON the 16th of June, 1775. the approaching 
 dog star shed its influence over the American 
 camp. The earth was parched up; but the 
 patriotism of the soldiers was more powerful 
 than the sun, and their well strung nerves 
 were proof against its enervating influence. 
 
 With the advice of the Council of War, 
 General Ward issued orders to Colonel Wil 
 liam Prescott, to the commander of Colonel 
 F rye s regiment, and Colonel Bridge, to be 
 prepared for an expedition, with all their men 
 fit for service, and one day s provisions. The 
 same order issued for one hundred arid twenty 
 of General Putnam s regiment, and one com 
 pany of artillery with two field pieces. 
 
 With these troops Colonel Prescott was or 
 dered to proceed to Charlestowri in the even 
 ing, take possession of Bunker Hill, and erect 
 the requisite fortifications to defend it. .His 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 209 
 
 orders were to be kept profoundly secret. and 
 provisions and refreshments were to ho s .-nt 
 in the morning, with as many more troops as 
 should be necebsary to reinforce him. 
 
 Not an officer in the army could have been 
 selected more worthy the honor, or more ad 
 equate to the arduous undertaking than Col 
 onel Prescott. In this veteran, ago already 
 began to display its ravages : but the fire of 
 his youth was undamped. He was of Pepper- 
 ell. arid was early left in affluence bv the de 
 cease of his father. He soon received a com 
 mission in the provincial army, and, with ma 
 ny of his neighbourhood who enlisted, he 
 joined the forces under General Window* and 
 assisted in the conquest of Nova Scotia. His 
 military talents attracted instant admiration, 
 and he was urged by the British officers to 
 accept a commission in the royal army. At 
 tachment to his brave soldiers and country 
 men^ however, did not permit him to separate 
 himself from them, and he returned to his es 
 tate. The soldiers who had served under 
 him still considered him their head. Like 
 the chief of some feudal clan, he received them 
 all with open doors at his hospitable mansion. 
 In the habits he had acquired in camps his 
 property was expended for their relief, com 
 fort or entertainment, as freely as they were 
 ready on every occasion to shed their blood 
 for his honor, and under his command. 
 
21 6 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 His figure was tall and commanding, and his 
 countenance grave, ardent and impressive as 
 his character. With this presence, and his 
 lung and formidable sword, he needed no 
 uniform to distinguish him as a leader. In a 
 simple calico frock he headed the detachment 
 of about one thousand men, who left camp at 
 dark, and proceeded to Charlestown. Colonel 
 Prescott led the way, with two sergeants, hav 
 ing dark lanterns open only to the rear, about 
 six paces in front of the troops. 
 
 General Putnam having the general super- 
 intendance of the expedition, and the chief 
 engineer, Colonel Gndiey, accompanied the 
 troops. 
 
 Profound mystery hung over the object of 
 the expedition till they crossed Charlestown 
 Neck and found the waggons loaded with 
 intrenching tools. 
 
 The officers were hastening to order the 
 arms to be stacked, and fortifications com 
 menced, when a most serious confusion arose 
 as to the construction of their orders, and the 
 point t > be fortified. None of the hills ex 
 cept Bunker had yet heen distinguished by 
 name. And though this was the most com 
 manding and most defensible position, it was 
 too far from the enemy to annoy their army 
 and shipping. This hill Fcemed specified 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 211 
 
 nly by mistake, and Breed s Hill was far 
 bettor adapted to the important objects of the 
 expedition, and better suited the adventurous 
 spirit of the commanding officers. Their most 
 invaluable moments were wasted without 
 coming to a conclusion, though the wary and 
 scientific engineer again and again urged them 
 to determine at once on the ground, or it 
 would be impossible to complete the requisite 
 fortifications. 
 
 Breed s Hill was at length concluded on, and 
 Colonel Gridley immediately laid out the works 
 upon it with a genius and skill which would 
 have honored any engineer in the highest 
 advance of military science. The redoubt on 
 the summit of the hill was about eight rods 
 square. The strongest side, on front, in the 
 form of a redan, faced Charlestown, and pro 
 tected the south side of the hill. The eastern 
 side commanded a very extensive field, and 
 in a line with this, running north down the 
 side of the hill to the impassable slough, was 
 formed a breastwork, which, at the southern 
 extremity, was separated from the redoubt 
 by a narrow passage way or sally port, pro 
 tected in front by a blind. In the rear of the 
 redoubt was a passage or gate way opening 
 toward the slough. 
 
 The works marked out, tools were distrib 
 uted to the men ; but midnight arrived before 
 
212 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 the first snade entered ^he ground. These 
 brawny ye o men were literally, however, 
 working for t>i? : i.: lives as well as their liber 
 ties, and performed prodigies of labour. They 
 were instructed and stimulated by General 
 Putnam, Colonel Prescotu and other officers, 
 amonLC whom was Majoi Brooks, distinguish 
 ed by the well deserved confidence of the ar 
 my. Just entered on manhood he relinquish 
 ed a lucrative profession at the call of his 
 country. Commanding a battalion of minute 
 men, he commenced his military career at the 
 battle of Lexington and received the same 
 rank in the army. He was imperatively call 
 ed home, by dangerous sickness in his family, 
 and received no order to march with his regi 
 ment. But the danger of his fellow soldiers 
 was a sufficient summons, and he hastened to 
 join his corps, which he overtook at the neck. 
 
 There was an unobscured starlight, and 
 the movements of the neighbouring enemy 
 demanded observation. Colonel Prescott pro 
 ceeded with Major Brooks to the shore to 
 reconnoitre them. Every thing was quiet; 
 they distinctly heard the enemy relieving 
 guard, and were rejoiced at the welcome 
 cry from the centries, however unfounded, 
 All s well !" 
 
 The men quietly at their labours, General 
 Putnam in the morning repaired to his camp, 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 213 
 
 to prepare for the anticipated crisis, and to be 
 mounted afresh, for his gait over horseneck 
 was not more expeditious than his ordinary 
 riding, and his horse required to be relieved. 
 
 Watchful as Argus, Prescott could hardly 
 conjecture that the enemy were so negligent 
 of military caution, as to suffer his powerful 
 force to approach their very threshold un 
 observed. He advanced anew to examine 
 their situation ; again all was quiet. 
 
 But the blazing sun began his approaches, 
 and the grey of the morning was dissipated. 
 The veil was lifted from the astonished eyes 
 of the British; but they would hardly credit 
 their senses on perceiving thf ir daring enemy 
 above them, overlooking their whole position, 
 with formidable entrenchments, which had 
 sprung up as by enchantment. The cannon of 
 the Lively opened on the Americans and 
 roused their countrymen from secure repose, 
 to participate in the same surprise and as 
 tonishment. 
 
 General Gage was thunderstruck at the 
 unwelcome information, and sent an imme 
 diate summons to his officers to meet him in 
 a council of war. 
 
 Some other frigates, floating batteries, the 
 Somerset line of battle ship, a formidable 
 19 
 
214 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 battery of the heaviest pieces, and a mortar 
 on Copps Hill, opened a tremendous fire on 
 the Americans, sufficient to appal even vete 
 ran troops. 
 
 This fire was some time without effect, but 
 the men venturing in front of the works, one 
 of them was killed by a cannon shot. A 
 subaltern officer acquainted Colonel Prescott, 
 and asked what should be done. " Bury 
 " him." " What," said the green astonished 
 officer, "without prayers !" A chaplain, who 
 was present, insisted on performing service 
 over this first victim, and collected many of 
 the soldiers around him, heedless of peril. 
 Prescott ordered them to disperse ; but reli 
 gious enthusiasm prevailed, and the chaplain 
 again collected his congregation in the midst 
 of the enemy s fire, when the deceased was 
 ordered to be taken and buried in the ditch. 
 
 To dispel the terror which this event ex 
 cited, Prescott mounted on the works, and 
 directed the labor. Heedless of all the fire 
 of the enemy, he was wrought up to the 
 highest pitch of enthusiasm, and transferred 
 his own exaltation into every private under 
 him. From oppressive heat, and the vehe 
 mence of his address, his false hair was 
 thrown off, and waving his sword, he some 
 times upbraided his men in anger, and some 
 times encouraged them with approbation, or 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 215 
 
 amused them with humour. Perfectly under 
 standing his countnmen, he was complete 
 master of their souls. Not the great Su- 
 \varrow himself was ever more negligent of 
 appearance, or ever inspired his faithful fol 
 lowers with a confidence more entire or more 
 deserved. 
 
 General Gage was reconnoitring the ene 
 my. He handed the telescope to Willard, a 
 mandamus counsellor, and inquired, u who is 
 " that officer commanding ?" He instantly re 
 cognized his brother-in-taw, Colonel Prcscott. 
 "Will he fight?" asked Gage. " Yes, sir, 
 " depend upon it, to the last drop of blood in 
 " him, but I cannot answer for his men," wa& 
 the reply. 
 
 The sufferings of the men were great; the 
 heat was excessive; during a sleepless night 
 they had unremittedly labored, without even 
 water, and their small stock of provisions was 
 exhausted. Their officers felt for them, and 
 wished Colonel Prescott to send to Cambridge 
 a request to be relieved. He called a coun 
 cil, but instantly crushed the slighest hope of 
 a relief. " The enemy would not dare attack 
 44 them, and if they did would be defeated, 
 44 The men who had raised the works were 
 " the best qualified to defend them. They 
 " had already learned to despise the fire of 
 
216 BUNKfcR HILL BATTLE. 
 
 " the enemy They had the merit of the la- 
 " bor, and should enjoy the honor of the vic- 
 ft tory." With renewed ardor the men con 
 tinued their labors. 
 
 Captain Nutting with his company, and 
 Captain Walker with a small detachment,* 
 were ordered into Charlestown, near the fer 
 ry, by Colonel Prescott, to observe the ene 
 my s movements. 
 
