The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-05-25

tle ClhlIn LOT tndt CQu1DHDuer.
The same claim has been advanced for
General Israel Putnam, founded upon the
fact that Colonel John Trumbull, in his
"ideal picture of The Battle of Bunker
HILL made him the central figure, and
he, In turn, basing his idea on expressions,
contained in contemporary correspondence,
similar to the following "Putnam had
"sore battle on Saturday,; :" Gen. Putnam,
GO with detachment of about one thou
" sand of the American forces, went from
Cambridge, and began an intrenchment
"on an eminence below Bunker Hill";
Gen. Putnam rode between Charlestown
and Cambridge without a coat, in his
shirt sleeves, and an old white felt hat
" on, TO report to Gen. Ward, and to con-
"s suit on farther operations 1--WE hear
that Putnam is defeated, and DIR. War
" rem slain" The probabilities are that
these expressions were used, not to state
the fact that he commanded, but because
Putnam, at that time, was about the only
American officer of real military expert
ence in the country, and because of his
extensive popularity in the colonies. In
deed writer, advocating his claims and
citing all attainable authorities, is CON-
PEELED TO admit that the matter still re-
mains mystery, and sums up his argu-
ment by making Ward the commander-in-
chief at Cambridge "Warren, the next /;
al. i'll Il. a,,1
"Col Prescott, another officer in the
"army."
Others have claimed that the battle was
| fought by an "army of allies each officer
commanding "on his own hook" but, for
years, the real commander was left out of
sight This notwithstanding Heath had re-
corded in his memoirs that "Col. William
I" Prescott was the proper commanding
d" officer, at the redoubt, and nobly acted
" his part as such, during the whole ac-
" ton." OF late years, the taste for his
torical investigation has brought to light
much evidence bearing upon this question,
and, even early in the latter day contro-
versy, Daniel Webster, in reviewing the
whole case as then presented, said !: "If
"there was any commsnder.in-chicfi in the
t" action, it was Prescott" From that day
! to this, the evidence has been constantly
accommodating. and it is all to the same eff
feet. The last contribution to the subject
is a very valuable monograph on "The
Battle Of Bunker's Breeds Ill.," by
George 4. Ellis, published by Lockwood
Brooks and company, OF Boston. In this,
he demonstrates, by means of a fair and
impartial narrative of the events of the day
all founded on the best of authority, thai
Colonel William Prescott was, as Heath
says, the ''proper commanding officer.
This monograph, besides setting this ques
ton at rest, is, "by all Odds" the most
complete history of the events Of June H.
1775, that has been written and to it We
battle, and for complete vindication o.
Colonel Prescott's claims to be regarded al
the provincial commander.
1t may seem strange, at first thought
| thue thSiN chcuiu CNSi navy DcCh any douD
about the matter, but this is dispellet
when we consider that no orders or reports
connected With the battle, on the American
side, are extant and especially when W,
recall the fact that an attempt was made
two or three years ago, to deprive Ethar
Allen of the honor of the capture of III
conderoga in the face of his own narrative
and Notwithstanding official reports there
of were extant in the archives of Massa
chusetts, Connecticut and New York
Even in our own day, in reference to event
within our own memory, questions o
leadership are raised which are, as yet, IN
settled. Thus, in reference to the cele
brated "March to the Sea, Sherman, in hi
recently published memoirs, says "Thi
was the first time that General Grant as
"sented to the march to the sea, and al
though many of his warm friends an
admirers insist thai he was the autho
"and protector Of that march, and that
simply executed his plans, General Gran
has never, in my opinion, thought so G
"said So General Badeau, the secretar
; and chosen biographer of the president, O
the other hand, claims that the movemer
originated with General Grant and Charlie
A. Dana, assistant secretary of war undo
Mr.. Stanton and now bitter opponent {
the president, says that the march TO tn
sea "bears ample testimony not only to tn
grandeur of Grants conceptions, but t
the heroic and unshakable resolutio
"with which he carried them into effect.
If then doubt is thrown around such
movement during the life time Of all IL
actors, is it any wonder that the questio
as to "who was commander at Bunkt
> Hill" should be raised ? Mr.. Ellis is el
titled to the gratitude of every student {
American history for his valuable mont
graph, a monograph which must convino
every candid reader that Colonel Williai
! Prescott was tbs commander at the bait
!. of Bunker Hill.