The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-06-12
BUNKER HILL.
Who Commanded the Ameri-
cans on June II, 17752
Rev. Increase N. Tarbox on General
Putnam's Claim.
PRESC0ITS SUBORDINATE POSITION.
The General from Connecticut the
Real Commander.
PRESC0TTs SUBORDINATE POSITION.
Warren Even Taking Orders from the Cen
eral ON Horseback.

warning, at the very beginning OF the eight
years. struggle, having already reached the age
OF hfty-sevsn, 1t was alterward made matter OF
complaint and faultdnding that he, 'beng dis
tDgushed for his popularity his integrity and
patriotism, served as third in command at the ter
Mination of the American Revolution" 1t Is not,
perhaps very hard to bear such SANDERS as that;
but the man who wrote this ser tence was trying,
OF the time, TO prove that, In the course of
this wicked and ungrateml world, Inferior men
are petted and henored and superior men are
neglected. But as the sentence was not written
till long after the close OF the War OF lndepen-
dence and when Putnam had been, for quarter or
q century, sleeping in mis- honored grave, we shall
venture to conclude that his contemporaries were
quite az well able to Judge the man fairly and
correctly as the generations that came aiterward.
Indeed II we are willing to go back 10 the early
papers and documents gathered In such
work as 'Forces American Archives" there
win be no great diniculty In reading and under
standing this mans history. The confusion which
has arisen In reference to Putnam's Revolutionary
career has come apparently from the attempt OF
certain to rewrlte history to suit local, indl
vidual and family prejudices. II was not until
many years after Putnam had ended his course
OF eminent public service that these writers
came forward to parnish his name and give mis-
glory TO another. There Is one author, whose
name we will not and perhaps need not mention,
who within the last few years has attempted TO
blacken Putnam's memory and to present him be-
fore the American people as kind OF early
Benedict Arnold. The old hero is represented by
thus writer as bearing trsitorous thoughts and
designs in his breast during the whole OF that
memorable and tosome nth OF June, 1T15. On
she otner hand, It is IN evidence that when Put
nam appeared at Cambridge IN April OF that year,
the British officers, knowing well the heroic
mould and quality Of the man from the remin-
SCIENCES OF the war OF 1865 piled all their arts and
persuasions 10 withdraw him from the patriot
cause and bring him into the English service.
'Appietons' Cycopedia,r in its long article on
Putnam, says :-"Arrlung there Cambridge no
was soon sought after by the British officers, who
offered him commission as major general in the
royal service ana o large pecunlaIy compensation,
both OF which he Indignantly rejected.n
PUTSAM's ARRIVAL IN CAMBRIDGE IN 1775.
Putnam came to Cambridge April 81, IRIS, bear
Ing tine title Of general. But, as we understand
the matter, that was title conferred by the
people OF Connecticut BY general consent. His
real title at the close or the French war was
colonel But the masses OF the people IN Con-
neencut in l774 ana 1875 anticipating the out
break that must soon come, had named and desiG-
mated him "a general When tue Connecticut
Assembly came together In May, l775, he was
oflcialIy chosen aud appointed or1gadter general.
But before this ofilcal appointment his ttie as
conferred by the people OF Connecticut was re
spected In Massachusetts,, and he Is commonly
spoken or in the Massachusetts, records and do u
ments OF that period as general, OF which the lol-
lowing minute may serve az an iustratton:-
MASSACHUSETTS PKoyISclaL cosshKss,
Thursday, May 4 l775 I
Resolved, That General Putnam aud Colonel Porter,
pointed BY the sad committee and the Council Of War
mi.lSd into Ihis house and that Colonel warren Mr.
Devcns and Colonel Gerrsh be committee TO INTRODUCES
them.
But it was only some three weeks after his CON-
Ing to Cambridge that he was In this doubtful pc.
sition as to his rank and title. Before the middle
OF May he was brgadler general By onicial ap-
pointment.
In the present paper we snail try ana tell the
story OF General Putnam's life especially In It's
connection with toe battle Of Bunker HilD in
natural ana Straightforward way, with references,
90 lar as may be- TO the old documents and RECORDS
ana proofs for the truth OF our narrative.
BRIEF HISTORY, :
Israel Putnam was born in Salem, Mass. in the
year 17ls He belonged to the old race OF New
England farmers, a stock from which a great null
situde OF iustrlous men have sprung. lie had
small advantages for early education and culture;
but he was naturally strong In body and IN mind.
no was formed on scale OF large proportions.
He was open, frank, largo hearted and generous
above all mean and petty jcalousies, sort OF Mar
tin Luther In his magnetic influence over men.
He lived AZ Salem until the age OF twenty one,
wnen he married and removed with his young
wife TO Pomiret, Conn. Though the settlements
IN the Connecticut Valley and along the shores or
the sound were, al this time, mere tnan
hundred years OLD, yet the portion OF the
comparatively new country. Miss Ellen
''History OF Windham County, Connecticut mas
marked the arrival OF Putnam In those parts.
Of divers sorts before his coming but, shc says ION
page 1851 1.-THE grievances OF Pomfret were
somewhat renewed IN 1889 by the transfer OF Mort
south part or wiltshire "a district OF PomreD was
sold by Governor Becher 10 Israel Putnam ana
DOM Pope, both or Salem. In the course OF the
wear Putnam purchased Popes share and took
person al possession Of wiltshire Manor" Here he
appears as bold and substantial young farmer,
Just setting or upon the active business Of life.
Miss Jarned has also told IN a new, minute ana
graphic way the vol story with watch all
American readers are In general familiar.
Putnam continued here, in active labors upon
his larm from 1888 TO the French War In 1855 he
was member Of the church and one OF the active,
enierprsing aud prominent citizens OF Eastern
Connecticut At the breaking out OF the French
war ne enlisted company, OF which he was made
Point. lie soon rose 10 tue rank OF major, ana
alter niue years OF hard and miscellaneous service
be left tue army IN 1854 with the rank OF colonel,
and went back TO his Iarm and family.
The ADVANTAGE or MILITARY TRAINING.
u was most fortunate CIRCUMSTANCE LOT the
patriot cause at the opening or the Revolutionary
War that there wore 81 many men on the popular
side who had received military training and
gained warike experiences Ia this war Of 1855.
Almost all the cary officers In the Revolutionary
Army hau seen service IN tue french war Ihose
campaigns OF 1855 aud Onward served the same
Essential purpose IN tnat day as did our west
FONT Academy IN Onr recent rebellion. Prom the
very beginning OF the DISTURBANCES between Eng
tand and America, through all those weary aud
Nouplous years preceding the actual outbrcas,
colonel Putnafn watched, with sharp ana eager
eye, rom his iarm In POmlret, all that was going
en. The battle Of Lexington and Concord was
fought On the 18TH OF April That battle reported
ttseH " MIN Just as soon as messengers ceud
carry the news, aud on the evening Of April u he
was at the Headquarters Of General Ward IN
cambridge. The moro common stOry Is that he
was plougDing ia the Geld al the time tho messen-
Eer arrived his son Daniel, then fifteen years OF
age, driving TIC team. other narratives say be
was laying stone wall. IL matters not winch,
Whatever he labor, he dropped II in an instant.
aud iOrty-eight hours alter The light at Lexington
vac over ne was at Cambridge This boz Daniel
Giiher came with him or followed inmo lately alter.
an rean nFu afrn 80.