 General Gage met his officers in council. 
 They did not hesitate as to the indispensable 
 necessity of driving the enemy from their for 
 midable position, out found it impossible to 
 agree on the mode of attack. General Clin 
 ton and General Grantt advocated attacking 
 the enemy in rear. " Their men could 
 " embark at the bottom of the common in 
 " boats, land at Charlestown Neck, under 
 Cb protection of a fire from the floating batte- 
 " lies and frigates, and would have the enemy 
 < 4 in their power;" and this appeared to be 
 the prevailing opinion. But General Gage 
 would not adopt a measure so adventurous. 
 ft was opposed to every well founded military 
 
 * Tliis doubtless gave rise to Gordon s statement, that 
 i\Vo regiments were in Charlestown. 
 
 t Declaration of General Grant in presence of Mr. 
 Totton, now living. 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 217 
 
 rule, and was in fact contrary to the dictates 
 of prudence. They would expose themselves 
 between two armies, one of them superior to 
 their own in numbers, and the other strongly 
 posted and foi tified ; they would be attacked 
 in front and rear, and in fact completely sur 
 rounded, without the possibility of a retreat 
 being secured to them in case of disaster. It 
 was therefore determined to land and attack 
 the enemy in front. 
 
 At daybreak General Putnam ordered Lieu 
 tenant Clark to send and request of General 
 Ward a horse for him to ride to Bunker Hill. 
 The lieutenant went himself, but the gene 
 ral s impatience could not await an answer. 
 On his return he found him mounted and de 
 parting. 
 
 The result of Genera] Gage s council of 
 war soon became apparent. The enemy were 
 observed moving with rapidity through the 
 streets of Boston ; a corps of dragoons ma 
 noeuvring within view of the Americans sud 
 denly galloped off tho ground ; the rattling of 
 artillery carriages and waggons was heard, 
 and every note of preparation for a military 
 movement. Prescott then believed the enemy 
 would hazard an attack and was in ecstasy. 
 " Now. my boys, we shall have a fight, and 
 "shall beat them too," he observed. Fearless 
 
218 BUNKER HILL BATTLE, 
 
 himself he thought the world so too, and his 
 confidence was too implicit in the raw troops 
 and inexperienced commanders collecting, for 
 as an army they can hardly be said to have 
 collected, at Cambridge. It was nine o clock; 
 provisions and drink had been requested from 
 General Ward, but none had arrived, nor any 
 troops to replace those at the entrenchments. 
 Colonel Prescott called another council of 
 war; again he refused to hear a word as to 
 displacing his men, but consented to send to 
 General Ward for refreshments and reinforce 
 ments. 
 
 Major Brooks was selected to proceed to 
 Cambridge and wait on General Ward for this 
 purpose. For greater expedition he was di 
 rected to take one of the artillery horses, but 
 the order was vehemently opposed by Captain 
 Gridiey, who feared for the safety of his 
 pieces if a single horse was taken from him. 
 Fresco tt then directed him to proceed on loot 
 with as much despatch as possible. He arriv 
 ed at head quarters about ten, and delivered 
 his instructions to General Ward. The gen 
 eral hesitated as to the policy of sending re 
 inforcements to Charlestown, and doubted 
 whether the real intention of the enemy was 
 to make his attack on that point. At Cam 
 bridge and Watertown were the scanty depots 
 of ammunition, ordnance stores and materiel 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 219 
 
 of every species belonging to the army. On 
 these the salvation of the country seemed to 
 depend, and he presumed the enemy intended 
 to seize the present opportunity, to make an 
 attack on head quarters, and gain possession 
 of the depots. 
 
 The Committee of Safety was then in ses 
 sion in the very house in which the general 
 chartered, and to them he communicated the 
 information and request, brought by Major 
 Brooks. Richard Devens, one of the mem 
 bers, was of Charlestovvn. His anxiety that 
 his estate and native town should be protect 
 ed from the inroad of the enemy, amounted 
 almost to phrenzy; his importunity with the 
 general and the committee to have ample re 
 inforcements sent to Colonel Prescott was 
 equally vehement and impassioned. The com 
 mittee recommended sending reinforcements, 
 and the general consented that orders should 
 
 fo to the New Hampshire troops, stationed at 
 ledford, to proceed to Charlestown and re 
 inforce Colonel Prescott, arid these ord rs 
 were immediately sent to Colonel Stark and 
 Colonel Reed. 
 
 General Warren, the Chairman of the Com 
 mittee of Safety was present. The day be 
 fore he had officiated as President of the Con 
 gress at Watertown, and had passed the night 
 
220 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 there, engaged in the accumulated concerns of 
 the public. His friend, Honorable Elbridge 
 Gerry, had learned the determination to take 
 and fortify Bunker Hill. He remonstrated 
 with him agaiiistthe glaring imprudence of the 
 measure, with our defective means. "We 
 <; had not powder to maintain the desperate 
 64 conflict which must ensue, and should all be 
 " cut to pieces." General Warren confessed 
 he entertained the same opinion; but it was de 
 termined otherwise, and he was resolved to 
 share the fate of his countrymen. His friend 
 conjured him not to expose his invaluable life 
 where his destruction would be useless and 
 inevitable. " I know it," said the hero, " but I 
 "live within sound of the cannon, and should 
 " die were I to remain at home while my fel- 
 " low citizens are shedding their blood for me 
 "and my country." He arrived at Cambridge 
 by daylight, complained of headache and threw 
 himself on the bed. On receiving information 
 that the enemy were coming out, General 
 Ward sent to notify him. He jumped from 
 his bed, declared " his headache was gone 
 " then," and after meeting with the Committee 
 of Safety, mounted his horse, and with his fu 
 sil and sword repaired to the post of danger. 
 He joined General Putnam, and they consult 
 ed on measures to be pursued. General Put 
 nam informed him that " from long experience 
 " he perfectly comprehended the character of 
 " the British army ; they would ultimately sue- 
 
BUNKER FULL BATTLE. 221 
 
 "reed and drive us from the works, but from 
 "the mode of attack they hud chosen, it was 
 u in our power to do them infinite mischief, 
 " though we must be prepared for a brave and 
 14 orderly retreat, when we could maintain our 
 "ground no longer." Warren expressed his 
 full assent to these opinions and agreed to be 
 go\erned by them. 
 
 At eleven the New Hampshire troops re 
 ceived orders from Cambridge. About fifteen 
 charges of loose powder and balls were dis 
 tributed to each, and they were directed to 
 form these into cartridges immediately. Few 
 of the men, however, possessed cartridge box 
 es, but employed only powder horns ; and 
 scarcely two of their guns agreeing in calibre, 
 they were obliged to alter the balls accord 
 ingly. 
 
 At the long wharf, in Boston, four battalions 
 of British infantry, ten companies of grena 
 diers, and ten of light infantry, were embark 
 ed in boats. Some of these were taken from 
 transports, and had never disembarked since 
 their voyage. They were now to land, not 
 like Antasus, to gain new strength from the 
 earth, but to shed their lile s blood on her 
 bosom. 
 
 About one o clock a large portion of these 
 troops, together with six pieces of cannon and 
 
222 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 howitzers, landed at Morton s Point. Here 
 they immediately discovered a most disastrous 
 mistake ; the cartridges sent for the use of the 
 artillery were too large for the pieces. They 
 were immediately sent back, and a new sup 
 ply obtained. At the same time General 
 Howe, the commander of the forces, discover 
 ing on his near approach the formidable na 
 ture of the enemy s position, requested rein 
 forcements from General Gage. About two 
 o clock the remainder of the forces leave 
 Winnisimit Ferry and land at Morton s -Point ; 
 and soon after the reinforcements, the forty 
 seventh battalion, a battalion of marines, ex 
 cept a few of this corps who were preparing 
 to embark, a few companies of grenadiers and 
 light infantry, land under the eastern end of 
 Breed s Hill, at Madlin s shipyard. All these 
 troops cannot be estimated at less than five 
 thousand ; if the corps were but half full there 
 were four thousand three hundred and fifty. 
 While the enemy were landing General Put 
 nam ordered Captain Knowlton, with the 
 Connecticut troops, to take post behind a rail 
 fence, which ran across the tongue of land, 
 from the road to Mystic River, a distance of 
 two hundred and fifty yards. In front of this 
 whole line of fence was a thick orchard, and 
 another, more spare, in the rear. These 
 troops pulled up the neighbouring fences, and 
 placing them near the one at which they were 
 posted, threw in the new mown grass between. 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 223 
 
 Few of the fields, however, were mown, and 
 this cover was a mere shadow of a defence. 
 
 This fence was one hundred and ninety 
 yards in rear of the breastwork, and eighty 
 yards in rear of the head or western end of 
 the slough, leaving a very extensive opening 
 between the breastwork and rail fence, by 
 which the left flank of the breastwork, and 
 troops resting on the slough, were entirely 
 exposed to cannon shot; and a considerable 
 space, one hundred yards diagonally, between 
 the slough and the rail fence, was open to the 
 advance of infantry. This was the weak 
 point arid the very key of the American posi 
 tion. 
 
 The detachments in Charlestown were now 
 recalled by Colonel Prescott, and took post 
 at a narrow cart way, which ran from the 
 southeastern angle of the redoubt, directly 
 south, to the narrow way round the hill. 
 They placed the fences together, and threw 
 in grass, as was done on the left. 
 
 The thundering cannonade of the enemy 
 soon spread the information of an approaching 
 engagement. The American citizens in the 
 neighbourhood flocked to the scene, and the 
 soldiers voluntarily ran to arms, and entreat 
 ed to be led against the foe. Colonel Little s 
 regiment had just arrived from Essex and 
 
224 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 were not even commissioned. Awaiting no 
 orders, they left their quarters in West Cam 
 bridge, marched to General Ward and tender 
 ed their services. 
 
 The Connecticut troops were equally anx 
 ious to join their general ; they were all un 
 der arms, and sent to head quarters for orders. 
 But General Ward informed them they had 
 already the post of honor, for the Biitisli 
 were expected to land at Inman s farm their 
 present position. 
 
 For greater caution Colonel Gardner s re 
 giment, and one or two others, were marched 
 halfway toCharlestown there to wait further 
 orders. But the enemy s intentions were now 
 clearly pronounced, by their preparation to 
 land at Charlestown. Orders were in haste 
 despatched to a number of infantry regiments 
 Captain Cal lender s company and Major 
 Grid ley s battalion of artillery, to proceed in* 
 stantlv toCharlestown to reinforce their coun 
 trymen. 
 
