Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History
Benson Lossing, Ed.

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Putnam, Israel 1718-

Military officer; born in Salem (the part now Danvers), Mass., Jan. 7, 1718; he settled in Pomfret, Conn., in 1739, where he acquired a good estate; raised a company, and served in the French and Indian War with so much efficiency that in 1757 he was promoted to the rank of major.

While Abercrombie was resting

Israel Putnam in 1776.

securely in his intrenchments at Lake George after his repulse at Ticonderoga, two or three of his convoys had been cut off by French scouting-parties, and he sent out Majors Rogers and Putnam to intercept them. Apprised of this movement, Montcalm sent Molang, an active partisan, to waylay the English detachment. While marching through the forest (August, 1758), in three divisions, within a mile of Fort Anne, the left, led by Putnam, fell into an ambuscade of Indians, who attacked the English furiously, uttering horrid yells. Putnam and his men fought bravely. His fusee at length missed fire with the muzzle at the breast of a powerful Indian, who, with a loud war-whoop, sprang forward and captured the brave leader. Binding Putnam to a tree (where his garments were riddled by bullets), the chief fought on. The Indians were defeated, when his captor unbound Putnam and took him deeper into the forest to torture him. He was stripped naked and bound to a sapling with green withes. Dry wood was piled high around him and lighted, while the Indians chanted the death-song. The flames were kindling fiercely, when a sudden thunder-shower burst over the forest and nearly extinguished them. But they were renewed with greater intensity, and Putnam lost all hope, when a French officer dashed through the crowd of yelling savages, scattered the burning fagots, and cut the cords [335] that bound the victim. It was Molang, the leader of the French and Indians, who had heard of the dreadful proceedings. Putnam was delivered to Montcalm at Ticonderoga, treated kindly, and sent a prisoner to Montreal. He was afterwards exchanged for a prisoner captured by Bradstreet at Fort Frontenac, and was lieutenant-colonel at the capture of Montreal in 1760, and at the capture of Havana in 1762. He was a colonel in Bradstreet's Western expedition in 1764. After the war he settled on a farm in Brooklyn township, Conn., where he also kept a tavern.

On the morning after the affairs at Lexington and Concord (April 20, 1775) Putnam was in his field, with tow blouse and leather apron, assisting hired men in building a stone wall on his farm. A horseman at full speed acquainted him with the stirring news. He instantly set out to arouse the militia of the nearest town, and was chosen their leader when they were gathered. In his rough guise he set out for Cambridge, and reached it at sunrise, having ridden the same horse 100 miles in eighteen hours. He was appointed a provincial major-general; was active

Putnam's sign.

in the battle of Bunker Hill; and was appointed one of the first major-generals of the Continental army. From

Israel Putnam in British uniform.

that time his services were given to his country without cessation in the Hudson Highlands and in western Connecticut. Paralysis of one side of his body in 1779 affected his physical condition, but did not impair his mind, and he lived in retirement until his death, May 19, 1790.

The sign on Putnam's tavern bore a fulllength portrait of General Wolfe. In the following letter, written at the close of the Revolutionary War, he alludes to his having been an innkeeper: