The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-03-04
Selert Shry.
REVOLUTIONARY SPRINKLINGS.
ISRAEL PUTNAM.
BX BARON FL0S.

Israel Putnam, the redoubtable hero
of Indian and French adventure in the
old Colonial wars, the survivor of many
a Revolutionary fight, was born at Salem,
Mass, January 7, III. His grandfather,
from the south of England, was one of
the first settlers Of the place. The boy
was brought up with his father ON the
farm.
He had a little education in literature; );
much in the development of hardy,
vigorous constitution in his contest with
the soil and the actual world about him.
He was fond ofathletic exercises, AN adept
in running and wrestling, in which he
proved himself more than match for his
village companions. The story is told of
his being insulted for his rusticity, on his
first visit to Boston, by a youth twice his
size, when he taught the citizen better
manners by giving him sound hogging.
Before he was of age he was married
to the daughter of John Pope, Of Salem,
and presently removed with his wife to
the town of Pomfret, in Eastern Connec-
ticut.
On the breaking out of the old French
war; as it was termed, at the age of thir-
tv-seven, he drew together a band Of
his neighbors, and reported himself with
the Connecticut contingent before Crown
Point.
Putnam conducted himself as man of
resources and valor in this mixed species
of warfare, and he achieved reputation
which brought him, in 1857, the commits
sion of Major from the Connecticut Leg
islature.
The year 1853 saw Major Putnam again
in the field, under the command Of Aber-
crombie, in the vicinity of Lake George.
In the early movements of the campaign
Putnam distinguished himself in an am
buscade, by destructive night attack
upon part Of the enemy at Wood
Creek.
When the main line advanced toward
Ticonderoga, he was, with the lamented
Howe, in the front of the CENTER when
that much loved officer was slain upon
the march. There was skirmishing which
attracted the attention of the officers
Putnam advanced to the spot, accompa-
MED, contrary to his discussions, by Lord
Howe, who fell at the first fire.
The party of Putnam, enraged by this
disaster, fought bravely, and inflicted a
heavy loss upon their opponents, The
result of this miserabl bly-conducted expe-
dition however made no amend for the
loss of the gallant Howe. Two thousand
men were thus blunderingly sacrificed be-
fore Ticonderoga, and the threatened
seige was abandoned.
The life of Putnam is full of perilous
encounters, incident to border service
against the Indians In one of these he
narrowly avoided capture by The savages
on the Hudson, near Fort Miller. He
escaped only by shooting the rapids with
his boat, marvellous adventure, which is
said to have weakene la superstitious ven
Grafton for him in the minds of his lndi-
an assailants.
We next find Putnam in charge of a
Connecticut regiment, III novel field of
warfare on the coast of Cuba,in Lord Abe
marle's attack on Havana, in 1852. He
was in considerable danger in astorm, in
which the transport in which he embark
ed was wrecked on reef of the island /;
landing was effected by RATS, and for
tilted camp established ou the shore. He
was again fortunate in escaping the dam
gers ola climate fatal to his cOuntrymen.
On his return home, he was engaged in
service against the Indians, with the
rank of Colonel.
The war being now over, he retired to
his farm, which he continued to cultivate
till he was again called into the field
by the stirring summons of Lexington.
In the preliminary scenes of the war
he fairly represented the feeling of the
mass of his countrymen as it was excited
by the successive acts OF Parliamentary
aggression.
Asa soldier of the old French War he
had learnt the weakness of British officers
in America, and the strength OF hardy,
patriotic peasantry. "If," he said. 1T re-
ouires six years for the combined forces
of England and her colonies to conquer
such a feeble colony as Canada, it would
at least take very long time for England
alone to overcome her own widely ex-
tended colonies which were much strong
er.
The news of Lexington-the war mes
age-transmitted from hand to hand till
village repeated it to village, the sea to
the backwoods, found the farmer OF Pom
fret, two days after the conflict, like Gin
cinnati, literally at the plough" He un-
yoked his team and hastened in his rude
dress to the camp.
summoning the forces Of Connecticut
he was placed at their head, with the rank
of Major General, and stoodready at Cam
bridge for the bloody days Of Bunker's
Hill
He was in service, in May, in the spir-
tied affair, cl ecking the British supplies
from Noodles Island, in Boston Haibor,