 Colonel Prescott had stretched the endur 
 ance and exertions of his detachment to the 
 utmost of the hum-in constitution They had 
 thrown up a defence good against muskets, 
 and most of it ag^in-t a- tillery. But the com 
 manding summit of Bunker HilU of vitil impor 
 tance to them in case of retreat, was not yet 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 225 
 
 fortified. Putnam was anxious and mortified 
 that a post, on which his defence and reputa 
 tion so materially depended, should be entire 
 ly neglected. His mother wit, cultivated in 
 the school of experience, under British officers, 
 the most distinguished masters of the day, per 
 fectly comprehended the immense importance 
 of entrenching. He seemed to have intuitive 
 ly seized the maxims of Caesar s learned cam 
 paigns, as well as to anticipate the scientific 
 results of such modern defences as General 
 Jackson s. He ordered the entrenching tools 
 to be carried by a large detachment to the 
 rear. 
 
 The first division of the enemy awaiting the 
 remainder of the detachment, which had not 
 yet embarked, were quietly dining, and most 
 of them for the last time, from their crowded 
 and cumbrous knapsacks. 
 
 General Putnam seized the opportunity of 
 hastening to Cambridge, whence he returned 
 with the reinforcements. He had to pass a 
 galling enfilading fire of round, bar and chain 
 shot, which thundered across the rierk from 
 the Glasgow frigate in the channel of Charles 
 River, and two floating batteries hauled close 
 to the shore. 
 
 And now the brave Stark arrived with his 
 regiment. General Putnam reserved a part 
 20 
 
226 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 of it, to throw up a work on Bunker Hill, and 
 ordered him to press on to the lines as quick 
 as possible, with the remainder. They pro 
 ceeded with the other New Hampshire regi 
 ment under Colonel Reed, arid joined the 
 Connecticut troops at the rail fence. 
 
 About five thousand British troops, and a 
 new supply of artillery ammunition, had land 
 ed. Major General Howe was their com 
 mander, a distinguished soldier, and like all his 
 family, of undaunted bravery ; under him was 
 Gener tl Pigot, and the othfr renowned chiefs 
 were, Colonels Nesbit, Abercrombie, Clarke, 
 Majors Butler, Williams, Bruce, Spendlove, 
 Smelt, Mitchell, Pitcairn, Short, Small, Lords 
 Percy and Ravvdon. The troops were in 
 columns, waiting the signal to advance. They 
 and their enemy opposed to them were in a 
 vast amphitheatre, formed by elevated heights 
 which rise from Boston Bay, surrounding them 
 on every other side at the distance only of a 
 few miles. These heights were covered with 
 Americans, who had been brought from a dis 
 tance, by anxious curiosity, to witness a scene 
 so sublime, and learn the event of a contest, 
 on which the fate of a new world depended; 
 and many of them to witness the fate of a par 
 ent, brother or husband engaged. The heights 
 and the steeples in Boston were similarly 
 crowded by the inhabitants and British sol 
 diers. And many a soldier s wife witnessed 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 227 
 
 the events, with a melancholy foreboding that 
 she was left a widow, and her home three 
 thousand miles across the ocean. 
 
 A tremendous cannonade from Boston open 
 ed on the camp at Roxbury, to contain the 
 Americana who were there under arms. It 
 added to the continued roar of the batteries 
 
 and shipping against Charlestown, and the hat- 
 
 rr *5 > . . 
 
 tie was commencing. It was indeed a scene 
 interesting beyond the reach of human imagi 
 nation. 
 
 The field artillery opened on the works ; it 
 was the signal to advance. The Americans 
 
 O 
 
 faintly responded with their two small pieces. 
 They had fired a few useless shot at Copps 
 Hill, but there were no embrasures in the im 
 perfect redoubt ; their slight platform was 
 broken, and the artillery cartridges were re 
 served. 
 
 The drums beat to arms. Putnam left his 
 works, commenced on Bunker Hill, and led 
 the troops into action. 
 
 Little s regiment arrived ; he ordered them 
 to their posts. Captain Warner s company 
 advanced to the rail fence on the right of the 
 redoubt, Captain Perkins to the exposed po-r 
 sition between the breastwork and rail fencq 
 on the left, and the remainder found their 
 
228 BUNKfeR HILL BATTLE. 
 
 places in the line. Colonel Jonathan Brewer, 
 with Ins regiment, and Captain Callender, 
 with his artillery, also arrived. 
 
 The veteran General Pomeroy heard the 
 pealing artillery, which seemed to invite him 
 to battle; he was a soldier too brave, and a 
 patriot too ardent, to resist a summons so 
 agreeable. He requested a hoise of General 
 Ward, to carry him to the field; delighted at 
 an aid so important, it was instantly supplied. 
 With his musket and cartridges he repaired to 
 the neck; inquiring of a sentry posted there, 
 ana viewing the ground and the tremendous fire 
 across, he was alarmed not for himself, but for 
 the horse he had borrowed ; he delivered him 
 to the sentry, and coolly marched across. He 
 advanced to the rail fence at the left. His ap 
 proach gave new confidence to the men ; they 
 received him with the highest exultation, and 
 the name of General Pomeroy rang through 
 the line. In early life he had been an ingeni 
 ous mechanic, and many a soldier was sup 
 plied with arms of his manufacture. Had 
 Vulcan himself supplied the Grecians with his 
 celestial armor, and appeared in their ranks, 
 they would not have been more certain of 
 victory. 
 
 General Warren took post at the redoubt. 
 Colonel Prescott offered him the command, 
 but he had not yet received his commission, 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 229 
 
 and tendered the colonel his assistance as a 
 volunteer ;" he was happy to learn service 
 " from a soldier of experience/ 
 
 The columns of the enemy were advancing 
 slowly, and halted at intervals, to give the ar 
 tillery an opportunity to render a passage over 
 the works practicable. General Howe, re 
 markably tall, and a prominent mark, advanc 
 ed two hundred yards in front of the troops 
 to reconnoitre. 
 
 The fifth regiment, one of grenadiers, and 
 another of light infantry, move under cover of 
 the tongue of land, at the foot of it display,, 
 and advance in front to the rail fence; except 
 nine of the light companies, who move by 
 the right flank on the shore of Mystic River 
 to turn the American left. This attack was 
 led by General Howe. 
 
 The fifty second regiment, thirty eighth, 
 thirty fifth, forty seventh, three grenadier anci 
 three light companies, and the marines* under 
 cover of Breed s Hill, display, and are led by 
 General Pigot against the redoubt and breast 
 work. 
 
 The lines advanced and scon opened to- 
 view. The American marksmen are with dif 
 ficulty restrained from firing. General Put 
 nam rode through the line,"and ordered that* 
 2Q* 
 
230 , BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 no one should fire till they arrived within eight 
 rods, nor any one till commanded. "Powder 
 " was scarce and must not be wasted. They 
 " should not fire at the enemy till they saw 
 " the white of their eyes, and then fire low, 
 " take aim at their waistbands. They were 
 " all marksmen, and could kill a squirrel at 
 "a hundred yards; reserve their fire, and the 
 " enemy were all destroyed. Aim at thehand- 
 M some coats, pick off the commanders." The 
 same orders were reiterated by Prescott at 
 the redoubt, by Pomeroy, Stark, and all the 
 veteran officers. 
 
 The enemy were within gunshot of the re 
 doubt; a few of the sharp shooters could not 
 resist the temptation and fired. Prescott was 
 indignant at this contempt of his orders ; wav 
 ing his sword he swore instant death against 
 the first who disobeyed again, appealed to 
 their well known confidence in him, and pro 
 mised to give them orders at the proper mo 
 ment 
 
 The enemy were at eight rods distance, the 
 deadly muskets were levelled, when Prescott 
 commanded his men to take good aim, be sure 
 of their mark, and fire. He was effectually 
 obeyed. The whole front rank was swept 
 away, and many a gallant officer laid low. 
 They were, however, countr>men of those 
 \vho gave the fire, and received it with the 
 
BUNKER HILL B\TTLE. 231 
 
 same cool courage with which it was given* 
 Rank succeeded rank, and returned the fire, 
 but the odds was fearful; the Americans were 
 well protected by the works ; the efforts and 
 courage of the enemy were in vain, and with 
 surly reluctance they were compelled to re 
 treat. 
 
 Warren animated and encouraged the men, 
 and with the rest of the officers, set them an 
 example with his musket ; there was scarcely 
 an officer of any grade, except Putnam and 
 Prescott, without one. 
 
 Perfect as was the fire of the American 
 infantry, their artillery was as grossly defec 
 tive in every respect. This arm requires 
 science, experience and know ledge of position. 
 But the artillery companies were just selected 
 from the iniantry, and entirely ignorant of their 
 duty. Callender carried his pieces into action, 
 but his cartridges required adjusting. Totally 
 in violation of military discipline, he left his 
 post without orders, and was retiring to a se 
 cure place under cover of the hill, to prepare 
 for firing. Putnam observed this appearance 
 of retreat and was fired with indignation ; he 
 ordered him instantly to his post; Callender 
 remonstrated, but Putnam threatened him with 
 instant death, if he hesitated, and forced him 
 back. His men, however, were disgusted \vith 
 a part of the service they did not unuei stand} 
 
232 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 most of them had muskets and mingled in the 
 fight; the pieces were entirely deserted, and 
 the captain relinquished them. 
 
 The British had neglected the only ma* 
 noauvre which would have defeated the ene 
 my, to mount the works and charge with the 
 bayonet. The Americans had scarcely a bay 
 onet to a company, and it must have succeed 
 ed. Under cover of the hill they prepared 
 for another onset. 
 
 Their fellow soldiers on the right arrived 
 about the time of this attack on the redoubt 
 to within about one hundred yards of the 
 Americans. They were throwing down a 
 fence, when a few marksmen fired on them. 
 Putnam was enraged at this disobedience of 
 an order on which the salvation of the army 
 depended ; he rode to the spot, his sword 
 "whistling through the air; in his indignation he 
 threatened to cut down the first who dared to 
 fire again without orders. The discharge 
 from these few muskets, however, drew the 
 fire from the enemy s line, which continue d 
 moving on, and when about eight rods from 
 the fence, the fatal order was given ; the fire 
 of the Americans mowed them down with the 
 same tremendous severity, as at the redoubt. 
 The officers especially fell victims to thein 
 deadly aim. 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 233 
 
 During this tremendous fire of musketry 
 and roar of cannon, McClary s gigantic voice 
 was distinctly heard, animating and encourag 
 ing the men as though he would inspire every 
 ball that sped with his own tire and energy. 
 
