The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-06-06
eclal Correspondence 'of the Troy Daily
Times
TIE HERMIT'S LETTER.
Our Revolutionary Generals - Something
About Their Lives, Services and Death
A Remarkable and Valuable Historical
Sketch.

New YORK, June 8, 1876.
Decoration day having been duly OBJ
served throughout the Union, have been
led by the associations of the occasion to
refer to resting places of the honored dead.
This city contains the graves Of three rev.
dictionary generals-Montgomer who is
buried in st. Paul's and Hamilton and Lord
Sterling, who are inferred in Trinity church
yard. The first general who fell in action
under Washington was Woodruff, who was
one of the victims Of the defeat at Long
Island, where the patriot army was almost
routed. He was probably buried on the
field of battle. The next general to die in
service under Washingtons command was
Hugh Mercer, q native of Scotland, who
fell at Princeton, January 2, 1777. He
was 10 years older than the commander-in-
chief, and they had been compapions-in-
arms in Braddocks campaign. He was
buried at Philadelphia, and his portrait is
to be seen in the gallery of the Princeton
college. Washington met his next loss at
Germantown, October 4, 1777, where Gen.
Nash was one of the victims of that unfor-
tunate action, in which victory was turned
by strange blunder into almost defeat.
The next Illustrous name in the field of
honor is that of De Kalb. He was born
the same year with Washington, and was
a native OF Alsace, which was then In
France, but now belongs to Prussia. He
accompanied Lafayette to this country in
1777, and was Immediately appointed a
major-general. He served in New Jersey
with credit, and in 1880 was sent to the
southern campaign. At the disastrous bat
tie of Camden he was second to Gates in
command, and fell at the head of his troops
pierced with IL bullets. He was buried at
Camden, and As years afterward Lafayette
officiated at the erection of monument
over his grave. 1t was the most touching
feature in Lafayettes second visit to Amer
ica. Adding to De Kalk the names Of War
rem and of Wooster who fell at Danbury,
of Herkimer, who fell at Oriskang, and
that of Montgomery, who tell at Quebec,
Ill his thirty-night year, and then reckon
ing the foregoing list, we have eight Amer
lean generals killed in action during the
revolution. The British suffered to much
less degree, for only one of their generals
met similar fate. ] refer to Fraser, who
fell at Saltwater. He was Burgoynes best
officer, and with him died all hope of es-
cape from the patriotic army.
AFTER THE REVOLUTION.
Hardly had hostlites been terminated
when Washington was shocked by the
death of his warm friend and associate in
arms, Lord Sterling. They had served to-
gether in disaster at Long Island, and In
victory at Monmouth. Sterling, though
nobleman by birth, and Washington's sen
ior by II years, was thoroughly devoted to
his chief He died in Albany in 1883 and
his body was brought hither on q .loop and
buried in Trinity church yard. BY pc.
culiar neglect his grave was not decorated,
which is a matter of regret, for he was en-
inently worthy of the highest regard. Ster-
ling's family name was William Alexander.
Like Mercer, he was of Scottish birth, and
had claim on tie earldom of Sterling.
To sustain this he vainly spent a fortune
in the British courts, and being disappoint-
ed, threw himself into the American cause.
which he aided nobly through the whole
war. Washington accorded him the title
which his native land denied, and thus in.
| stead of Gen. Alexander, he is known in
our history as Lord Sterling
GREENE.
The next to die was Nathaniel Greene,
the hero of Trenton, Princeton, Brandy
wine, Germantown and Monmouth. No
other of Wasbington's generals held an
equal tour of service, the next in order be-
ing Lord Sterling. Strange TO say, this
| fighting man was bred quaker. His trade
was that of blacksmith. He WAS 33 at
the beginning of the revolution, entered the
army In 1875, and had not a days furlough
| till it was disbanded in 1888. Although a
| Yankee by birth, Gen. Greene passed his
last days in the South He died of sun
stroke at Mulberry river, near Savannah.
in 1884, being then only A. Strange TO
| say, his funeral was so obscurely conducted
that the place of his burial could not be
| found when 1t became matter of research,
| Congress voted monument, but the order
was not executed because the spot could
of the greatest of our heroes thus occupies
a nameless grave.
PUTNAM AND sTRuBRN.
| Next came the death of the senior of
Washipgton's lieutenants, Israel Putnam,
who died in 1890 He went through The
French and Indian war, being under Sir
William johnson at Crown Point. He
was captured afterward and taken to Mon
treal. Having been exchanged he marched
to Detroit against The savages. Putnam
was 81 when the revolution began, being
IA years older than Washington. lie was
associated with the latter at the battle on
Long Island, and continued In service till
paralyzed by disease. Probably no man Of
that era endured more hardship than 'Old
Put" He died in his seventy second year,
worn out with service rather than age.
Next to Putnam comes the name OF the