 The British fired their heaviest vollies of 
 musketry with admirable coolness and regu 
 larity, but without aim, at the Americans, arid 
 almost every ball passed harmless over them. 
 Th ir artillery had been stopped by the brick 
 kiius in the low ground, and produced little 
 eiiect. This wing of the army having cover 
 ed the ground with their dead, were at length 
 compelled likewise to retreat; and the huzza of 
 victory reechoed through the American line. 
 
 General Ward had by this time despatched 
 sufficient reinforcements, but they did not 
 reach the field. The fire across the neck 
 wore an aspect too terrific for raw troops to 
 venture in it. Putnam flew to the spot to 
 overcome their fears and hurry them on be 
 fore the enemy returned. He entreated, 
 threatened and encouraged them; lashing his 
 horse with the flat of his Svvord, he rode back 
 ward and forward across the neck, through 
 the hottest fire, to convince them there was 
 no danger. The balls however threw up 
 clouds of dust about him, and the soldiers 
 were perfectly convinced that he was invul 
 nerable, but not equally conscious of being so 
 
234 BUNKER HILL BATTLE, 
 
 themselves.* Some of these troops, however* 
 ventured over. 
 
 The battalion of artillery under Major 
 Gridley had proceeded but a few hundred 
 rods down the road to Charlestown when 
 they were halted, and this officer determined 
 not to proceed to the hill but wait and cover 
 the retreat, which he considered inevitable. 
 He was young and inexperienced, and totally 
 inadequate to the important command which 
 had been conferred on him in compliment to 
 his father, Colonel Gridley. He was con 
 founded with the dangers and difficulties of 
 his situation, and never recovered his self 
 possession during the day. 
 
 While the artillery was halted in this situa 
 tion, Colonel James Frye, (who was absent 
 from his regiment on duty the day before, but 
 the battle approaching, had found his way to 
 the field,) riding from Charlestown galloped up 
 to them and demanded of the senior captain,t 
 " why this unseasonable halt !" He was aston 
 ished at the reply, and ordered them instantly 
 to the field. This veteran also animated their 
 courage by the glorious recollection " this day 
 
 * The principal fact here is proved by the deposition 
 of Mr. Samuel Bassett ; the other circumstances by oral 
 testimony. 
 
 t Yet living, and from whom we have this anecdote. 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 235 
 
 " thirty years since, I was at the taking of 
 " Louisbourg when it was surrendered to us; 
 " il is a fortunate day for America, we "shall 
 " certainly beat the enemy." 
 
 The artillery proceeded. Gridley joined 
 them ; but his aversion to joining in the en 
 gagement was invincible, and he ordered them 
 on to Cobble Hill to fire at the Glasgow and 
 floating batteries. The order was so palpably 
 absurd, with their three pounders, that Cap 
 tain Trevett absolutely refused obedience, 
 ordered his men to follow him, and marched 
 for the lines. 
 
 Major Gridley was sensible his artillery 
 would be hazarded without infantry to cover 
 them. Colonel Mansfield had been ordered 
 with his regiment to reinforce the troops at 
 Charlestown, but being peremptorily com 
 manded by Major Gridley, whom he consid 
 ered high military authority, to cover his 
 pieces, he complied in violation of his orders. 
 
 General Putnam left the neck for Bunker 
 Hill to bring up the reinforcements. He there 
 found Colonel Gerrish with his regiment and 
 some other scattered troops. Trie colonel 
 had been a captain in the provincial army of 
 17.56; he was of unwieldy corpulence and a 
 disposition by far too quiet for a soldier s. 
 He had marched his men rapidly from Cam- 
 
236 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 bridge, and unwisely halted them here to rest. 
 The blazing sun and tremendous fire of the 
 enemy combined were far too powerful for 
 the faintness of his military ardor to overcome. 
 The men were disorganized and. dispersed on 
 the west side of the hill, and covered by the 
 summit from the fire. Putnam ordeied them 
 on to the lines ; he entreated and threatened 
 them, and some of the most cowardly he 
 knocked down with his sword, but all ii. vain. 
 The men complained they had not their offi- 
 cers ; he offered to lead them on himself, but 
 " the cannon were deserted and they stood no 
 " chance without them." The battle indeed 
 appeared here in all its horrors. The Brit 
 ish musketry fired high and took effect on 
 this elevated hill and it was completely ex 
 posed to the cdmbined fire from their ships, 
 batteries, and field pieces. 
 
 The enemy were by this time organized 
 anew and were ag\- jri advancing to the attack. 
 Putnam s duty called him to the lines. At 
 this time Captain Ford appeared with his 
 company. He served in a regiment under the 
 veteran Lieutenant Colonel Parker and Major 
 Brooks. Of them he had learned the duties 
 of a soldier. He had already signalized him 
 self at Lexington battle by killing five of the 
 enemy. His orders were to proceed to the 
 lines and reinforce the tumps ; he obeyed, 
 marched unconcerned across the neck and 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 237 
 
 was proceeding down Bunker Hill, when 
 Putnam was delighted with an aid so oppor 
 tune. Callender s deserted cannon were at 
 the foot of the hill ; he ordered Captain Ford 
 with his company to draw them into line. 
 The captain remonstrated " his company were 
 4 totally ignorant of the discipline and em- 
 44 ployment of artillery." But the general per 
 emptorily persisting in his order, he obeyed ; 
 his company moved with the cannon and the 
 general himself to the rail fence. 
 
 The heroic enemy with unwavering step 
 and firm undaunted bravery appeared again 
 before the murderous lines which had already 
 compelled them to retreat. They had nearly 
 the same obstacles to overcome as before. 
 Their cumbrous knapsacks, tall uhd almost 
 impassable grass, and a torrid sun blazing in 
 face of them they had to contend against, as 
 well as an enemy every way worthy of them. 
 One new obstacle they had to pass, the dead 
 bodies of their fellow soldiers vvhich covered 
 the ground. But this served rather to stimu 
 late them to still more daring efforts to re 
 venge their fall. The last of the reinforce 
 ments, a few companies of marines, arrived on 
 the left. 
 
 The Americans were now more confident 
 and perfect than before in a manoeuvre which 
 had been crowned with success. It was in- 
 21 
 
238 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 deed perfectly simple, but equally fatal to the 
 foe. They received orders to reserve their 
 fire till the enemy approached still nearer 
 than before. At six rods only they were per 
 mitted to return the fire. The British artil 
 lery approached by the narrow road between 
 the tongue of land and Breed s Hill, within 
 three hundred yards of the rail fence, and 
 almost in a line with the redoubt, and opened 
 on the lines to prepare a way for their in 
 fantry. The latter commenced a regular and 
 tremendous volley by platoons, and their fire 
 soon became general. But unfortunately for 
 them, though perfect in drill discipline, and 
 regular movements of parade, they were as 
 grossly unskilful in what was a thousand times 
 more important, a knowledge of their wea 
 pons. Tbfeir aim was too elevated, and the 
 enemy were hidden behind their works. Some 
 of their balls however took effect, and a few of 
 the privates fell victims. The brave Major 
 Moore was mortally wounded. Major Buck- 
 minster received a ball through the shoulder 
 and was crippled for life. 
 
 To add new horrors to the scene, vast col 
 umns of smoke were now observed over 
 Charlestown, and passed to the south over 
 the American lines. General Howe on his 
 first advance had sent word to General Bur- 
 goyne and General Clinton on Copps Hill, 
 that his left flank was annoyed by musketry 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 239 
 
 from Charlestown, and ordered them to burn 
 it down. A carcass was fired, but fell short 
 near the ferry way; a second fell in the street, 
 and the town was on fire. The confla 
 gration was completed by a detachment of 
 men who landed from the Somerset. The 
 whole town was combustible. The flames as 
 cended to heaven on the lofty spire of the 
 church, and resembled the eruptions of a vast 
 volcano in solemn grandeur and sublimity. 
 The advance of the enemy was not obscured 
 by the smoke from Charlestown ; they were in 
 full view of the Americans. Putnam now, 
 with the assistance of Captain Ford s compa 
 ny, opened his artillery upon them. He had 
 on this day performed the service of general, 
 engineer and guide, and he now turned can- 
 nonier, with splendid success,, and to the high 
 est satisfaction of his surrounding countrymen. 
 Each company of artillery had but twelve 
 cartridges, and these were soon expended. 
 He pointed the cannon himself, the balls took 
 effect on the enemy, and one case of canister 
 made a lane through them. As in Milton s 
 battle, 
 
 " Foul dissipation followed and forced rout." 
 
 With wonderful courage, however, the enemy 
 closed his ranks, and the fire became general 
 on both sides. The Americans suffered the 
 enemy to approach still nearer than before; 
 
240 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 men and officers fell in promiscuous heaps ; 
 whole front ranks of them were swept away. 
 
 General Ward was without staff officers to 
 bear his commands, excepting one aid and a 
 secretary, who performed the duty. During 
 the whole day these were mounted and on full 
 speed between Breed s Hill and head quarters. 
 Loss and neglect of orders were the inevita 
 ble consequence. Colonel Gardner s regi 
 ment and others who had been posted between 
 Cambridge and Charlestown, to wait further 
 orders, were overlooked. The battle was 
 raging, and no orders arrived. The colonel 
 was a gentleman of rank, had been a member 
 of the legislature, and commanded a regiment 
 of militia, which,, marching to Lexington to 
 join in the engagement there, suddenly open 
 ed on the British artillery; being entirely void 
 of cover they dispersed. His gallant soul felt 
 their conduct as a stigma on himself, and ho 
 resolved on the earliest opportunity to wipe 
 the spot from his escutcheon. A glorious oc 
 casion was before him, and he panted to em 
 brace it to reap the honors of victory, or 
 death and lasting fame. The latter fate was 
 Decreed him. He called to him his officers, 
 and offered to lead them into battle ; most of 
 them with three hundred of his men followed 
 him. He led them over Bunker Hill, viewed 
 with unconcern the battle scene on the hill be 
 fore him, terrible as Mount Sinai, and with 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 241 
 
 glorious anticipations, was descending to the 
 engagement, when a musket ball entered his 
 groin, and the wound proved mortal. He gave 
 his men his last solemn injunction, to conquer 
 or die, and was carried off the field. He soon 
 met Captain Trevett advancing with his artil 
 lery, and an interesting and heroic interview 
 ensued between the colonel and Captain Tre- 
 vett s second Lieutenant Gardner, his son, a 
 mere youth of nineteen. The son was in ago 
 ny at the desperate situation of his father, and 
 would have attended him off the ground. But 
 the colonel prohibited this. " He should not 
 " be alarmed at his situation, he was engaged 
 c; in a good cause and must march on and do 
 " his duty." The distracted son obeyed, and 
 his dying; father had the consolation to learn 
 
 J O 
 
 that his last injunction and glorious example 
 were not lost ; and that his son was worthy 
 of him. 
 
 These reinforcements, with Captain Clark 
 and Captains Chester and Coit, who soon fol 
 lowed with their companies, supplied the 
 places of those who had expended their ammu 
 nition and left the ground, and of the detach 
 ment sent off with the entrenching tools, who, 
 in contempt of their orders, never returned.. 
 
 The British had a long time borne the mur 
 derous fire of the enemy, but their astonish 
 ing fortitude and daring efforts were useless 
 21 * 
 
lM2 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 against the insuperable difficulties they encouri* 
 tercel. Nearly a thousand of their number 
 had fallen, with an incredible proportion of 
 the bravest officers. The distinguished Col 
 onels Abercrombie and Williams, and Major 
 Spendlove, had purchased fame with their 
 lives. 
 
 The gallant Major Small was left standing 
 alone, every one shot down about him. The 
 never erring muskets were levelled at him, 
 and a soldier s fate was his inevitable destiny, 
 had not Putnam at the instant appeared. 
 Each recognized in the other an old friend 
 and fellow soldier; the tie was sacred; Putnam 
 threw up the deadly muskets with his sword, 
 and arrested his fate. He begged his men to 
 spare that officer, as dear to him as a brother. 
 The general s humane and chivalrous gene 
 rosity excited in them new admiration, and his 
 friend retired unhurt. 
 
 The undaunted Howe still led on his men 
 in the hottest of the battle. His friend and 
 volunteer aid, Gordon, and Captain Addison, a 
 descendant from the author of the Spectator, 
 were slain, and almost every other officer of 
 his staff or near him was shot. Mortified and 
 indignant at so much blood wasted in vain> 
 he seemed to court an honorable death to 
 hide him from the disgrace of a second defeat 
 by an enemy he despised as peasants and re* 
 
BANKER HILL BATTLE. 213 
 
 bels. His life seemed charmed, and he was 
 compelled to follow his army, who again re 
 treated and left their enemy to taste, a second 
 time, the joys of victory. 
 
 The exultation of the Americans was glori 
 ous and well deserved, but it w r as, alas, short 
 lived. They had leisure to realize the entire 
 hopelessness of their situation. Their ammu 
 nition was expended, and they were as desti 
 tute of every offensive weapon as the naked 
 savages, their predecessors. Prescoti found a 
 few artillery cartridges, which he distributed 
 to his men, and they determined to show a re 
 solute front to the enemy, to club their mus 
 kets, and even employ the stones thrown up 
 with the parapet against them. Their only 
 hope, however, was from a want of fortitude 
 in the enemy, and that they had twice this 
 day proved was slender indeed. 
 
 General Howe gave his men orders to pre 
 pare again to advance. Some of the officers 
 remonstrated, that it would be mere butchery 
 to lead therii- on again, but the generals, and 
 nearly every officer, were indignant at a dis 
 tant suspicion of their yielding the victory to 
 these rebels, an undisciplined rabble, of inferior 
 numbers, after all their boasting, and after they 
 had poured out every epithet of contempt 
 against them. To conquer or die was their 
 resolve. 
 
244 UUXKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 Bloody experience at last opened their eyes 
 to their egregious errors. Their overweening 
 confidence was laid aside, and a calculated, 
 deliberate and judicious plan of attack adopt 
 ed. The overloaded knapsacks were relin 
 quished ; firing with musketry was prohibited, 
 and a charge with the bayonet resorted to. 
 The attack was to be more concentrated; 
 while the troops at the rail fence were amus 
 ed by a show of force, the grand effort was to 
 be against the redoubt and breastwork, and 
 particularly the right flank. 
 
 The accomplished and chivalrous General 
 Clinton now joined and brought his splendid 
 talents into the council, and his distinguished 
 gallantry into the field. Immediate and in 
 conceivable was the sensation his appearance 
 produced at this moment of deep despondence. 
 From Copps Hill he had observed with shame 
 and indignation the double rout of his country 
 men, and particularly that the two distinguish 
 ed battalions, the marines and forty seventh, 
 were staggered and wavering. Without wait 
 ing for orders, he threw himseh Into a boat, 
 passed over, and soon breathed into them his 
 own exalted heroism. 
 
 General Howe a third time commanded a 
 forward movement to scale the works and 
 rush on the enemy with the bayonet. He came 
 to tlie left to lead on to the redoubt himself. 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 2 I;") 
 
 Clinton joined General Pigot and the marines 
 on the left to turn the right flank of the ene 
 my. The artillery were ordered to advance 
 still farther than before on their old rout, and 
 turn the left of the breastwork to rake the 
 line. General Howe at last became sensible 
 that this was the most vulnerable point and 
 key of the enemy s position. 
 
 The Americans made every preparation 
 possible to repel the last desperate effort of 
 the enemy. Putnam again rode to the rear, 
 and exhausted every art and effort to bring on 
 the scattered reinforcements. Captain Bay- 
 ley, only, of Colonel Gerrish s regiment, ad 
 vanced to the lines, and Captain Trovett now 
 arrived at the rail fence with his pieces. 
 
 The enemy stripped off their knapsacks, 
 and many of them their coats ; the artillery 
 pushed on by the road on the north, the forty 
 seventh and marines near the road on the south 
 side of the hill, and the remains of the royal Irish 
 and other regiments, and part of the grena 
 diers and light infantry in front. Their past 
 efforts had exhausted the strength and spirit 
 of many of the men who lingered in the rear, 
 and their gallant officers were compelled to 
 urge them on with their swords. Some of the 
 less resolute fired their pieces, but the great 
 masses obeyed their orders, and with firmness 
 moved on to the charge. They arrived under 
 
246 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 the fire of the Americans, who improved to 
 advantage their last opportunity for ven 
 geance. Every shot took effect. The gallant 
 Howe at last received a ball in the foot, where 
 only like Achilles he seemed to be vulnerable, 
 but continued to animate his men. 
 
 A few only of the Americans had a charge 
 of ammunition remaining. They had sent for 
 a supply in vain; a barrel and a half only were 
 in the magazine. They resorted next to stones, 
 but these served only to betray their weak 
 ness, and lent new energy to the foe. 
 
 The artillery advanced to the open space 
 between the breastwork and rail fence ; this 
 ground was defended by some brave Essex 
 troops, covered only by scattered trees. With 
 resolution and deadly aim they poured the 
 most destructive vollies on the enemy. The 
 cannon, however, turned the breastwork, en 
 filaded the line, and sent their balls through 
 the open gateway or sally port, directly into 
 the redoubt, under cover of which the troops 
 at the breastwork were compelled to retire. 
 
 The enemy bravely bore the deadly fire, 
 and continually closing his broken ranks, de 
 liberately advanced on every side of the re 
 doubt except the north. They were now un 
 der the eastern side of the redoubt and cover 
 ed from the fire. The Americans retired to 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 247 
 
 the side opposite to take them as they rose. 
 Lieutenant Prescott, a nephew of the colonel, 
 received a ball through the arm ; it hung bro 
 ken and useless by his side. The colonel or 
 dered him to content himself with encourag 
 ing his men. But he contrived to load his 
 piece, and was passing by the sally port to 
 rest against the enemy, when a cannon ball 
 cut him to pieces. 
 
 Young Richardson of the royal Irish, was 
 the first to mount the works, and was instant 
 ly shot down ; the front rank which succeeded 
 shared the same fate. Among these mounted 
 the gallant Major Pitcairn, and exultingly 
 cried " the day is ours," when a black soldier 
 named Salem,* shot him through and he fell. 
 His agonized son received him in his arms and 
 tenderly bore him to the boats. It was he 
 who caused the first effusion of blood at Lex 
 ington. In that battle his horse was shot un 
 der him, while he was separated from his 
 troops ; with presence of mind he feigned him 
 self slain; his pistolst were taken from his 
 holsters, and he was left for dead, when he 
 seized the opportunity and escaped. 
 
 * A contribution was made in the army for this sol 
 dier, and he was presented to Washington, us having 
 performed this feat. 
 
 t This trophy afterwards belonged to General Put 
 nam, and yet remains in his family, from whom we have 
 the above anecdote. 
 
248 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 The heroic but diminutive Pigot ran up the 
 southeast corner of the redoubt, assisted by a 
 tree left standing there, and desperately led 
 on his men. Troops succeeded troops over 
 the parapet, and Prescott exhausted every re 
 source to repel them, even with the buts of 
 his guns. 
 
 But he had now his last great victory to 
 achieve, to which all his past toils, dangers 
 and privations, were nothing. He had twice 
 conquered the enemy ; he had now, a more 
 difficult task, to conquer himself, to bend down 
 his lofty soul, and turn his back to the enemy. 
 Perfectly careless of his own life, he had no 
 right to trifle with the lives of his men. It 
 was a sacred deposit they had entrusted to his 
 honor, a bond which he never forfeited. In 
 stead of an useless waste of life, with a " nil 
 desperandum," he quelled his revolting spirit 
 and ordered a retreat. 
 
 General Ward had gratified at last the ar 
 dent wishes of the Connecticut troops to join 
 their beloved general. Captains Chester, 
 Clark and Coit were on the ground with their 
 troops, and Major Durkee s impatience had 
 before this brought him mounted to the field, 
 to join his old commander and comrade of for 
 mer wars. Putnam s imagination had already 
 inscribed the victory of Bunker Hill on his 
 coat of arms, when a dark cloud flew across 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 249 
 
 the brilliant prospect. The retreat of the 
 right wing burst upon him. 
 
 The gallant veteran Gridley now received 
 a ball through the leg, and was carried off. 
 He had served all nignt at the entrenchments, 
 and had all day assisted in defending his own 
 works, and proving their excellence. 
 
 Prescott s troops fought their way through 
 the surrounding enemy. The veteran Captain 
 Bancroft was charging his piece, a British 
 soldier leaped from the parapet, touching him 
 as he came to the ground, and levelled at him; 
 they fired together ; the captain tore him to 
 pieces and escaped unhurt. One of the men 
 without ammunition perceived Lieutenant 
 Prescott s loaded musket by its deceased mas 
 ter ; a Briton obstructed his passage ; seizing 
 the loaded musket he brought his antagonist 
 to the ground. 
 
 Colonel Bridge, who came with the first de 
 tachment, was one of the last to retreat, and 
 was twice severely wounded, in the head and 
 neck. His lieutenant colonel, the veteran 
 Parker, who had escaped through the whole 
 war of 1756, in which he had signalized him 
 self, and especially at the desperate siege of 
 Fort Frontinac, received a bail in the thigh, 
 and was left mortally wounded in the re 
 doubt. 
 
 22 
 
250 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 The chivalrous Warren lingered to the last. 
 His exalted spirit disdained as a disgrace a 
 retreat the most inevitable. He animated the 
 men to the most desperate daring ; and when 
 hope itself had fled, he still disdained to fly. 
 With sullen reluctance he followed his coun 
 trymen, and seemed to court that ball from 
 the enemy, which a few yards from the re 
 doubt, passed through his head, and secured 
 to him the eternal gratitude of his country 
 men, and immortal fame throughout the world. 
 
 Small here repaid the debt of gratitude he 
 owed the enemy. He recognized Warren, 
 his intimate friend, as he was leaving the re 
 doubt, called to him for God s sake to stand 
 and save his life ; he turned and seemed to 
 recognize him, but kept on. Small command 
 ed the men not to fire at him; he threw up 
 the muskets with his sword, but in vain, the 
 fatal ball had sped. 
 
 The enemy came on, exhausted by their 
 desperate efforts, under a blazing sun, and 
 broken by the well directed fire. They had 
 not force to employ the bayonet, and were too 
 much broken and mingled with the enemy to 
 fire their pieces. Their right and left wings 
 were indeed facing each other, with the Amer 
 icans between ; their fire would have cut down 
 both friend and foe. While they formed them 
 selves anew, the Americans collected, and 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 251 
 
 made a brave and orderly retreat. Putnam 
 put spurs to his foaming horse and threw him 
 self between the retreating force and the ene 
 my, who were but twelve rods from him ;* his 
 countrymen were in momentary expectation 
 of seeing this compeer of the immortal War 
 ren fall. He entreated them to rally and re 
 new the fight, to finish his works on Bunker 
 Hill, and again give the enemy battle on that 
 unassailable position, and pledged his honor 
 to restore to them an easy victory. Captain 
 Smith of General Ward s regiment came with 
 his company to reinforce, joined in the retreat, 
 and assisted to keep the enemy at bay. 
 
 The Americans had retreated about twenty 
 rods before the enemy had time to rally and 
 pour in a destructive fire on them, which des 
 troyed more than they had lost before during 
 the day. Colonel Prescott s adjutant was 
 shot and crippled, Captain Dow, of his regi 
 ment, was also crippled by a wound in the leg, 
 and Captain Bancroft -had a part of his hand 
 carried oif. 
 
 * Deposition of Lyman, then a lieutenant, and pre"- 
 scnt, ami Miner, a private in the same company. This 
 is confirmed too by the testimony of a distinguished offi 
 cer ot the revolution, yet living, who had served with 
 General Putnam in the French war, and was present him 
 self ;md badlv wotnried. 
 
252 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 The American left wing were openly con 
 gratulating themselves on their victory, when 
 their flank was opened by the retreat of the 
 right. The enemy pressed on them, and they 
 were in their turn compelled to retire. Put 
 nam covered their retreat with his Connecti 
 cut troops, and dared the utmost fury of the 
 enemy, in the rear of the whole, These pur 
 sued with little ardor, but poured in their 
 thundering vollies, and showers of balls fell 
 like hail around the general.* 
 
 He addressed himself to every passion of 
 the troops, to persuade them to rally, to throw 
 up his works on Bunker Hill, and make a stand, 
 and, as the last resort, threatened them with 
 the eternal disgrace of deserting their general. 
 He took his stand near a field piece, and seem 
 ed resolved to brave the foe alone. His troops, 
 however, felt it impossible to withstand the 
 overwhelming force of the British bayonets ; 
 they left him. One sergeant only dared to 
 stand by his general to the last ; he was shot 
 down, and the enemy s bayonets were just 
 upon the general, before he retired. 
 
 * This fact we have from a respectable friend, who 
 was present and yet lives, Philip Johnson, Esq. of New - 
 buryport. His honor and veracity is surpassed by no 
 man s. See also deposition of Captain Hills, then en 
 sign to K.nowltou. 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 253 
 
 General Pomeroy continued to animate the 
 men, and cut down the enemy himself, till a 
 well hove ball shattered his musket. The re 
 treat having commenced, he disdained to turn 
 his back; but with backward step and lower 
 ing front shouldered the fragments of his piece, 
 and carried off his men, encouraging them to 
 pour in their formidable fire on the enemy. 
 
 Captain Trevett, like Callender, was de 
 serted by his men. His lieutenants, Swasey 
 and Gardner, stood by him, with but seven 
 others, one of whom was Moses Porter, al 
 ready a promising artillerist. He persuaded 
 about thirty of the infantry to join in saving 
 one of his pieces, the other he was compelled 
 to abandon. A British company noticed the 
 piece, and determined to seize the prey ; they 
 pursued, on the top of Bunker Hill were with 
 in thirty yards of them, levelled their muskets 
 and fired. The captain gave up all for lost, 
 when but one dropped dead, and another 
 wounded, the remajnder rapidly descended 
 the hill, and carried off with honor the only 
 piece saved out of six taken to the field. Gen 
 eral Putnam ordered it to Cambridge. 
 
 The Charlestown company of Colonel 
 Gardner s regiment was the last to retreat. 
 They were fighting at their own doors, on 
 their own natal soil. They were on the ex 
 treme left, covered by some loose stones 
 22* 
 
254 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 thrown up on the shore of Mystic River, dur 
 ing the day, by order of Colonel Stark. At 
 this most important pass into the country, 
 against which the enemy made their most des 
 perate efforts, like Leonidas band they had 
 taken post, and like them they defended it, 
 till the enemy had discovered another. 
 
 One piece of cannon at the neck opened on 
 the enemy and covered the retreat. But these 
 were in no condition, and discovered no incli 
 nation to renew the engagement, or pursue 
 their advantage, except by a formidable can 
 nonade from their field pieces. They remain 
 ed on Bunker Hill, and lay on their arms dur 
 ing the night. The same was done on Win 
 ter Hill by the New Hampshire troops, and 
 by the rest of the Americans on Prospect Hill, 
 directly in face of the enemy. 
 
 Major Brooks was retained at Cambridge 
 by General Ward, till the last reinforcements 
 were sent to Charlestown, when he marched 
 with the two remaining companies of his regi 
 ment, and met at the neck the Americans re 
 treating. 
 
 Benjamin Thompson, better known as 
 Count Rumford, attended him as a volunteer. 
 He was assisting the army by his mathemati 
 cal learning, his estimates and surveys, but 
 had solicited an appointment in vain, and had 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 255 
 
 made great but fruitless interest for the com 
 mission in the artillery which was bestowed 
 on Major Gridley. For this gross injustice 
 done to his distinguished merit, his- country 
 suffered well deserved punishment in the mis 
 conduct of his rival, and by the final loss of 
 his services, except what they received, in 
 common with all mankind, from his splendid 
 philosophical discoveries, his glorious and 
 beneficent political labors. 
 
 McClary, as attentive to the wants of his 
 men as desperate in fighting them, galloped 
 to Medford and returned with dressings for 
 the wounded. He ordered Captain Dearborn 
 to advance toward the neck with his compa 
 ny, whilst he crossed over to reconnoitre the 
 enemy. He was returning with Lieutenant 
 Colonel Robinson and others, and boasting 
 that the shot commissioned to kill him was 
 not yet cast, when a cannon ball from the 
 Glasgow tore him to pieces. No smaller 
 weapon seemed worthy to destroy the gigan 
 tic hero. 
 
 The veteran Gridley entered his sulky at 
 Bunker Hill to be carried off. The enemy 
 perceived the prey, shot his horse and riddled 
 the sulky with balls; but their rage was im 
 potent; meeting some obstruction in the roack 
 he had left the carriage a moment before. 
 
256 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 Prescott repaired to Cambridge, furious as 
 a lion driven from his lair, foaming with in 
 dignation at the want of support when victory 
 was in his grasp, a victory dearly purchased 
 with the precious blood of his soldiers, family 
 and friends. He demanded but two fresh re 
 giments of General Ward, and pledged his 
 life with them to drive the enemy to his boats. 
 He had not yet done enough to satisfy him 
 self, though he had done enough to satisfy his 
 country. He had not indeed secured final 
 victory, but he had secured a glorious immor 
 tality. 
 
 Two young men in Boston were employed 
 to take the wounded from the boats to the 
 hospitals. A young lieutenant, shot through 
 the body, was carried by them in a chair to 
 his encampment. Passing the streets, pale 
 and faint with loss of blood, he attracted the 
 humane and generous compassion shown by 
 the inhabitants to the wounded ; enmity for 
 gotten, they were all at their doors with re- 
 freshing drink for them. 
 
 o 
 
 At the encampment they met Captain Pit- 
 cairn, covered with blood. Struck with the 
 appearance, the lieutenant inquired of him tta 
 cause, but his grief was too big for utterance^, 
 "vox faucibus ha^sit." A sergeant informed 
 
 O 
 
 him, the captain s father was shot at the 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 257 
 
 breastwork, and the captain carried him to 
 the boat, where he died in his arms. 
 
 The hospital was established in a diftcrent 
 place, to which they repaired, and witnessed 
 a scene to melt the most obdurate enemy. 
 The hospital and even the yard was overload 
 ed with wounded, praying in vain for the sur 
 geons to arrest the current of life, fast ebbing 
 from their wounds, but which, from the 
 numbers, it was impossible to dress. 
 
 Loud and melancholy waitings for the dead, 
 from widows of the common soldiers, were 
 heard in every street, and struck on the heart 
 of the passenger. 
 
 The number of the Americans during the 
 battle, was fluctuating, but may be fairly es- 
 limate&at little more than two thousand men. 
 Their loss was one hundred and fifteen killed, 
 three hundred and five wounded, and thirty 
 captured, in all four hundred and fifty.* The 
 following is the loss of the respective corps : 
 
 Regiments. Kiilol. Wountled. 
 
 Colonels Stark and Reed 15 4J 
 
 Colonel Scammons n 
 
 Gerrislv 3 3 
 
 Wliitcomb 5 8 
 
 -Brewer U 
 
 * General Ward s orderly hook, 
 
258 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 Regiments. Killed. Wounded. 
 
 Colonel Little 7 23 
 
 Gardner 6 7 
 
 Gridley 4 
 
 t-eneral Putnam s regiment, ~) 
 
 Captain Coit and [- 15 SO 
 
 Captain Chester s companies J 
 
 General Ward 1 6 
 
 Colonel Bridge 16 29 
 
 Prescott 42 28 
 
 . Frye 15 31 
 
 . Nixon S 10 
 
 Woodbridge 1 5 
 
 Doolittle 9 
 
 Provincial Newspaper, July 15, 1775. 
 
 The British loss was one thousand and fifty 
 four, including eighty nine officers ; of these 
 two hundred and twenty six weie killed, in 
 cluding nineteen officers, and eight hundred 
 and twenty eight wounded, seventy of whom 
 were officers. The fifth regiment had one 
 officer killed, the fourth one, twenty second 
 one, thirty fifth two, thirty eighth one, forty 
 third one, forty seventh three, fifty second five, 
 four of them were the highest officers of the 
 regiment, and the only pain they expressed 
 from their wounds, was from having received 
 them through the back. The sixty third had 
 one killed, sixty fifth one, sixty seventh one, 
 marines six, and General Howe s aid de camp; 
 The fourth regiment had four wounded, fifth 
 seven, tenth live, fourteenth one, eighteenth 
 one, twenty third four, thirty fifth three, thir 
 ty eighth nine, forty third three, forty seventh 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 259 
 
 five, fifty second five, fifty ninth one, sixty 
 third two, sixty fifth four, marines twelve, 
 Page, of the engineers, and Jardin, secretary 
 to General Howe, All the grenadiers of one 
 company were shot storming the works ex 
 cepting five, and these were led on by the 
 oldest soldier. The grenadiers of the Welsh 
 fusiliers were reduced to eight, and twenty 
 two out of thirty nine grenadiers of the fifty 
 second regiment were killed.* 
 
 In this battle the British gained a nominal 
 victory, but the Americans the only prize con 
 tended for ; they destroyed entirely the phy 
 sical and moral force of the British army, im 
 prisoned them within their narrow lines, and 
 prevented their excursions. The enemy nev 
 er after recovered their enterprise and confi 
 dence in America, and by this single battle 
 the final success of the American revolution 
 was secured. 
 
 * Gentlemen s Magazine for 1775, and Essex Gazette, 
 13 July, 1775. 
 
SUPPLEMENTARY CHAPTER. 
 
 GENERAL WARD received from the General 
 Congress the appointment of first major gene 
 ral and second in command of the American 
 army. On the arrival of General Washington 
 at Cambridge, he assumed the command of 
 the right wing at Roxbury, and his general 
 disposition of the troops about Boston was 
 sanctioned by the approbation of the comman 
 der in chief.* From extreme ill health, he 
 resigned his commission in April, 1776; but 
 notwithstanding his resignation was accepted, 
 at the earnest request of Congress and Gen 
 eral Washington, he continued in command, 
 near Boston, until the 20th of March, 1777. 
 He was afterward a member of Congress un 
 der the old confederation and present consti 
 tution, and died in 1800, aged seventy three. 
 
 The life of General Putnam has been de 
 tailed by abler hands. 
 
 * Marshal], vol. 2, p. 242. 
 23 
 
262 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 Gftneral Thomas was appointed first brig 
 adier general under the United States, in 
 1776 was appointed major general, and on the 
 death of Montgomery repaired to Canada to 
 command the American forces before Quebec. 
 Their situation was nearly desperate ; but he 
 was too adventurous to relinquish the enter 
 prise without one attempt to secure the fa 
 vors of fortune. He endeavoured to burn 
 the enemy s naval force before the city by a 
 fire ship, intending to attack the place during 
 the conflagration ; but the fire ship miscarried, 
 and the general was compelled to order a re 
 treat, during which he died of the small pox 
 at Chamblee. 
 
 General Pomeroy expressed his strong 
 sense of the blindness of fortune, that, of the 
 two volunteer generals in the battle, Warren, 
 the young and chivalrous soldier, the eloquent 
 and enlightened legislator, should fall, and he 
 escape, old and useless, unhurt. From age 
 he declined the honorable appointment of 
 brigadier general of the United States army, 
 and retired from service. But, like the vete 
 ran war horse, when the echoes of his majestic 
 Connecticut rang with the clarion of battle, 
 he spurned the peaceful retreat which his 
 long life and long services demanded. He 
 preferred even a regiment to inaction, and as 
 a colonel marched to join the kindred spirits 
 who composed our army in the Jerseys. His 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 263 
 
 exposures produced a pleurisy, which proved 
 fatal at Peckskill in New York, where his 
 country owes him a monument, and bravery 
 and patriotism perennial fame. 
 
 When Putnam was ordered on what may 
 well be styled a forlorn hope, to land at Bos 
 ton with a detachment, in face of the army 
 and batteries of the enemy, Colonel Prescott 
 solicited of him the honor of participating the 
 desperate undertaking. But heaven frowned 
 at an excess of presumption which her past 
 favors had encouraged ; a violent hurricane 
 arrested the enterprise. 
 
 The colonel continued in the service of the 
 United States, accompanied General Wash 
 ington to New York, and on the disastrous 
 retreat through the Jerseys, he alone was 
 able to keep his men in the ranks. They 
 proved themselves worthy the hero of Bunker 
 Hill, kept the enemy in respect, were exhibit 
 ed to the army as -an example worthy imita 
 tion, and the colonel received the cordial 
 thanks of Washington in general orders. 
 
 In 1777 he, with a corps of volunteers, join 
 ed General Gates, and served with him till 
 victory crowned our arms, and Burgoyne ? s 
 whole army was the trophy. 
 
264 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 When peace ensued, he became a member 
 of the legislature, and in 1787 distinguished 
 himself as a magistrate as he had in 1775 as a 
 soldier. From the miseries and poverty 
 which succeeded the war, many of the suffer 
 ers were driven to oppose the course of legal 
 authority. The enlightened patriot employed 
 his potent influence to stay the tempestuous 
 waves of insurrection. He collected his 
 friends and proceeded to Concord armed to 
 protect the court in session there against the 
 conspirators. He lived to advanced age, and 
 we are happy to add he was a Christian. 
 
 The veteran Colonel Joseph Frye,* who 
 had served in the war of 1756, was at the 
 siege of Louisbourg, and taken prisoner in 
 Fort William Henry, immediately after the 
 battle the 21st June, was appointed major 
 general by the Provincial Congress. He serv 
 ed some time in the revolutionary war, and 
 lived to a very advanced age, at Fryeburgh, 
 which received its name from his family. 
 
 Colonel Gardner lived a few days after the 
 battle, and on being asked if he was well 
 enough to see his son, " yes," answered the 
 hero, " if he has done his duty." Being in 
 formed that he had distinguished himself, he 
 
 * Brother of Colonel James Frye* 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 265 
 
 saw him, and died with the glorious consola 
 tion of leaving the invaluable legacy of his 
 own fame and his country s gratitude to a son 
 worthy to support the honors of his name. 
 
 The life of Major Brooks since the battle of 
 Bunker Hill has been far too distinguished in 
 the military and political history of America 
 to be noticed satisfactorily in a supplement. 
 Some biographer may hereafter confer on the 
 public, a donation worthy their gratitude, a dis 
 tinct account of this hero and statesman. But 
 this cannot be anticipated till the last enemy 
 of man has overcome the amiable modesty, for 
 which he is equally distinguished as for all his 
 higher excellencies, and the requisite informa 
 tion be obtained from his papers which has 
 often been solicited in vain from himself. 
 
 When General Washington arrived at 
 Cambridge his regiment was distinguished for 
 the superior discipline he had introduced, and 
 General Gates pronounced him one of the 
 first disciplinarians in service. He was ap 
 pointed first inspector of the army under the 
 Baron Steuben, and afterwards adjutant gene 
 ral for the army on the North River. 
 
 He was distinguished in nearly all the im 
 portant battles of the revolution. He was in 
 the battle on Long Island with the reinforce 
 ment, and in that of White Plains. History 
 23* 
 
266 BUNKER HILL BATTLE* 
 
 has recorded him among the most distinguish* 
 ed commanders of the army which achieved 
 the conquest of Burgoyne, and he was in the 
 battle of Monrnouth as adjutant general. 
 
 From their earliest acquaintance he was a 
 favorite of Washington, enjoying his uniform 
 friendship, and was honorably distinguished, 
 by his selecting him, among the seven generals 
 of his choice, to serve with him in 1798. 
 
 During the last war he had the superintend- 
 ance of the militia of Massachusetts, directed 
 the forces with admirable skill, and secured 
 the country from inroads of the enemy. 
 
 For some years he has been elected gover 
 nor and commander in chief of the Common 
 wealth of Massachusetts, by the voice of the 
 people, to the universal satisfaction of all par 
 ties. Over the liberties and free constitutions 
 he established as a warrior, he now presides 
 as a legislator with distinguished ability. 
 
 The brave Knowlton, from the first mo 
 ment of the battle to the latest period of the re 
 treat, showed himself worthy the distinguish 
 ed honor of being selected as the first among 
 the Connecticut captains. 
 
 He afterwards received the commission of 
 lieutenant colonel^and at the battle of Harlem 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 267 
 
 Heights, was sent by Washington to get into 
 the enemy s rear ; a bloody action ensued ; 
 Knovvlton and his men fought the whole force 
 of the enemy, of vastly superior numbers, be 
 fore the Americans could attack in front, and 
 got the better of them. He restored by this 
 gallant affair a glorious moral force to the ar 
 my nearly extinguished by disasters; but it 
 \vas at the expense of many brave men in the 
 unequal contest ; his assistant officer, Major 
 Latch, was slain, with three balls through him, 
 and he himself reaped immortal honor and im 
 mortal life together. 
 
 Washington paid due honors to his memory 
 in general orders, and declared, " he had died 
 " a glorious death, which every soldier ought 
 " to wish for, and would have been an honor 
 u to any country on earth." 
 
 T-he same indignation felt by Colonel Pres- 
 cott, at the loss of the battle, was general in the 
 army, and throughout the country ; a scruti 
 ny, most severe arid unrelenting, was instituted 
 into the conduct of every one, to bring con 
 dign punishment on those whose misconduct 
 had caused the final issue. Even Colonel 
 Bridge, notwithstanding the severity of his la- 
 bors,and the dangerous and honorable wounds 
 he received, had to pass the ordeal of a court 
 martial. 
 
2(38 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 Notwithstanding this inquisitorial research, 
 we are happy to add, cut of near three thou 
 sand, who, at different stages of the battle, 
 must have been engaged in it, and most of 
 them for the first time, four only were discov 
 ered guilty of misconduct. Of these, Major 
 Gridley was tried for neglect of duty, Briga 
 dier General Green being president of the 
 court, which " find him guilty of breach of 
 " orders, Ad therefore dismiss him from the 
 " Massachusetts service; but on account of his 
 "inexperience and youth, and the great ccnfu- 
 " sion which attended that day s transaction in 
 " general, they do not consider him incapable 
 " of a Continental commission, should the gen- 
 "eral officers recommend him to his Excel- 
 " lency." 
 
 Colonel Mansfield was obviously guilty of 
 an error only arising from inexperience. Two 
 only were found guilty of cowardice ; of these 
 Colonel Gerrish was certainly guilty of a want 
 of military ardor and activity, but this was a 
 constitutional defect. He was not accused be 
 fore the committee of Congress by General 
 Putnam, and, in the opinion of the very re 
 spectable judge advocate who tried him, and 
 who yet lives, he was far too harshly treated. 
 
 The only officer apparently guilty of cow 
 ardice, Captain Caliender, is a glorious in 
 stance of the buoyancy of real New England 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 269 
 
 heroism, and the redeeming efficacy of a pure 
 conscience, a mind conscious of rectitude. 
 The furious denunciation of Putnam, the con 
 demnation of the court, and thundering pro 
 scription of Washington, would have crushed 
 any one forever, who was armed with a pano 
 ply less divine. 
 
 A committee of Congress was appointed to 
 inquire into the truth of a report, that some 
 officers of the army had been guilty of mis 
 conduct ; they report, that they had made in 
 quiry of General Putnam and other officers, 
 who were in the hottest of the battle, and tiiat 
 the general charged Captain Callender and 
 another artillery officer, with infamous cow 
 ardice, one of the principal causes of the de 
 feat, and informed them that he would quit 
 the service if these officers were not made an 
 example of, and that one of them ought to be 
 shot. The court martial condemned Captain 
 Callender, and General Washington approved 
 the judgment, " not only from the particular 
 " guilt of Captain Callender, but the fatal 
 "consequence of such a conduct to the army, 
 " and to the cause of America in general. " 
 
 Notwithstanding this, our hero resolved to 
 compel the world to acknowledge, by his fu 
 ture conduct, that his past had heen mistaken. 
 He continued with his corps as a volunteer, 
 and desperately exposed himself in every ac- 
 
270 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 tion. The brave and beneficent General Knox 
 extended to him his friendship. 
 
 At the battle on Long Island, the captain 
 and lieutenant of the company of artillery, 
 with which he served, were shot; he assumed 
 the command, and fought the pieces to the 
 last; refused to retreat, and the bayonets of 
 the soldiers were just upon him, when a Brit 
 ish officer, admiring his chivalrous and des 
 perate courage, interfered and saved his life. 
 
 General Washington expressed his high ap 
 probation of his conduct, gave him his hand 
 with his most cordial thanks; ordered the sen 
 tence of the court martial condemning him, 
 to be erased from the orderly book, and re 
 stored to him his commission. He held his 
 commission during the war, and left the ser 
 vice at the peace, with the highest honor and 
 reputation. 
 
 Captain Dearborn was afterwards highly 
 distinguished during the revolutionary war 
 for his bravery and enterprise. He volunteer-- 
 ed at the head of a company of men, selected 
 from the regiment to accompany Arnold, in 
 the winter of 1775, through the trackless 
 wilds, to Quebec; an enterprise, which, in dar 
 ing, hardihood and courage, is not surpassed 
 by the immortal passage of the Alps by Han 
 nibal. He was major of a battalion of light 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 271 
 
 infantry at Saratoga, and his services were ac 
 knowledged by Gates in the highest terms of 
 approbation. Cilley s regiment, of which he 
 was lieutenant colonel, was the most distin 
 guished corps in the battle of Monmouth, and 
 the salvation of the army was owing to their 
 heroic courage. General Washington ac 
 knowledged the service, and sent to inquire 
 what regiment it was. " Full blooded yarikees 
 
 "by sir," was the answer of Dearborn. 
 
 He was afterwards secretary at war appoint 
 ed by Mr. Jefferson ; and during the last war 
 was the first major general and senior officer 
 of the American army. 
 
 Porter, the promising artillerist, who stood 
 by his piece and his captain to the last, has 
 since then risen through every grade of office 
 to the rank of brigadier general in the army, 
 to which he has ever since belonged ; and has 
 maintained an uniform and distinguished repu 
 tation as one of the first artillery officers in 
 service. The important post of Norfolk was 
 entrusted to his command the last war, and he 
 is now stationed at Boston in command of the 
 very district which he so bravely contributed 
 to defend in 1775. 
 
 General Howe, notwithstanding his wound, 
 remained on the field the whole night, watch 
 ing the enemy s movements, and protecting 
 his own position ; supporting himself against 
 
272 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 some hay, he ordered his attendants to pre 
 vent him from falling asleep. 
 
 The morning after the battle, a young gen 
 tleman from Boston went on the ground, and 
 recognized the body of Warren, and mention 
 ed the fact. General Howe would not credit 
 the account ; it was too improbable that the 
 president of Congress was in the battle. One 
 of the most eminent physicians of that or the 
 present day, and yet living in Boston, was on 
 the field ; he had gone over during the battle 
 to dress the British wounded, and was yet 
 dressing them and the wounded American pris 
 oners, with his usual humanity and skill. Gen 
 eral Howe asked him if he could identify Doctor 
 Warren ; he recollected the doctor had lost a 
 finger nail and wore a false tooth, and inform 
 ed the general that Doctor Warren had five 
 days before ventured over to Boston in a ca 
 noe to get information, invited him to join the 
 American troops as surgeon, and informed 
 him that he was himself to receive a commis 
 sion in the army. General Warren was in 
 stantly recognized, and Howe declared this 
 victim alone was worth five hundred of his 
 men. 
 
BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 273 
 
 Omitted pages 92 and 93. 
 Immediately after the battle, the rank of 
 major general was conferred on Colonel Grid- 
 ley. 
 
 America commenced her revolution with 
 but four pieces of cannon, and to his mechani 
 cal science and ingenuity she was indebted 
 for the first mortars and cannon ever cast in 
 the country. 
 
 After being confined some months by his 
 wound, he repaired to Cambridge and super 
 intended the fortifications erecting round Bos 
 ton. On the 4th March, 1776, he was again 
 engaged in erecting fortifications in the night, 
 and the address, science and prodigies of la 
 bor, displayed at Dorchester Heights, were 
 perhaps never exceeded, except on Breed s 
 Hill. These works expelled the enemy from 
 Boston. General Gridley fortified the heights 
 of this place and the islands in the harbor, 
 and General Washington urged him to ac 
 company the army, but his advanced age for 
 bad. He retired on half pay. In 1795 he 
 assisted in laying the corner stone of the 
 state house, as he had in 1775 to lay the 
 corner stone of the state, and lived in re 
 markable health to the age of eighty six, a 
 model of courtliness, beneficence and hospi- 
 
 24 
 
274 BUNKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 tality, as well as all the high perfections of a 
 soldier. 
 
 Colonel Stark will be recognised as the he 
 ro of Bennington, but it is not so generally 
 known that he employed an ingenious and 
 successful expedient to strike a panic into the 
 enemy and assist him in achieving his glorious 
 victory. He had one iron cannon, but neither 
 powder sufficient to employ it, nor balls ; he 
 ordered an officer, however, to charge it, wjao 
 objected the want of balls ; "no matter," said 
 the colonel, " load it with blank cartridge, and 
 "let the discharge be the signal for all the 
 " troops to rush on the enemy." The Hes 
 sians were panic-struck at the thundering re 
 port, his troops rushed on with loud hurray 
 and the victory was complete* 
 
ERRATA. 
 
 Page 272, line 4, after "gentleman from 
 Boston" add the following note. 
 
 General Winslow, yet living. Another 
 friend of the author, yet living, was within 
 six feet of Warren when he fell, and received 
 himself a ball through the thigh. 
 
 Page 183, 1. \l,read Major Box, an experi 
 enced, &c. P. 202, 1. 2, for defence, read 
 defensive. P. 211, 1. 17, for side, on front, 
 read side, or front. P. 222, 1. 4 from bottom, 
 for spare, read sparse. P. 233, 1. 14,ybr huzza, 
 read hurra. P. 263, 1. 2, for Peckskill, read 
 Peekskill, P. 267, 1. 1 1 ,/or Latch, read Leitch. 
 P. 189, 1. 4 from bottom, omit his. P. 199, 
 ]. 3 from bottom, omit and. P. 272, 1. 3 
 from bottom,/or Howe, read the enemy. P. 
 183, 1. 18, for two, read four. P. 221, 1. 19, af 
 ter Boston, insert the principal part of. Same 
 page, 1. 28, erase a large portion of. P. 258, 
 I. 15,/or Provincial, read Providence. P. 257 r 
 L 22, after killed, add and missing. 
 
276 BUXKER HILL BATTLE. 
 
 We neglected to mention that Honorable 
 James Wmthrop, and James Swan, Esquire, 
 accompanied the reinforcements to Breed s 
 Hill, with their muskets, as volunteers, fought 
 valiantly, and the former was wounded. 
 
 NOTE. The author was necessarily absent 
 from town during the whole time the work 
 was in the press. 
 
 THE END. 
 
(S2700L) 
 
 
VB 37307 
 
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